by Marlee Wray
“Is he angry?” I ask as I ascend the stairs, knowing there’s no way of escaping at the moment.
“No,” C says, taking me back into the bedroom. “Do I need to handcuff you to me? Or are you smart enough to know there’s no point trying to get out in the middle of the night?”
“I won’t try to leave again tonight.”
“Glad to hear it,” he says, dragging off his clothes. He crawls back into bed.
“Should I sleep with you? Or in a guest room?” I ask.
“What are you talking about now?” he asks, settling back and closing his eyes.
“I tried to sneak out. Aren’t you angry?”
“I’m not happy about it, but you told me you wanted to leave,” he says with a shrug. “I don’t blame you for trying.”
“So if I don’t want to sleep in here, I don’t have to?”
“Sleep wherever you want,” he says tersely. “When I’m ready to deal with you, I’ll track you down.”
I bite my lip, wondering what his dealing with me will entail. And whether he’ll be more lenient if I sleep next to him for the rest of the night.
“It’s not that I don’t enjoy being with you,” I say.
“I know that,” he says. “I’ve felt you come.”
I wince. There’s an edge to his voice. He’s very angry at me.
“I know you’re tired. We’ll talk later,” I say. I leave the room, padding down the hall to a sage and cream bedroom with an antique gold light fixture. I crawl into the pretty sleigh bed, but find it hard to sleep.
* * *
Connor
We’re in the kitchen and Trick and Anvil are taking the opposite positions from what I expected.
I’ve just told them I’m taking Zoe to Boston, so she can stay with a friend for a couple of days.
Trick says, “Bad idea.”
Anvil says, “She doesn’t want to stay, so you let her go. That’s fair. I’ll follow in a second car. Better security.”
Trick’s eyes cut to Anvil. “Seriously, ‘Vil? You’re on board with this?”
“We got all the information there was to get. You want him to keep her prisoner?” Anvil counters.
“Who the fuck are you? And what have you done with Sasha Stroviak?” Trick demands. “Yeah, of course, I think she should stay right here. Number one reason? Because C wants her and she enjoys the way he wants her. Second reason, and more important, because other guys, our enemies, want her too. I repeat, letting her out of our sight is a mistake.”
I frown. “She wants to leave. If I force her to stay, I look like Frank.”
“Not on your worst day, C,” Trick says in a hard, flat tone, which for him is rare.
Both Anvil and I are watching him now. My gaze slides to Anvil, who shrugs.
“Let me talk to her,” Trick says.
I hold out a hand for him to go upstairs.
* * *
Zoe
I’m dressed in one of C’s shirts and black leggings. I’ve put my dirty clothes into a small plastic bag. I’ll do laundry later. Now that Connor’s agreed to let me go, I’m anxious to leave the house before he changes his mind.
“What are you doing, Z?”
I spin to find Trick leaning against the guest room’s doorframe. He’s wearing faded Levi’s and a modern white Oxford, which from the pocket I can tell is Hugo Boss. He’s so handsome, he looks more like a performer than I do.
“I’m getting ready to go visit a friend,” I say.
“Why would you do that?” he asks.
I look at him, his eyes deep blue and vibrant.
“I’m going stir-crazy. I need to get out for a bit.”
“It’s a bad time for that. If you want some air, we’ll take you out for some air. How about a run in the park? Or you can meet some of your cast mates for lunch? They won’t even know I’m there.”
I shake my head quickly. “I want a real change of scenery. It’s important.”
“Why’s that?”
“The longer I stay with you guys, the less options I have.”
“What options do you need?”
I hold out an impatient hand, not sure what he’s trying to get me to admit. “I just need a little distance. A little time to think.”
He finally nods. “Then get your phone out, so you can put my number and Anvil’s in it. When you change your mind, all you need to do is call any of us.”
“Are you—why would you make that offer?”
He lifts his phone. “You’re important to C. That makes you important to all three of us.”
“Are you sure it’s not that you want to see him punish me for my misbehavior?” I’m only half joking.
He smiles, and it’s pure unadulterated sunshine, with a side of devious. “I would not say no to that show. But I swear this isn’t about that.”
I slide my phone out, and he steps forward so we’re almost toe to toe. I enter his number and Anvil’s into my list of contacts.
“If you need us or even just get an uneasy feeling, don’t hesitate for a second. I want to see you on the Langston’s main stage all season long.”
I can’t help myself. I smile and give him a quick hug. “Thank you, Trick.”
Chapter Fourteen
Connor
Her friend in Boston is the short, skinny, gay guy from the theater who propositioned me. I trust him to protect Zoe like I’d trust Bruno Mars to win a fight against Mike Tyson.
“Who wants avocado toast?” he chirps. “I know, I know, millennial cliché. But it’s good, right?” He takes a swig of lemon water and pushes a plate of toast covered in smashed avocado toward us.
“The security in this building seems decent,” I say, looking around the expensive loft.
“It is. Daddy’s got good taste.”
I don’t know if he means his actual father or a sugar daddy or daddy dom. I don’t ask. Every instinct has my hand itching to grab Zoe by the arm and haul her back to the C Crue stronghold.
Then she turns and smiles at me, and I’m tongue-tied for a second. I still don’t understand how she can have that effect on me.
“Thank you so much for bringing me, Connor. We’ll be really careful,” she whispers. “I’ll even text you updates, if you want?”
“Yeah, text,” I say.
Her friend tilts his head and smiles. “Aw, that’s so sweet. I love that!”
To him, I say soberly, “I’m leaving her with you. She’d better be safe here.”
He gasps and looks between us. “Wait, what? I thought this was just a fun little night out.”
“It is!” Zoe says to him. She lowers her voice when she speaks to me. “Do not freak us out. No one knows I’m here. I will keep it that way.”
“I’ll be at a downtown hotel tonight. Come and have dinner with me later.”
“C!” she exclaims. “How is this free time for me if you’re staying in Boston?”
“You said you wanted to stay with your friend. You’re staying with your friend. That’s all I promised you.” I look at the guy again. “Rico, seriously, keep her safe. We will not be good if something happens to her.”
The friend’s lemon water freezes halfway to his mouth.
Zoe scowls and shakes her head. “That is not okay, Connor.”
I shrug. “Best to warn people up front. Trust me on that.” I pull her to me and plant a possessive kiss on her lips. She lets me, but then pushes me away as I release her.
My heart is banging like a drumbeat as I leave the apartment. Zoe’s right. When it comes to the important things in life, I’m used to being in control. I know this thing between us is new, but I already feel like she’s mine. Turning her loose in the city alone doesn’t sit well.
She insisted on having her own car, which is a piece of crap, so that’s what she and I drove to Boston. Trick and Anvil drove one of the C Crue Range Rovers, and it’s idling on the street when I leave Rico’s building. When I open the passenger door, I find Anvil in the front passen
ger seat and the driver’s seat empty.
“Where is he?”
“I don’t know. He said he’d be back. Didn’t say when.”
I circle the truck and get behind the wheel. There are dungeons in Boston and New York that Trick likes to play in, but I doubt he’d head to one without at least inviting us along.
“Did he go in the building?”
“No. He cut across the parking lot.”
“I thought he already put a GPS tracker on Zoe’s car.”
He did.
I pull out my phone to text him when there’s a rap on the window. I turn and find Trick standing next to the car, eating a hot dog. I roll the window down and cock a brow.
“What’s on that?” I ask because it looks strange.
“Caramelized apple coleslaw and salted onion chips.”
I grimace.
“Want one?”
“Absolutely not. You coming?”
“No, I’m gonna tail your girl and do some other work.”
“Yeah? What other work?”
“You know her other friend who wanted to buy a van? I think I’m going to meet up with him here.”
Anvil’s head jerks up. Trick has our complete attention. We’ve been looking for Dennis Sanders for days. The guy’s been in the wind. If there was any doubt at first about his involvement in the van robbery that died with his concerted effort to hide whenever he’s not at the Palermo house.
“I thought he was busy.”
“He is for most people. But there’s a girl he likes.”
I stare at him, my gut tightening. I know Trick would not suggest using Zoe as bait, so I don’t know what he’s planning.
“Yeah?” I ask. “How would he know to show up around here?”
He takes a bite of the dog and chews slowly. On purpose. Anvil lets out a string of curses in two languages.
“Killed two birds with one stone,” Trick says with a smirk.
I stare at him, waiting.
“I cloned her phone.” After a beat, he says, “Your sexting game is nonexistent, by the way. Would not have guessed that, C.”
“Why would I sext with her, Trick? I’ve been fucking her while she’s been living in my house.”
“Fair point.”
“Get back to the plan!” Anvil barks. “I want to hear when and where about the van guy.”
Trick finishes his hot dog before answering. “Lots of texts from interested parties over the past few days. And by now, Big Daddy Frank and Denny Rob both know she’s in Boston. Not from her. But your boy Nico Rico posted all over social media that his favorite Latina dancing queen is coming to town for a girl’s night, along with a picture of her performing at Langs and a selfie of the pair of them from backstage on opening night.”
I can’t find the words.
Trick deadpans, “I’m looking forward to watching the live stream of them drinking mojitos later.”
I hold back a river of curses. I made her swear she wouldn’t post a word on social media about being in Boston. How could she not have warned the guy she was staying with?
“Get it over with,” I say.
Trick smiles his golden boy smile. “No need to say I told you so.”
Anvil flings his door open and gets out. “What do you want to do, C? I can go up and get her. Or you can park, and we’ll all stay.”
“I’ll park the car,” I say. “Let’s see how this plays out.”
Trick’s grin widens. “Just so you know, C. We’re going to lose our G cards over this. Following a college girl and her friend around the city? By morning we’ll have all the street cred of Dora the Explorer.”
I crack a smile because this is one hundred percent Trick in his element. His childhood was every bit as dark as Anvil’s and mine, but when things are at risk of going sideways, he plays like everything’s a joke. This, I’ve decided, is how he survived some very black nights back when he was powerless to keep his old man from getting drunk and beating the shit out of him or his mother.
“Dora the Explorer? You hoping for that, Trick? Your own cartoon?”
“Wouldn’t say no,” he returns.
“Let’s get on,” I say and pull into traffic to park the goddamned Rover. Unlike Trick, I’m not entertained by this. I should be back in the Crue compound with a pretty Latina goddess tipped over my lap, her legs kicking while I paddle her pretty ass for recklessness.
When the night’s over, I vow to myself, Zoe and I will either be done for good or all in.
* * *
Zoe
“So? What’s he really like?” Rico asks, sitting at a small round bar table in a trendy bar.
I shrug, unable to keep from smiling. “You saw. Intense. Possessive. Gorgeous.”
“Yes, yum factor, ten. Ten times ten, really. And knows it,” Rico says with a little sniff. He sets a round of coconut rum shots with fresh pineapple shreds in front of us.
“Oh, my God. What are you trying to do?”
“Create a legendary night. So that when you’re famous, I’ll be like, oh, we had piña shots at a downtown bar and talked about her ‘gangster from the neighborhood’ boyfriend. Oh, yes, best of friends. Absolutely. Here, let’s grab a pic, all smiles for Insta.”
I jerk back from his phone. “No posting, Rico. I told you!”
“We’re not staying here. I won’t post until we’re onto the next place.”
“No posting tonight! You can post in a couple of days when I’m gone.”
“All right, gloomy bird. You’re as bad as Rachel Raven sometimes.”
I scowl at him. “Rachel’s had a rough time. You have no idea.”
“And I don’t want one. She’s never any fun. Emo much?”
“Back up,” I say, my protectiveness of Rachel immediately rising to the surface. “For real, back it up,” I whisper.
He throws his arms in the air. “All right. Agree to disagree and silent forevermore on that score. Let’s not fight!”
I open my mouth, but the words vanish because I spot Frank Palermo, Dennis, and Frank’s bodyguard, Mangia, as they walk into the bar. I can’t move. Or breathe. “Did you—did you call someone?”
“Call someone?” Rico asks, confused. His head turns to follow my gaze, and his color drains to ash. “No, oh, my God, what?” He quickly covers his terror with a bright smile. “Oh, hi!” he chirps when Frank steps up to the small round table and kisses me on both cheeks.
“Zoe,” he says, taking my face in his hands. “My other little girl.”
Dennis moves to my side.
“She’s the prodigal daughter these days,” Dennis says before turning to Rico. He leans down and says something.
Rico hops off the stool. “I need to use the little boy’s room.” He darts through the crowd, not heading in the direction of the restrooms. I glance to the front door and watch him leave, stunned. Did he really just desert me?
Dennis sits on the stool, glancing at the empty shot glass. He sniffs it. “What’re you drinking, Zoe?”
“Coconut rum,” I murmur, my head buzzing, my heart pounding. I’m stunned, but I tell myself everything’s all right. It’s a crowded bar. They’re not here to hurt me. I am worried about how I’ll face Connor after swearing I’d be careful on my night out. He’s going to be so angry when he finds out they tracked me down. It’s been less than two hours since he left me on my own.
“What are you doing here, Dennis? With Frank?”
“He’s working for me,” Frank says. “He said he’s a guy who gets things done. And he wasn’t lying. I guess that’s why you were good together. Our little Zoe has always been so ambitious. Dancing, choreographing, designing. I keep hoping you’ll rub off on Rachel. With her, it’s a thousand conversations to get her to do anything. Four hundred thousand Instagram followers, and she doesn’t want her picture taken. Isn’t that crazy?”
“It is!” Dennis says. “She should be grateful. They both should. You’ve given them so much.”
My stomach tu
rns, and I swivel in my chair to face Frank, giving Dennis my back. “You said you wanted to talk. It must be important for you to track me down here. What do you want to talk about?” I ask. My voice is deceptively light, but I know Frank isn’t fooled.
“I think you should stay at my house for a while. Rachel needs you there. A lot of preparations and parties. You’re better at that than she is. Also, you always cheer her up. I want her happy when we start having more guests from New York.”
“Of course, I’ll always be around to support Rachel. But I have school and performances. Auditions in New York at the end of the semester. I actually think Rachel and I should get a place in Manhattan. Imagine what a great backdrop that would be for her photographs?”
“She’ll be moving soon enough. I want to enjoy the rest of my time with her. Best for everyone if you stay with us. There’s no reason that would be a problem, right?”
“I have a place.”
“I know. You pay for it with some of the money I’ve given you.”
I swallow. “I pay for it with loans.”
“Who cosigned for the apartment?”
I feel the blood draining from my face. “If you don’t want to do that anymore, I’ll understand. I told you that.”
“No,” he says with an oily smile. “That’s what family does. When your mom got sick, I paid your tuition. No problem. And when you need someone to cosign on something. No problem. Now I need a favor. And you say...?”
“I’ll pay you back. I’ve always said I will.”
“I don’t want money. And you haven’t got it anyway, have you?”
“Any idea what interest would be on a loan Frank made to you four years ago?” Dennis asks. “If we’re talking Palermo standard rates.”
Now Dennis is an expert on Frank’s business? I feel dizzy and sick to my stomach. I’d been feeling guilty for not calling Dennis back and now he’s here with Frank, trying to push me into moving out of my apartment? “Frank, I want to help—”
“Good. I knew you would. It’s loud in here. Let’s get going,” he says, sending a text.
“Wait,” I say as he tries to hustle me from my seat. “No, I have to pay, and my stuff is at my friend’s place. I need to go by there—”
