“Rossi, I can’t.”
“Yes, you can. Your mother’s life depends on it.” Click.
She throws the phone onto the couch.
“Fuck!” I hiss. “My mother? What does that mean?” I grab my phone and call her cell. It goes straight to voicemail. “Shit. Shit.”
“When was the last time you spoke to her?” Jasmine asks, looking around the room aimlessly as if she will appear.
“I don’t know. This morning. She was going down to the casino …” I trail off. I never thought about her not returning. I thought maybe she stopped and was playing a machine. Or went to the spa. I don’t keep track of her 24/7. “Oh, my God.” I breathe. “He’s taken her.”
“We need Nite …” She goes to leave the living room, but I grab her arm and stop her.
“No. Don’t get him involved.”
“Haven. This is serious. You’re going to need help,” she snaps, pushing her red hair behind her ear.
I run my hands through mine. “If he knows I got help, he may kill her. I can’t take that chance.”
She places both hands on my shoulders. “There’s a chance she’s already dead. You can’t take that chance.”
I pull away and shake my head, unable to believe that scenario. “He wants me. Luca. He won’t hurt her.”
“You don’t know that!” she shouts. “You’re in this position because she went to Luca. What if he knows that?”
“Keep your voice down.” I look around quickly to make sure Nite is still in the bathroom.
Her eyes narrow on me. “He’s going to use you as bait. Make Luca go to him.”
I know. Fucking bastard.
“All three of you will be dead,” she snaps.
“Either you help me, or I do this on my own. Either way, I’m doing as he says.”
She lets out a long breath. “Fine. But for the record, I’m against this.”
“Noted.”
_______________
An hour later, I’m walking out of Kingdom with one of Luca’s baseball caps and a hoodie on. I look like an idiot, considering it’s summer in Nevada, but I don’t want my face being recognized on one of the cameras just in case. I know the Kings are on Luca’s side and that Titan does a damn good job with security. The casino is covered in them—interior and exterior—so I gotta cover all my bases.
Walking down the steps, stretched limos and cabs come and go through the circular valet drive. I shove my hands in the pocket of the hoodie and grip my phone. I have it on silent in case I get a phone call, so they won’t hear it go off. I need to keep it on me at all times.
A hand grips my right upper arm. “Excuse me …?”
“He’s waiting around the corner for you,” the male explains.
My stomach drops. Does he mean the driver or Rossi? I didn’t think he would come himself. I go to look up at the man, but he snaps at me. “Keep your head down.”
I drop it and take in a shaky breath. All I can do is pray that Jasmine has already called Luca, and he’s got Titan checking the surveillance now and they’re tracking the app I installed on my phone for her. I tried to think of every possibility for them to find me before I end up dead.
We walk down the sidewalk and sweat drips down my back from the heat of the sun and nervousness. Rounding the corner, I see a black stretch limo looking out of place at the back of an alley. My sweaty hand grips my phone tighter. I wonder if Luca’s calling me right now. I put it on silent for a reason. I didn’t want to have the urge to answer it once he finds out what I’ve done. He’s going to be so pissed at me. If Rossi doesn’t kill me, he probably will.
We come up to the limo, and the guy opens the back door. I just stand there. “Get in,” he orders.
“I want to see my mother first,” I demand.
He lets out a frustrated growl and shoves me inside.
I slide across the back bench.
“Haven.”
I straighten and turn to see Rossi sitting across from me on the other bench with his back to the partition. He has his arms stretched across the top. A large duffel bag sits at his feet. I pray he doesn’t plan on stuffing it with my body. My mother sits beside him. Her hands are wrapped in duct tape in front of her and another piece is over her mouth. She’s alive, and there’s no blood or bruises. I let out a long breath. “Let her go,” I order.
He just laughs but doesn’t open a door to let her out. My chest tightens at what he plans on doing with her.
My eyes dart around the large space. It’s just the three of us until the guy that had my arm crawls in beside me. I scoot to the far side, pressing my back into the door.