“Don’t be long,” the gang boss warned as the old woman’s bony hands shoved Celina in the back. “No one keeps Del Roca waiting.” Puffing out his chest, he looked pleased just to speak the name.
The crone seemed equally impressed. “Del Roca,” she commented, nodding her head with approval.
“He’s none of your business, old woman,” the gang boss warned.
“You’ve said too much,” the crone guessed with glee. “You shouldn’t have mentioned Del Roca’s name. Well, at least she’ll be safe from you.”
“If you think that’s a good thing, you’re a fool,” the gang boss sneered, walking over to them. “Del Roca goes through these girls like a hot knife through butter, and when he tires of them, they disappear. Don’t just stand there,” he yelled, scowling at Celina. “Get ready to meet your new owner, bitch!”
Her fate was sealed if she didn’t do something. She’d heard rumors among the Blood and Thunder staff about a murderous thug called Del Roca.
“I said now, bitch!”
The gang boss shoved his gun in her face.
“Give me that gun,” the crone crooned in a tone that Celina guessed was intended both to beguile and to warn him not to deprive Del Roca of his prize. “Before you shoot yourself in the foot, idiot!” she added viciously, snatching the weapon from his hands.
Celina watched as the old woman slipped the gun into her apron pocket. “Don’t worry,” the crone added with a cold glance at Celina. “I’ll keep a close watch on the slut.”
As I will on you, Celina thought as a plan began to form in her mind.
“Rather you than me flying in the big man’s helicopter,” the old woman remarked as she closed the door, enclosing them both in the small dressing room. “You’d better be nice to him if you plan to reach the end of your journey.”
“What do you mean?” Celina was genuinely curious. And frightened by the thought of what lay ahead of her. She had to tear her gaze away from the enticing bulge of the gun in the old woman’s pocket.
The crone laid a forefinger down the side of her nose, as if to demonstrate how clever she was. “If you’re a disappointment to Del Roca, you won’t live long. If I tell you what he does to disobedient young girls, you’ll understand.”
Del Roca. It was coming back to Celina. She remembered the name being spoken in hushed whispers in connection with Dante Formosa, Diego’s friend and fellow polo player on the Blood and Thunder team. There was talk of Dante’s first wife being murdered by a thug named Del Roca. Was this the same man?
The old woman’s screeching laugh snapped her Celina to full attention and made her more determined than ever that she wouldn’t go quietly to her fate. The other victims had had no warning of what was about to happen to them, but she did. The gang would have to drug her again and drag her on board Del Roca’s helicopter. Brave thoughts, but how did she know if the trail of crumbs she’d left behind had been picked up by Diego and the team? All she had was hope, and trust in Diego.
~~o0o~~
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Diego raked his thick black hair in a fury of frustration as Alexei relayed the latest news. “Del Roca’s behind this?”
“Correct,” Alexei confirmed. “We just got a positive ID.”
“You’re sure it’s Del Roca who bought her?” His stomach turned over as he considered Celina’s chances if he didn’t intervene quickly.
“He took her out of the sale and reserved her for himself,” Alexei explained.
A long and frustrating few moments passed when the line between them crackled. “It isn’t like Del Roca to be so careless about revealing his whereabouts,” Alexei added as soon as the line cleared. “He must have known there was a possibility the auction was being monitored. He tuned in late to the proceedings. Perhaps he heard it was someone who worked for us and couldn’t resist hitting out.”
“If he knows she’s one of us, Celina’s chances of survival are zero if I don’t get to her first.”
“So she’s one of us now?” Alexei pressed dryly.
“What do you think?” he exclaimed. This was not the time to play coy. The clock was ticking on Celina’s safety. Del Roca had a long-standing grudge against the team and had been at the top of their hit list for as long as he could remember. “What about the other punters? Weren’t they disappointed when he took her off sale? Just by taking part in the auction, they must have known they risked revealing their locations.”
“No one would go up against Del Roca,” Alexei pointed out.
“Except us,” Diego countered. “But you’re right. A man who takes pleasure tossing young women out of his helicopter isn’t for amateurs to take on.”
It made perfect sense that Blood and Thunder’s nemesis was the man at the top of this pyramid. Diego switched to battle mode. If Del Roca discovered Celina had tricked him, she’d be dead before she took her next breath. No way was the mobster getting his bloodstained hands on Celina. He’d have to come through Diego first.
“If you free her from the barn too soon, Del Roca has no reason to come out of hiding,” Alexei pointed out.
“Are you suggesting I leave Celina in the barn as bait?”