I am literallythemost boring person on the planet; an only child to two wonderful dads. I never had any trouble at school or university. I never hung out with the wrong people, and I pay my taxes and bills on time.
The car slows. The sun fell a while ago, so looking for a clue as to where I am is useless. Allegra doesn’t move as her driver steps out of the vehicle. I do my best to listen to what she is saying to the other driver—the one from Kelley’s car. There’s some nodding and more talking into their cuffs.
The one Allegra called ‘Mia’ breaks away and heads to Allegra’s door. “All clear. We’re ready to move.”
“Thank you, Mia,” she responds and then turns to me. “Do you get seasick?”
I silently shake my head. She’s taking me out to sea? I haven’t got a passport, so I hope the boat stays in British waters. A burst of laughter echoes around the car and I realise, this time, Ididsay it out loud. Dammit.
“Out,” Allegra barks after she’s finished mocking me.
Scrambling out of the car, the sea air instantly assaults my senses. Any other time, it would be quite lovely. It’s been ages since I went to the beach, although I did read a fantastic romance book last week that was centred around summer holiday time and scuba diving in southern France.
My musings are interrupted by Mia taking my arm rather forcefully. She half walks, half drags me along as we follow Allegra toward what I think is a slipway. Turning my head, I desperately look for any sign of Kelley.
“She’ll be onboard,” Mia comments.
Seriously, can they all read minds?
A small-ish dinghy awaits us. Allegra steps onboard without so much as a look in my direction. She takes her place at the helm. I’m shoved to one of the seats at the rear. The only thing keeping me from a panic attack is the sight of Kelley, who is thankfully alive. She’s conscious, too, although extremely pale.
The second she is in reaching distance, I pull her to my side. “Are you okay?”
Silly question, really. The woman has a hole in her shoulder. She nods silently, burying her head in my neck. There are no words, so I simply hold her. Guilt roils in my stomach. I should have insisted she go home; should have done more to keep my best friend safe.
The roar of the engine startles us both. There is still a kernel of hope this is all some overblown prank. But that kernel is getting smaller by the second. Mia and the other goons settle themselves on the boat. Allegra does a quick visual sweep of the dinghy before hitting the throttle. Everything about her is both impressive, and fear-inducing.
She’s strong, both physically and mentally. It doesn’t take a psychologist to figure that out. From her interactions with the others, she is well and truly the boss, but not the “big boss”. No, she answers to someone—the someone who wants to see me. I have no idea what is going to happen, and for someone who likes routine, that makes me sweat. Maybe it will be as simple as a quick chat and soon I’ll be on my way home with Kelley.
Unlikely.
Now the hysteria and shock have worn off, I know I need to be smarter. No more gobbing off at Allegra. That’s a surefire way to get a hole to match Kelley’s.
The best approach would be to sit quietly and take in as much as I can. I’ll need all the information possible for the police. That’s if they believe me, and I get out of this in one piece.
My gaze drifts to Allegra, who is standing tall, casting her intensity out to the open water. I think back to what she said earlier: that as soon as she drops me off, I’ll never see her again. For some reason, that doesn’t seem likely. In fact, I think I’m going to be seeing the blonde maniac quite a lot.
Strangely, the thought doesn’t scare me.
4
Allegra
MsMoorsideisfascinating.Behind the copious amounts of wool is the heart of a fighter. She’s lost her cool several times since we picked her up, and I like it. There is nothing hotter than a fiery woman.
Of course, it’s highly entertaining watching her plot and plan. She has a useless poker face, but I admire her guts. I wonder if she would have followed through with her plan to get my gun.
The thought makes me chuckle. Thankfully, the wind covers any noise. I don’t need anyone noticing my interest in the bookstore manager—or the fact she intrigues me.
I’d marked her as someone who would wither away under pressure—a meek mouse of a human. Sure, there was the vomiting incident, but she found her fire again, and quickly. It’s like she can’t stop herself from verbally hitting back.
As I said: Fascinating.
It irritates me some. I was ready to drop her off and never see her again, but now I want to know how she copes with Don Ferrante. He’s an impressive man and makes the toughest of people cower. Somehow, I believe Ms Moorside will be as much of a surprise to him as she was to me.
My wait will be short-lived. The cliffside entrance to Don Ferrante’s most secure residential option in the UK is coming up fast. The family staying here is the only reason I didn’t push back harder against coming to Britain. Out of all his properties, this one is the safest, outside of Sicily.
The cliff looms over us as I bring the boat to a crawl. Without experience, a dinghy could easily become damaged on the sharp rocks that lay hidden beneath the high tide. I am the only one I trust to deliver the boat and its passengers safely. Some say I’m a control freak, and I wholly agree. There is a reason I am where I am in this life, and it comes down to trusting myself to get the job done. Don Ferrante is the only other living creature I trust.
