Unknown Territory: Mafioso Series Book 3 Page 15

  "This is Salvatore, I'm unable to come to the phone right now, so leave a message and I'll get back to you," The message spoke as tears streamed down Nicole's cheeks.

  For the past three days, she had left hundreds of calls and messages and he didn't respond to either. She had even gone to everyone's house, asking if Salvatore was there, she went to every possible place she knew of only to return with no luck. None of the usual guards were around, nor were any of Salvatore's officials, and even if she found someone she recognized, none of them knew about her husband's whereabouts.

  Choking back a sob, Nicole fiddled with his silver band, having found it in his office and collecting dust as her heart ached in her chest at the sight. They were doing so well and they both were so happy, she managed to break his walls and allowed him to confide in her, and now she had lost all of it because of a secret she hadn't told him and because he stepped in at the wrong time. She knew that he had suffered a horrible betrayal from one of the people closest to his heart and now he must think that he was being betrayed again – only this time by his wife.

  She tapped at the screen once more, wiping away the tears as the line rang before his voice repeated the same message she had heard almost a hundred times now.

  Falling back on the bed, she grasped Salvatore's wedding ring in her fist, clutching it to her heavy chest as she inhaled deeply, trying to get her bearings. She couldn't sleep – not with the bed being so big and empty – nor could she eat, always throwing up what she tried to keep down, anxiety and guilt having her on edge, shutting down her esophagus.

  Nicole covered her eyes with her arm, pulling the pillow over her head as Persephone whimpered. Her husky had been crying just as much as her, missing the company of the wolf-hybrid she had made her companion. The day Salvatore had left without a word, she had roamed the entire estate in search for his dog, whimpering and crying when she couldn't find him.

  "Please stop," Nicole choked out, her husky's cries only adding to the guilt she felt about knowing that if she had told Salvatore, she wouldn't be in her situation, facing the possibility of divorce over a misconception.

  She must have fallen asleep because she was awoken by a phone call early Monday morning. Instantly her hand shot out, picking it up in hopes for it to be Salvatore. "Hello?" She called into it urgently.

  "Yeah, Nicole?" Her boss's voice spoke on the line, her hopes instantly deflating. "Listen, I know you're not feeling too well, but I need you to come in today,"

  "Why?"

  "There is a meeting of the board of directors and I need someone to look after things while I'm away and need all hands on deck." She explained. "I wouldn't ask you to come in if I didn't need you to."

  Sighing, Nicole ran a hand through her hair, contemplating her boss's words as she knew she couldn't just sit in bed and cry given that she had tried everything to try and find Salvatore.

  "Alright, I'll be in by 9."

  "Thank you."

  Taking a shower, Nicole changed into black skinny jeans with a dark grey button-up under a light grey sweater. Grabbing her bag, she made her way out the bedroom, ignoring the stares of the people before settling in the back of her Audi, a Range Rover close behind as they made their way to her office building.

  People greeted her cautiously, probably seeing on her face how she didn't want to be there, therefore leaving her alone most of the day. She caught up on the work she had missed on Friday and was going through a file when her office door suddenly burst open, a suit-clad man stumbled in, his eyes wide and hair disheveled as instantly Nicole stood up and stepped back in caution.

  "You need to come with me," The man heaved as she looked at him with a scrutinizing gaze. "Boss...Boss has been injured and you need to come with me right now for your safety. There is a car waiting for you downstairs,"

  "Salvatore," She gasped in shock, instantly running after the man as he led her out the building and to the curb of the road.

  "Where-" Nicole began to ask, gasping when a man covered her mouth and held her against his chest, another one grabbing her legs as it suddenly hit her that the man covering her mouth held a chloroform cloth to her lips, forcing her to inhale as her head grew heavy and her vision blurred before darkness consumed her world and they loaded her into the back of the black van that had pulled up in front of them. Both of her bodyguards knocked out in their Range Rover.

  Salvatore sat in the dining room, behaving like a stubborn child by refusing to eat the food Stephan had made for him and resuming his work on the file before him, Tazio sat across from the two, holding back a smile at their bickering. His phone ringing redirecting his attention to the device, holding it against his ear, his smile dropped at the word spoken to him on the other line and his gaze shot up as he looked at Salvatore with wide eyes, panic evident in his brown orbs before calling out to his boss.

  Looking up, he was momentarily confused to see him handing the phone, but given the look on his second-in-command's face, he knew to attend it. Placing the device to his ear, he listened in silence before he was out of the chair within a second, sending it toppling back as he grabbed his car keys, practically running out the horse ranch and barking orders at the men around him before getting in his car and driving to the estate to further investigate the news.

  A headache pounded against her skull as Nicole blearily opened her eyes, squinting at the sunlight before her vision cleared, three men standing before her as panic welled in her chest. About to get up, she realized that her hands were bound to the chair, her bag placed somewhere in the corner.

  "You're awake," One of the men chuckled stepping forward as Nicole realized she had seen him before but wasn't sure from where. "Recognize me, do you?"

  Shaking her head, the man giving her a feral grin in response.

  "That's alright, but guess what?" He leaned down to be at face level with her and spoke as if though he were talking to a little child. "Jayson has asked for you to be delivered to him, so you're going back to him, we're just waiting for the jet before we all will go back to America,"

  Nicole glared at him as he stepped away, laughing. Instantly she knew she had to find a way out. She sat in silence, not giving way to the taunts of the men before her as an idea struck her at one of them drinking water.

  "Can I get some water?" She asked cautiously, the man drinking turning to look at the head who nodded. The man stepped towards her, standing mere inches from her as he drew the bottle closer to her lips. Just as she was about to drink it, she jerked her leg up, hitting the man directly where the sun doesn't shine as he cried out in pain falling to his side as the other two rushed forward. Nicole stood up, still bound to the chair before swinging it at the man heading her way, hitting him in the face with the legs before falling onto her side, smashing the chair beneath her, effectively releasing her from her bounds.

  The last man rushed at her as she ducked out of his way, grabbing his arm and twisting it painfully before judo flipping him onto the ground, grabbing hold of his gun and shooting both men, sending them sprawling over the floor. He rushed at her from behind, sending her toppling to the ground as her head connected with a grotesque crack. He tried to hold her down as she screamed and writhe beneath him, turning in his hold as he wrapped his arms around her rib cage, tightening his hold on her as she gasped at the pain, grabbing her fist before landing a blow to his head with her elbow, again and again until he was knocked out on top of her.

  Breathing heavily, she pushed him off her with a grunt, hissing as her sides felt tender, her head pounding from her fall as she gently touched the back of her head, her fingers coming away with blood. Exhaling shakily, she stumbled to her bag, rummaging for her phone before emptying the contents when she couldn't find it. Grabbing the device she dialed his number with shaky fingers, her vision doubling as she sat kneeling on the floor, disorientation causing the room to spin.

  "What the fuck were you two doing when she was kidnapped?" Salvatore asked in an ice-cold voice from the two guard
s before him, both of them squirming under his murderous glare as men ran around the estate, some of them trying to track her location, with others gearing up for a fight, Stephan pacing the floor of the office, biting away at his lips.

  "I assigned you two to look after he-" He stopped short when his phone suddenly rang before him, her contact name popping up. Attending the call, he held it to his ear, waiting to hear from her captor.

  "Salvatore?" Nicole's shaky voice called from the line as he exhaled heavily.

  "Nicole, fuck, where are you?" He asked her, knowing he did not have time. "Nicole, tell me what's going on."

  "Jayson's men kidnapped me and I managed to knock them out," She swallowed thickly. "But that doesn't matter, Salvatore, I didn't kiss Jayson on my own free will, he-"

  "-We'll talk later," Salvatore interjected in a rush. "Just tell me what's around you so that we can get to you, we're trying to track you down, okay? Just stay on the line,"

  "Do you promise to talk once you get me?"

  "I promise." He relented, feeling utterly worn out and tired.

  "I missed you."

  "I-" Salvatore began to say when he suddenly heard a scream from the other end, Nicole's voice disappearing from the line as he sucked in a breath. "Nicole?"

  He heard struggles and grunts, followed by the sound of skin hitting skin as Nicole groaned in pain, something clattering as she let out a shriek of pain, Salvatore's chest feeling tighter with each sound that reached him, his heart dropping to his feet and his throat closing up at the sound of a gunshot, followed by another and another.

  "Nicole..." He called out in a hoarse whisper, curling his fingers from showing their shaking as the man before him nodded, informing him that he got a location.

  "I just killed three people," Nicole's voice reached him as he let out a relieved breath at the sound of her voice, making his way after the man. "But ha...I got shot."

  "Where are you shot?" He asked her calmly, sitting into his car and driving away. "Tell me, baby, where are you shot?"

  "I-I-I don't know," Her voice trembled as the hand on her abdomen came up covered in blood. "Oh, that's a lot of blood,"

  "Okay, Nicole, listen to me. You've got to stay awake, alright? Keep talking alright?"

  "Did you ever see the messages and calls I left you?" She asked in a small voice, her head spinning as she leaned against the granite wall, covered in blood and in pain.

  "Yes, I received them."

  "Did you read them?"

  "I deleted them,"

  "How will you know the truth then?" She moaned in pain, her vision blurring as a sudden lethargy washed over her, slurring her words. "I wanted you to know the truth,"

  "Nicole, we'll talk once you're safe, yeah? We're on our way to you, okay?" Salvatore told her, driving with one hand and changing the gear with the other as he had the phone wedged between his ear and shoulder.

  "I'm so tired..." She slurred.

  "Hey, no, Nicole, stay up," He told her firmly before her words ceased, the phone suddenly clattered to the floor, and her eyes falling shut as her head lolled to the side.

  Chapter XV: Injury

  Salvatore hovered over Nicole's unconscious body, his hands and clothes smeared in blood as he couldn't bring himself to settle down.

  His doctor, Michi, patched her up and informed him that she had suffered a blow to the head, bruising across the ribs and a flesh wound by the gunshot in her thigh; and had passed out due to the blow. When Salvatore had learned that information; he couldn't help but brace himself against the wall and laugh at his wife and her misconceptions – leading him to believe that she was dying.

  "Hey," Stephan placed a hand on his shoulder as Salvatore sat on the seat next to his bed, hunched forward and utterly exhausted. "You're covered in blood, why don't you go and take a shower?"

  Looking over his shoulder at his best friend, the Mafia Boss nodded, taking a moment to gather his scattered thoughts before standing up, stumbling a little but being steadied by the American. Giving him a nod, he walked across his bedroom, sparing a glance at the two dogs cuddled together before walking into the master bath, stripping off his bloodied clothes and stepping under the scalding water of the shower.

  Nicole blinked blearily, her head pounding as she shifted, taking in her surroundings before placing it to be her bedroom. She looked around her, squinting at the chair at the side before she sat up with a gasp, ignoring the pain in her head or her ribs for that matter, and pushed the sheets off her. She hissed when she felt the dull ache in her leg, looking down to see it wrapped up. Groaning, Nicole braced herself against the vanity and pulled herself to be standing, a pained moan escaping her.

  Struggling to get her bearings, she limped ahead, immense relief washing over her to see his wolf-hybrid licking her husky who yapped up at him, nipping at his ear in play. A strained chuckle escaped her as she wanted to cry.

  Hearing the shower running, she made her way to the washroom, sliding the door open to see it steamed up, and Salvatore's figure blurred by the opaque glass of the cabin. Heaving a heavy breath, she leaned against the marble counter, waiting for him to be done with her gaze downcast, wondering who changed her out of her clothes into blush pink silk tank top and shorts.

  The sound of the water halted as he grabbed the towel behind him, wrapping it around his waist and opened the glass door, not even surprised to see Nicole standing there, sudden hatred and anger brewing inside him since he only saw her pressed against the wall and kissing Jayson.

  Salvatore thought he could put his emotions aside and listen to her, but now that she was before him, he knew he did not have that in him.

  He watched Nicole stand straight, struggling a little due to her leg as he walked forward, wanting to sidestep her, but was taken aback by her slapping him. The sound of her palm against his wet cheek reverberating through the washroom as he composed himself, standing to his full height and glaring down at her, Nicole responding with a glare of her own.

  "Where the fuck have you been?" She demanded, staring at him as her body shook with her anger. "I called you over a hundred times; left you twice as many messages and you don't have the fucking decency to respond to either? No one knew where you were!"

  "The people that needed to know were made aware." He stated bluntly, his insinuation having her wince before swallowing thickly.

  "Did you feel nothing by letting me wallow here in self-pity and guilt for the past four days? No remorse? Nothing?"

  "You deserved it." Salvatore glared down at her about to walk away but halting when she grabbed the back of his towel, forcing him to clutch onto the front of it. "You said we'd talk," She reminded him.

  "Please," He laughed at her naivety. "I just said what I had to in order to get what I want, which in that case, happened to be your location,"

  "We're going to talk, or I'm going to pull this off." Nicole threatened.

  "Go ahead. I dare you,"

  Nicole stared at his back, contemplating pulling it off as her leg ached and her head pounded.

  She knew Salvatore would let her, it didn't matter to him, he didn't have any issues, it was her who had the issue. Groaning in frustration, she released her hold on his towel, gritting her teeth at the smirk he undoubtedly had before he walked away as a lump formed in her throat.

  Taking a moment to compose herself, Nicole ran a hand through her hair before limping towards his walk-in closet, standing in the doorway and found Salvatore standing in boxer shorts as he was picking up clothes to wear.

  "It wasn't what it looked like," Nicole began, wanting to explain to him what actually happened.

  "So you say," He monotoned, forcing her to bite her lip before making her way towards him, knowing he was hurt and placed a hand on his shoulder, feeling him tense.

  "Believe me, Salvatore, please, I can explain-"

  "-You know the last person who said these words to me ended with a bullet in their head. Why should you be any different?" Nicole recoiled at the
venomous tone, and he hadn't even turned to look at her as she tried to speak from the lump forming in her throat.

  "Because...I'm your wife-"

  "The fact that you think it matters who you are is just amusing."

  "Salvatore, I'm not in love with Jayson," She choked out, her throat tightening as he pulled on a t-shirt, grabbing a pair of jeans. "Just please, listen, I can explain everything-"

  "No." He stated bluntly, buttoning the jeans into place before he sidestepped her, about to walk away. And Nicole knew that if she let him walk out, she would not see him again.

  "For the two years I was with him I ended up with a broken wrist, a concussion, a ruptured eye, and a broken leg." Nicole choked out, clutching her hands as he froze, both of them standing with their backs facing each other. "All because of him," She sighed, her leg aching too much as she lowered herself onto the low lying bench.

  "For two years, he kept me indoors, forced me to take online classes, wouldn't let me go out or meet anyone unless he was there, was utterly possessive and jealous and somehow always blamed it on me when a guy would compliment me or just look at me for a second too long." Nicole closed her eyes, trying her hardest to push all the pain to the back so that she could tell him. He needed to know. "And I would get beat up for it because I was my fault and I needed to be 'disciplined'."

  "After all that, I found out that during the second year of our relationship, he went and fucked other women behind my back." Her voice shook. "And I didn't leave him. I was a stupid, naïve, little girl, who was utterly head over heels in love with him and thought that we would spend the rest of our life together. He promised me he'd marry me, and I was the happiest girl in the world when he told me that. But then he..." She choked out, pressing the palms of her hand against her eyes, trying to push the tears back as her breathing felt painful, her chest feeling heavy as the emotions choked her throat.

  "He tried raping me." Nicole managed to choke out, a sob escaping her as Salvatore stood with a rigid stance as it felt like someone poured ice water over his head as he couldn't bring himself to breathe. "He knew...he knew I wouldn't sleep with him unless we were married and, and...and he tried to force himself onto me saying that we would anyways be married, but it didn't feel right and I was scared and I tried fighting against him and he tried to knock me out to stop me from struggling, but I-I-I-I...I hit him on the head with a lamp and ran. I ran and he was here and I got scared and I froze and I didn't understand what to do because of all that he had done to me and he pushed himself against me again and kissed me and you-you- and you thought I wanted to kiss him and-"