Daring Hearts: Fearless Fourteen Boxed Set

by Box Set

  “She’s not going to need those skills. She’s going to be a lawyer.” Vinny set his hands out on the table, a move that showed openness.

  Salvatorio’s eyes narrowed as he peered at her. “A lawyer?”

  “Just think about it. We’ll be grooming her starting now. What could be better than that?” He shrugged.

  “That’s a long road. But that’s thinking about the future, son. Good job.”

  “Yeah, and in the end, we’d have a judge in our pocket without having to bribe one.” Vinny nodded as he said it.

  “A judge.” It wasn’t a question. He tilted his head slowly from one side to the other as he openly stared at Kate. “If she’s going to be ours, we need her to know how everything operates so that right from the start she can be looking for laws and such that will help us, and connections she can milk to get what we need. What do you think about becoming a judge?” He was asking Kate.

  “I’d like it, I think.” She pressed her hands into her legs to release some tension.

  “You need to be a good lawyer first.”

  She nodded, hoping she looked humble.

  “Show her how the bagel shop works. Then move her through all the businesses.”

  In her eagerness to show she was on top of things, she said, “I’ve already been working here for three days. I know how it all works.” The disapproval in Vinny’s face was apparent. Kate ducked her head, abashed.

  “You know the business we want you to see. We’ll show you what we’re keeping from everybody,” Vinny said.

  “I thought you said she was smart.”

  She didn’t feel smart at that moment, not at all, but then again, she could have revealed something even worse. She decided to count her blessings.

  “Hey, we’re good at keeping stuff secret. That’s all.”

  “We’ll see. We have an event on Sunday that will tell us all we need to know, I think. I want her at the club, working the room. Someone is moving in on our betting crowd. I hate poachers. I want her to uncover who they are. We want to bring down the poachers and get possible recruits checked out. I’d like to get any good ones into the back room as soon as possible. “We never got Duran into the club, did we?”

  “No. It’s a good thing. He wouldn’t have survived.” Vinny grimaced.

  Salvatorio chuckled. “If you hadn’t saved that boy from the streets, he’d have been eaten alive.”

  They started speaking as if she wasn’t even there.

  “After Sunday, we’ll know better, and we’ll get her set up with one of the families. She’s going to need a watch dog for a while.”

  “How about Duran?”

  “Ah, yes. I like how you think. This way we can prove the both of them in one shot. On Monday, if I like what I see, we’ll put her with Marcel.”

  “Hold on, there was a romantic interest there. It might not be smart to have them live together too.”

  “I guess you’re going to have to take her then. Mario and Galtem have their hands and houses full at the moment.”

  “All right. I’ll take responsibility.”

  “But, she has to pass on Sunday. If not, she comes to me.”

  Kate clasped her hands to prevent them from trembling. She was going to be amazing on Sunday. She had to be.

  “I’d like to get her arrested as soon as possible so that she knows how that feels.”

  “We can’t, or she’ll never be able to pass the vetting section of being nominated as judge.”

  “True. But she needs to be toughened up. That’s your job, Vinny. Get one of the girls to teach her. She should have natural talent in persuasion and debate, or she’ll never survive either. Sunday we’ll see if she’s got that talent or not. Grooming up a lawyer is going to take a lot of time and money, and I want to make sure she’s the one we should be grooming. Yes. She’s has the looks of a good persuader, but does she have the mouth?” With that, Salvatorio stood and walked to the door of the gambling room. “Part of me doesn’t want her to succeed. I think it’d be nice to have her by my side all day and night.” He left, his entourage leaving with him.

  Dread snaked up Kate’s spine.

  Vinny put his index finger to his lips and gave her a look that she shouldn’t say anything. “Let’s get you back to your room. Two-thirty will come early, and be prepared to get trained for the club later in the day.”

  “I’ll be ready.”

  They left and once in her room, she said, “What was that about? Are there cameras in there?”

  “Yes. But I should have told you to never be familiar with me outside of this room. Having Salvatorio show up so early threw me off, and I forgot to tell you that. Always assume someone is listening. Most of the time someone is.”

  “Okay.”

  “I didn’t want you to be a club girl, ever.” He sighed and rubbed the scruff on his cheeks. “ Nothing to be done, though. Now, I’ve got to get you trained so that you’re safe. I’ve got to pick a few things up and see which of my cousins can come and work with you. I’ll be back early. Get some sleep.”

  “Wait. I have a question about Cremashci.”

  “The old priest?”

  She nodded.

  “What about him?”

  “He’s the one that saved me, right?”

  “What do you mean?” He took a step toward her. He looked completely clueless.

  “He was the one you gave me to, to save me. Isn’t he?”

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  Then she remembered the signature at the bottom of the green paper. Her dad hadn’t signed it, someone else had. A Marconi. “Wait. You didn’t send me away. Someone took me, didn’t they?”

  He looked at his feet. “They were going to kill you to make a point to me. A trusted friend saved you. I don’t know any of the details and don’t want to either.”

  “But, didn’t you want to know what happened to me?”

  “Of course I did. But if I knew anything, I’d be putting you in danger and it would be too big of a temptation to go see you.”

  She was starting to understand. “Tell me everything, Dad. Please.”

  He shook his head. “No. The past is gone. We only have the future to think about.”

  “I have to know!”

  “No.”

  She could see he wouldn’t budge, yet. She’d soften him up and one day he’d tell her. “I have one more question and that’s all.”

  “I may not answer.”

  “I hope you do. The priest over at St. Catharine’s. Is he a Marconi?”

  “No.”

  “But, Ellie thought he wasn’t a good guy, and he called McArthurs Care Center when we went there and had someone follow us.”

  “She was right. He isn’t good. He does a lot of the dirty work for the mob. He’s also an informer for both sides. If a Bellini gets in trouble, he tells the Marconis, and if a Marconi gets in trouble, he tells the Bellinis.” He ran his hands through his hair, a grimace on his face. “Why did you go to the church?”

  “I was following a lead.”

  “Great. We’ll have to alter your appearance somewhat before you attend church. I don’t want anyone recognizing you from your search.”

  Fire raged in her gut. She’d exposed herself to two other Marconis. She looked at her feet.

  “Oh, I don’t like that look, Zie. Who else saw you?”

  Her father knew her too well already. “Lenora Marconi and Andre Marconi.”

  He raked his hands through his hair. “How much contact?”

  “Enough that they’d remember me.”

  “We’ll find a way to keep you from them, but we will have to change your appearance.” He raised an eyebrow. “Andre?”

  “I thought he was my dad. Dead wife and child. . .”

  He nodded, a grim look on his face. “We can’t worry about that now. We need to get you ready for the club. See you in the morning.” And he was gone.

  In the mafia videos, the one girl she’d
seen had been working in a club. They hadn’t talked much about what she was doing. The sexy girl had flirted with the guys and, Kate assumed, had collected information from the men she approached. It didn’t seem too difficult. What she needed was Ellie to give her points on flirting. An ache settled in her chest. She might never see Ellie again.

  The door opened and a thrill of excitement shot through Kate. Her dad was here again. She had really found her dad. But it wasn’t Vinny at the door. It was Duran. She took a sharp breath in and her mouth remained ajar. It felt like her heart had turned to the bell from St. Catharines and it was slamming into her ribs. Duran’s bruises were a deep brown, but they seemed to be shrinking like hers were. He shut the door behind him. He gave her a pressed smile and walked to the table, setting the two bags there.

  Kate gulped. “Duran. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean it—” She wanted to tell him everything, but knew she couldn’t. She couldn’t put him in danger again.

  He held up one hand and shook his head. “Don’t apologize to me. This is my fault. I should never have met with you on the boardwalk and showed you around. It was—”

  Kate held up her hand this time. “What are you talking about? This was my fault. I sought you out. I thought I was a Marconi or that the Marconis were after me or—”

  Then they talked over each other, each trying to prove they were at fault until they both took a breath at the same time.

  “I’m as much to blame for this happening as you. I shouldn’t have sought you out, knowing who I am,” Duran said.

  “That’s not true.” Kate folded her arms over her chest.

  He moved to her and put a finger on her lips. “Let’s agree right now that we’re both at fault and it’s a draw.”

  Kate shook her head.

  “It’s a draw.” He said it with insistence this time.

  Kate nodded.

  “Good. The past is in the past. We move forward.” She nodded again.

  “But wait. You thought you were a Marconi?”

  Heat started in Kate’s belly and ran up her neck to her face. “Well, I, I mean.” She had to come up with an explanation and quick. She could not tell him the truth as much as she wanted to. She wanted him to understand why she took the keycard in the first place. She wanted him to know she had a good reason. “It was stupid. I’m totally not a Marconi. Looking back it was a stupid idea.”

  “What was it that led you to them?”

  “I have this cross from my parents from St. Catharines and then there was the baptism and. . . Oh, I feel so dumb for even jumping to that conclusion.”

  “I’m sorry they weren’t your family, but I’m also glad. They are pretty cutthroat.”

  “I thought you loved them and they were good people. Isn’t that what you told Ellie and me?”

  “I did say that, but I meant it as a family member. I have to say that. Believe me, as terrible as the Bellinis can be, you’re much better off becoming a part of their family than the Marconi’s. And, I’m sure Vinny will become something special in your life how he has in mine. He saved me and it looks like he’s decided to save you. You’re finally going to have a family you can count on.”

  Kate nodded. She thought of her adoptive parents and siblings. They would never see her again and she’d been so awful to them. When they found out she disappeared in New Jersey they would be swallowed up in guilt. Her mom had known there was danger surrounding her birth parents and she hadn’t listened and look where it got her.

  “I’m supposed to keep an eye on you. It’s going to be the worst job ever.” He tried, but failed not smiling.

  “Who’s to say I’m easy to watch?” She grinned wickedly.

  He shook his head and grunted. “I want this to be fun and enjoy our new adventure together, but I have to warn you. Now that you know what the family is capable of, you need to respect that.”

  “I will. I do.”

  “That means no running away. When you’re in the family, nothing only affects you. Our fates are tied together, as is Vinny’s and everyone that works here. Got it?”

  “Yes. I understand.” She wanted nothing more than to run away, but she knew it wasn’t possible. Not yet anyway.

  “Now that we have that straight. I have to know something—was it all a game to you?” His head tilted to the side.

  “No.” She looked up at him through her eyelashes. “I really like you. A lot.” She hoped he wouldn’t ask her directly why she stole his keycard. She hadn’t come up with a good lie yet.

  He grinned. “I like you a lot. And as much as I wish I could take you away from all of this, I’m glad you’re here with me.”

  “Ditto.”

  He kissed her forehead. “I got these books from Maya. She’s a great club girl. You need to read the passages and practice acting like these girls. You won’t be working in the shop today. You need to practice, practice, practice.”

  “Why didn’t Vinny come? I mean, I’m glad you’re here and all, but—”

  “Because he wanted us to meet and straighten things out before Salvatorio puts us together on Monday.”

  “Do I get to see you again before Monday?”

  “I’m not sure. We’ll see. Now, eat your breakfast, read, and practice.” He turned his head to the side and looked at her with one eye.

  “Wait. Are you filling in for me?”

  “Me? No way. I hate early shift.” He smiled and left.

  All this persuasion stuff was scary. She read and re-read the passages in ten different books. She practiced, pretending her pillow in the chair was her target. She could persuade the pillow each try. Duran showed up after his shift.

  “Now, practice on me. I’m someone the barkeep told you is checking things out.” He tossed the pillow onto the bed and sat in the chair.

  “Wait. I thought the mafia was careful with their girls. Why would they send them in as club girls?”

  “Those rules are for real children or ones that have been with them forever. And they have cousins watching their back. You won’t.”

  Kate brought him a fake glass of beer. “Here ya go. I don’t think I’ve seen ya around here before.”

  “Naw, this is my first time.”

  “And how do you like our little club?”

  “Nice place, and having girls like you serve me, makes me want to spend a lot more time here.” He reached around and patted her butt.

  She jumped back. “That was gross.”

  “That was nothing. You’ve got to be tough on the inside. Club girls are always pretty and always get hit on. Position yourself a little differently to avoid certain types of groping.”

  He worked with her for the next half hour and was critical about everything she did.

  “I don’t know if I can do this. I guess I’m not persuasive.” She slumped onto the bed

  “Oh, you’re persuasive, I’m just being difficult. And you persuaded me.”

  Kate knew he wasn’t talking about their most recent conversation, but what she’d done at the carnival.

  “Be that girl. You’re being too timid. Too scared. You have to feel the stakes. It was easy for you to persuade me to give you my wallet because you wanted more than anything to find your birth parents. What you need to want more than anything else now is to remain with Vinny, because you want to stay with your Vinny and more than anything, you don’t want to end up with Salvatorio.”

  “I can’t believe you’re helping me after what I did.” She stroked his cheek.

  “I can’t help it. You hypnotized me.” He rolled his eyes around and around. He put his hand on hers and squeezed with a gentle pressure.

  “Very funny. Seriously. Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome. And thanks for forgiving me.” He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. His face moved closer to hers until their breaths mingled. She tilted her head to the side, and his lips pressed on hers. She pressed back. Fireworks exploded in her gut. For the next however long, they kissed and kissed until his
phone alarm sounded.

  “Shoot. I so didn’t want this to end. I’ve got to go. Vinny will be here with someone you can practice with. Work hard. I need you to conquer this.”

  26

  Vinny came and got Kate and took her to an abandoned warehouse for the lessons. “You ready to have some fun?” a girl said, holding her hand out for Kate to take. She was definitely not a Bellini or a Marconi. She had stick-straight blond hair with hot pink tips. “I’m Candy.” Her lipstick was hot pink and so were her three-inch heels. Her skirt and top had large gold zippers going down the back, and her eyelashes were about an inch long.

  Kate took her hand. “If a man holds his hand out for you to take, you take it with a gentle squeeze. Keep your eyes on his and don’t let go of his hand for a few seconds longer than is natural. Smile like this.” She smiled, lips together until the last second when she showed a narrow bit of white teeth. “Let your shoulders come up a bit as if you’re a bit shy.” From there, Candy taught her three moves to help her be more sexy and alluring to men. Then she gave her four openers that were sure to spark up a good conversation. She showed her how to walk and hold herself so that men would be willing to hit on her and believe she was looking, too.

  Candy didn’t leave until Kate had mastered all the moves.

  “I didn’t see the whole thing, but I did see the last few minutes,” Vinny said. “You looked natural. Convincing. It’s scary, actually. I don’t want to send you into that club. I don’t want men groping or hitting on you.”

  “It’s only one night. A few hours. I can do this. I can.”

  “After what I saw today, I believe you. Don’t be so good he wants to keep you in there, though.” He grimaced. “Keep practicing tonight. I’ll send Duran over. Tomorrow I’ll have you work with a Bellini club girl to learn the specifics.”

  Vinny picked her up at nine. They ate breakfast sandwiches on the way. It turned out to be a very hard morning. “This girl is our best club girl. If you do what she says, you’ll blow them away tonight. Her name is Veronica, and while she may seem like the girl next door, she can be very wicked. Watch it, okay?”

  “Are you saying she’s going to try to make me fail?”