by J. G. Sumner
I finished my entire plate of food while he was talking. Matteo’s barely touched his and continues to push it around with his fork. “Who killed her?”
Matteo looks down at his plate. “I don’t know.”
I reach out and caress his cheek. I know him well enough now to know he’s lying. Before, I would’ve gotten chills, but I think I knew the answer before I even asked it. “You can tell me the truth; it won’t scare me.”
Matteo looks at me. There’s fear in his eyes. He looks like a wild animal running from a predator. “Do you think I did it?”
I have to make sure I angle this the right way or it could upset him. I plant a soft kiss on the corner of his mouth. “Yes, I do.”
“But you don’t seem upset about it.” His fear turns to surprise.
“I know what you do. I know what your work consists of. No, it doesn’t surprise me, and you wouldn’t look at me when you answered. You always make eye contact when you’re talking about something serious.”
“You don’t hate me?” Concern consumes his face. It’s almost as if he needs my approval.
“Not for that. Maybe for taking me away from my life and then allowing me to be raped, but even that isn’t as big of a deal as when I first got here,” I lie. It’s just easier this way. He likes the attention, and he’s no longer assaulting me. I don’t have any other options other than remaining complacent until some alternative comes along.
Matteo tips my chin up and kisses my nose. “You’re an amazing woman. More so than I ever gave you credit for. I don’t know how I didn’t see this before. I’m sorry for everything that you went through so that we could get to this point. Unfortunately, it was a necessary evil.”
I’m not sure what he’s talking about, but all of the sudden, I have an overwhelming urge to vomit. My face is flushed and getting clammy. My mouth begins to salivate uncontrollably. “I’ve got to throw up. Get me to the bathroom!” In my frantic attempt to get to the bathroom before I hurl my breakfast everywhere, I begin to wonder if he poisoned me. Maybe he’s trying to kill me. Although, if he was going to, wouldn’t he have already done it? Why use poison? I don’t know, but it seems funny how he barely ate and now I’m as sick as a dog.
He gets me to the bathroom just in time. I purge the contents of my stomach and lay my head on the cool seat all the while, Matteo rubs my back in an attempt to soothe me. When I’m sure nothing else is going to come up, I lift my head. Matteo attempts to carry me back to bed, but I insist on walking. It’s not very often that I get the opportunity and I sure as hell am not going to give it up just because of a little vomiting.
Matteo helps me into the bed and places a cool washcloth over my forehead. I close my eyes and take deep breaths to settle my body down.
“Any better?” His voice is punctuated with concern.
I nod. I’d rather not speak right now. Keeping my mouth shut seems to help with the nausea.
“I’ll be right back.” The footsteps leaving the room are fast paced. He’s in a hurry to get something. When he returns, he’s holding a glass of water.
I’m not sure if I’m ready to take the liquid, but try it anyway to at least get rid of the taste in my mouth. The water is refreshing, but burns my throat as it goes down. I have to force the first sip, but after that they get easier. I hand the glass back to him and close my eyes. Suddenly I’m very tired and I find it hard to keep my eyes open. Maybe he slipped me something. Hopefully I was able to get enough of it out of my system before it could do any serious damage. I allow the sandman to take control and quietly drift off into a deep slumber.
Chapter
Twenty-Eight
Kate
I wake up with Matteo sitting in a chair next to my bed reading some documents of some sort. He puts the papers down and kneels at my side. His face is ridden with worry. His tan forehead is furrowed with deep lines. “How are you feeling?”
I attempt to stretch my arms and legs, but find that I’m tied up again although very loose compared to the other times. I glance back at him. The look on my face must say exactly what I’m thinking.
“I just needed to be sure that you weren’t going to bolt out of bed.” He plants a soft kiss on my forehead.
He’s worried I’m going to leave? I could barely move earlier. Obviously, he still doesn’t trust me despite the fact I’ve done everything he’s asked and stayed true to my word. I can’t stop the words that come out any more than I could make the vomit disappear. “Did you poison me?”
Matteo’s eyes narrow, and I wish that I could tuck the words back into my throat. No such luck.
“Why would you think that? Have I given you any indication that I would try to kill you?” He cocks his head to the side and his brows crunch up just a bit more as he waits for my response.
“You didn’t eat your breakfast, and I became violently ill after eating mine.” I’m afraid to look at him. I don’t want to see his expression, so I stare at the blank television instead.
“If I were going to kill you, I would’ve done it already. Besides, I’m not a big fan of poisoning. I much prefer suffering and gore.”
My stomach twists just a bit and vomit burns the back of my throat. Sometimes it escapes me how he can be so evil one minute, and then the next, the most charming man I’ve ever met. He rubs my cheek lovingly, and I have to force myself not to flinch away. If I do, I may lose all of his trust, and I can’t have that. Things have been going so well. “Do you think I could have some more water? I’m pretty thirsty.”
“Sure, or if you want, there’s ginger ale. I had someone pick some up for you. I thought the carbonation might help your stomach.”
“That would be great. Thank you.”
Matteo gets up from the chair and leaves the room. I take a closer look at the knots. They are tied rather loosely and I think with a free hand, I could untie them in a matter of a minute or two. My fear is that he would come in while I was untying them and then all hell would break loose. At least now, I do get some privileges and can get out of bed. For now, I’m comfortable where I am. There’s no need to rock the boat.
Matteo returns only a few minutes later. He unties one of my wrists and hands over the glass of ginger ale. I take a sip of the cool liquid. It washes down the bile that was lodged in the back of my throat and helps my stomach not be so upset. I savor the sweetness and the bubbles. It’s been so long since I’ve had any kind of soda that I forget how refreshing it can be.
I hand the glass back to him and am surprised when he gives me the television remote. I look at him, questioning. He’s never given me the remote or the power to select what I want to watch.
“I have to make some calls in the other room and take care of some business. Go ahead and watch what you want. If you need anything, holler and I’ll come running.” He smiles and leaves the room.
There’s something different about his behavior. This morning he was so loving and full of life. Now, there’s a bit of an edge about him. It’s almost like he could snap at any second. I certainly don’t want to get in his line of fire when he finally explodes.
I turn on the television and begin flipping through the channels. I come to the news station and think about watching it. Inside a war wages, going back and forth on whether or not I should keep the channel here. Before, I was not allowed to watch the news. A couple of minutes ago, Matteo said I could watch anything. I’m still afraid to do anything wrong that might upset him. On the other hand, I’d love to see how much time has gone by and what’s going on in the world. I make the decision to keep the news on.
I start with a local station, but there’s mindless dribble and for the most part just a bunch of filler. I find Fox News Channel and immediately notice the date and time. I gasp when I realize I’ve been held captive for over a month. My hands begin to shake. I’ve lost a month of my life. I’ll never be able to get it back. What’s happened to Tony? Is he still looking for me? I’ve lost my life to a man who has forced me into a life I
don’t want. He’s torn me away from my family and friends. An empty hole burrows its way through my heart. My dreams and aspirations slip away into the darkness and the unknown. I’ve seen enough. I turn off the television and stare at the wall in front of me.
I’m startled out of the pity party I was throwing by a loud thud hitting the wall with what sounds like glass shattering only seconds later. Matteo yells something in Italian, but I don’t know what it is. I’ve picked up quite a bit of Italian from Tony, but I’m still not fluent. If ever there was a time, it would be now.
I sit completely still trying to hear anything I can to find out what’s put Matteo in this mood. I need to know how to calm him or this could end up badly for me.
“I want him out of my hair. I want him dead!” It’s been awhile since I’ve seen this side of Matteo and I’ve got to admit, I don’t like it. My heart is racing, and I look for someplace to hide even though I’m tied up. I know I’ve been trained to handle the beating I’m sure to receive, but I’ve also grown quite a bit weaker and I’m worried about my ability to handle it.
Before I can regain my bearings, Matteo is at the bedside standing over me. I meet his hard stare. He wants and needs me. My reflex is to comfort him as I reach up to touch the man standing before me. He leans down, takes my hand, kisses it, and then places it against his as though I’m his life line.
“What’s wrong?” Maybe if he talks about it, I can calm him down.
“Nothing you need to worry about. How are you feeling?”
I assess my body both internally and externally. Overall, I feel pretty good. It’s my nerves that are shot. The constant thumping of my heart and the panicky feeling that surges through my body and soul are what’s about to tip me over the edge. I’ve got to get control of it. “I’m doing okay. The nausea has passed.”
“Good, I’m glad to hear that.” He gets a hungry look in his eyes. There’s only one thing it can mean and I need to give it to him. I scoop my free hand around his neck and pull him close enough that I can kiss his soft lips. The smell of aftershave permeates the air, and makes me wanton. Who would’ve thought a simple smell could drive me crazy?
Before I know it, he’s on top of me and untying my restraints. He’s never untied all of my limbs while he made love to me. This is the first. I can touch and wrap my arms and legs around the man who makes me feel so damn good.
He cups my breast and uses his tongue to peak my nipple. My body responds and it’s instantly ready for what he has to offer. His intensity is overwhelming and I know this is going to be good. I’m eager and lift my head to bite his neck. He pulls back and connects eyes with me. “You want me.”
I’m not sure if it’s a question or a statement. I pull him to me and our bodies unite as one as my mouth connects with him performing a waltz in sync. It’s like we’ve been partners for years. There’s something that works here. I can’t get enough, but at the same time, all I want is Tony. My heart belongs to Tony, but I have to find a way to move on to this new life I have. I can learn to live with this. I have no other choice.
Chapter
Twenty-Nine
Tony
“Motherfucker!” I slam my fist against the wall that already has a half dozen holes in it from my fists. Six weeks. It’s been six fucking weeks since she’s been gone. It seems like a goddamned eternity. I’ve been searching day and night, and I’m not any closer to finding her than I was the day we raided her old apartment. It’s as though she’s disappeared. She could be anywhere. I’m not so convinced she’s in New York or even in this country. I don’t have the first clue as to where to look, and all I do is pace around this apartment that seems to be growing smaller by the day.
I’ve stopped eating and sleeping. I look like a fucking wreck. I’ve never seen bigger bags than the ones that are under my eyes. They’re sunken, and Jasper is perpetually riding my ass. It’s not like he has room to talk. He looks fucking worse than I do. His face is guilt-ridden and I think he’s up to three packs a day. I’ve lost count. I do know he’s chain smoking all the time, and now I smell like the bottom of his ashtray. Even Kendall has lost her desire to shop. I never thought in a million years that would happen. There’s very little conversation that takes place between us. When we do talk, we all go over the clues or lack thereof.
Charles finally decided to go public with the fact that Kate is missing. We’re doing a press conference in a couple hours to plead for people to help us. All the big news stations are going to be there, CNN, FOX, and, MSNBC. Hopefully, someone will have seen Matteo or Kate somewhere. I pray there will be some clue that will bring her back to me.
The FBI still has Agent Manchetti in custody. He’s set to be extradited back to Italy in a couple of weeks. He claims to know nothing about Kate’s whereabouts since he left her apartment and continues to say that his ‘relations’ with Kate were mutual. Because she’s not around to contradict his claims, the authorities have no choice but to believe him. I know the fucker is full of shit, and I’d love a few minutes alone with him to beat the truth out of his cocky ass. Instead the snake writhes in a jail cell coiled and ready to attack if anyone tries to question him. For some unknown reason, he thinks he has the right to plead the fifth. I’ve got news for the fucker; he’s not an American.
I walk into our bedroom and grab Kate’s down pillow off the bed and inhale her flowery scent. It’s diminished quite a bit, but there’s still some that lingers. I haven’t washed the sheets in fear that when I do, she’ll be washed away forever along with the scent that soothes me when I do fall asleep for a few minutes.
I think I’m going crazy with the mounds of information and lack of clues swirling around in my head like a tornado. If only the twister would stop and leave the one clue that leads to Kate in its wake. I need to hold and smell her hair as much as I need air to breathe and blood to keep my heart pumping. Without her here, I’m a fraction of the man I used to be. I refuse to lose her—especially not to that prick-ass cousin of mine.
My cell phone rings in the other room. I take one last deep breath of Kate’s intoxicating scent before I go to answer it. Jasper’s face is staring at me on the screen. A cigarette is hanging out of his mouth with a beer in his hand. I took this picture the night Kate first met Jasper and instantly took a liking to him.
“What?” I don’t mean for my response to be callous, but the hopelessness that’s taken over my soul has sliced through a large piece of my heart, leaving me cold and estranged to those I’m closest with.
“There’s activity on his bank account in the Caymans. He just had money wired to a bank here in the city under a different name. You’re never going to believe to whom.” Jasper pauses and waits for me to guess.
I don’t need to. I already know who will be picking it up. I exhale the breath I didn’t know I was holding. If Demetrio is picking up money his father wired, chances are he knows the Kate’s whereabouts. Now, we just need to be at the bank when he retrieves the money. The problem is, we don’t know how soon he’ll access it. It could be today or a week from now. That’s means we’ll have to let the authorities manage this lead.
“What are you thinking?” I rub the three-day-old stubble that’s formed along my now rough jaw as I wait for what seems like an eternity for Jasper to answer.
Finally, he sighs. “I’ve contacted the FBI. Obviously, they’ll work with the bank to halt any transactions and notify them when the money is requested. I’m going to have my men outside around the clock awaiting his arrival. When he does go to pick up the money, we’ll be there. Hopefully, we can nab him before he collects the funds and can coerce him into telling us where Kate is or we won’t let him in to get the money.” Jasper waits for my response.
It sounds like a good plan, but nothing else has worked thus far. We aren’t any closer to finding her than we were six weeks ago. Matteo is a lot smarter than I gave him credit for, and I’m not sure how he has alluded the authorities or Jasper for this long. He’s got to be holed
up in some run-down piece of crap place where people don’t give a shit who he is or what illegal activities he’s participating in.
A light goes off in my head. “He’s not in Manhattan. He’s in the Bronx.”
“Umm, what are you talking about? What do you know?” Jasper is lost. I can’t blame him. I just added a piece to the puzzle of Kate’s disappearance.
“The reason we haven’t found him is because he’s hanging out around people who don’t give a shit who he is or what he does. Where’s the easiest place to get someone to be unnoticed? He’s in the fucking Bronx. There are trains and a lot of dilapidated areas. Check recent leases. I bet he’s found some place to stay on short notice. Start looking for places that have an easy escape like a train or subway.” My mind is in overdrive drifting through the winding streets looking for the checkered flag indicating I’m almost home; that I’ve scored the prize and found Kate.
“Have I ever told you that you’re a bloody genius? I don’t know why I didn’t think of this before. I’ll get on it. You get your arse to that press conference. When you get back, hopefully we’ll have that bugger found and hanging by his bloody balls!”
The image Jasper has just put in my mind is gross, but makes me smile. I kind of like the idea of Matteo having to take a bit of his own medicine. He deserves to be slowly tortured limb by limb and hung out for the animals to eat away his flesh. I’ve never hated anyone more in my life than him at this moment. I can only hope I’m there the day he takes his last breath to spit on the piece of shit he’s become. I don’t know when my heart started beating out of my chest like a fricking ticking time bomb, but it is. My hands have formed into fists and my shoulders have just tensed up so much I could shoot rubber bands off them to anyone who tries to pass by. “Call and let me know if you’ve found anything. I want to be there when you locate him.”
