Mob Mistress

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MILLS & BOON

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To MJ for helping me write for the Romantic Suspense

line, to Patience for making me feel so welcome,

to Natashya for being my wonderful new editor,

and to Carl and Kim for the prison information.

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Epilogue

Chapter 1

Justin Elk squinted in the darkness, his vision blurred, his temples throbbing. Blood pumped through his veins as thick and cumbersome as liquid lead.

The last thing he remembered was stopping at a roadside diner for a cup of coffee and a club sandwich. He’d been headed to the Gulf of Mexico, to loll on the beach, to enjoy a much-needed vacation.

And then he’d awakened here.

In an unfamiliar bed, stripped down to his jeans. His shirt and boots had been removed. His silver-buckled belt was gone, too.

He shifted his weight and cursed the emasculating wooziness. He’d been drugged. He could feel the sluggish beat of his heart, the sleep-induced, head-spinning intoxication.

Someone must have spiked his coffee at the diner. Slipped him a Mickey or whatever it was called. He’d gotten groggy when he’d climbed back into his truck, but at the time he wasn’t sure why. He’d been too tired to drive, so he’d sat behind the wheel, trying to combat the sudden fatigue.

Which meant what? That they’d waited for him to conk out before they’d carted him off to…

He gripped the side of the massive bed, doing his damnedest to pull himself up.

His surroundings seemed grand, even in the vault of night. The sheets bunched beneath his fingers, the fabric soft and luxurious. Egyptian cotton, he thought. Probably four or five hundred bucks a pop. He’d never slept on anything this high-dollar before, but he knew how expensive quality linens could be. His family owned and operated a guest ranch that pampered its city-slicker guests.

He finally managed to sit upright and fumble for a lamp. With an unsteady grip, he illuminated the room.

The light glared straight at him, making pinwheels twist and turn before his eyes. Fighting another wave of dizziness, he turned his head, catching glimpses of his glamorous gilded cage.

Even though the furniture mutated in the drug-laced fog, he noticed opulent antiques. A French door, which he assumed was securely locked, showcased what appeared to be a terrace, and a hallway led to what he assumed was the rest of the suite. He suspected this was a guest room in someone’s house.

Weren’t kidnapping victims supposed to be bound and gagged and crammed into dark, dingy basements?

Whoever did this wasn’t holding him for ransom. They probably had more money, more power, more social standing than his family could ever have.

He tried to drag himself out of bed, but before his feet hit the rippling floor, the whole damn room spun. Everything went by in a mindless blur.

Shit.

The sedative sluicing through his system was keeping him prisoner. He hoped that he didn’t OD. He didn’t want to croak in some rich man’s castle. Then again, maybe the person who’d arranged his captivity was a woman.

Yeah, right. A decadent heiress just dying to have him, a Texas-bred horseman, as her sex slave. A Hill Country cowboy who gave riding lessons and guided tours.

Get real, he told himself. He hadn’t been abducted because he looked good in a pair of Wranglers.

The room wouldn’t quit spinning, so he turned off the lamp, shutting out the pinwheels, the glaring little lights flashing like camera bulbs beneath his eyes. He spewed a string of profanities and fought to stay conscious.

But he lost the battle and passed out again.

When Justin came to, he sensed the presence of another person.

Someone watching him.

Angry, he forced himself to sit up. He didn’t care how wasted he was. This time he was going to pound his way out of this mess. But as he reached for the lamp to expose his captor, a woman’s voice came out of the night.

“I unplugged it,” she said. “I unplugged all of them.”

Justin cursed. He couldn’t very well pound a nameless, faceless female. Her tone was barely audible, barely above a whisper. He wondered if his heiress theory wasn’t as far-fetched as it had seemed. “Who are you?”

“I can’t tell you that. I’ll get into trouble. I’m not supposed to be in your room.”

Was this a game? Or was she on the level? He followed the direction of her voice and caught sight of her shadowy outline. She was only a few feet away.

Not that he could make out her features. He couldn’t even distinguish the color or length of her hair. She seemed misty, like a ghost.

Or an angel.

Maybe he was dreaming. No, he thought. It was the drug. The room was spinning again.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

“That’s a stupid question,” he snapped. The digital clock on the nightstand displayed blurry red numbers. He had no idea what time it was, what day it was.

She moved closer, and he struggled to focus, to see her more clearly, but the runaway-carousel motion hadn’t stopped.

When she touched him, placing a cool hand against his cheek, his heart bumped his chest.

“Is the medication making you nauseous?” she asked.

“Just dizzy.” He tried to breathe in her scent, but she wasn’t wearing a fragrance. Everything about her remained a mystery. “Are you a nurse?”

“No. But I saw them carry you in here, and I heard them talking about you. I could tell you were drugged.” She removed her hand from his cheek, her featherlight touch fading. “I assume they’ve given you a couple of doses since then.”

“How long have I been here?”

“Since yesterday. They said that you were important to them. That they’re not going to hurt you.”

“Who are they?” he asked, praying that she was being honest. That she wasn’t part of the conspiracy.

“The West Coast Family,” she responded.

“What?” Confused, he gazed at her hazy image.

“The media calls them the Hollywood Mob.”

His befuddled brain kicked into gear. “The Halloways? That’s who did this to me?”

“Yes.” She sat on the edge of his bed, rustling the pricey sheets. “How well do you know them?”

“I don’t know them at all. My uncle testified against Denny Halloway, their old boss, but that was ages ago. Twenty-nine years or so.”

“Really?” She sounded surprised. “So that means Reed Blackwood is your uncle?”

“He’s my mother’s brother.” Justin frowned, wondering why Reed’s name came so easily to her. “He went into the witness protection program.”

“Yes, I know. I read about him in old newspaper clippings.”

He stalled, analyzing her response. If she were closely associated with the mob, she would have known about Reed firsthand.

“My uncle has never been part of my life,” he said, admitting that he was scarcely related to the other man. “I was about a year old when he went into the program. He means nothing to me, and I mean nothing to him.” He paused, curious about his surroundings. “Is this the Halloways’ house?”

“Yes. You’re in their mansion. In West L.A.”

He contemplated what they’d done with his truck, if they’d hidden it somewhere. Surely they hadn’t left it at the Texas diner where he’d been abducted.

“Do they have a private plane?” he asked.

“Yes.”

“Do you think that’s how they brought me here?”

“Probably.”

When a sudden beat pulsed between them, he lifted his hand and attempted to touch her the way she’d touched him. For a split second, she seemed to sway closer to him. Then she pulled back, and he came up empty.

“Why did you sneak into my room? Why are you giving me information?”

“Because I want you to help me later.”

He wanted to trust her. He wanted to believe that she was being sincere. But who the hell knew? “With what?” He squinted at her. Her hair was long and thick, he decided. Falling past her shoulders. Either that or the shifting shadows were playing tricks on his eyes.

“I can’t tell you. Not now.”

“Can you least tell me your first name?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“I need to be careful. I’m telling you things I’m not supposed to know.” She stood up, leaving him alone on the bed. “There’s something going on with a dead baby.”

His blood drained from his face. He could feel the sudden clamminess of his skin.

Her voice went quieter, even more hushed. He had to lean forward to hear her.

“A baby’s bones were discovered about a month ago. It was a newborn, buried in a makeshift coffin. Its death was never registered.” She exhaled a fragile-sounding breath. “The Halloways think it’s connected to you.”

His stomach clenched. “I don’t understand.”

“Neither do I. But supposedly that baby has been dead for as long as you’ve been alive.”

His mind reeled. “Who discovered it? And where was it found?”

“I don’t know. But it was buried with a toy identical to one you had when you were little. A musical pony.”

Justin went back to his childhood. He remembered his pony. His mom still had it somewhere. But she kept all sorts of sentimental stuff. “How do the Halloways know the toy was identical to mine?”

“I have no idea. I’m only repeating what I heard.”

He made a face. An infant decomposing for thirty years was a ghastly image, especially with a stuffed pony that played a lullaby by its side. “Does Reed have anything to do with the baby? Did they mention him?”

“I didn’t hear anyone say his name.”

“Who was having this conversation?” he asked, keeping his voice as low, as cautious as hers. “Exactly who did you eavesdrop on?”

“Denny Halloway’s sons. Brian and his brother, Richard. They were talking to their security chief.”

Justin pictured her skulking in a doorway, straining to hear their cryptic words. “Is Brian the boss?”

“Yes, and Richard is the underboss. But I only picked up bits and pieces of what they were saying.”

“That they aren’t going to hurt me? That I’m important to them?” His thoughts scattered. “Do you believe in ghosts?”

She hesitated, and he wondered if his question had given her goose bumps. He imagined her running her hands over her arms, up and down chilled skin.

“Do you?” she finally asked.

“Traditional Cherokees do,” he responded.

“Are you Cherokee?”

“I’m a quarter-blood. From my father’s side.” He considered his culture. “They say that murdered souls are forced to roam the earth, unable to go to the next world.”

“Why are you talking about murdered souls?”

“Because I think that baby was killed. Otherwise its death would have been registered. There would have been a legal burial.”

“The Halloways didn’t talk as if it had been murdered. It seemed important to them, too. Like you,” she added softly.

“Me and a dead baby. How creepy is that?” He shook his head. “This is the strangest thing that’s ever happened to me.”

“It’s strange for me, too. I keep hoping I’m doing the right thing. Involving you in my life.”

Was that what she was doing? He couldn’t tell. So far she’d revealed nothing about herself, nothing tangible, nothing he could grasp.

Moonlight drifted into the room, but it wasn’t bright enough to illuminate her, to give him a clearer image.

Was she wearing a nightgown? Or a filmy dress? He noticed how flowing her garment looked, how sleek and watery.

Of course the Mickey medication was still messing with his mind, still distorting his vision.

But even so, he pictured her in silk. And he suspected that she was a brunette. Her hair seemed as dark as the night that shrouded them.

He fingered the sheet and felt it slide against his hand. “Are you as beautiful as I imagine you are?”

Her breath caught. He could hear the quick, sharp sound. “I didn’t come here to feed your imagination, Justin.”

“You know my name?”

“I heard them say it.”

He knew it was crazy, but somewhere in his drugged-out mind, he was attracted to her, to a woman he couldn’t even see. The whispered lilt of her voice sent God-help-me heat up his spine.

“Why didn’t you call the police after you realized they’d kidnapped me?” he asked. “That’s what most people would have done.”

“I couldn’t take that chance. If the Halloways found out it was me who made the call…”

“Dialing nine-one-one would’ve been easier than slipping into my room. You could have got police protection if you’d made the call.”

“Yes, but I would have been forced to leave the mansion. And I want to stay here. I need to stay.”

He couldn’t begin to understand her. She talked in riddles. “Why?” he asked. “Tell me why you insist on living here. Give me a reason to help you.”

She hesitated, and he waited.

Finally she gave in. Her voice turned sad, shaky, isolated. “Someone in my family went missing. I don’t have any proof, but I believe the Halloways are involved.” Silence fractured the air, then she added, “So will you promise to help me later? Will you promise to be there?”

He wasn’t about to refuse. If the Halloways had kidnapped him, maybe they’d kidnapped her loved one, too? Then again, she kept saying the mob wasn’t going to hurt him. “I promise. I’ll do what I can.” When he wasn’t sedated, he thought. When he could think clearly.

“Thank you.” She moved toward him. Within the blink of a blurry eye, she was almost touching him again.

Almost.

“I better go,” she whispered. “But I’ll try to come back tomorrow.”

He kept silent. Next time he would make sure that he had access to a light so he could see her.

Next time?

He should be plotting an escape, but she compelled him instead, haunting him like the angel she was.

Her footsteps sounded softly. As she made her way to the door that would take her out of his suite and back to the mansion, he struggled to focus his gaze.

To watch her shadowy form disappear.

Sunshine blasted through the blinds, invading the room. Justin squinted at the clock. It was the middle of the afternoon.

He sat up and tested his equilibrium. He was hung over, feeling the aftereffects, but the drug itself had worn off. Or so he hoped. He climbed out of bed and thanked the Creator when his feet hit solid ground.

And then his world went woozy again. Not literally. But figuratively. A big clumsy puppy that had been sleeping on the floor jumped up and bounded toward him.

The black dog yipped and wiggled, but he could only stare. With its Dumbo ears and droopy eyes, the mutt looked like Chester, his childhood pet.

Only Chester had been dead for nineteen years.

“Where’d you come from?” he finally said.

The dog grinned in response. He wasn’t Chester. He wasn’t a canine ghost. But his uncanny resemblance to Justin’s boyhood companion threw him for a loop.

Wary, he checked out the suite, the puppy on his heels. Nothing. No one. Nada. Whoever had dropped off the dog was gone.

So this time he took a closer look around. He went into the walk-in closet and saw that his suitcase had been unpacked. His clothes were hanging on wooden hangers. Even the shirt that had been stripped from him was there, laundered and pressed.

Apparently he was a welcome guest, a valued captive, just as his nighttime angel had said.

He walked into the bathroom. His toiletries, the travel-size toothbrush, toothpaste and shaving kit he’d brought along, were lined up on the counter. Complimentary bottles of shampoo, conditioner and liquid soap had been provided, much like a hotel. They were the brands he used at home.

He doubted the suite had been readied while he’d been occupying it. They’d probably done it before they’d even carried him in here.

The puppy pestered him for attention. He didn’t want to get attached, so he ignored the goofy mutt and headed for the sitting room, where leather couches and an entertainment center dominated the masculine décor.

A sculpture by Frederic Remington, his favorite western artist, was displayed in a glass case. Justin had a recasting of it at home. But he suspected that this was the real deal.

Original Remingtons rarely came on the market, and when they did, major museums and private collectors scooped them up at astronomical prices.

But the Halloways could afford it, and he wouldn’t be surprised if the statue had commanded a four or five-million-dollar price tag.

Had they purchased it to impress him? To entice him?

Taking a chance, he went to the main door and tried to open it. It didn’t budge. It didn’t even rattle. He was still holed up. But aside from the hangover, he was clearheaded, which meant the mob wanted him to be coherent. If they didn’t, they would have sedated him again instead of dropping off a dog.

Justin checked the French door in the bedroom and discovered it was unlocked, the terrace providing a place for the pooch to pee. When he went outside, he realized that he was on the third floor.

He examined the view. Lush grounds erupted into stone walkways, bubbling fountains and leafy plants and flowers.

Would this be his eventual escape route? Could he climb down the terrace without tripping an alarm? And if he got to the bottom safely, could he scale the cement wall that framed the yard and disappear without getting caught? Not likely. He spotted a uniformed guard at the edge of the building. But for now it didn’t matter. He wasn’t ready to leave, not until he found out why the mob had kidnapped him. And then, of course, there was his angel. Between his circumstances and hers, his mind was cluttered with unanswered questions. No, he thought. He wasn’t about to attempt a premature escape.

Needing to combat his hangover, he took a shower. After soaping down and washing his hair, he combed it straight back and frowned at his hard-edged reflection in the mirror. His former fiancée used to say that he looked like a desperado, especially when he neglected to shave, so he grabbed a disposable razor and went to work on the stubble.

With a towel wrapped around his waist he came out of the bathroom, and the dog whined at him.

“Fine. I’ll pet you.” He reached down to scratch the mutt’s elephant ears.

The happy-assed, ugly-as-sin dog rolled over on his back, exposing his belly and kicking his feet in the air.

So much for not getting attached. Justin decided to call him Lester since it rhymed with Chester.

He got dressed and took the puppy onto the terrace. Justin stood there for about fifteen minutes, checking out the situation again, wondering if he would be able to get past the guard at night, if when the time came, he could—

“I’d suggest using the stairs,” a deep voice said from behind him.

He spun around and stared at the giant who’d uttered those smart-mouthed words.

Instinctively, Justin clenched his fists. His opponent outweighed him by at least eighty pounds, but Justin had the advantage of youth. The Hulk was probably on the far side of sixty.

“I’m glad you’re up and about. But I figured you would be by now.” The other man extended a beefy hand and introduced himself. “Leo Gordon. I’m in charge of security.”

Justin didn’t return the gesture. “Screw you,” he said instead. He wanted to kick the crap out of the security chief, not make friends with him.

Leo grinned. He had a slightly crooked smile and a nose that had probably been broken a dozen times. His razor-buzzed, pseudo-military hair spiked into fuzzy gray points. He was dressed in a dark suit, as if he were trying to pass himself off as civilized. His shoes were high-dollar loafers.

“You’ve got balls,” Leo said. “Like your old man.”

Justin angled his head. “My old man?”

“Your dad. We were friends. Once upon a time.”

Justin considered Michael Elk, his half-Cherokee father, the man who’d taught him right from wrong. Dad had been a hellion in his day, but his rebellious antics had been petty, smoking-in-the-boy’s-room kind of stuff, not consorting with the mob. That had been Uncle Reed’s turf. Or so Justin had been told. But now he didn’t know what to think.

Unfazed by the tension, Lester yapped happily at Leo, and the security chief picked him up, allowing the mutt to give him an affectionate nuzzle. But he’d probably brought the puppy to the room to begin with.

“Where am I?” Justin asked, pretending that he wasn’t aware of his surroundings. That he didn’t have an angel on his side. “Whose house is this?”

“It’s the Halloway mansion.” Leo cradled the dog.

“Halloway?” He repeated the name, playing his part, doing his damnedest to seem surprised. “Like the Hollywood Mob?”

“You catch on quick, kid.” Leo didn’t smile. No more half-cocked expressions. “We need to cut the chitchat and get going. Your family is anxious to see you.”

Justin flinched. His parents were here? Had they been abducted, too? And what about his sister? She was in Europe, but had they gotten to her, as well? “My family? If you did anything to them, I’ll kill you.”

“Lighten up. They’re fine. Now let’s go.”

Justin followed Leo out of the suite and into the mansion, where the architecture made an affluent statement. When they came to a sweeping staircase, Leo started his descent. Lester rode with his chin propped on the security chief’s shoulder.

The puppy gazed at Justin and barked excitedly, as if they were on a grand adventure. Leo didn’t falter. He simply patted the dog to quiet him.

When they reached a black-and-white tiled foyer, the other man finally stopped and turned. “This way,” he said, indicating a gentleman’s parlor.

Sturdy sofas and wing-back chairs governed the room, with chestnut tables and built-in bookcases.

Justin glanced around, looking for familiar faces. But the parlor was empty. “Where’s my family?”

“They’ll be here.” Leo put Lester down, and the puppy scampered around. “Why don’t you have a seat?”

“I prefer to stand.”

“Suit yourself.” Leo stood, too. He took an unassuming spot by a window where burgundy drapes, loaded with tassels and trim, were open, displaying a cluster of palm trees and a rolling-green lawn. As he adjusted his jacket, he flashed the holstered gun clipped to his belt.

Justin gave him a hard look. He wanted to jam his fist down the security chief’s throat. And he would, when all of this was over, when he knew his family was safe.

A uniformed maid wheeled a serving cart into the office, and Leo snapped at her. “You’re intruding on a private meeting.”

“I’m sorry, sir,” she responded in a respectful tone. “But the chef sent me. Mr. B. requested some hors d’oeuvres.”

Leo waved his hand, allowing her to proceed.

Justin assumed that Mr. B. was Brian Halloway, the boss. Referring to him as Mr. Halloway was probably confusing since there was more than one Mr. Halloway at the mansion. The angel had mentioned Richard Halloway, too.