I give the captain my jewelry and the cash. He counts it and hands Joey what looks to be fifty euros.So much for seems like a nice guy.Not a good Samaritan at all, but an opportunist.
“What’s the money for?” I ask Joey.
“I connect travelers with ships.” He shrugs. “Like a travel agent.”
I guess everyone needs a side hustle.
“Have fun,” Joey calls, striding toward the main entrance, probably in search of another desperate soul.
“Follow me,” the captain says.
I glance up at the ship and out toward the ocean, then at the tiny photos in my hand. With fear in my heart, I follow him up the ramp.
48
Antonio
After spending the better part of the afternoon and the evening working on things that I’ve neglected since Daniela arrived, I came up to my apartment to change into a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. At least that’s the excuse I gave Cristiano and Lucas. The truth is, I was driving them crazy and making it difficult for them to focus. And somebody has to focus.
We have a shipment expected to arrive in the UK tonight. The same type of goods that went missing a couple of weeks ago. There were traitors in the ranks, and we flushed them out, but they weren’t working alone. Neither of them had the brains to be masterminds. That’s for sure.
But we can’t afford to have any more cargo taken right under our noses, especially so soon. We’re all on pins and needles until it arrives and is transported to the final destination.
Daniela picked the perfect day to run.Goddamn woman.
Despite the cargo concerns, I’ve been having a hard time keeping my mind off her—keeping my rage in check. The risks she’s willing to take for freedom are unfathomable. She’s naive but not stupid. The trouble she could find is chilling, even to me.
I made every mistake when it came to Daniela. I should have married her right after her father died. Before she tasted real freedom.
Her escape is not going to be like last time. No one’s covering her tracks to save her from reckless choices. She’s going to have to suffer the consequences of her decisions.And she deserves what she gets.
I’m not going to lose a wink of sleep over it. My conscience is clear.
I turn off the racing simulator. I figured I’d work with it while I was up here killing time. Thirty minutes is normally enough to clear my mind and relax me.Not today.
My phone rings, and I reach for it immediately.
When I see Sonia’s name on the screen, a sense of disappointment hits me—hard.
You are a stupid, stupid bastard, Antonio. She’s not calling. What the fuck is wrong with you?
I swallow my anger, my pride, and all good sense, and take the call.
“I didn’t expect to hear from you tonight. What’s up?” Even as I ask, I know why she’s calling.
“Booty call.”
Despite my dark mood, I laugh.
Sonia and I have a complicated history. My mother not so secretly hopes I’ll marry Sonia and give her some grandbabies to spoil. That’s never happening.
“I couldn’t sleep,” she says, quietly. “Went out for a walk, ended up at the lodge.”
“You’re here, now?”
“In the lobby.”
“I’ll be down in a minute. Don’t go anywhere.”