Chapter 5
HARLOW
It was Archer who followed me to the door.
I smelled his unique cologne. I didn't need to look back to know the others were close behind or keeping an eye on us, ready to act if necessary, but playing it cool for now.
Nothing would say 'suspicious as fuck' like them standing around me like an angry honor guard.
I approached the door carefully. Certain no one would act against me with this many people around, but wishing I could back up my own certainty. If Hypnos and Zeus got desperate, they might do something drastic. Like show up at my restaurant and shoot me in the head.
Okay, not them personally, one of their hired guns.
I made my way past a group of customers who were heading into the restaurant.
I spotted a man in a suit as he turned to look at me. My heart stopped before I sagged in relief.
"Jules."
I should have known it was him. He glared at the security guard. A glare he quickly turned on me.
"Can you tell this gorilla I was invited?" he snapped.
I regarded him for a moment, during which I considered turning around and heading back into the restaurant. Let him stew in his own irritation for a while. Since I was in a good mood and didn't want to, I walked over to him, hips sashaying.
"I think it's safe to let you in," I said lightly.
He scoffed in response. His eyes still on me, he addressed the security guard, "I told you I knew her."
The guard looked at him like he'd happily throw him out on his ass anyway. "Just doing my job, bro." He turned back to the next person in line.
"You know saying things like that is no defense, right?" Archer asked from behind me. "Even if you say it to Jules"
"Fuck off,” Jules snapped at him. He stuffed his hands into his pockets and made to step past me into the restaurant.
"It wouldn't hurt if you left your attitude at the door," I told him.
He glanced back and smirked. "My attitude comes with me wherever I go. Same as yours does."
Touché.
I hooked my arm in Archer's, and we walked back inside, taking our seats as Jules flopped down next to Cass.
"Ah, Titmus the elder," Boner said, giving him a grin. "It's about time you joined us. We were starting to think you stood us up."
"Thought about it," Jules admitted. "Cass wanted me here."
"We all want you here," Cass said, giving us all a look like we might contradict him, which, to be fair, we might. Jules was like that thorn in the side of your foot. The kind that itched at you, but for some reason you couldn't get it out.
"Yeah, we do," Boner agreed. "Jules is good for a laugh."
Jules placed his hand on the table in front of him, about to push himself to his feet.
I quickly reached out and grabbed his wrist. "We want you here," I insisted. "You know what Boner is like. If he's not stirring the pot, he's looking for a pot to stir."
Jules glanced at me. Then at Cass, who nodded. Finally he relaxed his pose and sat back.
"Fine, I'll stay. Maybe you should tell him to leave his attitude outside." He slid a cool look toward Boner.
"If I left my attitude outside, what would be left?" Boner spread his hands to either side. "I'm all attitude and personality, in case you hadn't noticed."
Jules muttered, "You're all something."
Boner grinned. "I love you too, bro. Look at us, all getting along like one big happy family. Go us."
"We are doing well," Archer agreed. "Considering most people with our…chosen hobby tend to be loners. We've broken that mold." Although he too glanced at Jules meaningfully.
Jules was doing a good impression of a loner who happened to be stuck in our company for the night.
"I'm glad you came," I told him. "It wouldn't be the same without all of us here." Nothing bonded people like almost being murdered. Not to mention finding employee spread around a restaurant floor. And walls. And tables.
"They're making Harlow's famous meatballs tonight," Cass supplied.
"Smells good already," Jules admitted.
He was right, it did. The aromas wafting from the kitchen made my stomach gurgle with appreciation. Tonight's dinner would be a combination of old dishes and new, a hint of the former owner (not literally) and a whole lot of...me.
Also not literally.
As people shuffled in and made their way to their tables, a flutter of nerves passed through me. What if they didn't like the new menu? What if they ate here tonight and never came back?
"Everything is going to be perfect," Cass said.
Apparently I was wearing my thoughts on my face clear as day. I was usually better at masking my emotions. These four men must have found a way past those walls. At least they'd put ladders up so they could peek over the top.
"I know it will," I said, choking back unexpected emotion. "We've all worked hard to get here. I guess I'm a bit overwhelmed, that's all."
Was that a tear I wiped from underneath my eye? I wasn't usually a crier. I also didn't usually reopen a restaurant previously owned by my enemy, so I guessed it was a night for firsts.
"I bet Solomon Danforth is rolling over in his grave," Boner grinned.
If he had a grave. As far as I knew, he'd been cremated and his ashes scattered somewhere significant to his family. Just as well. I wouldn't put it past these guys, Boner in particular, to take a piss on his grave if they knew where it was.
Killing someone was one thing. Desecrating their grave was another. A girl had to draw the line somewhere. Apparently that was where I drew mine.
"He's not here, is he?" Jules looked around suspiciously, as if he might find a vase of ashes sitting on a shelf somewhere. Or a finger bone pointing in the direction of the toilets. Actually, that wasn't a bad idea. Not a real one though. That might make people a little suspicious.
"Only in spirit," I assured him.
Assuming spirits could stick their heads up from hell and have a look around at the pieces of their old lives. If that was the case, I mentally stuck up both my middle fingers at him.
Look who won, I thought.
He was dead and I was sitting at a very nice table in a very nice restaurant that used to have his name on the door.
"Success is the best revenge," Archer said.
"It really is," I agreed.
It was a shame Erin wasn't here to see it. To some extent, it was a shame Gina wasn't here to see it either, because fuck her for betraying me. Hopefully she had a nice little vantage point from hell as well. Maybe she was sitting on Solomon's shoulders, telling him what she could see.
For some, those might be morbid thoughts, but for me, it was triumph. For now.
We still had to deal with—
"Hans Getzoff," Cass said suddenly.
"Lucky him. I mean where?" Boner asked, swiveling around in his seat.
"He just came through the door." Cass nodded.
I tried not to turn around and stare, but I ventured a glance back.
Getzoff stood with a woman around my age, both dressed to the nines like they were looking forward to a nice night out.
Hopefully that was all this was.
I tore my eyes away from him as he and his partner approached the table.
"Chef St. James," he said in a cheerful tone. "I've heard good things about your establishments. I thought I'd come check it out for myself."
I looked up at him and smiled, pretending I hadn't seen him until now, hoping I appeared genuine.
"Hello there, Mr…" I cocked my head slightly, waiting for him to give me his name.
"Detective Getzoff," he said smoothly. Just as smooth as the night we met. "Hans Getzoff. This is my sister, Felicia."
I gave her a smile too.
"It's nice to meet you both. I hope you have a wonderful evening. If you have any problems, please let my maitre d' know. She'll pass it on to me."
I hope he got the message. He was more or less welcome here, but I didn't want him lurking around our table all night, disturbing me or the other customers in the restaurant.
"I'm sure I won't have anything to complain about," he said, his gaze lingering for a moment on my cleavage. "Have a nice evening." His arm around his sister's waist, he turned and walked in the direction of his own table.
"He gives me the creeps," Jules said.
"Me too," I said with a sigh.
Was it a coincidence he kept turning up in places where I also was?
New York City was relatively small, especially if you moved in the same circles, but the way he looked at me gave me all sorts of creeps.
Like he knew things I didn't want him to know.
Or like he was trying to crawl underneath my skin and see how I ticked.
No thank you. I preferred to be the one looking under skin. I was firmly attached to mine.
"We could always.…" Archer started, leaving the words unsaid because we all knew what he was going to say.
"He hasn't done anything to us," I reminded him. "If he does, we can worry about it."
"Are you sure?" Boner was gazing thoughtfully in Getzoff's direction.
"I don't know about you, but he gives me the heebie-jeebies.
I'm always a big fan of being proactive and getting someone before they get you.
" He seemed ready to stand up, pick up a knife, and stab it right through Getzoff's carotid, not particularly caring he had an audience to witness the act.
I knew he wouldn't do something in public. We hadn't lasted this long without learning discretion. Me, Boner, and Archer in particular, since Cass and Jules were relatively new to this.
"He's a diner here to have dinner," I said firmly. "Nothing more."
"'We should keep an eye on him," Cass said, looking as worried as Boner.
"I one hundred percent agree with that," Jules said, leaning his elbows on the table.
"Of course," I said. “We'll keep an eye on him, but we won't do anything unless he gives us a good reason."
I looked around at them, hoping they were listening. Really listening.
They all had their moments of unpredictability. I didn't need them going off the rails and after a police detective. Not if we ended up under the microscope.
If they found out what we were up to, we were screwed. And if they didn't, having them breathe down our necks would make it that much more difficult to go after Hypnos and Zeus.
No, we had to keep a low profile. Keep our noses clean, and stay out of the way of Getzoff.
The conversation ended with the rattle of plates and the servers placing our first course in front of us.
The discussion wasn't over, but for now we could enjoy our meal. Or try to anyway.
It was difficult when I felt as though Getzoff's eyes were on me the entire time.