Kiss a Frog (The Book Club Series 1) (12 page)

“Well, usually I make guys wait until at least the second date before they tie me up,” Lily choked out lamely, trying to lighten the mood.

“Heh, I’ll make sure to tell De Soros you like it rough.” Jacobs chuckled as he tied her wrists behind her back. “Lie down on your belly and let me get your ankles.”

Lily did as she was told, grimacing as her face pressed into the cold concrete of the floor. Jacobs used the same rope to bring her ankles up almost to her ass and tie everything together. “This isn’t exactly comfortable.”

“I know. Sorry.”

Lily suddenly found herself airborne, and she screamed. Jacobs had picked her up like she weighed nothing, and she was being taken to a black SUV with the back hatch open. “I’m scared,” she breathed.

“Good, keep the act up,” Jacobs grunted, tossing her in the back of the vehicle. “I’m going to gag you now.” He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and jammed it in her mouth before tying another over her lips. “Be good.”

Lily rolled her eyes and panicked as he closed the hatch. She was at the mercy of these men now, and if Jacobs didn’t keep her safe?
Yeah this is totally not an act… I could be used as a whore or end up dead.
The SUV started with a purr, and she rolled slightly as the car pulled out of the garage.
Luca, please be safe. Please, FBI guys, don’t let me die.

Waiting Game

Lily bounced around in the back of the SUV and groaned as the car finally came to a stop. Strange sounds touched her ears. She heard a rattling like a garage door being closed, several men talking, and dogs barking. Her breath caught in her throat as the back door of the SUV suddenly opened. A man stared at her, a sneer on his puffy face. He was the same man from the restaurant.

“This is the girl De Soros was with. I’m sure. Well, let’s get the bitch inside.” He sighed, turning away and pointing at someone Lily couldn’t see. “You, get her and bring her to my office. We’ll deal with her later.”

She assumed immediately that he was Lorenzo Caprice, the mobster that she would help take down. Lily didn’t have to fake her terror, she was completely petrified as a burly man moved into her view. A huge, jagged scar marred the left side of his face, and his eye was cloudy. Gold teeth filled his mouth, and he looked as though he hadn’t bathed in at least a month. His scent reached her long before he did, and she retched against her gag.

“Hey, lamb chop. You’re coming with me.” He gripped her roughly by the arm and rolled her to her back before pulling her into his arms.

His fetid, musty odor rolled over her in waves, and she squeezed her eyes closed and focused on breathing through her nose as much as possible. “I’ll take her from here.” Jacobs’ voice was the best thing she’d heard in quite some time, and she struggled a little for effect as she was passed off to the man. “Hang in there,” he whispered softly, and Lily squeezed her eyes tighter.

I’m terrified.

Forcing her eyes open she watched the walls as she was carried through the house and into a dusky room. Jacobs placed her carefully on a couch, and she shifted her face carefully so she could breathe.

“I’m going to untie you and sit you up. Don’t try any funny business, do you understand?” Jacobs growled. If she didn’t know that he was an FBI agent under cover, she would’ve been completely hysterical, and even knowing it now, she bordered on the edge of panic. Jacobs untied the ropes, and she groaned in relief as her aching legs were released from their prison. “Sit up,” he demanded, and she tried to oblige him, but instead she rolled off the couch to the floor. “Dammit,” Jacobs hissed.

“What’s going on in there?” a voice called.

“Nothing, the bitch got sassy, and I knocked her out!” Jacobs answered the man. Lowering his voice to barely above a whisper, he murmured, “Sleep. Nothing will happen until tomorrow. Don’t move, okay?”

Lily nodded quickly, and she was left alone in the office, lying on the carpeted floor with her hands tied tightly behind her back.
Sleep? He wants me to sleep? Is he insane? Oh, hell yeah I’m going to just doze off in the middle of a bunch of mobsters. Yep.

She lay quietly on the plush carpet, flinching at every noise that came down the hallway. Her ears perked up as she listened to two men talk about how they were going to snuff out De Soros. Pain flickered through her chest at the thought of Luca being in danger, or worse, being killed. Lily began to doubt the wisdom of the whole plot, but she didn’t have a whole lot of options. She had to protect her parents and her friends from the mess Luca had created.

I want to wring his neck. He shouldn’t have come by the apartment…If he hadn’t we wouldn’t have been together and, God, that was amazing. Still he was stupid, and I’m going to tell him so…then I’m going to kiss him senseless. If I make it out of here, I’m going to finish what we started. I just have to make it out of here.

Lily was careful not to dislodge the thin silicone pieces of skin she had on her cheek as she shifted to get comfortable. As the house grew silent, she found it harder to keep her eyes open. Soon she closed her eyes for a moment.
It’s so quiet…

A light flicked on overhead, and Lily’s eyes popped open and a scream filled her throat. She struggled to move and the events of the night before hit her like a ton of bricks. She was bait. She was the fly for her frog. The tasty bit he wouldn’t be able to resist coming after.

“Good morning, sunshine.” Caprice laughed. “I trust you were comfortable?” His guffaws became louder, and he nudged her side with the toe of his extravagantly shiny black shoe.

Lily didn’t move a muscle or acknowledge his words, not that she could speak around the gag anyway. He must have taken her silence as an affront because before Lily could steel herself against an assault, his glossy shoe reared back, and he kicked her in the ribs. Lily gasped out against the pain, and she squeezed her eyes tight.

“Paulie, get her up. Let’s make the call.” Lily stared out of the corner of her eye and nearly sobbed in relief as she saw Jacobs coming toward her.
Okay, so you go by the name Paulie here…
He hoisted her up quickly, and Lily tried to maintain her footing. “Sit her on the couch, let’s make our
guest
comfortable.”

Caprice’s laughter was sinister, and Lily’s stomach clenched. Bile rose in her throat and she choked it down, unable to throw up around the gag. The last thing she wanted was to asphyxiate on her own puke. Jacobs pushed her back onto the couch, and she collapsed on it in relief.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk, Miss Lily Halloway, the daughter of Rodd and Patty Halloway. Your parents must be mortified that you declined the best schools and work in retail. I wonder how much money they’d cough up for your release? The problem is, sweetheart, you won’t be released. Well, maybe into the harbor as fish food, but not to your parents. You made a mistake getting caught up with De Soros. That pig cop thinks he can take
me
out of the game? The little shit is a fool. I know everything. I know he was with you at the restaurant. I know everything about him. I know that when you call and tell him we have you, he’ll be here before the day is out. Then I’ll have him taken care of, and you disposed of. What do you think of that?” Caprice sat in the leather chair behind his desk and smiled cruelly.

Lily’s eyes were wide with fear.
I’m gonna be killed.

“Now, Miss Halloway, we’re going to play a little game. You’re going to call the rat bastard at his office, and I’m going to hold a gun to your head. If you so much as utter a peep out of line, your brains will be my new wallpaper, do you understand?”

Lily nodded quickly.
I understand.

“Good girl. What I want you to do is ask to speak to De Soros, and tell them that it is very, very important. You’re going to say you have a break in the Boston Mob Case. You’re going to use this disposable phone, and you’re going to tell him to meet you at the Harbor tonight at seven, that you have a lead, and you can’t discuss it over the phone. We will be there waiting for him. Do you understand me? De Soros will know what’s going on.”

Lily nodded again.
We’re meeting at the harbor? Not here at the house? Oh no. Luis was banking on the house. I wonder if they’ll know in time that they will be at the harbor? Can they plan for that?

“Remember, precious, one word out of line, and you’re a goner, got it?” Caprice rubbed his hands together and cracked his knuckles.

Lily nodded again before lowering her eyes to the floor.
I’m a goner anyway.

“Remove her gag. I want her to answer me,” Caprice demanded suddenly.

Lily flinched as Jacobs untied the handkerchief from her mouth, and she spat the balled up one in her mouth out toward the mob boss. “I understand.”

“Don’t get too cocky, sweetheart. You can be disposed of at any time.” He reminded her.

Lily felt emboldened.
If I only have today left, I’m planting some doubt in his mind. He’s going to try and kill me either way.
“Dispose of me and you have nothing at the harbor.”

The mobster paused and stared at her. A slow smile crossed his mouth. “Do tell.”

“De Soros isn’t stupid. Do you really think he’s going to just come magically traipsing to the dock because I told him to? No, he’s going to want to see that I’m there.” Lily continued, her voice shaking.

“Any dumpy whore in a trench coat will do.” The man waved his hand, dismissing her words.

“Will they? Are you
sure
? Are you willing to bet your life on it?”

The mobster’s dark eyes flickered back to hers and for a split second, she saw fear in the dark depths. “You’re ballsy.”

“I’m not stupid. You won’t kill me right now, because you
need
me. You need me as bait. I get that.”

“All right, let’s say you’re right. Still, you’re not going to make it out of this alive. When I see he’s come I’m going to blow your brains out and then kill him. So don’t think you’re going to get out of this alive.”

Lily smiled slowly. “I know.”

The mobster seemed slightly flustered by her cool. “I can make it quick for you.”

“That’d be nice.” Lily murmured. “I’d hate to die slowly.”

“Well then. Let’s get this out of the way.” He opened the cell phone and dialed a number. “Don’t mess this up.”

Jacobs took the phone from him and put it to Lily’s ear. After a few rings, a woman answered.

“Federal Bureau of Investigation, how can I help you?”

“I need to speak to Luca De Soros, it’s of the utmost importance.” Lily insisted.

“I can direct you to another agent if they could help you…”

“No, I need to speak to De Soros. I have a lead on a mobster case here in Chicago. It’s important. I will keep calling back until you let me through to him.”

“One moment please, ma’am.” The woman on the other end sighed, and Lily closed her eyes as she waited.

“De Soros. How can I help you?” His voice was all business, and she couldn’t stop a shiver from coursing up her spine.

“Luca.” She jumped at the end of a gun being pressed to her temple.

“Who is this?” he growled, and she shivered again at the tone of his voice.

“It’s Lily. Listen to me. Don’t talk. I have a lead on that mobster case. I need you to meet me at the harbor.” The sound of the hammer being pulled back on the trigger made her flinch. “You have to come.”

“Lily! God dammit, they’ve got you,” Luca cried, and Lily opened her mouth to speak. The phone was taken away from her and handed back to the mob boss.

“You have until seven tonight, or she dies. Come alone. I’ll know if you have anyone with you. If you want to see your lover alive…be there,” he murmured into the phone and disconnected the call. “Dispose of this.” He tossed the phone at Jacobs, who caught it in one hand and removed the pistol from her temple.

“I will return.”

Lily longed to call out to Jacobs and beg for him to come back, but she stayed silent, not wanting to risk blowing his cover or her own. The mobster seemed to forget she sat in the room as he worked on the computer, his brow furrowed as he typed. Lily clenched her thighs together at the sudden urge to urinate.

“I need to go to the bathroom.”

He sighed. “You can wait.”

“I’ll pee on your couch if you don’t let me go. I haven’t gone since I got here, and I need to go.”

His eyebrow quirked, and he slid his chair back from the wide oak desk and stood. “Fine. Get up.”

Lily stood shakily and gasped as she was jerked forward by her elbow. She was pulled to a door and it opened. He shoved her inside and pointed at the toilet. “Go.”

“Tell me how I’m going to unbutton my pants or wipe? I need my hands free.”

A gun was pulled from the inside of his black coat, and he trained it on her as he stepped behind her to untie her wrists. “I’m watching you,” he warned as the rope pooled around her feet.

“A prisoner gets no privacy to pee?” Lily asked.

“No. Do your business. One move in the wrong way…”

“Yeah, I hear you. I get shot. I still say you need me at the dock, so shoot me if you want to. I don’t believe you’re going to kill me.” She unbuttoned her pants.

A scream bubbled from her throat as he jumped forward and pressed the gun between her eyes. “Shut your mouth. Piss.”

Lily nodded quickly, and she breathed a small sigh of relief as he stepped back. She jerked her pants down, ignoring the ache in her shoulders and peed quickly, wiping even faster. She stood, pulled up her pants, and flushed the toilet. “I’m done.”

“Bring your rope. I’ll have Vincent tie you up again. One move and you get it.” Lily bent and picked up the rope, silently following him out of the bathroom and back to his office. Her thirst was unbearable, and she longed to ask for a drink. She didn’t because she figured she’d pushed her luck far enough with the mobster for one day.

Caprice yelled for Vincent, and the stinky, gold toothed man from the night before lumbered down the hallway. “Tie this bitch up,” Caprice demanded, and Lily held out the rope to bind her wrists.

“With pleasure,” Vincent growled, a cocky smile touching his lips.

Lily shrieked in terror as Vincent’s hardened hand gripped her forearm and jerked her in close to his body. His scent made her stomach roil and tears filled her eyes when he turned her roughly and pressed her up against the wall. Jerking both of her arms behind her back, he tied her up again tightly.