Chapter 14 #2
Hopefully, tonight’s meeting would either clear him or solidify the case, because I was exhausted with going back and forth with myself.
At this point, I had no idea where to stake my allegiance.
I felt lower than low for allowing Nicholas to continue to fall in love with me, knowing I would be responsible for his fate.
“Did you hear me, baby?”
“Um, . . . no, sorry. I was distracted.”
“You’ve been jumpy. You sure you good, habibti? If something is going on, you know I can handle it for you.”
“It’s nothing, Nicholas. I’m just wondering if Bella is OK.”
“I was just telling you my mom sent me a picture of the girls sleeping on the couch.”
“Oh, sorry.”
“It’s fine. I was just worried that you were preoccupied with something. You with me?”
“I’m here.” I nodded. I just didn’t know how long that would be a fact.
The building was packed. I wasn’t used to Nicholas taking me to a club. This wasn’t our usual outing. Even if I wasn’t in my normal jurisdiction, any club was a place where I was likely to be recognized. Thankfully, Nicholas led me upstairs.
Two giant men flanked the door. One of them reached out and opened the door for Nicholas to walk inside.
The room overlooked the club through a floor-to-ceiling glass window.
As we crossed the room, the floor vibrated with the bass of the music.
He led me to a plush black sectional positioned in front of the glass window.
Once he was seated, Nicholas pulled me into his lap.
“I know this really isn’t your scene, baby. I promise we will be in and out of here,” he explained, kissing my cheek as his hands rounded my waist.
Nicholas’s hand swept up my neck to the side of my face. I almost jumped out of my skin when his hand brushed against one of my earrings. The simple gold studs were listening devices. Although the microphone was undetectable, wearing them period made me paranoid as hell.
He chuckled. “Relax, Jameela.”
“Been a while since I’ve been out to a club.”
“You’re safe with me, baby. Give me one second; I see my associate. I’m just going to walk over to the bar.”
“You sure you don’t need me on your arm for good luck?” I asked, hoping to show the team that I was trying to close the case.
“Actually, walk over, let me order you a drink, then you can come back over here and people watch until I finish up.”
“Sounds good.”
As soon as Nicholas ordered a Manhattan for me and a double shot of bourbon on the rocks for himself, the door swung open.
Three men walked into the room, immediately shifting the atmosphere.
I recognized Vargas from the files. The team had wanted to catch him and Nicholas in the same place at the same time so they could link Cashville to the money laundering going on in the casino.
I tried to be as invisible as possible as the men moved deeper into the room and toward the bar.
“Vargas,” Nicholas said, standing to his feet to shake Antonio’s hand.
“You’re a hard man to nail down, Nicholas King.”
“You have my attention now. Make the most of it.”
“Who do we have here?” Vargas asked.
I didn’t have to look in his direction to know that he was referring to me.
“This is my girlfriend, Jameela.”
Vargas greeted me with a quick bob of his head before he and Nicholas continued with the formalities. The bartender handed me my drink, prompting Nicholas to halt his exchange to turn to me.
“Habibti, wait for me on the couch. I’ll be right over to get you, then we can get out of here.”
“OK.” I nodded, almost grateful that Nicholas instructed me to move out of earshot.
Over on the couch, I sipped my drink as I strained my ears to pick up bits and pieces of the conversation.
He’d said something about a shipment coming in two weeks and something about doing good, clean business.
They were negotiating because I could hear Vargas change his offer of a 15 percent cut to saying I can go as high as 20 percent.
There was no more defending Nicholas. He was negotiating with someone with known ties to the Vargas Cartel right in front of me.
My stomach felt like it would come up through my esophagus.
I placed my drink on the table, unable to force myself to drink it.
I needed to get out of here. My hands trembled as I removed my earrings and tossed them into my drink.
I needed to find a bathroom or something.
Just when I was about to spring to my feet, Nicholas showed up in front of me.
“Ready?” he asked, extending his hand to help me get up.
“Sure.” I took his hand, although everything in me was telling me to cut and run.
As we rode back to his place, Nicholas broke the tension-filled silence when he reached across the armrest and covered my hand with his.
“You trust me?”
“Of course.” I lied again. At this point, I didn’t know what to think. I didn’t feel like this was the appropriate time to say that though.
“Just know that whenever you’re ready to address whatever’s going on with you, I’m here.”
Both the girls and Nicholas’s mom were knocked out when we made it back to his house. I headed straight to the shower, needing a second to breathe and clear my head without being under his constant scrutiny.
When I was done with my shower, I padded down the hallway to check on the girls. They were both asleep. They looked so sweet and innocent while they slept. No one would know the havoc the two of them could wreak on the nerves if they watched them sleep.
After kissing each of them good night, I headed back down the hall to Nicholas’s room. My phone buzzed in my hand, causing me to look down at it. I figured the unknown call in the middle of the night was classified, so I answered.
“The audio was gold until it cut out. The devices are faulty. Activate a second device,” Tremaine ordered.
“I’m not doing that tonight,” I whispered.
“That was not a request, Jameela. I already have the paperwork on my desk to start the process of challenging custody. Bella needs safety and stability, not a mother who’s slutting herself to a cartel money launderer. Don’t test me.”
The line went dead. It didn’t matter, because I was speechless anyway. I stood motionless on the wall, with the phone in my hand, listening to the sound of the girls’ soft snores. Nicholas appeared in front of me.
His lips were moving, but my mind raced so fast that I wasn’t sure what to say first. Tell him, Jameela. Tell him and risk everything you’ve worked so hard for, most importantly your daughter.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, cupping my face to hold my eye contact.
I shook my head, but he wasn’t buying it.
“Talk to me, baby. Please.”