Chapter 6
“I’ve got her,”I said to my sister. Claire stepped out of the car and waited long enough for the driver to be out of sight before she began walking away from the school.
Thea’s tracked Claire from the Benoit estate to Northwestern University. I was a little shocked because it was a Saturday. College was never on my radar. I had a plan and a purpose from the moment I was born—taking over the family business when it was time. I just didn’t expect that to happen at thirty.
“Want me to stay?”
“Nah, I got it.” I ended the call, told the driver to stop, and got out of the car.
I wasn’t surprised when Dimitris fell in step next to me, not skipping a beat. As my enforcer, he’d likely think Claire would go somewhere we might have an interest in. “We got word Benny is meeting with Moretti today. My guy says they’re talking about an alliance.”
Benny was the nickname Dimitris used for Benoit. He found it funny for some reason.
“Interesting.” I’d kept my eyes on Claire as he was talking. Her head was down, arms crossed over her chest, and she’d bumped into a few people at this point because she wasn’t paying attention.
I haven’t been able to get her out of my head since last night. I never expected her to respond to my kiss by melting into me. The little whimpers and moans were music to me. Her skin was every bit as soft as I thought it would be, and now that I knew how sweet she tasted, I wanted more. The reason I’d left the party was to keep myself from becoming obsessed and to see what would happen if I did.
When I walked around the back, I never expected to find her father choking the life out of her. I was far enough away that I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but Franklin was furious. When her knees buckled, I didn’t even think. The need to protect her hit me so hard that I couldn’t stop myself. Before I knew what I was doing, I was back in the garden.
I’d called Thea on the way home and asked her to keep track of Claire. If her father was willing to hurt her at his own party, there was no telling what he was willing to do in private.
“My guy also says Moretti can’t stand Benny.”
My brother’s mention of Moretti dragged me from my thoughts, and I was listening again.
Dimitris pulled a cigarette from the pack he had tucked in his pocket. He took his lighter out, blocked the wind with his hand, and lit it, taking a long draw. On the exhale, he said, “Moretti family is as bad as Benny.”
The difference between the two was that Moretti didn’t care what people thought about them and they had ties to other families. Benoit, on the other hand, seemed to care a lot. It was like he was trying to straddle both worlds, and he’d done a good job up to this point.
Dimitris continued. “Also got word Emil is dead.”
That caught me off guard. “Emil? That’s…”
“Yeah, his right-hand man. Body was found early this morning. Seems there was more than one power play in motion.” He took another drag of his cigarette. “They got girls coming in by truck two days from now. Thea says they’ll be unloaded at the warehouse near Lake Michigan.”
“Where are they headed?”
“Somewhere east, I think.”
I muttered a few four-letter words. “Need help?”
He shook his head. “And let you steal my fun? Nah, I got it.”
“All right.”
“You good here?” he asked.
“Yeah, I got her.”
He did a one-eighty, and I was on my own.
We schlepped another block, and Claire stopped at an antique shop. She didn’t go in; just stood at the window, looking. I couldn’t figure this woman out. She was dressed like she was going to waitress at a bar. Jeans, a cotton T-shirt, and a thin button-up thrown over like a jacket. Not a stitch of designer anything on her body.
She started walking again and hugged herself. Her posture, the way she was carrying herself, she looked… grief-stricken, almost.
I followed her another six blocks and realized I was in a familiar area. A really familiar area since my Aunt Helen ran a soup kitchen around here. I’d never worked in it, but I’d been by a few times to drop food off for her.
Claire ducked into my aunt’s building, and now I was really curious. I couldn’t fathom Aunt Helen being okay with a Benoit working for her or anywhere near her. She wasn’t in the dark about who they were and what they’d done to our family.
I took a right, headed down the alley, and slipped inside the back door. Just as I rounded the corner, I heard Claire speaking.
“Where do you want me today?” Claire asked.
“Would you mind serving?” My aunt replied.
Claire Benoit was going to lower herself enough to serve bums? I’d have to see this before I left. I simply couldn’t picture it.
“No, ma’am, not at all.”
My aunt chuckled. “Ma’am makes me sound like I’m eighty.”
“There’s no way you’re a day over twenty-five.” Claire shot back.
Well, that was one way to get on my aunt’s good side. She’d been twenty-five since I was twelve.
I could almost see my aunt smiling. “Well, thank you, sweetheart.”
“I’ll go get started.”
When I was sure Claire wasn’t around, I peeked around the corner and stepped out. “Aunt Helen,” I whispered.
She turned around and made the aunt squeal before hugging me tight.
“Shhhh. I’m… undercover.” I angled her in such a way that my back was to the rest of the kitchen just in case Claire returned.
“Talk about a surprise. My nephew is gracing me with his presence.” It was a chastisement, but I didn’t let it get under my skin. She didn’t really know what my siblings, and I were up to. We were giving back too, we were just doing it a little more violently.
I glanced over her shoulder. “The better question is why you’re letting Claire Benoit work here.”
Her lips twisted as she leaned back. There was no mistaking the shock in her eyes. “What? She’s not working here, and if she were, they’d be calling me Sweeny Todd.”
“She is working here.” I pointed to where Claire was serving potatoes. “That’s her.”
“Nooooo…that’s Claire Santos. She started volunteering about six months ago. That sweet girl can’t possibly be related to them.”
I tugged my aunt from the kitchen to her office and shut the door. “I’m telling you that’s her.”
My aunt sat down hard in one of the chairs facing her desk. “That can’t be. I’ve seen that girl give the shoes off her feet to a barefoot woman. I’ve had to scold her for giving money to Frank when he fell off the wagon. I just can’t believe it.”
I took the seat next to her. “She’s given someone the shoes off her feet?” That didn’t track with her family’s image. They only gave back when they were sure they’d get recognition for it.
Nodding, she said, “She did. Just plucked them right off and spent the rest of the night barefoot. She doesn’t grumble when I give her trash duty. I’m telling you, Lucas, she’s working her way to sainthood. You have to be mistaken.”
I didn’t know what surprised me more. That she used an alias or that she was getting praise from my aunt. I’d often imagined that if she met Jesus, she’d tell him his hair needed a brush. The woman was sweet but critical, and here she was singing Claire’s praises.
Maybe this was a good thing. I’d been racking my brain trying to figure out how I was going to tell Aunt Helen I was marrying her without her killing me. “Aunt Helen, I have something I need to tell you.” I leaned back, trying to keep myself out of smacking distance. One thing about my Aunt Helen: she didn’t care what I was the boss of. If I needed a good swat, she’d give it.
She looked at me, still bewildered by the information I’d given her. “What? Should I expect Franklin to show up?”
Shaking my head, I said, “I’m marrying her.”
“Marrying who?” Her eyes widened. “Her? That girl out there? Claire San—Benoit?”
“Yeah.”
She stood and began speaking in Greek. Mom and Dad had taught me some, but I’d let it go over the years. I caught a few of the words and suspected she’d be stopping by the confessional on the way home. “Lucas how could you do this? You know what they did.”
“I know, but this gets me close to that monster. I want him to pay for what he did. I want my face to be the last thing he sees before he dies. I want him to know it’s me that’s taking his life. For Gianna, Dad, and Mom.”
“But marriage? That’s forever, Lucas.” Her face fell. “You are getting married in the church, right?”
The question caught me completely off guard. I had a long list of sins already. It was a fake marriage. Did I really want to tempt God to put a lightning bolt through me? “Uh…”
“The answer is ‘Yes, Aunt Helen.’”
“I don’t know. Doesn’t the bride and her family take care of that stuff?”
She huffed. “I’ve never heard her speak of any family or friends. There are times when I’ve caught her with tears in her eyes or seen a wealth of sadness overcome her.” Her body softened. “I?—”
A knock came from the door, and it opened. Clair looked from Aunt Helen to me. “What—” Her words faltered as her eyes landed on me.
“Claire, have you met my nephew?” She smiled as she got to her feet. I was grateful she was playing along.
I cut a glance at Aunt Helen and stood. “You know my Aunt Helen?” I didn’t want her to know I was following her. If this was another long-game type thing, I didn’t want to give away that I was suspicious.
“I…I’ve been volunteering here for a few months?—”
“Six. She’s been a doll, but how do you know each other?” Aunt Helen asked.
I smiled and held my hand out to her. “She’s the reason I stopped by today. To tell you about my engagement.”
Aunt Helen’s mouth dropped open as she looked at Claire. “What? You got engaged and said nothing?” Her gaze swung back to me, her jaw hanging open. Man, the woman was good.
Claire slowly placed her hand into mine. “I…” She played with the end of her braided hair. “I…”
“It just happened last night. We haven’t had the chance to announce it.” I smiled as I drew her closer and wrapped my hand around her waist.
Aunt Helen pulled her from my grasp and gathered Claire in a crushing hug. “Sweet girl. I’m so happy for you.” She tapped me on the cheek and then pinched it. You would have thought I was still five and didn’t have a small city’s worth of skeletons in my closet. “My Lucas is a sweet, sweet boy.” She looked at Claire. “His bark is much worse than his bite.”
I raised an eyebrow and tugged her back, snugly against me. “My bark and bite are both equally terrifying.”
Even Claire somewhat chuckled at the statement.
Just as Aunt Helen opened her mouth, a commotion out in the dining room grabbed her attention. “I bet that’s José and Bob going at it again. You better not leave without telling me goodbye.” She rushed out of the room leaving me alone with Claire.
“I should get back out there, too.” She tried to wriggle out of my grasp.
No way was she getting away that fast. I took her around the waist, and in half a step, I pressed her against the wall. I still had the memory of that kiss from last night. The feel of her lips and the taste of her skin.
I went to kiss her, and she turned her head.
Her palms were flat against my chest. “I’m not the only available candidate tonight. There are plenty of women in the dining room who would love to be kissed.”
This was the first time I’d seen any fire in her at all. It was sexy, too. I took her chin in my fingers and forced her to look at me. “Yes, but now that I’ve promised all my kisses to you, yours are the only ones I want.”
The set of her jaw, the way her lips were in a thin line. She was ticked. “As if you won’t be sneaking around once we get married. Not that it’ll matter. You’re in bed with Franklin Benoit. I doubt I’ll make it out of the church before you slit my throat and share a toast with my father, celebrating your newfound wealth.” With the amount of venom lacing her words, she was a viper being milked.
Before my head caught up with my mouth, words were already leaving the gate. “I saw him choking you last night.”
Unshed tears turned her eyes glassy. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. He would never?—”
“Don’t lie to me. Don’t ever lie to me. You want to give me a reason to cut your throat. That’ll be it.” I growled. “I won’t lie to you either.” I wouldn’t mention that I could be creative with the truth.
Her lips pinched together tighter.
“I saw him do it. I want to know why.” I brought my face closer to hers. “Tell me, Claire.”
“You’re demanding the truth from me, but you’ve done nothing to deserve it. I don’t know you.”
I narrowed my eyes. “I don’t know you either. You’re dropped off at the university and then walk eight blocks to work at a soup kitchen. It seems to me you’re the one who isn’t trustworthy.” I didn’t mean to let that slip, but my anger got the better of me.
Her mouth dropped open. “You followed me? You weren’t here by accident?”
“You bet I followed you.” I wasn’t even a little apologetic. “Why the hell are you here? Are you spying on my family? My Aunt Helen won’t take kindly to that.”
A tear leaked out. “If you must know, I lost my mom to cancer six months ago. I started volunteering to honor her memory.”
I didn’t remember reading or hearing about that. “Your mom?”
She nodded as more tears streamed down her face. “My father wouldn’t let her volunteer. It was beneath us, and if it didn’t benefit us, there was no reason to do it. I loved her so much. When I’m here, it feels like she’s with me.” The last few words were breathy.
I knew the ache I felt when my mom died, and I could see that ache in Claire’s eyes. “I’m sorry you lost your mom.”
“At least you have siblings to lean on. I have no one. Your Aunt Helen is the only person who’s been nice to me since I lost her.”
“Why was your father strangling you?”
The little bit of fight she had was gone. Her body wilted against me, and I had to use my knee to hold her up. “He was angry that you left. He blamed me.”
“Is that all?”
“He was going to give me to Marco Moretti.”
Give her to… I was disgusted.
Dimitris’s information hit a little differently now that I knew this. It made me wonder what Franklin was up to. I had no doubt Claire wasn’t supposed to mention that to me.
My stomach twisted at the thought of Claire in that man’s hands. Of all the families, his was the most ruthless. There was honor among them, but just above being a Mexican cartel. They did things with women even the most debased families shied away from. “Well, you don’t have to worry about that anymore.”
I cupped her cheek and ran my thumb across it, wiping the salt that had started to dry on her face. She took my hand in both of hers and rested her cheek on the back of it. “Thank you.”
I’d experienced quite a few expressions of gratitude in my life, but this was the first one that had my mind going to places this small room couldn’t accommodate. When she looked at me again, she gave me a faint smile. “I should probably go back out there. I’m the only potato girl they’ve got.”
Then, she did something I never expected. She pressed her lips to mine. There was nothing erotic about it, and it was the hottest kiss I’d ever had. It tripped my brain, and my thoughts coalesced into one action.
There was no way I could leave this office without tasting her. I claimed her lips with mine. My tongue slipped past hers into the warmth of her mouth, and she gave a soft purr. I allowed myself a few more minutes to enjoy the feel of her and then broke away before I went any further.
Her cheeks were flushed, and her breath was labored. I let her slide down the wall until her feet touched the floor and pulled her phone from her back pocket. “Unlock it.”
She did as I asked, and I held my hand out for it.
“What are you doing?”
“Giving you my number.”
“Oh.”
I finished and handed the phone back to her. “Thank you. Now, you can text me when the kitchen closes.”
Her lips lifted into a fraction of a smile. “Okay.”
One last thing. I pulled my mom’s ring from my pocket and held it up to her. “I want you to wear this so everyone knows you’re mine.”
“It’s beautiful,” she said as she offered her ring finger. “I didn’t expect a ring, but I love it.” Her hand splayed as she examined it on her finger. “Thank you.”
“I’ll see you later.”
“Later.”
I dropped my arm to let her leave, and as she reached the door, she paused. “I’m not disappointed that all your kisses are promised to me.” She smiled.
“Leave before I yank you back and lock the door.” My aunt would kill me, but with the lack of blood in my brain, I was struggling to think straight.
One last smile and I was left in the office alone. I swiped my hands down my face and groaned. Why was I looking at the librarian like she was a burlesque dancer? She was mousy and demur and not my type. Except she was because she had wormed her way into my heart and head.
This business arrangement was turning into a giant headache.