AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Yeah.” She starts to type again. “What are you thinking?”
“The other building, the one that was destroyed had tunnels beneath it. That’s where he kept hisproduct.” Malachi sneers the word. “That’s where Peppermint would have been. If Nicholi took her to this other building, I’m guessing he’s keeping her underground. He wouldn’t risk staying in the building itself. He’s been planning this for too long to make a rookie mistake like that.”
“Oh my God. He’s recreating the last time they were together, back when she was fifteen.” Harlow’s face falls.
“There are tunnels,” Story confirms. “But I don’t think they’re original to the property.” She brings up yet another tab. “There’s been numerous deliveries to the property, all in the name of Craig Moore. Concrete, lumber, rebar, chains. Nicholi is recreating things for sure, right down to the last detail.”
“Story, send the address to everyone’s cell phone and tell them to come ready for war,” Harlow instructs as she backsteps toward the door. “Nico, Malachi, unless you want me to leave without you, I suggest you pick up your fucking feet and move.”
Orders issued, she turns and runs out of the clubhouse. Malachi and I race after her, jumping in his car while she’s on her Harley. I’ve never been more grateful for Malachi’s expensive taste in fast cars as I am now.
“She knows where she’s going?” I ask as I grab on to the handle above the door when he takes a sharp turn.
“Story would’ve sent the address to her too. Her Bluetooth will read it to her and feed her the directions.”
“Right.”
As Malachi drives at speeds that would put a race car driver to shame, I pray. I haven’t prayed since I was a little boy, before my father killed my mother, but I’m hoping that whatever deity is out there forgives me for that. Because I need them to answer my prayers.
Hang on, cuore mio. I’m coming for you.
You better run, Nicholi. I’m gunning for you.
CHAPTER27
Peppermint
“I have been dreamingof this since I was thirteen.”
“You’ve been dreaming about raping me in a makeshift cage on a concrete floor?” I shake my head. “You don’t aim high, do you?”
Nicholi digs his fingers into my thigh. He ripped my clothes off me before he chained me to the floor. Smoke is still curling out of the pipe attached to the top of the small incinerator on the other side of the bars. I can handle being naked and chained. Hell, it’s not like it’s the first time. But burning my cut is another matter.
“Ya know, I was glad when Nico pussied out back then,” Nicholi says conversationally. He runs his hand up and down my thigh as he speaks, and I fight like hell not to react. “The thought of him touching you, of fucking you…” He shudders. “I wanted you from the moment Yanni brought you back from his hunting trip.” Nicholi laughs. “That’s what we used to call it. A hunting trip. Because he would hunt for victims.”
“Yeah, got it. Don’t care.”
Blood pools on my tongue when he backhands me.
“I was so angry when Yanni showed up that day. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad he did. Otherwise, that biker bitch probably woulda killed me. But he showed up and then you were gone.”
Nicholi shifts to lean against the iron bars on the opposite side of the cage.
“After you, things were never the same. Nico was sent away, which at the time, I was happy about it, but then I realized that he got what he wanted. He hated being a Ricci. But me? All I wanted was you.”
“Sucks to be you.”
“It did. But now?” He leers at me, stares at my tits with a glint in his eye. “It’s not so bad. Especially now that Father and Uncle are gone. I don’t have to answer to them anymore. I don’t have to pretend that I give a damn about human trafficking or money or any of that shit.”
Nicholi shifts to his knees and crawls closer. “But do you want to know what I do give a damn about?”
“Not really.”
He reaches out and pinches my nipple. He pinches and pulls and does his best to inflict pain. And it’s working. But he doesn’t need to know that.
“I give a damn about you.” Nicholi moves his hand to my stomach. “I’m not crazy about this, but I’ll deal.”
I try to kick out, but the chains cuffed to my ankle are too short.
