Red

C H A P T E R F O U R

At least I was on his radar now, I’m taking that as a win. This morning was a close call, he let me go with a threat and now it was my job to maintain his level of interest in me, even if it was only bad attention.

I blotted my scarlet coloured lips together in the club restroom mirrors. A few girls came and went, ignoring me completely. I started to untie my mask, wanting to let my face breathe a little but a girl beside me stopped washing her hands and eyed me strangely.

“Girl, don’t take off your mask.” She warned. I looked at her with a questioning glance but paused my fingers around the silk ribbon tying my mask together. “Don’t give them that. They take everything from you, call you names, touch you in places you didn’t consent, some of them even take things too far and force or threaten you into doing things you don’t want to do. Don’t let them have your identity as well, that’s the only thing you can truly keep safe. Nobody would dare remove your mask because they don’t want you to remove theirs.”

I pulled on the ties, tightening my mask against my skin once again and then dropped my hands. “They force themselves on you?” I could see her eyes glazing over beneath her black mask.

“Haven’t been here long have you?” She released a small in-genuine laugh. “They’re not supposed to but they do. When Titus was in charge things were real bad but now Ace has taken over things are... calmer. But old habits are hard to break.” She shrugged like she was telling me the most casual story ever. Like she was just used to accepting this abuse and there was nothing anybody could do or say to change that.

“Why do you come back every day?” I asked, probably a little insensitivity, like she had a choice. She cackled, shaking off the question without putting too much thought into the answer.

“Girl, these men are clever. They found me when I was only eighteen, a single mom with no job, no house and no food. They paid me good, not just with money but with a house, a life. Stability. You don’t just leave a place like this, it traps you in when you need it the most and then it forces you to stay. If I left they would find me, they would most certainly kill me and they would likely kill my family too, my daughter. Keep your mask on, your identity is the only thing they can’t own.”

I didn’t want to burst her bubble by telling her that Ace and his men probably have access to resources that the town cops don’t have. They could find out who you are, where you live and what you had for breakfast in under five minutes. She gave my shoulder a sympathetic squeeze and then walked out of the door.

I took a deep breath and followed behind her, hearing the sensual music playing loudly already. I was ready to face another night at the club.

“What did you do?” Toni snuck up from behind me and grabbed my arm, pulling me somewhere more private. The sound of my heels clanged on the floor with each hasty step I took. “He’s requested you in the conference room. Only his most trusted men are allowed in there. I can’t protect you in there. Why would he let you in? You’re nobody here, just a server girl.”

I pulled my arm free from his grip and pushed him against the wall, connecting my knee with his groin. He curled over automatically, clutching his Crown Jewels but I threw my arm across his windpipe, forcing him to look at me.

“You fucking listen to me you little weasel, you work for my father but on this mission you work for me. Don’t concern yourself with my behavior, you address me when I tell you to. Otherwise stay out of my business. If he’s letting me into the conference room it must mean he is underestimating my abilities, he’s exactly where we want him. In fact, you should be congratulating me on a job well done.”

“I’m sorry.” He muttered pathetically, coughing and spluttering his words out. I stepped back releasing him and carried on walking down the hallway to the conference room.

The door was heavy, bulletproof and when I pushed on it all eyes turned to face me. The room was generally dark walls and floor but there was red lights pointing up and down the walls giving it a secure, sexy ambiance. I noted one other girl, she was behind the bar fixing drinks and I approached her immediately, offering her help.

“Are you new? Where’s Kitten?” She whispered as she filled some glasses.

“Yeah, it’s my second day here and I don’t know.” I admitted.

I eyed up ten men all seated around a large tinted glass table. Several guns lay on the glass, out on display for all to see. Other weapons remained glued to each person. Every man was dressed smartly in suits of all different shades, sizes and textures. Ace sat at the head of the table, all eyes facing towards him.

“Your second day? Why would they let you in here?” The other server kept bombarding me with questions. “I swear if you squeal anything said in this room and it comes back on me I will kill you myself.” I glanced down at her super soft, dainty hands and scoffed at her threat. I figured the only weapon she had handled in her life was a tube of moisturiser.

I carried a tray of drinks over to the table, I watched as Aces eyes followed every movement I made behind a red, silk mask. One by one I placed the glasses down on the table without saying a word.

“Alessio Valentino” Ace started with a sternly spoken voice and I almost dropped the tray of glasses, creating a cluster of noise from the clanging ice hitting against the glass. Ace peered at me, two devilish eyes burning a crater through my soul. I gave him an apologetic smile and regained my composure.

“Back to what I was saying, Alessio Valentino and his five sons need eliminating but they’re not our biggest threat, we need to keep our eyes on the Petrov family.”

“But boss, Alessio is more powerful. He has more men, stronger fire power. Shouldn’t we focus on him?”

“Don’t question me Grimes.” Ace warned sternly “Petrov takes number one target immediately. I’ve no interest in the Valentino’s, they’re just in my way. However, if they join forces with Petrov they’ll be unstoppable. I want them dead before they do that.

We will wipe out the Valentino’s quickly, we don’t need to torture them or hold them for ransom. Just a quick confirmed kill. I want them all dead before the end of the month. I don’t like how close they are getting to us, always seem to be one step ahead of the game and I’m starting to think he’s got a mole on the inside.”

I walked around the table slowly, intentionally lingering to hear this conversation. Ace rolled out a large poster sized picture across the table and I inched forward discretely to take a look. It was a map.

“This area, right here.” He tapped the neck of his gun down on the map, I leaned in closer wanting to see which area he was pointing to exactly. Ace tilted his head to face me and I shot back up right and pointed my face straight ahead. Way to go Gabriella, that wasn’t obvious at all.

“This is where Antonio Valentino trains five nights a week. He is the oldestc of Alessios children. He leaves around 11pm every night and is always unarmed.” Ace continued, his men giving him their full attention. “This spot.” He pointed to another place on his map, this time I let my eyes travel down without moving my body. I couldn’t see anything. “Is a blind spot. I want to make a quick and easy grab, we will take him to the warehouse and hold him, use him as bait to lure the others in. You know the drill, we will pump him for information and then kill him all the while promising Alessio he’s still alive.”

Ace turned to face me and my whole body stiffened. “What do you think about that plan, Red?” All eyes turned to me.

Red?

“It would’ve been unprofessional of me to listen in on your plan Boss, therefore I cannot wager my opinion.” His lips curled up into a slow, sexy smirk. If I’m not mistaken I think my answer impressed him, why did that make me feel warm inside?

“Okay, Monday evening we will strike. By Wednesday he’ll be dead. We will take the Valentino’s down one at a time, leaving Alessio until last.”