Chapter 35
Chapter Thirty-Five
Caleb
M y cell beeps just as I’m about to board the plane en route to Vegas. I step to one side to check the message I’ve just received, earning a frown from my twin. All the blood leaks from my face when the picture loads. It’s Lili. She’s stripped to her underwear and tied to a chair in a dingy room. Her head lolls forward, her hair hanging in strands around her face. Panic sluices through my veins as I read the accompanying message with location coordinates.
TELL NO ONE OR SHE DIES. I WILL KNOW.
I take off running as Joshua calls after me.
Elisa
Pain-filled grunts fill the air as I come to, disorientated and confused. Hair curtains my face as I lift my head, moaning at the ache in my neck and the throbbing pain in my arm. My vision is sketchy when I open my eyes, and I have trouble focusing. A rotting stench filters into the air, and my nostrils twitch. The floor under my bare feet is cold, dirty concrete, and the raw stone walls are covered with stains. The air is frigid, lifting all the hairs on my body and hardening my nipples behind my flimsy bra.
But that is the least of my worries when I hear a familiar voice.
“Lili.” His gravelly tone sends icy shards plunging into my spine.
I turn my head in horror, barely able to see him through knotty strands of hair. “Caleb,” I rasp in a hoarse voice, hoping the vision I’m seeing is a nightmare and not reality. My love is tied to a chair beside me in only his boxers. Arms behind his back and ankles bound to the chair legs, like me. Blood seeps from the hole in his arm where they hacked his tracking chip out, and blood also covers his face, coats his hair, and drips down his chin and onto his chest.
“The lovebirds are reunited for one final tragic act,” Anais says, yanking my head back by my hair and causing me to cry out as splintering pain radiates across my scalp.
“Leave her the fuck alone!” Caleb shouts. “I’ll kill you. I’ll kill both of you.”
Anais tilts my head to the side so I can see everything going down. “Look what your love did to him,” she scoffs. “He just raced off without hesitation, leaving his brother and others to their fates.”
“Always so fucking arrogant, Accardi,” Cruz says before ramming his fist into Caleb’s stomach. “But I appreciate your predictable reckless streak.”
“Stop!” I scream as Cruz continues beating my boyfriend. “Just tell us what you want, and we’ll do it!” Right now, I would do anything, sacrifice anything, to set Caleb free.
Outside, a loud boom claims all our attention, and my eyes widen in horror as I stare out the small window. A mushrooming fireball shoots upward through the sky from the direction of the airport.
“You’re a dead man,” Caleb says in a fearless tone, eyeballing Cruz with unconcealed hatred. “I’m going to enjoy ending you.”
“You and whose army?” Cruz stands, flexing his bloody knuckles and grinning at the fiery sky outside. His phone pings. Removing it from his pocket, he chuckles as he reads the message. “They’re all dead, and there’s no one to stop me now.”
Oh my god! It all snaps into place. It was a trap to get all the dons on the plane and take them out. My eyes whip around to Caleb, and his reassuring gaze meets mine, silently coaxing me to trust him. Caleb wouldn’t leave his twin to die. This must be part of some plan, so I force my anxiety aside and concentrate on getting out of here alive.
“Let me see that.” Anais lets go of my hair and stalks over to her husband, her heels clicking on the hard ground. She’s dressed in a figure-hugging dress with her cleavage hanging out, high heels, and pearls. A fur coat keeps her warm while I’m over here literally freezing my butt off in my underwear. She grabs his cell and smiles. “You did it, baby.” She throws her arms around Cruz and kisses him.
Cruz slides his hand under the back of her dress as he devours her lips. I throw up a little in my mouth watching him grope her ass and grind his hips against her.
Caleb looks at me while our kidnappers are busy making out, lowering his eyes to where my hands are tied behind my back over the chair. He is busy at work loosening his binds, and I do the same, offering up thanks that Dad insisted on training me and Romeo when we each turned thirteen. He has no expectation about any of us initiating, but he has always insisted we are well prepared for the world we live in. I might not be a badass like Gigi, but I can hold my own.
Unfortunately, Cruz isn’t swayed by his wife’s wiles for long. His eyes whip to mine, and I momentarily freeze before slowing my motions so it’s not obvious I’m trying to free my hands.
“How long have you two been a team?” Caleb asks, looking unfazed despite our predicament. He’s cool as a cucumber as he silently works to loosen the rope around his wrists.
“A long time,” Anais coos, snuggling into her husband.
“Did you really think I’d let you fuck my wife and live if there wasn’t an ulterior motive?” Cruz shoves his hand down the front of her dress, fondling her ridiculous tits.
“From the start?” Caleb asks, and I know he’s feeding their egos and keeping them talking on purpose. They are both narcissists, so it shouldn’t be too difficult.
“The first couple of years were retaliation for Cruz fucking that slut Bettina,” Anais says, pushing her tits into her husband’s hand as he continues groping her.
It’s disgusting. They both are.
“Until we realized how alike we are and our goals were aligned,” Cruz adds.
“And what now, Anais?” Caleb asks. “You’re just going to raise her kid as your own?”
“Yes!” she snaps. “We need to present a family image so the rest of the mafioso will fall behind our leadership, and Cruz needs an heir for succession.”
“Anais is barren, so there was no choice but to use one of my whores to breed my child,” her despicable husband explains. How sad for Bettina. She seems to have had real feelings for him, but she meant nothing to him. She died for her mistakes, and that little boy she gave birth to will pay for them.
“Cruz!” Anais feigns hurt. “A little compassion, please. You know how much it upset me not getting pregnant.”
“It’s a sign,” Caleb says, smirking. “Mother Nature knew you’d make a lousy mom, so she made it so you couldn’t have kids.”
Anais lets loose a high-pitched screech. Removing Cruz’s hand from her chest, she lunges at Caleb, slapping and hitting him while Cruz just laughs.
“What goals?” I blurt, trying to draw her attention away from my love. “What goals were aligned?”
Anais glares at Caleb before tossing her dark-blonde hair over her shoulders. “We both wanted ultimate power. It’s our destiny,” the delusional bitch says. “We were always meant to be king and queen of New York. It would’ve happened sooner for me if that bitch Sierra hadn’t stolen Ben.”
“He was never yours,” I say. “Ben would never have married you. You were a spoiled brat then just like you are now. He despises you.”
Anais walks forward and slaps me across the face. I knew it was coming, but I still don’t regret my words even though I hear Caleb chastising me in my ear.
“Touch her again, Anais. I dare you,” Caleb growls.
“Oh, Caleb.” Anais crouches in front of him. “Your threats are amusing but empty.”
“Get away from him!” I scream when she drives her hand under the waistband of his boxers and touches him.
“Darling. There’ll be time for that later. Let’s finish story time.” Cruz barely looks concerned that she’s groping another man. If they have truly been working together for years, they have both willingly fucked other people with full knowledge and permission. I struggle to understand that because I can’t conceive ever sharing Caleb with anyone or ever wanting any other man to touch me.
“I do miss your dick.” Anais removes her hand, and I work harder to free myself. That fucking bitch is not putting her hands on my man again. The rope is definitely looser, so we just need to keep them talking for a little longer. Anais pats Caleb’s flaccid cock over the material of his boxers, and I want to slice her hands from her body. “We’ll have one final fuck before my husband kills you. For old time’s sake.” She pins me with a smug look. “I’m sure you’re gagging for a decent fuck. We all know the little virgin can’t satisfy you.”
“No longer a virgin, and my man is well satisfied,” I coolly reply. “More than he ever was with you.”
That earns me another slap and another warning glare from Caleb.
“Pity.” Cruz grips my chin, arching my neck so I’m forced to look at him. “I was looking forward to deflowering you.” His hand slides down my body to cup my crotch, and bile travels up my throat. Caleb is hurling insults at him while bucking on the chair. Cruz’s eyes light up. “Bet you’re still an anal virgin.”
I can’t disguise my terror, and he barks out a laugh. “Oh, I am going to enjoy this.” He moves his hand down lower, poking his finger into my ass through my panties. He smirks at Caleb. “It’s only fair, Accardi. You fucked my woman; now I get to fuck yours.” Caleb is going crazy, and that’s the only reason I’m able to keep it together rather than freaking out.
“You were spying on him all this time,” I blurt, looking at Anais, hoping she takes the bait. “Why? What did you gain?”
My diversion works. Cruz smirks at me as he moves away, walking back to his wife. Relief surges through me, but it’s short-lived. We are far from out of the woods. “Anais fed Caleb intel when it suited us,” he explains, “and she was able to keep tabs on most of the key players while we plotted in the background.”
“Except it all went wrong,” Caleb clips out. “We got the upper hand in A.C., and Puccinelli washed his hands of you.”
“We didn’t need the Italian, and the Grecoes were fools.” Cruz puffs out his chest. “Anais begging you for protection was all part of the plan because we needed those files to destroy The Commission and take control.”
“You ruined everything.” Anais jabs her finger in my face. “I couldn’t get close to him to gain access to the file room because of you, and Joshua practically threw me out the day I showed up at his office.”
“We know you placed cameras and audio and bugs in her apartment, and you have the building locked up like Fort Knox,” Cruz says to Caleb.
“That’s why you were masquerading as Giotto,” I surmise. Caleb jerks his head in surprise because he wasn’t aware of that.
“That was only a recent development when we had to revert to Plan B.” A thunderous look crosses over Cruz’s face, and he darts forward, punching Caleb in the face.
I scream, shouting at him to let him go. Anais slaps me in the face, and I use the commotion to work faster, feeling the ropes loosen further.
“Cruz has been in the city the entire time.” Anais peers at her husband with an adoring look. “We were meeting regularly at the salon.” She turns gloating eyes on me. “I was fucking Sebastien there too.”
Shock races through me. “He was a spy?”
“A distraction,” Cruz confirms. “We wanted to distract Caleb, and we knew a possessive boyfriend would work like a charm.”
“Not that it helped much in the end.” Anais scowls. “I still couldn’t get to that key, and then Seb fucked it all up by getting attached to your little virgin ass.” She rakes a derisory gaze over my body. “God knows why. You’re nothing special.” Her eyes linger on my chest. “A boob job would have done wonders for your sex appeal, Elisa, but you’re too timid to try anything bold.”
“Elisa has the perfect body, and she’s anything but timid in or out of the bedroom. She is worth a million of your lying whore ass,” Caleb says.
Both husband and wife attack him, and I use the opportunity he’s given me to loosen the ropes more. Not much further and I’ll be free. Ideas churn through my mind as I figure out how to play this to our advantage.
“You thwarted our plans to have you all sent down,” Cruz adds, straightening up and continuing speaking as if he and his wife aren’t two deranged lunatics who totally deserve one another. Anais kisses Caleb on the lips, and I shoot daggers at her back. She flips her middle finger at me as she moves over to her husband, sliding her hand down the back of his pants.
They make me sick, and I can’t wait for karma to finally get them.
“So you left us no choice but to kill everyone.” Cruz grins as he looks out the window in the direction of the airfield.
“You’re an idiot,” Caleb says. “You think you can blow up a plane and commit mass homicide and get away with it?”
“It wasn’t as neat as handing the files over anonymously to the authorities and letting them do my dirty work, but it’s a worthy Plan B. No one paid the price after the warehouse bombing.” He folds his arms. “They can’t pin anything on me because my planning was exemplary. I bought my own airline to understand the inner workings of the industry, make contacts, and devise a foolproof plan. This was always my backup strategy if I couldn’t get my hands on the files.”
“So why not kill Caleb on the plane?” I ask, just as the rope fully loosens, and I’m free. I don’t know if Caleb has managed to free himself too, but I can’t risk looking, so this is all on me.
“Because he deserves to suffer before he dies. It’s punishment for daring to taunt me for years.” Cruz strides toward me with evil written all over his face. I prepare myself, having decided what I’m going to do. “That’s where you come in, sweetheart.” He grabs my boob through my bra. “I’m going to fuck you every which way from Sunday while he watches. Then Anais will take what she wants from that cockroach while you watch your love get hard for another woman.” He leans in closer to my face. “Then, I’ll kill you slowly, making him watch the blood drain from your body. After, I’ll keep him alive for a while. A few weeks. A couple months.” He shrugs. “I’ll prolong the agony for as long as I can before he rots in this cell.”
“Fuck you,” I say before gathering saliva in my mouth and letting it loose. It lands on his cheek, and he’s instantly enraged. I use my body when he slaps me, letting it propel me backward with force. My chair slams to the hard ground, the weathered wood shattering upon impact like I hoped. Ignoring the rattling pain splintering up my back and Caleb’s panicked shouts, I wrap my free hand around one of the broken spokes of the chair, feeling the jagged end and smiling internally.
I wait for Cruz to lean down before making my move, praying like I have never prayed before. “Time to lose your virginity, little mouse,” he says, reaching for me.
“Time to go to hell.” Lifting my arm, I shove the jagged piece of wood into his neck with force. Blood spurts from the wound as I hit the artery, and I hammer the end with my palm, pushing it down and driving it deeper, using all my hatred to fuel my movements.
Cruz stumbles to the side, staring at me with fear-laden eyes as his fingers curl around my makeshift weapon.
Anais screams, reaching for her husband as blood bubbles in his mouth, and he crashes to the ground. I slide out from under him in time, dragging the base of the chair with me. Only one of my legs is free, but the wooden spoke is still tied around my calf. I scramble to untie the last knots so I can help Caleb.
“You fucking whore!” Anais screams, jumping on me just as I’ve freed my leg. Angry tears fill her eyes as her hands wrap around my throat, and she squeezes. I do the only thing I can think of and punch her in the boobs. Then Caleb surges forward, curling his arm around her neck and yanking her off me.
“I told you not to touch my girl,” he snarls, dragging her back a little. “Follow your husband to hell, bitch, and align your goals for eternity.” Locking eyes with me, he twists her head and snaps her neck in a lightning-fast move. The light instantly dies from her eyes, and she slumps to the ground, joining her dead husband.
I climb awkwardly to my feet, stumbling toward Caleb, and we fall into one another.
“You’re okay. We’re okay,” he says, holding me close as I shiver all over from the pure adrenaline coursing through my veins.
“The others,” I croak, hoping I’m right.
“They’re safe. Joshua knew something was wrong when I took off without telling him and refused his calls. I knew he’d jump to the right conclusion. We had suspicions it was a trap, and my taking off confirmed it. J knows the only reason I would ever leave him without a word is because something had happened to you. Like he knows if something had happened to you it was because of Cruz.”
“Caleb.” Panic jumps up and bites me. “You didn’t tell him?! My dad might’ve been on that plane! Your dad too!”
“Elisa, calm down.” He clasps my face in his hands. “I couldn’t risk calling him because Cruz threatened me. I wasn’t about to risk your life especially when I knew my brother would figure it out. Trust our freaky twin bond. My brother is alive, and I know he got everyone off that plane in time. If Joshua was dead, I would know it.” He thumps his hand over his heart. “I’d feel it in here. Trust me, J is on his way now to rescue us.”
I rub the back of my neck. “Thank God, they didn’t know about the new tracking chips.”
He grins. “We were right to keep that news a closely guarded secret.”
“So, what now?” I ask, shivering as I glance around the chilly cell. I spare no more than a passing glance at the two dead assholes on the floor. They got what was coming to them.
Caleb swats my ass and reclaims my attention. “You remember the last time I stood before you covered in blood?” He arches a brow as his pupils darken.
Lust coils low in my belly as I quickly catch on. “Oh, yes, baby. You’re on,” I say, bending down to remove the last tie on my leg.
“I’m not sure how gentle I can be,” Caleb says, pushing me up against the wall as his fingers find their way into my panties.
“I’m not sure how gentle I want you to be,” I reply over a gasp as he plunges two fingers deep inside me.
“I think we’re compatible in more ways than one,” he admits over a wicked grin.
I part my legs and push my chest into his as he pumps his fingers in and out of me in a punishing pace. “Only one way to find out, my love,” I say, shoving his boxers down and gripping his solid erection.