When they arrived at the hotel, they found a crowd had already gathered. They were greeted by cheers as they explained the booze would be arriving any moment. Helen was surprised to find the place so crowded. She hadn’t expected people to come there when they heard about the twenty-first amendment passing. She hadn’t given her regular customers enough credit.
The liquor was flowing as soon as it was off the truck. Helen’s customers were thirsty for legal alcohol and they’d come to the right place. If that evening was any indication, Helen was about to increase her cash flow significantly.
The next day, Helen started construction on a bar next to the restaurant. She supervised the building of it, and soon it was open for business. The night it opened, they featured Johnny Breaux and the Jazz Kings. She hadn’t been this happy since the days when she ran the speakeasies in Chicago. She found that, while she enjoyed being a businesswoman very much, her love was in running bars.
The bar, called The Speakeasy, opened every morning at ten and always had a crowd by noon. People would come in and drink then have lunch in the restaurant. Cocktail hour started at three, and local business people started stopping by before heading home for the day.
Helen still did the books for the hotel, as well as the restaurant and bar. She oversaw the running of the hotel, as well. No one was hired or fired without her say. Grace Dunleavy was known as a fair, but formidable employer. She was at work early every morning and stayed until five o’clock every evening. At precisely five o’clock every day, Diana D’Angelo walked into the bar and Grace would step out from her office and join Diana for a drink. Regulars were used to the routine and looked forward to seeing them together. It was part of a routine they’d all grown accustomed to.
After the drink, they walked back to the house for supper and a relaxing evening together. Life was good for Helen. She couldn’t believe how well she’d done for herself legally.
“Hey, doll,” she said one night to Maria.
“What, baby?”
“You ever think that maybe we should go back to Chicago and see how people are doing?”
“No. That’s part of our past. It’s not part of our present.”
“But Capone’s in prison. Who’s going to hurt us?”
“We don’t know. I’m sure your face has been burned into the memories of all his people. They wouldn’t think twice about killing you the minute they laid eyes on you.”
Helen wasn’t convinced. “I doubt it. I’m sure I’m long forgotten by now. I’m serious, Maria. Wouldn’t it be nice to see how Jimmy and the guys are?”
“It’s not worth it,” Maria persisted.
“But with Prohibition over, the gangs are probably all disbursed. I doubt they exist any longer. It’s probably never been safer.”
“Are you kidding me?” Maria asked. “I’m sure they’ve just switched to other illegal activities. Those gangs aren’t going anywhere.”
Helen let out a heavy sigh. She knew Maria was right, but she missed Jimmy and the gang. She didn’t even know if they were still alive. For all she knew, Capone had had them all killed after they took out Moretti. She longed to go to Chicago to see for herself. But she knew Maria had the right idea. She probably still had a target on her and likely always would.
Maria crossed the room and took Helen’s hand.
“I know a way to get your mind off Chicago,” she said.
Helen stood and followed Maria to the bedroom, where the only thing that mattered was them. In the here and now.
About the Author
MJ Williamz, author of the award winning novel Initiation By Desire, was raised on California’s Central Coast, which she still loves, but left at the age of seventeen to pursue an education. She graduated from Chico State with a degree in business management. It was in Chico that MJ began to pursue her love of writing.
Now living in Portland, Oregon, MJ has made writing an integral part of her life. Since 2002, she’s had over thirty short stories published, mostly erotica with a few romance thrown in for good measure. Speakeasy is MJ’s fourth novel.
Books Available from Bold Strokes Books
Timeless by Rachel Spangler. When Stevie Geller returns to her hometown, will she do things differently the second time around or will she be in such a hurry to leave her past that she misses out on a better future? (978-1-62639-050-8)
Second to None by L.T. Marie. Can a physical therapist and a custom motorcycle designer conquer their pasts and build a future with one another? (978-1-62639-051-5)
Seneca Falls by Jesse Thoma. Together, two women discover love truly can conquer all evil. (978-1-62639-052-2)
A Kingdom Lost by Barbara Ann Wright. Without knowing each other’s fate, Princess Katya and her consort Starbride seek to reclaim their kingdom from the magic-wielding madman who seized the throne and is murdering their people. (978-1-62639-053-9)
Uncommon Romance by Jove Belle. Sometimes sex is just sex, and sometimes it’s the only way to say “I love you.” (978-1-62639-057-7)
The Heat of Angels by Lisa Girolami. Fires burn in more than one place in Los Angeles. (978-1-62639-042-3)
Season of the Wolf by Robin Summers. Two women running from their pasts are thrust together by an unimaginable evil. Can they overcome the horrors that haunt them in time to save each other? (978-1-62639-043-0)
Desperate Measures by P. J. Trebelhorn. Homicide detective Kay Griffith and contractor Brenda Jansen meet amidst turmoil neither of them is aware of until murder suspect Tommy Rayne makes his move to exact revenge on Kay. (978-1-62639-044-7)
The Magic Hunt by L.L. Raand. With her Pack being hunted by human extremists and beset by enemies masquerading as friends, can Sylvan protect them and her mate, or will she succumb to the feral rage that threatens to turn her rogue, destroying them all? A Midnight Hunters novel. (978-1-62639-045-4)
Waiting for the Violins by Justine Saracen. After surviving Dunkirk, a scarred and embittered British nurse returns to Nazi-occupied Brussels to join the Resistance, and finds that nothing is fair in love and war. (978-1-62639-046-1)
Because of Her by KE Payne. When Tabby Morton is forced to move to London, she’s convinced her life will never be the same again. But the beautiful and intriguing Eden Palmer is about to show her that this time, change is most definitely for the better. (978-1-62639-049-2)
Wingspan by Karis Walsh. Wildlife biologist Bailey Chase is content to live at the wild bird sanctuary she has created on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula until she is lured beyond the safety of isolation by architect Kendall Pearson. (978-1-60282-983-1)
Tumbledown by Cari Hunter. After surviving their ordeal in the North Cascades, Alex and Sarah have new identities and a new home, but a chance occurrence threatens everything: their freedom and their lives. (978-1-62639-085-0)
Night Bound by Winter Pennington. Kass struggles to keep her head, her heart, and her relationships in order. She’s still having a difficult time accepting being an Alpha female. But her wolf is certain of what she wants and she’s intent on securing her power. (978-1-60282-984-8)
Slash and Burn by Valerie Bronwen. The murder of a roundly despised author at an LGBT writer’s conference in New Orleans turns Winter Lovelace’s relaxing weekend hobnobbing with her peers into a nightmare of suspense—especially when her ex turns up. (978-1-60282-986-2)
The Blush Factor by Gun Brooke. Ice-cold business tycoon Eleanor Ashcroft only cares about the three P’s—Power, Profit, and Prosperity—until young Addison Garr makes her doubt both that and the state of her frostbitten heart. (978-1-60282-985-5)
The Quickening: A Sisters of Spirits Novel by Yvonne Heidt. Ghosts, visions, and demons are all in a day’s work for Tiffany. But when Kat asks for help on a serial killer case, life takes on another dimension altogether. (978-1-60282-975-6)
Windigo Thrall by Cate Culpepper. Six women trapped in a mountain cabin by a blizzard, stalked by an ancient cannibal demon bent on stealing their sanity—and their lives. (978-1-60282-950-3)
Smoke and Fire by Julie Cannon. Oil and water, passion and desire, a combustible combination. Can two women fight the fire that draws them together and threatens to keep them apart? (978-1-60282-977-0)
Asher’s Fault by Elizabeth Wheeler. Fourteen-year-old Asher Price sees the world in black and white, much like the photos he takes, but when his little brother drowns at the same moment Asher experiences his first same-sex kiss, he can no longer hide behind the lens of his camera and eventually discovers he isn’t the only one with a secret. (978-1-60282-982-4)
Love and Devotion by Jove Belle. KC Hall trips her way through life, stumbling into an affair with a married bombshell twice her age. Thankfully, her best friend, Emma Reynolds, is there to show her the true meaning of Love and Devotion. (978-1-60282-965-7)
Rush by Carsen Taite. Murder, secrets, and romance combine to create the ultimate rush. (978-1-60282-966-4)
The Shoal of Time by J.M. Redmann. It sounded too easy. Micky Knight is reluctant to take the case because the easy ones often turn into the hard ones, and the hard ones turn into the dangerous ones. In this one, easy turns hard without warning. (978-1-60282-967-1)
In Between by Jane Hoppen. At the age of 14, Sophie Schmidt discovers that she was born an intersexual baby and sets off on a journey to find her place in a world that denies her true existence. (978-1-60282-968-8)
Secret Lies by Amy Dunne. While fleeing from her abuser, Nicola Jackson bumps into Jenny O’Connor, and their unlikely friendship quickly develops into a blossoming romance—but when it comes down to a matter of life or death, are they both willing to face their fears? (978-1-60282-970-1)
Under Her Spell by Maggie Morton. The magic of love brought Terra and Athene together, but now a magical quest stands between them—a quest for Athene’s hand in marriage. Will their passion keep them together, or will stronger magic tear them apart? (978-1-60282-973-2)
Homestead by Radclyffe. R. Clayton Sutter figures getting NorthAm Fuel’s newest refinery operational on a rolling tract of land in Upstate New York should take a month or two, but then, she hadn’t counted on local resistance in the form of vandalism, petitions, and one furious farmer named Tess Rogers. (978-1-60282-956-5)
Battle of Forces: Sera Toujours by Ali Vali. Kendal and Piper return to New Orleans to start the rest of eternity together, but the return of an old enemy makes their peaceful reunion short-lived, especially when they join forces with the new queen of the vampires. (978-1-60282-957-2)
How Sweet It Is by Melissa Brayden. Some things are better than chocolate. Molly O’Brien enjoys her quiet life running the bakeshop in a small town. When the beautiful Jordan Tuscana returns home, Molly can’t deny the attraction—or the stirrings of something more. (978-1-60282-958-9)
The Missing Juliet: A Fisher Key Adventure by Sam Cameron. A teenage detective and her friends search for a kidnapped Hollywood star in the Florida Keys. (978-1-60282-959-6)
Amor and More: Love Everafter edited by Radclyffe and Stacia Seaman. Rediscover favorite couples as Bold Strokes Books authors reveal glimpses of life and love beyond the honeymoon in short stories featuring main characters from favorite BSB novels. (978-1-60282-963-3)
First Love by CJ Harte. Finding true love is hard enough, but for Jordan Thompson, daughter of a conservative president, it’s challenging, especially when that love is a female rodeo cowgirl. (978-1-60282-949-7)
Pale Wings Protecting by Lesley Davis. Posing as a couple to investigate the abduction of infants, Special Agent Blythe Kent and Detective Daryl Chandler find themselves drawn into a battle over the innocents, with demons on one side and the unlikeliest of protectors on the other. (978-1-60282-964-0)
Mounting Danger by Karis Walsh. Sergeant Rachel Bryce, an outcast on the police force, is put in charge of the department’s newly formed mounted division. Can she and polo champion Callan Lanford resist their growing attraction as they struggle to safeguard the disaster-prone unit? (978-1-60282-951-0)
Meeting Chance by Jennifer Lavoie. When man’s best friend turns on Aaron Cassidy, the teen keeps his distance until fate puts Chance in his hands. (978-1-60282-952-7)
At Her Feet by Rebekah Weatherspoon. Digital marketing producer Suzanne Kim knows she has found the perfect love in her new mistress Pilar, but before they can make the ultimate commitment, Suzanne’s professional life threatens to disrupt their perfectly balanced bliss. (978-1-60282-948-0)
Show of Force by AJ Quinn. A chance meeting between navy pilot Evan Kane and correspondent Tate McKenna takes them on a roller-coaster ride where the stakes are high, but the reward is higher: a chance at love. (978-1-60282-942-8)
Clean Slate by Andrea Bramhall. Can Erin and Morgan work through their individual demons to rediscover their love for each other, or are the unexplainable wounds too deep to heal? (978-1-60282-943-5)
Hold Me Forever by D. Jackson Leigh. An investigation into illegal cloning in the quarter horse racing industry threatens to destroy the growing attraction between Georgia debutante Mae St. John and Louisiana horse trainer Whit Casey. (978-1-60282-944-2)
Trusting Tomorrow by PJ Trebelhorn. Funeral director Logan Swift thinks she’s perfectly happy with her solitary life devoted to helping others cope with loss until Brooke Collier moves in next door to care for her elderly grandparents. (978-1-60282-891-9)
Forsaking All Others by Kathleen Knowles. What if what you think you want is the opposite of what makes you happy? (978-1-60282-892-6)
Exit Wounds by VK Powell. When Officer Loane Landry falls in love with ATF informant Abigail Mancuso, she realizes that nothing is as it seems—not the case, not her lover, not even the dead. (978-1-60282-893-3)
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