Lips On My Heart
Page 30
“I thought you liked Tiny Tony?”
“I do. Out of Lorenzo’s goons, I like Tony the most—he’s a decent guy. But I don’t want another incident where he threatens an innocent bystander.”
“Lucky Luca?” Our options are limited with Lorenzo’s henchmen. He will only use his personal best as security for Josephine. I guess I should be grateful for it, but I question his ulterior motive.
Josephine shivers. “Um, no, he’s worse.”
Yeah, he is worse. “Pretty Paolo then.”
“What the hell is with all the awful mafioso names? No, I don’t want Pretty Paolo. He scares the living daylights out of me.”
“Tiny Tony it is then,” I say pulling out my phone.
Chapter Seventeen
Josephine & Maceo
Josephine
“All clear,” Tiny Tony says in a deep voice after he checks out the dressing room, now allowing me to enter.
The sales clerk is more than a little uncomfortable having him back in her shop after the last time he visited. I can’t blame her. She goes to hang the dresses in the changing room and shivers when she passes by his massive body.
Tiny Tony is definitely a joke of a name. He’s the largest man I’ve met, even bigger than Maceo, which is saying something. How he’s able to move stealthily with his bulky frame is a paradox I haven’t figured out yet.
“Thanks, Tony,” I say, entering the dressing room. He seems to soften when I address him like this. I’m guessing he doesn’t like the oxymoron name his mafia family gave him. He smiles and closes the door so I may undress.
The bridal boutique is completely empty at this time, aside from the clerk, Tiny Tony, and myself. Probably because it’s the middle of the day on a Wednesday—no one’s around. It’s kind of nice to have the whole space to myself. As soon as I walked in the door, I had a glass of champagne in my hand and all the attention of the sales clerk. But I don’t want to dawdle with Maceo waiting outside. I’m as eager to be back with him as he is with me.
Nervous and excited all at once, I can’t wait to try on my dream dress. I step into it and zip it up as far as I can. I exit the dressing room and climb on the step stool in front of the mirrors.
Tiny Tom steps forward and zips me the rest of the way before I appraise myself in the full-length mirrors.
“You look stunning!” the clerk gushes.
“Beautiful,” Tiny Tony agrees.
“Thank you, both of you.” I smile at my reflection.
There are a lot of women who have been dreaming about their wedding dresses their entire life, but I’m not one of them. I had no clue what I liked and didn’t like till I started shopping with Opal. I definitely wasn’t a princess-dress kind of girl, nor was I into heavy beading or tulle on any level.
The dress I picked is a swag-sleeved trumpet dress with layered lace appliqués and a sweetheart neckline. The lace is ivory on top with champagne underneath, and it’s formfitting, hugging my bottom, but the goblet skirt and chapel train definitely make it feel less restrictive. I feel like the most beautiful woman in the world standing here.
“I’m glad we ordered you the size two instead of the size zero. Your lovely backside wouldn’t have fit in it,” the clerk says, admiring me.
Excuse me? I put my hands on my hips. “Is that a nice way of saying I have a fat ass?”
Tiny Tony lets out a thunderous laugh. The clerk looks mortified.
She’s quick to apologize. “Oh my goodness, no, Miss Holland, I certainly didn’t mean to insult.”
Tiny Tony is still laughing. “She’s saying you got the goods in the back. A size zero is for someone who has no ass at all. You got a bottom most women would kill for. Work that shit.”
“Well, okay then!” I say, feeling better with the explanation. “This is the one!”
The clerk claps her hands together excitedly, probably because she made a huge commission. Tony helps me down from the stool, unzips me, and opens the dressing room door before closing it behind me. I step out of the gown and put it back on the hanger with a huge smile before handing it off to the sales clerk. She scurries away to the back room to put it in a garment bag.
With a sigh, I slip the other dress over my head. It’s not like I don’t like the fake dress—I do, but it reminds me of what will be a very tension-filled day with Jacob on the prowl.
This dress is more of an A-line, straight-across neck, knee-length white wedding dress with lace. It’s simple and elegant and, above all, it’s cheap. My hands spread down the fabric and stop at the waist when I feel a fold in the material.
No way! Pockets! How did I not notice this before?
I must be making a lot of excited noises because Tony starts chuckling. “What are you squealing about in there?”
“Pockets, Tony! My dress has pockets and it’s lovely.”
“If you say so,” he murmurs.
Clearly Tony is not convinced and I need to defend my stance. “Imagine if you had to wear dress slacks without pockets.”
Tony is silent for a moment before answering. “That would be fucking horrible.”
“Exactly. Hence, my excitement over pockets in my dress is justified.”
I do a little happy dance and spin around to find my purse. “Where is it? Ah, there you are.” I pull out my phone and slip it into one of the pockets, where it sinks deep into the dress. Score! A dress with pockets is the best ever. Seriously, it should be mandatory. I may like this one better than the real wedding gown now.
I’m still admiring the dress when I hear a loud thud and some groaning followed by another thud. I step out of the dressing room to see Tiny Tony in a heap on the ground.
I rush to his side. “Oh my God, Tony! Are you okay?”
My mouth opens to cry out for Maceo, but a strong hand comes down over my mouth while another snakes around my body, hoisting me into the air. I scream against the hand, but my voice is too muffled to alert Maceo outside. My arms are pinned down, making them useless in a fight. I frantically kick out with my legs and buck my body against my abductor, but nothing connects.
He grunts as he drags me to the back of the store. I catch a glimpse of Maceo through the windows in the front room. Tears prick my eyes. He’s right there but doesn’t see me as he talks on his phone, no doubt to one of his men about Jacob.
My eyes dart around the room frantically to see how I can sound the alarm. I struggle against my abductor and try to knock over everything in my wake. I manage to reach a rack of veils and turn it over but the veils fall silently to the floor, buffering the impact of the rack hitting the hardwood. It’s not enough, and I try to reach for more, but now he knows what I’m up to, and he yanks me backward quickly and out of reach of anything else.
Desperate, I cry out against the hand over my mouth when I’m pulled through the double doors to the back room. I pass the sales clerk, gagged and tied up in a pile on the ground. Tears stream down my face when I cry out to her and she cries back to me.
My abductor pulls me out the back door toward a dark van. The door slides open, and Jacob is there, waiting with open arms.
Fear spiking my blood, I fight with all I have against the man restraining me. I step on his foot, and he grunts in pain, but his hold stays solid. I try to bite his hand, but I can’t move my jaw enough. Jacob sees the guy struggling and comes to grab my legs.
No, no, no! I know if they get me in the van, I may never get out alive. I take my head and snap it backward against the man holding me and make contact with his face. He drops me with a howl.
I scramble to my knees only to be kicked in the gut by Jacob. There’s an excruciating snap in my ribs as the air rushes out of me. I roll to my side, gasping for air. Shit, that hurts!
Jacob climbs on me and slaps a piece of duct tape across my mouth before grabbing my wrists and taping them together. I shake my head forcefully side to side and try to raise my knee to nail him in the balls, but he’s straddling me too high to make contact. He slides do
wn my legs and quickly tapes my calves together before I can break a leg free to kick at him.
Frantic, I scream against the tape, tears pouring from my eyes. Jacob’s hard face softens as he looks at me. My gaze pleads with him, but he shows no sign of empathy. Smiling jubilantly, he leans forward to kiss the tape across my mouth before climbing off me and hauling me into the van.
The man who abducted me looks familiar but I can’t place him. He sits in the driver’s seat, holding the bridge of his nose to stop the steady flow of blood.
“She fucking broke my nose!”
“I’m not paying you to nurse your own fucking injuries. Now drive!” Jacob hisses, lying down on top of me in the back seat.
The man curses, but he starts the van and takes off.
Jacob wraps his arms around me in an act of possession. “You’re safe now, Keebler. I won’t let anyone come between us again.” He wipes my tears from my eyes. I cry harder as his lips trail kisses all over my neck and down to my cleavage where my heart pounds with fear.
Maceo
Resentfully, I agreed to let Tiny Tony take over my role of bodyguard and escort Josephine into the bridal store. I peek through the windows occasionally, hoping to catch a glimpse of my blushing bride, but the dressing room is to the left side, and it’s impossible to see into it from this angle.
I pace anxiously in front of the store, waiting for her to finish up. I won’t be calm till she’s by my side again.
My phone buzzes. I pull it out to see Chase calling. “Yes?” I answer.
“Atlas, we may have a problem. I started digging because I was uneasy with the lack of activity on Jacob’s end for the last three days. I hacked into the firm where he works and saw his request for vacation has been approved,” Chase rambles.
“Not surprising. He probably plans on driving out this way before the wedding, like he did before.”
“That’s not the issue. His request for time off started yesterday! He could be—”
Springing into action, I pull my piece and burst into the store. “Pixie!” I shout, running to the dressing room area. I see Tiny Tony on the ground with what looks like a cracked skull, a baseball bat next to him. I quickly check for a pulse. It’s there, but Tony is seriously fucked up.
I race back to the front room and look down the corridor to the back of the store. A rack of tulle and lace is on the ground. I raise my gun and push through the double doors. A whimper catches my attention and I see the sales clerk bound and gagged. I race to her side and yank down the gag.
“Where is she?” I growl.
“He took her out the back,” the clerk cries, nodding at the back door.
Frantic, I run out into the alley behind the building. I spin in a fast circle and see nothing. Going into full SEAL mode, I search the area for any clues. I look at the ground, and my blood runs cold.
Several blood splatters are on the pavement. If the fucker harmed one hair on her head, I will kill him.
I yank my phone out and call Chase. He answers immediately. “Chase, he has her. I need visual from traffic cams around Bellezza in Bianco Bridal Boutique. Check for his car or any odd vehicles fleeing from the site. And I need an ambulance, stat.” I rush back into the store and make quick work of releasing the clerk before running back to Tiny Tony.
He moans on the ground, and I rush to his side. “Easy, Tony. I got you. Help is on the way.”
“It’s him,” Tony mumbles in pain.
“I know it’s Jacob.” I grab a dress from the rack and rip it to wrap around Tony’s head.
He moans. “No, the other guy.”
“Who?” I ask. Is he concussed?
“The guy I confronted the first time I brought Jo here.”
My heart sinks. “The man with the California plates?”
“Yes,” he cries.
I call Chase and put him on speaker. “I need you to listen to Tony.” I put the cell near his face.
“Black minivan. Older model. California license plate—6TRJ547,” he grits out. “It’s what he drove last time I saw him.”
“Got it,” Chase says. “I’m not picking up any van on street surveillance footage; he must be staying off main streets.”
For fuck’s sake. “Track her phone; she still has the app.” Please, please, please baby. Please have it on you.
“Tracking now. I’ve got visual confirmation on her app. They got onto Interstate 25 heading south. Surveillance footage from an entry ramp onto the highway shows it’s the black van.”
Thank God! “I want Reaper and Brass to head south now. Have Gauge get in touch with Luke at the station. Tell them we have an abduction. Get Punk and his team to come in from the north to try to cut them off.”
“Done,” Chase answers quickly. “What are you going to do?”
“I’m going to go save my pixie.” I end the call.
“Ambulance is here,” the clerk informs me in tears.
I jump to my feet and hold the door open for the paramedics before running out to my SUV.
Josephine
My stomach roils as Jacob’s hands and lips crawl over my body. I shake my head fretfully when I feel him pull the hem of the dress up till it’s bunched around my waist.
“I’ve missed your sweet little body,” he croons into my ear and nibbles on the lobe. I yank my head away in disgust. He fists my hair in his free hand, yanking on my scalp till I’m crying out against the tape in pain.
“Why are you fighting me? Has the fucking dirty bastard gotten into your head?” he growls before taking his other hand to rub against the placket of my panties. I weep and plead with my eyes for him to stop.
“Has he touched you? Has he spread his disease all over you like the parasite he is?” he snarls, ripping my panties from my body. I scream against the tape and try to buck him from my body.
“Hey, man, not cool. You said you weren’t going to hurt her. It’s the only reason I agreed to take this job and your money,” the driver says angrily over his shoulder.
My head swings to the man, and I scream through the tape, praying he has some sort of conscience and won’t allow Jacob to molest me. The guy looks back over his shoulder, and his eyes actually look remorseful.
I know him. I’ve seen him recently outside the bridal boutique when Tiny Tony manhandled him. But I know him from when I worked at the firm. He worked as a custodian at night and only started there right before I quit. I’m not used to seeing him with his long hair shaved off; perhaps that’s why I didn’t recognize him that day outside the bridal store. Jacob must have recruited him for this job and paid him big bucks to do it. The driver turns his attention back to the road, and my hopes are dashed.
“Mind your own fucking business, Jesse,” Jacob snaps before returning his attention to me. “We’re finally back together. We’re going back home to San Diego, where we can continue our life as it was always meant to be. I’ll even let you keep this little business of yours. I’ll give you the fucking kids you always hounded me about. I’ll give you everything you need. This past year will be a wash, and we will never talk of it again.”
Dread washes over me when I see the feral look in his eyes. I clamp my thighs together right before he tries to pry them apart, using my bound hands like a battering ram against him.
With a growl, he grabs my taped hands in one of his and hoists them above my head, while his other hand works to undo his pants. I scream harder against the tape when I feel his erection spring from the confines of his boxers and rub against my legs.
“It’s been too long, Jo. Too fucking long since I’ve been inside of you,” he says, trying again to pry my legs apart.
He kisses each of my breasts through the dress and bites at my nipples. I screech, but it’s no use with my mouth covered. It must annoy him because he backhands me hard across the face. My head whips to the side. I see stars, and my vision goes spotty. He takes my moment of weakness to open my legs, but is stopped by the tape binding my lower legs together.
Fight, Jo. Harder. Kick harder. Don’t stop.
I get him good—several times in the chest. He snaps and grabs for my neck, putting his full weight on my body.
“You will learn to love me again,” he snarls and squeezes my throat.
I try to hit him with my bound hands, but my hits grow weaker because my airway is blocked.
I see images of my handsome fiancé flash through my mind. His million-watt smile. His deep baritone laugh. His strong arms wrapped around me, protectively. The smell of his woodsy scent consuming my senses. The steady beat of his heart under my hand.
If I have to die, at least I die with memories of Maceo flooding my oxygen-depraved mind.
Maceo, I love you.
My vision blurs until everything goes black.
Maceo
I race south down I-25, going over a hundred miles per hour in the SUV. I know it’s only a matter of time ‘till I reach the van. This guy may have sped out of the city, but he’ll do everything he can to not draw attention to himself on the interstate. Luke has already informed interstate police of my pursuit, and they will not chase me, only the van.
I hear the roar of motorcycles and spot Reaper and Brass in my rearview mirror. My brothers have come to fight beside me. I press down on the gas and swerve around traffic with Reaper and Brass following me.
Every black vehicle grabs my attention, and I’m about to lose my shit when I spot the van. I press the accelerator to the floor. I speed up alongside it and look over at the driver, who makes eye contact with me. His nose looks like it’s broken, and he has a river of red running down his face. I pray he’s the one whose blood was in the parking lot and not my pixie’s. His eyebrows shoot to top of his forehead, and he starts shouting over his shoulder. Maybe he’s shouting at Josephine, or maybe he’s shouting at Jacob.