Absinthe Minded: A Mafia Romantic Comedy (Bourbon Street Bad Boys' Club Book 1)

by Kathryn M. Hearst

  As if I don’t have enough on my mind? “From who?”

  “A guy looking down the barrel of a life sentence. He claims his cellmate told him about a paid hit. He seems credible. He knows details about the accident that we never released to the public.”

  I hadn’t realized I was tensing up until my teeth hurt.

  “We’re in the process of questioning the suspect.” He sighed and drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. “I’m sorry to lay all this on you now, but I thought you’d want to know.”

  A paid hit. A paid hit. The words ricocheted in my skull like a low caliber bullet. “Did he mention any names?”

  “Pietro Lazio.” Wayne studied my reaction, but I gave him nothing.

  “Keep me posted.” I motioned to the speedometer. “You think you could risk a few traffic violations? I have somewhere to be.”

  He nodded and turned his attention to the road.

  Pietro fucking Lazio. The head of another Sicilian mob family, my father’s closest associate, and if my mother had her way, Enzo’s future father-in-law. Why in Christ’s name would Pietro order a hit on Joe Jr.?

  An hour later, I burst through the doors of Baton Rouge General and went straight to the information desk. “I’m looking for Mary Margaret Guthrie.”

  The old woman behind the computer nodded, seemingly unfazed by my urgency. Her fingers couldn’t have moved slower over the keyboard if she’d dropped dead.

  I ran my hand over the back of my neck and tried counting backward from fifty to calm my nerves. About the time I reached twenty-two, she smiled.

  “Are you family?”

  “I’m her fiancé.”

  “And who’s this?” the woman asked in her pleasant volunteer voice.

  “I’m Detective O’Malley from New Orleans PD.”

  “She’s in room 230, second floor—”

  Before she’d finished giving directions, I headed for the stairs. We’d received the call that Maggie had been found almost two hours ago. Waiting for information after she went missing felt like the longest few hours of my life. Allowing the detective to drive me to Baton Rouge was worse. Besides the news about my brother, Wayne was perhaps the only person in the state of Louisiana who drove the speed limit.

  I stopped outside the door and drew a breath. I needed to put on my game face before I went inside. I didn’t know anything about her condition, other than she’d been drugged and bound in the trunk of a car. It’d do Maggie no good if I wept like a baby at first glance.

  The door opened and a nurse came out of the room. She stopped and smiled.

  That’s a good sign, right? “I’m looking for Maggie Guthrie.”

  “This is her room. Are you family?”

  “I’m her fiancé.”

  “Go ahead. She’s expecting you.” The nurse smiled again.

  “Is she going to be all right?”

  “Yes, Miss Guthrie and the baby are both doing fine. The doctor wants to run more tests. He may keep her until the poison she ingested clears her system. She’s been through a lot.”

  The hall became white hot, and I grasped the door jamb. Nothing the woman said after the word baby registered in my brain. I considered the probability of there being two Maggie Guthrie’s in the hospital.

  “Are you okay?” The nurse set her hand on my shoulder.

  Wayne stepped beside me. “He’s fine. It’s been a long night.”

  “And you are?” The nurse looked at Wayne as if she could tell his profession by his demeanor alone.

  “I’m a friend.”

  “As long as you’re not here to question her, you can go in.” She hurried down the hall.

  “Go ahead, I’ll give you two some privacy.” Wayne grinned.

  A baby? Maggie’s pregnant? I slipped into the room and stopped a few feet from her. I noted the bandages on her hands and the side of her head. She looked small in the center of the bed, with tubes running from her to various bags and machines.

  She opened her eyes. “Hey.”

  “How are you feeling?” I sat on the edge of the bed.

  “Better.” She shifted her weight as if trying to sit.

  “Here, let me.” I pushed the button with the up arrow and raised the head of the bed.

  “Where are the kids? Are they all right?” She reached for a Styrofoam cup.

  I helped her guide the straw to her lips. Her busted and swollen lips. “They’re with my folks. They wanted to come with me, but my mother convinced them to wait until you returned to New Orleans.

  Maggie nodded and looked toward the window.

  Her eyes brimmed with tears and what was left of my heart crumpled. She seemed so broken. I wanted—no, I needed—to know what she’d been through. How she’d got away. How she felt about carrying my child, but all of that would have to wait.

  “Maggie?” I brushed my hand across her cheek.

  She turned her head toward my touch and closed her eyes. “Hmm?”

  “I love you. When I thought we might lose you…”

  She nodded, but the slight movement seemed to cause her pain. “I love you too.”

  “I read your article. My mother gave it to me.”

  “And?”

  “It was humbling to read how you see me and my situation.”

  “Did I get it right?” Her lopsided grin made my chest hurt.

  “You more than got it right.” The reality that I’d almost lost her made my voice tremble.

  We’d have plenty of time to get into the specifics once she’d recovered, but given we were going to have another child, I needed to give her some peace of mind.

  “I’ll answer all your questions when you’re out of here, but you should know I’ve done everything in my power to keep my bar—and my nose—clean. My brothers and I never wanted in, but we didn’t have a choice. Now that I’m in charge, I’m going to get us out. I just have to be smart about it. Do you trust me?"

  “I do.” She reached for my hand and hesitated. “What you said before, about backing off the engagement.”

  Afraid to hurt her, I eased an inch or two closer and whispered, “I’m not going anywhere. I’ll wait as long as it takes for you to be sure, but I’m not leaving unless you throw me out. Fair warning, I’ll buy the house next door if that’s what it takes to be near you.”

  “I’m sure.” She lifted her hand and flashed the diamond ring I’d given her. “I put it on the night in the courtyard and haven’t taken it off since.”

  I cleared the emotion from my throat. “Then we have a wedding to plan as soon as they spring you from this joint.”

  “Sounds wonderful. I already have a dress.” Her eyes drifted closed and popped back open like Ella when she fought to stay awake.

  “Babe, you’re exhausted. Get some sleep.” I kissed the part of her forehead not covered with gauze. “I’ll be right here when you wake up.”

  “I want to go home and sleep in our bed.”

  “I know, but the doctors want to make sure you and the baby are okay.” As soon as the words came out my mouth I cringed.

  She widened her eyes.

  “Before you say it, remember I wanted to marry you before I knew about the baby.”

  Maggie grinned, but winced and touched her split lip. “How did you find out?”

  “The nurse told me.” I wiggled my brows. “We’re going to need a bigger house.”

  “And a nanny.”

  “Thank Christ. It’s about time you came to your senses.”

  38

  Gabe

  For the first, and hopefully the last, time in my life, I sat at the head of the Marchionni Corp conference table. I had to admit, the power oozing from the chair gave me a rush, but it was a trap.

  My brothers and father had arrived before me. Though I’d told no one why I’d called them here, a nervous energy hung over the room like cigar smoke.

  “What’s with all the formality?” Enzo nodded to the clock. “I have to be at the restaurant by eleven.”


  “And I have to pick up Maggie in Baton Rouge.”

  He had the decency to look away.

  I’d hated to leave her at the hospital, but the outcome of this meeting would set the course for our future. Besides, I hadn’t left her alone. She had Shanna and her mother to keep an eye on her until I could return.

  I pulled a file from my bag and handed the papers to Leo. “This is a legal filing Chantal DuBois plans to take to court and release to the media in a few days. I’ve made copies for each of you.”

  My father’s spine stiffened.

  “Can we get the Cliffs Notes version?” Enzo took his copies and passed the rest on to Marco.

  “In short, the Marchionni Corporation screwed her out of half a million dollars on the sale of a bar she owned with her husband, Martin Sinclair. As a result of the fuckery, Sinclair killed himself. She plans to sue us for the half-mil, along with pain and suffering and anything else she can squeeze out of us.” I withheld the fact that I’d come to an agreement with Chantal. I needed my father to come clean about what had really happened.

  Leo turned to our dad. “What do you know about this?”

  “Joe made the original deal with Sinclair for his half of the bar, but the wife refused to give up her half.” He kept his expression smooth, but I had him by the balls and he knew it.

  Enzo motioned for him to continue. “Any reason why?”

  “The wife suspected us of running off their customers and reporting them for selling to minors.”

  Leo pinched the bridge of his nose. “This is how you acquire businesses?”

  My father raised his chin and glared. “You don’t get to judge when the money I’ve made put clothes on your back and paid for your college.”

  “Joe was involved?” My youngest brother, Dante paled. He’d worshiped Joe like others did rock stars.

  “Your brother was a saint.” My father smiled, but Dante looked away. “By the time the wife agreed to sell, we were in a rush. The contract had a clerical error. She didn’t bother to read it before she signed.” My father shrugged.

  This is why Chantal hates this family? I ground my teeth. “Clerical error?”

  “It gave us full ownership for half the cost.”

  The room grew still.

  “Is that why Joe tried to quit the business?” Dante leaned forward and looked my father in the eye.

  “Yes, one of the reasons.”

  “Joe wanted out?” This was news to me. I’d always thought of him as a younger version of our dad. Although, it gave Pietro Lazio a hell of a reason to want my brother dead.

  My father shrugged. “He would have changed his mind.”

  Dante shook his head. “Not true. Joe promised me he’d get all of us out of this life.”

  I needed time to think about the implications of Dante’s revelation, so I steered the conversation back to the matter at hand. “Why didn’t you correct the contract?”

  “I didn’t know the bitch would go off the deep end and cause this much trouble.” He looked at each of us as if to judge our worth.

  “I will not run the corporation if this is what you expect of me. Martin Sinclair is dead, and I’ve already been a participant in another—” I clamped my mouth shut. This wasn’t the time for me to give confession. Though I technically didn’t have Artie Guzman’s blood on my hands, I couldn’t tell them the truth. Not with my father in the room.

  Dante’s mouth hung open. “You killed someone?”

  Leo, God bless him, broke the silence. “What do you propose we do about Chantal’s case against us?”

  I cleared my throat. “I’ve already taken care of it. The company will pay her the money owed to her, with interest. In exchange, she’s agreed to sign documents stating the terms of the original contract have been met.”

  My father’s eyes rounded. “You played us?”

  “I learned from the best.”

  Enzo glared and shoved back from the table. “Thanks for wasting everyone’s time.”

  I ignored him. There was another matter we needed to discuss. “You should know the police have a tip in Joe and Rebecca’s death. Some inmate knows details that weren’t released to the media.”

  My throat tightened. Each of my brothers had a visible reaction to the news, but my father hadn’t flinched. I’d made the right decision in holding back details like the name of the person who allegedly ordered the hit.

  Dante’s voice trembled. “He’s saying Joe was murdered?”

  Keeping my gaze on my dad, I nodded. “Claims a former cell mate said he was paid to take him out.”

  Leo sucked air between his teeth. Dante wiped his cheeks. Enzo and Marco hung their heads. My father? He stared at me as if daring me to keep talking.

  I kept talking. “You knew about this?”

  He smirked. “How would I know about this?”

  “When did you figure it out? Before or after you accused an innocent woman?”

  Leo whispered, “Let it go for now.”

  Out of respect for my brothers, I dropped it, but my father and I would have a long conversation about the Lazio family. “I plan to start the process of separating our legitimate business holdings from the Cosa Nostra and all their known associates.”

  Enzo plopped back into his chair. “Can we afford that?”

  “We may need to tighten our belts. I’m going to dump anything that isn’t earning a profit without the mafia’s cash flow.”

  “Is it safe?” Dante whispered.

  Rather than outright lie to them, I nodded to my father. “What kind of blowback should we expect?”

  “That will depend on how you go about this.” He chuckled but it sounded hollow. “I’d tell you to go slow. Find a compromise you can live with, but you’re like your older brother. Neither of you seem capable of taking your time.”

  I took a moment to let them digest the information. “If any of you disagree with my decision, now’s the time to speak.”

  Enzo squirmed in his chair, but kept his mouth blessedly shut.

  When no one spoke, I glanced back at my father. “Pops?”

  “It seems I’m outvoted. Run the business as you see fit.” Joe sat as a coughing fit stole his breath.

  I waited until he quieted. “I hope you mean that.”

  39

  Maggie

  “Hi.” I stretched and nuzzled into my own pillows. After a few nights in the hospital, I was beyond glad to be home.

  Gabe pulled me close and kissed the tip of my nose. “Good morning, beautiful.”

  “I’ll never take sleeping in my own bed for granted again.” What I really meant was I’d never take sleeping in my own bed next to him for granted again. The man kicked off enough body heat to chase away the chill, not to mention he smelled good—really good like fresh cut lumber and spices and sex. “What time is it?”

  “Eight-thirty.” His graveled just-woke-up voice gave me all sorts of wicked ideas.

  Between the days after the disastrous dinner in the courtyard and the two-night stay in the hospital, I was starving for a heaping helping of Gabe. “Do we have time to fool around before we meet the wedding planner?”

  “Maggie.” He’d used the same voice he normally reserved for misbehaving kids.

  Lucky for me, I felt like being naughty. I brushed my fingers down his chest, to his navel, to the v-shaped muscles…

  He took my bandaged hand and kissed my fingertips. “None of that.”

  “We aren’t even married yet and our sex life is dead. I told you so.”

  “It isn’t dead, just on hold.”

  I kissed the spot on his neck that drove him wild. “When will it be off hold?”

  “Soon.” He’d used the voice again, but his lips curled into a grin.

  “How soon?” This time I caressed my chest.

  His eyes darkened.

  Almost have him. I let out a soft purr and toyed with my nipple.

  “Not soon enough.” Gabe swallowed and pulled
the sheet to my chin. “We have an OB appointment next week. I don’t think we should have sex until we know everything’s okay.”

  “The doctor at the hospital gave the all clear. You heard the heartbeat. Are you seriously going to make me wait another week?”

  He freaking nodded.

  Pouting, I crawled on top of him. “How about a blowjob?”

  His body tensed to the point it felt like I was laying on a concrete slab—a warm, sexy, concrete slab. “We could sixty-nine, if we’re careful.”

  “Victory is mine!” I ducked beneath the covers.

  The doorbell rang.

  “You’ve got to be kidding me.” I’d never understood the big deal about honeymoons until that moment. Between the kids and the soon to be mothers-in-law, morning sex never happened.

  Gabe laughed, threw the covers off me, and headed for the door. “Get dressed.”

  I tugged on the sweats and T-shirt I’d left on the floor the previous evening and walked into the living room as Gabe welcomed Detective Wayne O’Malley into our home.

  Wayne turned to me. “How are you feeling?”

  “I’m okay. What’s going on?” I motioned for him to sit and curled up in the corner of the couch. Though I didn’t want to admit it to Gabe, I ached from head to toe—being drugged and kidnapped could do that to a girl.

  Gabe set three bottles of water on the table and sat beside me.

  Wayne leaned forward and put his elbows on his knees. “Justin and Denise Trudeau are being charged with abduction with intent to extort money, assault, and felony stalking.”

  The memory of the two of them being shoved into police cars sent a shiver down my spine. “Will they get bail?”

  “It’s unlikely.” Wayne pressed his lips into a thin line. “I’ll need an official statement when you’re up for it.”

  “I’ll bring her in tomorrow.” Gabe released me and pushed to his feet. “We have a lawyer, but I’d appreciate it if you’d keep us up to speed.”

  “Will do.” His expression hardened, and he glanced at Gabe as if asking permission.

  He nodded. “Sweetheart, Wayne has some news about Joe and Rebecca’s accident.”