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Chapter Ten
Elena
I don’t have a clock in my room, or any way to tell what day it is so I counted every time the sun went up and came down. This morning Migual told me the water was turned back on so I could take a shower, and gave me a new outfit. A taupe colored dress with matching pumps and a brand new purse. He informed me this wasn’t a gift from Luca, but what I needed to persuade Ivana and Galina that nothing is going awry. They expect me to look a certain way, so I simply need to play the part.
Over the last week I wasn’t allowed out of my cage. Migual brought me breakfast, lunch and dinner and I ate in silence, barely seeing a soul. Luca’s made my stay here even more lonesome and saddening. Honestly, it’s made me realize how lucky I was to even get some sort of human interaction.
I’m currently in the back of some van which looks like it came straight out of a federal agency movie. You know the type, where the government is running surveillance on some bad guys from the back of a van decked out with computers, headphones and monitors running video. I’m sitting beside the man who’s made it easy to avoid me over the course of the last week, listening to him as he barks orders out like he’s my boss.
All of a sudden a pricking sensation jolts me and I spot a syringe with a needle in Luca’s hand. “What in the world was that?” I ask, knowing very well he just injected something in me.
“A GPS tracker, so don’t be a stupid little brat and think you can get out of this. If you even try, it won’t be pretty. And I think I’ve shown you how cruel I can be, but don’t cause me to make it worse for you.”
Normally I’d reply, but I don’t have the energy to keep doing this with him. To say it’s exhausting would be a vast understatement. I thought that by being crass and confrontational with Luca it might demand me some sort of respect— but in all reality the opposite has happened. Instead of respect, I’m just getting . . . ignored.
Luca grumbles something I can’t make out under his breath and digs his hand into the front pocket of his suit jacket, pulls out my phone and hands it to me. “I’ve taken the liberty of pretending to be you. Get caught up on what I’ve said to them while you’re on your way to the location. Ivana said she’d pick the place just before you met, but to be in this general location. And for the love of God, don’t fuck this up. Too many lives depend on you. Innocent lives.”
He opens the back door and I walk out onto the street, slinging my purse over my shoulder and trek onward. I was able to get a good glance at the address, seeing it’s just down the block and read part of the way through the messages exchanged between Luca and Ivana before the screen locks. I type in my passcode, but it doesn’t work. Dammit. Luca changed it.
Placing my cell back in my purse I continue down the cobblestone street and revel in the sun, missing the way the warmth shined down on me. I spot Ivana from a little ways off, in a deep green dress with a cream colored blazer jacket. She has huge, extravagant sunglasses on and there’s a croissant and coffee sitting before her. “Bonjour,my friend.” I say with a smile as I give her a half hug.
I take the seat beside her, seeing that another coffee type drink is sitting across from her and a waiter wearing a white shirt with black pants and a bowtie comes walking up. “Bonjour, madame. Would you care for a coffee or treat today?” The man asks in a thick French accent. There are many times when you travel across Europe and discover the people working in the cafes, restaurants, or diners, are also tourists. It’s such a rarity to have someone who is from the country you’re visiting wait on you.
“Yes, a hazelnut latte and croissant would be delightful.Merci.” One of the great things about my father sending me away is the pure fact I speak multiple languages, including French. There wasn’t much fun to be had, so I ensured I was well versed in a variety of languages.
A quick movement to the left causes me to land my eyes on Galina. Her hair blows back in the slight wind and she comes up to where her sister and I are seated, returning to the empty seat with the coffee. A moment later the waiter comes back and sets my coffee and croissant in front of me. I dig in my purse and hand him some Euro to pay him now, in case I have to split pretty quickly.
“Paying already?” Galina states. Obviously I’ve caused her red flags to go off.
I nod, “Yes. I naturally assumed the two of you wouldn’t want to be seen with me for long. We are trying to keep our plan under wraps, are we not?”
“We are,” Ivana interjects, giving her sister a worrisome glance.
Galina straightens her spine a bit more, shifts her face closer toward me and starts to speak, “My sister won’t admit it, although she’s concerned. Our men haven’t been able to track you for weeks, Elena. You can imagine how that might make us cautious.”
“Yes, I imagine it’s been difficult for your men to keep an eye on me.”
“They don’t even know where you’ve been.” Galina admits, keeping her eyes trained on mine.
I scoff, “Well, I’ve been playing whatever card I can get. Allow me to fill you in. I had the pleasure of ending Isaac’s life, however I saw an opportunity with his brother, Luca.” I don’t know why I’m lying to these women. I could spit the truth out and see if they’d help rid me of the mess I’ve fallen into, but there’s a small part of me that remembers what Luca said to me about their father . . . and I’m a firm believer that the apple never falls too far from the tree. Plus, it wouldn’t be smart of me to show them my hand.
“Why in the world would you do anything with the people we’re trying to take down?” Ivana asks, seeming even more nervous than before.
“Because Luca is dark, Ivana. He’s filled with anger, hates the Clans as much as we do. Was it not smart that I coaxed him along with me, making him develop an infatuation with me?”
“If what you’re saying is true, he’ll be an invaluable ally in our plan.” Galina speaks up, smiling from ear to ear.
I plaster on the fakest smile I can muster up, “Exactly, my friends. We’re going to take them down, that I promise you.” Picking up my latte, I take a sip of the hazelnut filled deliciousness and have a couple bites of my croissant.
Ivana glares at her sister yet again, “How can you be so sure what she says is the truth?” I almost expect them to bicker about this in private, but Ivana has no problem showing me she doesn’t have much faith in me.
Galina and Ivana stare off for a moment before Galina blows me away, “Because, my dear sister, I trust Elena. If she was double crossing us she wouldn’t have ever met with us today. She would’ve chickened out because that’s the type of weak people who show loyalty to the Clans. Elena here is strong, like us. That being said, do me a favor and don’t disappoint me, Elena.”
Fuck, even if I wanted to have the sisters help me now . . . it would never happen. If I ever breathe a word of it I’ll be killed by Galina no doubt, because in her eyes I would’ve killed the trust.
“So, moving onto other issues. Have you heard anything about the charity gala next month?” Galina asks me.
I realize quickly this is the event the sisters want to target. I want to scoff, but I don’t. Of course I’ve heard about the charity gala. It’s a Clan tradition. The heads of every Clan family attend and it would make for the perfect opportunity to strike.
