Stranded but not Alone (Midnight Moanings Collection) (18 page)

“We have her, but there was an accident,” Luckasz informed the woman on the other end. He looked across the barn at Simone through the open door. She stayed lifeless on the cot, her bloody jeans visible from the doorway.

“Accident? I’m not paying you twenty-five thousand dollars to have her damaged. We don't have time for an accident. What happened?” She was incensed.

Angered, he said, “She killed Kyle, tried to run, and I had to stop her.”

“Killed Kyle!” she barked. “What do you mean, stop her? Tell me you didn’t harm her,” Vivian’s yelled through the phone. He clinched his fist along his thigh. She needed to be taught how to talk to a man. Next time he saw her he just might. “Are you listening to me? Tell me you did not harm the American.”

“Shot her in the leg. She’s unconscious, but alive.”

“Where is she now?” Her displeasure hung thick in the air even through the phone line.

“She's in the room.”

“Where’s Gregori?”

“Right here.”

“Gregori, make certain no further harm comes to her. If she has so much as a scratch on her, you both will regret it. I’ll have no leverage, if she’s damaged.”

“Got it.”

“Remember she’s an American. The last thing I need is the U.S. Embassy to get involved because they have an American reported missing. She is not to be touched. Remember we're dealing with a former Russian soldier and a career military man. I want this as low key as possible. Do I make myself clear? These men can make more trouble than I'm looking for. I'll be in touch tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow!”

“Unfortunately, because of your mess, the police are at the hotel. We need to lay low until tomorrow. Remember I hold your parole as well. Don’t try to screw me over on this, gentleman.” She hissed in a menacing voice. He heard hear tension through the phone. “Good night!”

Luckasz skulked around the barn like a spoiled child. He was angered by their exchange.

He grabbed the rope hanging from the wall. Whipping it out through the air, he pictured it knocking Vivian across the room. “One of these days that bitch is going to push me too far and I’m going to snap her puny little neck.” Walking to the ladder, he leaned up against the hayloft, then sat on a rung and shot a hard stare at Simone.

Gregori looked at him with a quizzical stare from across the dusty, empty barn.

“Hell.” The man shook his head. “What have we gotten into? She’s gonna have to come up with more than twenty-five grand for this job,” Gregori said. “Got plans for your cut?”

“I see myself on an island with Gretchen and a smile,” Luckasz said.

“You still with her? I thought you ended that.”

“How do you think I found Seth so fast? She was complaining about him on Facebook… we started talking. I told her we were old friends I wanted to surprise him. Next thing you know I had all the info I needed. Besides, she’s fun.”

“Tell me she doesn’t know about all this?”

“Don’t be an ass. She only knows I’m out of town on business, and when I come back, I’m taking her on holiday.” Lucas smiled.

“Why would she tell you about him?”

“You ask too many questions. Just do your job and take your cut.”

“That’s who you keep calling?”

“Who did you think I was calling? Seth?”

“Won’t he be surprised to find out that his ex gave him up?” Gregori chuckled at the thought.

“You going to get something to eat or do we look for barn mice?”

“See if our little trouble maker in there is up. She needs to eat too.”

“Gregori, what’s with all the eyes for Ms. America in there?”

“She’s hot.”

“American woman are too much work. They’re annoying as hell.”

“But she’s hot. Hot wins out,” Gregori said.

“Well, until I have twenty-five grand burning a hole in my hand, Ms. Hot is off limits. Got it?”

“Don’t worry. I can look without touching.”

“Food! Go.”

“Luckasz, don’t mess with her.”

He walked out and Luckasz watched him drive off into the darkening night. The taillights bumping up the winding road until the thick of trees covered his visibility.

~~~

Simone heard their whole interchange as her thigh continued to burn. Weak and somewhat dizzy, she dug her cell out and prayed for a signal, trying to wipe away the feeling of his finger sliding between her breasts. She cupped a hand over the glow of the blue light as it lit her face.
Please let this go through
. She typed out the message to Seth:

Seth… barn… blood… Gretchen bad… hurry. Lov u…

Simone slid a hand under her bloody leg and dragged herself to a sitting position in the dank, dusty room. Stretched out was too vulnerable of a position to be in with heavy footsteps approaching the door. Her heartbeat changed to a rhythm deep breathing couldn’t help. She could smell tobacco and knew it was the guy from the stairwell. As he came through the door and that unibrow shading his clear gray eyes trained on her, she felt a fight coming on. She caught the glow beside his leg seconds before he held a cellphone in his palm.

“If you behave I’ll let you talk to your family.” He could only be referring to Seth.

“You shot me and chained me to the bed like an animal. What else can I do, but behave?”

“Well you leaped from the stairs like a damn mountain goat.”

“I don’t know what’s…”

“Just sit here and be quiet.”

“I don’t—”

“I said shut up.” He came closer, the unibrow curled in like a caterpillar, and she geared herself up for a fight. “You keep mouthing off and I’ll stuff that sheet down your throat. Now. Shut. Up.” They both looked down as he flexed the phone along his leg then he shoved it in his pocket. Her heart sank. He moved toward her.

She drew her knee up ready to protect herself, from the man in front of her. Luckasz scrubbed a hand down his face. She didn’t like the look that rose from his face as he brought his head up.

“What? You gonna kick me?”

“I plan to stay alive,” she returned.

“Think you can take me on?”

“If it means I stay alive,” she told him, bracing for whatever was coming. But she was proud she kept her voice steady. The look he gave her said he had no qualms about hitting a woman. That deadpan cold stare from his dark, deep-set eyes. And the awning-like way his brows bore down over those eyes said murder was just a word to him. Something to pass the time away between catching
CSI
and
Masterpiece Theater
on T.V. Her skin crawled with the thought of him even touching her.

The sound of feet scratching across the barn’s wood floor brought her head up in time to see the other man fill the doorway. Black cargo pants and black sweater added to his dark brown complexion set off by hair dyed platinum blond. The slug from the nightclub that hit on her last night.

“Luckasz, leave her alone,” Gregori snapped and her body tightened. The tension flaring off the two men filled the room. He nodded at her. “Not worth twenty-five grand.”

She bit her tongue to keep the words from coming out and making her situation worse. Instead, she ran a hand over her hip, feeling for her cell as Luckasz pushed off his knees to stand. All she needed was a few minutes to try to get a signal so she could call Seth. The two men stood face-to-face. She swallowed as the veins in his temple pulsed. Lord don’t let them start to fight. The winner will be all roused and crazed left in there with her chained to the bed and bleeding.

“I’m going out.” Luckasz pushed past the other man, and indicated Simone. “Do something about her leg. She’s no good dead.”  

~~~

Alone with Gregori, the threat shifted from mutilation to molestation. This man liked her. Evident when he left the room then returned with a clean rag for her leg, tossing it to her.

“You’ll need to…”

“I know what to do,” she grumbled. Peeling back the makeshift bandage, she sucked in a breath. Her raw skin was stuck to her jeans. The big man reached for her leg. “I got it,” she snapped and waited for the sting of his hand across her face. Instead, he sat back on his haunches, arms out over his knees just as Luckasz had been, studying her.

“Good. Need anything? Water or food?”

“Why am I here?” Her eyes trailed the wood walls looking for a crack, any place to see outside, before settling on her new warden. “This has to be a mistake.” She set the bloody rag on the floor beside the bed. “I’ve been here less than a week. What could I know?”

“No, we got the right woman,” he told her and nodded at the sheet on the bed. “You cold?”

The muscle jumped in her jaw at that stupid question. There was no heat and her thigh was wet. Of course she was cold. She dismissed his offer of getting her something to eat. He’d probably spit in it.

“When will I know why I’m here?”

“You ask too many questions.” He crossed the short space and held the door open. “Leaving this open so don’t try anything stupid. You won’t like how I stop you.” He licked his lips and bile crept up her throat till she could taste it in her mouth. His stare held weight. She could almost feel him groping his meaty hands down her body as he said, “Or maybe you will. Your thugs aren’t here to stop me.”

She will never leave Michigan again. Ever. 

~~~

Mikhail eyed his brother, seeing the pain on his stern face. “Let’s get back up to the house and get your parents.” Mikhail was impatient.

“Wait.” Seth looked up as he walked back to the concierge, tucking the non-descript paper in his coat pocket. “Is there a Notary Public around here anywhere?”

The concierge watched the two men. “I believe so. Allow me to do a search for you, sir.” He was efficient in manner and eager to help. He worked the keyboard with finesse. His steady composure would’ve impressed Seth on any other day, but not right now. Fast wasn’t fast enough when Simone was missing.

“I’m calling the house. It’ll be faster if they come down here and sign it, then we can get to the Notary faster,” Mikhail said, placing a hand on Seth’s shoulder.

Seth’s cable-knit sweater couldn’t keep the chill off his bones. The thought of Simone being held anywhere made him sick. He pinched the bridge of his nose and squeezed his eyes closed, staving off a headache as they waited.

“Sir,” the concierge began, “there is a Notary within two miles east of the hotel. Allow me to call and have them remain open until your family arrives.”

“I’ll compensate them for the trouble,” Mikhail said.

Seth looked at his brother, held his fist in the air. Mikhail hit it with his. They were family.

~~~

Mikhail stood tapping Seth on the shoulder. Both parents came across the lobby.

“Son, what did the detective have to say? Where is Simone?” Sergei asked Seth.

“The blackmailers have her.” He gripped a hand over the edge of the stone mantle above the fireplace. The weighted reality of that comment choked the room of air.

“How do you know who has her? Can we get her back, son?” Josef asked.

“Here, read this,” he said, handing the envelope to his father. The parents huddled around the piece of paper, like it were a warm flame. Larissa reeled back as if her face had been slapped. Shaking her head from side to side, she closed a hand over her stomach. “No! I can’t do that,” she murmured, taking a step away from them to stand in front of the large window. “Honey, they stole Mikhail from us. You’re asking me to say I gave my child away.” She pressed her hands to her face, continuing to shaking her head.

“Is there no other way?” Sergei asked from beside Larissa.

Seth positioned himself so only they heard his comments and not the crowd still hovering around the stairwell. The police left long ago, yet the tape remained. He spoke low. “I wish there was. I swear I do.” He turned to his mother. “I know signing this and agreeing to their terms is asking a lot. But Simone is being tortured. I can’t believe you have to decide if she’s worth it.”

“Son, that’s not it at all. Your mom and I had our child stolen from us and no one wants to be held responsible for it.”

He paced, stopped, and pinned him with a harsh stare. “So we make an innocent woman pay the price? Dad, is anyone listening to me? The woman I love is being tortured, damn it!” He did love Simone and, sterile or not, she was going to know it once he got her back.

His father’s back stiffened at his tone of voice.

“Why didn’t I stay with her this morning? I knew she could be in danger. It’s my fault they got to her.” He chastised himself for not being there.

“Seth, you can’t blame yourself. We knew something was up, but you don’t know what could’ve happened had you been there,” Mikhail said.

Seth was at a loss. What was his parents’ problem? “Tell you what, forget I asked for your help. I’ll get her back my way. If a piece of paper means more to you than a human life, then please don’t let it concern you,” he said in a tight voice.

“Can’t we get the authorities involved? What about the American Embassy? They work with these kinds of cases,” Larissa said behind saddened eyes.

“Did you not hear me? I love her. The woman I love is being held for ransom because she had the misfortune of being involved with me. I can’t believe I’m standing her arguing with you over this.” A thought crossed his mind along with disbelief. “Oh, tell me it’s not because Simone is black or American. Tell me my parents aren‘t prejudice.”

“Seth, now relax, son. Neither of those things matter right now.”

“Right now? But it is a concern for you? That’s why you won’t help her.” He looked around the room and pierced his mom with a harsh stare that she refused to keep connected.

“What if we go through all this and they don’t let her go? Then what?” Sergei watched his son.

“Then this will be the last time you see me as a free man.”

“Seth, don’t say things like that,” Larissa blurted out.

“Larissa, we can’t let this young lady pay for the doctor’s and attorney’s actions. We have to sign those papers,” Sergei admonished.

“If she means this much to you, Seth, I will sign the paper,” Larissa said and her voice was tired and weary. But Seth couldn’t stop to care at that point. They needed to go and he needed to call in some back up. He wasn’t taking any chances with Simone’s life. He knew just the man to call.