“What do you do about them?”
“Let them come. Allow yourself to feel scared and to process what happened. The dreams help us sweat it out. If that’s what my mind and body need, I’m okay with that.” She shrugged. “Anyway, the most important thing is it’s over now. He can’t get to us anymore. No one’s seen him since.”
Cora tried not to flinch. No one had seen him because he was dead. She remembered the nightmare scene on the dark lawn of the Estate all too well. Her husband raising his arm and bashing AJ’s head in, over and over and over again.
Her memory wasn’t a dream. That was real.
I’m not the monster, Marcus had said.
Your husband is a good man, Armand told her.
“You’re going to be ok, chica.” Anna’s smile was warm.
“One tea, one latte, and my five-shot espresso.” Olivia set the drinks down and plopped down between her two friends. “Scoot over, you guys. So, Cora how’d the rest of the party go?”
Cora sat back and tried to smile. Her memories were her burden alone. “Fine. I mean, I got no complaints.” Cora uncovered her tea to let it cool.
Olivia eyed her over the latte. “Did you tell that husband of yours to fuck off?”
“Olivia!” Cora gasped.
Anna leaned in. “Wait, Marcus was there?”
“Armand invited him and didn’t tell Cora. Get this: Ubeli walks in all gangster and he practically threw her over his shoulder and carried her upstairs. Totally hot.”
“Oh my gods,” Anna said.
“It didn’t go that way,” Cora broke in.
“You telling me after two months he didn’t get you alone and give you the business? He made his thugs wait at the bottom of the stairs and everything. And when he came back he looked smug…”
“Olivia.” Cora had her hand over her face.
“Looked to me like Mr. Big Mob Boss Man got some. Just sayin.’”
“Okay, first of all,” Cora started, so loud half the café would be able to hear her. She lowered her voice. “You can’t talk about Marcus like that.”
“What’s he going to do? Waste me?” Olivia gave a sassy little head shake. Obviously she saw the whole thing as a big joke. “If he wanted to do that, he could’ve done it the first week when he nearly gave me a heart attack standing right outside the apartment when I opened the door.”
“What?” Cora all but shrieked. The entire coffee shop turned to look their way but Cora didn’t care. Olivia glared at them until they looked away again.
“Yeah, bitch. Like, the second day you were there laying low.”
“He came to the apartment?” Cora asked.
“Yeah, he’s the one who dropped off your clothes. I told him you were out and didn’t want to see him anyway. He actually smiled and said that you were lucky to have such loyal friends. He gave me his information in case something happened and I needed to contact him.”
Cora’s mouth hung open but she couldn’t speak. She could feel anger creeping up her neck, flushing her skin red. She’d say he couldn’t help himself but that was no excuse.
“Why didn’t you tell her?” Anna asked for her.
“Shit, girl, you said you needed to deal, I let you deal. You didn’t want to talk about him so I never brought it up.” Olivia shrugged and looked at Anna, who’d raised a brow. “What?”
“Nothing. I can’t believe you kept a secret for that long, that’s all. I didn’t know that was possible for you.”
“Just because I want to know everything doesn’t mean I can’t shut up.” Olivia went back to sipping her espresso.
“Breathe, Cora.” Anna reached behind Olivia to touch Cora’s shoulder. “It’s going to be alright.”
“No, it’s not. I’m going to kill him. He said he gave me space. He lied to me.”
“About time you wanted to do something about Ubeli,” said Olivia. “Armand and I are ready to lock you in a room with him, and see who comes out alive. Or pregnant.”
Cora smacked Olivia’s arm hard enough for her drink to slosh a bit. “That’s it, I’m not speaking to either of you anymore.”
“Oooh, silent treatment. So mean,” Olivia said as she got up and moved to the other side of Anna, away from Cora. “That’s going to be difficult, seeing as we’re helping you move in a few days.”
“You got the apartment?” Anna chirped, obviously trying to change the subject.
“She did. She’s leaving us,” Olivia answered for Cora. “And her business is taking off. My little bird is leaving the nest!”
“Oh hush, Olivia,” Cora said.
“I thought you weren’t talking to me.”
“I tried. I can’t be mean for long.”
Olivia looked knowingly at Anna. “Fifty bucks says next time she and Marcus meet, she winds up pregnant.”
Anna pursed her red lips and ignored their blunt friend. She turned to Cora. “I’m going to miss you.”
“Me too.” Cora hugged her.
“All right, bitches, enough of this mushy stuff or you’re gonna ruin my makeup.” Anna swiped at her eyes and smiled a dazzling smile. “Who’s ready for the spa?”
Six
“Come in,” Marcus barked after a knock at his office door.
Sharo, his second in command, peeked his head in. “You called, boss?”
“Get in here.”
Sharo lumbered his large body through the door and shut it behind him. He stood with his arms behind his back until Marcus bit out in frustration, “For fucks sake, sit down. Don’t just stand there looming over my desk like the damned grim reaper.”
Sharo didn’t say anything. He merely sat, one eyebrow raised the slightest bit. Marcus wasn’t in the mood for his silent judgment. Nothing was going his way lately and he was sick of it. He ran a tight ship. But there were too many elements that were out of his control and it was threatening everything he’d ever worked for.
“We’ve got to get that shipment back. I can’t believe Zeke Sturm of all people has finally grown a set all these years. But if he thinks getting re-elected mayor suddenly means he’s above the laws of the Underworld, he’s got another thing coming.”
“We don’t know what he’s thinking,” Sharo finally commented. “We can’t get a meeting with him.”
Another frustrating fact. Sturm’s security kept the man all but sequestered. It had been two months but since he’d secured re-election, he’d only been to three public venues—a gala, a play, and a restaurant opening—none of which Marcus had been able to corner him at to get alone time so he could ask where the hell his shipment was.
The police had seized the huge shipment at the docks two months ago after tailing that rat bastard AJ there, but Sturm had promised Marcus he’d return the shipment within a week. But then a week had gone by. Then two. Then three. And no word from Sturm.
No shipment got to New Olympus that didn’t come through Philip Waters. He owned the seas. At first Waters had been understanding and hadn’t demanded payment for the lost shipment, once it became apparent it was going to stay in police custody. Things like this happened and the Ubeli’s have been long and loyal customers.