CHAPTER | 29 |

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DATE RAPE drugs have symptoms of slurred speech, dizziness, unconsciousness, loss of muscle control, nausea, confusion and the list goes on. But the worst part was the feeling of being violated. Ghost and I sat in silence in the new vehicle he drove, his free hand clutching onto mine. He was furious and I didn't know who it was directed at. His phone buzzed pulling us out of our thoughts and put it on speaker.

"Boss, we have De Vil at the port."

Ghost glanced at me before speaking to Ace. "Where's the girl?"

There was a pause. "We left her at the party."

"She knows who you are. She knows De Vil. She's f*cking seen me," his voice rose until he was yelling. "Are you f*cking stupid? Loose ends, Ace Martin. You want me to go and shoot your mom in the f*cking head for you to understand?"

"No, sir."

Exhaling, Ghost continued calmly. "You've set me back so the plan has changed. The ferry is coming in thirty minutes, it will take you to Rome. We have a plane to catch tomorrow evening so keep De Vil unconscious until then. Torture him, drug him, I don't f*cking care."

"Yes, sir."

He hung up without another word. Ghost sighed.

"I'm okay," I said, trying to smile.

"Don't lie to me. I'm not in the mood, angel."

"I'm sorry. I couldn't let them die."

"I know," he muttered. "I know."

"Where are we going?"

I looked outside the window, watching people walking around, enjoying the nightlife. I wanted to do the same, go out and have fun but the throbbing pain from my feet made it impossible to imagine. Once I was home, I was going to sleep for a month to recover.

"We're going to see Maddox," Ghost revealed. I turned my head, surprised. "He should have a private doctor and food for you to eat. I need you to be in a safe place so I can think properly or I'm going to make a mistake."

"I don't-"

His glare shut me up. "It wasn't a suggestion."

"What did you do to Harry's phone?"

"I sent Santan a document."

That was easy. "What was it about?"

"I'm not telling you."

Of course not. I pointed to our joined hands. "Explain this then."

"I'll end up killing De Vil if I don't remind myself you're okay."

"He didn't touch me."

"There are some things I don't tolerate, angel and drugging women for sex is one of them. If he had touched you, he wouldn't be breathing."

"You don't need to kill everyone."

"I live in a world where it's kill or be killed. There's no time for discussion."

"Do you ever wish that it was different?"

"No," he answered confidently. "I'd be dead by now."

"How was prison?"

"As fun as a high security prison can be."

"How did you escape?"

Raising an eyebrow, he slowed down the car. "Why all the questions?"

"Distraction," I explained simply but he understood.

"I didn't escape. They let me out."

My mouth dropped open. "They can't do that. Otherwise, everyone could just leave."

"Would you tell me no if I told you I knew every detail about your life, where your family slept at night, their schools, work place, even what you had for breakfast? While pointing a gun to your head?"

"There's security everywhere."

"As you know, I can hack into that. If I wanted, I could've released every criminal in the building. So which was the better choice? Letting me go on my field trip for a day or having a rampage of dangerous people killing each other?"

"So you killed Pierson."

"He owed too much money and I had orders. We're here," Ghost announced, changing the topic.

"Your uncle lives in a castle?"

He rolled his eyes. "That's not a castle."

Built beside the sea, the mansion towered over the fence. Men with guns approached the car. "Salve," one said, knocking on the glass.

"I need to see my uncle."

Recognition crossed the man face as he nodded then began shouting orders for the gate to be opened. It looked like every mafia home in the movies from the ridiculously large garden to the number of steps leading up to the door. My feet hurt even more looking at them. Ghost parked on the drive, not really caring that it was obstructing the way and got out.

"Wait a second." He went over to my side, opened the door and removed his shoes. "Walk in these."

I put them on, gratefully then got up. We looked a mess and I felt out of place. Ghost began walking towards the house with me following behind him, taking in the view of fountains, hedges in various shapes and men with guns patrolling.

Maddox appeared ahead of us, a calm smile on his face. "I'm surprised to see you, boy."

"I don't plan on staying," Ghost informed him. "She needs a doctor and we need to sleep."

"This is your home. You're welcome anytime."

He simply nodded. "Where's the rest of your family?"

"They're in Spain." Maddox sighed. "On another holiday, leaving me alone."

Ghost grinned. "You can come to Vegas."

"I'd rather not."

They seemed friendly with each other but there was  tension as they sized each other up. Maddox turned his attention onto me. "We meet again, beautiful. Judging by the shoes you're wearing, your feet are injured sì?"

"I'm fine," I insisted.

"She's not fine," Ghost said, glaring at me then gestured at one of the guards to come forward. "Take her to the doctor and when she's done return her to me."

The guard came over, a gun in his hand making me hesitant to follow but Ghost and his uncle were already walking away.

*****

I was taken to a small hospital ward which was in a section of the house and mostly empty with a few nurses walking around. The man escorting me went to a doctor and whispered a few things in Italian before leaving. The doctor gently smiled at me.

"I'm Dr. Russo," she started. "I'll be looking after you so please sit down."

"Thank you," I replied, doing as she said and sat on the hospital bed.

Closing the curtains for privacy, she then went over over to the cabinets and went through them. "I heard you have injuries on your feet?"

I nodded. "Yes."

She placed some bottles beside me and examined my feet. "It doesn't look too serious. I'm going to give you a tetanus shot and disinfect your leg. Is that okay?"

Again, I just nodded and she went to work leaving me in a comfortable silence but I was curious. "How long have you been working here?"

"Ten years," the doctor answered casually. "Are you friends with Ghost?"

Am I?

"You could say that."

"That boy hasn't visited his uncle in a long time."

I raised an eyebrow. "When was he last here?"

She paused, thinking. "Maybe...three years ago he arrived? He stayed here for two years."

"Wasn't he in prison?" I asked confused.

"Prison? Ghost's never been to prison."

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