“How the fuck did you hear me say that?” I ask astonished.
He points to his ear. “Listening device, it can pick a conversation up to thirty meters away.”
“That’s like some sort of CIA shit. Where did you get that?”
“From my contact in the CIA,” he replies, cleaning my arm with an alcohol pad.
“What if you’re in a crowded place, how do you know what people are saying?”
“It picks up different frequencies, the same as a radio would. You ready?” he asks as he lines a large needle up with my arm.
“Let’s do this,” I reply. The needle goes in, followed by the tracker. “Fuck! That hurt.”
“Don’t be a wimp.” He shakes his head at me and then pulls out a second needle.
“How many more of those do you need to put in?” I ask a little shakily.
“This is the last one,” he laughs out loud. “The rest will go in your phone, watch, and a pen.”
“Fine,” I grunt and roll the sleeve up on my other arm.
“No, pull down your trousers.” My brow furrows at his request. “They will look in your arm for a tracker, but they won’t look in your leg.”
“So why did you put one in my arm?”
“So it looks realistic. They’ll find the one in your watch and phone, and they may find the one in the pen. When they realize you have trackers on you, they’ll check your body and find the one in your arm, which they’ll probably cut out.”
“I don’t understand, what is the point in all this?”
“We are making this purposely too easy for them to capture you, they will know something is up. We can play the game of cat and mouse if you wish, but the longer you hide from them, the longer SJ is with them. You get me?” I nod my reply. “Having all these different trackers will make it look like a set up, they’ll think they’ve out smarted us when they find the one in your arm.”
I think I understand what this plan of his is, but it seems like there’s one small flaw. “If I’m trying to rescue SJ, won’t that just let them know straight away that I’m the baby’s father?” That still sounds strange to say.
“They have to be certain. They can bump off her ex-boss and no one will care. The trouble is Jake, he’s the member of another crime family and you’re the son of the late Leo Slate. Vitale can’t kill either of you without consequences.”
“Okay,” I say as my phone begins to ring. “Hello?”
“Mr. Slate, it’s Claire.”
“You can call me Caleb, Claire. Is everything okay?”
“Yes sir—”
“I need you to lift the leg of your boxer shorts,” Logan whispers. I frown at him, but do as he asks.
“The debris has been cleared and the new foundations are going in as I speak,” Claire continues.
“Thank you for the update.”
“How is everything going? Have you found SJ yet?” she asks, with a clear note of worry and sadness.
“We know where she is. We’re just getting prepared for the rescue mission now,” I inform her. She appears to sigh with relief.
“What about my ex-husband?” she asks next. I feel the cold wipe of the alcohol pad going up my leg and along my groin.
“He’s being dealt with. Don’t worry we haven’t forgotten him. He’s still in our custody, but believe me Claire, he can’t escape, okay?”
“Thank you, Caleb,” she replies. “I’ll—”
“Fuck! Fuck, shit, fuck, fuck!” I scream.
“Caleb?” Claire’s voice sounds terrified.
“It’s okay Claire, I’m about to kill my brother though,” I manage to spit out through gritted teeth.
“You’re such a pussy,” Logan laughs and walks away.
“Hopefully the next time I speak to you, SJ will be back with us.” I keep my voice as even as possible so I don’t startle Claire again.
“Good luck, Caleb. Speak to you soon,” she replies before hanging up.
I look down at the injection sight and rub the sore area now covered with a band aid. “What the fuck Logan, you said my leg. Did you have to put it in my groin?”
“They won’t look there.” I narrow my eyes at him. “Don’t worry, we’ll put you out when we remove it, unless you want me slicing that area open while you’re awake.”
“No, I’m good, thank you.” Both injection sights are pretty tender but the one in my groin is bordering on painful.
“Wait an hour to make sure the bleeding has stopped,” he says, handing me an ice pack. “Then jump in the shower and you’ll be ready to go.”
“I can’t wait that long,” I reply, standing up to leave.
“It’s been almost three days, another hour won’t hurt. Keep the ice pack on your groin until the swelling subsides.”
“Another hour for SJ could be torture,” I remind him.
“I know, believe me I know, but I honestly don’t think Vitale will hurt her. He needs her,” he says, lowering his head. “I’m going to head back to your office and fill the others in, you get a driver to take you home—”
“I can drive myself,” I interrupt.
“No, call for the car service. Listen, before tonight is done, you’re probably going to learn some things and you’ll probably hate me for it. So I’m going to say I’m sorry now, before it’s too late and you won’t listen to me.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You’ll find out in a few hours,” he says as he checks his watch. “I love you Caleb, please remember that and know that it was never about you and I’m sorry I had to put you through it.”
He turns to walk out the door, but I call him back. “Logan, I could never hate you. Whatever it is, we’ll deal with it. We’ve already lost too many years,” I say and hope he senses my sincerity.
“I hope that’s still how you feel later,” he says and this time I let him lead the way out of the room.
“Are you going to tell me what all that is in your office?” I ask as I text the car service.
“You’ll probably know once we’ve rescued your girl.”
We part ways at the elevators. He heads off to my office and I head out the door. I assume everyone will meet at my house after Logan has filled them in. To be honest I’m grateful he’s letting me leave and to rest for a bit, especially now that my crotch feels like it’s been set on fire and the ice pack is doing nothing to settle the burn.
I try to distract myself. I even go as far as playing a game on my phone, but nothing is helping. I’m jittery and nervous and I can’t focus, my only thought is getting to SJ before it’s too late.
My phone is suddenly flying from my fingers, my body is jerked to the side. My neck whips unnaturally and everything seems to be moving at hyper speed and in slow motion at the same time, sound no longer seems to exist as my brain goes into survival mode. We’ve been hit. In the middle of the city, where traffic is moving at a mere ten miles an hour, we’ve been hit full on by someone driving a hell of a lot faster.
All of this goes through my head in the space of a few seconds. Everything speeds up and slows down, sound comes back to me and I know I have a matter of moments to concentrate and get ready to deal with this new threat.
At least that’s what I thought. I reach beneath the seat to grab the emergency 9mm that should be concealed there. I say should because as I feel around, I can’t find it.
My best chance to get away is on foot, so I try to climb out of the car on the side that wasn’t hit. I don’t make it. I feel the sharp sting followed by the burn before I even realize what’s happening. As the sedative works its way through my blood stream, my last thought is that at least I can’t feel the burning in my balls anymore.
***
“I can’t wait to have my fun with you.” These chilling words greet my semi-conscious and confused mind.
I know that voice.
A few not so gentle taps on my cheek gets my attention. “Come on, boy, it’s wake up time.”
I co
wardly wish I could stay in the darkness, I know what will greet me if I open my eyes. My confused psyche isn’t ready for him. Whatever drug they used to sedate me is wearing off quickly and flashes of memory are coming back to me.
How did they find me? It was all too quick, too calculated. The collision was too well executed. It was no spur of the moment thing. Have they been following me?
Then the reason I’m here comes back to me—SJ. I’m here to bring her home. My eyes fly open and as I suspected, Vitale is there to greet me.
“Welcome back.” He grins maliciously.
Pain. That comes next. In the darkness, nothing registered, but now I feel it. My shoulders feel like they’re about to be ripped from their sockets. I try to look up but my neck feels like it’s been held in place with cement—whiplash, great. From what I can see, my arms are strung up tight, stretched above my head, leaving me standing on the tips of my toes.
Vitale isn’t even bothering to hide his enjoyment of my vulnerability. As my vision clears a little more, I notice I’m in some kind of warehouse or basement. There are no windows, only one door and the floor is concrete.
“We found your trackers, even the one in your groin. I was going to cut off your balls to get it out but decided I’d wait for whatever Superhero rescue team you have coming.” Vitale’s voice causes me to pause in my assessment of the situation. “Did you think you could trick me?”
I want to answer him, but what can I say. I drop my head and it’s then I notice I’m missing some vital coverings. I’m surprised it took me this long to realize, though I’m not surprised that I’m stark naked. The quickest and easiest way to make a man feel vulnerable is to strip him and string him up.
“Cat got your tongue? It’s okay, I have ways and means of making people talk,” he says and walks away from me. I try my best to keep my expression neutral even if I’m freaking out on the inside. Logan said they wouldn’t find the tracker in my groin and that they wouldn’t even look there, now Vitale is leaving it there to use as a trap. What will happen when the team arrives? They were supposed to come in under the radar using the element of surprise. “Just answer me this, are you the baby’s father?”
I know this is going to hurt, but I have to buy the guys some time. “What baby?”
***
Yep I knew it would hurt. The back of my head is throbbing. I must have been out for some time because I’m no longer standing. I’m laying down on some kind of medical examination bed with straps around my wrist and ankles, as well as across my chest, abdomen and thighs, making movement almost impossible.
“Last chance,” Vitale says and I turn my head to his voice. As I do, I spot SJ. She’s lying on the floor with a collar around her neck that’s attached to an eye bolt in the floor. I try to smile at her but her eyes are closed and gives no indication that she’s seen me. She’s naked except for something padded around her private area—it’s then that I remember what Aiden said.
Buccieri breaks his women down with unusual methods. Pet play and forced regression.
What has he done to her?
“If you want to save her life, you’ll answer the question. Are you the baby’s father?” Vitale’s voice penetrates my deep thoughts.
“Would you really kill your own daughter?” I answer instead.
“Do it,” he orders. I start to panic when I see a tray being wheeled over toward me, a strap goes over my head to hold it in place and gag goes into my mouth. Please hurry, Logan.
The searing hot pain of the heated needle being pushed under my thumb nail has my body almost shutting down. I can’t do this. I don’t know why I thought I could, but I can’t. I’m sure if I wasn’t gagged, my screams would have shattered the walls. My mind is switching between taking leave and staying to endure. Fight or flight.
“I didn’t want to do this, but you gave me no choice.” Vitale sits in a chair next to me, his legs crossed examining his fingernails. I want to scream and yell and tell him I am the baby’s father, but I value my life, SJ’s life, and now the life of my child. I need to stay strong so I can pull SJ though this when we get to safety. She’s going to need me to be strong for her.
While my thoughts have been elsewhere, I forgot I had nine more fingernails for them to torture and mostly, I forgot I also have ten toenails. My stomach is rolling, the pain is sickening as the needle penetrates the skin under the nail of my little toe. I don’t even have time to breath as the next two toes are pried away from the skin by the burning hot needles.
“Oh no you don’t.” A slap to the face brings me back. The pain must have caused me to black out. I heave into my gag, the bile rising up my throat is refusing to stay contained in my stomach. Eventually it comes up, some of it spurting out around the ball in my mouth, the rest goes back down my throat. “That’s disgusting.”
I look at Vitale who is using a kerchief to wipe a spot of my bile off his face. The taste in my mouth isn’t helping to keep my stomach under control.
“Would you like some water?” he asks. His demeanor is too friendly but I could really use some water, so I grunt a muffled yes around my gag. “Take it out and bring him some water.”
I’m momentarily surprised by the order until a towel comes down over my face and what feels like a bucket of water is poured on top. I choke and cough while trying to swallow some of the water. I’m not sure if its even water, but I need the fluid. The second bucket of water comes down and this time I’m unprepared, I inhale the water into my lungs. The towel is taken away and I’m given a small reprieve, greedily sucking fresh air into my lungs and coughing out as much of the water as I can just in case they aren’t finished.
“Are you the baby’s father?” Vitale asks again.
Hurry the fuck up, Logan. “No,” I reply.
The second I’ve spoken the answer, the wet towel is slapped back over my face and I’m instantly struggling to breathe again. This time though, they tilt the bed slightly backwards so my legs are elevated. The water starts again but this time it’s slowly poured on to my face. The water trails up my nose, into my sinuses and down my throat. Water boarding is one of the most effective torture methods used to get someone to talk. Fourteen seconds, that’s all it will take before panic sets in and my brain thinks I’m drowning. The pain is horrendous and I want to scream, but the towel works as a one way valve, it lets air out but won’t let it in and I need to keep my lungs as inflated as possible.
My fourteen seconds are up and my torturer must know this as he picks this moment to pry one of his favored hot needles under the nail of my big toe. My screams must be heard somewhere but not by me. All I can hear is white noise and see darkness as I feel the searing pain of more needles torturing my other finger and toenails.
Vitale doesn’t like me unconscious obviously. He brings me back with a spray of ice cold water. The bed is back in its original position, but the back is reclined so I’m sitting up slightly. My ankles have been removed from the straps and are tied tightly together along with my knees, the rope holding my knees is tied around the bed.
“Are you the father of the baby?” I’m asked again.
I hesitate, I actually consider telling him the truth just to end the torture, but I know I can’t. “No,” I respond shakily.
My feet are lifted and a brick is placed under my ankles, causing a strain on the rope holding my knees down.
“Fuck!” I scream as my knees are force to bend the wrong way. Vitale laughs as I finally let the pain filled tears run down my cheeks. He picks up another brick and proceeds to place it on top of the first brick under my ankles just as another needle is forced under my other thumbnail. “Stop! Please, stop!”
I can’t endure anymore, my fear and pain threshold limits have been reached. My stomach rolls again but this time I have more than bile to bring up and no gag holding it in place. The water comes up my throat and out of my mouth like a fountain.
“I will fry your balls next if you don’t answer me truthfully. Are you the b
aby’s father?” Vitale’s face looks victorious, he knows he’s won and just needs my confirmation. I take a few deep breaths to give myself a moment to think, and to decide if I can take anymore, but I know I can’t. Do I own up to it and risk a bullet to my head right now or keep this up until Logan gets here?
A ringing phone stops me from answering. Saved by the bell, literally. Vitale pulls the phone from his pocket and walks across the room. I have no idea what I’m going to do, my thumbs, fingers and toes are pulsating and the pain seems to shoot all the way up my arms. My throat and nose are sore and my knees feel like they’re about to snap.
“Looks like your brothers are here to save you, shame about the welcome they just received.” Vitale laughs and pulls a handgun from its holster around his waist.
The door opens and in walks Grayson, Logan and Aiden, followed by three of Vitale’s men.
“It’s good of you to join us,” he welcomes them. “Logan, Aiden, I’ve missed you boys. How’s Jess? I miss her the most.”
“We aren’t here for pleasantries, we want Caleb and the girl and if you’re lucky, I’ll let you live,” Logan bargains.
“That’s not how this works Logan. I have the guns and the girl and all four of you. You’re not in a position to be making threats,” Vitale replies confidently, which makes me believe he really does have the upper hand. The only thing giving me hope is that Edward and Cain aren’t here and if Kade is undercover, where is he?
“That all depends on how we play this,” Logan says, his confidence every bit as evident as Vitale’s.
“She is my daughter,” Vitale responds, pointing his finger at SJ. “I even own those twins thanks to the money grabbing mother.”
I furrow my brow as I watch Logan turn as white as a sheet, completely unable to answer him and wonder what the hell Vitale’s playing at. “Why would you want the twins?” I ask, baffled.
“We’re always looking for fresh meat in the ring,” he answers me cryptically, leaving me with more questions than answers.
“The ring was shut down. I made sure of it when Leo Slate met his maker,” Logan growls furiously. Considering he’s normally the most placid out of any of us, this is a side to him I didn’t know existed.
Caleb (The Unseen Series Book 1) Page 21
