Survivor (The Soul Mates Series Book 1) (12 page)

*****

Ross

“Where are you going?” she asks me.  Do I lie to her?  That’s the question.  On one hand I don’t want her to worry about me, but on the other hand, I need to make sure she’s on board with what’s about to happen.  I had to make the trip and get things moving, try and get some intel.

“Remember my pal, the one I trust?”

“Yes, Mr. President,” Cara confirms confidently.

I can’t hide the laughter, fancy asking her if she remembers something.  “Yes, Mr. President, I did say he had as much clearance as the man himself.”  It’s endearing but a very timely reminder that I absolutely can’t lie to her, she’ll fucking remember and trip me up.  “Because of his security access there is no need to worry.  His name is Jonas Drakeson and he lives on ranch land in a small place called Hawkstown.  His house is tucked away on the Hales ranch and his cell number is 734-555-9206.” I can hear her mumbling the numbers and data back to herself inanely, committing it to memory.  “I’ll be in touch twice daily.  Once at 9am and then again at 7pm.  Stay with dad and do your thing, he’s going to teach you some stuff whilst I’m gone.”

“How… how long will you be gone?”

Fuck.  Is she going to cry?  Not what I was expecting at all.  “Hey come on, I won’t be gone long, but these things take the amount of time they take.  You know we have to do this, we need to change it up, make our lives work for us and stop being afraid.”

Finally the tears she was trying to hold back, fell and began to dribble down her face.  Reaching up to wipe them away I carried on, “Tell me what’s going on in your head.”

“I’m worried you won’t be safe, if I don’t know you are my brain will… it just won’t work for me if you don’t keep in touch.  I’m sorry if that’s needy but I can’t explain it.  I can’t have you doing dangerous things, especially if you’re putting yourself at risk.  I can’t lose you now.”

This girl has the ability to destroy herself with simply worrying about stuff she can’t change or control.  I take her in my arms and hug her until I know she’s accepted that I have to leave her and put things in motion.  I will not live under virtual house arrest and be afraid.  “I’ll be back before you know it and then we can have some fun for a change.  Stay with dad, talk to him if things start to get on top of you.  Keep runnin’ the routes we’ve mapped out OK?”

“OK,” she whimpers, “Please be safe.”

“Yeah babe,” I agree, kiss her and climb into the cab of my truck.  I keep my eyes on her in the review mirror until I hit the gates on the yard.  My old man is both amazing and perceptive, I saw him appear at just the right time.  He gave us time to say goodbye but arrived when he knew Cara would need support and comfort.

An hour later I dumped my truck in the long stay parking at the airport and brought a plane ticket to Los Angeles, my plan was to start getting the lie of the land with her family as soon as possible.  Jonas had sent me a list of business properties and residential addresses that he had managed to uncover, I could have just asked Cara, but I didn’t want her to know that much.  As soon as I was through security I made my cover call, “I’m about to hop on a plane to L.A.  I’ve given your details to Cara.  If she can’t get hold of me and my old man can’t calm her down, you’re her next stop.  Cover for me, I’ll be with you as soon as I can, but if she gets in touch, you track me down and warn me.  For fuck’s sake don’t worry her OK?”

“Hello to you too motherfucker.  I got it.  You planning on being social? Wandering out in the open when you get here?”

“Why?”

“Just wondering if I’ve got to give Chris a heads up.  He’ll be pissed you’re back in town.”

“Keep it on the down low then brother, your call.”  Jonas was already sticking his neck out and I did not need to give him more trouble.

“Understand,” he confirmed.  “Be careful, check in here too.  This has all the ingredients of fucked up written all over it.”

“Sure.”  I hung up as they were calling my flight, I was travelling using one of my ATF legends so if anything did go awry that would delay the Acerbi’s in tying me to Rockton.  My theory being it would give someone a chance to give my dad and Cara a head start.  I had enough privacy at the back of the plane to go over a few files and photographs, Cara’s father and oldest brother were priority.  I’d also booked a room near one of the businesses they owned.  I was going to see whether the casino was worth a look and there was a titty bar in the list of holdings, they were usually good for dodgy business.

Hours later I’d rented a bland midsize car that I looked stupid in, but what the hell, needs must and I made my way over to do a drive by of the family mansion.

“Shittin’ hell,” I mumbled to myself, a drive by of this place was not going to happen.  It may as well be an island with a moat full of alligators.  Saying that crime doesn’t pay is fucking bullshit, it pays big time.  The place was amazing, a quick check of the map and another short drive away, I was parked on a hillside vantage spot.  I was able to see over the property walls with bino’s and there was no way anyone was getting inside that island without an invitation.  The only people visible were gardeners, house staff and the occasional suited heavy.  I sat there for a while and there were no comings and goings of note, no cars left that I could tail and on the whole nothing really happened.  I was on a tight timescale so it was time to move on and hope for something eventful to happen soon.

The second place was just a business realtor’s office and the staff inside were wall to wall bimbo’s.  This place wasn’t going to give me much so I grabbed a few leaflets, cut my losses and moved on.

Next I tried the casino; there were more suited goons here and also a lot of security cameras.  It all seemed pretty standard and expected for a place that was openly targeted by crooks and card sharks.  I didn’t hang around long.

The last place I tried was a small Italian Trattoria and the food smelled heavenly.  I hadn’t eaten since Cara had made us eggs for breakfast so I decided to stay.  A beautiful woman with a tanned complexion came to wait my table and after I ordered a beer and a plate of penne picante, I pulled out my phone to check in with Jonas via text.

Me:

His reply was fairly immediate.

Jonas:

No small talk from Jonas meant he was on board, understood and was treating it like a job.  No distractions.  Knowing that someone had my back always gave me a feeling of relief.

The food was amazing and half way through my main course a group of guys entered and headed for the back table.  When the last guy walked past me I recognized him instantly, Valentino Acerbi.

He had Cara’s eyes and hair color.  It was obvious he was carrying a gun along with everyone else at the table.  I finished my meal doing my best to remain inconspicuous.  This place was clearly somewhere the family frequented, which meant I could scout the area for a vantage point to watch it for a day or so.  The motel at the end of the block proved perfect and after requesting a front facing room, I was able to observe the front entrance to the Trattoria. 

With the ballgame from last night on the TV, I was able to sit and watch from a window until I needed to get ready for my visit to the strip club.  It became obvious quickly that a variety of different business meetings took place at the trattoria, lots of people left and different people arrived, all apart from Valentino.  He was the one constant who remained inside.

I’d forgot I’d set up a phone alarm for when it was time to check in with Cara until it started beeping, I dialed the house phone and waited.  He answered it and after I’d conveyed to him I was OK, he handed the phone over to her.  “I’m fine baby, nothing to report.  Have you had a productive day?”

“Yes.  Where are you?”  Direct and to the point, it seemed she wasn’t going to be deterred.

“Huntin’.”  It was the simplest form of the truth I could offer.

“Promise me you’re safe and out of sight.”

“Absolutely.”  I heard her breathe a sigh of relief, but it was clear we couldn’t carry on like this.  I needed to be able to focus and not be worried that she was mulching her brain with worry every day.  “Listen baby, our options are limited.  Either I do this myself or I have to bring in resource.”

“No!” she snapped, “That’s not safe.”

It seemed like I’d made my point, “I know.  So for now this is the best route.  Trust that I’m OK.  This has been my gig for years.  If I sense things are going south, I’ll bolt.”

“OK.  I… stay safe.”

“You too,” I replied and hung up.  Even with the distance and over a phone line I could sense she had developed serious feelings for me.  I had to get this shit done and head home, for the first time I had something waiting for me and I was over the moon about it.

Arriving at Sunset Strip and getting a table was as easy as pie, these places cater for two distinct groups, bachelor parties or weirdo loners.  Tonight, I was definitely the latter.  The pussy on offer was predictable.  Foreign, fake and flying high.  The dancing was appalling, no real flair or talent, they may have well of strolled in naked, spread themselves wide open and then left with a bunch of dollar bills grasped in their skanky paws.

Two of the bouncers were definitely selling something, either flesh or drugs and possibly both.  The drinks were so watered down and expensive it was a crime, a highway robber may as well have been serving them.

“Private dance sugar?” I heard for the twentieth time.  These bitches were on rotation and it didn’t take long for it to feel nasty.  Every time I said no, they checked with one of the muscled goons for permission to move onto another sucker.

Nursing my overpriced beer, I carried on clocking the routine of the bouncers and the clientele who couldn’t move to a private room for a dance fast enough.  Some people have no taste or standards.

“Um… sir, excuse me would you be interested in a private dance tonight?”  I was about to finally snap in annoyance but then I took in the girl stood at my side, she was different.  She was real and when I say real, I mean, real tits, real curves, real hair and really fucking young.  Her nervousness could be described as alluring, but it was also scary that she was doing this, someone this jittery would be a real fantasy come true for some twisted fucks.  I imagine she was also a real, money spinning, crowd pleaser.  Dirty fucking ass holes.  “My name is Raven.”

She’s smiling at me like a cheerleader and I get the impression that she is also expecting to be dismissed imminently, like her co-workers.

“Sure Raven, why not.”  As soon as I finish saying the words, she froze in shock.  Yep, she’s fuckin’ terrified.

“Uh… it’s gonna be a hundred and fifty dollars sir, if that’s OK, please follow me.”

A hundred and fifty bucks! Did she have a golden pussy?  What the fuck was she doing for that much money? And as soon as I finished thinking the question, my own mind answered it and I felt ill.  She nodded at yet another goon and placed a shaky hand in mine.  There was no way this kid was legal, but I followed anyway.  I was hoping her naivety would help me glean some information so my night wasn’t a total bust, that left me feeling like I could murder someone.

We got to a room that was playing the standard music, bump ‘n’ grind shit and there was a curved chaise strategically placed opposite a pole and a large mirror on the wall.  I’d been around mirrors like this before and it was definitely two way.

“Sir, money up front please,” she requested as soon as I was backed up onto the chaise.  I handed it over and she counted it quickly before shoving it in a well concealed drop box just below the mirror.

As soon as she got a little closer and blocked me off from the mirror, I began, “How about we just talk?”

Raven began to look around like a deer caught in the headlights, “I have to dance.  I need to dance,” she whispered to me.  That confirmed the first thing, that whoever collected the money at the other side was most certainly watching us.

“Just saying, I’ve kinda seen enough dancing for one night, but you do what you gotta do.”

Raven then proceeded to twist and turn in a sexy manner in front of me, with her back to the mirror.  It felt all kinds of wrong to look at her.  Sickening.  When she removed her string bikini top it was obvious that her tits were pert from youth and not silicone.  “Please sir, I need you to enjoy it.  I’ll be in heaps of trouble if you don’t.”

“Girl, I ain’t gonna lay a hand on you so don’t push it.”  I saw her bottom lip quiver.

“Please, this is hard enough as it is,” she whispered, turning and bending to touch her ankles.  Her ass was tight and firm and the muscles in her thighs screamed one thing – gymnastics/cheerleader.

“How old are you Raven?” I enquired leaning forward pretending to be after a closer look.

She pivoted round and grabbed her tits, her own posture giving away how uncomfortable she found this.  “Old enough.”

“Can we be heard right now?” I whispered.

I didn’t get a verbal answer just a slight shake of her head.  Without any choice in the matter Raven climbed up onto my lap and began to dry hump me.  “You’re not the type I normally have to do this for.  You don’t make me feel… icky.  You should leave.”

“Type?” I asked playing along and running a finger up her arm.