Lorenzo held his hand out to help Delphine sit. After she’d gotten comfortable he walked toward the bar, to see if Tommy had returned yet. He sighed loudly when he saw Tommy’s replacement still tending bar.
It had been at least an hour since they’d left, and he wanted to know they were all okay. With Jeb gone, Lorenzo had to cover and make sure the club ran smoothly. He was used to zoning out, listening to the music and looking at the numbers. He interacted with his customers, but Jeb was really the front man. Lorenzo preferred to interact on his own terms.
“We’re going to take a brief break...” Evelyn’s voice floated through the room.
The crowd groaned audibly.
Evelyn’s face lit up when she saw her grandmother. It made Lorenzo’s heart skip to see her so happy. He wanted to put a genuine smile on her face like that. He wanted to be the receiver of her warm embrace.
He shut his eyes for a moment, and took a breath before turning away from her and her grandmother. He sat at the end of the bar sulking—something he didn’t ever do. He was someone who got what he wanted. Usually he didn’t stop until he got what he wanted. But he had to remember that he was the one who had stopped anything happening between them, and that it had been the right thing to do—no matter how much he ached for her.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Evelyn
With her grand in the audience, Evelyn sang until she thought her heart would explode. She had so much pain to draw from that she could have kept going all night, but Benny suggested that she take a break and have something to drink with her grandmother.
The band continued to finish the set while Evelyn sat down at the table with her grand. She saw Yalaina walk on to the stage. She hadn’t heard the young woman sing, so she was excited to hear her and enjoy the music with her grand.
“So this is Blues Moon.” Her grand smiled, but worry lines creasing her forehead.
“Yes, what do you think?”
“It’s nice, baby, and of course your singing brings tears to my eyes...” Her grand touched her gloved hand.
Evelyn had to have her emotions close to the surface, so that when she sang she could make the audience feel it, not just hear it. She’d tried to convince herself that was why she felt so strongly for Lorenzo. She was just full of emotions from singing so much lately. The feeling would pass.
“You should stay at my apartment for the night. I would worry about you going back so late.”
“That sounds nice, sweetheart. And I’ll come by to see it. But I really need to get back. I have a doctor’s appointment in the morning.” Her grand squeezed her hand. “Everyone in West Eden has heard rumblings about the KKK setting up in the city, and we worry about your safety. It’ll be nice to see where you’re living so I can put my mind at ease. I haven’t really seen you these last few days, since you started here. You look like there’s something wrong. What’s going on?”
“I’m fine, Grand. I have a meeting right after my set, but I’ll show you my apartment, and then you can get home and get some rest.”
“Stop trying to avoid my question.”
Evelyn sighed. “I have everything I need right here, really. Lorenzo has been so generous...” Saying his name was like a dagger to her heart. She had to get past this infatuation she felt for him.
She searched the club for him. He was at the bar, and their eyes met. He was staring at her. She wondered how long he’d been watching her. What must he think of her? She’d almost given herself to him so willingly. She’d never wanted anything more than she’d wanted him to make love to her.
He stared at her without even trying to hide it. What did he want from her? His steely gray-green eyes sent shivers through her body. She shook her head at the memory of his callused palms on her thighs and averted her gaze.
“Are you cold, sweetheart?”
Her grand’s worry lines seemed to be set permanently.
“No, I’m okay. I’m going to get back on stage. This is the last set, so we can go to my apartment after. Order some food—I’ll have Cook put it on my tab.”
“Your boss has already taken care of my bill. He didn’t tell you?” Her grand arched an eyebrow.
“No...”
Evelyn chanced one more look in Lorenzo’s direction. The corner of his mouth tugged up. That smile set fire to the ice she’d formed around her heart. But she was determined not to let a man she’d just met have this much power over her.
Evelyn returned to the stage as Yalaina finished her song. She was an excellent singer. She and Evelyn were very different in their sound, but Yalaina had a beautiful voice.
“You did amazing,” Evelyn said with a big smile.
“Thank you. That means a lot from you.” Yalaina squeezed Evelyn’s arm and then walked toward the back of the club.
Evelyn knew Lorenzo spent the entire set watching her. Even when someone would come up to talk to him, he never took his eyes off her.
But there were at least four gorgeous women who leaned against the bar next to him and gently touched his shoulder, or his knee, or his chest. Evelyn sang through her fury. She wasn’t even sure why she was so angry, but her emotion fed the more up-tempo songs that she’d written recently.
The night came to a close, and Evelyn couldn’t have felt happier, knowing she could retire to her apartment with her grand. But first she showed her the dressing room.
“Wow, this is all for you?” her grand asked.
“Yes, Lorenzo did all of this. I told him it was highly unnecessary.”
Her grand harrumphed. “Let’s go upstairs. I’m pretty tired, and I don’t want to keep that driver out too late.”
“I can’t wait for you to see it. It’s really lovely.”
Evelyn took her grand’s hand and led the way through the back, hoping they wouldn’t run into Lorenzo. They got all the way to the elevator without seeing him, so she started to relax.
The ding of the elevator bell shattered the silence. Evelyn got on first and asked the attendant for the sixth floor. It was such a pleasure to see her grand. Having her at Blues Moon, letting her see what Evelyn did to help pay for her care meant the world to Evelyn.
When Evelyn had first entered the club, her breath had been taken away by the beautiful red linen and chandeliers, the people dressed in the most expensive clothing, and the cars that lined the street. Her grand seemed genuinely impressed as well.
They stepped off the elevator and Evelyn walked to the door. “Here we are.”
She smiled brightly as her grandmother stepped inside, to see the backdrop of the city shining through the oversize windows. To Evelyn’s amazement, her grand gasped.
“How much does this cost, Evelyn Anne Laroque?”
It was never a good sign when her grand used her entire name.
Evelyn set her bag down and took her grand’s coat. She hung it in the hall and ushered her into the living room. “Please, sit down. Let me make you some tea. The apartment is part of my contract. I don’t know how much it costs. It’s a job perk.”
Evelyn busied herself, intentionally not completely answering the question. One, because she truly didn’t know how much it cost, and two, because she didn’t want to admit that Lorenzo allowed her to stay in the apartment for free.
Oh, and should she mention he lived upstairs?
No, she definitely wasn’t going to say that.
Thoughts of Lorenzo filled her mind. She couldn’t help but wonder what he was doing and if he thought about her as much as she thought of him. He had stared at her so intensely. Why would he do that if he didn’t want her?
She set two saucers on the coffee table with teacups. She brought out a container of honey and one of sugar. She’d found them in a cabinet. Lorenzo had thought of everything.
“I’m going to change out of this dress, but please make yourself at home. I have to
go to my meeting, but I’ll take you down to the driver who’s taking you home.”
Evelyn went to the bedroom to change her clothes. She heard a knock at the door. If she were a cursing woman...
She threw on some linen pants and a long linen shirt. Walking out of her room, she heard him. Lorenzo’s voice filled the apartment. The deep baritone sound thrummed through her.
She stopped in the hallway to compose herself. She took a deep breath and his masculine spiced scent filled the air. Oh, God...
“I want to make sure you all have everything you need.”
“Well, Mr. De Luca, I hope you didn’t go out of your way. We’re just fine,” Evelyn’s grand said.
“It’s no problem. I live on the top floor of the building. I’m heading up now, but thought I’d stop in to make sure you all were okay. I also wanted to see if Evelyn wants to walk up with me to our meeting.”
Evelyn couldn’t see them, but she knew the silence meant that her grand was digesting what Lorenzo’s proximity to Evelyn’s apartment might mean.
Evelyn walked into the room, her skin warm and her palms sweaty.
“Lorenzo, to what do we owe this honor?” Evelyn’s voice had taken on a high pitch. She was aware it had only been a few hours before that she’d allowed him to explore nearly every inch of her before he’d rejected her.
He smiled. Evelyn did not return his warm expression.
“I’m heading up now, and thought I would check to make sure you don’t need anything—and see if you want to walk up with me to our meeting.”
“We don’t need anything. And I’ll be up to the meeting in just a moment. I need to see my grand to her driver.” Evelyn’s clipped tone came out harsher than she’d meant it to, but she couldn’t feel bad about it.
“Well, okay... I will see you in a few minutes, then.”
He tipped his hat, then turned and walked to the door. Evelyn followed him.
He opened the door, but turned to look at her. “We have to talk about earlier.” His eyes peered into her.
“No, we don’t.” She grabbed the handle of the door to encourage him to leave.
“Please, I want to explain. I don’t want us to be distant with each other when we were just starting to get close.”
“We are employer and employee. That is as close as we need to be. Now, please leave. I will be at the meeting on time.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
Lorenzo
Lorenzo had to step back so the door wouldn’t hit him in the face. He wasn’t sure what he’d expected Evelyn’s response to be. He hated that she was so angry with him, but maybe it was for the best. Although he would continue to watch out for her—protect her.
He ran up the stairs to his apartment with so much on his mind. He just wanted to escape for a little while from the torturous thoughts of how much he wanted Evelyn but couldn’t have her.
Tommy, Dred and Jeb sat in his living room. They’d cleaned themselves up in his spare bathroom. Tommy’s hair was wet, and Dred’s skin glowed dark brown under the moonlight. She stood looking out of the window. Lorenzo didn’t miss the way Jeb watched her.
“So, give me the rundown.”
Lorenzo went to his bar cart and poured himself a glass of whiskey. He drank it all in one gulp. He ran his hand through his hair, poured himself another glass, then sat down on a chair.
“It’s worse than we thought. They’re planning to make a move on Blues Moon—to ‘send a message.’” Dred rubbed her temples and closed her eyes.
Lorenzo took a moment before responding. He wanted to weigh his options before telling them what the plan was going to be.
“I got it covered,” he said at last. “I let the detective who so generously stopped by here know that I’m interested in joining the KKK. They’ll show up and expect things to be amicable, but what they will find is their secrets outed for the entire city to see. They’ll be caught off guard, and I will give them an ultimatum: disband or I will shatter their lives.”
“Are we doing things the mob way?” asked Tommy.
Tommy had a glass of brown liquor of his own that he stared into. Although he was a bartender, Lorenzo hadn’t seen him drink but a handful of times in the six years they’d known each other.
“No, we will do things my way.”
Lorenzo had decided that he would take the heat from the Klan alone. He wouldn’t involve anyone else.
He had reporters who loved to cover his club. The one thing about the Klan was that they were cowards. They were also doctors, and lawyers, and held other positions in the city. If their identities got out their anonymity would be ruined and they wouldn’t be able to continue to terrorize the citizens any longer. Not to mention Lorenzo had forged a friendship with some of the up-and-coming officials in the city who believed that the only way the city would thrive was through desegregation. Some of those officials had vowed to help Lorenzo get the Klan members put away.
Dred stood immediately. Tommy and Jeb followed.
“We need to get things in place if my plan to ambush the Klan is going to work. As soon as things are ready, let me know,” Lorenzo said.
Jeb, Dred and Tommy nodded as they left.
After the door had closed behind them, Lorenzo sat down just as his phone rang. He answered it. “Hello?”
“Tell me about your new singer.”
His mother’s voice was a relief.
“What have you heard?”
“She’s beautiful, a Negro and one of the best singers people have ever heard. You need to hold on to her—but more importantly you need to keep her safe.”
Lorenzo loved his mother for her kind heart.
“There’s talk that there’s a hit on her,” she went on. “I don’t think you have the manpower to go against the Klan.”
“I’ve got it handled, Mamma.”
“I think it would be a good idea to get her acquainted with the family...you know, so people will know she’s protected.”
“I don’t think—”
“Lorenzo, I know you see our family as a threat to protect her from, but her association to us could benefit your plan. Bring her by the hotel. Introduce her to people. Get the newspapers to cover a story on you and her.”
“Wait—you want to make it seem like she’s my girlfriend?”
“We could use that to our advantage. I hear she’s bringing in large crowds every night. Your father has mentioned that the family could get into the music business with this young woman if she’s everything everyone says she is. She’s too much of an asset to let her get harmed or go to another club.”
Lorenzo knew there had to be a reason his father was interested in Evelyn.
“This could be good for the family, Lorenzo. This could be your way to go completely legal. I know that you have declined to be the next Don, so you’re going to have to figure out another way out of this life if you are going to...” His mother trailed off.
“I don’t plan to use Evelyn and exploit her talent.”
“You’d be helping her build her career.”
Lorenzo’s mother had a point.
“Let me think this through. I’ll let you know.”
“At least bring her by the hotel. We have to put her under our protection. She’s an asset. Your father’s interest in her may not be centered around her safety, but mine is. I’m worried about you and her. I couldn’t go on if something happened to you like what happened to Vinny. You have to choose her safety over your own past, son.”
Lorenzo’s mother sighed as a knock at the door drew his attention away from his conversation with his mother. “I have to go.”
“Please consider what I said. I would love to meet her.”
“Okay.”
Lorenzo wanted Evelyn to meet his mother. He thought of them both as amazing women. He knew they would hit
it off.
Lorenzo stood and strolled to the door. He almost couldn’t contain how happy he was to see the golden glare of Evelyn.
“Are we still meeting? I’m sorry I took so long. My grand wanted to chat before she left.”
“Yes. Well, not exactly. Tommy, Jeb and Dred have something to handle.” Lorenzo gestured for Evelyn to come in.
She looked up at him through lidded eyes. She pulled up her gloves as she stared at the table.
“But I’m happy you came. We can get started discussing the fundraiser and then you can get some rest.”
“Okay,” Evelyn said.
Lorenzo breathed a sigh of relief.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
Evelyn
Evelyn sat frozen. She hadn’t expected to be alone with Lorenzo. She wasn’t sure if she should stay. But she didn’t want to leave. She’d feel like she was running from a challenge.
She thought back to the night of the massacre, and how she’d accused her mother of running scared. Images of the fire burned through Evelyn’s head. Her family had almost made it out. For Evelyn, that had been the worst part—thinking they were safe, and then having their entire lives shattered in minutes.
“Evelyn? Evelyn, are you okay...?” Lorenzo’s voice trailed off.
When Evelyn opened her eyes, she saw his gray-green ones etched with concern. “Oh, Lorenzo!”
She threw her head in her hands and wept. He pulled her from the chair and sat cradling her on the floor. He caressed her hair and her back as she cried.
She wasn’t sure how long they sat like that, holding on to each other, but she didn’t care. In that moment what she wanted—needed—was comfort, and she wanted that comfort from Lorenzo.
“I want to tell you what happened,” Evelyn said.
“You don’t owe me anything,” Lorenzo said.
“I know, but I think I should tell someone finally. I’ve never told anyone what happened that night...not even my grand.”
Harlequin Historical September 2021--Box Set 1 of 2 Page 60
