Chapter Two
MONIQUE
Two days later...
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Monique’s body ached, her limbs heavy with exhaustion. She’d been taken by her father and ex-husband two days ago, and the emotional strain was becoming almost too much to bear. Her mind raced with worry for her friends, wondering if a doctor was really treating them like Trevor said.
She didn’t trust his words, but at this point, all she could do was hope that he was telling the truth. She hadn’t been allowed to see her friends yet. She was confined to a small, windowless room.
The walls were bare. Their stormy gray hue left her feeling even more depressed. A single light bulb hung from the ceiling, casting harsh shadows on the floor every time it swayed. Monique’s ankle was chafed due to the chain that bound her to an old, rusty cot.
The sound of the metal links scraping against the floor every time she moved had become a constant, irritating ass reminder of her fucked up situation. To make matters worse, the stench of the room had gotten worse due to the leftover food in her bowls that no one had taken from the room yet.
Thinking of food made her stomach churn, hunger clawing at her insides. She had been fed nothing but cereal and milk for two days, the taste of soggy flakes lingering in her mouth even now.
The milk had tasted almost spoiled, which was why there were half-eaten bowls of cereal by the door. She refused to finish them, no matter how hungry she was. Her body tensed when the door to the room creaked open.
Seated on the edge of the bed, she looked up, hoping to see her dad instead of Trevor. Last night, her bastard of an ex had tried to get her to suck him off, promising her better food if she let him cum in her mouth.
He’d left her alone after she’d threatened to bite it off rather than suck it. Monique frowned, wondering what the hell was going on in his dumb-ass mind. Luckily, it was her father who entered the room.
“You done eating?” her dad asked.
She nodded, ignoring the half-eaten bowl of cereal on the floor. He strode forward and took her bowl.
“You barely touched your food.” He glared at the remaining cereal in the bowl.
“It tastes sour.”
“Yeah, the fridge isn’t getting cold enough. But you should still eat it. You need your energy.”
“I’m not hungry,” she lied.
Her dad stared at her for a moment, then sighed. “You need to eat, girl.”
Monique stared at the wall across from her. Though she was glad it was her dad there instead of Trevor, that didn’t mean she liked her father any better than she liked her ex. Seconds ticked by with her dad just standing there, holding the bowl, watching her.
“Remember when I used to cook breakfast for you before you went to school each morning? You liked my breakfast better than your mom’s,” her dad mused.
Was he really bringing up her childhood right now?
“Those were different times, Pastor Rose,” Monique replied, eyes still on the far wall. “At the time, I never thought we’d end up in a situation like this.” Monique let out a bitter laugh, gaze drifting to her dad.
He looked away. Unable to meet her gaze, he whispered, “I didn’t expect this to happen either.”
“Then why are we here, Dad?” Monique’s voice cracked as tears filled her eyes. “Why are my friends in danger?”
“Life takes us down unexpected paths, sweetheart,” he told her, his voice softening. “But I promise you, as long as you do what’s needed, everything will be okay.”
“Is that all you can say?” Monique snapped, her anger flaring. “I’m chained up in this hellhole with only cereal and water to keep me alive. One of my friends is wounded. You won’t even tell me which one. Yet, you’re still saying things will be okay. Dad, nothing is going to be okay after this. Can’t you see that?”
“Just trust me. Trust that I’m doing what’s best for everyone involved.”
“Trust you?” she scoffed, tears streaming down her face. “How can I trust you when you’ve put me in chains and locked me away? When you’ve let Trevor back into my life? I was free of him, dad. Free! You don’t know how good that felt. For the first time in a long time, I was happy to be alive.”
“Listen, Monique,” he whispered, desperation in his eyes. “For your friends’ sake, not mine, don’t say that in front of him. Just calm down. Trevor... he’s... different. You don’t want to push him too far. Think of Meka and Toya.”
Her father was right. Trevor did seem different, more unhinged, like he was on something. Though she hated the thought of tiptoeing around him, she had to think about Meka and Toya. Her friends.
She was doing this for her friends. They wouldn’t even be in this situation if it wasn’t for her. Monique swallowed her pride and nodded, giving in to her dad’s request, again.
“Fine,” she whispered. “For them. Not for you or him.”
He nodded, then his gaze jerked to the only other door in the room. “Do you need to use the bathroom?”
Monique shook her head. She didn’t feel like being led to the bathroom by her chain while her dad waited outside the door for her to do her business and wash her hands. But she’d rather have him than Trevor, who refused to close the door or look away while she did her business.
Fuck! She didn’t know how much more of this she could take. Wiping the tears from her cheeks, she resumed staring at the wall, determined not to let them break her. However, she could already feel the cracks forming.
“I’ll grab these other bowls and go,” her dad told her.
She ignored him. Finally, he turned away from her. As the door closed behind her father, Monique couldn’t help but wonder where Orazio was. Why hadn’t he come for her yet? Why hadn’t he answered his phone when Trevor forced her to call him? Was he okay?
Damn it. She hated not knowing what was going on. Monique stood and stretched. Her gaze drifted to the bedroom door. She strode forward, walking as far as the chain would allow her to go. She stuck her hand out, reaching for the door. So close.
Her fingers could almost touch the knob. But that was as close as she could get to it. Even if she could open it, she wouldn’t be able to leave. Lowering her hand, she returned to the bed and lay down.
Closing her eyes, she did the only thing she could do: try to go to sleep. It was either sleep or allow her mind to wander, and that would only add to her stress. She’d just started to drift off when the door swung open. Opening her eyes, she watched Trevor enter the room.
Him again!
“Still no word from Orazio?” he snarled, slamming the door behind him. The sound echoed off the barren walls, making Monique wince.
She glared at him, her body tense. “My dad brought me the phone and ordered me to call him about an hour ago. He didn’t answer. I still can’t reach him. Dad said we’d try again in two hours.”
Trevor’s jaw clenched. Rubbing a shaking hand through his tousled hair, he began pacing back and forth in front of her like a caged animal. Yeah, he was definitely on something. He seemed like he’d snap at any moment. Monique hoped she and her friends were far away from him before that happened.
“You know,” he sneered, stopping abruptly to face her. “I shouldn’t have expected him to answer you. I mean, look at you.” His gaze raked over her. The look of disgust on his face stung her pride more than it should. “He’s probably glad to be rid of you. I know I was. Fuck! I’m probably doing him a favor. Nothing is going according to plan. Damn it! Why can’t you keep a man’s attention?” he yelled.
Her heart thudded painfully against her chest, but she refused to let him see the hurt his words caused. “I didn’t ask to be a part of your scheme. So, why are you yelling at me?”
“I wouldn’t have to yell if you weren’t like this!” Trevor shouted, taking a threatening step toward her. “Maybe if you were better at keeping a man around, we wouldn’t be in this mess.”
Monique bit back a sob, focusing instead on the sting of the chain around her ankle. She couldn’t let Trevor get to her like this. She couldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing her defeated.
The truth was, she, too, was wondering why Orazio wasn’t answering her. She, too, was wondering if he’d turned his back on her. Were all those sweet words he’d whispered to her just empty promises?
Were their talks about the future just pillow talk and nothing more? Was their time together a game to him, a distraction from his everyday life? Did he know that Trevor and her father had her but didn’t think she was worth the hassle of negotiating with her ex?
Monique blinked back tears. This was why she didn’t like for her mind to wander. It always brought out her darkest thoughts. She couldn’t sink into the darkness. She couldn’t despair.
She had to hold on to hope. What she and Orazio had was real. And he was coming for her. She just had to hold on a little longer.
“Is that really what you think?” she asked, her voice laced with contempt. “That my inability to ‘keep a man’ is the root of all our problems?”
“Damn right, it is,” he spat, his face inches from hers.
She could smell the bitter tang of his breath, feel the heat radiating off his body. But despite the danger, Monique couldn’t help herself.
She leaned in closer, her lips near his ear as she whispered, “Get real. You should take a good look in the mirror and ask yourself why I couldn’t keep you. Was it really me who was the problem?”
He released a bark of sarcastic laughter. “Of course, you were the problem. How could I continue living with a woman I no longer found attractive? If you’d lost weight, things could’ve been different. I might’ve kept you around if you would’ve slimmed down as I asked.”
“Just admit that I have too much ass for your tiny dick to handle.”
Trevor jerked back, his face a mask of fury. He raised his hand, palm facing her, ready to strike.
“Do it, and I promise you I won’t be making that phone call you so desperately need me to make,” she hissed.
His hand trembled. His eye twitched. For a moment, he looked like he might hit her anyway. Monique refused to flinch. She held his gaze, glaring at him with all the defiance she could muster.
“Plenty of bitches want my dick,” he spat.
Monique chuckled. “Is that why you’re single?”
“Watch your mouth,” Trevor growled, lowering his hand. “You’re playing with fire, cupcake.”
“Maybe. But it seems like I’m not the only one who can’t keep a partner,” she shot back.
“Fuck you. Stay in this room and stay quiet. And you better hope Orazio Cattaneo answers your call soon, or things will get ugly around here.”
It seemed she’d struck a nerve. With a final glare, Trevor turned and stormed out of the room, leaving Monique alone once more with her thoughts. She wrapped her arms around herself and stared at the ceiling.
Though she hated Trevor, she really needed to stop making him upset. He was capable of dark things. Hell, according to Orazio, he’d wanted to have her killed to pay off his debts. There was no telling what he’d do to her if she pushed him too far. Monique sighed, thoughts straying to Orazio.
“I won’t give up on you, Orazio,” she whispered. “Please don’t make me regret not giving up on you.”
***
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ORAZIO
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Orazio’s eyelids fluttered open, the harsh fluorescent lights above him burning his retinas. The white walls seemed to close in on him as his vision blurred and swam, a wave of nausea washing over him. He blinked several times, trying to clear the fog clouding his mind.
“Where...am I?” he croaked, his throat parched and raw.
“Easy, Orazio. You’re in the hospital,” a familiar voice uttered from the corner of the room. His father, Don Cattaneo, stepped into view, concern creasing his brow.
“What happened?” Raz managed to ask, struggling to sit up, but the dull ache in his ribs stopped him. “Fuck! That hurt.”
“Take it slow, son,” his father warned, placing a hand on his shoulder to keep him from moving too much. “You and Cas were in a car accident two days ago.”
“Car accident? Two days ago?” Orazio repeated, his mind racing as snippets of memory returned. The kidnapping of Jacob Tatum, the screeching tires, the smell of burnt rubber ... It all came flooding back. “Cas... where’s Cas?”
“Your brother is in another room. He took quite a hit, but he’ll be alright,” Don Cattaneo reassured him.
“If he took quite a hit, why are you in here with me instead of with him?” Raz asked.
“Your brother is fine, Raz,” his dad said, not answering his question.
“What about Jacob Tatum?” Orazio asked.
“Focus on getting better. Everything else can wait.”
“Where is Jacob?” Jacob was the key to getting the Tatum’s in line. They couldn’t lose him.
“Jacob... Well, Jacob didn’t make it,” his father informed him. “He died in the crash.”
“Fuck.” That changed everything. “How badly was Cas hurt?” His words came out slurred, possibly because of the meds flowing from the I.V. to his veins. “Cas...” Raz slurred again when his father said nothing. “How badly is he hurt?”
“Your brother is in a medically induced coma,” his father replied. “The doctors performed the surgery on him yesterday. They expect him to wake up soon.”
“Soon?”
“They said it could take hours or days. It all depends on Cas’s body and how fast it heals.”
Days? What the fuck? Orazio’s heart clenched as fear washed over him. His brother had to be okay. Forget just lying around. He had to go to Cas. With a grunt, he attempted to sit up, determined to see his brother for himself.
“Easy!” his father warned, gently pressing Orazio’s shoulder to keep him in place. “You’re still hurt. Don’t make it worse.”
“I need to... I need to see him,” Orazio insisted, struggling against his father’s firm grip. But the effort left him breathless, sweat beading his forehead as pain sliced through his body.
“Patience, son,” Don Cattaneo chided. “Cas needs time, just as you do. Just focus on getting better. We’ll handle everything else. Trust me.”
Orazio stared at his father, his vision still fuzzy around the edges but clear enough to see the worry etched into the older man’s features. He could tell his dad was stressed. The least Orazio could do was not add to those worries.
“Alright,” he finally whispered, letting his head fall back onto the pillow.
He didn’t have much of a choice, not with his body betraying him like this. Just as he relaxed against the bed, ready to let sleep claim him again, a sudden memory pierced through the fog in his mind, making his heart ache.
Monique . My Rosa.
Leo had called him just before the wreck, telling him she’d been kidnapped from her home. His chest tightened with worry and anger, his hands balling into fists. Some motherfucker wanted to die a painful death. He’d grant that bitch’s wish soon.
“Where’s Leo?” Orazio demanded, pushing himself up and gritting his teeth against the pain that radiated through his body. He shoved his father’s hand away when the don tried to push him back down.
“Orazio, lie down!”
“Tell me where Leo is!” Orazio insisted, ignoring the pain.
“He stepped out a few minutes ago. He went to get something to drink,” his father answered. “Now lie back down. You need to rest and recover.”
Rest? While Monique was missing? Impossible. The door to the hospital room swung open, and Leo strode in with a steaming cup of coffee clenched tightly in his hand. The bags under his eyes hinted at exhaustion, and his jaw was set in a grim line.
“Leo,” Orazio called out hoarsely, immediately drawing his attention. “Get over here. I need to talk to you.”
Leo approached the bed, but the guard didn’t meet Orazio’s gaze. Instead, he took a slow sip of his coffee as he slowly inched closer. Orazio gritted his teeth, impatience simmering beneath his bruised skin.
“What’s the news on Monique?” Orazio demanded. “Have you found out who took her?”
A flicker of hesitation danced across Leo’s face, and for the briefest moment, the guard’s eyes darted toward Don Cattaneo. Orazio didn’t miss the strange look that passed between them before Leo turned back to him, his expression carefully schooled into a look void of emotion.
“Orazio, we’re doing everything we can...” Leo started.
“Who. Took. Her?” Orazio repeated, his voice like the crack of a whip.
“Enough,” Don Cattaneo interjected, his tone ice-cold. “You’ve got stitches in your head, side, and leg. You need to focus on your recovery, not some woman.”
“Some woman?” Raz snapped. “Monique isn’t some fucking woman! She’s my life. Recovery can wait. She can’t. I need answers, and I need them now, damn it!”
“Orazio,” Leo muttered, voice low, distant... different. “We’re still trying to piece together what happened. We don’t have a solid lead yet, but I promise you, we will find Monique.”
“Give me something,” Orazio pleaded, his heart pounding fiercely against his battered ribs. “Anything. A direction the car went. The car’s make and model. Just give me something.”
“Once we have more information, we’ll share it with you,” Don Cattaneo told him. “For now, you need to rest.”
“Rest?” Orazio scoffed, a bitter laugh escaping his lips. “How can I rest when the woman I love is in danger?”
“There’s nothing you can do for her right now, Raz,” Leo told him.
Orazio’s eyes narrowed as he studied Leo’s face, searching for any sign of deception. This didn’t sound like Leo. The guard knew something but wasn’t sharing it.
“Tell me what you know,” Raz ordered.
“We’ve been searching for her non-stop, but we haven’t found her yet.”
“Damn it, Leo,” Orazio hissed, the rage boiling inside him like molten lava. “How could you not find shit in two days? Two fucking days!”
“We won’t stop until we find her and her friends,” Leo promised.
She was really missing. His Rosa was really gone, and he had no fucking leads. The hospital room seemed to close in on Orazio, suffocating him within its sterile, lifeless walls. He wanted to leap out of bed and join the search himself, but his battered body betrayed him, refusing to obey his commands.
Suddenly, Leo’s phone rang, a jarring sound that sliced through the tense atmosphere. Orazio noticed the way Leo flinched as he pulled the phone from his pocket. Leo’s leather jacket parted when he moved, and Orazio caught sight of a blood stain on the guard’s white shirt.
“What happened to you?” Orazio asked, nodding to Leo’s side.
Leo looked down. “Shit. It’s bleeding again.”
“Did you not get it stitched up?” Don Cattaneo asked.
“I’ve been busy. So, I just slapped a bandage on it.”
“Go get it stitched,” the don ordered.
Leo nodded.
“What happened to you?” Orazio asked again.
“Oh, it’s nothing,” Leo stammered. “One of Tatum’s guards stabbed me two days ago when I returned to the crash site to make sure no evidence pointing to you or Cas was left behind. Apparently, Tatum had sent his guards there to search for clues. An altercation occurred, and I ended up stabbed. It’s nothing a few stitches and some painkillers can’t fix. I’ll be back. I need to take this call.”
Orazio watched Leo head toward the door. Raz knew when he was being lied to. And Leo had just told him a fucking lie. Orazio’s gaze drifted to his father. What was his dad and Leo hiding from him? If it had something to do with Monique...
Raz took a deep breath and released it slowly. They didn’t want to see what he’d do to protect his woman. They didn’t want to see that side of him. Sure, they’d seen him get crazy. But even he didn’t know how crazy he could get over his Rosa.
Asking questions wasn’t going to get him the answers he needed. Raz’s gaze flitted around the room, landing on the end table beside him where a phone was. Raz reached for the landline as if he was about to make a call. Instead of picking it up, he knocked the phone over.
“Shit!” Raz cursed when the phone hit the floor. “Can you get that for me?”
Leo rushed over to help. When the guard bent down to pick the phone up, Raz lifted Leo’s shirt and ripped the bandage away. Leo jumped back, spilling some of the hot coffee on Raz’s arm. Raz ignored the burn as he glared up at Leo.
“That’s not a stab wound. That’s a gunshot wound,” Raz growled. “Who shot you? And why the fuck did you lie about it?”