They all nodded their understanding and Helen dismissed them.
“And you?” Kevin asked.
“What about me?”
“What are you going to do about your situation?”
“My situation isn’t changing.” Helen was frustrated as she left the building.
She drove to Maria’s place and knocked on the door. An older woman answered and Helen asked for Maria. She was invited in and waited in a well-appointed sitting room. The winged back chairs were worn, but the doilies on their arms attempted to cover the faded cloth. The small round table had a vase of flowers that were obviously due to be changed. Somehow Helen had imagined the place Maria lived to be nicer. She was depressed by her surroundings.
Her mood improved the minute Maria walked into the room. She looked beautiful in a red dress cut low enough to tease Helen with what lay beneath.
“Did you hear about last night?” Helen asked.
“I did. I’m so sorry.”
“Does Franco know about us?”
“I haven’t said anything to him.”
“He must be having you watched,” Helen said.
“I don’t think I’m that important to him.”
“Will you be with him tonight?”
“I’d rather be with you,” Maria said.
“I’d rather you be with me, too. But I think you should stick with him a little while longer.”
“I hate that. It’s so hard. And it’s not the same. He’s not as exciting or as caring as you are.”
“I appreciate that,” Helen said. “But unless we want a lot of people dying, we need to play it cool.”
“Not too cool, I hope.” Maria took Helen’s hand and led her to her room. She kissed her as soon as the door closed behind them.
Helen’s head spun at the intensity of the kiss. She pulled Maria tight and kissed her again, letting her hands run up and down her body.
Maria unbuttoned Helen’s shirt and slid her hands inside. She caressed Helen through her undershirt.
Helen stepped back. “Are you sure this is a good place for this?”
“Why not?” She stepped over and locked the door then took Helen in her arms again.
As they kissed, Maria slipped her hands under the undershirt and rubbed her hands over Helen’s breasts.
Helen kissed Maria’s neck and chest, fighting to concentrate over the sensations she was feeling. She groaned when Maria closed her fingers on her nipples.
“Doll, you’re making me crazy.”
“Good.” She stepped back and took Helen’s shirt and undershirt off. She unbuttoned and unzipped her pants and backed up so Helen could step out of them.
Helen undressed Maria and they fell into bed. Maria climbed on top of Helen, straddling her middle. She rubbed on her while she sucked her nipples. Helen rested her hands on Maria’s hips, guiding her as she ground into her.
Maria moved lower on Helen, finally settling between her legs.
“I want to please you like you please me.”
“No pressure, doll. Just do what comes naturally.”
Helen felt Maria’s tongue just under her clit. Maria teased her before tasting inside her. Helen gripped the sheet, feeling herself spiral as Maria worked her. Her tongue was deep, and Helen felt like she was licking her very soul. She closed her eyes and lost herself in the feelings. She arched her back, pressing herself into Maria. Helen was amazed at how skilled Maria was. She’d never been with a woman, but she was making Helen feel things she’d never felt before.
Helen tried to make herself hold out, but Maria was too insistent. She pressed Maria’s face into her as she rode her tongue to a powerful climax.
“Shit, doll. That was amazing!”
“I’m so glad you liked it.”
“Let me show you how much.”
Helen sucked on Maria’s nipples while she slipped her hand between her legs, finding her wet and ready for her. She traced the whole area before dragging her fingers around her clit, teasing Maria by not touching it directly.
“Please, baby,” Maria mewed.
Helen buried her fingers inside her, stroking her as she continued to suckle.
“Oh my God, you feel good.” Maria moved her hips in time with Helen.
Helen pressed hard against her as she withdrew her fingers and moved them to Maria’s swollen clit. She rubbed it hard and fast until Maria cried out as she came.
Maria curled up against Helen, lazily drawing circles on her chest.
“You’re amazing,” she said.
“You’re pretty amazing yourself,” Helen said. “You sure I’m your first woman?”
“I’m sure.” Maria laughed.
“Well, you’re a natural.”
“I just did what felt right.”
“And you did it so well,” Helen said.
They lay quietly until Helen knew she had to get to work.
“Hey, doll, I need to get going.”
“Aw. Do you have to?”
“I do.” She kissed Maria’s forehead. “I’m sorry, but I’ve got work to do.”
“When will I see you again?”
“Soon, I hope.”
“I hope so, too.”
*
Helen arrived at headquarters to find Kevin pacing, while the others played cards and smoked cigars.
“What’s got you upset, Kevin?”
“Where have you been?”
“Since when do I check in with you every moment of every day?” She poured herself a bourbon and water.
“Some of Moretti’s men were seen casing the neighborhood by the Beaver,” Kevin said.
“Who saw them?”
“Gus and Tommy were coming out of the Beaver. They saw them driving down the street. They was goin’ really slow.”
“Shit. I hope they leave us alone for a while. I want things to die down before our big hit.”
“I think you’re the only one that can make that happen,” Kevin said.
“Give it a rest,” Helen said. “Let’s go to the Beaver. I don’t want anyone thinking they can keep us away from there. You all go round up your men. I want a full crowd there tonight.”
The place wasn’t as jumping as Helen would have liked. Clearly, news of Lucky’s had people scared. Still, there was a decent crowd and her men all seemed to be having a good time.
“Hey, baby.” Katherine walked over to Helen. “I haven’t seen you in a while. You up for a little fun?”
“Thanks, but I think I’ll pass tonight. You go work the crowd.”
She watched Katherine walk off and immediately be approached by a customer. Helen knew Katherine preferred women, but appreciated the good job she did for the business.
“You really are hooked on that Maria, aren’t you?” Kevin whispered in her ear.
“I just want Katherine to make me some money. What’s wrong with that?”
“I think you don’t want to be with anyone but Moretti’s girl.”
“Do you have to call her that?” Helen asked.
“That’s who she is, like it or not.”
As if on cue, Moretti walked in with Maria following him. Helen cringed at the sight, but noted that at least she wasn’t hanging on to his arm, anyway.
She watched her men as they eyed the two walk in surrounded by Moretti’s goons. Every one of her men was trained on the group. Helen stayed seated while Kevin rose. She wouldn’t give them an easy target, if that was their intention.
“What brings you here?” Kevin asked.
Moretti ignored him and pulled up two chairs so he and Maria could sit next to Helen.
“How was your day, Helen?” he asked.
“It was fine. Yours?”
“Not bad.”
“What were your guys doin’ cruising our turf?”
Moretti laughed and shook his head. “You really don’t get it, do you? It’s all our turf. We can cruise wherever we want.”
“Look, we haven’t done anything to you. You need to bac
k the fuck off.”
“Big words from such a small player.”
Helen fumed. She didn’t appreciate the way Moretti was talking to her. He had no right.
“If I’m so small then why won’t your people leave me alone?”
“I think you know the answer to that. And you’re not exactly laying low. Some of our boys got beaten up pretty bad today. I heard it was your order.”
“Funny, some people got shot up in my place last night. I heard it was your order.”
“Rumors,” Moretti said.
Helen couldn’t take it any longer. She needed to do something. She couldn’t just sit there steaming at Moretti.
“Maria, you want to dance?” She stood and extended her hand.
“She don’t want to dance with you,” Moretti said.
Maria stood and took Helen’s hand, glaring at Franco. Helen led her away from the table to the floor. They danced some fast numbers, but when the music slowed, Maria moved into Helen’s arms.
“You’re playing a dangerous game right now,” Helen whispered in her ear.
“And you’re not?”
“I shouldn’t be holding you right under his nose.”
“I don’t see you letting go,” Maria said.
“No, I’d be crazy to do that.”
When the song ended, they walked back to the table. Helen was surprised that Moretti stayed seated. She’d fully expected him to storm out. She wondered what was going on under his calm, cool exterior.
“So when do you think you’ll be able to open the other place again?” Moretti asked.
“Why are you asking?”
“Just making conversation.”
“I bet.”
“So?” he asked again. “When?”
“Any day now, thanks for asking.”
When he didn’t respond, she asked, “When are you planning on shooting up this place?”
“You’re getting paranoid in your old age,” he said.
“After last night, we see your guys staking out our neighborhood. That doesn’t sound like paranoia to me.”
“We own this town, Helen. You need to remember that. We’ll go where we want when we want. And if you try to take what’s ours, you’ll pay.”
He stood then, pulling Maria with him. His men closed ranks around him. Helen watched them walk off, his words echoing in her ears.
“I hope you were listening,” Kevin said.
“I heard him.”
“And?”
“And nothing.”
“I’m glad you heard him. I just hope you listen to him.”
“That clown can’t tell me how to live my life. I didn’t get where I am by worrying about what others thought I should and shouldn’t do,” Helen said.
“This is different, boss. You know that.”
“I know nothing of the sort.”
Chapter Eleven
Helen sat in headquarters looking over the books when Kevin burst through the door.
“Someone shot Maloney and Barton last night,” he said.
“As in Officers Maloney and Barton?” Helen was shocked.
“The very same. Killed ’em both dead.”
“Shit! How did it happen?”
“They were walking the beat over by Lucky’s and someone drove by and shot them.”
“Damn! They’ve been on our payroll almost as long as we have,” she said. “Who got ’em?”
“Don’t know. No one seems to have seen anything.”
“Okay. Well, get the guys here. We’re not taking this lying down.”
“What are we gonna do?”
“Let me think. Just call the men.”
“We can’t go shooting cops, Helen. That would call too much attention to us.”
“We need to make sure people know they can’t shoot our men. That’s all there is to it.”
When the men had gathered, Helen told them her plan.
“I want you”—she pointed to the left side of the room—“to drive through Hymie’s neighborhood up north. I want you to take out two of his men. I don’t care who they are, but I want them dead.”
She turned to the rest. “I want you to drive through the South and take out two of Capone’s men. Again, it doesn’t matter how high or low they are in the organization. I just want two dead. And don’t anyone come back until it’s done.”
Kevin stayed behind with Helen.
“I hope you know what you’re doing.”
“We’re not going to just sit back and let them take potshots at our people.”
“But we don’t know who did it. If it was Moretti again, we’re rattling the cage of Hymie Weiss for no reason.”
“But if it was Weiss’s men, they need to know we’re not going to let them get away with that.”
“I just think we should have dug deeper to find out who did it before we retaliated.”
“And that’s why you’re not the boss, Kevin. You can’t be afraid in this business.”
“I guess that is why you’re the boss.”
Kevin poured himself a cup of coffee and added booze from his flask.
“Liquid courage, Kevin?”
“You know it.”
Helen poured herself a cup of coffee, but eschewed adding alcohol. She wanted to keep her wits about her. She continued going over the books, focusing on the amount she would have delivered to Maloney and Barton’s widows. She took the money and put it in two separate envelopes and set them aside in the safe.
“I want you to take this to the widows. Not now, though. Give it some time. Next week, maybe.”
“Will do, boss. Are we going to the funeral?”
“We are. We’ll take some protection, but other than that, it’ll just be you and me.”
Several hours later, Helen was relieving Kevin of some of his hard earned money in poker. They set their cards down when the first group of men returned. They entered the room dragging a man named Marvin behind them.
“What happened?”
“They returned fire. Marvin was hit.”
“Why isn’t he at the hospital?” She looked at the man covered in blood with his head listing to one side.
“It wouldn’t have done any good.”
She felt his neck and realized he was gone.
“Lay him on the cot. Someone call Flander’s. Shit.”
The men from the South came in shortly after, having completed their mission without a hitch. They saw Marvin on the cot and fell quiet.
“What happened?”
“One of Hymie’s men shot back.”
The men from Flander’s took Marvin away, and the room was silent. Helen had nothing to say to offer comfort. The only good thing was that it was the North and not Capone’s men who did the deed. If it had been Capone’s, her gang would have been more discouraged, or so she reasoned.
Helen told the men they’d done a good job and to take the rest of the day off. The men didn’t leave, still shell-shocked from losing another man. Three men in twelve hours didn’t help Helen’s mood either. All she wanted was some comfort, and she only knew of one place to get it.
She pulled up in front of Maria’s home and knocked on the door. Once again, she was shown in by the nice lady and waited in the same room she had before.
Maria came out of her room, took one look at Helen, and hugged her tight.
“What happened? You look horrible.”
“It’s been a rough day,” Helen said. “Can we get out of here?”
“Sure. Let me get my purse.”
They drove in silence to one of Helen’s apartments, and Helen finally poured herself a stiff drink.
“Baby, what happened today?”
“We lost three men.”
“I’m so sorry.” She wrapped her arms around Helen again. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“No. I want to forget about it.”
“Can you do that?” Maria seemed surprised.
“I can if you help me.” She downed her drink, set
the glass on the bar, then wrapped her arms around Maria.
“What can I do for you?” Maria asked.
Helen kissed her passionately, almost bruising her lips in her need. Maria opened her mouth to allow Helen access. They kissed until Helen was breathless. She rested her forehead against Maria’s.
“I need you.”
“I’m here for you.”
Helen unbuttoned Maria’s dress and gazed at her as the dress slid down her body and hit the floor. She reached around her and unhooked her bra, catching her breasts as the bra joined the dress.
“My God, you’re beautiful,” Helen whispered.
“I’m glad you think so.” Maria stepped out of her panties and stood bare for Helen, who quickly stripped out of her own clothes. They stood skin to skin as they kissed again, this time long and slow.
Helen kissed and nipped at Maria’s neck and sucked on her earlobe. She wanted all of her. She needed her to take her mind off the day. She pushed all thoughts of the policemen and Marvin out of her mind as she kissed Maria’s mouth again.
She moved her hands to cover Maria’s breasts and lightly squeezed them. She was rewarded with the feel of hard nipples poking her palms.
“Let’s go lie down,” Maria whispered against Helen’s mouth.
They lay on the bed and Helen rolled on top of Maria, claiming her mouth. She kissed her hard, running her tongue around the inside of her mouth. She thought of nothing but pleasing the woman under her.
She kissed down her cheek to her neck, stopping to nibble where it met her shoulders. She kissed lower and took a hard nipple in her mouth. She rolled it on her tongue, sucking hard while Maria moaned loudly.
Helen slipped her hand between Maria’s legs and quickly claimed her by entering her. She felt Maria closing around her and lost herself in the feelings of her satin walls she stroked. She plunged deeper with each thrust and Maria rose to meet her every time.
Maria wrapped her legs around Helen, opening herself to take her deeper. Helen moved her mouth to Maria’s other nipple and sucked on it while she continued to move inside her. She slowed her movements and finally eased out of her, stroking her hardened clit.
“Oh, God, baby. You’re making me crazy,” Maria said.
Helen kissed down Maria’s soft belly and ran her tongue over her clit while she moved her fingers back inside. Maria cried out as the force of the orgasm rolled over her.
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