Belladonna's Curse

by E. M. Whittaker

  Wow. Karma really was a bitch.

  “The point is enough people know about your condition and would take you into protective custody at a science lab. God knows—”

  She pointed to her ear. “You’re not worried about Tweedledick in my ear?”

  Her father sneered. “They shouldn’t worry about this. It’s none of their business.”

  “You’re worried about your job.” She finished her drink. “That’s perfect blackmail material.”

  He held her hand. “I’ll resign before they find out about you, Aviere. I love you. You know that, right?”

  Her eyes brimmed with tears. Then she nodded.

  This wasn’t how she wanted to hear her father’s words of validation.

  “Good. I have something else for you—what we discussed earlier.”

  She swallowed the lump in her throat. “Go on.”

  “Here.” Wilkerson slid a long cream envelope with an official Government District seal toward her. “As promised. I hope your brother stays clean.”

  Mye opened the envelope with shaky fingers. Her breath caught in her throat.

  This was one hell of a bargaining chip.

  On one hand, Lim’s tarnished reputation on the streets would fall to the wayside. He could leave this life behind. Like Maurice, he could return to college for his degree in pharmacology and help her run the family business.

  He excelled at making stuff.

  Then again, he could switch careers and go into something relating to neuropsychiatry like his father. A telepath like him could excel in such a field. Either way, he could move forward with his life.

  But her father’s gift had a downside.

  They’d have to forgive Lim for his drug addiction.

  Every family therapy appointment or round table meeting they had about this always ended in disaster. Gunther always broke something before stalking out of the room. Maurice left in mid-conversation when he made excuses. Jem? Well, she threw dishes and appliances at him, but she never liked Lim anyway. Joe listened while nursing his alcohol addiction. Counterproductive.

  It was better than running away like her.

  Somehow, Lim found support to kick his bad habits. She chalked it up to his girlfriend and best friend. They attended those preachy twelve step meetings with his weekly therapy appointments while she held their broken family together. They always criticized her. They said she wasn’t good for him.

  Screw everyone.

  She wouldn’t run away this time.

  “I can’t make this decision.” Mye pulled out her phone and called him. “This is his call. Not mine. He can be here in twenty minutes.”

  “I can’t stay.”

  “You want his help.” The call connected on the fourth ring. “I’m not him. You can talk to him yourself.”

  Lim cleared his throat. “Yo. What’s going on, Sis?”

  “I’m in the middle of an important meeting.” She twirled a strand of hair while she talked. “It concerns you. Can you meet me at the Tethered Mistress?”

  “I’m not home.”

  “My father’s here.”

  “I’m unavailable.” Loud club music played in the background. “Tonight’s Cel’s birthday party, remember?”

  Confound it. He’d better listen.

  His freedom was more important than getting laid.

  “Da has an offer for you.” Her voice turned clipped. “It’s about the rest of your parole sentence.”

  “Screw it. I’ll come. Be there in fifteen.”

  He disconnected the call.

  “Give him fifteen minutes.” She dropped the phone into her purse. “Tell him what you told me.”

  “You could have—”

  “I made my decision.” Her hand came between them. “Either take it or leave it.”

  “I wanted to talk to you.”

  “You did.” Mye rose from her seat, shouldered her purse, and grabbed the empty glass. “I appreciate what you’ve told me. I do. I can’t make this decision for him. Not like Ma did with me.”

  Wilkerson followed her. “She coddled you.”

  “I know.”

  “Look—”

  “We’re done here.” Her tone left no room for discussion. “Wait for Lim. I’ll see myself out.”

  He grabbed her wrist. “No. We’re not.”

  Travis phased beside them. “Yes. You are. Let Mye go.”

  Wilkerson snarled. “This isn’t your concern.”

  “It is when you’re harassing my partner.” Travis pried Wilkerson’s fingers away from her wrist. “I think she made a pretty fair choice considering the circumstances. So, honor it. We’re leaving.”

  “Travis.” The older man’s eyes shifted. “I wouldn’t.”

  “Career suicide means nothing after you’ve worked for Sanderson.” Travis rubbed her shoulder. “Let’s go. He can cool off by himself.”

  She followed him toward the door.

  “There you go again.” Wilkerson’s voice carried toward the door. “Running with your tail between your legs like usual.”

  Mye stopped. Her tiny body trembled.

  How dare he.

  “Don’t turn around.” Travis nudged her toward the door. “He’s goading you.”

  “I know what’s coming.” Her hands clenched into fists. “It’s the same routine every time. It’ll default back to my husband. Then Joe and Jem. About my life choices.”

  “Then let’s book it. You don’t have to tolerate this abuse anymore.”

  Her partner had the right idea.

  She waved, then went through the door.

  “Well, that was … cathartic.” Mye’s voice croaked on the last word. “Without going into a full-blown rage, I mean.”

  Peters slurped again. “Don’t addicts use such terminology to describe their latest high.”

  She scrunched her face in revulsion, giving a side glare to Travis.

  What addicts did Neuro talk to?

  Lim never used such words. Ever. No, his mannerisms changed whenever he had his fix. Then again, it depended on the drug he used. Every one of them had side effects.

  Weed mellowed him out. It brought out Lim’s playful side. Painkillers made him loopy like her. He slept for hours after taking Percocet. Methamphetamines brought out his paranoid mania. Heroin made him edgy. LSD? Hallucinations and delusions out the ass.

  Coke triggered his sadistic side.

  Mye hated cocaine the most. It consumed her brother’s loving personality. He didn’t get philosophical. He never used words like cathartic in his sentences. He got angry and hurt everyone he knew with his powers. Attacked anyone who got in his way. His girlfriend suffered the brunt of it, but he came to his senses after he hurt her.

  He never did around Mye, though.

  Nothing compared to Lim’s first time in rehab. Ma died six weeks before he tried cocaine for the first time. His sorrow overtook him. He wanted a way to alleviate his pain. When Ma died, he snorted their inheritance. Da walked out. Never said a word when he left.

  Lim left her to die.

  After a few weeks in rehab, he regretted his actions, but she never forgave him for the weeks she spent in the hospital on life support. After that, she questioned every nosebleed or burn on his hands and lips. She hid her valuables. Never trusted a word he said.

  Until he made parole. Then he changed.

  For the most part, Lim behaved. She accepted weed because it mellowed her brother out. Nonetheless, his addiction lingered. Every stressful event risked triggering another relapse.

  Then the cycle would start again.

  “Let’s get one thing straight.” Her voice wavered. “My brother doesn’t use intelligent words when he’s itching for his next fix. He’s a sneaky asshole who steals, lies, and hurts everyone around him when he wants his coke. Furthermore, I’m already on the fence about having him help us because it might trigger his habit again. Okay?”

  “At least you admit it.” The whiny specialist poured something
into a container on the other line. “Every sibling would be worried about their family member.”

  “Yeah.” She paced back and forth beside the building. “You don’t have to deal with a life sentence if he’s locked up one more time. He’s got six months left till he’s finished serving parole. Then he can take his girlfriend on vacation to Puerto Rico to see her grandparents. Maybe he’ll go back to college. He should’ve had his pharmacology degree before me, you know.”

  Peters whistled. “PH-D, right?”

  She rubbed her necklace. “Yep.”

  Travis leaned against the door. “Look, I’d be proud of my kid if they pursued a career in the medical or forensic field. Then again, I’m not a grade-A asshole like your father.”

  “Gee, thanks.”

  “Well, my view of him was jaded before he pulled this stunt.” He pulled his hat over his face. “Honestly, what kind of prick belittles his own kid?”

  “The one who overcompensates for his losses.” Bitterness seeped into her voice. “Kind of like the jock in high school with the coolest car picking up chicks. They talk a tough game until you realize they’re a virgin. It made sex awkward my first time.”

  Heat came to her cheeks and she covered her mouth. Goddammit.

  She told them too much personal information again.

  “Anyway, in Da’s case, he never got to have a normal kid. Sanderson stole it from him.”

  Travis lowered his hat. “I don’t care. He shouldn’t blame you.”

  “I’m the spitting image of my mother.”

  “So what?” Peters turned defensive. “No real man takes his past transgressions out on his daughter. I don’t care how invalidated he feels about losing his wife.”

  Mye smiled.

  Underneath his Napoleon complex lay a knight in shining armor.

  “We don’t discuss Ma for obvious reasons.” She went for her phone. “I’d appreciate it if we dropped the topic for now.”

  “Acknowledged. I’m out.”

  Peters’s line went quiet.

  Travis readjusted his hat on his head, then brushed off his trench. “Well? What do you want to do? We’ll wait for your brother if you want.”

  “I’ll decide in a minute.” She moved beside him and held out her hand. “My gun.”

  He handed it to her. “I forgot to give the boss his gun back.”

  “Oh, well. He has another one. A few, actually.”

  “What do you want to do?”

  Not involve her brother, but he should know about her father’s offer. And about Chelsea, but she’d announce her bombshell when she arrived home.

  If Armandi or Da didn’t tell Lim first.

  “Let’s book it.” She reached for her keys. “Lim’s with his girlfriend. She’ll bitch my ear off about ruining her birthday dinner. She’s a good girl, but incredibly petty sometimes.”

  “How old is she?”

  Her voice lowered a pitch. “Twenty-six.”

  “And Dalara?”

  She scowled. “Thirty-eight.”

  “But she—”

  “Travis, please.” She held up her hand. “Don’t get me started.”

  He took the lead and headed back to Jet. “It’s immoral.”

  “Yeah. She’s had a thing for him since she was in middle school.” Mye pulled out her phone again. “Hang on a second. I gotta send my brother a message real quick.”

  “But that means he’s a cradle robber.” Travis unlocked her door. “That’s a bit—”

  “Listen, don’t get so uptight about this.” Her fingers moved quickly over the touch keys as she sent another text message to Lim. “Cel’s convinced him to stay straight and narrow, so I’m not against their relationship. She bosses him around and he treats her like his werewolf princess. It’s good for him.”

  He rushed over to the passenger’s side. “There’s a but to this somewhere.”

  “My harsh opinions are about his life choices, not his relationship.” She slid her phone into her back pocket, then sat in her seat. “I’ve never come to terms with his antics. He hurt me. A lot. Not to mention Reese. Those two were close before he started using hardcore. It took forever to get them on speaking terms. And when I say forever, I mean years.”

  “You’ll have to.” He handed her the keys. “His past will blow up in your face.”

  “I’m not ready for this.”

  “None of us are.”

  “No, you don’t get it.”

  He leaned near her. “I’ve had my fair share of drug cases in the past. Most of them give the same tired excuses. As much as I hate to admit it, your case is different. He’s earned his stripes.”

  “No.” She gripped the wheel. “There’s a mob boss behind the cartel. Not Lim. If I kill him, I get my old territory back.”

  Travis grabbed her shoulders. “Whatever you’re thinking, stop. It won’t help us right now.”

  “Donahue stole everything from me.” Her fingers tightened against the wheel and her gloves squeaked. “He’ll pay for this. I’ll make sure of it.”

  “Your ridiculous feud doesn’t matter.” He tapped her bracelet. “We’re under orders. Stop making it personal and drive back to your Fortress of Solitude. We have shit to do.”

  “I’m scared.” It came out before she stopped herself. “About … well … being a horrible sister. I haven’t been the most supportive person, and I—”

  “Then be more open-minded.” He slammed the keys into her hand. “Now, shut up and drive. I don’t need you falling apart on me.”

  Who said she fell apart? She just voiced her concerns.

  So much for being supportive.

  She turned around and started Jet. If things didn’t turn around, she wouldn’t fall apart.

  They would.

  5

  “Your sister just left, Limmy. I thought you were meeting her here.”

  Limere Dalara—or Lim for short—flicked his finger along his Samsung Galaxy and turned to the window. Impossible. Sis asked him to meet her here. His girlfriend didn’t break every speed limit on the highway just to have his sister bail on him.

  Someone honked their horn at them before a set of headlights almost blinded him when they drove past.

  Sis peeled wheels as she left the Tethered Mistress’s parking lot.

  He slammed his fist against the Ford Escape. Aviere confused him. Why the hell did she leave? She called him here for an important meeting on Cel’s birthday after she promised him the night off. Of course, it took the entire ride to calm his feisty girlfriend down, but she wouldn’t abandon him whenever she called him for an emergency. She’d let him make the final decision if he wanted to stay or not.

  Then again, Sis’s father met her at the bar.

  He always pissed her off.

  Lim dialed her number. He didn’t abandon Cel’s party—and his already pricey paid reservations—just to be stood up like this.

  After two rings, his call went to voicemail.

  Whatever happened between Pop and her, bothered her.

  Her voice tensed up when they spoke earlier. That seemed to be her normal mood lately, tense and morose with a side of bitch pie. Maybe it was because of the stupid drug case she worked on. She’d shut down whenever they talked about his old cartel, and then she’d bitch to Maurice about how he pissed her off. It happened the same way every time.

  Lim took a hit of his vape, then blew out a large cloud.

  She’d bitch about work whenever he returned home.

  The high waned the longer he fixated on his aggravated sibling. She was always the instant killjoy to his near perfect high. Even her sexy cocktail dress and teasing touches didn’t rile him. Not one bit.

  He let out a frustrated sigh.

  So much for getting laid tonight.

  “Well, shit.” He put his Droid in his pocket. “Sis left me to clean up her mess again. Find a place to park, Cel.”

  His girlfriend huffed, then flicked her wavy black hair off her shoulder. “You sai
d she was upset. Why?”

  “Her father showed up.” He ran a finger along her arm. “He’s a classy man. He abandoned Sis and I after Mom died and she fell apart for a while. I dropped out of college because he dumped us back at Mom’s apartment. Someone had to pay the bills until Gunther and Reese moved in.”

  “Oh, him.” She parked the mini SUV. “My parents don’t like him either.”

  “No one does.” Lim undid his seat belt. “Sis should really clean up her own messes, you know.”

  “Give me that.” Cel snatched the vaporizer of his hand. “You smoked the last of the razzle-dazzle oil, babe.”

  “Chill, babe. I got another vial on me.”

  “Good. These portable vaporizers are the best idea you’ve had. That and the homemade edibles. Mmm. I need another one now, dammit.”

  Aw. She gave him too much credit since she convinced him to make their own candy last year.

  “Worry less about those and more about our current situation, hon.” He exited the Escape. “And for God’s sake, don’t mention drugs around Roland. He’ll assume I’m your dealer.”

  The feisty Latina winked. “Oh, you deal all right. Every night.”

  Lim covered his face with a hand.

  He walked into that one.

  Despite her subtle comments, Cel was the reason he abandoned his previous life as a dealer. He couldn’t afford to go to jail again. If he got caught one more time, they wouldn’t offer him parole. Those prosecutors would demand a life sentence. No amount of money—even if he excelled at dealing—was worth the pain it put his family through. Especially her.

  So, he turned a new leaf.

  While she wouldn’t rat him out on purpose, she couldn’t discuss his work whenever they dealt with the fuzz or the feds. They always assumed the worst and called his pain-in-the-ass parole officer. Plus, she had to quit eating his stash of brownies and caramels. Those made her scatterbrained like Sis.

  He shivered. Those two women didn’t belong in the same sentence or universe.

  “Look, if we settle her issue—”

  “You mean you.”

  He ground his teeth together. “Okay, let me try this again. After I talk to Pop, I’ll head home and talk to Sis. Hopefully, it won’t take all night because I wanted to take you to Eden’s Paradise and get your birthday gift. You can pick out whatever you want except the caramel candies because you stole mine last week.”