Page 71 of Fighting for Ella

It was a big risk, and a big ask. After what she’d just been through, Ella shouldn’t have to play bait, but he was guessing she would if it was the only way to finally be free of the mole once and for all.

He guessed right.

Determination brimmed in those sea-green eyes of hers. “I can do it. If I have you, if I have all of you,” she added, her gaze skimming over the eyes of the people determined to make it up to her for letting her down. “Then I can play bait and lure in Dora Hibbert. We’re Prey, she can't beat us, she’ll never even see it coming.”

CHAPTER NINETEEN

February 14th

6:42 P.M.

Why hadshe ever thought she could do this?

Was she crazy?

Ella certainly felt like she must be as she sat backstage waiting to go on and play like nothing was wrong. Like she was just putting on a regular concert and not trying to set herself out there as a nice, juicy piece of bait and hope that Dora Hibbert was stupid enough to try to reach out and take it.

There was every chance the woman was long gone. There had been no signs of her the last few days. Her house was empty. Her car was gone. It was like she had just vanished. But they all hoped that she was still hanging around, still crazy enough to think that she could come out on top and get whatever revenge it was she thought she was entitled to.

The woman was crazy. No doubt about it. There was nothing anyone on Athena Team had ever done to her that would warrant this assault she had launched against them. They knew from the original emails that had been discovered thatthe Reactivator had been sold to Raul Castillo for five million dollars. Compared to the insurance policy she’d had on her husband, and the payouts she’d gotten when he was hit by a truck, she had way more money than that, so this was not about getting rich.

It seemed personal.

Which made no sense and likely wouldn't unless Dora chose to share her motivations.

If they ever caught her.

If she was there tonight.

If she decided to make a move.

There was just as much chance that she wouldn't as that she would.

What if she was out there though?

What if she was sitting in the audience of this sold-out, last-minute Valentine’s Day concert they’d thrown together in a matter of days? While Ella couldn’t deny it was a little boost to her ego to know that she was still popular enough to be able to sell out a concert in just days, it wasn't like that was helpful right now.

Her ego wouldn't protect her if Dora came for her.

When you were dealing with someone unstable like Dora, someone evil, someone who wouldn't think twice about hurting others to get what she wanted, you had to also accept the unpredictable. Cold and calculating people you could predict, you could look at past behavior and use it to make informed decisions about how they would likely behave in the future.

The only thing they could predict about Dora was that she would do whatever it took to achieve her goals.

Which made her so much more dangerous.

It had been a hard decision for everyone to make but no one from Prey was in the audience tonight. If it was to be believable that she’d decided to quit, they couldn’t have all the people Dorawould immediately recognize sitting out there. Crazy possibly, but Dora wasn't stupid. If she saw Prey people out there, she would know this was a setup.

So instead of her Prey people it was Miguel’s team sitting in the audience tonight, along with Rocco’s team. She trusted these men. Knew they would do everything within their power to keep her safe. They were all wired up, in communication with one another, their eyes peeled looking for any signs of Dora.

But as much as she trusted them it didn't soothe the knot of fear in her stomach.

It sat there heavily, had for the last few days, ever since Miguel had suggested this idea and everyone had jumped all over it. It boosted her confidence to know that he hadn't shied away from putting her in the spotlight. He believed in her, he knew she could do this, could handle the pressure, it never entered his mind to wrap her in cotton wool and hide her away.

Not that he wasn't every bit as nervous about this as she was.

She knew he was and felt his fear every time they were together, but he was pushing through, knowing she had what it took to play her role in this.

Honestly, that was probably the only thing giving her the strength to be there.

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