by Ali Vali
“It’s a good cause, but wait before you send them anything until I’m sure it’s our best fit.” She heard the doors opening and people coming out way too early. “Anything else before I start my date?”
“We were served with a lawsuit this morning by a Martin Williamson III. Does that ring any bells?”
“Not in the least. Should it?” Emma stopped between her legs and blocked the sun.
“It says you broke his nose.”
“Respond to his attorney that he can either drop it or you’ll represent Emma when she sues this guy for grabbing her.”
“Thanks. That might get him to back off,” Muriel said, and Cain heard talking in the background, which meant they might be interrupted by the young associates Muriel had brought with her from the old firm.
“Actually, go ahead and file. We need the world to know exactly how we handle idiots like this.” She smiled when Emma mouthed, “What?”
“I’ll take care of it, and I’ve got to go, so have fun.”
Cain put her hands on Emma’s waist and simply stared at her beautiful face, surprised that no one had tried to win her over. “You’re done already?”
“The professor handed out grades and some extra work if we need the points, so I’m done until I need to go to work.” Emma tugged her to her feet and took her arm as they started walking. “What was that about?”
“The guy who grabbed you is suing me, so you’re going to return the favor, with my cousin Muriel’s help. If you get something out of it, you won’t have to work as much if you don’t want to.” Merrick pointed to the car parked less than five hundred feet away.
“That sounds interesting,” Emma said, taking her hand. “If that’ll be a hassle, I don’t mind working.”
“He doesn’t think it’s a hassle since he started it, and he really started it by grabbing you. I was simply defending your honor, so I’d do it again.”
Emma leaned against her and sighed. “You weren’t protecting your property, were you?”
“That’s a bizarre question,” she said, opening the car door for Emma. “They must do things differently in Wisconsin.”
“Some people back home think like that,” Emma said, and Cain imagined there might be more to it than that simple explanation.
“If you need clarification, I don’t want to own you no matter how long we’re together, but I’m not going to stand by and let someone touch you without your permission. I would never do that to you or anyone, so I expect everyone to show that level of respect.” They headed toward Metairie but stopped at a small bistro along the way, where Merrick got out and went in. “That attitude unfortunately is engrained, so hopefully it won’t bother you too much.”
“You’re someone I didn’t think existed anymore, so it won’t bother me at all.”
When Merrick returned, they started again, and Lou drove to the back of Longue Vue Gardens. The tourist attraction wasn’t usually crowded on weekdays at this hour, but as a precaution Cain had talked to an old friend and had a section roped off to give Emma what she wanted.
Cain carried the bags of food Merrick had ordered and led Emma to the spot her old friend had waiting. The huge crepe myrtle had a blanket spread under it and no one else in sight. “How’s this?”
“It’s beautiful. Thank you.” Emma waited for her to put her stuff down so she could wrap her arms around her. Cain noticed a new boldness in Emma. She wasn’t shy anymore when it came to wanting to touch her. “How’d you know I’d pick a picnic?”
“I didn’t know for sure, but I was willing to talk you into it since I thought you’d enjoy this spot.” She kicked her shoes off and helped Emma sit. “You ready to eat?”
“Not yet.” Emma moved and sat on her lap once she’d leaned against the tree. The sound from the nearby fountain and the chirping birds dissolved from her consciousness when Emma kissed her. “I missed you, and I wasn’t sure what I would do if you didn’t talk to me again.” Emma kissed her again, and Cain found it sweet but passionate enough that she could easily fall for this farm girl so different from any other woman she’d known.
“What did you want to talk to me about?” she asked, and surprisingly Emma blushed.
“Promise you won’t think it’s stupid?” The blush spread to Emma’s neck.
“I promise,” she said and tried to keep her face impassive because she thought it was important to Emma to be taken seriously.
“I’m sure you worked out who you are and what you want a long time ago.” She nodded when Emma stopped. “It wasn’t that easy for me, and all I’d figured out pretty early was that I wanted to leave.”
“I remember you saying you didn’t fit there.”
“I didn’t, but even after coming here and enjoying the freedom to do anything, something was missing. I thought something was missing in here.” Emma placed her hand over Cain’s heart. “But you woke me up, and then you were gone. When you wouldn’t take my calls, I swore that I’d stop being afraid and, if you gave me the chance, just tell you.”
“Tell me what, lass?” She moved her hands so they were slightly under Emma’s breasts but then slid them back so she could pull her into an embrace. Emma seemed to gather strength and moved back a little so she could see her face.
“That I want you in my life, and I want to see where this goes. I’m hoping we land somewhere that we can build a long and happy life.” The last part of Emma’s confession came out in a whisper, but she never lost eye contact.
“Are you sure?” Her mum had always said the falling was easy, but the small details sometimes doomed it to fail. “Take off those rosy-outlook glasses and admit that the average person doesn’t have an FBI surveillance team after her for no reason. Maybe I’m some of those things they believe me to be.”
“Do you think you could care about me?” Emma was certainly persistent.
“You can’t believe otherwise. We’re completely different people, but you seldom leave my mind.” This time Emma’s kiss had an edge of seduction, so she pulled back before they got ahead of themselves, and Emma appeared both confused and disappointed.
“Thank you for giving us a chance, and only time will show that you can trust me. We’ll build that a brick at a time.” Emma laid her head on her shoulder and sighed with what sounded like contentment.
“There’s more to this than trust, darling girl,” she said, and Emma jerked her head up. “My family is the most important thing in the world to me, so I couldn’t imagine losing them because of who my heart chose. If we get serious, will I cost you something you might come to resent me for?”
“I don’t like talking about my parents, not because I’m ashamed, but because I think it’s the other way around. Not so much my father, but he’s never stood up to my mother and her Bible. If she knew or saw this, she’d disown me.”
“Do you want time to think about all this?”
“No,” Emma said loudly. “I’ve lived all this time being what I thought she wanted, and I’ve been miserable. On top of that misery, I’ve never come close to pleasing her.”
“And your father?”
“I have to believe that eventually he’ll be happy for me, but I want to finally feel like I belong with and to someone.”
“You’re a strong and brave woman, Emma Verde, and you’re going to make my mum almost as happy as you make me.” She exhaled sharply when Emma slammed her into the tree with an enthusiastic hug.
“Now that you’re not tossing me out, I’m starved.”
“I can take care of that hunger and so much more.”
* * *
Logan North sat in the back of the surveillance vehicle with Joe Simmons and reviewed what they’d been able to get so far. The only clear thing was her conversation with Jake Kelly and her cousin Muriel Casey about a lawsuit and a donation to charity. At that pace, all they’d be able to convict Casey on was being citizen of the year.
“What charity do you think she’s talking about?” Joe asked, glancing up from
his scope pointed at the garden gates.
They’d lost sight of Casey and the blonde once they went in, and since they had no idea where they were, they hadn’t caught anything else. “Why would you think that’s important?”
“I’m only curious,” Joe said, sounding like he was bored with him and this operation. “What kind of charity does an alleged psychopath donate to?”
“You can’t believe all those idiots in the profiler unit. Casey isn’t a study case. She’s just a thug and a common criminal,” he said, returning to those two conversations. “It’s shocking that she and her family haven’t been caught since they don’t seem all that smart.”
“Maybe because they’re not all that common or thuggy,” Joe said.
“Just keep an eye out and tell me if you spot something.”
Ray Clifton had been relegated to the driver’s seat and was currently sitting with his head back like he was a plumber on his lunch break and afternoon nap. “Hey, lovebirds, someone’s coming, so how about both of you pay attention.”
“Got them, Ray,” Joe said, and pointed one of the cameras in the direction they were coming from.
Two large SUVs had turned down the unpaved canal road and effectively boxed them in, one in the front and one in the back. They’d gotten as close as they could without actually kissing the bumper. The guys inside got out and leaned against their vehicles, and every one of them reached inside their jackets.
“Shit,” Logan said in a harsh whisper as he unholstered his weapon. “We need to get out of here. These guys are going to take us out.”
“Calm down,” Ray said without lifting his head. Every single guy brought out a pack of cigarettes and lit up. “Keep cool, but get ready just in case.”
“God dammit,” Logan said when his phone vibrated, scaring him into almost falling off his stool. “Yes, sir,” he said when he saw it was Agent Kyle.
“Got anything for me?”
“Two conversations, but she’s just taking the blonde out on a date.” The gates opened and Casey’s car came out, but all they could do was watch it drive away. “Sir, you’re going to have to send another team,” he said, explaining the situation.
“First you get towed, and now this,” Kyle said in a very unamused tone. “Make sure you three at least transcribe the telephone conversations before you get back.”
“Yes, sir.” He hung up and slammed his hand down on the shallow metal counter. The noise made the smokers glance their way, but they didn’t come closer. “Catching this bitch can’t come soon enough.”
“That’s what the boat captain said in the movie Jaws, and look how well it turned out for him,” Ray said, and Joe laughed.
“Shut up and start typing,” Logan said, slamming his hand down again. “This isn’t funny.”
Joe opened his laptop and shook his head. “No, but I bet if you ask Casey, she thinks it’s hilarious.”
* * *
Lou drove them back to Emma’s apartment, and Cain heard Merrick and him get out, but she didn’t want to stop kissing Emma to see where they’d gone. She could’ve stayed under that tree for hours, but she still had a few things to take care of, so it was time to head to the office.
“You’re working tonight?” she asked Emma when they finally broke apart.
“Yeah. Josh said he’d be shorthanded, so he actually might let me stay late.”
“Lou will be there at ten like always, so don’t let Josh get any cute ideas. If I’m done I’ll take you home, but if that’s the case, feel free to have all the cute ideas you can come up with.”
“Let’s hope you’re done then,” Emma said, tracing her lips with her fingers. It was like Emma couldn’t get enough now that she felt comfortable with her. “But if you’re not, when will I see you again?”
“I’ve got this thing I promised a friend I’d go to, but it’s kind of dressy,” she said, wondering how to ask without making Emma think this was an out-of-bounds move.
“What?” Emma asked, as if she realized her discomfort.
“How’d you like to go shopping with me tomorrow?” Killing Harold and feeding him through the grinder had been easier than coming up with a way for Emma not to feel like a kept woman.
“Oh,” Emma said, sounding distinctly disappointed.
“I want you to go with me, and I’d like to get you something to wear.” She kissed Emma’s neck. “So stop acting like I’m kidnapping your puppy.”
“Why not simply start with that, mobster?”
She laughed at the reprimand. “Because I’m relationship stupid, but I’ll learn. I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable.”
“My Tulane long-sleeved T-shirt is the closest I have to dress clothes, so I’d appreciate the help, and I saved some money so I can pay for them. I’m not after you for your money.”
“Good to know, but we’ll argue about the bill tomorrow, so prepare yourself.”
“Cain.” Merrick knocked on the window. “Heads up.”
She glanced in the direction Merrick was pointing and found Jake Kelly and his flunky Bradley Draper. “Can you sit tight a minute?” she asked Emma, who nodded. She opened the door and stopped him before he got any closer to the car. “What are you doing here?” she asked, making Jake click his jaw shut. “Was I stuttering when we spoke earlier?”
“No, but I thought about it and figured you were just under the influence of your new friend. I mean, who the hell passes up a deal like this?” Jake snapped his fingers and laughed. “I know, someone who’s more interested in getting laid than in making money.”
Cain stared at Bradley, and he took a few steps back. “Every so often I wonder how some people get through the day without falling in an open manhole because they’re too stupid to look down. That kind of applies to you,” she said, and he pointed at her as if getting ready to lay into her for the insult. His finger came precariously close to her chest.
“Wait a fucking—”
She grabbed his finger and pulled up before reversing course and going out. Jake’s fingers cracked twice, and he screamed in pain. “Stop pretending to be a big man, Jake, and go back to wherever you crawled out of. I don’t appreciate you talking about my friends like that,” she said, letting his finger go and jabbing hers up his nose and driving his head back. “It upsets me, and if your boyfriend tries anything, you’ll be in surgery a long time while they try to reattach this.” She pulled his head back farther.
“Okay,” he said, sounding nasal. “I’m sorry. I only wanted to work things out.”
“No really does mean no, Mr. Kelly, so forget about this address. I see you here again, and you and me will have another chat like this one.” She let him go, and he immediately cradled his hand with the broken fingers. “Before you decide that coming here really is a good idea, remember that you’ve got eight more of those,” she said, squeezing his fingers again, and he went down to his knees.
“We won’t be back, Ms. Casey,” Bradley said, both hands up like she was holding him at gunpoint.
“You seem like the reasonable one, so remind him about this in the morning once all the vodka wears off. Repeating myself is one of my pet peeves, so I don’t want to have this conversation again.”
After Bradley drove away with a moaning Jake, Emma got out. She looped her fingers into the back of Cain’s pants, and they watched the car turn the corner. “You must not have a lot of people disagree with you, huh?” Emma asked.
“Sometimes the easiest way to get someone to listen to you is to jam your fingers up their nose and force them to pay attention to the fact you’re serious.”
“If you say so, honey.” Emma held her hand as they went upstairs. “Hopefully I’ll see you tonight, but what time tomorrow if I can’t?”
“Don’t worry. I’ll take you home no matter what, and I’m leaving someone outside just in case.” She unlocked Emma’s door and handed her keys back. “I know tomorrow’s your late day, so we’ll go after that.”
“I need two things
before I see you again,” Emma said, dropping her bag inside the door.
“Name them,” she said, lowering her head when Emma tugged on the back of her neck.
“One, you kiss me,” Emma said, opening her mouth when she gave in to her request.
“What else?”
“Wash your hands before I hold your right hand again. You had your fingers in that guy’s nose, and that was plenty gross.” Emma gave a mock shiver and kissed her again.
Yes, the falling was easy, she thought as she kissed Emma and fought the urge to carry her inside.
Chapter Twenty
Shawn Liam walked out of the bedroom of the suite they’d gotten on their return trip to New Orleans. When they’d gone home and told their father they’d lost the Casey business, he’d ordered them back to fix the problem. What the hell good was it to let him and Royce control the business if he had to second-guess every move they made?
“Did you get in touch with Cain?” Royce asked. His brother was putting together the numbers with and without Casey’s business. He wasn’t stupid enough to think losing more than a fourth of their sales wouldn’t hurt.
“Not yet,” he said, picking up the sheet Royce was working on. “The old man said to fix it, but he didn’t say how to do it, so I’m going to do it my way. No fucking way am I going back to Casey and beg her for anything.”
“That’s not what Poppa said. He wants that business back, and he said to remember the Caseys are the reason we’ve been able to grow this much. When he finally checked the books, he wasn’t happy. He was pissed that Dalton died with the deal you cut.”
Royce was always the one who gave in, but with that attitude they’d never make the kind of money he wanted. They needed to dominate the supply chain.
“Stop hyperventilating, Royce, and listen to me.” He threw the page at him and moved to the window. “Poppa won’t be around forever, so you’ll eventually be stuck with me. It’s time to start backing me up.”
