Dangerous Contract, Part 2 (The Cattaneo Crime Family)

Chapter One

MONIQUE

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Monique’s eyes fluttered open, lids heavy and reluctant. Her body felt like an invisible force was weighing it down. Vision blurry, she blinked, trying to focus on her surroundings. She blinked again, but the haze over her eyes refused to lift.

Muffled voices reached her ears. The sounds made her head throb. It was all too much – sensory overload. She allowed herself to be pulled under, returning to the darkness. At least in the darkness, there wouldn’t be pain and confusion.

She didn’t know how long she slept, but when she opened her eyes again, they no longer felt as heavy as before. And that haze over her eyes was lifting. Blinking, she focused on the room around her.

The room was dark and decrepit, the air heavy with dampness and decay. It smelled of mold and long-forgotten food, the stench making her stomach churn. Dust tickled her nose and throat, forcing her to swallow in an attempt to keep from sneezing or coughing.

Her gaze drifted up to the rusted chain hanging from the ceiling, its links clinking softly as they swayed in the breeze flowing from the vent a few inches away. The chain was connected to a door that looked like it led to an attic.

Obviously, she wasn’t at home. That attic with the rusted chain was proof. This room was proof. The memories flooding her brain were proof. Tears filled her eyes as those memories bombarded her.

Her dad. The fight. The syringe. Toya. Meka. The gun. The person in the kitchen. Shots fired. Shots fired!

Were her friends okay? Monique tried to move, to stand. Neither of those options was possible. What the hell? She stared down at herself. Damn it. Had her freaking dad done this? She was seated in a chair with her arms tied behind her back, and her ankles were tied together with a rope.

“Finally, you’re awake,” a familiar voice drawled.

Monique stilled, no longer trying to wiggle her arms loose of their confines. That voice . That fucking voice! It was one she knew well and had hoped to never hear again. Yet, it was coming from directly behind her.

Why the hell was it coming from directly behind her? Footsteps sounded, seeming to echo through her skull as he moved around the chair, coming to stand directly in front of her. Monique stared down at the floor, his boots moving into her range of vision.

She refused to look up. She didn’t want to see his face. However, she knew whether she looked up or not, there was no avoiding him. This wasn’t some nightmare. This was her reality. And she’d have to face it soon. Shit!

“I know you hear me, cupcake,” he drawled, using that ridiculous nickname she hated.

To some women, a nickname like cupcake coming from someone who’s supposed to love you would seem sweet. But he’d called her that as a reminder that she should eat fewer cupcakes. There was nothing sweet about that false term of endearment when coming from him.

“Look at me,” Trevor ordered. “You know I like you to look at me when I’m talking to you.”

Because if she didn’t look at him, it made him feel like he was being ignored. And his fragile ego couldn’t handle being ignored, which was why she continued to ignore him. Also, she didn’t want to look at him.

She wasn’t ready to look at him. And honestly, she didn’t want to think about him at all. There was more important shit for her to think about. Where were Meka and Toya? Were they okay? Were they even... alive?

Where was Raz? He had to be looking for her by now. He would find her. She just had to remain alive until then. And she prayed that Toya and Meka were both alive and well. Yet, in her heart, she feared the worst.

More footsteps sounded, and another set of shoes came into view. Okay, maybe she wasn’t only ignoring him because she didn’t want to see him. She was also afraid. So, damn afraid. And looking up would make this all real.

Monique desperately wished this was a dream. A bad dream. A nightmare she’d eventually awaken from. However, reality was slowly setting in. This was no dream. And she couldn’t continue ignoring it.

Monique slowly raised her head, gaze rising until it connected with a pair of eyes that made her stomach churn worse than the smell of this place they were in. Trevor stood over her, his eyes cold and predatory.

Her gaze raked over him. He looked even skinnier than he had before their divorce. His skin was pale and blotchy. His nose crooked, as if it had been broken recently. There was a healed scar across his jawline that hadn’t been there while they were married.

Damn, divorced didn’t look good on him. But, oh well. That had nothing to do with her. It was almost impossible to believe she’d once found this man attractive. She had to have been out of her mind.

Beside him stood her father, his gaze equally chilling. These were two men she hated and feared with a passion she hadn’t known she was capable of. And now, she was at their mercy. What the hell did they want from her?

“Where am I?” Monique asked, her throat parched and raw as she resumed her struggle to free her hands. When they didn’t respond, she repeated her question. “Where the hell am I?”

“Somewhere safe,” Trevor replied, his smile cynical and dangerous. “Safe for us , anyway.”

“Wh-what do you mean?” she stammered, her heart pounding like a caged animal desperate for escape.

“I mean what I said. This place is safe. For us. And Monique Wilks, you are one of us.”

“My name is Monique Rose. We’re divorced, remember? I have nothing to do with you. As for my dad, I already told him I wanted nothing to do with him either. There is no us here.” Monique’s gaze jerked to her father. “Why am I here, pastor Rose?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Her father’s voice was like ice. His disappointment in her was written all over his face and highlighted by the way he twisted his lips when he talked to her. “We want you to understand the consequences of your actions.”

“My actions?” she scoffed.

“Yeah, your actions. Have you lost your hearing along with your common sense?” her dad asked.

This bastard!

“You didn’t bring me here for the consequences of my actions. Let’s just call this what it is. You kidnapped me!” Monique spat, her fear now replaced by a burning anger.

“Kidnapped is such a strong word,” Trevor drawled. “I prefer to think of it as... a family reunion.”

She looked between the two men, trying to decipher their twisted motives and find a way out of this nightmare. Tied up, with no idea where she was, Monique couldn’t think of even one way out of this.

“Let me go,” she whispered, her voice cracking on the last word. “Please, just let me go.”

“Sorry, sweetheart,” Trevor replied, his smile widening. “There’s no escaping us this time.”

“This time? I never escaped. You left me.”

Trevor sighed. “You’re right. I left. I was... momentarily crazy, blinded by lust. But I’m back now.”

“Back? I don’t want you back, Trevor.”

There was a tick in his jaw. “Why? Because you’ve got someone else?” Trevor asked. “You don’t want me now because you got Orazio Cattaneo, is that it?”

How did he know about Orazio? “No. That’s not why I don’t want you. I don’t want you because you disgust me.”

“That’s your husband you’re talking to!” her father yelled.

“My husband? He divorced me. He’s not my husband,” Monique retorted, her voice growing stronger despite the circumstances. “He’s a stranger to me now.”

Trevor’s gaze darkened as he walked around her chair. Not having her eyes on him was almost as bad as having her eyes on him. What was he up to behind her? His fingers drummed lightly on the back of the chair.

She hated the way she jolted at the first tap. Monique swallowed, wondering what he was about to do next. She relaxed a little when she heard his footsteps rounding the other side of the chair.

“You really think you can just move on from me?” he sneered as he moved to stand in front of her again. “We divorced when I was ready. And we’ll be together again when I’m ready.”

“We’ll never be together again, Trevor.”

His chuckle held no mirth. “Do you know what I’m capable of, cupcake?”

Monique held his gaze. His anger was burning a hole through his smug facade. His crazy was starting to show. Monique needed to be careful. But there was so much she wanted to say to this man. So much she needed to get off her chest.

“I know exactly what you’re capable of, Trevor. And I’m not that scared, broken woman you were married to anymore.”

“You’re whatever I tell you to be,” Trevor yelled, getting into her face.

She couldn’t deny the fear his sudden closeness brought her. Monique swallowed back her words. She was in no position to fight back if he hit her. He peered into her eyes, nose inches from hers. She didn’t look away.

Yeah, she was scared, but she’d try her best not to let it show. He’d never see fear in her eyes again. She wasn’t lying when she’d said she wasn’t the same woman he’d been married to. Her father’s voice broke through the tense standoff.

“Enough of this back and forth. Trevor, step back and calm down. Come on, step back, son.”

Son? Monique bit her tongue until she tasted blood. That was the only way she could keep quiet. Practically foaming at the mouth like a rabid dog, Trevor continued glaring at her. Seriously, why had she married this man?

Why had she even dated him? How could she let someone like this bring her self-esteem so low? If she could talk to the old her, she would make sure she understood her worth. She was worth so much more than this.

“Come on, son,” her dad said again. “Take a step back. Breathe. Let me talk to her. When you two argued in the past, I was always able to get her to see things the right way. Let me do that now.”

Something her father said must’ve broken through Trevor’s crazy. He took a step back, but his eyes never left hers. In his eyes, she saw something that frightened her to her core. She couldn’t name it. But it was different. He was different. He was worse.

“Monique,” her father started, pulling her gaze to him. “You’ve always been headstrong, just like your mother. It’s a shame you didn’t inherit more of her wisdom.”

“If having wisdom means allowing a man to treat you any kind of way simply because he’s supposed to be the head of the household, then I don’t want to be wise,” Monique hissed.

“Watch your mouth, girl,” her father warned. “Watch your damn mouth.”

“What do you want from me? Why did you break into my house and bring me here? Why am I tied up in this hellhole? What is it? What do you want?” she yelled, wishing Raz would hurry up and get there. “And where are my friends? Dad, where’s Meka and Toya?”

Her father’s expression softened slightly, his eyes flickering with something resembling regret. “That’s what I’m trying to get at. Monique, this isn’t just about you. It’s about someone else, too.”

“Someone else?” Monique’s heart skipped a beat. Her mind raced through the possibilities, landing on the worst-case scenario. “Is it... Meka and Toya? Are they okay?”

Her dad started to speak, but Trevor spoke over him.

Trevor chuckled darkly. “Oh, you catch on quick, cupcake.”

“Don’t call me that! Just tell me if my friends are okay.”

“One of your dear friends is in quite a predicament,” Trevor told her, revealing her worst fear. “But don’t worry, we’re not heartless. We’re willing to help.”

Monique’s pulse quickened, her desperation growing. “Help? What are you talking about? Help how? Tell me what’s going on, Trevor.”

“You see, one of your friends needs a doctor. And we have the means to ensure she gets the medical attention she needs,” Trevor explained. “But you need to cooperate. Act right, and we’ll make sure her wound is treated. Act against us, and... well, let’s just say we won’t be so charitable.”

Monique’s mind raced, torn between her revulsion for these men and her concern for her friends’ safety. One of her friends needed medical attention. She’d heard a gunshot before she’d passed out back at her house. Had one of them been shot?

Her voice trembled when she spoke again. “Dad, you’ve known Meka and Toya for a long time. How could you do this?”

It was written all over her father’s face. He felt guilty. “You’re right. I’ve known them for a long time. They’ve come to my church. They’ve eaten at my house. They’re good girls...”

Trevor scoffed.

Her dad continued. “And I don’t want to see them hurt any more than they already are. So act right, sweetie. If you do, everything will be okay. Everyone will live.”

Will live? So, there was a chance of one of her friends dying? Tears dripped down her cheeks.

“I see you finally get the picture,” Trevor drawled. “Do what we tell you, and everything will be alright.”

Monique swallowed, trying to get a grip on her emotions. “What do you want me to do?”

Trevor grinned, leaning in closer, repulsing her. “It’s simple, really. Help us with a little task, something that only you can do. And in return, your friend lives.”

Monique’s fists clenched behind her back, her anger boiling over. She hated being manipulated like this, forced into a corner with no way out. But the image of Meka or Toya injured and suffering was too much to bear.

She swallowed her pride, her voice barely a whisper when she said, “Fine, I’ll do it. Just promise me they’ll be okay.”

“We promise,” Trevor vowed.

His promises were worthless. Yet, what choice did she have?

Monique nodded, her voice a bit calmer when she said, “Tell me what you need me to do.”

Trevor’s smile widened, a glint of triumph in his eyes. “Good girl. We knew you’d come around. Now, listen closely...”

As Trevor laid out his plan, Monique’s mind raced with thoughts of her friends, of the danger they were in, and the sacrifices she was willing to make to save them. She had to find a way to outsmart these idiots, to turn the tables on them, and to ensure her friends’ safety without sacrificing her own wellbeing.

For now, she had no choice but to play along, to dance with the devil in hopes of getting medical attention for Meka or Toya. All she had to do was pretend to trust them for a while. That should be easy.

It wasn’t like the plan they were laying out would work anyway. It was a stupid plan, and she didn’t really see the point of it.

“You want me to break up with Raz and tell him I never wanted him in the first place? You want me to tell him I was just using him to get information for you. Right?” Monique asked Trevor.

“Right. Tell him you stole the C459 file for me.”

“What’s that?”

“Don’t worry about it. You just need to say you did it so Raz can hate you.”

“And what do you gain from this? Even if he hates me, I’ll never come back to you.”

Trevor chuckled. “You don’t have to come back to me. I already have you, cupcake.”

Ignoring his words, she told him, “Even if I told him that lie, Raz wouldn’t believe it.”

“Make him believe it,” Trevor insisted.

“He’s not stupid.” Like you. “He’ll know I couldn’t really have stolen the file. He has cameras everywhere. And he has a team,” she pointed out, thinking of Cas, Leo, and the other guards at Cattaneo Casino. “There’s no way his team would’ve let me take something important.”

“Who do you think set this up for me, cupcake? Do you think I set this up all on my own? It was Orazio’s people who came up with this plan.”

“Lies,” Monique hissed.

“It was Orazio’s people who got you involved. In fact, they’ve wanted you out of the way from the start. And they paid me a pretty penny to get you out of the way. Why else do you think I’d want someone like you back?” Trevor sneered.

Monique’s gaze drifted to her dad, looking for the truth.

“It’s true,” her dad confessed. “I’m a father too. So, I know what it’s like to want to protect your child. I’m getting you out of that situation. You should be happy.”

They were confusing the hell out of her. Nothing they were saying made sense.

“What do you mean you’re a father too?” Monique asked her dad. “What other father is involved with this crazy ass plan?”

“Orazio’s,” her dad told her. “It was the father of the man you’ve been sleeping with outside of marriage who set this all up. That family doesn’t want you. They don’t think you’re wife material for their son. So, you may as well come home to your family. Trevor promised he’d take you back. And...”

Her father continued to ramble some bullshit she wasn’t trying to hear. Her mind was stuck on what was said a moment ago. Orazio’s father set all of this up. One of her friends was wounded and could die because of Orazio’s father. That couldn’t be the truth. It just couldn’t.

Raz, where the hell are you?

“It’s kind of like things are coming full circle,” Trevor mused, folding his arms over his chest. “Orazio paid me to leave you. And now his dad is paying me to take you back. Who knew you’d be worth so much?” Trevor said with a laugh.

Monique swallowed back tears as her heart slowly began to break.

Again .