CHAPTER 15 - PLANS

Romeo POV:

I make my way into the casino to my office, not stopping to greet anyone. I'm so pissed off, I open the door and my men are already here. "Luc, I want to everything you have found out. Vince, good to see you and thank you for accepting the job." I say already feeling a headache forming, this makes me sick to my stomach.

"Romeo, good to see you, and when it involves underage girls, I will be here, no matter what, no payment nothing. They need to get back to their families." Vince says disgusted, shaking his head, I sit at the conference table in my office, waiting for Luc to lay it all out, Dario and Leo sit looking stoic, I pour myself a whisky, and light a cigarette preparing myself.

Luciano starts. "Well brother, as I told you on the phone. It's worse than we thought, out contact got back to me a few minutes ago. In total there are thirty girls that were kidnapped, some runaways, some from their families. The age ranges from twelve to seventeen. They are being sold, as our contact has confirmed there are about twenty three girls left to go up for auction, seven have been killed already, raped and murdered. Their bodies have been disposed of, but they do keep an inventory of the girls. Drago, apparently has taken to a seventeen year old, no word yet on why, but we have her name, it's Sofia Devereux, she was kidnapped in France a few months ago. Most of the girls are from Italy and France." Luc says and my stomach roils, not much makes me sick but this, this is beyond the pale. I motion for him to continue.

"We have a location here in New York, they have a hide out near the docks where they have an underground bunker, that's where they are keeping the girls and then auctioning them off in one of the private rooms down there. The last lot they made six million, and that was only ten girls. They sell them internationally, the buyers are billionaires mostly, they keep the girls on the side, some are bought for prostitution. It's sick, but if we want to save these girls, we have to move Sunday, the auction is Sunday night." Luc says shaking his head, Dario and Leo look as though they will be sick.

"Vince, you and Leo will be together on this, Dario you will be with me. Luc, you will be put on eyes and ears. We need to get our best team ready for this, I will not let these poor girls suffer for Drago's cheap thrills and have more death on our hands. Does Alessandro know about this?" I ask.

Luc shrugs, "as far as we know, we are not sure. He only deals above board with legal age women, but I wouldn't put it past him, Drago is pumping the money back into the family business, he has to know something isn't right, or it's coming from a different source."

"Ok, Dario, contact Vincent Toscano, he hates this just as much as I do. We need to take down Drago, tell him to meet me here in and hour, we may need him for this. Alessandro Mancini and his son Drago have lost their minds after his Chiara died, may she rest in peace. She would be turning over in her grave to know what her son is doing. I can't believe my father nearly made Luc marry Francesca Mancini, she's just as twisted as her brother." I say disgusted.

"I dodged a bullet there brother, I'm glad Father came to his senses." Luciano says dramatically, with some flair that makes me quirk my brows.

I nod. "So Leo, gather as much men as we can for a raid Sunday night for eleven. We cannot fuck this up." I spit. "Luc make sure we have passage into the place from our contacts inside."

"Will do boss," Leo and Luc answer pulling their phones out.

"Vince, I will need you here with Dario when Toscano comes." I say hoping he will agree, and he nods, a man of few words, he actually gives me the creeps on occasion.

"Toscano said he will be here in a half hour. He just heard Mancini and he was jumping at the opportunity." Dario says smirking. I nod and everyone goes on with what they are doing. After going over a few things for Sunday, Toscano arrives, Dario and Vince, stay with me.

"Vincent Toscano, thank you for meeting me," I greet and motion him to my desk where he takes a seat, and I pour him a drink and I light a cigarette.

"So De Luca, what has Mancini the dumb fuck done now?" Toscano asks smirking, even Toscano knows if I'm this angry it's not good and I explain every detail, and he knocks back another drink.

"Fanculo! Merda! Does this man have a death wish? Him and his son?" Toscano says disgusted.

(Fuck! Shit!)

"That's what I thought, so do we have your support on this Toscano? We may need more men." I ask crossing my arms.

"You have as many men as you need, this is sick De Luca. I may have brothels, but I swear I would never have kids do what he's doing, no hidden agenda's this time, we need to help those kids, nothing in return." Toscano says agreeing.

"I will be in touch tomorrow through Dario to ensure you have all the details for Sunday night." I say with finality, and he excuses himself with his right hand.

"Dario and Vince go and work on a plan. I need everything by the morning." I say taking another drink. They nod and leave, finally I'm alone.

I take a breather, and go over the various businesses I own, everything seems to be running smoothly. I think back to my raven haired beauty, I can't believe I was so stupid, I acted like a scared little boy. Hillary is not worth losing Alina, I'm not even attracted to Hillary, I never even got hard. I just hope that she will really forgive me, I just have to win her over. I just hope her father Russo never finds her, or knows I'm in contact with her. I miss her already.

Alina POV:

After Romeo left I couldn't sleep, so I had a bubble bath. Now I'm relaxing on my bed thinking. Should I forgive Romeo? No it's too soon, I don't trust him, I understand his reasons, but who says he won't run to Hillary again. I don't even know what we are, but in the Mafia world, if the boss has an interest in you, that usually mean you are his woman, off limits. I sigh heavily, if this ever gets near my father, even a sniff, he will find me and I don't know what he will try to do to Romeo if he finds out he knew.

I check the time, it's after twelve am, just then my phone pings in my hand, it's Romeo. My heart flutters a bit as I open the message.

Lina, I have been told

your light is on, so I assume

you are awake. How are you?

I miss you, work is so

tedious tonight, knowing

I could have been

next to you....

Romeo

I read the message and involuntary smile makes it's way to my lips. I shake my head, stalker.

Stalker!

I couldn't sleep, had a bath.

Surprised you're not

at the club?

L

I can't help but feel a pang of jealousy, did he leave me and go back to her? Before I can even dwell on it, my phone pings again.

Lina, if stalking means

missing you then yes I'm

your stalker, A bath?

Shame I missed that.

No I'm not at the club, I'm

at the casino working.

I wouldn't make the same

mistake twice. Sleep

well my sweet bella.

Romeo

I let out a heavy sigh, and hit reply.

Night Romeo.

I turn around and put out my light and turn over, the pillow still smells like him, that fresh manly cologne, smells like a fresh summer breeze at the sea, with a hint of musk. I actually do miss him, and it makes my heart ache more, he really hurt me, for now I'm going to shamelessly bask in his scent and fall asleep wishing Romeo was the man I thought him to be.

I wake up about eight the next morning, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes as I check the clock, my head is doing much better only a slight ache. I move to find my phone on my bed and I hit something or more like someone. I turn and see a sleeping Romeo in nothing but his boxers sprawled out on my bed. I can't help but check him out, my beautifully tattooed, flawed man. His hair is ruffled in a sexy way, his long lashes fanning his cheek, his mouth slightly parted as he snores softly, it's then I realise his one arm is across my belly holding on lightly.

I lift his arm as gently as I can and slip out of bed, and make my way to the other bathroom and have a quick shower and brush my teeth, I slip on a big t-shirt and yoga pants and my fluffy slippers. I wonder what time he got in? I wasn't supposed to see him till tonight. I decide to make some breakfast, pancakes, bacon, eggs and put on a pot of coffee and pour some orange juice and set the table. Thank goodness Mari went shopping, I pop into her room and see she's sound asleep and close her door. I'm just finishing off the last pancakes and bacon when I feel two arms around me and a kiss on my neck. "Morning bella." I turn around and he's in sweatpants, damp hair and nothing else, I think my concussion is acting up, I'm frozen. Romeo gives me a dazzling smile, "the pancakes bella, it's going to burn." I snap out it and finish what I'm doing.

"Hungry?" I ask turning to place everything on the table.

"Starving," Romeo says with a dark lustful look in his eyes.

"Well eat before the food gets cold," I say scowling at him, and take a seat, as I make a plate up for Mari and put it aside with a cover. Romeo just chuckles. "You came back, I'm surprised, thought I would only see you tonight."

Romeo takes a sip of juice, "I missed you Lina, so I came in about five this morning instead of going home, Mari opened up for me." I nod and eat my breakfast. "Lina, I really was at the casino, I have not been back to the club since that night." Romeo says looking straight into my eyes.

"I believe you," I say sipping my coffee.

"Well, I have a few business calls to make, but I'm all yours for the day. If you feel up to it, I would like to take you out." Romeo says throwing me for a complete loop.

"Like a date?" I ask shocked, I have never spent the day with him.

"Yes like a date, and we will have our second one tonight when you are my date for the opening gala." Romeo says smoothly, but the look in his eyes says he's nervous. I stand up and he pulls me to his lap and I'm straddling him as he wraps his arms around my hips resting them there. "Say yes," Romeo says planting a kiss on my neck and running his hands up my t-shirt as I put my hands in his naked chest. My breath hitches and he kisses my exposed shoulder and I suppress a moan but fail miserably. I'm suddenly very aware he isn't wearing boxers, and I can feel all of him through my yoga pants. "Say yes," he whispers as he continues to kiss me up my neck again. He pushes me down harder and I can now feel him straining and he is grinding my hips slowly into his, I close my eyes and revel in the feeling for just a moment and rock my hips against him forgetting that I'm supposed to be mad at him.

"Yes... Ok," I whisper as he plants a soft chaste kiss on my lips. He taps my bottom and smiles triumphantly.

"Let's go get ready bella," he says and picks me up carrying me into the bedroom dropping me softly on the bed. Romeo turns around drops his pants retrieving boxers and he slides them on. I'm frozen, that has to be the sexiest thing I have seen, his firm ass. I shake my head and start getting ready. "Dress casual," is all he says and chuckles as I throw him with a pillow.