Page 49 of Assassin's Obsession

The second the pad of clean cotton pushes into my mouth, I regret giving into my anger.

"Hurry up, Mario. If someone calls the cops, that's going to be another headache we don't need tonight." Derian doesn't sound worried. Just annoyed.

Mario quickly fixes my gag in place with Freddy's tie. When I smell the sweat Derian mentioned, I'm glad Mario put the clean handkerchief in first. Not that I'm going to thank either of them for it.

Once I get free, I'm going to show them something and it isn't going to be my gratitude.

Now that I'm gagged, Derian pulls the sleeves of my oversized hoodie down over my hands and then crosses the left over the right and tapes them to my body like a straitjacket.

Unlike a straitjacket, the armholes on my hoodie are large enough to pull my arms out of without unzipping it. Not sure what that will buy me, though.

But knowing I'm not completely trapped helps keep a total meltdown at bay.

Mario tosses the roll of duct tape to Freddy, who immediately binds the bad debtor's hands behind his back. When the guy starts yelling, Freddy slaps a piece of duct tape over his mouth.

That's going to hurt coming off.

But probably not as much as whatever else Freddy and my father have planned for him tonight.

"I'll get the car." Freddy trots off, leaving his prisoner on the ground.

"Bring the SUV around," Derian tells Mario. "After all the screaming, it's just asking for trouble taking her out on the street."

Mario salutes Derian and disappears out of the mouth of the alley.

Never mind that I'm covered with enough duct tape to make me look like a silver mummy, it's my screaming they're worried about. Any other night, the tape would be a giant attention-drawing red flag, but with so many people dressed up for the Halloween parties happening tonight? Not so much.

It feels like only a few seconds have passed before I hear the purr of an SUV coming down the alley.

Derian's hold on me keeps be upright and at his side, facing away from the street. Surprised by the lack of light, I turn my head to see the SUV backing toward us, the backup lights casting a dim glow along the wet pavement.

Once the SUV stops, even those disappear. When the liftgate begins to rise, no interior lights show either.

A dark shape hops out of the driver's side and trots to the back and leans inside the opening. Derian carries me to the passenger side and puts me in the back seat of the SUV, using the seatbelt to trap me in place.

As soon as he shuts the door, I start wiggling my arms upward, stretching the hoodie fabric until, my arms are free of the sleeves and I can unzip it from the inside. Tearing Freddy's tie off, I throw it on the seat and spit out the handkerchief already wet with my saliva.

Gross.

I start working on my legs, but it only takes a few seconds to realize there are too many layers of duct tape stuck on each other to rip it. I'm still searching for the start to peel it away when the door on the driver's side opens.

"Shit! She's loose, Derian!"

This time when they truss me up, they do something with the tape that makes it impossible for me to get my arms out.

"Don’t start screaming and we'll leave the gag off," Derian says.

Glaring, I refuse to answer, but I don't start shouting either. They're being careful not to hurt me, but they're also determined not to let me go.

Having the ability to call for help if I get the opportunity is my only chance at getting away. It might be slim odds, but I'm not giving them up.

I occupy myself watching two professional killers clean up the scene of their crime. Mario snaps open a body bag and lays it beside Gino, rolling the dead man into it with quick efficiency.

"Get your spent bullet so we can toss it in with the body," Derian instructs as bright headlights illuminate the alley.

Freddy is back.

"Bet you fifty I can find my brass in less than fifteen seconds," Mario says to me with a wink, proving he and probably Derian too, is aware I'm watching them.

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