34. Chapter 34
Chapter 34
Victor
“We’ve had Lili for over two weeks, and she’s been at my place for one week. Why hasn’t Phineas made a move yet?”
I’m sitting in the cigar bar next to the club with Matteo, Luke, and Tobias. Owen is at work, and the rest of us are planning our next move.
“Maybe Lili is right that she doesn’t mean as much to him as we think. Perhaps it’s time to go after the mayor directly,” Tobias offers.
Matteo shakes his head. “I want to avoid that. We’ve done well not making too many waves in this city, and I want to keep it that way.”
“So, we just wait for him to attack us again? I’m not doing that,” I snap.
Luke puts his cigar down and leans back against the leather booth we occupy. “I understand where you’re coming from, Matteo, but on this one, I agree with Victor and Tobias. We need to strike first for once. It’s always been a last resort, and we’ve reached that point, if you ask me.”
Matteo sighs and drags his hand down his face. “Owen is of the same opinion on this, so I guess I’m outnumbered. What if we talk to Novak?”
“And say what?” I ask, curious to hear what Matteo could possibly be thinking.
“He’s got a lot of pull with the mayor. That tells me he probably has something on her. Let’s see if there’s a way to find out what that is. We can send Owen because Hunter trusts Owen enough to have put him in charge of his wife’s security detail. That’s saying something.”
Tobias nods. “It’s a good idea. I’ll talk to Owen when he gets home from work tonight.”
“Enough about Draven for the night,” Matteo says. “Let’s move on to other business.”
We spend the next hour going over numbers from our various... enterprises around the city, including the club, the sandwich shop, and the money laundering services we provide for other criminal organizations.
My hesitation about going to Hunter Novak lies solely in the fact that he knows we launder money. If we say the wrong thing, there is nothing stopping him from taking all of us down. But Owen and Matteo both seem to trust him more than I do, and I trust the two of them, so I have to follow their lead on this one.
“How are Grace and Lili doing at your house, Victor?” Luke asks. “Zara was asking about them last night.”
“They are getting along well. Seems they are building a friendship.”
My mind drifts to the other evening when I arrived home from a shift at the casino. I found Lili sitting on my sofa with Grace on the floor in front of her. Grace was reading a piece of erotica. I interrupted them, and whatever was happening between them stopped, but part of me wonders what might have gone down if I hadn’t walked in. The evening turned out better than I’d hoped, and the three of us had some unexpected fun.
Grace and I are enjoying this new phase of our relationship, and I took her to dinner a couple of nights ago while Owen and Tobias sat with Lili. But we are still being cautious. At least that’s how it feels to me. Grace is holding something back. Not that I blame her. We’re in uncharted waters.
I haven’t had the opportunity to talk alone with Lili much since she moved to my house, but we are on speaking terms at least, and she and Grace are becoming quite close. Possibly too close, but I don’t have the heart to intervene.
“Will Grace be at the club tonight?”
I nod. “She’s coming. We changed all of her classes for the first semester to online, and she’s been holed up in my office doing homework all week. She needs a break.”
“Are you two fucking yet?”
I glare at Luke. “What’s it to you?”
“Zara seems to think it’s inevitable.”
“We’re enjoying each other’s company, and that’s all the information you need.” There is no way I’m telling any of them we have also been enjoying Lili’s company. Though if I bring her to the club tonight, it’s likely to come out.
Luke snorts, and I shake my head. “Are we done here?”
Matteo nods, and we make our way to the club to get ready for an evening of treating our guests to a night of debauchery and fantasy fulfillment.
“Is Lili joining, or are you keeping her locked in your house?”
“I haven’t decided yet. Moving her back and forth seems dangerous, especially with the mayor’s security popping up two more times in the last week.”
Matteo nods. “Just make sure your house is secure if you leave her there.”
“It’s plenty secure. She’s not going anywhere. But if no one objects, Grace and I will bring her with us.”
“We’ll make the transition as secure as possible. Tell us how we can help.”
In my office, I make a call to inform Grace that Lili will be joining us tonight.
“Are you behaving, butterfly?”
“Yes, Sir. I got my classes switched so they are both online for the first semester. First one starts tomorrow.”
“Good girl. I’m sorry it has to be this way.”
She falls quiet and sniffs, a sure sign that something is on her mind, and she isn’t sure how to say it. “What is it, Grace?”
She clears her throat and takes a deep breath before answering. “It’s not a huge deal. But I’m conflicted about everything with you and Lili. My feelings are all jumbled up.”
“What happened to just enjoying it?”
She sighs. “I’m trying. I really am. But you know how I like to overthink everything.”
Her tone makes me chuckle. “It’s good to think things through, sweetheart. Just don’t let that ruin the enjoyment. We’ve all agreed to go with the flow here. Lili’s on board and so am I. But if you need to step back, we can talk about what that looks like.”
“No! That’s not what I mean at all. I’m just being honest about the fact that I’ve gotten a little mixed up in my head. You mean the world to me, and I’m thrilled we’re starting a relationship. But I’ve grown fond of Lili as well. And you’re attracted to Lili, too. You know how things did not go well for me the last time I fell for a couple.”
Not well is an understatement, but I keep that to myself. Grace doesn’t need my opinions here.
“First of all, I wouldn’t consider Lili and I to be a couple. Lili is gorgeous, and I find her attractive, but I’m not naive enough to think we can all make this work long-term. You’re my priority. We’ll take good care of Lili and get her through this situation. And after that, it’s going to be up to her to decide what she wants and if she wants to remain in our lives. Talk to her if you need to. But my advice is to enjoy what’s right in front of us.”
“I don’t want her to feel like we are using her.”
That worry has crossed my mind as well, but I don’t say as much. Instead, I try to soothe her.
“Butterfly, that’s not your personality. And I promise we aren’t just using her. Not to take down her husband, and not for sex. We are all adults, and we are all engaged in a mutually beneficial arrangement here.”
She clears her throat again, and I imagine she’s brushing her curls out of her face as she considers what I’ve said.
“OK. You’re right. Thank you for reassuring me. Would you be open to doing something with both of us at the club tonight since she’s joining us?”
I lean back in my office chair, surprised by the question. It’s definitely crossed my mind. But I want Grace to lead the discussion, so I shift the phone and close my eyes before I continue. “Tell me what you have in mind, Mariposa.”