Ria
She gazed out dully as the large Hummer ground to a halt. They had parked on a deserted part of the road, by the side, the forest beside them. At this time of night, the road was almost deserted. Not many people were eager to traverse this part of the woods at this time.
Philippe reached out and shook her shoulder gently.
“Princess, wake up.’ She turned to him, her eyes empty.
‘I was not sleeping she wanted to cry out but she did not say it. Instead,
“Why have we stopped here?’ she asked softly, a little bewildered but trusting in the young man who had been her Knight when they were growing up.
He was already out of the vehicle and she saw that there were a couple of other cars on the road, one ahead of them and two behind them. A number of men had spilt out of the cars and she could make out their dark silhouettes, the low voices addressing Philippe.
His men, his crew, she thought as he opened the door and lifted her out as easily as if she was a feather.
She looked about herself. It was terribly cold by now and a harsh wind was blowing through the woods, an eerie sound emitting from the motion of the swaying trees and the grotesque-looking branches rubbing against each other. Shivering, she wrapped her arms around herself. He stepped closer and spoke in a tone with barely controlled urgency,
‘Princess, we are changing vehicles. Boss’s orders. Come on.’
The exigency in his voice made her move forward and she stumbled after him in the dark, her small hand in his. He had also thrown a large jacket over her shoulders, and felt its’ softness, the familiar smell of Philippe in it as she pulled it tightly around her cold body.
And then they were in another car, a smaller one; the car was in darkness and she realised that Philippe was handing her a scarf.
“Pull it over your head,’ he instructed her tightly.
“Why?’ she began and then he sighed wearily.
“Just do it, baby,’ he growled sounding like a man who was being tried beyond the limit.
She pulled a face and then tugged it on grumpily. Her blonde hair was hidden completely, she thought as she tucked a stray tendril out of the way. And then, as she did so, he extended his large hand,
‘Your phone.’ he said in a clipped tone.
‘Why?’ she said, rearing up fiercely.
She was not going to hand over her phone to him, just like that! she thought furiously. he might be her father’s Capo and …
He did not say anything, just leaned into her and shoving his hand into the pocket of her hoodie, he pulled it out violently.
‘Hey!’ she cried out in protest but even as she watched, he handed it over to a woman who had appeared at the window, dressed in…she stared, open-mouthed, clothes like hers?
“What ‘s happening?’ she stammered but no one responded to her.
‘Becky.’ growled Philippe and Ria felt an intense flash of jealousy as the woman smiled at the Capo, a quick flash of easy companionship that made her grit her teeth.
Had he slept with this woman, who was older than Ria but who looked as though she knew him well, too well, maybe? thought Ria crossly.
The woman took the phone and disappeared immediately, followed by the sound of car doors slamming and moving away at once…
Ria turned around in her sat to stare as the Hummer they had been travelling in zoomed off, down the road.
Suddenly, the car they were in was in motion and moving off in the opposite direction quickly, so swiftly, even before she could make out what was happening.
‘My phone!’ she mumbled, looking at the road.
And then, stupidly, she cried,
“Why are we going back the way we had come?’ she asked, turning to Philippe, unease and fear making her voice shrill and angrier than she was.
Philippe sat beside her silently, a guarded expression on his face, eyes on the road and silent. Two men she vaguely remembered having met at the Delano house rode in front. Her father’s men.
‘Answer me!’ she cried, glaring at Philippe and gripping his thick wrist with all her strength. For an answer, he abruptly pulled her into his arms as they rounded a corner. Quickly, before she knew what was happening, he had jerked her down onto his lap so that she was hidden, her face against his jeans and she shivered.
She trusted Philippe but suddenly, the realisation that she was in a car with two men she knew vaguely and the third person, one who she had trusted all her life, made her feel frightened. What was happening around her?
All she wanted at that moment, was to be back home with her family, in Mumma’s kitchen with the familiar aroma of food wafting around her, or in her Mumma’s arms; with Pappa with his cold grey eyes glinting affectionately as he looked at her.
Anything but to be bundled in a car with strangers and her phone taken away from her…
***
Interrupting her thoughts rudely, the man sitting in the front, behind the wheel of the small car, growled,
“Boss.’ the warning note in the man’s tone was not lost on Ria and she felt her body stiffen. Philippe ran a hand over her head absently, trying to convey some reassuring message but she was too tense to respond.
*
Ria watched as the interior of the car was suddenly illuminated by powerful headlights. The sound of five or six large vehicles roaring past, made her tremble as she felt Philippe’s body tense. She sensed that he was alert and his hand was on the gun at his waist, one hand on her head, making sure that only the top of her head would be visible if anyone looked in from the cars zooming past.
Her breath quickened.
What was happening?