Harlequin Historical September 2021--Box Set 1 of 2

by Christine Merrill

  But he fought against the burning sensation behind his eyes. He swallowed the desire to ask her to stay. Because she was more important to him than anything ever had been.

  She turned her fiery gaze on him and he let her go immediately. “Don’t touch me. Never touch me again.”

  She ran to her bedroom and slammed the door behind her.

  Lorenzo let himself out.

  * * *

  Lorenzo hoped Evelyn would leave the city, as he had advised her to do. There weren’t any safe clubs for her in this city. She’d be in danger in Kansas City no matter what. She had to leave. He would have a train ticket to Colorado purchased this morning...

  Rummaging through the drawers in his office, Lorenzo chucked a pen across the room in frustration.

  “Ouch, that hurt,” Jeb said, walking into the room.

  Lorenzo looked up. “Sorry, I’m just...”

  “Upset again about Evelyn?” Jeb said. His large figure filled the room.

  Lorenzo sat at his desk. “Yes. I just don’t know what to do about her. I feel like she’s the one I’m meant to be with—like she walked into Blues Moon because of fate. But how ridiculous does that sound?”

  “Very ridiculous.” Jeb smiled.

  “Shut up, man. I’m just saying... I want to be with her so badly, but anyone being with me is like a death sentence.”

  “When are you going to let what happened to Holly go? You can’t keep dragging her ghost around with you. It wasn’t your fault.”

  “Of course it was my fault!” Lorenzo erupted, throwing his hands up. He took a deep breath and looked at his friend. Calmly this time, he said, “It was my fault. If she hadn’t been in love with me she wouldn’t have been a target for the Ricci family’s retaliation. If Evelyn hadn’t been in my club, she wouldn’t have been almost killed.”

  “Lorenzo,” Jeb said, putting his hands on Lorenzo’s desk. “Your father has made a lot of enemies. Those enemies are after you not because of you, but because of your family. You are as much a victim as Holly was. You have to forgive yourself. Because that means you can start to accept the family you were born into and make choices that are wholly yours. You can’t predict the future. Yes, you have some enemies now, but you also have the means to protect anyone you care about. And you have to give Evelyn some credit. I don’t know her well, but being a Black woman in this world...she’s a survivor already. Let her show you who she is. Then decide what to do.”

  Lorenzo took a deep breath. It was probably too late for him to change his mind. Evelyn was beyond furious with him—as she should be. He’d made love to her, knowing he was her first, then pushed her away and fired her.

  Lorenzo shook his head. He’d dug a hole. Now he had no way to get out of it.

  “I don’t want to add to everything she already has to deal with. I don’t want to be another burden for her to carry,” he said.

  “You should let her decide that. Taking a woman’s choices away is not the way to show her you care for her.”

  Lorenzo got up and started to pace.

  “This is what we’re going to do. The new governor is on board with cleaning up the city. He plans to be there at the ambush, to let the members of the KKK who hold positions with the city know that they will be fired immediately if they continue to organize. The KKK is planning to leave the Avalon music club on the other side of town and come here to try and intimidate me again. Tommy just confirmed this, like I hoped. So the ambush is set up. Now we have to make sure they understand the choice they have to make. They can continue with this racist crap or they can live their lives. Seems like an easy choice to me. That should take care of all the issues we’re having with the liquor as well. They’ll be behind bars if they make the wrong choice.”

  Jeb nodded.

  “Now I need you to go to the winery and the distillery and see how much we need to make to build our supplies back up. You need to keep on your guard. Dred is making sure Tommy doesn’t get in too deep with the Klan. I’ll be here to protect the club.”

  “I got it.” Jeb walked to the door. “Stay safe.”

  “You too.”

  CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

  Evelyn

  Evelyn pulled her cloche hat down over her ears. She’d only walked about twenty minutes to get to the Avalon. The speakeasy in the east end of the city was much smaller than Blues Moon, but Evelyn wanted to stay in the city.

  Carmichael had told her about this place. He’d sold some vegetables to the Avalon cook, who had mentioned he’d heard about Evelyn. The cook had told Carmichael that the owner of the club would hire Evelyn for a good salary as she would be able to build up his clientele.

  The club was segregated, though, so Evelyn planned to ask about that during her meeting with the owner.

  The Avalon was red on the outside, like a barn in the middle of the city. Evelyn pulled her coat closed as the bitter wind hit her. A chill ran down her spine as she stepped over the threshold into the club. She’d thought the red on the outside of the building was bad. Everything was red on the inside too—the floor, walls, tables. The color reminded her of blood, which sent another chill up her spine that settled into a knot in her neck.

  “Can I help you?”

  There was no warmth or kindness in the woman’s voice as she approached Evelyn from behind the bar.

  “Hello, yes. I’m Evelyn Laroque. I’m here to meet with Mr. Martin about the singing job.”

  “Oh, so you’re who everyone is fussing about. I didn’t know you were one of those coloreds.”

  The big woman shook her head. Her greasy hair clung to her head, so even the movement didn’t disturb the matted-down mess.

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Follow me.”

  The woman smacked her lips over whatever was in her mouth and brushed past Evelyn, walking toward the back of the club.

  Evelyn took a deep breath and followed. If this wasn’t motivation for her to save up enough money to start her own club, she didn’t know what would be.

  As much as she was grateful to Lorenzo, for giving her a chance and helping her become known as a singer, she now hated him. For forcing her to find work in another club where she wouldn’t be treated kindly because of the color of her skin. She hated him for taking something from her and then throwing her away. He’d even tried to refuse her on multiple occasions, but she’d kept pushing. She’d been so stupid.

  Mr. Martin was a heavyset short man with a cigar hanging from his mouth. “You must be the singer everybody keeps talking about. You’re a looker—especially for a colored girl.”

  Evelyn lost her words. She’d been going to say Nice to meet you, or some other pleasantry, but nothing came out.

  “Well, you do talk, don’t you?”

  Snapping out of her outrage, she held a gloved hand out to the man. She’d opted for short pale pink gloves that matched her pale pink knee-length dress. “Yes, I’m Evelyn. It is...um...nice to meet you. Thank you for seeing me on such short notice.”

  “I’m a businessman—and I hear you’re good for business.”

  His hand tightened around hers and the look in his eyes sent chills down Evelyn’s spine. She took her hand from his grasp. “I’m looking for a lead singing position for three nights a week. I only wish to work part time. Would that work for you?”

  “You need to learn when to talk and when to be quiet. I’ll give you your schedule, and you’ll either work it or be fired. That’s how I run things around here. Now, does that work for you?”

  His beady eyes slid over Evelyn, making her skin tingle as if at tiny little spider legs.

  “Um...sure.”

  “Sure?”

  “Yes, that should be fine.” For now, she thought.

  Every second she was in Mr. Martin’s presence, she hated Lorenzo a little more.

  “You’ll start
tonight. Be back here by eight and wear something more revealing.”

  “Yes, I have show dresses that are very different from what I have on.”

  “Good, I don’t need you looking like a church lady. We’re in the business of selling. Remember that.”

  Mr. Martin turned his back on Evelyn.

  “Mr. Martin, there’s just one more thing.”

  Mr. Martin turned to face her. The ash on his cigar fell to the ground.

  “What?”

  “This club is segregated, and I was hoping if you hired me, you would consider desegregating it. I don’t feel right singing in a club that doesn’t serve everyone.”

  “I’m not paying you to feel. All you need to do is show up and sing. Don’t worry about who you’re singing for. Let me handle that.”

  He walked away.

  “I think it’s time for you to leave—and when you come back tonight, come through the back door.”

  It was the woman from earlier. She must have been watching the entire horrifying encounter.

  Evelyn’s eyes burned from the smoke, and tears that were starting to form. She walked quickly out of the club and back down the street toward Blues Moon. The sun shone brightly, as if to magnify her mortification.

  How could she agree to sing for a man like him in a place like that? What was she doing? Proving a point to Lorenzo?

  She stopped and took off her gloves, rubbed her eyes. She took a few deep breaths before she started back walking.

  She’d successfully avoided Lorenzo all this week. He’d come by her apartment a couple of times, but she’d ignored his knocking.

  She missed Benny and the band. She hadn’t had the courage to go back inside the club since she’d been fired. After she saved some money working at the Avalon, she would rent another apartment. Her heart sank because she knew it wouldn’t be nearly as nice, and she wouldn’t be able to afford to furnish it with the kind of modern furniture that Lorenzo had purchased for her current place. But it would be hers. She wouldn’t owe anyone for anything.

  She got on the elevator, greeting the attendant. She was looking for her keys when the gates opened to her floor. Distracted, she almost tripped.

  She didn’t regret that she’d been intimate with Lorenzo. She’d known what she was getting into, and she didn’t blame him for her decisions. She could have stayed away from him, but she hadn’t. Now she had to live with the fact that he filled her dreams every night.

  She took her time opening her door. She was trying to calm down.

  Inside, she placed her pocketbook and gloves on the counter.

  Tears clouded her vision as she picked up the phone to call the club downstairs. “Um...hello, yes, this is Evelyn. I need someone to bring me a few boxes. Yes, as soon as possible. Thank you.”

  She put the phone back on the receiver and went to the bathroom to wash her face and look presentable for whoever came up with the boxes.

  A few minutes later someone knocked at her door. She opened the door without even looking at the person who stood there. She turned to walk back toward the living room, distracted with her own thoughts.

  “Hello, come in. You can place the boxes in the living room. Thank you so much for coming so fast.”

  When the person didn’t respond, she turned to see who it was.

  “Lorenzo...” she breathed.

  “Evelyn. You’re packing up?” Lorenzo looked around. He stood so close to her that Evelyn could barely move.

  “Lorenzo, what are you doing here?”

  “Tommy told me you called and wanted someone to bring boxes. I came to say... I don’t know... Goodbye, I guess.”

  “I... We’ve already said our goodbyes.”

  “I know, but I guess I’m just...”

  “You’re what?” she asked. “I’m not doing this back and forth with you any longer.”

  Lorenzo looked confused.

  “The first time I could understand your hesitation—even the second time. But after the last time we made love I thought for sure my dreams had come true.”

  Evelyn looked away, embarrassed by her own honesty. She hadn’t wanted him to know how much he’d meant to her.

  “Evelyn, I—”

  “You should go—and please do not come back until I’m gone.” She walked to the door and held the handle, indicating he should leave. She blinked back tears. “You need to go. Please don’t show up here again. I’m moving out as soon as I can, and then I will be out of your life. Just as you wanted.”

  CHAPTER FORTY-SIX

  Lorenzo

  Lorenzo stood frozen. He desperately wanted to say the right thing. He wanted Evelyn to forgive him. But he still wanted to send her away for her own safety.

  “So you’re leaving for Colorado?”

  Lorenzo’s heart skipped and a pain coursed just under his skin. He wanted her to be safe, but he hated that it meant he wouldn’t see her again. This was goodbye.

  “Where I go is no longer your concern. Just know that I will be out of here by tomorrow.”

  Evelyn took a deep breath. Tears glistened in her golden eyes.

  “You’re not safe here,” he said. “Even though the KKK is being handled, I’m learning that Simmens poses a threat of his own. He is after you, and no amount of compromise from me is going to satiate his obsession with you. Leaving Kansas City is the only thing for you to do. You’re not safe here.”

  “Neither are you.”

  Evelyn’s hand tightened on the handle of the door. She didn’t look at him.

  “Listen, I know you’re upset with me—”

  Evelyn turned her fiery gaze on him.

  He blinked slowly, but continued. “But everything I’ve done, I’ve done because I care about you.”

  He walked closer to Evelyn. He could smell the lavender in the air around her. Tears glittered in her beautiful eyes. He tried to take her hand.

  She yanked away like his hand was electrified. “Don’t touch me.”

  “Okay, okay...” Lorenzo backed up.

  He wanted to hold her. Take her into his arms and let her know how much she meant to him, how he would die if something happened to her.

  “What can I do?” he asked. “I want us to be friends. I want you to have all the opportunities you deserve. I talked to my friend in Denver. I can drive you there tomorrow. He’s prepared to pay you twice what you made at Blues Moon.”

  “Why? He doesn’t even know me.”

  “No, but he knows me, and he knows I know talent. If I say a singer is one of the best, he believes it.”

  “If I’m ‘one of the best,’ why exactly did you fire me? Why are you pushing me away?”

  “The KKK is going to kill you if they get to you. I can’t let that happen. Just know that I wouldn’t ask you to do this if I didn’t think it was for the best. I’m just looking out for you.”

  “I can look out for myself. Wherever I go from here is up to me. Please leave.”

  She looked at him. The tears had disappeared and been replaced with palpable anger. He had failed to communicate with this woman he’d grown so attached to in such a short time. He saw in her eyes the hurt and anguish, and decided it was time for him to go.

  He walked toward the door. At least she was going. He hoped that meant she was leaving town. Even going back to West Eden would be much better than staying in Kansas City.

  He looked at her. At her face, so beautiful and so void of emotion. She looked at him like he was a stranger to her.

  His heart clenched. He left without another word.

  He went into his club. Once inside, he heard Dred and Jeb before he saw them. They were arguing—as usual. Lorenzo wondered when they were going to stop pretending they didn’t like each other and get together, already. Their attraction toward each other was so blatantly obvious even hard-of-
seeing Benny knew about it.

  Lorenzo opened the door to his office to see Dred sitting on his antique desk and Jeb pacing, throwing his hands in the air. Jeb was only ever theatrical around Dred.

  “To what do I owe this honor?” Lorenzo said.

  “You’re acting like we don’t have a huge problem that’s only getting worse with time,” said Dred. “While you’re around playing the love-sick puppy, we’re here trying to keep you alive.”

  Dred pushed off from the desk and stood, folding her arms in front of her. She’d used to do that all the time when they were kids, and Lorenzo would tease her about how she pouted like a girl. She’d punched him in the nose enough that he knew better than to say that now.

  “I’ve already spoken to the governor,” he told them. “The boys should be on their way here for the meeting, and we will ambush them when they leave their favorite place, the Avalon. I’ve realized I have no choice—we need more muscle power—so I’ve told my father to have the family there as well, just for added force to ensure that my message is clear. Evelyn and any other woman in this city that Simmens has his eye on are not to be touched.”

  “I know it must have been hard for you to go back on your word not to get involved with your family,” Dred said.

  “It was, but I won’t let anything happen to Evelyn. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep her safe.”

  “I know you will.”

  Dred turned and walked out.

  “Not going to say goodbye?”

  Lorenzo laughed to himself. Dred was so socially awkward. She ignored him and kept walking.

  Jeb, who’d been silent since Lorenzo had walked in the room, finally stood still, staring at Lorenzo. “Is there anything you need me to do?”

  “Just keep your eyes open.”

  Lorenzo poured himself a full glass of whiskey and drank it in three gulps.

  Then Tommy walked into Lorenzo’s office. “There’s a problem.”