Page 103 of Free to Fall

Instead of answering, she thumps over and crouches down until her body is right next to Bailey’s. I balance over hers. If I have to, I’ll throw myself on top of her, sacrificing myself to save her for Liam. I love him, I love her.

I won’t let another trauma ruin their forever.

“Maybe I should introduce myself,” she muses. The roar of rusted laughter that erupts around the room reminds me of that scene in The Mummy where the mummy swallows Brendan Frasier’s plane—like it’s the gateway to hell if you’re not strong enough to endure it.

I pause, hesitating to place the first strip of tape on Bailey’s mouth. Every second the one in charge holds out, my fear increases. The threat for both me and this little girl I cherish reaches a new peak. Then, her eyes narrow just before her hot breath heats the side of my face. She murmurs, “Olivia Tiberi. Paulie should have shot you through the heart, Doc. But my husband always was a bit of a moron. Now that he’s dead, it’s my job to avenge him. We’ll never have our own little girl to pamper, which is why I so loved leaving those dolls I’d been collecting for you.”

I feel the blood draining from my head as the room begins to spin. It can’t be. My nightmares should be over, not coming back to life. “You ...”

She sits back on her haunches, waving her gun carelessly over Bailey’s still unmoving form. “We’re all Tiberis—some blood, some bonded. And you, Doc? You’re going to die for what you did and what your daddy’s tryin’ to do. That’s a promise.”

Then she aims the gun right at Bailey’s heart. “Now, get to fucking work.”

Without a moment’s hesitation, I do. I’ve experienced first-hand the lack of mercy these people have. The best chance I have of getting Bailey and me out of here alive is to comply with their orders.

I lay the first piece of duct tape across Bailey’s beautiful bow lips, hoping I’ll have the opportunity to see them pucker into a smile at least one more time before I die.

After finishing taping Bailey up, I am swiftly bound to lie next to her. Unlike the half-assed job I did—for which the Tiberis took great pleasure in kicking me in the ribs with their steel-toed boots. Al— Christ, my hope of getting out alive dwindles seeing his normally soft brown eyes void of emotion—does a much better job focusing on his task. Every piece of thick silver tape he lays across my skin not only prevents me from moving, it increases my fear factor as well as raises the level of desperation in the air.

“Please,” I beg. “Leave my fingers free. If she wakes up, I can hold her hand. Keep her from being too frightened.”

Olivia sneers before conceding. “She’s right, Al. Just their fingertips. Make certain neither of them have anything in their hands or so help me God, I’ll see you in hell.”

The second my fingers are free, I grasp Bailey’s fingers with one hand, entwining her little fingers next to my Amaryllis tattoo. Praying I won’t get shot, I watch as they stand guard—as if they’re waiting for something.

Or someone.

“What the fuck are we doing, Liv? We just going to sit here waiting for her father to come looking for her?”

She props her booted feet on my back. “Nah. See, I took a picture and sent it to fucking Lockwood. He knows you got his little bitch.”

“You stupid cunt. We could have popped her and been out of here for him to find,” Al breathes.

Olivia kicks me in the hip when she surges to her feet. “Bastard shoulda kept his fucking nose out of our shit! Why didn’t you fix it?”

“You wanted info on Hudson Investigations! How the fuck was I supposed to do that and keep my cover?”

“Fucking asshole. Had to go poking his dick in our crap instead of his wife when Paulie lost his temper.”

I’m not certain if I want to puke or grab his gun and shoot Olivia myself, despite my oath to heal. My teeth grind together with the desire to scream, Lost his temper? He killed innocent people. But even if the duct tape wasn’t slapped across my mouth, I wouldn’t.

I want to see my father kick his ass for me and for Bailey. I sure as hell wouldn’t mind if Liam took a few shots at this bitch too.

Then I tense when the house phone rings once before it disconnects.

In my head, I rationalize it could be a wrong number. But I also recall the lessons my father taught to me, Jon, and Chuck when we were younger. He warned us, “The largest fear your mother has is you’ll be kidnapped.”

“Dad—” Jon started to scoff until my father’s eyes blazed into his. I’d never witnessed my father so deadly serious before or since.

“Jon, one day, you’ll understand why. In the meantime, listen to my instructions.” My father released a sigh. “If you are ever taken, we’ll make a noise. Then we’ll wait thirty seconds.”

Then two noises. Knowing my mother endured the kind of hell no one ever should and that she did indeed want to LoJack me, Jon, and Chuck, I count down to one before the phone rings again.

Ring, ring. Then it disconnects.

I slide so my body partially covers Bailey’s. Olivia shouts, “Who the fuck is calling?”

One of her minions picks up one of the cordless handsets and checks the caller ID. “The first time, it was the cable company. The second time, spam.”

---