Chapter 4
CHAPTER 4
“Look Akela, I don’t really want to get into the details,” Mia hedged.
The other woman frowned. “You said you’d tell me your story if I told you mine. Are you saying you lied to me?”
Mia gritted her teeth. “Who is the liar here? You are the one with cooked books. You’re the one using me as cover to hide what you’re doing.”
She held up her hands in surrender. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry I ever involved you in this mess.” Akela rubbed her face with her hands.
Mia let out a long breath and took the plunge. This story still shook her and spewing it out fast was the only way to live through the retelling. “Long story short, I used to gamble. Bobby made money off me. When I decided to stop, Bobby and his money man, Donny, didn’t like it. They threatened to hurt my family but then Bobby went to jail. Someone ratted out his gambling business, and they found drugs in one of his places, which made it much more serious.” She’d been so relieved when Bobby had gone to jail. She felt like she could breathe again. Until… “Two years ago, just after Bobby got out, my parents died in a weird car accident no one could reasonably explain. The evidence suggested that some animal must have run across the road and they swerved to avoid it.”
“But why would Bobby want to hurt your family, your parents?”
“Because he was making serious money off of me. He staked me and I was good. When I stopped, he lost his cash cow, and he wasn’t happy about it. Then he got arrested just after he threatened them. Two weeks after he got out of jail… they were dead.”
Akela’s mouth formed a perfect O . She blinked. “That does not make me feel better.”
Mia shrugged. “No, I guess it doesn’t. I’m sorry but you should know Bobby and Donny will do exactly what they threaten to do unless we find a way to stop it.”
“We?” Akela raised an eyebrow. “Are you going to help me?”
Mia bit her lip. “I’m not going to do your books anymore for sure, but I don’t want you or your brother to get hurt either. And to be clear, I would love to see Bobby and Donny get what they deserve.” She took a sip of her wine and then set the glass down on the counter. “Let me think on it. Maybe there’s something I can do or some kind of plan we can make to get you out of this jam.” She hurried on after Akela’s look turned hopeful. “I’m not promising anything, but I’ll do some thinking about it, okay?”
Akela nodded. “That’s fair. Bobby is going to get suspicious when you quit though.”
Mia shrugged. “I can’t risk my reputation. It’s taken me too long to build my client list. If I get exposed as cooking someone’s books, even if I didn’t do it, I’ll lose my livelihood. I’m sorry, Akela, I just can’t risk that.”
“I know, I shouldn’t have said anything. I’m so sorry I got you involved. I just …I’m just trapped..”
Mia stood. “Like I said, I’ll think on it a bit and see what I can come up with. Since I was at the café today, we have another month before Bobby and Donny will find out I’m not doing the books anymore. By then we’ll have a good story lined up. I’m chasing some bigger clients at the moment. If some of them come through, I’d have to quit doing your books anyway. Your job just doesn’t pay enough.”
Akela got up off the stool as well. “Okay, that sounds reasonable.” She leaned in and gave Mia a quick hug. “Thanks for listening. I feel better now that someone knows my secret. Even if we can’t come up with something, somehow, I don’t feel so alone.”
Mia nodded as she walked to the door. “I’m glad you feel better.”
They hugged again briefly and then Akela left. Mia watched her go and then closed the door and locked it. She wanted to run around and make sure the entire house was locked down. Bobby Kamaka scared the crap out of her. She hated him with every fiber of her being. She was dead certain he’d killed her parents, which made a huge part of her want nothing to do with him.
But…
But the part of her that had gotten involved with him in the first place, that darker part of her soul, that part wanted revenge and wanted it so badly it was a sour taste in her mouth. There had to be a way to take down Bobby and Donny. She just needed to figure it out.
Glancing at her watch, she quickly decided that Ohana’s might just be the place to start. If Emery was there, she could pose some hypothetical questions and maybe get some answers. She wouldn’t involve her friend just yet. She didn’t have any concrete evidence to bring to her. Akela was the only one who was on the hook at the moment and there was no way she wanted her friend to go to jail, even if their relationship had cooled over the years. Akela had worked too hard and long to let Bobby Kamaka bring her down. She and Kai deserved some happiness and deserved to be safe from assholes.
Mia changed into a black tank top and a pair of faded jeans. She jammed her feet into her favorite cowboy boots and ran a brush through her long black hair before heading out the door. She didn’t want to think too much about the mess with Akela or Bobby, or she might lose her nerve. To quiet her racing thoughts, she turned the music up high and sang at the top of her lungs as she drove. She’d never sing on stage because she was god-awful, but in the shower and in the car, it was okay to let loose.
Twenty minutes later, she walked into Ohana’s and slid onto a barstool.
“Hey, Mia,” Dahlia called from the other side of the bar.
“Hey, girl. How’s it going? How was Moana last night?”
Dahlia sauntered over to stand in front of Mia. “Amazing. That girl has gotten better since she left.”
“Sorry I missed it.”
“Did you get your shower fixed?” Dahlia asked as she held up a wine glass.
Mia shook her head. “Tonic water. I had a glass already and I have to be able to drive. Yes, I took care of the issue with my shower, but the list of things that need to be repaired just gets longer, I swear.” She glanced around the bar. A good crowd was building. The place would be jam-packed before long. “Is Emery around?”
Dahlia shook her head. “Not yet. She’ll be by in a bit. She’s just getting off duty.”
Mia sat at the bar and watched Dahlia work. People came in twos and threes, and it was getting hard to have any kind of conversation without yelling. Mia glanced at her watch. Maybe it was time to pack it in. She’d text Emery tomorrow and see if they could have a chat.
“Excuse me, but is this seat taken?” a deep voice said in her right ear.
She turned and her gaze was captured by a set of the bluest eyes she’d ever seen. It was the guy from yesterday. She’d noticed his eyes from across the bar, but up close they were mesmerizing, sexy as sin. “Uh…no. It’s free.”
He sat down beside her and immediately turned to face her. “Can I buy you a drink?”
She blinked. “No thanks. I’m just on my way out.”
Those blue eyes studied her. “You look worried. What are you worried about?”
Mia frowned. “Sorry?”
“You look worried. I asked what you’re so worried about?”
“Look, Mr…?” She lifted a hand in question.
“Carter Nolan.” Blue Eyes offered his hand.
She slipped hers into his and it disappeared completely. The guy was huge. Much bigger than she was. And sexy as hell. There was something about the curve of his lips that made all kinds of oh-so-bad but really wonderful thoughts flipping through her head.
She tugged her hand free and stood. “I’ve gotta go.”
“Teach me to surf,” Carter said.
“What?”
“Teach me to surf. I hear you’re an amazing surfer. I need to learn.”
Mia stared. What was this guy’s problem? She needed to go. This day was weird enough as it was and now it seemed to be headed further into uncharted territory. “I?—”
He leaned in and spoke quietly, his breath tickling her ear. “If you won’t tell me what’s worrying you, then at least teach me to surf. Everyone says it’s a great way to relax and be Zen. I need a little Zen in my life.”
Mia opened her mouth to decline but found herself nodding instead. “It is a good way to be Zen.” She met his gaze. Bobby Kamaka was trouble. If she really was going to get further involved in this mess, then maybe she could take a bit of time and go surfing first.
“Fine,” she said. “Give me your phone.” She put her digits into his phone and put his in her own. “I’ll text you where and when.” With that she gave Dahlia a wave and pushed away from the bar. She was afraid if she didn’t leave right then, she’d regret her decision and she really didn’t want to do that. Sexy as all get out Carter Nolan was just the distraction she needed.
Mia walked toward her car just as the band started playing. The sounds of country music followed her out to the parking lot. Maybe teaching Blue Eyes to surf wasn’t the best idea but it gave her something to look forward to. She glanced up at the moon. It was almost full. Might be nice to get out on the waves again. It had been a while.
She dug in her purse for her keys as someone grabbed her arm. Mia swung around to see Bobby standing there, with one of his henchmen on either side of her. “Son of a bitch.”
“It’s nice to see you too, Mia. It’s been a while.”
“What the fuck do you want?” She tried to sound tough, unbothered, but her heart bumped against her rib cage and her mouth had gone dry. Should she scream? Would anyone hear her over the band? She glanced around trying not to look as frantic as she felt.
“Careful, Mia. Don’t push me,” Bobby growled.
“What do you want?” she demanded again.
Bobby’s cold smile in the bright moonlight made her skin crawl. “I think you and I need to chat.”
Mia shook her head. Whatever she’d been thinking when Akela had been at her place was wrong. She’d allowed time and her need for vengeance to cloud her judgment. Getting involved with Bobby was a huge mistake. She’d managed to get out alive last time, but her parents hadn’t been so lucky. She wasn’t about to risk her life for Akela or Kai. Sorry, no way.
“I ran into Akela at her house. You were at the café today. I was told you went back to the office by yourself and left in a hurry. You know what’s going on.”
Mia shook her head. “I don’t know what?—”
“Save the bullshit. Akela told me the truth.”
Fuck . Akela had sold her out. Probably didn’t have a choice. Still now what the hell was she going to do? Her instinct was to scream and run.
“What do you want, Bobby?” Mia took a small step backward. Maybe if she could get a head start, she could make it back to the bar and get help.
Bobby gestured with his chin and his two henchmen, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb, each grabbed an arm. “I think we need to talk about what you know and about how you’re going to help me.”
“I’m not helping you,” Mia declared defiantly.
“I wouldn’t be too sure,” Bobby grinned coldly. “Put her in the van.”
Mia tugged against the two bruisers, but it was no use. She wasn’t getting away. Glancing desperately around the parking lot, her eyes fell on the door to the bar. Was someone there in the shadows? She opened her mouth to yell for help when they threw her in the back of a white van, her scream was cut off by the slamming of the door. Tweedle Dee climbed in beside her.
Bobby got in the front and reached back to yank her purse away from her. He dug inside and pulled out her car keys. “Follow us in her car,” Bobby said and threw the keys to Tweedle Dumb. He nodded and got out of the passenger seat and slammed the door.
Bobby put the van in drive, and they left Ohana’s. Mia wanted to scream, to fight, but there was no way she could overpower the man beside her. He was large in every sense of the word. She didn’t stand a chance. Glancing at the door, she wondered if could she pull it open and jump out. One look out the windshield told her they were on the main road now and going way too fast for her to survive throwing herself out of the speeding vehicle.
Shit. Shit. Shit. What the hell was she supposed to do now?
She bit her lip to curb her panic. It was one thing to talk big when Bobby wasn’t in the room. It was a whole other ballgame now that he was holding her hostage in the back of a van. All she wanted at this point was to survive. And from the way Bobby kept glancing at her in the rearview mirror, that possibility was getting further and further away.