Chapter 3
ELEANOR
He stood me up.
My husband stood me up.
I grab my keys and my phone and head out the door. If Robert can’t spare the time to eat with me, fine. I’ve still gotta eat, and I’m not going to do it sitting alone in my apartment.
I walk down the flight of stairs, and I’m almost to my car when I switch directions and decide to walk to a restaurant down the block. I’m walking fast, anger filling me.
My phone dings again, and I roll my eyes.
I’m sure Robert expects some kind of response, but what is there to say?
I pass by the café and keep walking, needing to release some energy.
Robert sent me a text that something came up. That right there tells me how important I am to him.
Anger makes my pace faster, and before I realize it, I’m in midtown. I’m still in Kingston territory but closer to the Sterlings than I ever wanna be. Up ahead, I see my favorite Italian restaurant. I haven’t eaten there in ages, and as soon as I see the sign, I know that’s where I’m going.
I can hear Robert telling me that it’s a bad idea, but that seems to push me even harder.
I’m huffing and puffing by the time I get to the front doors of the restaurant.
I look through the window, and I don’t know what I expect to see, but it’s just people enjoying their lunch.
I open the heavy doors and request a table for one.
I’m shown to a table by the front windows. I know I should ask to move, maybe to somewhere that isn’t so visible from the street, but instead I sit down and open the menu. I’m being defiant, going against all the family’s rules, but I can’t seem to make myself care right now.
The waiter comes to take my order, and after telling him what I want, I rest my hands in my lap and watch the people passing by outside. I’m completely oblivious to everything around me until all of a sudden I start to feel like someone is watching me.
I glance around the room, but nothing seems off, so I go back to looking out the window.
Then that feeling comes again. I look toward the back of the restaurant, and that’s when I see him.
Victor Sterling. My husband’s rival. The man is pure evil, and I know I should get up and walk out of here, but that’s when I see the door being blocked by two men in black suits. Both of them have their gaze set on me.
“Damn,” I mutter.
I try to act unfazed, but the longer I sit here under their scrutiny, the harder it is to stay seated.
When the waiter passes by, I motion for him. “Excuse me. I’ve changed my mind. Can you cancel my order?”
He nods, but Victor Sterling stops next to him. “Don’t cancel it. Get it to go.”
I freeze and look around the room. Every pair of eyes is on us. I have no idea how I got myself into this situation, but I know I’ve got to get out of it. I stand up. “Victor, I’m sorry. I didn’t know you would be here. I’ll go.”
Victor holds his hand up. “Sit.”
Reluctantly, I sit back down and look up at him. The whole restaurant is watching as Victor sits down across from me.
“Where is your husband?”
I can’t tell him I don’t know. “He has a work thing.”
He blurts out a laugh. “A work thing? Is that what we’re calling it these days? Because I would swear I saw him walking into the hotel over on Fifth Street not thirty minutes ago.”
I try to school my expression. I know one rule of Mafia families is that you never let the enemy see your weakness, but instantly my thoughts go to last night when I accused Robert of cheating.
Victor catches the fleeting look on my face, and his eyebrows rise. “Oh. Problems in the Kingston household?”
I just lift my chin at him.
He reaches across the table and stops right before touching me. I’m glad he doesn’t because if he did, my husband would kill him. I know he would, even now with our marriage in turmoil. Maybe not because he cares about me, but he wouldn’t like Victor touching something that he considers his.
Victor continues. “I heard you left him.”
I just glare at him.
He chuckles. “I heard you moved into the apartments on Grand Avenue. Third floor. Apartment 3C.”
I try to keep any expression off my face. I don’t know why I thought I could do something without Victor knowing about it, but I guess I thought I wasn’t a top priority for him.
He laughs again, obviously pleased to see the discomfort on my face. “I guess you figured out what kind of man you were married to. He thinks he’s better than me, but I never cheated on my wife when she was alive.”
I just stare at him.
The waiter comes and sets the bag of food on the table. I pick up my purse, but Victor stops me. “I’ll take care of it. I mean, I can take care of you if your husband won’t.”
I pull my card out and try to hand it to the server, but he refuses to take it. I don’t blame him. Not many people would want to get caught in the crosshairs with a Sterling. Especially not Victor himself.
I stand up, and Victor follows.
“I’m leaving now,” I announce.
He picks up the bag of food and holds it out to me. “Don’t forget your lunch.”
I shake my head, not taking the bag. “Keep it. I don’t want it.”
He laughs again. “You came here wanting something. Maybe it was just to see how the better half lives.”
“I’m going to leave now, Victor, and I suggest that you and your goons don’t try and stop me.”
His eyebrows lift. “Goons?” He looks over at the men in suits. “Did you hear that? Eleanor Kingston just called you goons.”
The two men are not amused, to say the least. They both glower at me.
My heart is racing, and I can feel the sweat pouring down my back, but I’m trying not to panic. I lift my chin at him. “Victor, you know if you touch me, my husband will kill you. No questions asked. He won’t care that I walked into a restaurant that you were already in. He will come after you.”
His face turns to stone. He knows I’m right. Victor may be evil, but my husband protects what is his no matter what.
He takes a step forward, and even though he doesn’t touch me, I can feel his hot garlic breath on my face. “Are you threatening me, Eleanor? And after I was playing nice. I was offering to take care of you since your man obviously can’t.”
I just glare at him, not backing away. “I’m leaving now.”
I take a step back from him and get to the door where the goons are blocking my path. I glare at each of them, but they don’t budge.
I turn and look over my shoulder. “Can you please call off your men?”
Victor is facing me, arms crossed over his chest. “I would love to hear you beg.”
I grit my teeth. “I won’t be begging you for anything.” I reach into my purse and pull out my phone. “I guess I’ll call my husband and have him come down here. Is that what you want?”
There’s a gasp from the patrons because they know what that means. You get Robert Kingston and Victor Sterling in a room together, there will be bloodshed.
When Victor doesn’t say anything, I start dialing my husband. Shit, what will I do if he sends me to voicemail? I’m about to push the green button to call when Victor nods at the two goons. “Let her through.”
The men instantly part for me.
I lift my chin and walk out of the restaurant. I don’t look back, too afraid that someone is tailing me. Not that it matters. Victor made sure I understood that he knows exactly where I live.
I get back to my apartment, and as soon as I’m inside, I turn the deadbolt.
I should probably call Robert and let him know what happened, but I decide not to. No reason to tell him. I’m sure he’s going to hear all about it.