Chapter 4
Chapter
Four
Reinaldo
J asmine’s blue eyes opened wide as she looked from me to Em and around the room. In our few meetings, it was becoming clear why mí padre mentioned her to me. Her beauty was unique. I’d had a difficult time, even in the meeting with the capo, thinking of anything other than last night’s encounter, the way her body responded to me. Taking her out into the city didn’t sit well with me. Nothing since I found her with Em had sat well with me. He was my friend and mí padre’s soldier, but if he continued to put his hands on Jasmine, I would need to cut them off. The announcement that she was to be mine was supposed to wait. Dario Luciano had not fully agreed. There was more negotiation .
“No one’s watching,” Em said. “They won’t even notice.”
A sad shadow swept over her beautiful face. “You’re probably right.”
I was good at many things and extremely good at others. Give me a problem and I could navigate the web, light and dark. I could find answers to questions people didn’t even know they had. I was accurate with a gun and deadly with a knife. I’d never walked away from a battle. Something else I’d learned to do as the second son of the leader of the Roríguez cartel was read people.
Some individuals such as the capo dei capi were more difficult. He excelled at concealing his expressions. Jasmine was by contrast an open book. Last night she was both frightened and turned on. Tonight, she was less scared, yet cautiously leery. The shadow that just passed over her expression was another layer.
Sadness.
What does this gorgeous woman have to be sad about?
Her voice was low. “I should tell Piero.”
Em stepped closer, his expression calculating as if he had everything planned. “Tell Piero that you’re going up to your room. Let him claim ignorance if we’re caught—which we won’t be.”
She looked up at him, now standing closer than necessary.
He winked with a smirk. “Do you think he’ll let you off twice?”
Twice?
Her lips came together in a straight line as she shook her head. “There are cameras in the elevator. ”
Em rubbed his palm over her arm, awakening a need within me to tug her away from his touch. I clenched my teeth.
“The guards are busy protecting the capo and el Patr?n ,” Em said. “They won’t notice if we step out for a few hours.”
“She doesn’t have it in her to rebel,” I said. “Look at her. She’s a rule follower through and through. She’s probably scared to be without her bodyguards.” A smirk quirked my lips. “Frightening things can happen when you’re out of their sight.”
Jasmine lifted her chin and stood taller.
Watching her feign strength was entertaining.
My fascination with Jasmine didn’t begin last night. No, she’d been on my radar since Cat’s wedding.
My brother, Jano, had done his research. He usually did. That was why he was the right person to take over the cartel when the time came. Although he had a reputation as a hothead, the reality was that Jano strategized. He took the time to get to know his enemies and relished the consequences of hitting them where it hurt. How he found out about Jasmine I never asked.
Once he did, he made his way to New York and learned her routine. After running into her a few times at a coffee shop, he began the conversation. He was invited to a wedding in the Ozarks. Jasmine fell for his lines, and Jano made his unspoken statement to Dario, then the future capo.
Dario’s family didn’t want Jasmine at the wedding.
Jano brought her.
The cartel would work to make the alliance successful on our own terms. We didn’t answer to the capo dei capi. Of course, that was before Jano married Dario’s sister. The threads that bind us were becoming more complex.
With the memories of last night’s encounter, I owed a thank-you to my brother. Mí padre wanted me to marry Camila. I wasn’t against it, but at the same time, I didn’t fight for her. As I looked down at this fiery redhead, I believed this time he had the right woman for me.
“I want to go,” she said. “Meet me in Dante’s apartment in ten minutes.”
“Dante’s?” Em asked.
She lifted her chin toward the foyer. Two guards stood at each side of the elevator. “We’re not going to walk right past them, not together. You two go down first. The doors down there won’t be guarded. I’ll make up an excuse for going down to his place. We still have the cameras, but if they’re not being watched continuously, we might have a chance at the escape.”
I hummed approvingly. “Not your first rodeo?”
Jasmine sighed. “My first rodeo, but I’ve given this possibility a lot of thought over the years. Leaving from Dante and Camila’s apartment is our best chance.”
“Camila’s apartment with Dante,” Em said. “You okay with that?”
He was asking me. “We were there this morning to meet the fuzzy cat. She and I are still like we’ve always been—friends.”
“And this” —Jasmine motioned between the three of us— “friends. ”
She wasn’t asking, and while I nodded, the possessiveness I felt was for more than a friend.
With one last look in our direction, Jasmine made her way over to her bodyguard.
“She’s hot,” Em said, keeping his voice low. “I thought she was a kid when Jano took her to Cat’s wedding.” His smile grew. “She’s grown up.”
This was my friend, but at the moment, I wanted to slice the grin from his face. “This was your idea. Where do you think we should take her?”
“If we can get her out of here, my vote is Emerald Club. You know the capo has that place locked down. Don’t want anything happening to his princess.”
“I’d agree, but Jasmine was right; they’d call the capo and then who knows? Mí padre won’t be thrilled if we fuck up the alliance.”
“Last time I was in Kansas City some of the famiglia guards were talking about a place called Green Lady Lounge—a jazz club.” Em pulled out his phone and began swiping. “It’s not far and is open until midnight with live music.”
“Sounds like a plan.” I laid my hand on Em’s shoulder. “Nothing happens to Jasmine. Not for the alliance but because she’s trusting us. I don’t want her to regret that.”
“Who the fuck do you think I am?” Em growled.
“No, I mean out there. One of us is with her all the time. She isn’t the capo’s daughter, but that doesn’t mean she’s not valuable. That’s why he has bodyguards with her 24/7.” I tilted my chin. “Let’s head down to Dante’s place. ”
The two bodyguards stared into the living room without questioning our intentions. The elevator stopped on the floor below, the doors opening to the same entry we’d seen this morning.
We stepped into the dimly lit apartment. I turned a complete circle. “Nice place.”
“Camila would have a nicer home with you.”
“Fuck,” I growled. A few months ago, I’d been moved to Northern California to oversee our men in that region. Mí padre gave me the former lieutenant’s giant-ass home. “That damn mansion is too fucking big. I’m ready to move back to your parents’ pool house.”
“Do you think Dante has any of the good stuff?” Em asked, walking toward the liquor cabinet in the living room.
“He probably just drinks the capo’s top shelf.”
Em’s eyes widened as he pulled out a bottle of Pappy Van Winkle.
“Fuck yeah. Pour me a shot.”
Em didn’t waste any time, handing me a crystal shot glass filled with amber liquid. “To Jasmine.”
Inhaling, I lifted my shot glass until it met Em’s. Without hesitation, I threw back the bourbon. The rich blend hit my tongue with vanilla and toasted-wood aromas. A hint of caramel and roasted nuts turned into a spicy finish. Fucking delicious.
We both turned to the sound of the elevator.
My smile disappeared as Jasmine walked off the elevator. Her emerald holiday dress was replaced with tight blue jeans, boots, and a hooded long sweatshirt. Her blue eyes were vibrant, outlined with more makeup than before and her lips were bright, matching her hair. She went from elegant to strikingly sexy. The way those jeans hugged her legs…If anyone else looked at her, I’d have to kill them.
“Sporting a punk look,” Em said. “I like it.”
Unzipping the sweatshirt, she revealed a sparkly silver top. “Trying not to raise suspicions. I told Camila I’d come down here and check on Diamond.” She looked around. “Have you seen her?”
Diamond?
I turned to Em.
“The kitten,” he said.
“Oh fuck. I forgot about it. No, we haven’t seen it.”
Jasmine took off down the hallway.
I lifted my hands. “I’m not going in their bedroom.”
A minute later, Jasmine came back with the ball of fluff in her hands. “She was sleeping in her box.”
“Safe and sound. Let’s go,” I said.
“Let me put her back.”
When Jasmine returned, her smile was less bright.
“We’re not kidnapping you,” Em said. “You don’t need to look sad.”
“I know…”
He reached for her hand, making the small hairs stand on the back of my neck.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
“I’ve never done anything like this before.” Before we could respond, she tilted her head and smiled. “I’ve wanted to…you two are a bad influence.”
“Nothing bad will happen,” Em promised. “You have two of the cartel’s best soldiers at your service. ”
Jasmine pulled the hood of her jacket up, hiding her luscious hair. With her eyes downcast, she strolled into the elevator. Em and I stood in front of her, keeping her near the corner and less obvious to the camera. We rode the elevator in silence, thankful that it didn’t make any other stops. By the time the elevator made it to the parking garage, we all were ready to bolt. Instead, we walked calmly. I hit the key fob, and the lights flashed on the black Lexus I’d rented yesterday.
“Oh my God,” Jasmine exclaimed from the back seat as we closed the doors and started the engine. “We actually did it.”
“Time to show you what life can be like when you’re not under the capo’s thumb,” I said. I gritted my teeth and held my breath as in the rearview mirror, I watched Jasmine unzip her hoodie and free her gorgeous fiery mane. Her top sparkled, reflecting the lights from the parking garage and her cheeks had a rosy hue of excitement.
“Where are we headed?” she asked.
“Green Lady Lounge,” Em replied.
“Have you heard of it?” I asked.
Biting her lower lip, she shook her head. “I haven’t, but that doesn’t mean much. Where is it?”