Taking the Bait (5 page)

I saw him reach for his gun when he said, “Sorry, boss’s orders.” I jumped for the drawer with the loaded twenty-two that I’d accidentally left open. I didn’t hear a sound. I just felt the fire that burned in my arm. I fell to the ground, but thankfully still had the gun. Without hesitation, I fired two rounds, one missing, but the other hitting him flush between the eyes.

I was too shaken to realize what I’d done. Then Dante rushed into the room and at first I was frightened, but I could see the worry and pain in his eyes that told me, the boss was someone else. He was caring for me in the car when everything went black.

The last thing I remembered before I woke up was Dante begging me to stay with him. Everything before that moment in his arms felt like a terrible nightmare. The light was harsh on my eyes as I returned to the living.

Shocked—I opened my eyes wide, instantly freaking out. I sat up looking around for Dante, but he wasn’t there.
Was it all a dream? It couldn’t have been.
It felt so real. My heart was actually hurting over the imaginary man I’d created. I took in my surroundings, and realized I was lying a hospital with my parents by my side and Declan was there too. I must be in Dublin still.

“My little lass, you’re awake,” my father said.

“Where am I?” I said groggily. Confused, I wondered if I’d really been in Chicago or if something happened, and it was all a strange and fantastical dream.

“You’re at Loyola medical center in Chicago. You’re safe. The kidnappers have been apprehended, and we are going home in the morning.” My sight blurred, and I passed out again.

I woke up the next morning as they hurriedly got me out of the hospital. For some reason the nurse kept sedating me. I could barely speak from the drugs when all I had was a minor wound to the arm. It didn’t make any sense, and I was scared out of my mind for me and for my Dante as well.

It took me about an hour to realize that I was on a private plane back to Ireland. I cried myself back to sleep. Not from the pain in my arm, but the pain in my heart. I missed Dante like crazy. I knew that I was half past nuts to be thinking of my demanding kidnapper who swore I was his, but it was how I felt.

The strangest thing was I didn’t get a chance to speak with any officers, which according to those TV shows I watched, should have been the protocol. I thought they would be pounding at the hospital door, but they didn’t come.

We got to the house, and I was feeling too skeptical to speak in the house just in case the house had been bugged. I noticed there was a big goon staring at me that I remembered from my uncles house. I wonder why he was here. He supposedly secured the area, but I was afraid he was setting us up. I needed to speak with Dante. I hoped he wasn’t in jail still, and he didn’t hate me for it.

“Regan, dear. Are you okay?”

“Yes, Mama. Why is that guy with us?”

My father answered, “Your Uncle Michael sent him with us to protect you from your kidnappers.” I was more scared now than when Dante’s men had kidnapped me. Declan was still there, but I couldn’t do this anymore.

“Mama, Papa, may I speak with Declan please?”

They left the room, and I asked, “Can we take a walk out front?”

“Sure, if you’re feeling good enough for it.”

“I feel fine, confused, but fine.”

He helped me get up and put a light jacket on. I laughed to myself, knowing Declan’s help would piss Dante off.

“Where are you going?” the big goon asked like it was any of his fucking business.

I gave him the stink eye before replying, “Frankly, I find it’s none of your business, but since my uncle asked for your assistance, I’ll tell you. I need air and some privacy with my boyfriend, so excuse us.” I didn’t give a fuck if I was being rude. There was something wrong with this whole situation, but I didn’t know who was lying. The truth seemed absent.

We walked down about fifty yards from the house, and I stopped us. I knew from the look on his face that he knew what I was going to say, but I had to say it anyway.

“I’m sorry you flew all the way over to get me, but I can’t be with you anymore.”

“I know. I’m not blind, Regan. I saw the look Mr. Franchetti gave me when he saw me. There was something between you two. I’m not upset by it. You’re still my friend. I’ve got the strangest feeling that something funny is going on here, but I think it’s from watching too many American movies.”

“You feel something’s wrong too?”

“Yes. I do not trust that man that came back with us. There is something wrong with the whole situation.”

“I know this is crazy, but can you do me a favor and get a hold of Mr. Franchetti please. Tell him I’m scared and one of my uncle’s men came with me.” I handed him Dante’s house number I’d gotten from Rosa Maria while we were talking in the kitchen, just in case I needed it.

He just nodded.

“You never had any feelings for me, have you?”

“Nothing more than friends. I promise, I’m not hurt by you and him. Unless it’s true, and he really hurt you.”

“No he didn’t.”

We walked back to the house and he settled me down onto the sofa. My parents came back in the room as soon as Tino, my uncle’s muscle entered.

“Mr. and Mrs. Daley, I have to get back to my ranch. I’ve already been gone too long.” He turned to me and continued, “Regan, I’ll come and check on you tomorrow after I finish for the day which will probably be after supper.”

“It’s okay Declan. I’m fine. I’ll probably be sleeping all day anyway. Just be safe.” I smiled at him, and he left. I prayed we were safe until Dante could come. Somehow I knew he’d come for me even though we didn’t even really know each other.

I spent the night in jail before my father got me released on bail. I was arrested for her kidnapping. The worst part was she’d given them a written statement that I’d raped her repeatedly. Technically, I did kidnap her, but I sure as hell didn’t rape her. She tainted those intimate moments between us, and my heart was aching. She played me just until she could break free. She found my gun I’d hidden in my drawer and killed my man. I spent the day at my father’s house until Rosa Maria called.

“Rosa Maria, I’m out of jail. For how long I don’t know.”

“Sir that is not why I called. A Mr. Declan Sullivan called. He wanted to speak to you. He said it was important and for you to call him safely.”

“Did he leave a number?”

“Yes, sir.”

She gave me the number, and I called it quickly. I hated this man, she probably loved him still, but I knew it was a way to find out about her.

He answered it quickly. “Mr. Franchetti, Regan asked me to give you a message. She said she’s scared, and one of her uncle’s men is staying with the family.”

“She’s scared of me? She should be after lying to the police swearing I raped her.”

“She didn’t talk to the police at all.”

“What?”

“Yes. She was sedated, and they rushed us out of the hospital before it was even safe for her to travel.”

“What do you mean she was sedated? The document was written and signed the same day she was admitted.”

“She wasn’t awake until the next morning. I know that because I was there. So what the fuck are you going to do about it?”

“Look, I don’t fucking like you, and trust me that’s not a good thing, so watch your fucking mouth. Second, I’m on my way there. Make sure that fuck stays away from her or it will be your ass and don’t kiss her again,” I growled. I thought about what if this was a set up.

“Wait, Sullivan. How am I to know it’s not a set up?”

“Hey, you arse, I don’t like you either. I may not have loved her, but she was still my girl, and you stole her from me. She asked me to contact you. Only for her would I even think of speaking to someone like you. I have to hurry and finish my work before I can see her. Come soon.” He hung up the phone on me.

“Fuck, father he says she wasn’t even awake to write the statement and that one of Flanagan’s men accompanied them to Ireland. I need to get there fast. He says she scared.”

“I’ll come with you.”

“No you need to look after mama and Silvia.”

“I’m going to take them with and leave them with some of my men in town. Once we deal with the possible problem then we can all go back, but I think we need to leave Flanagan with the idea that we plan to execute your fiancée and her family.”

“That will work.” I hoped to fuck my woman wasn’t in danger, but then again, if she was then that meant that she hadn’t lied about us.

It had taken a day to get everything together. I called Declan and asked him to meet me at the airport. He agreed, but he wasn’t able to be gone long.

The flight landed and the first thing I’d seen was Declan and an older replica of him, walking with a cane. “Mr. Franchetti, I told them I was taking my father to the doctor today. Just in case he saw me leave.”

“Mr. Sullivan,” I said as I tried to act calm. “How is she?”

“She was upset today. Her mother was trying to get her to talk about what happened, but she doesn’t want to talk in the house. She thinks he possibly bugged the house.”

“We’ll see when we get there,” I retorted. I looked at Declan and he didn’t look like what I pictured he would. I was thinking a carrot top cowboy, but the bastard looked like a muscle-bound dark and handsome asshole. If it wasn’t for his help I’d kill him.

“We need to get my family somewhere safe,” my father said to Declan.

“They can come to our ranch. It’s safe there. We don’t let anyone on the ranch that we don’t know. There are too many farm animals that can be dangerous if you go near them, so we take precautions.”

“That will work,” my father said. I looked at him like he was nuts. Then he added, “Only if two of my men go with.”

“That is fine with me. Just so you know my mother carries a big gun too, so don’t think of doing anything dumb.”

“Seriously, cowboy, chill out. We’re not going to cause any problems,” my little sister Silvia harps.

“Sorry little girl, I didn’t see you down there,” Declan said as he pretended that my sister was shorter than she was. This pissed her off. She was only five three and already eighteen, so she was going to always be that short.

“You’re a prick.”

“It’s true little people have tempers,” he snorted.

“Oh no,” I said. Before I could stop her, she ran up to him about to hit him. He just laughed it off and gripped her hands that were about to whack him. My parents just looked at each other and then at Mr. Sullivan, and they smiled.

“Little thing you best learn to behave. I don’t tolerate wild animals on my property.”

“Papa, are you going to let him talk to me like that?”

“Cara, you are trying to strike a grown man. You must pick fights that you know you can win.”

“Enough. I have to get to Regan.”

We arrived outside the ranch and escorted the women inside.

“I’m going to go visit first with this pie my mom made,” Declan said.

“She made a pie for this?” I asked. That was strange.

“No, she makes pies all the time.”

“I’m going to let the meathead frisk me. It’s been something he does every time, and you can sneak in the back way. Just so you know her parents don’t know something’s wrong. They don’t like the guy because he seems sketchy, but they are worried about her.”

“So we tie them up until they listen, and we get rid of the fuck.”

“Just be careful with them. She’ll never forgive you if you hurt them.”

“Don’t worry. I know what I’m doing and I don’t need my fiancée upset with me.”

We watched him walk up to the asshole.

“I’ve seen him before. He was at the club when we grabbed your fiancée,” Joe said.

“He was there and let you take her. He’s going to die, but now I want to make it slow.”

We went around back and swooped through the backdoor quietly and found the father sitting in the living room. We instantly gagged him. Then we went for the mother who was in the kitchen and so was my Regan. Again she sees me and drops the bowl and ran into my arms. Shit. My men grabbed her mother and told her to be quiet. “Shh, amore,” I said to Regan as I kissed her temple. I turned to her mother and whispered, “Mrs. Daley if you don’t want to be tied up, you’ll be quiet.”

She nodded. “Declan called me,” I told her, understanding she nodded her head too.

“Hey, Regan where are you?” Declan called out.

“Just respond and go meet him. Don’t be scared, baby.” I walked away and let her go out to him.

I could hear them talking.

“Hey my mom made a pie for you. Apple, your favorite.”

“Thanks, Declan. Your mom is so sweet. Tino can you take this to my mom before I eat it without a plate.”

“I’m not your fucking maid. Do it yourself.”

“You’re a fucking lazy cunt. You need to take your ass back to my uncle. You’re fucking useless. I’m not in danger from Dante Franchetti. I’ve given him no reason to think so.”

“No, but he thinks you did. He was informed that you turned him in. He’s going to come kill you.”

“No, it’s you he’s going to kill.”

“Bitch, you should have died when they first grabbed you. It doesn’t matter because your family is going to be fucked.”

Declan shouted, “You don’t talk to her like that.”

“Shut the fuck up,” he said.

Joe creeped around the corner, and I could see out the kitchen door where it’s just slightly opened. He raised his hand to hit her, and I rushed out the door. He turned around to see who it was, thinking it was her father, I punched him straight in the face, sending him to the floor. He reached for his gun, but I struck him again and laid him out.

“You dare tried to put your hands on her. You already had a death sentence, now it will be slow.”

“Joe, Reggio, tie him up.” I looked at her, and she smiled slightly. She whispered, “I never talked to the police.”

“I know, amore. Come here.” She did, and I kissed the fuck out of her. “I missed you. We have a lot to talk about, but I have some shit to deal with.”

I walked into the den and wheeled her father out, still bound to the chair. Tearing the tape from his mouth, I said, “Mr. Daley, I’m Dante Franchetti,” I saw the fear in his eyes, but this wasn’t the way I planned to meet my father-in-law who by all accounts was a great and honest man.

“Don’t freak out. I’m not going to kill you, your wife, and definitely not Regan. I going to untie you, but only if you promise to behave. I’m a man of my word, are you?”

“Am I? You raped my daughter, you sick bastard. I hope my brother-in-law tortures you before he kills you.”

“Talk like that is something you’re going to regret. I’m not the enemy, and I sure as hell didn’t rape Regan. Anything that happened between us was consensual. She was completely with me. Do you know how I got your daughter in my grasps in the first place? You’re dear brother-in-law let my men take her. They dressed her like a slut. Diana, the whore we were supposed to grab, ditched her at a nightclub. I’m just glad my men grabbed her before some creep took her.”

“So you were going to steal my niece, and that bastard used my daughter as the bait and switch.”

“Yes. Just so you know they’re were going to have you all killed too, and it was looking like that’s what Tino was planning to do before we stopped him.”

“I’m supposed to believe you?”

I called out to the hallway for Regan. “Amore, come in here please.” She gasped in shock when she seen her father tied up.

“You said you wouldn’t hurt him.”

“Does it look like he’s hurt?” I shook my head at her.

“Dante,” she scolded. Oh no, here was the trouble my father warned me about.

“I was going to let him go, but he’s being stubborn. He doesn’t believe me. Cara, please inform your father how we met.”

“Diana took me shopping all day, and I didn’t want to go, but I didn’t have a choice. I was trying to be a fun cousin, but everywhere we went it was like we were famous and had to be surrounded by guards and hidden under hats and glasses. It was crazy. Then we went to a club that night dressed exactly the same. Then she told me she and her boyfriend were leaving for a moment to…you know,” she said with a blush. Fuck. I forgot how innocent she was until she met me.

“Well they didn’t come back and these guys kept trying to hit on me, so I…”

I looked at her letting her know that she was in trouble. “Wait you didn’t tell me some guys were hitting on you.”

“What does it matter? I don’t know who they were.”

“It matters to me.” I reached for my phone. “Dominic, get the footage from the club on the night. Yeah.”

“You are ridiculous. You aren’t going to kill them too, are you?”

“I didn’t kill that ass out there, and he’s kissed you.”

“Only once.”

“Once is enough. I told you he’s gay as fuck,” I said with a smirk.

“Anyways…I went out to call her again when your asses grabbed me. They made a shitload of threats believing I was Diana. Then you came in and scared the shit out of me, and well…”

“Did I rape you, Regan?”

“Of course not,” she said in outrage. Then realizing she was admitting her intimacy in front of her father, she turned bright red.

“See, I told you. Now I need to deal with that fuck in the other room before anyone else shows up. By the way, Regan, find something pretty to wear for tomorrow morning. We are getting married.”

“What! You’re not marrying my daughter, unless she wants to.”

“Really, she asked me not to hurt you, but you’re really starting to piss me off.” I turned back to Regan, “Amore, we are getting married before your fuck of an uncle makes another move. I have evidence that he planned our nabbing of you, but our marriage will solidify the case.”

“You’re only marrying me in a rush to save you some trouble.”

“Ha. Marrying you, I know I’m going to be living with trouble. I want to marry you. I told you that before. Now please do as I ask.”

“Not until you let my dad go.”

“Really. Didn’t I tell you to go and do that?” She just stomped her foot in anger and disregarded to my order. My father walked into the room and laughed.

He shook his head at him. “Son,” was all he said and I knew it was a battle I was meant to lose. Shit.

I went around and untied him.

“Now go,” I growled at her.

She smiled brightly and said, “Thank you, love.” Then kissed me and rushed off.

“See, I told you, son.”

“Mr. Daley, I am Stefano Franchetti. My son has still to learn that a happy wife is a happy life.”