Tell Me No Lies: The Black Orchid, Book 1 (33 page)

“Kael and I go way back. You could say we work together.”

“But Kael is an…then you must be…” Nausea churned in the pit of my stomach. “Is your name even Gian-Carlo?”

Laughing, he walked behind me and smacked my butt with the paddle.

I screamed, twisting on the ropes to look at him. “Why are you doing this? And Charlotte, what about her? She thinks you really care about her. Do you?”

Without answering, he raised the paddle and hit me again. “Charlotte is
la puttana
, and she’s very disrespectful to Kael. I don’t like that.”

Poor Charlotte. Even though I was upset with her and disappointed in her actions, I would not wish a psycho boyfriend on her. My mind whirled with all of the lies I’d been told. There were too many to count.

And then I thought about the stories he’d told me when we’d talked at the art gallery and over drinks. “What about the restaurant? Is there really a grandmother with recipes?”

He laughed. “There is an entire division at our employer devoted to creating such fictions. I have no interest in restaurants whatsoever.”

“And the interest in art, was that a fiction as well?”

He paused. “No. I do like art. My father loved art and he taught me to love the greats as well… Sanzio,” His Italian accent grew thicker as he pronounced each name. “Buonarroti, Caravaggio… No, that was real.

“And you,
bella
, are real. This,” he waved his hand before me, “is real.” He ran his hands between my thighs and fondled the space between them without thankfully sliding his fingers inside. “Are you wet,
bella
?” he murmured against my cheek. “Do you like being paddled?”

I forced my thighs together and he locked eyes with me before nodding in an ironically courteous manner and removed his hand.

He kissed me gently on the forehead. “I am an assassin, just like Kael.” Then grabbed me roughly by the jaw. “We kill for a living. Does that disgust you?”

I was afraid to respond. Clearly, there was no right answer here and he let go of my face, though my cheeks hurt and his fingers had probably left a red mark.

“While I applaud your decision to leave Kael, by doing so you inadvertently saved your life.” He raised the paddle. “However, it pisses me off that you’ve hurt my friend. You broke his heart.”

He smacked my butt again and I bit the inside of my cheek to stop screaming. He seemed to like it, and I didn’t want to give this psycho the satisfaction.

“You rejected him because of his job, because he answered the call for civic duty. He is a fucking patriot.” His gaze traveled slowly over my body. “You are exquisite. I can see why Kael is willing to give everything up for you.”

What was Kael giving up for me?

He grabbed my face by the jaw and squeezed until my lips poked out like Betty Boop. “Kael is one of the good guys. You shouldn’t punish him for that.” He paused. “You’re shaking,
bella
. Don’t be afraid.”

He took a long breath. “At first, I thought I might sample your pleasures but now I think I will just punish you for breaking my best friend’s heart. So, no worries. I will not force you to have sexual intercourse.

He caressed my throat with one hand. “I don’t have to have sex to achieve orgasm, you know.” His hand closed around my throat, his touch still light as a caress. “I can ejaculate just by breaking your bone, dislocating your shoulder, things like that.”

He smiled when he spoke in his casual, conversational tone. He was crazy, I was sure of it.

He tightened his hold on my throat and I gasped for air. He nodded as if satisfied with my response. “Kael likes breath play, doesn’t he? His fingers gripped my throat and I wondered if I’d die where I stood. But then he let go and I gratefully sucked air into my lungs.

“You may leave when I’m done with you.”

Suddenly, there was a loud grating noise as the entrance to the storage room rolled up. A deep scowl covered Gian-Carlo’s face. He set the paddle down and waited. A petite Asian woman wearing skintight black leather pants, a black tank top and matching stilettos appeared. She stepped into the room and looked around.

“Really, music? You’ve got music playing?” She glared at me. “You have no intentions of killing her, do you?”

Killing who? Me?
I looked at Gian-Carlo who
shot me an apologetic look, walked behind the young woman and pulled the door shut.

“Zelie, come in.” He reached for her hand and gently led her toward me. I was still tied up and half-naked. “And please, keep your voice down.”

Zelie?
This was Kael’s ex-girlfriend? What was going on? Why was she here? Why was I here? And what did all of this have to do with Kael?

“
Please.
I’ve been standing outside for the last thirty minutes. She’s screaming her head off, but I can’t raise my voice?”

She propped her tiny butt on a table and observed me as if I were an animal in a zoo.

“This is a major change of plans. Why didn’t you notify me? What happened to shoving her down the stairs, Luke?”

Who was Luke? And why had he planned my death?

He gave her a dangerous look. “I don’t have to run anything by you.”

I did a double take. He’d just spoken in a perfect American accent.

She snarled at him. “You said this would be different from The Group. But you’re no different from having a handler, giving commands and expecting no questions in return.”

“I’m sorry to interrupt this little squabble,” I said, catching Gian-Carlo’s eye, “but could you untie me? Maybe give me my clothes back?”

Zelie stalked closer to me, grabbing the black leather strap as she approached. “You, bitch, are going nowhere.” She struck me across my breasts and before I could stop myself, I moaned out loud.

“Poor thing,” she grabbed one of my breasts and pinched the nipple between two fingers. “Can’t take a little pain?”

I choked on my scream. Definitely would not show her any weakness. I looked over at Gian-Carlo who watched us both, fascination lighting up his face.

My chest burned. Sick bastard. Enjoying watching two women together, when I obviously had not consented.

She stepped even closer to me, her little tongue appearing and sliding across my tender nipple. Closing her eyes, she slowly dragged her tongue in a circle across my flesh then stopped herself, eyes flashing.

“You are pretty,” she choked out. “I can see why Kael likes you.” She turned on her heel, stalked to Gian-Carlo’s tool case and rummaged around it. “But you are not prettier than me.”

Looking at Gian-Carlo, I yanked at the ropes around my wrists.
Do something.
But he only gave me a sappy apologetic grin, as if he had no control over his sadistic friend.

What kind of people did Kael run with? If these were his friends, what did this say about him?

Zelie returned to me holding a large black dildo, waving it in my face. “If I didn’t hate you so much, I’d have a little fun with you.” She turned to Gian-Carlo, her face flushed with annoyance. “You promised. You promised me she’d die. It’s the only reason, I joined your little venture.”

I was really tired of people talking about my death, as if I was expendable. As if I deserved to die. I had done nothing but fall in love with a guy.

She lunged at me, this time snapping at me like a wild cat, her teeth clamping down on my breast. I mewled in pain, trying my best to kick her. But in my tied-up position, it was impossible.

Gian-Carlo came to me then, concern on his face. “
Bella
,” he touched my breasts gingerly, “are you okay?”

He was sick. She was twisted. I felt like I was in a filthy, X-rated version of
The Twilight Zone
. “I’m fine, Gian-Carlo.”

He nodded, beginning to untie my binds. “I won’t let her hurt you again.” He kissed me on my cheek. “If Kael had trained you properly, you would’ve enjoyed this so much more.”

He finished untying me and I rubbed my sore shoulders while he found my clothes then brought it to me.

He watched me dress and then grabbed me by my arms, this time folding them behind my back. “I will have to tie you back up.” He pushed me down into a chair and tied my ankles together as well.

He then found a roll of duct tape and wrapped it around my mouth.

Zelie sneered at me. “You forgot to cover her nose.”

Gian-Carlo gave her a rueful grin, as if she were a misbehaving puppy. “She doesn’t have to die now. She broke up with Kael.”

She looked at me, eyes wide with surprise. “He loves you. How could you leave him?” She leapt at me. “You ungrateful bitch.” But Gian-Carlo caught her by the waist and slung her backwards.

“Zelie, you have to calm yourself down. Kael was your assignment. You had no business developing feelings for him.”

She shook her head. “I could do my job and still have feelings.”

He rolled his eyes. “Because you’re behaving so rationally now.”

I looked from Zelie to Gian-Carlo. She had been assigned to him? So she wasn’t really his girlfriend? I was so confused. Did I have a legitimate reason for leaving Kael?

And where was he? Was he okay? Did he know what had happened to me?

“With Rain out of the way, Kael will join us.”

She glared at me. “If he joins us, I want him back. But I still think we should kill her. He’ll never stop—”

Gian-Carlo pointed to several locations on the ceiling. “Zelie, I have web cams installed. I’ll show him some edited footage, a few carefully selected stills.” He exhaled, as if he were put out by the task at hand.

“He’ll be disgusted with the former love of his life. He will not want her back.”

Sensations of ice and fire raced through. Kael would know what had happened to me. He’d know I’d gotten dressed up and gone to that hideous club.

Zelie smiled sweetly at me for the first time. “He’ll be crushed and I’ll be there to pick up the pieces of his broken heart.” She hopped off the table and kissed Gian-Carlo on the cheek. “This will be more effective than killing her.”

“With her out of the way, Il Morte can become fully operational with the addition of two of The Group’s best agents.”

The grating noise of the opening door startled everyone once again. Eyes narrowed, Gian-Carlo scowled at Zelie. “Did you bring someone with you?”

She shook her head. “Why didn’t you lock the fucking door?”

He strode toward it, grabbing his semi-automatic 9mm pistol. I couldn’t look away from the compact black object
. Why did he have a gun?

“Because nobody but you should know about this place.”

Zelie glanced at me and pulled a sharp blade from behind her back then quietly ran to stand beside Gian-Carlo.

Chapter Thirty-One

The large red door rolled upwards, the sounds of metal screeching in the silence. A man dressed in a white t-shirt covered by a dark brown leather blazer stepped into the room. His baggy denim jeans were stuffed into scuffed Doc Martens that were planted firmly on the concrete.

His right hand held a black pistol and it was leveled at Gian-Carlo. I held my breath as Asa stepped into the room.
What was
he
doing here?

“You’re going to untie her,” he said, looking at Gian-Carlo. He gestured at me with the gun. “Let her go and this will go easier on you.”

Gian-Carlo’s hazel eyes narrowed. “What will go easier?”

“I’m bringing you both in,
Il Morte
. And you’re letting her go.”

Zelie snickered, knife still in hand and approached him. “You and what army?” She ran a finger up one tattooed arm. “Huh, cutie pie?”

Gian-Carlo gave him an amused glance. “I never forget a face. You were in Jamaica awhile back. The bartender. Right?” He shook his head, laughing. “You’re with The Group?”

I stared at Asa. His golden dreads hung down framing his face, making him look wild and unpredictable.
He was part of whatever this was? So hanging out at the coffee shop and running into me was all part of some bigger plan?

My nose began to tingle, as if I might cry. Somehow, all of the events of tonight hadn’t been enough to really break me. But this, finding out that one more person in my life was lying to me…I don’t even know why it hurt. Asa meant nothing to me. But still, a lie was a lie. Another betrayal.

Asa glanced at me before saying, “In a manner of speaking, yes. I’m an analyst.”

Gian-Carlo exchanged looks with Zelie and they both roared with laughter, the sound echoing in the storage space.

Asa cocked the gun. “Do you think I’m playing, Agent Winters?”

A sneer crossed Gian-Carlo’s face. “Actually I do. You come here by yourself, thinking you can take me or her on.” He laughed. “Il Morte won’t be taken down by a pencil-pushing
analyst
.”

“I’m much more than a desk jockey. I’ve been tracking you for two years,” Asa began, his face hard. “You kill indiscriminately. All you need is payment.”

“What you’ve described is a mercenary. Il Morte is much more than that. I only kill people who deserve to die.”

“Like Agent Brady?” Asa asked, his gaze falling on my face.

Gian-Carlo rolled his eyes. “I was never going to kill Kael. He’s my best friend.”

Zelie snorted but didn’t say anymore when Gian-Carlo shot her a silencing look.

“I’m protecting him from the person who would take the assignment and really try to kill him.”

Asa locked eyes with me. “And her?”

He shrugged. “She just got caught in the middle. I’d planned on letting her go, since she and Kael are no longer an item.”

Zelie glared at me.

Asa nodded. “I agree with that. Let her go then. Just let her walk out of here and I’m sure she won’t tell a soul about what happened.”

He took a step toward me. “Isn’t that right, Rain?”

Eyes wide, I nodded.

Gian-Carlo stepped between Asa and me. “Not so fast, analyst. How did you know I was Il Morte?”

“At first I followed her.” He didn’t look at me when he said that, his eyes focused on Gian-Carlo. “I figured you’d find her eventually and then I’d have you. But something, call it intuition, told me to start tracking Agent Brady.”

Gian-Carlo smiled. “You’re bright. I like that.”

“I followed him tonight to your restaurant. When he went in and you left without him after turning off the lights and locking up, let’s just say I became suspicious.”

I inhaled sharply. Where was Kael? What had happened to him? I struggled against my ropes but it was useless. They continued to ignore me, as if I wasn’t tied to a chair listening to their conversation.

Gian-Carlo’s features relaxed and he rocked on the back of his heels. “We need to come to terms first.”

Zelie scowled at me. “What type of terms? You can’t really believe she’ll keep quiet.”

Gian-Carlo ignored her and smiled at Asa. “If I let her go, you have to promise to leave without your prize.”

Asa took a deep breath, gazing at me.

“Oh hell.” Zelie crossed her arms. “He’s got a thing for her too! Look at the way he’s looking at her.”

Gian-Carlo and I both looked at Asa who seemed conflicted.

But then he composed himself, directing his question at Gian-Carlo. “And what happens to you?”

Zelie tossed her hair while Gian-Carlo looked surprised. “You’re not going to catch me. I’m the fucking gingerbread man.” His harsh laugh filled the room. “Nothing happens to me. I continue working for The Group until I can break free of them. In the meantime, I will continue taking assignments as Il Morte.”

“And Agent Brady?”

“He’ll be joining Zelie and I in our endeavors to cleanse the world of evil.”

Asa rubbed his chin. “You’re saying he’s okay with all of this?”

Gian-Carlo shrugged. “He’ll come around.”

Asa gave Zelie a speculative glance. She blew him a kiss and then gave him her middle finger.

“Join us,” Gian-Carlo suddenly said. “We could use an analyst type.”

Asa’s fingers tightened around the grip of the gun. “I don’t plan on staying an analyst.”

“Of course,” Gian-Carlo nodded. “Bring me in and you get a promotion, right?”

Asa’s nostrils flared slightly and he quickly glanced my way.

“Yeah, I know how that works. They always want their pound of flesh.” He took a step closer to Asa. “But that won’t be happening here.” He extended his hand and grinned, suddenly reminding me of a shark, showing both rows of teeth. “Do we have a deal? You take the girl and I walk.”

Asa looked at me, a frown on his face. He shook his head. “I’m sorry, Rain.”

What? What!
I tried to scream at him through my gag, but all I could do was make incoherent sounds as he refused to look my way.

He turned to
Gian-Carlo
. “Sorry, we don’t have a deal. You’re coming with me.”

Gian-Carlo laughed.

* * * * *

Asa fell to a crouching position, kicked his leg out and knocked Gian-Carlo’s legs out from under him. His gun flew out of his hands and clattered to the floor. He crashed down, immediately rolled off his back, went up on his knees and wrapped Asa in a bear hug before wrestling him to the ground.

Zelie scrambled for the gun, and then tried to get a good shot at Asa who slammed his gun against Gian-Carlo’s head. Gian-Carlo stumbled backward but did not fall. He grabbed Asa by his jacket and yanked him to him, whipping him around and quickly placing his forearm over his windpipe in a headlock.

“Kill him!” Zelie shrieked, her black hair flying around her.

I turned my attention to the door. I could hear the sound of an approaching engine. No one else seemed to notice it, not with all the fighting going on. But I did. It had to be the police.

Or at least a good Samaritan that would see what was going on and get help.

Asa’s face turned pink and then red as Gian-Carlo squeezed tighter. He struggled against Gian-Carlo’s grip to no avail. “I can’t breathe,” he wheezed with his feet barely touching the floor.

“You should’ve taken the deal, analyst.”

“Let. Him. Go. Luke.”

All eyes turned toward the entryway. I couldn’t stop staring.

Dressed in jeans and a hospital gown sliding off one shoulder to reveal a tanned, muscular deltoid and shoulder muscle…

Kael.