by Alta Hensley
“What are you doing? Where are you taking her?” Nancy’s voice shook.
“To Dr. Lawry!” he said, lifting Ariana from the bed. “You gave her too much. She’s overdosing.”
The color drained from Nancy’s face. “I…no, I couldn’t have.”
“Did Frank tell you to increase her dosage?” Costello demanded.
Her cheeks went red while the rest of her complexion grayed. Just as he thought.
“I…I was doing what I thought best for her.”
“Open the door and get out of my way. If I get her to Dr. Lawry’s house fast enough, maybe you won’t have killed her.” He jerked his head toward the door.
She yanked the door open, and he passed through, hurrying to the stairs.
“Maybe we should wait for Frank. He’ll be here soon,” she urged from behind him.
“And if she dies before then? He’s put a lot of money into her. If she dies, you’ll have cost him thousands of dollars in expense,” he shouted over his shoulder at her while continuing to hurry down the stairs with Ariana cradled in his arms. “I refuse to allow a Lullaby girl to die on my watch.”
When he stepped off the last stair, Nancy jumped in front of him to rush to the entranceway. “I’ll call Dr. Lawry,” she offered as he hurried past her, careful not to let Ariana’s head hit the doorjamb.
“No. I’ll call from the car. He may have something he wants me to do before I get there,” he told her.
How easily the lies fall with all the practice he’d had over the years. He hugged Ariana closer to his chest as he ran with her to his car parked down the drive.
Nancy stayed at the doorway, watching, but he was finished with her. Let her think she was the cause. She might hesitate before talking to Frank when he arrived. But it wouldn’t matter. Costello would have them far enough away. It would take them at least an hour before they realized he didn’t go to the doctor’s house. And even longer to figure out what he’d actually done.
Gently, he placed Ariana into the front seat of his car. Taking care to buckle her in and position her head away from the door, he shut it and ran around the front to his own seat. After he climbed in, he checked the rearview mirror to be sure Nancy wasn’t coming and that Frank hadn’t pulled up.
“Okay, babygirl. Let’s get out of here.” He threw the car into gear and punched the gas. Driving down the long drive to the main road, not even touching the brake, he turned onto the street. The night sky gave him cover as he raced away from the House.
They weren’t safe yet. Far from it, but at least Ariana was out of the House, and she could get the fucking Lullaby out of her system.
He glanced over at her sleeping form. She snorted softly and turned in her seat, letting out a heavy sigh before settling back down.
Once he was far enough away from the House, he flipped the headlights on and made his way onto the highway.
“Just a few more hours, baby. When you wake up, you’ll be safe and sound.” He reached over and held her warm hand.
Now that he had her away from the House, he could start worrying about the next step of his plan. Going face to face with the only man who could keep him safe from retributions.
Frank Romero.
A pounding worthy of any metal band drummer pulled Ariana from a deep sleep. She groaned, pressing the heels of her hands to her temples, trying to stop the banging. It didn’t work, and to make the situation worse, her stomach roiled with a strong current of nausea.
“Oh, no,” she groaned, rolling to her side.
“Here, it’s okay, let it out,” a warm voice said above her.
Her stomach contents emptied into a bucket being held for her. The retching strained her body, pulled muscles in her back. When she was finished, she moved to her back again, her eyes closed. The pounding increased.
A hot washcloth brushed across her mouth, probably cleaning up the mess she’d made of herself.
She needed to open her eyes, take stock of where she was, but even a small flutter of her lids allowed in too much light. Grabbing her head, she moaned softly. Too much sound and she’d send the drummer into an encore.
“You’re okay,” the soft voice said again. Masculine and firm, but with a gentleness to it. Her mind tried to search out the familiarity of it, but the chase made her dizzy.
She licked her dry lips. “Where am I?” she asked, still putting pressure on her temples. It seemed to stop some of the ache. “Who are you?”
A deep chuckle. “Forgot me so quickly?” he teased. “I’m Costello, and we’re in a small cabin up north.” A cool washcloth draped over her forehead. “Put your hands down so this can lay flat. It will help relieve some of the ache.”
Costello. Thoughts flew by too fast, memories and flashes of a face, soundbite of a voice. She couldn’t grab any of them.
“Just relax. It’s going to take time for everything to get out of your system.”
Get what out of her system? She wanted to ask, to demand answers but fatigue kept her from moving, and the pain in her head stopped her from trying to ask.
A cellphone rang.
“I have to take this, just stay in bed,” he said firmly. A chair creaked, probably from him getting up. Heavy steps followed as he answered his call.
“Hey…yeah…she’s okay… It’s going to take a little time for the Lullaby to get out of her system, but it’s not regressing her right now so that’s a good step.”
Was he talking about her?
“No, the sedative worked great. Other than some vomiting here and there, she’s good. We’re okay in here.”
Obviously he didn’t fully understand the amount of pain she was in. Her head was about to crack open. Maybe when her brains spilled out all over the pillow, he’d appreciate the level of agony she was in.
“Thanks again…no…I’ll keep that in mind…yeah…bye,” he said and then more heavy footsteps.
The bed dipped and his hand touched her cheek.
“No fever, which is good. Do you think you need to throw up again?” he asked.
“I really hope not. I think my head will explode if I do.”
He chuckled. “I’m glad to see you’re back to being you.” He pulled the blanket up to her chin. “You should get more sleep. I can give you some more medicine to help if you want, but I’m worried it might upset your stomach some more.”
“No. No more medicine.” She threw her arm over her closed eyes.
Medicine.
Lullaby.
“Daddy,” she whispered the word, feeling it play on her tongue. “Costello.”
“That’s me,” he said, running his thumb over her jaw. “You’re remembering?”
“The House. Uncle Frank.” She blinked her eyes open, keeping them as shielded as she could with her arm. Slowly his features came into focus. The dark menacing gaze, strong jawline, and his possessive touch. “I remember…well…almost everything. How’d we end up here?”
She looked around the dimly lit cabin. Even with the lights off and the shades drawn on the few windows there were in the single room building, her eyes still ached. A small kitchenette was in one corner, a couch took up the far wall and then the bed she was lying in. Far less extravagant than the custom-made lifestyle she’d assumed he lived.
“Nancy started double dosing you with Lullaby. It finally started to take hold on you.”
“I was acting like the others?” she asked, horrified.
“You’re out of there now, though. You’re here with me, and Frank won’t find us here. No one will find us here.” He leaned over her body, pressing his hand into the mattress on the other side of her.
“How’d you get me out of the House?”
He grinned. “I gave you the sedative, and then I let Nancy think she’d made you overdose. She was too scared of what would happen to her from Frank if she let one of his Lullaby girls die.”
She closed her eyes again.
“What happens now?” she asked softly. Her body ached too muc
h to move, so she lay completely still while he ran his fingers over her cheek. A soothing action that almost took her mind off the concert going off in her head.
“Now I have to make us safe. You’re good here. Like I said, no one knows about this place. I have to go in a little bit. It’s going to take me at least an hour to get to where I’m going.”
Her eyes flew open. “You’re leaving me here?” Panic squeezed her chest.
“No. No.” He grabbed hold of her shoulders and slowly eased her back to the mattress. “I’m not leaving you. I’m going to take care of things, so we won’t have to keep looking over our shoulders the rest of our lives. If I don’t fix this, they’ll come after us. If they catch up to us, they’ll kill me, and they’ll take you back to the House. You’ll get put in the playroom. Now that they know how much to give you to make Lullaby work, they won’t let you go to waste.”
“I’ll be here alone?” she asked.
“Fuck no.” He shook his head. “I have a guy outside. I trust him with my life…with your life. He won’t come in, but he won’t let anyone else in either.”
“Who is he?” she asked softly, moving her gaze to the door.
He stared at her for a long minute. “My brother.”
“You have a brother?” she asked too loudly and made her head start a whole new song and dance.
“I do. Kevin didn’t take Carlos Romero up on his offer after our parents died. He’s a good guy. He won’t let anything happen to you. Or me.” He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “But you can’t go outside. Stay in here.”
He straightened up from the bed and picked up the bucket, carrying it to a small bathroom. The water ran for a bit then the toilet flushed. He brought the cleaned bucket back to her bedside.
“I don’t think there’s anything left in your stomach, but just in case.” He winked.
“Where are you going?” she asked when he grabbed a black leather jacket from a chairback near the kitchen.
He shoved one arm into the coat then the other, pulling it up and fixing the collar as he stared at her. Did he think she was going to tell someone? As things stood, she was still a fucking prisoner. The only difference was she didn’t mind this guard.
“I’m going to see Frank.”
“He’ll kill you.” She started to sit up, but he stepped forward with that pointed finger of his, and she sank back onto the pillows.
“He won’t kill me,” he promised.
“You don’t know that,” she accused him, and pulled the washcloth off her head, tossing it to the side table. “He’s going to kill you, and I’m going to die alone in this bed because your brother will be out there and not know I’m dying.”
Costello blinked a few times. His thick, kissable lips spread into a wide grin. “Okay, maybe all the Lullaby isn’t out of your system.”
“Can’t we just leave well enough alone?”
He picked up a gun from the kitchen table and worked it into the holster. “We can’t, baby girl. I’m going to take care of this, but you have to be good and just stay in bed. Sleep. It’s the best way to get through this. I’m going to put a little more sedative in a glass of water, and if you have trouble sleeping, I want you to drink it. And when you wake up, I’ll be back, and everything will be fine.”
“And if it’s not?” she asked in a whisper.
“If everything goes sideways, you are to listen to Kevin. If he comes in and says you have to go, you follow him.”
“And how do I know if it’s really him? Maybe someone comes by, kills him and then comes inside pretending to be him,” she offered, feeling a little more like herself as the moments passed. Her mind was starting to clear. If only the headache would subside.
“That won’t happen. You’ll know.”
“How could I possibly know?”
Costello’s shoulders dropped. “Fine.” He marched to the door and yanked it open. “Kevin, get in here.”
In stepped a man, equal in size and appearance of Costello.
“You’re a twin?” she asked, sitting up in the bed.
“Hey.” Kevin waved. “So, you want me to stay out there or in here?” His gaze flickered over the room, settling on the bucket beside her bed. “If she’s still puking, I don’t think her being alone in here is a great idea.”
Costello glared at him. “You’re probably right. Fine, but don’t let her talk you into anything. Keep her in that bed.” He grabbed a set of keys from a hook next to the door. “And by that, I mean tell her to stay in bed. Don’t you put one fucking finger on her.” Costello growled like a lion warning others to stay away from his kill.
“Wouldn’t think of it,” Kevin said to Costello, then turned to her with a wink. She stifled a laugh when Costello’s heated glare landed on her.
“Sleep.” He pointed to her. “And you, sit your ass in the chair by the fucking window.”
Kevin rolled his shoulders. “Just go get it over with. And call me as soon as it’s done.”
Costello made it to the bed in five large strides and pressed a hard kiss to her head. “Be good. No matter what happens, I’m still your daddy.”
She found his gaze and let the warmth of it wrap around her. “I know,” she said. But inside she wasn’t quite sure.
She was free of the House. Shouldn’t she be running into town, finding the police, getting back to her old life?
Costello kissed her once more then left the cabin. The door shut behind him and Kevin flipped the lock, bolting them inside.
“Isn’t going to see Frank alone dangerous?” she asked when she had her head settled back on the pillows and her head stopped swirling.
“Right now, it’s more dangerous for him and you if he doesn’t see Frank. He’ll make this right. Don’t worry about him.”
She sighed. Of course, she was going to worry about him. She’d have this heavy twisted knot in her stomach until he walked back through that door. Until her daddy came home, safe and sound, she would do nothing but think about him.
Costello knew what he was doing, she had no doubts there. He was smart, and he’d been dealing with these people nearly his entire life. If anyone could get them out of this mess it was her daddy.
Pulling up to the gates of Frank’s estate should have sent a flutter of nerves throughout Costello’s insides. But as he sat, waiting for the iron gates to swing open for him, his resolve became firm and steady. Even if Frank didn’t see reason, and he still insisted on taking Costello’s life, Ariana would remain safe.
Kevin would never let the Romeros take her. He held as much resentment and hostility toward the Romero family as the night they found their parents murdered in their house. He didn’t agree with Costello’s decision to enter into the family, but he didn’t hold it against him. Even over the years when Costello had to disappear for a short time here and there, Kevin never shut his door on his brother.
It’s why he was the only person in the world he could entrust with watching over Ariana. If anything happened, Kevin would be sure she was safe. That’s all that mattered.
Once the gates were opened, Costello drove his Challenger up the curved drive to the front of the house. Two men stood on the stairs. Even with their overpriced sunglasses shielding their eyes, he could see their glares.
Dancing monkeys. That’s all they were. It’s exactly what he’d been.
Costello climbed out of his car and pocketed his keys.
“He’s waiting for you.” The first monkey spoke, contempt filling the spaces between the syllables.
“I had to announce myself at the gate. I assumed he would be,” Costello said, brushing past them both.
“Hold up.” The second guy clamped his hand down on Costello’s shoulder. “Hand over your gun first.”
“Of course.” He reached into his jacket and pulled the Glock from the holster. “Here.”
Once relieved of his weapon, they led him up the steps and into the house. Costello had been in the house hundreds of times over
the years. Family dinners with Frank’s wife and kids, big Christmas celebrations. He didn’t need an escort, but under the circumstances, he didn’t mention it.
“You really have some balls coming here after what you fucking pulled,” Frank greeted Costello from his desk. The doors to the office were closed behind him, but the monkeys remained an arm’s length away.
“You always told me to take the initiative.” Costello rolled his shoulders back and readied himself for whatever was coming.
Frank stood from his chair and rounded his desk, taking measured steps until he reached Costello. Being almost a head shorter, he stopped a few feet away so he wouldn’t have to tilt his head back to look at him.
“Didn’t I give you everything you wanted? Everything you needed? You had to go and steal from me?” His even tone didn’t put Costello at ease. He’d once seen Frank hug a man, inviting him over for Easter dinner right before he whipped out his pistol and put a hole in his head.
“You did, Frank. And I’m grateful.” Costello put his hands together, bowing slightly toward him. “Truly. I am. This had nothing to do with you. Nothing to do with betraying you in any way.”
Frank’s gaze narrowed. “Tell me why you took my property then.”
His property? Costello swallowed the rage that sentence brought up. If he was going to make this all okay, he couldn’t step out of line. He had to keep within the boundaries of the family.
“Honest truth? I love her.” Costello folded his hands in front of him and tightened his jaw.
Frank shook his head. “She’s a Lullaby girl, Costello. Pick another girl, slip her the Lullaby, and you’ll have your own little girl at home.”
“She’s not a Lullaby girl, Frank.” Costello paused. “The drug never worked on her. She was playacting for a while before I caught on. Only recently did the drug regress her, and it was when Nancy started double dosing her.”
Frank’s eyes went wide. “She doubled the dose? She’s fucking lucky she didn’t kill the girl.”
Costello dug his nails into his palm. Not really the fucking issue at hand, but fine, let Frank dwell on that for a moment.
