Page 36

36

Luca

“Twenty-two dead,” Levi says, wiping his brow. “Christ.”

I pinch the bridge of my nose, my head pounding, exhaustion making my movements sluggish and heavy.

We double-checked the bodies for pulses, then for anything that might give us a clue to who they were or where they came from.

But in situations like this they generally have nothing and are brought to this country on a promise of a better life or taken against their will from everyone and everything they love.

The women inside are under the care of Layla. I’ve kept away, leaving her to work uninterrupted.

She has the easier task, taking care of the living. And every single one of the girls here died a horrible death.

Katy and Duchess have gone to get some food, and clothes for the ones still breathing. Asher has been called away to his father’s bedside, leaving us to sort the container.

“I’ve called Bennett,” Roman says as Levi and I climb back down from the lorry holding the rancid sight. We close the door, the metal grating as the handles fight us.

As if the girls are sending a message from their grave that they don’t want to be buried for the rest of eternity in the metal coffin.

“He’ll be here in the next hour to take care of the rest.”

I nod and pull the rubber gloves off, throwing them in the bin outside the warehouse.

“No, Luca,” Roman says stopping me. “Pass them here.”

I pause, eyes widening at my slip up, fuck me that was a stupid mistake. Which just goes to show how wrecked I am.

“I’m fucked.” Levi pulls off his own gloves. “I think that smell will stay with me forever.”

“And the sight. Sick fuckers.” I spit onto the floor, convinced I can taste it. “You got a smoke?” I ask Levi.

“Yeah, in my suit jacket.” He steps past me and looks over his shoulder to see why I haven’t fallen into step.

“I’ll wait here,” I reply, walking to the edge of the building and leaning against the wall, not giving a shit at how filthy it is. Roman leans next to me. “Did you find anything out?”

“Sokolov’s are ignoring my calls.”

“I wonder why.” I snort. “Do you think he was in on it?” I nod towards the warehouse where Levi grabs the smokes.

“No,” Roman says. “Not seeing Duchess’ reaction, and I don’t think even your cousin would go this low knowing her history.”

“True.” I rub at my temples. “You look like shit. When was the last time you slept?”

“At this point, I’ve no fucking idea.” I slowly let my body sink to the floor as a wave of dizziness overwhelms me. I lean my head against the cold wall closing my eyes as the world tilts and my vision blurs, the dusting of darkness creeping in at the edges.

I will not pass out.

I will not fucking pass out.

“When did you last eat?”

“Last night.”

“Drink?”

“Erm…Coffee this morning.”

“Fucking hell, Luca.” He pushes off the wall and goes inside.

I hear the crunching of shoes and peel my eyes open to see Levi sinking down next to me passing me a smoke.

I take it, leaning forward for him to light it. I breathe in deeply and let the light-headedness and headrush wash over me. Leaning against the wall, I close my eyes as I exhale the smoke.

“Why would the Russians set you up?” Levi asks.

“That’s what I can’t work out,” I reply honestly. “We haven’t got any beef with the Russians, what do they have to gain by fucking me over? Who gave you the information?”

“Duchess.”

“And where did she find out about it?”

“A contact.”

“A contact. Helpful. I bet you’re glad you came to gatecrash,” I say with a smirk. We sit in comfortable silence, both of us thinking.

“For the record, I know about your little conversations with Layla, the threats. She’s out of this now, the game’s changed.”

“Has it?”

“Think about it for a minute.” And at least the fucker actually shuts his mouth.

“I’ve played right into their hands and shown my cards.”

“Exactly. They know I’m up to something, just like they now know you’re up to something. You trying to move against me has backfired.”

“Bollocks.” He mutters and I can’t control myself, I laugh and soon Levi has joined in. “Whatever comes next involves me and Duchess.”

“It was always going to involve you and Duchess.”

“Yes, but before it was my plan, my moves…now—”

“You’re in the dark as much as we are.”

“So, the logical next step…”

“Pool our resources to put ourselves on stronger footing.”

“See, Luca, we can speak the same language.”

“Occasionally when you’re not being an utter bellend.”

He laughs again, transforming him into the carefree, fun Levi I haven’t seen since we were kids. “I may not know their next steps, but I know mine. I want a fucking shower in antiseptic gel.”

I grin. “I’m going to sleep for a fucking day. But we need to get the girls moved as soon as we can, I keep expecting the police to appear any fucking minute.”

“That’s what I don’t understand, why haven’t they?” Levi asks looking up the empty road. “If this was a setup, surely we should have had police crawling up our arseholes.”

“No idea. Maybe someone upstairs was feeling kind —”

“Luca?” Layla calls softly from the warehouse door. She walks over, handing us each a bottle of water. “You look like sh—”

“I’m aware.”

She crouches down, taking my wrist and placing her fingers over my pulse.

“What are you doing?” I ask looking down to her fingers, then back up to her face, her mouth moving as she counts.

“I would say it’s fairly obvious.” She replies after a beat. “Roman said you haven’t eaten or drunk anything, and not slept for days.” She says, her tone full of…fuck I’m not even sure what it’s full of.

Annoyance, sarcasm, disappointment.

All of the above.

“And on that note,” Levi says, “I’ll leave you two.”

“Oh, now he realises there are boundaries,” I mutter. “Are you alright?” I ask, searching her face as she flops down next to me, I don’t miss the wince.

“Are you?”

“You’re the doc. What’s the verdict, will I live to see another day?”

“I mean you’re not going to die in the next five minutes, but that doesn’t mean you’re out the woods yet, I want to kill you.”

“I would say I’m sorry, but—”

“What exactly are you sorry for, Luca? Last night or dragging me into a crime scene, again?”

“You came willingly to the first one remember,” she rolls her eyes, and I reach out and tuck a strand of hair behind her ear before explaining. “We had no choice, they needed help, and we—”

“Couldn’t take them to a hospital.” She waves her hand. “This isn’t my first rodeo. This is my first time seeing a shipping container full of bodies though and seeing the sorry state of those poor women. Being alive isn’t necessarily a clean bill of health, they will be dealing with the trauma of this for the rest of their lives.”

“I didn’t fucking import them, Layla. That,” I point to the shipping container my cigarette dropping ash, “and those women have absolutely nothing to do with me. But I swear to you now, those women have had the best thing happen to them, because we have saved them from whatever fate was waiting for them.”

She grabs the remainder of my cigarette throwing it to the side shaking her head.

“Saved them? Are you even hearing yourself right now.” She stands. “You’re fucking insane, this whole situation is insane. I am not your personal mafia doctor; I am not your girlfriend. I am fucking done.”

“No, Layla.” I stand quickly, fighting the dizziness, grabbing hold of her and pushing her up against the wall. “You are done when I say you’re done.”

Her eyes wince, but she holds her chin up defiant. “I’ve done everything you have asked of me and more, I’m going home.”

“You go back to my penthouse.”

“I will go home.”

“Layla.” I warn. But she pushes me off her, and I let her go. Too fucking dizzy to fight her.

“Let’s go Katy.” She disappears off inside and then reappears with Katy.

As they walk past me, I catch the scent of Layla’s body wash, coconut and vanilla, beneath the smell of all the death and decay. And at last I take a breath.

I want to stop her.

I want to explain.

But I also want her the fuck out of here.

“Don’t get comfortable, sunshine, this isn’t goodbye.”

She stops, turns around, sticks her middle finger up, and mouths fuck you.

My little temptress.