by Ali Vali
“I’m here to earn my keep, so put me to work.” She glanced around the room and smiled when the pretty blonde from the previous night headed toward them.
“Here comes trouble,” Josh said, chuckling.
“Hey there, hayseed,” she said when Emma put her tray down. “You enjoying yourself?”
“I am, thank you, but obviously you don’t trust me.”
She tensed, raising her eyebrows. “How so?”
“You put the bar between us.” Emma knocked on the wooden surface. “I figured you were afraid I’d spill something on you, but you can ask Josh how great I’m doing.”
“Let me be the judge of that. What do you need?” She leaned over the bar a little, getting Emma to do the same.
“I need eight black-and-tans.”
“Coming right up.” She grabbed some glasses and opened the tap, knowing Emma’s eyes were on her. She’d had so much on her mind she’d forgotten about her beautiful new waitress, but maybe it was time for some fun.
“Thanks. This should wrap up my night since Josh is heavy-handed with the rules.” Emma seemed to concentrate as she picked up the tray, then paused when she turned around with it. “Be right back, so try to talk him into letting me stay longer. Might be fun.”
Emma walked away, filling out the snug jeans she was wearing, and Cain enjoyed the view. One of the guys at the table Emma was placing drinks on must’ve appreciated the sight as well when he put his hand on her butt. Since Emma had more drinks to serve she couldn’t do anything about it, but she was trying her best to move away.
Cain swung over the bar and grabbed the guy by the wrist without really thinking about what she was doing. The idiot immediately stood up and took a swing at her, missing badly because of his inebriated state. Lou was next to her impressively fast, but she held him off. This kind of behavior pissed her off, but she’d show restraint not to scare Emma away.
“How about you pay the young lady and get out of here? If you’re smart, you won’t come back.” She grabbed his fist as he took another swing.
“How about you mind your own business, asshole? I don’t see her complaining.” The idiot staggered a bit when she pushed him back hard enough to get him away from Emma.
“Hey, man, she’s right,” one of the other guys said, throwing some money on the table. “Sorry for the trouble, Ms. Casey.”
“I’m not fucking leaving because I didn’t do anything wrong. If you touch me again, I’m going to fuck you up.”
Why did drunk people get louder than necessary? “Emma, would you mind waiting for me by the bar?” Emma put her tray down and took off. She waited another moment, never taking her eyes from the big guy. “I’d listen to your friend, but if you want to stay, then stay.”
“Fucking right I’m staying—” Whatever else he was going to say died abruptly when she punched him hard in the throat. The blow made the guy double over while holding both hands to the front of his neck.
Lou’s presence must’ve made the rest of the group wary enough not to move to help. “Take your buddy and get out of here. I see you in here again, and you’re going to wish this is all I do to you.” She grabbed the idiot by the hair and pulled his head up. “The next time you grab any woman’s ass without permission, think about this. You do it in front of me, and I’ll feed you your balls, and once your friend explains to you who I am, you’ll know I’m not kidding.”
“You fucking bitch,” the guy wheezed out, not taking his hands from this throat.
“Lou, could you see the gentlemen outside right after they empty their pockets? That,” she pointed to the money on the table, “doesn’t look like enough to cover the tip.”
“Sorry again, Ms. Casey. Our pal had way too many.”
“Sometimes something like that can be dangerous to your health. You happened to catch me in a good mood, so leave before that changes.”
“See them out, or see them out?” Lou asked, grabbing the drunk idiot and hauling him almost off his feet.
“The sidewalk should do it, but you might still get your shot. Brains here doesn’t have much of a learning curve if I had to guess.” She glanced at the pile of money and smiled. “Thanks on behalf of the young lady, and remember to keep your hands to yourself from now on. Manners beat the hell out of getting beaten.”
“Words to live by, Boss,” Lou said.
“Or to die by if you don’t catch a clue,” she said, and only Lou laughed.
Chapter Six
Emma watched as Cain punched the guy hard enough to double him over. It was a night of firsts since she’d never been pawed, and she’d never had anyone defend her honor. That Cain had done it answered the question of if she’d remembered her, but maybe she did that for everyone who worked for her.
She automatically put her hand out when Cain held something out to her. The stack of money seemed substantial unless it was all ones, but at the moment she didn’t care. Being the center of Cain Casey’s attention was like standing under the hot sun.
“Thank you, but you deserve this more than I do,” she said, trying to give the money back. “I appreciate what you did, since that guy really creeped me out.”
“Don’t ever let anyone manhandle you like that, and let me know if someone gives you a problem.” Cain folded Emma’s fingers over the money and shook her head. “You earned that, and Josh tells me you need it for school.”
“I do, but I don’t mind sharing.” The band starting up again made her step closer to Cain, and on instinct she took hold of the hand Cain had punched the guy with. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“I’m fine, but it’s time for you to leave. School is more important than anything that happens here, so get moving.” Cain didn’t let her go, so she frantically tried to think of a reason to stay.
Honesty was the best way to go. “Are you sure you want me to?”
“When’s your first class tomorrow?”
“Eight, but I took a nap before coming to work today. I’m good to go for another couple of hours.” She gently pulled on Cain’s fingers, wanting to get to know her.
“How about a compromise?” Cain led her to the bar and asked Josh for her stuff. “Put your money away, and we’ll stop for a snack before I take you home.”
“Are you sure? We can stay here if you want.”
“I’ll come by tomorrow if I can and see your progress, but I’m not in the mood to scream at you all night over this crowd. If you want, it can be a quick trip home.”
“A snack it is, so lead the way.”
Lou followed them out and held the door like he’d done the couple of times he’d driven her, and what she was doing suddenly seemed surreal. Her life had never been this exciting or different, but Cain appeared to be at ease not only in her own skin, but in having someone drive her around.
“What are you studying?” Cain asked.
After Lou closed the door, the quiet in the back of the vehicle was sudden and enveloping. She was thrilled to be alone with Cain but also incredibly nervous. This, whatever it was, she had no experience in, so the opportunity was probably a one-shot deal. She rubbed her hands along the top of her thighs and tried her best to exude calm.
“You okay?” Cain put her hand over hers briefly as if to stop her anxiety from spiraling out of control. “You sure you don’t want to simply go home?”
After taking a deep breath, she said, “I’m sorry. I’m really bad at this, but I’m glad you invited me along. That’s why I’m acting like a birdbrain.”
“I don’t meet a girl who uses the term ‘birdbrain’ every day.” Cain smiled, speaking softly. “And what exactly do you think you’re bad at?”
“Oh, geez. I got this all wrong, didn’t I? I’m so embarrassed.”
“Hold on.” Cain took her hand again and didn’t let go. “How about we start over?”
“What do you mean?” She spread her fingers so Cain’s palm fit nicely against hers.
“We can change snack to date, or to whatever m
akes you relax enough to breathe. Is that kind of what you’re talking about?”
“I’m okay with dating. But I don’t have much experience so I’m bad at it.” She turned in the seat a little to look Cain in the eye. “I get the impression that starting my dating life with you is like learning to swim at the Olympics.”
“Too much too fast?”
“No…well, a little fast, but I’m glad you asked. Hopefully you’re patient.”
“If you ask anyone, patience isn’t one of my virtues, but maybe we can help each other out. Relax and answer my question. What are you studying?”
She gave Cain a long, rambling answer, but Cain listened with an attentive expression, nodding a few times. When Lou stopped and turned the engine off, she stopped talking. The restaurant wasn’t familiar, and she had no idea where they were since she hadn’t glanced out the window once after Lou started driving.
“Is Chinese okay?” Cain asked, tugging her hand gently.
“I love Chinese.”
“Lou, go in and eat. We’ll be okay on our own.”
The restaurant was still pretty busy despite the hour, and the hostess showed them to a private table. From what she could see, Cain wasn’t as eager as Josh to get her home by ten.
“What made a girl from Wisconsin end up here?” Cain asked, resting her elbows on the table.
“My answer should be the great scholarship, but that’s not all of it.”
“So small-town girl wanted to have a little fun, huh?”
She laughed at Cain’s teasing and pointed at her before shaking a finger. “I’ll have you know Wisconsin has some big cities.”
“So you grew up in a big city?”
“No. I grew up in the middle of nowhere with a big bunch of cows. I came to Tulane to experience something new, and New Orleans certainly is that.” The waitress served hot tea she hadn’t ordered, but Cain seemed to enjoy it so she tried it. “It’s been a fun three years.”
“I bet, but how did you end up in my bar?” Cain leaned back as their “snack” turned into a feast with a large variety of food.
Cain handed over a serving spoon so she could get started. “That’s simple. It was a completely happy accident. I was getting laid off, so I walked to my favorite place to think of what I could do to stay in school and actually eat every so often.” She told Cain what had happened with her campus job, too embarrassed to talk about her mother and her thoughts on her being in school here.
“Would you like that campus job back instead of the one with me?”
“I’ve only been there two days, but I really like it. I’m also making a lot more money, so I might be able to take a day off every so often. Josh might’ve hired me, but thank you for being so understanding for bathing you in beer.”
“So I’m guessing my bar isn’t your favorite place,” Cain said and appeared pleased when she handed over the plate she’d just filled.
“You weren’t on my radar since I seldom went past Royal Street, so I’ve done all my ginger-ale drinking at the Carousel Bar.”
“You have a little Irish in your blood now, so your life will never be the same. I’m glad you wandered off the path a bit.” Cain waited for her to fill another plate before taking a bite, which made her friend Bea come to mind. If what she’d said about Cain was true, the mob boss at least had manners.
“Do you mean it, or is that something people say?” She had no idea where all this out-of-character stuff was coming from, but her gut told her Cain would only be interested in someone bold. And the truth was, meek had never gotten her anywhere.
“Did you like playing with matches when you were surrounded by cows, hayseed?”
The way Cain smiled suddenly made her want to put her hands over her chest when her nipples got stone hard.
What the hell was happening to her, she wondered as Cain’s eyelids dropped halfway. “My best answer is, I just recently found my matchbox.”
“Used to the safe and comfortable, are you?”
“I’ve been predictable, but sometimes life has a way of showing me something I didn’t know I wanted until it’s dropped right in front of me.” Flirting wasn’t exactly one of her talents, so she was shocked to be holding her own. At least she thought she was, since they were still here, and Cain was still responding.
“I’ll go easy on you and not ask what you want. Not today anyway,” Cain said and winked.
They enjoyed the meal, and Cain had them pack the rest for Emma to take home. It would keep her in leftovers for at least a week and was an incredibly sweet thing to do.
“Do you often feed poor college students, Ms. Casey?” she asked as Cain carried the bag and they followed Lou out the door.
“People also say there’s a first time for everything.” Cain opened the car door for her this time, making her smile at the chivalry. “But I guess it makes me appear less monster-like either way.”
“Excuse me—what?”
“If we’re going to be friends—”
“I think we already are.”
“No. We’re not quite there yet.” Cain had put the take-out bag between them so they couldn’t get closer. “Friendship is built on trust and honesty.”
“And Josh said loyalty.”
“And loyalty. My family is full of interesting people, so maybe instead of friendship, you’d be better off as my employee and acquaintance.”
“Do you make it a habit to think for people? If you do, that might be a problem.” She seemed to be having an out-of-body experience in that she’d released her fear. “A friend told me about your interesting family, but I’m having trouble squaring what she said with this.” She plucked the top of the bag and looked Cain in the eye.
“Even the devil has his good days, Ms. Verde.”
“So what did you mean by ‘either way’?”
“If you believed your friend, tonight hopefully showed you I’m not all about the rumors and stories circulating out there.” Cain closed her eyes for a breath before giving her a melancholy smile. “If you’re a young and pretty Quantico graduate, hopefully the same explanation applies.”
Lou stopped the car, and Emma wished they hadn’t been so close to her apartment. “The only weapon I’m familiar with is words, so that would make me a lousy cop of any kind. Consider that fact before you decide I’m not friend material.”
Cain walked her to her door and only kissed her hand when she placed the bag right inside without going in. The move, however chaste, had made her stomach physically clench in an unfamiliar way. If she had to define it, the only word that fit was want.
“Unbelievable,” Emma whispered, leaning against her locked door. “Maddie was right in that it hits you like a Mack truck.”
It was a good thing her truck was this good-looking, since it had mowed her down with those incredible blue eyes.
“You’re going to let me in if it takes me a lifetime of trying, Cain.”
* * *
“Agent Kyle, what can I do for you?” Special Agent in Charge Annabel Hicks said after giving him only a brief glance. It appeared that the file she was perusing had more of her attention than he did.
“Ma’am, as you know, Washington sent me down here for a specific reason, and that’s to curb organized crime. This city seems to be a hotbed of activity that has nationwide implications.” He sat across from her. How had some stupid bitch like this managed to score a managerial assignment as sweet as this post? He’d worked his ass off but wasn’t any closer to a directorship somewhere so easy to build a reputation in.
“I can both read and comprehend what’s in your file, so I know why you’re here. I’m a real bitch when it comes to the rules, so be very careful when you start your operation.” She did look at him then, and the intensity of her glare made him uncomfortable. Hicks seemed to see right through him and into his head. “The Wild West is dead. Remember that well when you cowboy up, as they say.”
“I intend to follow the law, ma’am, but the only way to move f
orward is to start applying pressure. Nervous people make mistakes. Once they do, the rest of the big fish will be easy to reel in.”
“What do you want?”
This would be easy. Hicks tried to hide her enthusiasm about possible arrests after so many frustrating years, but he could almost taste it in the air around her. “I need approval for twenty-four-hour surveillance on one of the major players.”
“Which one?”
“The easiest target is the Casey family, but once we flip the new head, the rewards will be the Jatibons and the Carlottis.”
“The Bracatos seem the easiest to me.”
“The easiest doesn’t always reap the greatest reward. You can hunt giraffes, ma’am, but there’s no sport in it.” Hopefully he wouldn’t have to go over her head.
“This has nothing to do with sport, Kyle.” Annabel sounded close to shutting him down before he even started.
“Getting Casey comes with a ready reward, ma’am. Bracato will come down with time, but he’s not part of the network the other families seem to be a part of.”
“So twenty-four-hour surveillance will drive Casey to run into your arms in a talkative mood?”
He never appreciated sarcasm, especially from women. “You okay my team and my operation, and we’ll see how talkative I can make her.”
“You’ll be the first man to get her to do that. I’ll give you six months, and we’ll review after that.”
“Thank you, ma’am.” He left before Annabel had a chance to change her mind. “I’m going to eventually shove the indictment down your throat,” he muttered once he was outside.
Chapter Seven
“I’m going to check on Mendel’s place today,” Billy said when they sat down for breakfast. “I want to make sure Oliver knows we’re not messing around.”
“Take some of the guys with you,” Cain said while she glanced through the papers Muriel had sent over. “The world seems to be gunning for us, and we can’t lose anyone else.”
“Don’t worry. I gave up Oliver to watch over Mendel and his wife, but the rest of my guys treat me like I’m made out of spun glass.” He piled a tremendous amount of food on his plate, and she laughed. What would happen to him when his metabolism slowed down?
