I breathe a sigh of relief when I look out the window and see city buildings.
I quickly take into account all the things I just found out—Ricardo and Ford have some kind of dealings going on together. My guess, is that it involves DeLuca. The only thing that doesn't make sense— is why the hell Ford's planning on whisking me off to freaking Mexico.
The only thing I can think of, is that Ford probably doesn't know that I'm with Jackson because we haven't had contact for months. He knows I've never kept boyfriends in the past and he probably just assumed I'm single.
On the plus side, Ricardo and Ford must be gearing up to take DeLuca down. And if my suspicions about Ricardo are correct, who better than him to help do it?
On the negative side, Ford's going to attempt to woo me and take me on vacation. Clearly he has another thing coming, but I'll gladly accept him getting rid of DeLuca for me and Jackson.
What I don't understand is why the heck he never picked up his phone for me if he's planning on doing all this? But then again, it's Ford. He's about as predictable as a tidal wave.
I pay the cab driver and walk into the apartment. Now that Jackson gave me a key, I don't have to knock on the door anymore.
“Hey,” a deep voice says.
I turn around and practically have a heart attack when I see Ricardo standing before me.
How the hell did he make it back here so fast? Then again, he does drive a mustang.
He looks at me and makes a face. “Look, you've been acting a little strange around me ever since that fight. I hope you know that I really didn't mean to punch you. You don't have to be scared of me, Alyssa.”
“Yeah,” I squeak.
He scratches the back of his neck and it's only then that I notice he's wearing a sweat stained t-shirt and a pair of shorts. His hair is wet and his skin is glistening. He looks like he just finished working out, not driving back from Long Island.
“Where did you just come from?”
“The gym. Why?”
“Are you sure?”
He leans in and gives me a peculiar look. If he wasn't so fucking intimidating, he'd be ridiculously good looking. “Am I sure I got back from the gym?” He smirks. “Yeah, I'm positive. So, I'll ask you again. Why?”
“No r-reason.” I turn around and attempt to get my key in the door as he walks across the hall to his own apartment.
Then it occurs to me. He could have let someone else borrow his car. Or, maybe it wasn't Ricardo's car in the driveway after all?
There's only one way to find out. “Hey, Ricardo? I was wondering if you would mind giving me a ride.”
“I would, but I don't have my car.”
Before I can question him further he says, “But you should already know that Jackson's borrowing my car until tomorrow morning because he's going to Boston.” He shrugs. “Kind of surprised you didn't go with him actually.”
“Going to Boston?” I whisper.
Jackson definitely never mentioned going to Boston this morning.
No. This can't be fucking happening.
I open my mouth to cover my fumble but Ricardo says,“He's going to Boston to visit Lilly's grave. Today's her birthday.”
He takes a step forward and gives me an odd look. “Did he not tell you?”
“Of course, he did.” I laugh nervously. “I just forgot is all.” I give him a big smile. “I am naturally a blonde...we do have our moments.”
He cocks an eyebrow. “Yeah. Okay, then. I'm gonna take a shower. Talk to you later.”
I give him a wave before closing and locking the door behind me. Then I start hyperventilating.
Now it makes sense. It's not Ricardo and Ford working together. It's Jackson and Ford.
Which means that Ford does know I'm with Jackson.
But those plane tickets and passports...they can only mean one thing.
Ford is setting Jackson up to kill DeLuca and Jackson has no idea.
I wish he didn't shut me out when I tried to tell him everything that happened between Ford and I. Then he would already know not to trust him.
I pick up my phone and dial Jackson but it goes straight to voicemail. I leave the longest message I've ever left detailing everything that Ford did to me, including what happened that day in his office.
I also dial Ford, it rings a few times before going to voicemail. I close my eyes. In the back of my mind, I always knew this day would come. I used to be ashamed that I was so terrified about my date with DeLuca.
I mean, who doesn't want vengeance for the death of their father?
I thought I would cry and fall apart when it happened. But surprisingly, I feel like I'm finally thinking rationally.
It's time to have my dance with the Devil.
It's time to protect the man I love and inflict retribution on DeLuca for the one that I lost. Even if it's the last thing I do.
I walk into the bedroom and start going through the boxes that I moved in over the past week.
Covered in a pile of old clothes I find my lock box. I take it out, punch in the combination and open it. I eye my revolver and my semi-automatic pistol. The one good thing that came out of my relationship with Ford was him teaching me how to shoot a gun and taking me to the firing range when I was younger.
I make sure they're both loaded and ready to go before throwing a sweatshirt on and tucking both guns into the waistband of my jeans.
It's funny how a plan formulates itself when you find out the person you love is in danger.
I knock on Lou-Lou's door and wait for her to answer. I know her and Ricardo have some major problems and still haven't worked any of their shit out.
But quite frankly, I don't really give a fuck at this point. I just need someone to use as leverage against Ricardo and that someone is Lou-Lou.
She answers the door and although she looks surprised to see me, she invites me in.
As soon as the door is closed, I take out the revolver and put it to her head. “You crazy bitch!” she screams. “I thought we were friends now? What the fuck are you doing?”
“We are. This is nothing personal, Lou-Lou. I just need a hostage.”
I pull her hair and position her in front of me. Given she's so tiny, it's easy to push her around. “However, feel free to think of this as payback for being such a bitch to me.”
She starts screaming, but I dig the gun into her head. “Scream and I'll kill you. Trust me, you don't want to fuck with me right now.”
She takes a deep breath. “Can you at least tell me why you're doing this?”
“Jackson's in trouble with a certain mob boss.”
“Bruno,” she whispers.
“Ah, I see you're on a first-name basis with the asshole. Good to know, that might come in handy.” I shove her in front of me. “Now open the door and start walking down the hall to Ricardo's. If you run...I swear I'll kill him.”
She opens the door with shaky hands and starts walking. She knocks on his door but he doesn't answer. That’s when I remember. “Shit, he's in the shower.”
“I have a key,” Lou-Lou offers. “It's in my back pocket.”
“I'm not falling for that.”
“Then you can get it,” she insists.
I dig the gun into her temple as I get her keys out of her back pocket and hand them to her. “You attack me with those and I'll shoot.”