Alejandro's Prey_The Queens

by Nikita Slater

  She narrowed her eyes at him and replied, “Are we ready now? All the bodyguards know exactly what we’ve been doing in here.”

  He grinned wickedly. “Si. They know exactly who you belong to, who can make your body and your heart sing.”

  She thumped him on the chest, but she grinned again as she reached for the door.

  “Gina,” he said, his tone sober once more. “Never exit the vehicle first. You know this rule.”

  She nodded and suppressed a sigh. Of course, how could she forget yet another Alejandro rule? She settled back and waited for him to exit so he could take stock of their surroundings. Once finished, he took her hand and led her from the SUV directly into the church. She shaded her eyes against the sun and looked up at the gorgeous front. He didn’t give her much time to enjoy the building where she was to be married, but the little she saw was lovely, made with grey masonry, woodwork and stained glass. It was, of course, a Catholic church. She hadn’t asked, but she’d assumed given Alejandro’s Spanish ancestry and what she knew of his background that he would want to be married in a Catholic church.

  When he escorted her through the front doors she saw Señora Morales right away. She’d been wondering if Alejandro’s mother would be here for the ceremony. It made sense. The older woman lived in La Paz, but she was frail and rarely left her home. She lived like a shut-in most of the time, so Alejandro was comfortable leaving her in the city in a gated community as his connection to her wasn’t well known. However, sometimes she was flown out to the compound for family gatherings, so Gina had met her a few times. She was always friendly, though somewhat reserved.

  Selena Morales was wearing a dark purple skirt suit with a colourful hat perched on her grey head. “Gina,” she said kindly, her eyes lighting up when she saw the younger woman on her son’s arm. “You look lovely.”

  “Thank you,” Gina smiled, taking her proffered hand and giving it a squeeze. “You look wonderful as well. And thank you so much for coming.”

  “I wouldn’t miss it,” she replied, releasing Gina’s hand and stepping toward Alejandro. “I’ve been waiting months for this announcement.” She reached for her son and accepted his enveloping hug and a kiss on each cheek.

  “Mama,” he murmured.

  “Congratulations, my son. You have done well.” She smiled and stepped away, slipping her hand around his elbow. “Now if you will escort me to my seat. We will leave the bride to get ready.”

  Alejandro looked toward Gina, clearly unwilling to leave her alone.

  “I will take her from here,” Reyes said, striding forward.

  Alejandro laughed and nodded. “Should’ve known you would butt into my business. You didn’t trust me to make an honest woman of your cousin?”

  Reyes stopped beside Gina and placed a hand at her back. “I couldn’t allow my family to walk herself down the aisle,” he murmured, looking down at Gina. “Casey wanted to be here too, but I couldn’t allow it. Not with the events of last evening.” She glanced up at him. Though they’d always respected each other and she’d never had cause to fear Reyes, she kept a healthy distance. The man was both intense and frightening. She had no idea he cared enough to walk her down the aisle.

  She smiled slightly and nodded at him. “Thank you.”

  He took her arm and led her to the back of the church where they stood next to the last row of pews while Alejandro strode with his mother toward the front. No one else was there except for a nervous looking priest and the bodyguards, who stood in strategic places throughout the church. Gina supposed it wasn’t every day the man presided over mafia weddings with this kind of fire-power inside his sacred space. Gina glanced quickly away from the gathering of people, trying to reclaim her former happiness. She didn’t need to dwell on the smallness of this gathering, nor remember that this was a mafia family wedding. She was marrying the man that she loved. As she looked toward the front of the church, where he took his place and turned to look back toward her, she focused on that fact.

  “Ready?” Reyes asked.

  Gina smiled, and Alejandro smiled back at her. “Si,” she agreed without hesitation, “Let’s do this.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Gina sat in the front row pew watching her new husband argue with his boss. Though they were far off to the side, standing underneath a stone archway, out of earshot, she could imagine the conversation. Alejandro wanted to stay in La Paz or fly on to another location where they could honeymoon with privacy. He’d said as much directly after the ceremony. Reyes had immediately denied the request, though Alejandro hadn’t exactly made it a request. He’d told Reyes of their plans. Now Reyes was attempting to convince his valuable second-in-command that the safest place for the new couple would be at the compound.

  She understood Alejandro’s hesitation. It wasn’t part of his character to hide until the threat was over. No, he would want to hunt that threat down and neutralize it himself. But he couldn’t do that with a bride tagging along, especially one who wasn’t specialized in any form of combat. Her pathetic attempt at helping him the day before was proof enough of that. Alejandro also wanted to get Gina alone. Finally alone. No family, no bodyguards, no mafia interruptions. She understood that part and she wanted it too.

  But she was torn. She also wanted to feel safe again. And she had felt safe at the compound. Never once had she ever thought it might be penetrable. Reyes had built it in such a way that not even Genghis Khan himself could’ve gained access.

  “Not the honeymoon you were expecting,” Selena said from beside Gina.

  Gina smiled tightly and shook her head. “We’ll manage, no matter what they decide.”

  Selena sighed and shifted on the hard bench, attempting to find a more comfortable position. She turned her back on the heated discussion and studied her new daughter-in-law. “I think the decision has already been made and you know it. But I like that you always seem capable of finding the bright side. I have noticed this about you since your arrival in our tight-knit family. It’s a good quality to have, this ability to find a silver lining.”

  “Gracias,” Gina said quietly, nodding her head at the compliment.

  Selena continued, “Alejandro, he calls you the little mouse because he thinks you are shy. I think you are just quiet, observant. You are not impetuous, like your cousin. You think before you leap. Not that there is anything wrong with Casey, you are just different. A better match for mi hijo.”

  Gina swallowed a laugh and simply thanked the woman again for her words. Selena might have thought her a lot less thoughtful if she’d seen her the evening before during the shootout. But she didn’t comment.

  “You are very kind, Señora Morales,” she said and then continued in a rush, wanting to assure the woman of her affection for her son but feeling uncertain at the same time. They hadn’t had enough opportunity to form a bond over the past year, having only met a handful of times. Yet she was now Selena’s daughter-in-law. “I want you to know that I… I love Alejandro. He’s a wonderful man, and I think we will be very happy together.”

  Selena smiled kindly and then snorted, the sound reminiscent of her son. “I’m sure you will, Gina. Despite your severe lack of choice up there in the mountains. Especially if I know my son. He would have been ensuring that lack of choice was even smaller by making sure you couldn’t get any closer than absolutely necessary to his men.”

  Gina’s mouth fell open and then she giggled. “Rule number one, don’t talk to the men,” Gina said in a low deep voice.

  Both women laughed together and chatted about Alejandro’s overly strict rule’s until they were interrupted by the priest who had performed the ceremony. He’d been coldly efficient so Gina hadn’t felt the need to do more than give him a quick smile after he’d finished the nuptials.

  “Excuse me, Señoras’?”

  “Si?” Selena answered for them, turning to the man.

  He glanced quickly toward Alejandro and Reyes who’d stopped arguing and were now deep in di
scussion with Fredo and a few other of the men, likely hammering out logistics for getting the couple to the airport safely. Gina shivered and wrapped her arms around herself. It was a stark reminder that her entire family had perished under a similar threat, a similar hit. She was more than willing to put her honeymoon off until their safety was ensured. She just wanted to get back to the valley fortress, back to her cousin, and create her home with Alejandro.

  “Perhaps I can distract the ladies from their present unpleasantness with a tour. The original foundations for this cathedral were built in 1789. The stained glass brought over from Italy…” He launched into an impassioned speech, far more animated than the wedding ceremony he’d just performed. Clearly, he cared far more for stones and mortar than people. Without checking to see if the women were following, he turned and began moving toward an archway further toward the front of the church talking loudly, his voice echoing in the room.

  Selena and Gina looked at each other, somewhat surprised at his sudden interest in them. Gina shrugged and stood, smoothing her skirt down. She glanced toward the men, still conversing. One of the bodyguards stepped forward. She nodded toward the priest with an arched brow and he gave her a thumb’s up falling into step beside them as they hurried to catch up with the man who was still droning on about a bible sent over from the Vatican.

  “… over a hundred years ago. Almost one of its kind. Only a dozen in existence.”

  “Well then it’s not one of a kind, is it?” Selena asked, humour evident in her voice.

  Gina laughed and tried to cover it up with a cough.

  “Excuse me?” he asked, his robe swishing as he turned to give them an annoyed look. “Did you say something?”

  Gina was pretty sure he’d heard, but Selena didn’t repeat herself. The priest continued his tour, moving them further through the church, taking them through several doors. She wondered why he was bothering with them. He didn’t seem to feel particularly motivated to be kind toward any of them.

  “You simply must see the foundations,” he muttered, taking them toward a set of stairs. He began descending before the women had a chance to decline his offer. “Oldest part of the church. More than 300 years.”

  “Yes, you said,” Selena replied drily, but the priest was descending at a rapid rate.

  The lighting seemed to be almost as old as this part of the church and there was a noticeable chill. “I think we should turn around,” the bodyguard who’d accompanied them said, lifting his cell phone to look at it. “No service,” he said with a frown as they stopped on a landing.

  “I think so too,” Gina agreed, hugging herself to ward off the chill and squinting into the shadowy darkness, trying to see which way the priest had gone.

  A muffled pop sounded next to them startling her. The bodyguard collapsed, falling against Gina. She hurtled sideways catching herself against a stone pillar. She blinked, trying to see what’d happened and then blinked again as she tried to reach for the man to see why he was hurt, but Selena caught her hand.

  “No, Gina,” she said, her voice calm but urgent. “You can’t help him.”

  “I’m sorry,” the priest said, stepping into what little light there was, a gun raised in his hand. “I need you to come with me now.”

  “You shot him!” Gina said accusingly.

  “Start moving or she’ll be next. I only need to take the bride alive, though both would be better,” he said coldly. “We had no idea Reyes’ man had a madre in the city or we would have lured him out of hiding a long time ago.”

  Selena snorted. “You would have tried.”

  “Move,” he snapped and waved the gun, indicating they should walk further into the shadowy damp tunnel.

  Selena maintained her hold on Gina and they moved together ahead of the priest. At one point, Selena took a shuffling step, pretended to stumble against Gina and went down on one knee. Gina knew it was an act because the older woman was careful to put most of her weight against Gina so she wouldn’t hurt herself. Gina grunted in protest, stumbling herself.

  “Are you okay?” she asked, attempting to sound concerned instead of sarcastic.

  “Fine, fine,” Selena said in a frail voice. “Help me up though.” As soon as Gina leaned over her, wrapping her arms around Selena, the other woman pressed her lips against Gina’s ear and whispered, “Are you armed?”

  Gina shook her head.

  Once she was back on her feet the priest shoved them forward and snapped, “Faster, or I kill the slow Señora Morales and hand over the young one.”

  “Okay, we’re walking!” Gina cried, clutching Selena and praying she didn’t have any more stupid tricks to try. Unless it was stabbing the priest in the eye with his own cross and stealing his gun.

  When they moved through a particularly dark shadow Selena pressed something cold and hard into Gina’s hand. She felt it with her fingers and quickly surmised it was a switchblade. A helluva lot bigger of a blade than the one she’d tried to use the day before. Well! The older Señora Morales had some decent tricks up her sleeve after all. Gina shoved it down the front of her dress when she was sure the priest wasn’t looking and caught the quick, approving grin Selena sent her.

  “Stop here,” he commanded them.

  Gina looked around but didn’t see anything special. Until he threw open a door leading outside. Bright sunlight streamed through the door, blinding them after their brief walk through the dank tunnel. Rapid Spanish met her ears. The cadence, the words, the way they were speaking told her everything she needed to know. Gang.

  Two men entered through the door, their street clothes and tattoos pronouncing them thugs. Gina shuddered and flinched back when one of them reached for her. She lifted her hand instinctively to fight him off, but Selena said sharply, “Don’t fight back, girl.” Gina caught her eye and read between the lines, fight later when we have an advantage. She immediately dropped her hands. It took every ounce of self-control to let the man drag her into his body, to allow him to grab her by the face, yank on her hair and leer down at her, all while licking his lips and rubbing himself on her.

  “Luego,” the other man said, snapping his fingers at the guy holding Gina. Awesome, she thought, vomit rising in her throat, he just gave the guy holding her permission to fuck her later. He tossed a stack of bills at the priest and dragged Selena toward the open door. Gina was pushed out the door too and into a car similar to the one that was used to attack her and Alejandro the night before.

  As she was being shoved into the car, Gina resisted, turning to glare at the priest who stood in the open doorway clutching his money against his chest. Unable to resist, she pointed at him. “Alejandro is going to kill you for this, old man,” she hissed. “He’s going to take you apart piece by bloody piece until there’s nothing left. Then he’s going to piss on those pieces and set them on fire. Not even the devil will take you after he’s done!”

  “May God be with you child,” the priest said, his eyes devoid of emotion. He slammed the door shut, leaving the women to their fate.

  “You made the wrong choice!” she yelled elbowing the man holding her as he grabbed her by the neck and shoved her face first into the back of the car. Her skirt went flying everywhere. She heard it tear as he shoved it aside and hopped in after her. Selena was crammed in against the opposite door. There was a driver and the other guy in the front seat.

  Selena took Gina’s hand and squeezed. “Shhh, calm down. It won’t help to scream at them.”

  “Actually, I do feel a little better,” Gina snapped, glaring straight ahead.

  The guy in the front passenger seat turned, pointed a gun at Selena’s head and told her in Spanish not to touch the door next to her. She held up her hands and assured him she wouldn’t. He then told them both not to do anything stupid and they would be delivered safely to ‘the boss.’ Gina cast a sideways glance toward Selena. Apparently, the boss wasn’t among these bad guys. Not that she was surprised. Stealing Alejandro’s mother and bride straight
out of a church on such little notice under the noses of so many bodyguards with the help of a priest took both planning and balls of steel. It wasn’t the hallmark of ordinary street thugs.

  “Put your seatbelt on,” Selena said in English. Gina frowned and glanced at her, thinking she can’t have heard the other woman correctly. Considering they were being kidnapped and driven toward what was almost certainly a gruesome death she didn’t really think seatbelts were paramount. Selena sighed, turned dark, annoyed eyes toward Gina. “I said, put your seatbelt on, niña. I don’t like repeating myself.”

  Selena was reminding Gina more and more of Alejandro. Without a second thought she reached for her seatbelt, wrinkling her nose when she had to touch the gang scum’s hip to get it. And of course, he was half sitting on it. “Excuse me,” she mumbled, jerking it toward her. He grinned and wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. She latched the belt and shifted her hips as close to Selena and as far away from him as she could. Selena latched her own seatbelt.

  “Safety first,” Gina mumbled and attempted to settle as comfortably as she could when the driver pulled out of the alley and into traffic. He was driving at a normal rate, not trying to attract attention.

  “Gina, love,” Selena said calmly, after they’d been driving for a few minutes. “I don’t think they speak English.”

  The guy in front passenger seat, who seemed to be temporarily in charge, confirmed this when he turned around and snapped at them in Spanish to quit speaking. Selina nodded benignly, waited for a few minutes and then leaned heavily against Gina and whispered, “I’m going to need you to stab your friend over there in the neck. Do you think you can manage that?”

  Gina gaped at Selena for a moment, thought about her request, and then nodded slowly. She would do what she had to do, but now she was wishing she’d told Selena earlier about her botched stabbing job of the evening before. She might not be the right woman for this sort of thing.