by E A Hunt
“Smart man. Your wife wants something, you give it to her. No questions asked.”
“Correct. Which is why I’m here,” Seamus said.
Ren sat beside his friend on the bench, “And what can I do for Mrs. Nelle,” he asked. Seamus and Bram had a lot in common when it came to their women. They would deny them nothing unless either believed it would harm them. Which was why Sara had a five-member detail and Nelle had six. But Ren couldn’t blame either man. Their wives had been kidnapped and threated with bodily harm while pregnant, so Seamus and Bram were a little more protective of the women than before.
“It’s about Audra.”
“What about Audra?” Ren asked, lowering the bottle he had in his hand. He didn’t like Seamus asking questions about his Hana.
“Seems you’re just as possessive as Bram and I are,” Seamus replied, pointing to the now crumpled bottle in Ren’s hand.
Ignoring the bottle, Ren faced Seamus, “What about Audra?” he repeated slowly.
“She’s designing our nursery with Nelle but I have my doubts even with Bram’s background checks. He told me to come and talk to you if I want to know anything about her.”
What could he possibly tell Seamus? That the woman he’d fallen for hated him and he didn’t know why? That she blocked him at every turn when he got close? That he was so obsessed with her and making sure she didn’t disappear again, he’d placed a four-man detail on her?
“I’m not sure I have anything to tell,” Ren replied standing. He tossed the bottle into the trash, not far from the bench.
“Really?” Seamus shook his head “I think there’s a lot to tell. Especially when you have a four-man detail following her wherever she goes.”
“How do you know that?” Ren demanded.
“Audra was at the Irish Maiden the other day meeting with Nelle,” Seamus told him. His wife had been excited about talking to Audra and had even got her female guard, Mora, to carry a few baby magazines with ideas for the nursery. Ideas Seamus didn’t care about because all he wanted was a healthy, happy baby and a healthy, happy wife.
Why hadn’t he been told that about the Irish Maiden visit? He’d made it clear that her detail was to debrief him every night of her whereabouts. “Who the hell do I have to kill to get them to do their damn jobs?!” Ren seethed as he headed out of the room.
Seamus sighed and stood. He would never get his answers with Ren pissed that he hadn’t been told of his woman’s whereabouts. “Ren, Nelle likes Audra,” Seamus said, jogging after the man. He slowed once he was by his side, “Wants to be her friend.”
Ren nodded, “I’m sure Audra would like that.” From what he’d seen and heard, Audra didn’t have any friends except for an older woman who lived in her building.
“I hope so because I would hate for my wife to have her heart broken,” Seamus replied.
“Aren’t Sara and Audra close?” Ren asked, stopping to face his friend. “Audra was in Bram and Sara’s house for months and if I remember correctly Sara was talking to her almost every day.”
“She was,” Seamus conceded, “And they did become close. Sara even invited her to the wedding.”
Ren nodded. He would have to send Sara a gift basket for giving him back his Hana. “So, what is the issue? Bram has no issue with Sara and Audra being friends, so why do you have one?”
“Because Sara can take care of herself. Nelle …”
“Is stronger than you think,” Ren told his friend. He could understand his reluctance since it was Sara who had encouraged Nelle to go out on a date which had resulted in her witnessing a hit and then the hitter coming after Nelle. Seamus came back from exile to protect her and save her life. Though Ren was more inclined to think Nelle saved Seamus rather than the other way around. “And Audra would do nothing to place Nelle in any kind of danger.”
“That’s what I needed to hear,” Seamus breathed and relaxed a little. “I’m just over protective of Nelle and the baby.” He shook his head. “I know I shouldn’t be, but she trusted me, and I broke her. Then I won her back and someone else tried to break her. I can’t have anyone else trying to harm her. Sara has apologized for her role in Nelle’s little adventure and those two are as close as any two can be. I just want Nelle to have that with someone she’s becoming as close to as she is with Sara and I would hate for her to lose that because of …”
“Me?” Ren deduced. He knew this had more to do with Nelle getting close to Audra than Audra’s background.
“Our details talk. They aren’t supposed to, but they do,” Seamus said. “And she hasn’t let you in. Hasn’t let you within three feet of her. Nelle and Sara need friends and I would -”
“I have no intentions on making her so angry she will stop being friends with the women,” Ren assured.
“Thank you,” Seamus replied, placing a hand on Ren’s shoulder. “Now that we’ve cleared that up, I need to head out. Kendrik and I are going to meet with a few of The Lady’s head girls to see if they know where her daughter is.”
“You’re still looking for her?” Ren asked. Seamus had ended The Lady, a madam, for hiding Nelle’s kidnapper. Once The Lady had been disposed of, her brothels had come under the guidance of The Four. It had been decided at Bram’s wedding, before the bride and groom had departed and Seamus had learned he was going to be a father, that since most of the main brothels were in Kendrik’s territory, he would take control of them. With the help of Kendrik’s cousin Micha, who was a social worker, most of the girls had left the life and been set up with educational prospects and legitimate jobs.
“Rouva, The Lady’s daughter, has gone into hiding. Kendrik believes she is doing it because she thinks I might end her like I ended her mother,” Seamus explained. “I would never hold her accountable for her mother’s sins. Even if the old wench did offer Rouva up for one night with me!”
“Are you serious?” Ren asked. He’d never seen The Lady’s daughter but had heard rumors the girl wasn’t into the life but like most rumors this one seemed to be incorrect.
“She was politely turned down,” Seamus offered.
“Nelle would have killed you,” Ren chuckled.
“First, she would have cut off my balls then she would have killed me. And given how much Fin and my father love her, they would have helped her hide my body… Leaving Fin to take my place at the table.”
“And as much as I love the little Irish Lad, having him at the table would have been like having Kenzi at the table.”
“I heard that!” Both men turned to face Kenzi as she walked down the hall.
“And what is wrong with a woman being one of The Four?” Kenzi asked, folding her arms over her chest.
There was nothing wrong with a woman being one of The Four, Ren thought. Little Ana was slated to take her father’s place. But unlike Fin who thought before he acted, sometimes taking longer than needed to act, Kenzi was impulsive. She acted first then thought about those actions later.
“Nothing,” Ren replied.
“I thought so,” Kenzi faced Seamus. “I understand your wife and Bram’s harpy are friends? You should tell Nelle she can do better in the friends department.”
He wasn’t going to do that. Nelle was happy with her small circle of friends. He wasn’t going to disrupt that. “Right now, I think I will leave Nelle to what she thinks is best for her, since she’s still getting use to this life and preparing for the birth of our first child.”
“Children, yuck!” Kenzi physically shook. “They are little germ magnets.”
“I’m sure,” Seamus looked at Ren. “I’ll call if Kendrik and I need anything.”
Ren nodded and Seamus departed.
“Are you going to shower?”
“Shower?” Ren asked, looking at his sister
“Yes, we have another designer coming to meet with us this afternoon,” Kenzi replied. The four they’d met with a few days ago had been horrible. She’d hated each of their design ideas and their general appearance.
“Because Joanne and I need a deciding vote,” Kenzi replied, stopping outside the bathroom door. She leaned against the door jam.
“You need to learn to work with people Kenzi,” he replied starting the shower. He didn’t have time for Kenzi’s project. He had other things to deal with like the fact Audra’s security was keeping things from him.
“Ren,” Kenzi whined, “I need you. Please,” she begged.
Take care of your sister. She was born into a male world where all she is supposed to do is produce the next generation of soldiers for the Yakuza.
Ren closed his eyes at his mother’s words. “I will give you an hour Kenzi,” he said. Before I head to Audra’s office and have a little talk with her detail Ren thought but didn’t voice
“That’s all I need,” Kenzi rushed to say. She gave her brother a smile before she turned and rushed across the room. “I’ll call Joanne!” she called out over her shoulder.
Stripping before stepping into the shower, Ren had a sinking feeling he was making a mistake in allowing his sister to talk him into coming to this meeting.
Grabbing her sketch pad and an oversized bag from the back of her car, Audra listened as Nelle talked about the changes she wanted to make to the nursery design Audra had shown her days ago. As Audra listened to the new mother gush over a cradle she’d seen on tv, made by hand in an small Irish village, that she just knew belonged in her nursery, she, Audra, closed her car door and headed towards the brick building before her. It still had construction crews coming in and out but that was to be expected since the final phase of rehabbing was getting the walls up. Once that was done it was her turn to come in and design the building.
Stepping into the foyer of the building, Audra released a small gasp. It was gorgeous! Huge and gorgeous. Her mind started spinning with ideas for just the lobby alone.
She turned slowly, imagining frosted doors to the left of the entrance leading to the building manager’s office. While the oversized staircase to her right could be stained in a light cherrywood color to contrast with the deep stained hardwood floors she would place in the lobby. A lobby which could hold a nice sized concierge desk and several lounge chairs - plus a few tables here and there for anyone waiting for the people living in the building.
“Nelle,” Audra interrupted, ceasing her spinning. “Can I call you back?” This place was giving her brain overload and she hadn’t even seen the apartments.
“Sure,” Nelle replied, sensing Audra was distracted. Nelle hoped she hadn’t interrupted the woman in the middle of designing something. She didn’t want to break the woman’s creative stride.
“Thank you. I didn’t mean to cut you off but I’m -”
“Oh, I understand. Sometimes I have to cut Seamus off because he’s being unbearable.”
Audra wished she had the ability to cut Ren off. He’d been to her office building and home several times and each time she’d had to pretend she wasn’t there or had to call security. If it wasn’t for her elderly neighbor, Mrs. Simmens, waiting for Iain’s school bus her secret would be out and Ren would have gotten worse. It was bad enough she had a four-man detail following her wherever she went like she was going to bolt. Well, the thought had crossed her mind but before she could form the plan her detail had shown up, and she was stuck.
“You’re not unbearable,” Audra told Nelle.
“Ha! I am. I see something and I think I need to change the nursery.” Nelle replied. There were a few changes she’d made in the house, but this was something she was doing from scratch and she wanted it to be perfect for her little bundle.
“You’re a new mom,” Audra cooed. “Enjoy this planning. This nesting. Because once they’re here, all your plans go out the window!” she chuckled.
“I know. Sara and I were planning on going to this baby boutique we went to when she was pregnant, but Ana isn’t feeling well so Sara decided to stay home.”
“How about this. We all go to the boutique in a day or so with your new ideas and see what we can get there?” Audra suggested. She knew the place Nelle was talking about because Sara had dragged her there several times. “After that, we can all have lunch.”
“That sounds lovely, Audra,” Nelle sighed. “Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me for calming a new mother,” Audra replied.
“That’s not what I’m thanking you for,” Nelle said. “You know Sara and I are not normal clients but you still choose to work with us. Most people are scared but you’re not and I thank you for that… and for calming down a new mom!” she added, chuckling on the end of the phone.
Hard to be afraid of the Irish and Albanian Mob when you have a Yakuza tattoo on your person, Audra thought. Giving Nelle a heartfelt goodbye along with a see you soon, Audra placed her phone in her pocket just as the entrance to the building opened.
“Audra Daniels?”
She turned at the sound of her name. “Yes,” she replied, looking at the woman walking towards her.
“Joanne. Joanne Woodward. I’m the project manager here,” Joanne said and offered her hand to Audra.
“Yes. Ms. Woodward, it’s nice to meet you,” Audra replied, taking the woman’s hand.
“Please call me Joanne,” she said.
“Joanne,” Audra replied. “Thank you for even agreeing to meet with me.” She’d got her inquiry together only a few minutes after the deadline’s expired midnight time limit due to Iain not feeling well. While her son rested, she sent in her inquiry thinking it couldn’t hurt. To her surprise, Joanne had contacted her about the job saying that the other designers they’d interviewed hadn’t been right and they needed to start afresh.
“Well, let me show you around,” Joanne started. She’d learned from the other interviews that giving the designers pictures or virtual tours wasn’t the right angle. Showing them first hand where they’d be working was better.
“How many units?” Audra asked, as they got off on the first floor of residences.
“Forty with a penthouse,” Joanne replied and explained how the building would work. She opened the door to one of the studio apartments letting Audra in. “We’ve decided to offer a few condos and some rentals already furnished - that’s where your designs will come in.”
Audra nodded as she looked around the single room. There was a wall sectioned off, bathroom, and she could see the roughing for the kitchen. “I see a homey look here since it’s the first floor and most people want first floors because they don’t like stairs or want to be home as soon as possible - even after getting off the elevator!” she said as she faced Joanne.
“I was thinking the same thing,” Joanne shrugged. She’d mentioned that to the other designers, but many had sided with Kenzi when they saw the crazy come out. “Come, I’ll show you one of the two-bedroom condos then we can head up to the penthouse.”
Audra nodded, eager to see the penthouse. Most penthouses covered the entire top floor of a building. If that bode true for this building, then she knew she would get a little moist just thinking about designing it. Stepping onto the elevator with Joanne after seeing a spacious two-bedroom condo, they rode in silence to the penthouse. The elevator would open directly into the living space with a special key only residents, building management and whomever the resident designated would have, Joanne explained. Audra wondered why a separate elevator wasn’t provided for the penthouse.
“I should put a bullet in your head for not doing your job!”
The threat came out loud and clear as the elevator doors opened. Cringing, Audra was ready to tell Joanne ‘thanks but no thanks’ when sh
e saw Ren pacing the barren penthouse. He was pissed, meaning he was agitated and when Ren got agitated, he needed to workout. When they’d been together his workouts had included her on a flat surface with him pumping into her telling her how wonderful she was. How he hated being rough and her screaming she needed him to be even rougher. She hadn’t known she liked it rough until Ren and only Ren.
“My instructions were very clear,” Ren seethed into the phone. “You watch her. You make sure nothing happens to her and you tell me every move she makes!” Ren was talking to Audra’s former lead guard. If the man couldn’t do as instructed, he didn’t need the job anymore.
“Stop! The! Fucking! Excuses!” he hollered. He’d been hearing them for the last twenty minutes. He didn’t want to hear them anymore. He was about to tell the man he was fired when his phone was plucked from his hands.
“All is well.”
Ren looked at his Hana. What was she doing here?!
“Your job is safe,” she said into the phone, before ending the call and holding the phone out to Ren.
“You shouldn’t have done that. It makes me look weak,” Ren said, taking the phone from her.
“I wasn’t going to let you end him because I ditched him when he was following me the other day. He didn’t find me again until I was leaving the Irish Maiden,” Audra told him. She’d just wanted one afternoon where she didn’t have her detail with her. So, she’d slipped out the back of her office building when one of them had taken a smoke break and caught an Uber to her meeting with Nelle.
“Ditching your detail is not an option Hana,” Ren reminded her. If he’d had a detail on her in Japan, he wouldn’t have lost her. He wasn’t about to make that mistake again. “They are there for your protection. I will not lose you again.”
He would not lose her? Was this some sort of joke?
“Me?” Audra placed a hand on her chest, “You will not lose me?” she scoffed. “Do you hear yourself? It was because of you I was harmed!”
“Hana... Audra… there were only a few people who knew about you. And my love for you. If I thought my enemies -”
