Page 24 of Running Wild

Right before Dottie pushes me into the bathroom, telling me to get in the tub, I hear Auntie Zoey in her dead as fuck voice yell.

“Motherfuckers, think twice, assholes. You’re outnumbered and outgunned. Not sure what or who you’re looking for, but you picked the wrong cabin and wrong bunch of women. And I’m not in the mood for trouble so better make the right choice here.”

Then the bathroom door slams, and I miss whatever is said next.

TWENTY-FOUR

‘SHADOW’

ZOEY

I’ll never be able to catch a break. And what the fuck is that jagoff Dingo thinking? How the hell did he manage to hook up with a De Luca? Looking at her she has to be Dario’s long-lost daughter, which makes us cousins. Lucky fucking me. More goddamn drama that I just don’t need.

From the two assholes pointing automatics at all of us, it’s looking like Celestina is in some kind of trouble. Go figure, trouble not only finding me but bringing along my cousin for the ride. I don’t even have a second to let that run through my brain ’cause at the moment I need to get us out of this situation. Then the first jagoff opens his trap.

“We don’t want any trouble either, whore, just give us Celestina and we’ll be gone. Otherwise, there won’t be much left of any of you when we get done with you. After we have some fun first, if you know what I mean. And we’ll take her anyway, so either way she’s coming with us.”

Both of them have eyes on us so they don’t see what I do. I give them my badass smirk and move toward the door. They both tense up but try to act like they are in control, which is a laugh. Never since the door opened did they have control of this situation, stupid mafia bastards.

“That’s not what I wanted to hear, boys. Why don’t you step into our abode so we can talk about these options again? I don’t think you’ll want to disagree because really you don’t have a choice. Oh, by the way, that’s my sister Kitty behind you and, yeah, that’s an AUG SA, so don’t get any ideas. Move your asses now, motherfuckers.”

Very slowly they walk through the door like they are dead men walking. And that might just be true and where my brain is going, but fuck, I’m in Texas and what the fuck would I do with their bodies? Though I could dismember their bodies and throw the parts in the water right out front. Or better yet, take one of the guys’ boats, drive out, then dump their shit. Fish would take care of the rest.

I look up and Goldilocks is shaking her head. Shit, my bestie can read my goddamn mind as always. I just shrug my shoulders and give her a wink. She shakes her head, then jumps when Dingo slams the door and locks it. Now, time to figure out what the fuck is going on.

“Dani, grab two chairs. Kitty go grab the special bag out of the SUV. You know which one, right? Hannah, where the fuck is Squirt?”

I hear a door bang against a wall and in a second she’s right in front of me, face white as a ghost. She takes in what’s going on and puts her head down.

“I swear, Auntie Zoey, I have no idea what or who these guys are. We didn’t do anything, I promise. Swear to God, cross my heart.”

Poor kid, what a fucked-up trip for her. I feel for her but now is not the time or place.

“Squirt, I need you and Goldilocks to sit on the sofa so I can keep an eye on you both. Dottie, did you bring anything of use with you? If so, can you go get it and bring it down please, sister?”

I turn my attention to Celestina. She’s literally trembling. Dingo is right beside her. I know the answer before I ask.

“Time for fun and games is over. Celestina, last name and what kind of trouble are you in?”

Dingo leans down and whispers in her ear. Her head rocks back as she stares at him. He nods. She looks my way and there is fear in her face.

“Great, asshole. Whatcha tell her, Dingo?”

“Shadow, nothing but the truth. Come on, sweetheart, now’s the time to tell your story. This situation is on its way to deteriorating and going from bad to nuclear. I only know a small bit, so might as well tell the story once and fill us all in. You were right though, you had a tail. Celee, you are with friends and, more importantly, you are safe. Take a breath and let it out.”

Watching the Grimm Wolves prospect I’m amazed at how much he’s grown since I saw him last. He’s always been the club clown. Life of any party. Never knew he was even interested in any kind of relationship. I’ve seen him go from one club sweet butt to another and then another. I’ve seen him take two or three club chicks to his room at one time.

Even though these two just met, something is happening between them, any fool can see it. Celestina takes a few breaths. With each one she seems to stand straighter. Good for her. She’s got a backbone.

“You already know don’t you, little cuz? Not sure how, since I didn’t have a goddam idea you existed, but anyway doesn’t matter, does it? My full name is Celestina De Luca. Dario is or was my father. From what I hear he’s dead, though no one can verify it. Seems like some of his acquaintances are trying to take over his empire and think for some reason that I have control of it currently.”

Kind of what I was thinking. Son of a bitch, even dead Dario is still a major pain in my ass. Glancing at Goldilocks, she has her arms around Hannah. Yeah, a lot to take in, I’m guessing.

“Celestina, to start I can vouch he’s dead ’cause I sent that goddamn son of the devil back home to hell. As far as his empire, it’s huge and since he compartmentalized it so well, we haven’t been able to get to the core of it. Do you have any idea of what he truly did, or how and who helped him run it?”

The blank stare in her eyes tells me she has not a frigging idea of what her old man was all about. There is a small part of me that feels so bad for her because my life was a horrific nightmare, but poor Celestina had to get the short straw and end up having that motherfucker as her father. And from what I knew about Dario, he didn’t have a fatherly gene in his rotten body.

“Celestina, when was the last time you saw your dad?”

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