I’ve no problem spilling some blood along the way. It’s up to them if that blood once belonged to the De Luca family.
CHAPTER 2
Islide into the Mercedes and adjust my sunglasses, the tight burgundy red dress clinging to my skin. It’s only ten a.m. and it’s near eighty. I already know we are preparing for a brutal summer of heat, and this is just the start.
My uncle is waiting inside, his eyes shielded by sunglasses and he’s dressed in a pair of black suit pants and a white button down, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Somewhat too casual for a business meeting.
“Elena,” He greets.
“You are not dressed,” I sneer.
“The Rossi’s do not care.”
“Well I do,” I turn to him, “You work for me, let’snot forget that.”
“My apologies.” Any form of amicable expression drops from his face. “I’ll be sure to remember that next time.”
The driver pulls onto the road and starts toward the Bighorn Mountains, where Sierra Valley sits. A beautiful small town I’ve only visited a few times in my life. Nestled within the shadows of the mountains, it’s surrounded by forests and rivers and lakes, the echoes of history lingering in the trees that stand like guards around the town. Once a place that dominated the market with their farm produce, but my father saw to end that, providing the power to a single corporation that would happen to buy up the small town’s family-run ranches and turn them into money making machines.
The last I checked, there were a few ranches left fighting, refusing to sell their souls to the devil himself.
I busy myself on my cell during the drive until the car comes to a stop. Only when I look out the window, there're no buildings, no other cars, no civilization at all.
“Is there a problem?” I ask.
“Engine cut off, Miss De Luca,” The driver calls back, “Give me just a minute to check.”
Unease works through me and I subtly glance at my uncle, but he doesn’t appear to be concerned. He continues typing away, notsparing me a glance until five minutes pass on the dot.
“I’ll go check what’s going on,” He says, pocketing his cell.
I don’t like this at all. I run my hand down my leg, feeling the gun beneath my dress, tucked into the holster at my thigh, but it brings me little comfort. Beyond the windscreen, I see my uncle chatting casually with the driver, neither of them even looking at the engine.
My gut churns with anxiety and dread. Shoving the door open, I round the car to where they stand.
“Get back in the car, Elena,” My uncle chides sternly.
“You don’t seem to be all that concerned about the car,” I point out, “Considering you haven’t even popped the hood.”
“We’re no mechanics, Miss De Luca,” The driver assures me, flicking his eyes over my shoulder before returning them. “We have breakdown on its way.”
“Fuck this,” I grumble, stepping away to lean on the car and pull out my cell, dialing Rio. There’s nothing around for miles except far off buildings I assume are the ranches in this area and woods. The mountains stretch toward the sky in front of me, with its steep craggy sides and jagged ridges, the highest point shrouded in a cover of white cloud. But they offer no shade to the high noon sun. Despite it being only early summer, the heat is brutal here.
Rio answers his cell after a couple of rings.
“Elena,” His deep voice lacks its usual warmth.
“I need you to come pick me up.” I pinch the bridge of my nose, “I’ll ping you my location.”
There’s a pause from the other side.
“Hello?” I ask, pulling the cell away to check it’s still connected.
“It didn’t need to be this way,” Rio says.
“What?” I roll my eyes. “Not sure I could have predicted this, Rio.”
“That’s not what I meant, Elena.”
