by Dale Cadeau
“We also have another mission. We want to clean up the streets of drugs. We all came from varied backgrounds and drugs have affected all our lives. We all have lost someone or know of someone who has lost people to drugs. So when we start a business in a new area, we try to give back and help anyone that wants it. If we can save just one kid, we’ll try. Maybe our methods seem strange to you but we are already making progress.”
“Are you trying to help them by selling drugs? And don’t try to deny it. I saw you and Angel out back doing deals. Oh, I know you told me before that you were only helping these kids. Drugs must be passing hands. Danny wouldn’t have paid you a visit if they weren’t. I heard him say you were invading his territory. Well supplying drugs is not the way to go about helping kids.” Avery looked up at him, her body held stiffly in the chair. She wasn’t that much of a fool.
“We are trying to help the kids. In fact, we are buying their drugs, not the other way around. I know what it looks like. We are trying to show them that there is another way. We are sending them to the youth center where they are starting to learn skills for trades that will make them legit money. The kids that need more help are getting it with the help of the councilors at the center. We are buying the drugs from them so they don’t take them or sell them to someone else. Doing this allows them to still have money for food for their family. Others that are beyond help are being rounded up by the police and carted off to rehab or jail, depending on their circumstances,” James tried to explain.
“So all the deals you and Angel do out back is really helping the kids. I don’t think I believe you,” Avery answered back with disbelief in her voice.
Clay now also stood up from the couch. “Avery if you don’t believe James, look at us. Do any of us, Angel, Brad, or Grant, look like we use drugs? We might look a little rough around the edges, but with our sideline we have to be able to fit in and also protect ourselves. We would like you to help us with this, if you’re willing. You know the area better than us and I’m sure that you probably see things we might miss. If you’re in with us, we would like you to come to us with anything that seems strange to you or anyone that looks like they need a hand. Danny is going to be a thorn in our side now that he is thinking of ratting us out to Carlos, his supplier.”
Carlos. Avery slumped down in her chair and looked at the floor.
“Do you know that name? If you do, we have to know. He’s like the kingpin around here,” Clay asked sharply.
“No, I don’t know him. I must have heard that name around here from someone.” Avery did not look up and meet their eyes.
James looked over her head at Clay. Clay’s steel-gray eyes said it all. She was lying and hiding information from them. She still didn’t trust them.
“Well let’s get back to work,” Angel said, opened the door, and disappeared in a flash. He was never good at stretching the truth. Sometimes it hindered him, working undercover. He liked to live life as he believed it should be and that did not include lies.
Clay helped Avery out of her seat as James stepped back and led her back out to her desk. “Don’t worry about anything, Avery, it will all work out in the end. Just know that we all have your back, and if we can help in any way just ask.”
Avery looked shyly up at Clay. “I really am grateful for this job, it’s just that anything to do with drugs just gets me going. I won’t go through that again.” Avery stopped, hoping Clay had not heard the last part.
“What do you mean ‘not go through that again’? Were you into drugs? Avery,” Clay asked, hearing her slip.
“No, nothing like that. It just touched my life in a bad way. I promised myself I wouldn’t have anything to do with them again. So I hope you guys are on the level because I don’t think I could stand to think of any of you guys that way. I’m getting to know all of you better and I really want to believe in all of you.”
“We’re not the bad guys, Avery. Time will tell.” Clay looked let down as if he was disappointed at her answer. Turning away, he walked back to his office.
Avery sat at her desk and turned everything that she had just found out over in her mind. The meetings out back could have been what they said they were. Next time she would sneak up and listen in and then she could know for sure.
“Avery…Avery.” James, who had now put on his shirt, spoke from the open door of his office. James could tell that she was deep in thought. He didn’t want her to think too hard and blow holes in all their explanations.
Startled, Avery looked up. She was listening, but her eyes still held confusion. “Be ready tonight at 7:00 p.m., we’ll go out to dinner and maybe this time you won’t be sleepy. After all you should have got a good night’s sleep last night.”
Taking in what James was saying, she cleared her thoughts. “I thought you weren’t interested anymore. You sure gave that impression last night.” She had to ask.
“Oh, I was interested last night. Don’t think I wasn’t. I could see what you were trying to do and if I’m not mistaken, showcasing your wares to me. But what you need to know is that I control that part of our lives. While your little display last night was nice, it didn’t make me forget that you were trying to lead me and distract me from my questions. Remember that the next time. Don’t forget, seven p.m. we are going first to a play that I want to see up town.” Closing the door, James just smiled. He wasn’t going to give Avery a way out. He had to start making her understand this was the way it was going to go between them. He knew she was interested and he wasn’t going to let her have time for self-doubts or thoughts.
Avery grabbed the stapler off her desk and slammed it back down. Well who did he think he was? She hated him getting bossy and telling her what to do. But God, her body loved it when he went all he-man on her. Her mind was telling her to tell the jerk off, but her body wanted to rush him and just jump and wrap her legs around him. He looked like a giant hunk of man meat standing there in his doorway with his shirt hanging open showing off his muscular chest. She just wanted a bite. She had him once, she knew how he tasted, and that one taste wasn’t nearly enough to satisfy her. Tonight, he would learn just how aggressive she could be. He wouldn’t be able to say no tonight.
James heard the loud thump as he closed the door. Just growing pains, he thought to himself. She would come around to his way of thinking. But he liked a woman with her own mind. Too many women were mindless when money or power was thrown into the mix. He wanted someone he could mold the way he wanted, but with some brains behind their beauty. Avery fit the bill on every level. She had picked herself up from a bad situation and was making her way in the world. He had to admire her spunk and drive. Many would have folded before this. Even the Feds had tried to crack her and ended up hiring them to try. She had stuck to her story no matter how many times they had questioned her.
The story as she told the Feds had remained the same. She knew nothing of her parents’ activity with drugs.
Yes, they went on nice vacations and had a vacation house in Florida, but she was not privileged to what her parents did on their many excursions out and about. When she was small, they always brought a hired nanny with them. As she got older she always was allowed to bring a friend. They would hang around the beach soaking up the sun, nights spent watching mostly horror movies.
She never thought to question them as they went out and about, that was just her parents. Sometimes weird creatures would come to their door, but her father always headed them off before she got a good look. Business was always done in the office of whatever house they were in at the time. James knew she was innocent, but there had to be something she knew that she just didn’t realize.
After all, two million dollars of pure cocaine didn’t just disappear into thin air. It had to have been hidden by her father. It would just take some time and patience on his part. Getting Avery to talk and think back over this time in her life would be difficult when so abruptly her life changed and everything went to hell. Well, James was just going to h
ave to do some digging. Trust was the key.
Chapter Fifteen
Avery tried to dress provocatively, to her way of thinking anyway. She pulled a too-small deep-red blouse out of a bag she had made to give away to The Salvation Army. Putting it on, she left all the buttons down to her bra undone. She though it looked hot. Next she grabbed one of her “old lady skirts” that James liked to call them. With a needle and thread, she doubled it over and sewed the bottom hem to the waistband. When done it barely covered her ass. Looking at herself in her mirror, she pulled her hair up in a ponytail, then slathered red lipstick on.
James, if he was like the rest of the male population, wouldn’t even think to refuse her this time. Picking up her purse, squaring her shoulders, she went downstairs to meet James.
Angel just happened to come out of the kitchen as she was descending the stairs. His quick double look back told her he liked her look, even if he did seem to disappear awful fast.
James looked up from the mail he had being going through on her desk when he spotted her. He took a quick look then seemed to focus his whole attention on her. His eyes told it all. He liked what he saw, she could tell.
“Well, what are we dressed up for?” James hid his grin, making his way to her, and started walking around her, his eyes taking in her whole outfit.
“I wanted to look good tonight, so I tried something new. I’ve seen a lot of other girls around this area dressed like this. Do you like it?” Avery asked, trying to giving him a smoldering look from under her lashes.
James was stunned. She looked great, in a professional way that had a man wondering how much she charged for the night. There was no way she was going out like that. If they were playing in the bedroom, it would be another story. But no one but himself was going to see her dressed this way.
James was too possessive. The way she was flaunting her wares tonight, he would have a hell of a time keeping her all to himself and that’s not what he had planned. But how to say it without insulting her. After all, he might want her someday to dress this way, just not now, and not where they were going.
The first place that popped into his head was the opera. It was not the place to solicit and right now that’s the message she was giving out. He could just see all the old men in their tuxes looking her up and down and wondering if they could dump their wives and afford her. No way was that happening. James stopped in front of Avery, completing the circle around her.
“Don’t you think you might be underdressed for the opera?”
“Opera? You didn’t say where we were going. I thought we would be just having a cozy dinner.”
“We are, but after. We are going to the opera first. I think you will enjoy it.” James grinned at her disgruntled face
“You’re kidding, right? Who goes to an opera nowadays?” Avery looked up at James. He didn’t seem to be the type to go to the opera if she was any judge.
“I do, and that’s all that matters, and I would really like to take you with me. But as nice as you look you will have to change. They do have a dress code.”
Avery looked down at her outfit and had to agree with James. While she wanted to seduce him tonight, she just couldn’t go to the opera in what she was wearing. “I’ll just change. I won’t be a minute.” Turning she hurried down the hall and back up the stairs to her apartment.
Clay, who had just come out of his office, caught the last of their exchange. “Great save. I didn’t know how you were going to get out of taking her out looking like that. But, you, the opera? I don’t believe it. And how are you going to get tickets at this time of night?”
James took his cell out of his pocket and dialed his brother. “Chase, I need your help. I need tickets to the opera tonight.”
“Tonight? But James there’s no way, not on this short notice,” Chase answered with disbelief in his voice. “And why the sudden interest in the opera? You always make fun of me when I go.”
“Do you have tickets for tonight?” James asked Chase again abruptly
“Yes, I’m taking Sheila. She has been looking forward to it.”
“Sheila, is she your flavor of the month? I don’t think I’ve heard of her before. Give me your tickets and I’ll owe you one,” James implored as he watched the stairs for Avery.
“I don’t know about that. I was expecting to cash in on this opera. If you know what I mean,” Chase replied with a devious lilt in his voice
“Take her to Sajiour, and tell them I sent you.” James was now getting impatient
“Can you get us in at this late date? That place is always packed and the waiting list is a mile long.” Chase now sounded interested with James’s suggestion
“Chase, I own the place. It’s just one of the investments that I’ve took on lately with a friend. Let’s swap. You give me your opera tickets and I give you the best seat in the house, at my expense.”
“God she must be something for you to pay and also go to the opera. My hat’s off to her. OK, I will leave the tickets at the booth, under your name. I hope sitting through two hours of La traviata is worth it,” Chase said with a laugh.
James snapped his phone shut and promptly opened it again, phoning the upscale restaurant. In minutes he had a table reserved for Chase. What Chase didn’t know was that Avery was worth every penny he would spend and more.
Clay slapped James on his back as he made his way to the front door. “I want a full synopsis of this opera and not the Cole’s notes either.” Laughing, Clay let the door slam behind him.
James felt like an idiot. He had been going to take her to see the play Rent. What in the hell made him say the opera? He wasn’t the one in the family with a taste for the sophisticated. That was Chase’s bag. He much preferred a night spent at home with a beer and a ball game with a willing woman at his side. He never once had the inkling of going to an opera, in fact, he made fun of his brother and his taste in music. James preferred old rock and roll, none of the new grunge sound or whatever they called it now.
Looking up he heard Avery’s door closing.
Avery had changed and now her hair was up swept in a messy bun, and she was wearing a fire-engine-red long dress. Where did the woman get her clothes? This didn’t seem her style either. James could only think of Pretty Woman. Now that movie had great music and a very pretty girl just like the one walking down to him.
Avery watched James’s eyes widen in appreciation as he took in her appearance. She hadn’t known what to wear when James had sprung the opera on her. Thinking hard, she remembered that in the back of her closet she still had the dress she had worn at the last Halloween bash. She had dressed up as a female devil. Avery kept the dress as a reminder of one of the last parties. She and her parents had such fun hosting for the neighbors. Now she was grateful that she had kept it.
It seemed she was getting more of a response out of James with a dress sweeping the floor than she had trying to show it all off with her earlier outfit. She would have to keep that in mind, James must be a man that liked to unwrap his gifts, not have them handed to him. Meeting James at the bottom of the stairs, she was surprised by James taking her hand, turning it over and licking her palm. When she sent a questioning look at him, he just smiled and said a kiss was not enough, he needed a taste. Putting his hand on her lower back, he led her out into the night and his car.
“How did you get tickets for the opera? They must cost a fortune. I really don’t want you wasting your money on trying to impress me. I’ve never been to an opera and frankly, I don’t know if it’s my thing. I rather sit at home and watch a good video. I love horror movies. What about you?” Avery asked nervously as James started the car and got on the freeway uptown.
“Don’t worry, Clay gave me the tickets. An investment deal we were working on closed and the client gave them to him. He passed them on to me as he couldn’t go tonight. Clay loves the opera. You should ask him about all the plays he’s seen, I’m sure he would love to talk about them to you.” There, James though
t to himself, that would get Clay back. Clay was a sports nut and would be grinding his teeth if she asked him anything to do with the opera. He would have to make sure he was around to see it. “Myself, I think I would rather a horror movie, too.”
James pulled up to the theater and helped Avery out of his rusted-brown sedan. The attendant at the parking station looked like he didn’t want to touch their car let alone park it, but finally he took the ten dollars James offered and parked the car.
Avery loved the opera. James just sat and thought of how lovely Avery looked with her wide-eyed expression as she tried to take in everything around her. He also noticed all the looks she got from other men and made sure his arm stayed around her. He faced down every man with a blue-steel glint in his eyes. It told every man, without him having to say a word, to back off. It probably wasn’t proper in a place like this, but James didn’t give a shit. No one was poaching what James had already claimed.
Avery reflected back on the night as James drove down the freeway and back to the office. The opera had been an eye opener for her. She really didn’t understand it, but loved the costumes and the movements. Didn’t understand a word that was sung, but wouldn’t change the experience for anything. James had wrapped up the night with a great meal at a Chinese restaurant, and now, feeling full and relaxed, she watching James as he maneuvered the car through the dark night. Avery thought it was one of the best nights of her life. James had been the perfect gentleman and hovered around, never leaving her side.
James slowed the car down to a crawl. They were just reaching their off-ramp to the office. Looking up ahead she could see a bright light in the distance. Just then, another ball of light lit up the night sky ahead. Was that a fire? It almost looked around the area of the office.
James’s hands gripped the steering wheel so tight his knuckles turned white. James didn’t have to think about where the fire was, he just knew it was the office. James turned to Avery with a worried look.
