Harlequin Historical September 2021--Box Set 1 of 2

by Christine Merrill

  Lorenzo smiled. He liked that she liked his home.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Evelyn

  The wide-open space took Evelyn’s breath away. The windows—there were so many windows—gave a view of the entire Downtown. She could see the river in the distance. She walked to a window to look out. They were very high up.

  Lorenzo’s apartment smelled of spices and lemon. She looked toward his kitchen as her stomach growled. “I’m sorry. I haven’t eaten anything since last night.” Embarrassed, she looked away from him.

  “Let me get you cleaned up and then I can give you something to eat. I was just about to eat when Jeb called and told me what had happened.”

  Lorenzo disappeared down the hall and returned with washcloths, a bowl of water, and some alcohol.

  “Have a seat on the sofa.”

  Evelyn obeyed. Lorenzo sat so close to her the warmth of his body warmed hers. She was still chilled from everything that had happened.

  Lorenzo dipped the towel in the water and then moved toward her forehead. Evelyn winced.

  “I won’t hurt you.”

  Lorenzo’s eyes poured into Evelyn’s. She closed them and let him wipe away the dried blood. She focused on how the small vein in her neck beat more rapidly the closer he got to her. She wondered briefly if she should tell him she could do it herself. That would have been the smart thing to do. But her mouth wouldn’t form the words. With her eyes closed, her sense of smell was intensified, and she felt a little intoxicated by the smoky mint scent that filled her nose.

  “It doesn’t look bad. Your hair will cover most of it. Are you okay?”

  Each time Lorenzo touched her a new wave of warmth spread through her body, each one more intense than the last.

  “I’m okay.”

  Evelyn’s eyes were still closed when she felt the absence of Lorenzo. When she opened her eyes, she saw he stood in front of the refrigerator. He pulled out a pot of something. He put it on the stove and ignited the gas.

  Evelyn stood and returned her focus to the windows. The sun shone brightly. She gingerly touched her face. She worried about going on stage. She didn’t want anyone to know what had happened to her.

  She decided to put it out of her mind and focus on where she was and the person taking care of her. The apartment was luminous, thanks to the floor-to-ceiling windows, and Evelyn saw Lorenzo had pictures of his family placed throughout the living space.

  She picked up a frame from the small table where she stood. It was obviously a picture of Lorenzo, but he was a boy, and the beautiful woman she’d seen him leave with last night was the little girl in the picture. The two of them had their arms on each other’s shoulders like they were the best of friends.

  The picture both warmed her heart, to see Lorenzo so young and happy, and also sent a pang of jealousy through her chest. So Lorenzo hadn’t just met this woman; she had been in his life for many years. Even if Evelyn had wanted to—which she didn’t—she couldn’t compete with that.

  She felt his presence reverberating in the large room like a pulse. She could detect him no matter how close he was to her. She didn’t want to think about what that could mean...

  Lorenzo took the picture from Evelyn and gently placed it back on the table. “Ready to eat?”

  The skin around his eyes had darkened some. He was tired; Evelyn could see that. She was tired too, but where would she rest? She couldn’t stay here with him.

  “I am. Thank you.”

  Evelyn followed him to a solid wood traditional table. There were eight seats. The table sat atop an intricately designed light blue rug. The color of the rug and the green couch made Evelyn think Lorenzo had extravagant taste. Her mother would have liked this decor.

  Lorenzo pulled out a chair and Evelyn sat down. He placed a bowl of hot stew in front of her, a small plate with a soft buttery golden roll and, to Evelyn’s amazement, a glass of red wine. Since Prohibition, wine had been hard to come by, but some people had wineries that would sell to anyone claiming they were using it for religious purposes.

  “Where’d you get this?” Evelyn couldn’t help herself. The question was out before she could think better of it.

  “I own a winery and distillery just outside of the city—about thirty miles.”

  “But all the wineries and distilleries are owned or restricted by the government.”

  Lorenzo smirked. “Not all of them.” He winked at her.

  He sat in the seat at the head of the table, and she was right next to him on one side. She still had his suit jacket on, and he still had on an unbuttoned shirt. To a casual observer, they might have appeared to be lovers.

  “Thank you for your hospitality and for coming to find me.”

  Evelyn couldn’t meet his eyes. She hated that she’d needed him, a White man, to save her from other White men. The irony of it all left her spinning.

  She knew that in every race there were good and bad people, but she realized she was afraid to find out which Lorenzo was. All of his actions toward her so far had been kind and generous, but what exactly did he want from her? He had a beautiful woman who was lethal, and he had a thriving business. What could he possibly want with a country girl he had nothing in common with?

  No matter how kind he was to her, Evelyn just wanted to know what he was really after.

  “So, tell me about yourself,” Lorenzo said. He looked at her over his glass of wine.

  “What would you like to know?”

  Evelyn took a small bite of the roll. It melted in her mouth. She had to stifle a moan. The savory sweetness was one of the best things she’d ever tasted. She hoped her face didn’t give away how glorious she thought it was.

  “Anything you wish to tell me.”

  “Well, I’m originally from Louisiana. We moved north so my mother could open her medical practice. We lived in Tulsa briefly, before my parents were...” She hesitated.

  “Before your parents were what?”

  “Killed.” Again Evelyn couldn’t meet Lorenzo’s eyes.

  “Oh, my God, I’m sorry. I didn’t know. When you said you were taking care of your grandmother, I didn’t put it together that... I’m sorry. Do you mind me asking how it happened?”

  “Yes, I do mind.” The curt reply was out before Evelyn could stop herself.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be intrusive.”

  Evelyn shook her head. “I know. I’m sorry. You’ve been so kind to me, and I just keep...” She shook her head again. “It’s not you. It’s me. There are things in my past that I... I’m not sure I can get past.”

  “You don’t owe me an explanation.”

  Evelyn looked up to see Lorenzo staring at her. “But I’ve been rude to you.”

  “No, listen... I want to get to know you better, but you don’t have to share anything that you aren’t comfortable sharing. I just wanted to extend the same offer to you that you gave me. I’m here to listen whenever you’re ready.”

  Evelyn smiled. It seemed they both had things in their past that they didn’t want to talk about. And a part of her wanted him to know what had happened to her, to her parents. But she was afraid to tell him.

  “Thank you...really. You’ve been so kind.”

  Lorenzo reached across the table and took her hand. His eyes drilled into her. The grayish color threatened to slice her secrets open.

  “I know all about running from the events of the past. Unfortunately, I’m a little too familiar with growing up amidst violence.” He continued to hold her hand.

  Evelyn sensed he was about to share something with her that he didn’t like to talk about. She waited patiently for him to continue. She held tightly to the tingling sensation in her fingers from where his skin touched hers.

  “I’m sure you are already aware of who my family is?”

  Evelyn nodded, re
directing her gaze. She could see the burden on his shoulders from the weight of his very powerful, very dangerous family.

  “I want you to know that I walked away from that life because I didn’t want any part of the violence, the never-ending pursuit of revenge.”

  “That must have been really hard for you.” She pulled her hand from his and used the napkin to wipe her mouth.

  The regret that crossed his face was gone as quickly as it appeared and he was back to his usual expression, which was really hard for Evelyn to read. She hadn’t wanted to stop touching him, but the desire thrumming in her body, deep down in her bones, frightened her.

  Lorenzo took a drink of his wine. “I’ve realized that even though I’ve walked away, or ‘neglected my responsibilities,’ as my father says, every day that I’m Lorenzo De Luca I am protected by the very same violence I loathe. I scraped and sacrificed to earn enough money to start Blues Moon, but still my club is tainted by the protection of the mob.”

  He shook his head and chuckled without humor. He looked deep into her eyes.

  “I will do anything I can to make you comfortable at Blues Moon. I want you to know that you don’t have to worry about what happened on your way home happening again. Based on the direction you were headed, I assume you live in West Eden?”

  Evelyn hadn’t been expecting him to mention her town by name. Her mouth hung open for a moment, before she could recover.

  “It’s okay. I’ve heard rumblings about an all-Black town near the city, but I’ve never questioned anyone about it. I don’t want my customers to be uncomfortable. I figure if they want it to be a secret, then it isn’t my secret to tell.”

  Evelyn looked at him—really looked at him. He stared back at her just as intensely. Who was this man?

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  Lorenzo

  Lorenzo’s mother had used to make stew for him whenever he’d had a rough day at school. It was one of his favorite things to eat. She’d taught him how to make rolls that melted in your mouth—because stew had to have a roll to go with it, she would say.

  Sitting at the table with Evelyn, Lorenzo thought a lot about his mother. His mother was the perfect balance for his father. She was kind and good where his father was harsh and morally ambivalent. His father had a sense of code and honor, but it was based on street rules: Omertá.

  Lorenzo had grown up having both sides ingrained into him. He’d decided at a young age that he didn’t want to go into the business with his father—he’d seen too many deaths—but that hadn’t stopped his father from teaching him how to survive, how to be a boss and demand the respect of others.

  Looking into Evelyn’s gorgeous golden eyes, he thought of the kindness of his mother. He wanted to be something he didn’t know if he was able to be for Evelyn. He was more like his father than he’d thought. He’d almost killed a man, and Evelyn was too good to be with someone like that.

  Lorenzo could see weariness in Evelyn’s gaze. “You should get some rest.”

  “Well, I don’t think getting on the train to go home is a good idea at this point.”

  Evelyn focused on her bowl, avoiding Lorenzo’s eyes. Was she nervous?

  “I have space here, or there’s an empty apartment downstairs that has some basic necessities, like a bed, if that would make you more comfortable. You definitely need to rest or you won’t be able to perform tonight.”

  Lorenzo wanted her to stay with him, but mostly he wanted her to stay wherever she was comfortable.

  He went over to the gramophone and turned on Bessie Smith. He loved her voice almost as much as he loved Evelyn’s. He found that music helped him relax, which was something he struggled to do with everything that was leaning in on him.

  “I should probably go to the apartment downstairs, if that’s okay.”

  When Lorenzo turned back to Evelyn, he hoped the disappointment didn’t show on his face. It wasn’t proper for a single woman to stay in a man’s apartment. He knew that. But he didn’t care much about propriety. He just wanted to be near this woman.

  He took a deep breath. The smell of the rolls still sat heavily in the room, making his home smell like a bakery.

  The more he wanted to be near her, the stronger his resolve grew to keep her away from him. Just being seen with him, the son of a mob boss, could get her killed.

  “Of course. I’ll have Jeb handle getting it ready for you. Should take only a few minutes. Finish your wine, and please help yourself to more if you’d like.”

  Lorenzo walked over to the phone and called the club. He asked for Jeb, explained what he needed, and Jeb said he’d take care of it. Jeb had the same air of authority as Lorenzo, which was why Jeb was his second. He might even be better at some things than Lorenzo. They were a good team.

  “I really shouldn’t have any more wine. I had a bad experience with drinking.”

  Lorenzo was intrigued. “What happened?” He sat back down at the table with Evelyn.

  She shifted in her seat and looked away from him. “I’ll just say that I don’t remember much, and that arriving home having to be carried to my room was not pleasing to my grand.” She shook her head.

  Before he could stop himself, Lorenzo used his index finger to lift her chin so she was looking at him. “We’re all allowed a night of bad choices. Sometimes it’s exactly what you need to wake up the next day and start making better ones. Don’t be ashamed of your past. It has made you who you are, and so far I think you’re pretty amazing.”

  She arched an eyebrow at him. “So far?”

  Lorenzo smiled and sat back in his seat. He liked touching her, but he didn’t want to get his hopes up when he knew he couldn’t have her. He would keep his distance. She was young, gorgeous, talented and good. He would not ruin her. He would stay away from her.

  “Let me show you the apartment downstairs. It’s not as big as this one because there are two other apartments on that level, but it is very nice. Originally, I had the apartments renovated to rent out, but I haven’t had time to find tenants.”

  He held out his hand to help her stand up. He kissed it before letting her go. Her eyes lit with what Lorenzo hoped was desire. Maybe he would let himself indulge in her...just a little bit. A kiss on her full lips wouldn’t hurt—but what if he couldn’t stop there?

  He walked to the door and allowed her to exit into the hall first. Then he locked his door and showed her to the stairs. When they got to the sixth level, he opened the door of apartment 6A. When he held the door open for Evelyn her scent filled his nose as she walked past. She smelled of sunsets and rainstorms, warm days and cold nights.

  “This is...lovely.”

  “It’s yours if you want it.”

  She spun on her heels to glower at him. “Are you trying to buy me, Mr. De Luca? Because I am not for sale. I don’t know what you think is going to happen here, but I will not be anyone’s mistress.”

  The fire coming out of her golden glare made Lorenzo take a step back. He was taken aback by her response to what he’d considered an incredibly generous offer. The rent he planned to charge for this apartment was astronomical, and he’d be letting her stay for free because he didn’t want to see her going back and forth on the train or a bus twenty miles every day by herself. This was the safest thing for her.

  “Look, I don’t know what you think I just offered you, but it was not a proposal to be my mistress.”

  “Then what was it? Why are you doing all of this for me? What do you want from me?”

  Maybe it was his exhaustion, or maybe it was that he was so taken with this doll that he’d lost himself in her already, but he couldn’t even respond. He had no words—which was unlike him. He’d been able to talk his way into or out of any situation he wanted to. But even he could acknowledge when he’d met his match.

  “Are you going to say anything?” she asked.

 
; He closed his eyes and shook his head. This entire scene was actually making Evelyn even more appealing. No one had challenged Lorenzo in this way. The sheer palpable anger radiating off her had Lorenzo’s heart beating like a Duke Ellington song.

  “I think I can make it just fine on my own, Mr. De Luca, thank you. I will see myself out. And I’ll return for my shift tonight.”

  With that, she stormed out of the apartment and down the stairs.

  Lorenzo was left with a slight smile on his face, shaking his head. This woman was a spitfire, and he loved it.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Evelyn

  Evelyn didn’t know where she was going. She walked and did some shopping locally and then returned feeling calmer, eventually calling her brother from the phone in the club. She paced outside waiting. She fought back the tears that pressed against the back of her eyes. She would not cry over a man who would cheat on one of the most beautiful women Evelyn had ever seen.

  She’d seen him walk out of the club with that woman who’d drugged the KKK members the night before. Then she’d seen that picture in his apartment, of that same woman as a child with a young Lorenzo. How could she entertain the affections of a man who had gorgeous women at his beck and call? No one would give a woman an apartment without expecting something in return.

  Lorenzo De Luca must think Evelyn was just a skirt he could take out to play with whenever he was ready. Giving her gifts, playing soft music, offering her an apartment—he was out of his mind if he thought she was that type of woman.

  The sun had retreated from the sky, resting on the horizon. It would be dark soon, and Evelyn would need to be back here by ten to start her set. She was so tired and, though she didn’t want to admit it, heartbroken. She’d never been propositioned like that before. She looked up at the sky to keep the tears from falling down her cheeks.

  Her brother had a Lafayette that he’d bought with his share of their parents’ money when he’d come to the city. The car wasn’t flashy, but it was drivable. When he pulled up in front of her she almost collapsed, right there on the sidewalk. She was so happy to see him. She hadn’t seen him in a few weeks. He didn’t come to West Eden often, and it had been Evelyn’s first time to the city yesterday.