Hearts on Fire 5: Loving Frankie(42)
“They can’t just go in there guns shooting. She’s a civilian, a hostage. There are rules, aren’t there?” Rye asked Buddy.
“Somehow I don’t think these guys give a shit. They seem to feel risking one life to save the thousands that would be affected by drugs is more important. They don’t play by our types of rules. They have their goal to capture Kevin and confiscate the drugs and the people who are on that boat. Nothing else matters,” Buddy told them.
Nate looked at Rye and Mike. They were running out of time. This situation truly was out of control, and now despite all he knew, all the connections he had, it might not be enough to save the only woman he and his brothers had ever loved.
* * * *
“They’re onto the bait. They’ll be miles away from the real location, and you and your woman can disappear. Yes, they’re organizing the raid and getting set to go. Of course I will keep you posted. Move in ten minutes to the second location. When I get the text, I’ll call you immediately,” Bryce said. He stood by the back door of the police precinct.
The second Bryce put his phone away, Turbo shoved him out the back door then pressed him up against the wall.
“You double-crossing piece of fucking shit. That’s my woman he has.”
“What the hell are you doing? What are you talking about?” Bryce tried to act dumb, but Turbo was so onto him.
He was helping Kevin. He didn’t know how they were connected, but he would find it. This was his and his brothers’ chance at saving Frankie.
“You didn’t want me to see the names in that file the feds sent. You thought Francesca had told us about Carlotto and Kevin and that I might recognize their names. You’ve been working for them for how long? How fucking long?” Turbo demanded to know.
“I’m not talking,” Bryce said, and Turbo pulled back then slugged him in the stomach.
Bryce started coughing and bent over. Turbo pulled him back up and shoved him against the wall.
“Oh, you’re going to talk, even if my brothers and I have to beat it out of you.”
“Fuck you,” Bryce said and reached for his gun.
Turbo immediately stopped him, pulled it from Bryce’s holster, and placed it under Bryce’s chin.
“No, fuck you, asshole. You’re mine, and if you double-cross me and my brothers, you’ll regret it. In fact, you’ll pay with your life.”
* * * *
“What are you doing? Where are you taking me?” Frankie asked as Kevin lifted her up and practically dragged her toward the back of the warehouse and outside.
The early evening air was warm, and the sun was setting. There was probably less than an hour until dark. Why hadn’t anyone come to help her? Kevin had shot two people in broad daylight and dropped their bodies in the center of an intersection. How the hell could no one find her? She was shaking with fear.
Kevin stopped and then looked to the right. There was a small dock with three medium-sized boats. Was he taking her on a boat? What was his plan? To take her out to sea, kill her, and then dump her body? Oh God please. Please don’t let this happen.
“What are you doing? Where are we going?”
He gripped her upper arm and squeezed tight. “Shut up and do what I tell you, Frankie. You’re in enough trouble as is.”
“I didn’t kill a cop and two gangster thugs from Chicago and dump them on a main street. You did.”
The backhand came out of nowhere. He pulled her close as she cried, her face throbbing from the strike to her cheek. She felt the instant swelling. The pain radiated down her neck to her shoulder, and her lip was split and aching. He thought nothing of striking her. He would kill her if necessary.
“I killed them to save you from Carlotto. You think I didn’t know he wanted you? He fucking drooled every time he saw you. He asked me all these personal questions. You’re mine, and he wasn’t going to stand between us.”
She yanked her arm free from his hold as he undid the rope from the buoy.
“You were doing a great job of that all by yourself. You cheated on me. I got the pictures and the weekly schedule of your screw sessions,” she yelled at him.
She was shocked when he grabbed her, lifted her in the air, and threw her into the boat. Her head hit the wooden seat. Her back hit the floor, and she thought she lost focus a moment.
She moaned from the pain and felt the blood ooze from her head. It seemed like only seconds passed.
The small hum of an engine, the rocking up and down, the nauseous feeling, and the weakness.
The sound of a phone ringing. Kevin’s voice echoed in her head. What was he saying?
What’s wrong with me?
“We’re on our way. I see the yacht. We’ll be boarding momentarily. Make sure that plane is ready to take off.”
A plane? A yacht? Boarding? She tried opening her eyes and moaned aloud. He grabbed her by her shirt, and she still had difficulty focusing. Her head throbbed something terrible.
“You stupid bitch. You had to piss me off with that damn tough-girl mouth of yours. You’re fucking bleeding all over me.” Her shirt ripped, and he gripped her face between his hands.
“Look at me. Focus, Frankie,” he yelled, and she moaned louder. She couldn’t focus.
“Fuck,” he yelled out.
She felt the boat stop. She heard voices then he lifted her up and over his shoulder. All the blood rushed to her head, and she felt her stomach react, and she vomited all over the place.
“What happened?”
“Concussion. She’ll be fine. It won’t matter where we’re going. This is only the beginning of her punishment anyway. Is everything in place?” Kevin was talking to someone, and she was trying not to throw up more. She felt horrible.
Someone else took her from him. He set her down on a seat. He checked her head and face.
“This is her? I see why you risked so much,” the man said as he eyed over her exposed breasts and licked his lips.
“Get this fucking thing moving. We don’t have much time.”
He was going to win. He was taking her somewhere by boat and had a plan. She saw the gun on the guy’s waist. She saw the one on Kevin’s hip in the holster. If she could get her hands on one of them, she could perhaps save herself. As she moved, she felt the pounding pain, and then her gaze roamed slowly over her hands. Her wrists were taped together. How could she grip the gun and shoot?
She practiced the motion, pretending to grab a gun and grip it then shoot. It would be difficult but not impossible. She was probably going to die anyway. She wouldn’t let him win.
He would own her forever. He would have his way with her body. He wouldn’t be staying in the country. How could he as a wanted killer?
“What the fuck is that? Get us out of here now,” Kevin yelled at the man.
Kevin grabbed her as the engine started and the boat jerked forward. She couldn’t even stay upright. Something was happening. She heard the sound of rotors and saw flashing lights in the distance. They were headed in the opposite direction, toward the ocean and complete darkness. Was help coming? The engine roared louder. She held on to the railing on the side of the boat, and Kevin pulled her up and against his chest.
“Get downstairs.” He shoved her to the floor. She crawled forward, sickness consuming her stomach again.
“I’m going to be sick,” she said.
The boat rocked and bounced on top of the water. She heard the engine roar as it leaped through the air then slammed down on the wakes and swells of the ocean. She was so scared.
“Get us the fuck out of here. Their boats are far enough behind us for us to lose them. Turn off the lights and let’s do this.”
The boat went dark. No cabin lights, no side lights on the bow. Nothing but darkness and the sound of the engine.
“Over there. Head that way toward the shoreline and that cove before the open ocean.” Kevin gave orders, and the boat headed that way.
Frankie looked behind them. The lights, red and blue, turned to the left. They were going the wrong way. They couldn’t see the boat. She cried out. “Oh God no. Come back please.”
Kevin lifted her up by her hair. He dragged her to the hatchway leading below deck.
“Keep us on course. Don’t let them catch us, or you’ll never get your money,” he threatened the guy driving the boat.
She smelled the aroma of suede and leather as they entered the cabin below. It was fancy and large, filled with a small wet bar, a couch, another set of doors, and brass fixtures everywhere.
“Sit down.” He shoved her onto the small couch then went around to the bar. He pulled out a snifter, filled it with liquor then drank down the contents. He filled it again then walked closer with the bottle in one hand and the glass in the other.
He smirked at her.
“Our new lives have begun, sweetheart. We’ll be sitting on our own private beach living the lives we’ve dreamed about for far too long.”
He sat down and brought the glass to her lips. Her head throbbed, and her heart ached. It was over. Kevin had won.
He looked at her head then placed the glass back down on the table with the bottle. He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and reached up to wipe away some blood from the cut on her head. She flinched, feeling the rawness and sting.
“You’ll need stitches. I can’t promise where we’ll going that you’ll have the best doctors, but a little scar by your temple I can live with.” He eyed her breasts and then ran a hand along her thigh and under her skirt. She scooted back and pressed his hand away.