Harlequin Historical September 2021--Box Set 1 of 2

by Christine Merrill

  He was paying her a very generous salary, plus allowing her to stay in the apartment for free. How would she ever be able to repay him? She sighed loudly. She couldn’t be indebted to him. He would have power over her. And the fact that he was a White man—well, she just didn’t want to owe him anything.

  “It puts me at ease,” he said. “Knowing you won’t need to travel back and forth to West Eden—especially when you’re tired.”

  Her hair had fallen in her face. Lorenzo’s callused hand moved it back behind her ear. She hadn’t even noticed him get up and move closer to her. He kneeled in front of her. He had an effect on her that she had to figure out. She shivered at his touch.

  “Now, how can I convince you that my intentions are only to make working at my club convenient and safe for you? Why were you so hesitant to take the deal?” His brow furrowed as he studied her face.

  “I... I don’t know.” She wouldn’t tell him all she’d gone through. She couldn’t trust him.

  Lorenzo stood, and Evelyn did the same.

  “I won’t take up any more of your time.” Lorenzo clutched the papers in his hand. “Thank you for allowing me to see you on such short notice. I just couldn’t focus on anything until I was sure you and I were okay.”

  He smiled genuinely down at her and squeezed her arm. Evelyn couldn’t help but wonder why he cared so much. But, more importantly, she couldn’t explain why she did as well.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  Lorenzo

  Unlike most women, Evelyn wasn’t making things easy on him. She’d been resistant to him at every turn. She intrigued him. Yes, she was easily the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen in his life. She belonged in the movies. But her beauty was just an added bonus. Something about the pain in her eyes and the soul in her voice made him want to help make her dreams come true, and he would use every resource at his disposal to do so. While keeping their relationship strictly professional, of course.

  He knew he was getting ahead of himself. He knew he should put some distance between them. But the idea of that made him uneasy. He didn’t really care what all of this meant. All he wanted to do was run his business, get to know this incredible woman and take care of her if she’d let him—which she probably wouldn’t.

  Lorenzo laughed to himself as he climbed the stairs back to his own apartment, so caught up in thoughts of Evelyn he didn’t notice the young man standing in front of his door until he was almost right on him. The man looked younger than Lorenzo, but he stood with confidence.

  When their eyes met, the young man scowled. “What do you really want with my sister?”

  His sister? Lorenzo let out a breath. The man had the same golden eyes as Evelyn. They had the same ginger-brown skin too, now that Lorenzo was really looking at him. He and the young man were almost the same height. Lorenzo stood six foot three, and this man was probably six two and a half.

  “I don’t understand.”

  Lorenzo took a few steps toward Evelyn’s brother. He wanted to assure him that he would protect Evelyn. The defensive stance the young man had taken made Lorenzo want to put him at ease. He wasn’t about to engage in a fight with one of Evelyn’s family members under any circumstances.

  “You do. My sister is innocent and she’s been through a lot. She doesn’t need someone like you trying to get whatever you want from her and then leaving her.”

  “Wait a minute. I wouldn’t do that. I just want to help her,” Lorenzo said, a little flabergasted at the venom in the man’s voice. “I can help her with her singing career.”

  “I know men like you. I know what you want from a Black girl, and it ain’t marriage.”

  Lorenzo, for the second time, had absolutely no words.

  “Just stay away from my sister. She’s not for you. She never will be.”

  Lorenzo stood in the front of his door alone after Evelyn’s brother had stormed off without giving Lorenzo a chance to respond. What was with this family—and what was it they thought he wanted from Evelyn? He had been accused of a lot of things in his life—some warranted, most not—but this was new to him. He had no ill intentions toward Evelyn, but he wasn’t sure he would ever be able to make her or her brother believe that. Especially if they both kept walking off before he could get his thoughts together and respond.

  He continued to breathe deeply while he opened his door. Back in the comfort of his own home, he remembered he needed to refocus his energy on helping Malcolm and other families like his. The fundraiser would be a big deal, but he needed to continue to press the politicians to push for a repeal of Prohibition. He could make a lot more money and help a lot more people without Prohibition standing in the way of his progress.

  The religious backers of Prohibition blamed immigrants like Lorenzo’s family for the corruption surrounding alcohol consumption. Their logic was so flawed, Lorenzo couldn’t believe that people were actually believing the lies these groups spewed. Alcohol and immigrants weren’t the problem. Closed-minded self-righteous people were the problem.

  He got on the horn to start planning the charity organization that he would give the fundraiser money to.

  As soon as he hung up he wanted to talk with Evelyn and tell her the plans for the fundraiser evening.

  He couldn’t help but wonder if inviting her to his apartment was a good idea. Perhaps he should choose a more neutral location for their sessions. They couldn’t go to the club. It would be too noisy and distracting. But if they went to a restaurant it might seem like a date.

  Standing, Lorenzo sighed, and decided to think over his next move with Evelyn very carefully. Her brother had said she’d been through a lot, which wasn’t a surprise to Lorenzo. He had seen the depth of her pain from the moment she’d walked into his club. What he wanted to know was how he could help her heal.

  Lorenzo pulled off his tie and dress shirt. He stepped out of his shoes and lay across his bed. He fell asleep with Evelyn’s gorgeous heart-shaped face in his head.

  * * *

  The patter of rain dragged Lorenzo from sleep. He’d been dreaming of Evelyn.

  They were at Blues Moon. She’d just finished a set and received a standing ovation from the crowd. Her smile lit his heart as she ran to him, jumping up and down. She was so excited, and the only person she wanted to share her big moment with was him. He held her face and kissed her with all the passion of a man who hadn’t been in love with anyone his entire adult life. She clung to him like he held the key to her last breath...

  Sighing, and running his hands through his hair, he stood and lumbered to the window. He stared out at the street. People in raincoats and a sea of umbrellas swarmed below. Kansas City was his city. The music, the revitalization and all the new industries popping up excited him. He couldn’t wait to leave his mark on this place he called home.

  The rain, a consistent drumming matching the beat of his heart, lulled him into calm. He’d been so happy when he’d woken from his dream. The emotions had been so real. The smile on Evelyn’s face had made him feel light and carefree—something he hadn’t felt since he was a child.

  The phone rang and he looked over his shoulder at it. He decided not to answer. He needed some time to think about the trajectory of his life and where he was going wrong.

  He needed to handle the KKK, and he was determined to do just that, without any interference from his family. The Klan was a growing parasite on the city, and it was his duty to protect the place and the people he loved so much.

  Even though he couldn’t be with Evelyn, he owed it to her to make the city safe for young women like her. When he’d learned that Simmens had a thing against young Black women, and that he usually got away with hurting them because no one really looked into the crimes concerning the Black members of the community, Lorenzo’s blood had boiled. He could do something, though. He could avenge Vinny and Edith and keep who knew how many other women safe f
rom Simmens, and that was what he was going to do.

  He got to the phone just in time. “Hello?” he breathed.

  “Bambino, I’m glad you answered.’

  It was his father.

  “I want to talk to you. We have more information about your cousin that you really need to hear. I’m worried about you and this new singer that you have. Pictures have surfaced of you and her, talking inside Blues Moon. People are speculating about your relationship with her, and they’re targeting her to get to you.”

  Lorenzo envisioned his father, helping him up when he was five years old when he’d fallen and skinned his knee. His father had called him bambino and brushed the dirt from Lorenzo’s cheeks. The tears had kept falling, and Lorenzo had thought his father would yell at him for showing weakness, but instead his father had picked him up in his arms.

  “Bambino, you’re going to be okay,” he’d said. “You’re going to show that bike who’s boss, and I’m going to help you. That bike won’t know what hit it.”

  Lorenzo had laughed and squeezed his father’s neck. And then he’d got back on the bike and shown it he was the boss.

  “I’ve got the situation under control,” he said now. “But I do want to call a meeting to discuss Vinny.”

  Lorenzo’s father hesitated before grunting in agreement.

  Lorenzo hung up and got dressed. He had to make sure his famiglia respected him and the way he chose to handle things.

  His knock on Evelyn’s door shattered the silence of the hall. He took a few long breaths before the door opened.

  “Hey, thank you for seeing me,” Lorenzo said.

  “Of course—come in,” Evelyn said.

  She had on a long silk housecoat and gloves, which seemed odd with night clothes, but Lorenzo didn’t question it.

  “Have a seat. I’ll be right out. I was getting dressed to go to the club.”

  When Evelyn re-emerged, she had on another gold dress and a beautiful headpiece that was thicker than a headband, with jewels that sparkled like diamonds. The floor-length gold-sequined dress showed her trim leg through the high slit. The sight of her skin had Lorenzo breathing hard and fast. Her hair was pinned away from her face, as Lorenzo was coming to realize was her usual hairstyle, and she had on fresh makeup. Her gorgeous eyes were lined in black and long curled lashes stared back at him. The air that came into the room with her was scented with vanilla and lavender.

  He couldn’t imagine how he must look, basically drooling over her—a woman he’d been told in no uncertain terms he could not have. But Lorenzo had never liked being told what he couldn’t have. He understood her brother’s hesitation, but every time he saw this doll he lost a little of his will to stay away from her.

  “You look...beautiful.”

  “Thank you. What did you want to tell me?”

  Lorenzo exhaled, walking up to her. He took her gloved hand and led her to the couch. They sat together, closer than necessary, but Lorenzo couldn’t help but want to be near her.

  “I have something important to tell you. I don’t want to scare you, but it’s important that you know, so you can stay on high alert.”

  “Lorenzo, what is it? You’re scaring me.”

  “The Klan is trying to take a foothold in the city. The guy you saw at Blues Moon, and who attacked you on your way home...he has a thing for hurting young Black women. I’ve gotten word that he may target you again. I’m going to handle it, but that means I won’t be at the club tonight. I need you to be careful. Don’t leave the building. I will make sure Jeb and Tommy, my bartender, have eyes on you at all times when you’re not in your apartment. As long as you stay alert, and where they can see you, you’re safe. If you need to leave, one of them will go with you. Can you do that for me?”

  Lorenzo stared into Evelyn’s eyes, hoping her stubborn nature would not prevent her from heeding his warning.

  She nodded after a long second. “Why me?” she finally said.

  “Because of me. I’m sorry. I knew this would happen if anyone thought you and I were involved.”

  “Involved? But we’re...”

  “I know, but there’s been someone in here, spying on us for the Klan. They have pictures of you and I talking. I’m going to meet with my family about what we’re going to do. I will handle this.”

  “Okay...”

  If Evelyn wondered about the mob’s involvement, she didn’t say anything.

  “Thank you for everything,” she said as Lorenzo stood.

  “I won’t let anything happen to you.”

  “I know.” Evelyn smiled up at him.

  “Do you mind mentioning that to your brother?” Lorenzo said, and laughed.

  “What are you talking about?” Her expression changed instantly at the mention of her brother.

  “He paid me a little visit.”

  “Oh, no—what did he say?”

  Lorenzo sat again. “He told me in no uncertain terms to stay away from you and said that he knew what I wanted from you. What does he think I want from you?”

  “To live out your fantasy of being with an exotic woman?”

  “I... That’s not... I’m not trying to...”

  “It’s fine. I told him that I can take care of myself.”

  Her golden eyes glittered in the dim light of the moon. She was a fantasy—but not for the reason her brother thought. She was so beautiful. Actually, that word wasn’t sufficient to describe her because she was more than just external beauty. She was smart, and there was this fire inside of her that burned so bright.

  And her voice sent chills through anyone who heard it. The pain in her voice when she sang made Lorenzo want to... His thoughts trailed off. He’d already fallen too hard for this woman he’d only just met. His father had taught him not to show his cards too soon in the game. He would have to shield his thoughts more carefully around her.

  They stared at each other for a long moment. She searched his face as he searched hers. Maybe this could be something... Lorenzo let the thought take shape, not knowing what it meant.

  Suddenly Evelyn stood and started pacing.

  “Is everything okay?” Lorenzo said.

  “Yes, I’m just tired of men who think they can dictate what I should and shouldn’t do.”

  Her gaze burned into him. He knew that comment was for him as much as it was for her brother. He could be controlling—that was his nature—but Evelyn wasn’t something to control or possess. He knew that. Yet he still couldn’t help but want to protect her at all costs. He understood her brother’s compulsion to keep men away from her.

  “I think your brother was just trying to keep you safe and away from trouble. I get that desire. Now I better head out, or I’ll be late.” He walked to the door with Evelyn following close behind.

  “When will I see you again?” she asked, with a strange look on her face.

  Lorenzo couldn’t decide if it was just general curiosity or something more.

  “I’ll come by when I return, if that’s okay. It’ll be after you’re done singing. I can bring breakfast.”

  Evelyn nodded. “I would like that, Lorenzo.”

  He imagined how she might sound if she said his name out of desire and longing. He had to stay away from thoughts like that, though.

  Lorenzo turned and walked toward the stairs.

  He had one more thing to do before he went to meet with his family.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Evelyn

  The club throbbed with excitement. The dance floor still overflowed with people, but the easygoing tone seemed to be missing.

  Evelyn disappeared inside her dressing room. Her eyes had to adjust to the change from low lighting to the bright lights of her vanity. Just outside, dishes clanged loudly in the kitchen.

  Evelyn couldn’t stop thinking about seeing Lorenzo late
r. He was kind, but he would never understand what her life had been like—was like. Because of all she’d gone through, she couldn’t open up. She was starting to think she simply wasn’t capable of trusting anyone who wasn’t family.

  Tears burned the back of Evelyn’s eyes. She’d been so sure she could give Lorenzo a fair shot, but maybe she wouldn’t be able to after all.

  She’d just closed the door to her dressing room when a knock came. She sighed before turning to answer it.

  “Benny—so good to see you.” She smiled at the older man. “Please, come in.”

  “Woo—this is a nice room. Mr. De Luca sure knows how to show his appreciation.” Benny came in and set his hat on the table. He pulled out one of the chairs and sat.

  That was when Evelyn noticed that there was fresh food on the table, with some pitchers of water and tea.

  “Please, help yourself,” Evelyn said, when she saw Benny eyeing the spread.

  He didn’t hesitate. He grabbed a piece of meat, some bread and cheese. Then he poured himself some tea and dug in. “So, how are you and Mr. De Luca getting along? I hope there isn’t any trouble. We really like having you here.”

  Evelyn laughed, but there was no humor in it. “We are getting along fine. He is a very kind man.”

  “He is, Miss Evelyn. He really is. I know you’re probably thinking what does this White man want with you, but I’ve never seen him so...so taken by a woman before. Now, I’ve seen them taken with him, many times, but never reciprocated. I like Mr. De Luca. He’s a good friend of mine, and I don’t want to see him hurt. Just be honest with him if he don’t stand a chance. Okay?”

  Benny looked at her with serious eyes.

  She nodded.

  “Well, I best be going and leave you to it. I’ll see you on stage in about thirty minutes. We’ll start with the list you gave us last night, then end with some of the songs we discussed.” He finished his food and gulped his drink before he got up and walked to the door.