Escape From Obsession (22 page)

“Gia, where are you?” Gunny asked and he sounded upset.

“You know where I am, Gunny. What’s wrong?”

“Those guys from the Mercedes yesterday, they work for Valdere, baby. I’m on my way to the office,” he said as the elevator door opened. She had a bad feeling in her gut as she looked around and saw no sign of Kaleigh or of Johnny the garage attendant.

“Oh God,” she said as Jeffrey appeared, knocking the phone from her hands. She screamed as she tried to fight him, but he threw a pillowcase over her head and zapped her with something. Her entire body felt as if it was shocked. He’d Tasered her. The son of a bitch had Tasered her. Her teeth chattered and her entire body convulsed as he lifted her up and carried her to a car. She couldn’t fight him as he tied her hands together.

“You’re going to die, bitch, but not before I get what I want.” He closed the trunk and she lay there helpless, wondering if Gunny was on his way. Would she ever see them again? Was this how her life would end. The tears stung her eyes as her teeth continued to chatter and her body shook no matter how hard she tried to control it.

Jeffrey had lost his mind, Valdere had men following her, and Gunny, Garrett, and Wes were caught in the middle.
What am I going to do? How the hell did this happen?

* * * *

“How the hell did this happen?” Gunny asked as he stood in the parking garage at Gia’s workplace. There were police and detectives everywhere. In a matter of thirty minutes word had spread that Jeffrey hadn’t shown up for his court appearance, Kaleigh, Gia’s friend, was missing along with Gia, and the parking attendant was unconscious and rushed to a nearby hospital.

Wes and Garrett joined the scene as one of the detectives said that there was a blurry video surveillance from way down at the other end of the parking garage.

“Let’s take a look. It’s all we have,” Teddy said as he ran his fingers through his hair. The group of them walked to the booth and pulled the camera’s footage up onto the screen. They watched in horror as someone grabbed Kaleigh. They couldn’t make out the person. Then the camera’s picture was too blurry to see, but it appeared that he carried Kaleigh somewhere.

“Whoever it was, they used Kaleigh’s cell phone to text Gia. We have her phone and the text right here,” Gunny said as he held Gia’s phone in his hand. This was all he had of hers right now to hold. He felt so sick and responsible. If he had followed his gut, he could have avoided this situation.

“The guy could be either Jeffrey or this Valdere guy,” Kenny said.

“Kenny, I’ve got a confirmation on Valdere Valencio. He took a flight to Houston from New York this morning. He arrived two hours ago,” Shane stated.

“Fuck,” Teddy yelled out.

“It gets worse,” another detective replied. “Antonio Pelloni arrived last night.”

“We’ve got something over here,” an officer called out to them and they all headed toward a car as two officers tried to unlock the trunk.

“That’s Kaleigh’s car,” Shane stated.

After some struggling they got the trunk open.

“Oh Christ! Is she okay?” Wes asked as he and Garrett stood there looking at the officer who was checking Kaleigh’s pulse.

“She’s alive,” he said.

“Get an ambulance down here pronto,” Gunner yelled.

“Is she awake? Maybe she can tell us who took Gia,” Teddy said.

“She’s out cold,” the officer replied.

“Shit, Shane, get me information on Antonio and Valdere. They had to have rented a car or maybe the Mercedes. See if we can put out an APB on the vehicles,” Teddy ordered.

“Also check to see what cars are registered under Jeffrey Lewington. It could be any three of these men who took Gia,” Gunny said.

“Holy shit,” Garrett said as the ambulance arrived on scene.

* * * *

“Who the fuck is that guy?” Antonio wondered as he followed the sedan from Gianna’s workplace. He was going to try and take her when she left work, but yesterday some big guy she was dating showed up to pick her up. Antonio decided to wait until this morning, but then he noticed the weird guy lurking around and followed him to his place. Jeffrey Lewington was his name. This has to be the asshole who attacked her. Antonio had to remain patient. Apparently he wasn’t the only one interested in Gianna. So as he’d followed the guy Jeffrey to her workplace he was surprised to witness his plan in action. The man had just pulled off an amazing abduction. Too bad he would take the fall for Gianna’s death once Antonio had her for a while. Antonio was careful not to tip the psycho off as he followed Jeffrey out of the city and farther toward Dallas.

If that fucking guy laid a hand on Gianna he was dead. Antonio reached for the handgun and held it tight then brought it to his lap.
Patience, Antonio. Patience and you will have her once again.

* * * *

“What did he do, fucking hire the asshole who assaulted her to abduct her?” Valdere asked as he sat in the back of the Mercedes.

“Who the fuck knows,” Pedro stated.

“How do you want to do this, boss?” Turk asked as Sully drove the vehicle.

“Just follow them, but not too close. We don’t want to tip them off.” Valdere sat there itching to get his hands on Antonio.

“When I get my hands on that piece of shit, he’s a dead man,” Valdere said as they followed the sedan.

* * * *

“We’ve got it. The Mercedes was just spotted heading down the main highway toward Dallas,” Shane yelled out.

“Can they get a chopper up pronto? We can’t lose that vehicle,” Teddy asked.

“Let’s head out. They’re thirty minutes ahead of us,” Gunny added and they scattered to head toward the truck.

“Turn your radios to forty-two. Keep me updated and remember no sirens and tell that helicopter to keep a good distance.”

“Yes, sir,” Shane called out as Gunny, Teddy, Wes, and Garrett headed toward Gunny’s truck while other detectives and officers followed.

As they drove out of the parking garage everyone was on edge.

“I can’t believe she’s in danger. We were supposed to protect her,” Garrett stated.

“It’s my fault. If I had followed my gut and looked into that car deeper...”

“No, Gunny, it isn’t anyone’s fault. These men were after her for months. It’s just coincidence that they chose now to attack. We know where the car is. We’ve got guys up there and on the roads. We’ll get to her in time,” Teddy stated.

“I hope so, or I’ll never be able to live with this mistake,” Gunny said as he maneuvered around traffic and then gunned the gas pedal as soon as the road ahead was clear.

* * * *

Gia struggled as Jeffrey tied her to a large bed. Her body continued to shake and her belly would tighten then spasm. He looked like some psycho, with his bloodshot eyes and sweaty forehead. He straddled her waist and leaned over her.

“So fucking pretty. I didn’t underestimate you this time, bitch.”

She stared at his bruised face and the cast on his hand. She did that to him. She beat him up.

“The bruises look good, asshole.”

He struck her in the mouth with the cast and she screamed as the tears filled her eyes.

“You’re going to look just as good by the time I get through with you.” He reached for the scissors and she tried to fight the binds that held her down.

“Ahh, not so tough now are we, Gia. Damn, you’re going to pay for fucking up my life. If I’m going to jail I might as well make it worth my while. How about I cut you up so you’re not so pretty.” He ran the blade gently down her cheek then against her neck. She gasped and tightened her body, afraid to move even a hair, or the sharp scissors would cut her.

“Hmm, I like you when you’re obedient.”

He jumped up and lowered his body between her legs.

When he started to cut the material away from her body she panicked. She thought about the black lace panties and matching see-through lace bra she wore. It was supposed to be a surprise for Garrett, Wes, and Gunny when she got home. She’d planned a little striptease. She felt her throat and her nose clog up. She was never going to see them again. Jeffrey was going to rape her.

He shoved the material of her dress away, and his eyes widened.

“Nice sexy panties. Are you wet for me, Gia?” he asked then ran his hand up her inner thigh to her mound. She tightened and screamed at him.

“Don’t touch me. I hate you!” she yelled and in a flash he cut the remainder of her dress, and her breasts poured from the top, the bra hardly fitting.

“Motherfucker, you’re better then I fantasized about.” He placed the scissors down and reached for her breasts. She cried out and then heard the shots.

“She’s mine.” Gia’s eyes popped open as she heard the gunshot. Jeffrey fell over onto his side, a bullet in his head. She looked at the doorway and there stood Antonio.

She cried out, closed her eyes, and squeezed them tight as the fear overtook her body. “Oh God no. Please.” She begged for the nightmare to end and then she heard Antonio’s voice.

“Shhh, baby, I got you. I saved you from that lunatic.” He placed his palm against her cheek.

She could hardly focus on Antonio, his dark eyes, and the way he spoke to her. He just killed a man, granted saving her from rape and assault, but wouldn’t he do the same thing? She was never so scared in her life.

He looked her body over and smiled.

“I missed you, Gia. You should have never left me, baby. I’m nothing without you.”

She didn’t know what to do or what to say. This was outrageous.

“Untie me, Antonio. I’m scared.”

He ran the palm of his hand along her breasts then to her mound between her legs. She thought he was going to go farther, but then he knelt on the bed and leaned down next to her face.

“I will in a minute, baby. We just need to get a few things straight.”

“Like what?” Her teeth continued to chatter. She couldn’t stop the tears rolling down her cheeks or the spasms in her body.

“You’re coming with me. I don’t want to hear anything about Texas ever again, you hear me? Not about the three men you’re fucking, about your family, or any of this. You’ve always been mine, Gia, and now we’ll be together forever.”

“Fat chance, asshole.”

Gia turned toward the doorway to see Valdere standing there.

Oh my God, this can’t be happening.

“What the fuck?” Antonio stated as he climbed over Gia and kept a possessive hold over her waist.

Valdere smiled.

“She is quite the gem, isn’t she? And the ultimate price for your betrayal, Antonio.”

“My betrayal? What have I done wrong?”

“For one, you failed to tell me that you found her.”

“I was going to. I was going to head back to New York with her.”

Valdere walked closer and ran fingers along her inner thigh. “Just like you told me about the deal with Porter and the two million?”

Gia looked at Antonio. She knew he was sweating bullets. He was afraid of Valdere. He had been for years.

“Boss, the cops are on the way. There’s a helicopter outside.” Pedro entered the room. She looked at him, and he eyed her body over then turned to leave.

Two shots rang out and Gia jerked as she turned to the right. Antonio fell against the bed. A bullet to his forehead and one to his chest.

Valdere stuck the gun in the waist of his designer pants.

“Let’s get you untied, Gia. We have a lot to discuss.”

Gia cried hysterically. She was completely freaking out now despite her mind’s attempt to make her fight back. How could she? He had a gun, he’d killed Antonio, and Antonio had killed Jeffrey in front of her.

The ties came loose and Valdere grabbed her by her waist and hoisted her up against him. Her tattered dress fell from her body. Only her bra and panties remained. He licked his lips.

“Don’t fight me, Gia. I’m prepared to kill you if I need to.”

He pulled her by her hand and dragged her from the house. She could hear the helicopter and the sound of the loudspeaker.

“This is the Dallas Police Department. Put down your weapons and lay facedown on the ground.” In the distance she saw the police cruisers, and then Gunny’s truck. She tried to pull away from him and he struck her across the cheek.

Gia fell to the ground as the wind blew dirt into her eyes as well as Valdere’s. He pulled the gun from his waist and pointed it at her. Despite not having any shoes or clothes other than her bra and panties on she did one of her martial arts moves and kicked the gun from his hands. It fired and the helicopter moved about above them as Valdere reached for her throat.

“Release the woman. You’re under arrest,” the loudspeaker yelled.

“I’ll kill you for this. You’re going to die,” he stated as he held her throat between his hands and squeezed. She tried to fight him. She kicked and hit and then tried to pry his hands from her throat. She was coughing, gasping for breath, when suddenly someone punched him. He released her throat and she fell to the dirt as she tried to catch her breath. She felt the shirt go around her shoulders then she heard Garrett’s and Wes’s voices.