Chapter 35

Michael

After changing into a different suit than I normally wore to work, I took a cab down to Kadia. Other than nights where I had planned events late at night, I let Constantine off whenever I arrived home from work. I didn’t mind taking a cab at night since there were more of them at that hour. During the morning and evening rush times it was simply more convenient to have someone ready and waiting for me.

At Kadia, I entered through the back door as I normally did.

And when I reached the VIP room, I saw Frederick wasn’t alone.

Two young women dressed in skin-tight, almost nude colored glittering dresses sat on the edge of the sofa. They were sipping on champagne and giggling with each other.

Frederick was on his phone before he looked up and saw me.

“Hey!” Frederick got up and embraced me.

“Am I interrupting something?” I was under the impression that we were going to have a private conversation.

“Not at all,” Frederick said, then snapped his fingers. The girls got up from their seats and went into the hallway toward the other VIP rooms. I typically stayed away from the club on the weekends since they were at capacity most nights. Frederick had mentioned to Demetri about hiring dancers for the VIP rooms. To me, it bordered on making the club a little trashier and more like a strip club, but Frederick assured me the girls kept on their clothes the whole time. At least when they were performing. Who knew what they did afterward and I tried not to think about it if I could help it.

“Have a seat,” he said, and I did. He poured me a flute of champagne, and I took it.

“What did you want to tell me?” I asked.

Frederick sat back in his seat and threw his arm up over the top of it. “Always about business…”

“Yes. It. Is,” I said. “I want to get these guys off our backs. They’re getting too close to me and you for that matter. Why are you not more worried?”

“Because I’m headed out of here,” Frederick said. “I’m on the first flight out tomorrow to Colorado.”

“Colorado? To Natalia’s lodge?”

Frederick smirked.

“Are you and her back on?”

He shrugged.

I shook my head. “She’s broken your heart before.”

“Don’t worry about it,” he said. “I have to strike while the iron’s hot.”

“Is she up for this?” I asked. Frederick had a tendency to put his needs before any girl he dated and had a hard time understanding signals. Though by the way they were acting together the last time I saw them, I knew it was mutual. Both of them could be a little selfish, though. If the thugs looking for information about Sal’s death came looking for Frederick and found him with Natalia and connected the dots, then we’d all up shit creek.

“You know it’s true,” he said.

I sighed. “Don’t let anyone else know you’re going out there. And stay off the radar.”

“I know, I know,” he said rolling his eyes. “I’m not the idiot you think I am.”

“I don’t think you’re an idiot,” I said. “This is a strange time for us. We need to keep a low profile. I could give a shit less about you and Natalia dating.” In fact, it would get Rainey off my back about her. A win-win for all of us.

“Is that on again?” a voice said from the opening of the room. I turned around to see Demetri standing there.

He caught me momentarily off-guard. I glanced at Frederick who appeared none the wiser. Is this why he wanted me to come down? He could have given me a heads up. But I supposed it was smart of him not to name Demetri over the phone. I knew my place was safe, but I had no idea if anyone had bugged Kadia or any of our phones.

“Hey,” Demetri said then took a seat beside Frederick.

In a way, I was more comfortable with Demetri there. I’d be able to get all my questions answered, and hopefully, he’d be able to shed some light on the matter of Sal Rossi.

“When did you get into town?” I asked.

“This evening,” he said, crossing one leg over the other. “I had some business to attend to and came right over.”

I jumped right into it. My mind was bursting with the need to understand all of this. “What did Frederick tell you?”

“He said that Natalia was visited by a couple of men the other day, asking about Sal. Then the police came to visit you.”

“What’s the connection with the police and these thugs?” I asked. “They have the same agenda. What the hell happened with Sal? I thought you took care of this?”

Demetri’s eyes narrowed for a moment before he uncrossed his legs and poured himself a drink. He plucked two ice cubes from the bucket and swirled them around his scotch. “One of my guys took care of Sal the way we always do. It appeared as an accident and even the medical examiner report stated as such. The gentleman who has money owed to him is fishing, but he’s going to have an empty hook for his efforts.”

“What about the police?” I asked. The thugs could work on their own, but with the police, there was a paper trail.

“The investor has alerted the police to foul play. There are plenty of corrupt pigs that will do anything for some extra cash. This is one of those instances. They have better resources and can take the legal routes to get what they need.”

“And you’re okay with all of this?” I asked. Why the hell was he so calm while I was shaking like a leaf on the inside? More from nerves than being scared. Demetri promised I’d never be involved like this and here we were.

“Of course,” Demetri said. “Which is why I told Frederick he is free to go wherever he chooses. I will have another one of my guys cover in his absence and all will be well.”

“Frederick aside,” I said. “The detectives came to my business. That can’t happen. You said that wouldn’t happen.”

“Michael, I’ve taken care of many people that you’ve helped me with and none came sniffing at your door. These things happen. Just carry on as if it was a momentary blip in your life. They won’t make the connection, I promise.”

I wished I could be so crass about killing people. But running the syndicate was in his blood. And to keep his throne at the top of the ranks, he had to order people to do despicable things. The fact that he was far from home and willing to help us out said a lot about his character.

“As long as you think it’s taken care of—” I said.

“It’s taken care of,” Demetri said, holding his hand out. It was his gesture for me to stop going on about it. While I didn’t appreciate him cutting me off, until this was over, I’d have more and more questions. I trusted him. At least until he gave me a reason not to.

“Alright, we need to boost morale in this place,” Frederick said, getting up from the couch. He whistled to one of his bouncers and made a gesture to the guy. Then he sat back down. “Let me take care of you guys tonight.”

The two girls from before came back into our room. One of them went for Demetri, and he smiled up at her as she started to dance seductively in front of him.

The other girl came up to me and bent over, resting her hand on my shoulder and pressing her lips to my ear. “I’m Sammi,” she said and then stood up, turned around and started moving her ass slowly in front of my face.

I let out a sharp breath and turned to Frederick. “This is nice and all, but I’m not interested.”

“Come on, man. She’s new and could use the experience.”

When Sammi turned back around, I took her hand and placed several large bills in her palm. “You’re a beautiful woman. But I’m not interested tonight.”

She folded the cash and shoved it into the top of her dress quickly before glancing over at Frederick. He waved her off, and she shimmied out of the room.

Demetri stood up and put his arm around the girl dancing for him. “I’ll leave you two alone while I get to know this lovely woman in front of me.” Demetri took her hand and led her out of the room. I guessed Frederick already booked Demetri his own private room for whatever was about to go down.

“I'm not stubborn these days,” I said when Demetri left the room.

Frederick lifted his hands in a defensive gesture. “I didn’t say anything.”

“I know what you’re thinking. And you’re right, I have someone I’m interested in. I’d rather not screw it up.”

Frederick clapped a hand on my shoulder. “I’ve been waiting for this. It’s about time.”

“Why am I not surprised to hear that?” I asked.

He ignored me. “So tell me about her. Is it your assistant like Natalia said?”

“It is,” I said warily. Announcing it aloud made it seem real and yet surreal at the same time.

He rubbed his hands together. “That’s great. I thought you said you’d never mix business with pleasure?”

“I did say that. But she’s different. She reminds me of Cynthia.”

Frederick sat back in his seat, looking at me.

I felt the need to explain. Cynthia and Frederick had been close enough that he’d need to know Rainey to fully understand my feelings for her. “Rainey is kind and brilliant. And she cares a lot for the charity.”

“And that’s important to you?” he asked.

“Yes. Cynthia was the love of my life, and she gave everything at the end of her life to these kids. Seeing that carried out through Rainey—well, it’s bringing me back to a time when I was happy.”

“Are you sure she’s not just good at her job?” he asked.

“It’s more than that. It’s hard to explain.”

“Well, I’m happy for you,” he said. “You should bring her around here sometime.”

“Not until this is all over,” I said. And that would entirely depend on if Rainey ever wanted to be with me again like we were at the lodge. I didn’t want to push her too hard, but I wanted her so bad. I had a tendency to pursue things that I wanted until they were mine. Tomorrow night would be the start of something amazing with Rainey. I only had to get her on board for good this time.

“It will all work out,” Frederick said. “You worry too much.”

I chuckled. “You don’t worry enough.”

I finished my drink and said goodbye to Frederick. It was getting late, and I wanted to at least tempt myself with sleep before tomorrow. I had a lot of press to do in the morning and afternoon before I got ready for the event.

Stepping onto the curb, I hailed a few cabs before one of them stopped. I got in and gave the driver my address.

On the way home, I stared at the window, going over everything that Demetri had said. It was a short conversation, but it helped ease my mind a little bit.

A horn honked behind us, and I turned around to see what was going on. A black sedan swerved into the other lane and then sped up, passing us on the right. It slowed down when it was next to us, and I tried to make out the faces in the car. I couldn’t since the windows were tinted to a blackout level.

The driver clicked his tongue with disapproval.

“These people make it harder for the rest of us to do our jobs,” he said.

“Take your time. I’m in no rush.”

He nodded, and white knuckled the steering wheel until the black sedan hit the brakes again.

I glanced behind us and saw whoever was driving pull behind a car a few back from us. I turned in my seat. Something was off.

A tingling sensation crept up the back of my neck, but I shrugged it off.

When I arrived home, I paid the driver and got out of the car. While walking up to the door of the building, that tingling sensation came back. I turned around and scanned the area. And that’s when I saw it.

The same black sedan was slowly driving by my building. The windows were still up, but I had a feeling it was the same reckless drivers.

Was I being followed from the club?

I scratched at the back of my neck. The car continued down the road at a reasonable speed. I waited until it turned the corner before I started toward my building again. I was probably paranoid. We were apparently headed in the same direction. That was all.

I needed to get some rest.