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A few hours later, Blake has accessed all of Grace Smith’s social media accounts, looking for any connection that would have linked her to Dominic. Faye, Ana, and Margot are quietly conversing in the living room, while Travis is in my office talking on the phone to God knows who. He’s probably amassing an army. I could read his disgust clear as day when Margot told us about her granddaughter and how Dominic has been forcing her to spy on me. Even my dear old dad didn’t stand for hurting children. Not so directly anyway. This has made my decision for me. I can’t allow Dominic to continue hurting people in his quest for power and money. His days are numbered… and having Margot on our side means that if all goes the way I hope, his expiration date will be that much sooner than it would have been otherwise.
It’s much later by the time Travis and Blake are ready to leave the penthouse. I sent Margot home at her usual time so that Dominic wouldn’t have any advance notice that I am onto him. I have no doubt that Margot is being watched, so any deviation in her schedule could push Grace even further into harm's way.
Margot’s comment that Dominic already has a buyer for Grace was just the information we needed. We have the barest skeleton of a plan taking shape. Blake is going to use dark web connections to try to link Dominic and his known associates to underground slave auctions. I know that in the past he has sold people this way. He thinks he can make more money and I’m sure that he does. A pretty fourteen-year-old will definitely command a high price from the sick fucks who think that it’s acceptable to buy people.
If we can confirm that she is going to be auctioned off, I will buy her myself to keep her from the clutches of the kind of evil men that Dominic caters to. I'm hoping that we can stop it from going that far. I'd prefer to spare the poor girl the trauma of being stripped naked in front of a crowd and auctioned off. Now we just have to find Dominic so that we can find her.
I sent Margot home with the memory cards with our planted conversations recorded on them, grateful that they were the first ones she was supposed to hand over to Dominic. I think Ana was even more relieved than I was. Knowing our intimate moments weren’t recorded lit her face with the first genuine smile I had since Blake brought Margot up to talk to us. Dominic is supposed to pick up the memory cards from her tomorrow, so we have tonight to develop a plan to track him back to wherever he’s been hiding. It shouldn't be a problem. I have way better toys now that I've put K&S in charge of hiring and training my security, and I have every intention of using everything at my disposal to stop him.
It’s good to have a team behind me that isn’t known to my former life. Blake had no trouble at all setting up observation points in the housekeeping area, as well as the service entrances to the casino and hotel. We have eyes on
Dominic himself within minutes of him showing up in housekeeping to find Margot. To her credit, she was able to give him the fake data and to ask the questions that we coached her on without tipping him off that we are on to him. She was even able to convince him to text her a photo proving that Grace is still alive. As soon as Dominic left, she immediately turned her phone over to Blake, and he is working to decipher her location based on the background in the picture and whatever other information he can get from a text.
The picture is a good one at least, showing the petite girl crouched on the floor of a room with an uncovered window above her. The balls of that man to not even try to hide what he’s doing. Blake said there is a lot of information to be had. All he has to do is clarify the background and cross-reference the blurry images with a reverse image search. It doesn’t take long to narrow things down. It’s actually pretty basic technology these days.
Gracie is being held somewhere near the Woodlawn Cemetery. There are industrial buildings in that area as well as houses. We’re pretty sure she is in one of the houses based on the type of window in the photo. We are all relieved that she is still in the city, but getting to her will be our biggest challenge. Travis and I have several men in the general area, watching for Dominic and anyone known to be associated with him. I’m positive that he will turn up eventually, we just have to be patient and wait. Dominic will show himself before any harm comes to Grace if only to pick her up when it’s time to take her to the auction. That’s something that I know that he won’t want to miss out on being there for, in person.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Ana
We have all been staying close to home this past week. Xavier assures me that between his men and the ones that K&S has called in, it’s just a matter of time before Dominic is found. He hasn’t said it to me, but I can read the lethal intentions in his eyes when he talks about finding Dom. I know that the FBI thinks that they will be called in to arrest him, but I know that isn’t what is going to happen. I think that Dominic is going to die for his crimes. For the harm, he brought to me and to Faye. For what he’s done to Gracie Smith and countless other innocent girls and women. X tries to keep it from me, but I know that many of the women named in Sal’s ledger have been found… dead. Many of them from drugs, the tale of their suffering told from the damage to their bodies. The FBI wants Dominic to pay by going to prison, but I stand with my husband, Dominic Cerelli needs to pay with his life. I have never been a fan of violence, but sometimes, maybe it’s warranted. I’m just ready for this all to finally be over.
Xavier is with Travis. Again. I swear that I only see him at night these days. I’m happy that Faye lives just downstairs, otherwise I think I’d be going crazy. I’m not sure what I’m going to do once they move. I know that they are looking for a house outside of the city. So she may not be this close for long.
We have appointments at the beauty salon on the main floor to get pedicures before lunch. Mostly because I can’t reach my own feet comfortably anymore, but also because a little girl time will help ward off the boredom for both of us. Hopefully Ellie is working today too, so we can get her to join us. At least to eat. She has been working way too much lately, and I’m worried because she is looking so worn out. The burden of providing for her family sits heavily on her shoulders, and she needs a break whenever possible, and it’s up to Faye and I to make sure that she does. After all, that’s what friends are for.
I meet Faye at the salon, and we both decide to get manicures and pedicures, so it takes longer than we had originally planned. It’s almost noon when we finish, so we go searching for our friends. Weaving our way across the busy casino floor, we head toward the back of the building to where the housekeeping department is. Margot will be able to tell us where she is working today so we can find her. She’s been much more friendly since her secret came out, and I understand that the reason she was so snooty was just her trying to keep her distance because of what she was being forced to do. I’m still unsure why she didn’t seem to like me when I first came to live in Xavier’s home, but I’m not going to hold it against her. I’m sure that she had her reasons, whatever they were.
I really hope that Ellie isn’t working another double shift today. I’ve tried to get Xavier to do something about it, but short of demanding that her managers don’t allow it, I get that his hands are tied. He lets management make those kinds of decisions without his interference. I get it, I just don’t appreciate it when it’s my friend who is being overworked.
Faye grabs my arm, startling me when her fingers dig tightly into my flesh. She hisses quietly, “Over there. That man.” she lifts her chin slightly, gesturing toward the blackjack tables. “He seems familiar to me for some reason, and he keeps looking over here.”
Trying not to be obvious, I glance in the direction she indicates and gasp in shock. “That’s Dominic.”
“You have got to be shitting me!” Faye whisper shouts. “We have to call Travis and X now!”
“No. We have to pretend that we haven’t seen him. Just keep moving.” I whisper back, trying to act naturally as I pull my phone out of my pocket and send a text to X, telling him who we just saw sitting in his casino looking as cool as a cucumber. That man has got some crazy balls to waltz in here and sit out in the open playing cards.
My phone rings immediately, and when I lift it to my ear, I don’t get a chance to say anything before Xavier’s harsh voice rumbles instructions for us to go somewhere crowded. Abandoning our search for Ellie, we change directions, and go straight to the cafe and slip into our usual table to wait for one of the men to come tell us what to do next. Neither of us have any doubt that they will be joining us soon.
Ellie finds us first, looking perplexed as she slides into the booth beside Faye.
“Margot got a call from Blake, and she sent me here to meet you two. Apparently I have the rest of the day off, and I’m still getting paid. What’s going on?” she squeaks in disbelief. I’m sorry it took Dominic coming here, but it’s good that she is going to have a mandatory day off.
Before I can say anything, Faye answers, her voice a stunned whisper. “Dominic is here!”
“Here?” Ellie gasps, her eyes darting around the crowded dining room searching for him even though, as far as I know, she has never laid eyes on him before.
“Well, not here, here. Out there.” I reply, waving my hand toward the crowded casino. “He was sitting at the blackjack tables when we were coming to find you.”
“Oh my goodness!” Elle whispers, her voice thin and worried. “What is going to happen now?”
“Nothing that you need to worry about, Angel.” Blake’s voice rumbles deeply beside her, startling all three of us. His face is grim, as are those of Travis and Xavier as they join him beside us, crowding around our table.
“Ellie, you are taking the rest of your shift off and spending it with these beautiful ladies up in the penthouse,” Xavier says as he helps me out of the booth and to my feet, pressing a soft kiss to my cheek.
Ellie nods her head, “Margot told me.” She whispers. Someday she will have to learn to be less shy around him.
