6. Chapter 6
Chapter 6
Victor
“Is it alright if I go home? It’s getting late,” Gracie says as she pokes her head in my office door. It’s clear she’s bothered by what I’ve done, and I don’t blame her. She’s tender, not the type of person I would typically involve in my illicit activities, but I had little choice today.
I’ll make it up to her after this is over. I’m aware Gracie has a crush on me, and I’ve had feelings for her since I met her, but I’m entirely too messy for her. My family has too much blood on our hands. If I marry, it has to be to a cartel woman who knows what to expect.
Why am I sitting here thinking about marriage? I’ve been avoiding that subject since my father told me it was time to look for a bride so I can take my rightful place in the family. If I get my way, I’ll never take an official place in the family organization. My brother Andres can run things when our father retires. He’s always had the taste for managing things. I prefer to get my hands dirty.
“Victor?” Gracie prods.
I blink and shake my head. “Yes. Go. Make sure your location services are turned on in case you get into trouble again. I still haven’t figured out who is sending you those flowers, and I don’t like what happened to your car.”
She smiles. “I won’t be turning them off again. The other night helped me see the benefit of keeping them on. I’ll be back in the morning, and we’ll talk about our needle scene.”
I give her a lopsided smile and wave her away. “Goodnight, butterfly.”
It’s nearly time for my next shift at the casino, and I’ve not managed to get Owen on the phone. Matteo sent a text saying he would call me back when he got the chance. So the inevitable ass-chewing I’m certain is coming has been put on hold.
As Gracie slips out of my office, I drag a hand through my hair. My phone buzzes on the desk and tears my gaze away from the closed door.
“It’s about time you called me back,” I growl when I answer.
“Calm the fuck down, Mate. What mess have you gotten yourself into?” Owen asks, annoyance running through his tone.
“It’s complicated, but Phineas Draven’s wife is currently in one of the suites at the club.”
Owen is quiet for a minute as he processes what I’ve said.
“Is she there of her own free-will?”
I let out a humorless laugh and Owen curses.
“Bloody hell, Victor. What exactly is your plan here?”
I take him through the story of how I ended up with Liliana Draven in my bed, and Owen curses with every additional detail I provide.
“We need to give her back and hope she doesn’t tell anyone.”
“Not a chance in hell that she’ll keep quiet. Our only option is to keep her until we take Phineas down. Besides, that bastard is abusing her, and if she isn’t involved other than having the misfortune of marrying the man, I’d rather not send her back. He could very well kill her.”
Owen swears again. “Luke and Matteo are going to want to murder you. Possibly for real.”
I don’t disagree with that. Luke and Matteo are sticklers for doing things as a group, and they don’t like it when one of us goes rogue.
“Luke has no room to talk. He held Zara hostage in one of the suites.”
Owen laughs. “That was a little different. As far as I’m aware, you’re not in love with Liliana.”
“No, I’m not. But I am sick and tired of her dickwad husband screwing with us. It seemed like a perfect opportunity to put this to bed.”
“And what exactly do you plan to do to bring him to heel?” Owen asks. “Just call him up and tell him if he wants his wife to live, he’ll need to stop harassing us? What makes you think he’ll care if he’s abusing her, as you say?”
I lean back in my chair and curse myself. “It was stupid. But I needed to do something. What if she was sent to fuck with me? What if her husband isn’t cheating on her or he is, and she doesn’t care because she just cares about the money?”
Owen is quiet, but I can hear him typing.
“I’ll start looking into her financial history and see what I can find. I’ve been trying to get in via Phineas, but I hadn’t quite gotten to the wife yet.”
“Luke and Matteo aren’t answering, so if you talk to them, just tell them what’s going on. I’m going to go check on our guest.”
“Don’t do anything to her you don’t need to, Victor. And for god’s sake, don’t fuck her again.”
I groan. “Stop being such a worry wart. I have no plans to stick my dick anywhere near her.”
Sure, it was some of the best sex I’ve had in my life, but it’s not worth it. She’s married to our enemy, and until she proves otherwise, that makes her my enemy too.
I end the call and grab my keys and jacket to leave for work.
I consider checking on our guest one more time, but I have nothing meaningful to say to her until I consult with the rest of the club owners, so I refrain.
My phone rings as I’m about to take the Harmon exit to get to the employee lot at the Pink Sapphire. The number on the dashboard screen shows a five-two country code and my grip on the wheel tenses. He’s calling from a number I don’t have. The only reason I answer is because I have limited time to talk since my shift starts in fifteen minutes.
“Hola Papa.”
“It’s Andres.”
Why is my brother using our father’s phone? My heart races as I brace myself for bad news.
Lili
It feels like weeks have gone by since Victor kidnapped me, but I’m guessing it’s only been a few hours. There is no clock in this room, which is odd, but maybe Gracie was told to remove it before we arrived.
The silence is entirely too loud. I don’t hear anyone moving around outside the door, so I’m convinced I’m in the building alone. Screaming would do no good.
I haven’t put on the pajamas she brought me. For one thing, she didn’t provide any underwear, and that’s just wrong. Instead, I’m once again wearing Victor’s coat and trying not to relive last night.
Of all the men I could have found to sleep with me last night, I just had to find one who hates my husband. One who seems to have some sort of criminal background. Cartel or other crime organization, if I had to guess.
My mind is racing in the quiet of the room, and I wonder if Victor knew who I was the entire time. I don’t want to believe that. Last night with him was incredible. I’ve never felt so alive or free to enjoy myself.
If he knew who I was and used sex to get me into a vulnerable place, I’ll never be able to trust myself or my own judgment again. So I convince myself that he didn’t know until later.
It’s getting hot in here, and my heart is racing. How the fuck do I get out of here? And where would I go if I do get away? I’ve been gone just long enough that Phineas will be raging mad if I just slink back home like nothing happened.
That thought makes my thighs hurt as I remember the last time he held me down and broke the sensitive skin of my inner thighs with his teeth.
My breathing is erratic, and I know soon I won’t be in control of myself if I don’t get a grip soon.
I try every breathing exercise I’ve ever learned in yoga, but I swear that’s just making it worse. I wrestle myself out of Victor’s coat and hurl it across the room. It sweeps across the plate of food Gracie left for me, sending its contents crashing to the floor.
I kick a tomato slice, and for a moment it improves my mood, so I throw a piece of cheese at the mirror.
Anything to stay sane, right? I can’t let my kidnappers or my husband win. For the next several minutes, I’m throwing food around the room like a crazy person, and at some point, I throw the silk pajamas into the middle of the room.
I rummage through all the drawers looking for something to help me escape, but of course there’s nothing.
Eventually, I wear myself out enough that I curl up in bed crying myself to sleep. When I set out to embarrass Finn, I never imagined it could turn into a nightmare that wasn’t of his making. Have I traded one monster for another?