I snarled. “She’s a pain in the fucking ass, and I’ve only talked to her for a few minutes.”
“Ahh, one of those kinds,” Kingston said with a laugh of his own.
“Will her boyfriend be a problem moving forward?” Cillian asked as he effortlessly changed the subject.
“No, the guy’s a fucking loser. And soon to be a medical doctor. For those who said modern medicine is progressing, with idiots like him responsible for that care, he might be settingit back some, but I digress. He knows who I am and what I’m capable of. If he intends to have use of his hands or his tongue, he’ll keep his fucking mouth shut and move on with his insignificant life.”
“I sense some hostility there,” King offered up.
“She thinks he’s some sort of hero that’ll come rescue her on his white horse, but she’ll soon see that the closest thing he has to an iron sword is his tin foil hat. He will not be a problem, but if he chooses to grow a pair in the meantime, he’ll be swiftly dealt with. This isn’t my first rodeo, guys.”
“I know,” Cillian said, and his voice seemed to soften like it would when he was talking to my cousin, Ciara.
I hated to feel patronized, so I cleared my throat this time. “So to recap, I’ve gotten the girl and will hold her until the handoff is ready. At that point, she’ll be turned over to the Bratva, and that will be that.”
“We’ll have more information once my trip to Sicily is over,” King reminded me.
“Sounds good, and if there’s nothing else...”
“Nothing at the moment. I’m headed back to bed with my wife. I’ll keep you all posted,” my uncle said, then the lines disconnected.
Bed. Mine was calling to me, and on my way to my room, I poked my head inside of hers and saw her snuggled up under the two different covers, sleeping peacefully. A yawn escaped me, so I closed the door and continued down the hallway.
Irolled over in bed and did a languorous stretch, fully expecting to be engulfed in the mound of pillows I normally kept there, but encountering just two instead. Keeping my eyes closed for a few more moments, I tried to get my bearings but something felt off. This bed was not my own, and even the lingering scent of cedarwood and citrus that invaded my nostrils the moment I took a deep breath in was unrecognizable.
I’d come to know the few scents that Drake wore, and his cologne and body wash usually reeked of rosemary and musk, both of which I did not smell now. As I thought about my boyfriend, I knew the bed I was on now wasn’t even the one he had in his own condo.
Still, I stretched once more, then slowly opened my eyes, expecting to find him there next to me, if not in the same room. When my lashes fluttered upward, however, I immediately knew something was wrong. I wasn’t at his place or mine, or even in any hotel I could recall.
I bolted upright in bed, then glanced toward the open closet door where I saw my suitcases, then to the window, whichshowcased an amazing view of the city, but not from a place I was familiar with whatsoever.
I scrambled out of bed, then noticed that I was still fully dressed, so there was no need to cover myself with a blanket as I moved to the large window. As I peered through the glass, I could see Boston’s financial district, so I knew I was in the South End area, or somewhere close by.
How did I get...
Before I could even fully ask myself that, memories of a text message from Drake came rushing back. As did the feeling that he was whisking me away on a romantic trip. Only, he never showed up, but two men had instead. I remember my cell phone, then a prick of something, before waking up here and encountering someone even scarier than those men had been.
I closed my eyes as his face entered my thoughts. I couldn’t remember ever seeing him before, and he certainly didn’t look like any of the type of men that Drake hung out with. I’d been kidnapped, and the man’s words began echoing in my head.
“Your life as you knew it is over.”
He’d said that to me, along with other things.Zarren.He’d finally given me his name, but not before he had assaulted me violently. I ventured into the bathroom, and sure enough, I could still see some redness from where his hand had viciously tightened around my throat.
I placed two fingers against that spot, then shuddered. My touch was soft, but his had been firm, sadistic, and with a little more pressure, it could’ve even been deadly. I quickly drew my hand away, then leaned in closer. As scary as my abductor had been, he’d said something else which made me start to shake.
“I’ll shatter you into fucking pieces so there will be next to nothing left for the next guy.”
“The next guy? What the hell have I gotten myself into?”
That answer was not clear, but it would be soon… I hoped. I turned the faucet to cold, then splashed some water onto my face. There’d be no shattering or anything else on my part. If he thought so, he had another thing coming.
There had been some defiance on my part, but not as much as there should’ve been. Chalk it up to the drugs or shock of the situation, but I’d now had time to rest. He might’ve had the element of surprise, but not anymore. Today was a new day.
And it’s one where I’ll take back my life.
I kept that vow with me as I showered. After, I changed into a pair of yoga pants and a T-shirt I’d packed, then I put on some thick socks and my sneakers before venturing to the bedroom door.
Before opening it, I placed my ear to it to see what I could hear. When I heard a voice or two, I took a deep breath and thrust the door open. I stepped out into the hallway, then followed the sounds of voices, intending to tell whoever might be there that I’d been kidnapped.
