“You think someone at Melendez is responsible for the murders?”
“I don’t. I’ve got to believe in my staff, Bas. I can’t start suspecting them when so many of them are dying right in from me.” Dan shook his head once, decisively. “I do think that whoever is responsible has a gripe with the company.”
“You know that’s a long, ugly list.”
“Just tell me how I can get out in front of this, Basil.”
The man shook his head. “The only thing getting out in front of it publicly will do is make you look like you’re trying to hide something.” He downed the shot.
“Well, hell, Bas, what options does that leave me with then?”
“Leaves you with the truth.”
Dan straightened. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying, you need to do everything you can to help the police find out who’s behind this mess. Forget about the press and your image this time—they can wait until after this thing is solved.”
“What are you saying, Basil?” Dan repeated, more firmly that time.
Basil studied the empty glass. “I think you know. Wade’s death, the murders…they’re all connected. You remember what Wade uncovered when he researched that Holloway story.”
“To hell with that.” Dan began to pace the sitting room. “It was decades ago when John… When all that happened.”
“It was started decades ago.” Basil’s expression hardened, he smoothed an unsteady hand across his close-cut hair. “We both know it didn’t end decades ago, don’t we?”
“I don’t see how that’ll help solve or stop these murders.”
“I do. This isn’t all coincidence, Dan. The answers are right there.”
“And you really want to go rooting around in all that again?” Dan probed. “You of all people who wanted to sever as many ties to that past as possible?”
“Well, I didn’t do too good of a job with that, did I?” Basil showed a rueful grin. “The Review has pretty much been MM’s own personal PR company, hasn’t it?”
“And I thank you for that, old friend.”
Basil set his shot glass to the coffee table. “When you come ’round to my way of thinking, let me know. I’ll support you one-hundred percent.”
Silence captured the room then. Dan continued to pace while Basil reclined on a couch with his shoes propped on the coffee table.
“Still think my advice is sage?” Basil asked.
Dan broke into contagious laughter. “Still sage and still hard to take!”
Laughter rumbled slow but steady between the friends.
* * *
“Damn,” Setha hissed a curse when the doorbell rang just as the endgame was being revealed in the spy thriller she was watching. Pausing the movie, she ran barefoot down the hall from the TV room to the front door. In a huff, she whipped open the door and came down off her anger when she saw that it was Khouri.
His expression was less than gleeful. “Did you even bother to see who it was first?”
Setha’s expression answered the question in the negative. She moved aside when he stepped forward to enter.
“I was just watching a movie.” She hiked a thumb across her shoulder. “Can I get you something to eat?”
“Not hungry.”
“A drink?”
“No.”
She bit her lip and twisted one foot to the side. “Are you sleepy?”
Shrugging slowly, Setha closed the tiny distance between them and linked her arms about his neck. “Wanna go to bed anyway?” She stood on her toes and coaxed his mouth open with the tip of her tongue. She kissed him greedily and gasped when he clutched her butt beneath the black boy shorts she wore.
“Stop…” she whined, when he tried to ease her back.
“Later, okay?”
“No….”
“Tell me what you were watching.”
“Well, I hate to ruin it for you if you haven’t seen it. The Sum of All Fears?” She moved back to watch him.
“Oh, yeah, it’s one of my favorites.” He nodded, trailing his thumb along her jaw. Absently, he named a
few other movies in the genre. He asked if she’d seen them when he was clearly more interested in watching her face.
“I wouldn’t have pegged you for a movie buff.”
Khouri shrugged, toying with her hair then. “Now that’s one more thing you know about me.”
“I have the feeling there’s a lot more to learn.” She clasped her hands behind her back. “Wonder how long that’d take?”
“You may not want to know all that,” he warned, leaning against the front door.
“I’d want to know. I’d want to know it all.” She stood on her toes and grazed her lips across his jaw.
“Could take a while.” He moved to cup her derriere again.
“Mmm… I don’t care….”
“Could take a lifetime….” He nuzzled her ear until she stepped back to watch him. “Marry me.” His words held a dreamy, coaxing undercurrent.
“Khouri…” She told herself to blink, but couldn’t manage it.
His gaze didn’t waver. “I’ll wait, Setha—as long as it takes for your answer.”
“Yes,” she breathed, moving close to grasp the open collar of the short-sleeved denim shirt he wore. “Yes, yes….”
Nuzzling her face again, he buried his hands in her hair. “This is real fast, you know?”
“Yes, yes….” she repeated, smoothing her hands up his chest around his neck and into his hair.
“I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
“You’re gonna have to tell your family,” Khouri said while they hugged.
Setha released a playful groan. “Oh, no….”
Chapter 17
“What are y’all doin’? Come on in,” Setha told her brothers when she returned from the kitchen to find the two men still in the foyer.
Paolo and Lugo wore twin scowls when they glanced their sister’s way before turning back toward the lighted box near the door.
“What the hell’s this?” Lugo asked, referring to the security panel.
“We’ll discuss it when Daddy and Sam get here!” She whirled away from the foyer.
“Why? What is it?” Paolo persisted and slanted his younger brother a glare.
The men already knew what the box was. The real question was why was it there? Setha was in no mood to get into it then or later for that matter.
Unfortunately, the time for stalling had passed. She was getting married. The idea almost made her double over from excitement. Everything had happened so fast, but she had never been happier. Her family was sure to be thrown for a loop or three. Setha believed it was good to shake them up a bit every now and then.
“What the hell’s goin’ on, Set?” Paolo demanded.
“What the hell are you grinnin’ for?” Lou asked.
Setha was saved from answering when the bell rang again. Danilo and Samson had arrived together. Setha pulled open the door, wearing an even brighter grin.
“Look at this!” Dan cried, happy to see his youngest child looking so elated. He laughed when Setha threw herself into his arms.
“Why won’t my key work?” Sam wasn’t so gleeful.
“I had the locks changed.” Setha moved out of her father’s embrace. She took his arm and tugged him toward the living room.
“Everything all right, niña?”
“Hey, what’s this thing on the door?” Sam called, having spared a moment to observe the “box” before he followed his father and sister toward the living room.
“We gotta discuss it!” Lugo called from the bar.
In less than a minute, Setha was surrounded by the men in her family. Only Dan
ilo’s voice remained calm.
“Tell us what’s going on, bonita.”
Setha wiped damped palms on the apron covering her flaring denim skirt. “It’s a security system.”
“What the hell for?” Paolo asked.
“I’m getting married.”
Silence and blank stares met the announcement.
“Does that require security?” Lugo asked.
Paolo shrugged. “You know what she’s like to live with. The guy might need it.”
Dan took his daughter’s hand. “Who is this man, niña?”
“Oh, Daddy, you’ll like him.” Setha pressed her hand to his cheek. “He’s your best friend’s son.”
“Ross!” Sam bellowed.
Setha smiled, but kept eye contact with her father. “I know it’s sudden but we—we love each other. I’m in love with him, Daddy, and—”
“Shh…” Dan stepped close, cupping Setha’s chin and peering into her dark eyes with his own. He smiled after several quiet seconds. “Yes—” he nodded “—yes, you are, aren’t you?”
Setha hugged him tight. “Thank you, Daddy.”
“I didn’t send you to Ross to bag a husband, Set,” Samson blurted, watching the tender scene with a bland expression.
“You didn’t send me to Ross at all. Daddy did.” She plied Dan with a kiss to the jaw. “Thank you, Daddy.” She leaned back against her father and fixed her brother with a smug look. “Don’t get upset with me because I snagged Khouri and you can’t close the deal with Avra.”
The room roared with laughter.
“Soup’s on!” Setha announced, clapping Sam’s back as she waltzed from the room.
* * *
The family was well into the meal Setha had prepared. For several minutes after they sat down, all that could be heard was the scrape of silverware to plates, the crunch of chicken as someone bit into a succulent piece, or a lid clatter as it was moved from a dish to get another helping.
Setha smiled, eating from her place closest to where her father sat at the head of the rectangular table.
It was Lugo who broke the silence once he’d dipped out his third helping of spinach casserole. “So when do I get to meet this guy?”
“He wanted to be here.” Setha poured more iced tea into her glass. “I asked him to let me handle this part.”
“Let you handle it?” Sam barked from his seat at the opposite end of the table. He was still smarting over his little sister’s dig about Avra. “Did you think we’d tear him apart or something?”
“You mean the way you’ve torn apart all the other ones?” She shook her head. “It wasn’t like that—he really wanted to be here.”
“Cool it, Sam,” Paolo said while reaching for another chicken breast. “For once, she hasn’t latched onto some dud. Khouri’s a good guy, you know that.”
“He made you get that system, didn’t he?” Sam asked after he’d taken a few more forkfuls of rice pilaf. “Gotta be love. None of us been able to make you do it.”
“Enough, Sam,” Dan ordered.
“No, Daddy, Sam’s right.” Setha clinked her fork to her glass. “The system was Khouri’s idea, but I should’ve already done it.”
Suspicion slowly filled the eyes of the four men at the table. Setha could almost feel their stares boring into her and knew the time to finish the story was at hand.
“Someone’s been following me.”
The explosion Setha had expected after making the wedding announcement came through hotly then. Sam exploded, as did Paolo and Lugo. Setha could scarcely get a word in as they fired questions and admonishments her way. It was Danilo’s firm, calm voice that finally cooled the younger men’s raging tempers.
“What happened, niña?” He squeezed Setha’s hand.
Hoping to thwart more exploding tempers, Setha made quick work of explaining what had been going on for the past several weeks. She told them how she’d met Khouri at the club and the circumstances of that meeting.
“You should’ve told us this, Set.”
“Sam,” Dan warned. “Do you know who it was, love?”
“His name’s Carson Arroyo. I thought he was doing it for payback.”
“Payback?” Lugo queried.
Setha dabbed her mouth with a linen napkin. “His dad worked for us. He was fired and then killed himself.”
“I want you with me at least until after the wedding. I assume it won’t be a long engagement?” Dan confirmed.
“Daddy, I—”
“No arguments, Setha.”
She tilted her head, taking note of the rising temper in his gaze. In addition to the rage, she could also tell that fear lurked there.
* * *
Setha had never relished bringing worry to her family. Her father and brothers were always on edge when it came to her independence. It was one reason why she’d made it her mission to excel in so many male-dominated activities in an effort to convince them of her capabilities.
As angry as they were the night she told them about Carson Arroyo, Setha knew they were more frightened for her safety than anything. Her father was the only one who seemed to listen when she told him she didn’t believe Carson was only after her.
Whatever had or would happen, she was happy to finally bring a touch of happiness.
The engagement party was held that weekend. Raquel had insisted on shutting down her club for the event. It was a smart idea as many of the bride’s and groom’s friends lived in the city. The decision saved them from long drives to Setha’s place or turning Khouri’s apartment upside down in preparation for the event.
* * *
The air was filled with laughter, music, conversation and the clink of bottles and glasses. The second level of Rocky Ross’s was furnished with curved, cushiony sofas set around low coffee tables. Groups of no more than ten could gather for drinks and chatter while looking down at the lit stage and dance floor.
It was there that Setha got to know her future sisters-in-law a little better. The four young women cast off an impressive number of the opposite sex. Infectious laughter was at its height while the ladies dined on appetizers and enjoyed delicious drinks. Avra made a point of informing every man who even spoke to Setha that she was taken.
Fiona almost choked on the schnapps she sipped. “He was only telling her congrats, Av, jeez,” she said when the embarrassed gentleman hurried away.
Avra threw up a lazy wave. “Can never be too careful,” she slurred a bit.
Setha felt she’d laughed more that night than she had in a long time. She thought her family held the record for the most raucous characters. It seemed they were tied by her fiancé’s people.
Avra was the loudest, brutally honest and most protective. Raquel was loud, brutally honest and possessed a wicked sense of humor. Fiona held a perfect balance of each of her elder sisters’ traits with a generous topping of sarcasm. The added quality could cut a person down and have them rolling with laughter at once.
“Hope we won’t be too much for you,” Fiona cautioned.
Setha toyed with the silver-and-onyx beaded bangles that complemented the black asymmetrical frock she sported. She shook her head with confidence. “I think my crazy family’s prepared me for anything.”
“Hmph.” Rocky tilted back her Sam Adams. “Don’t be too sure. We can be hard to handle.”
“Aah…so your brother wasn’t exaggerating, huh?”
The sisters pretended to be offended. They debated wildly among themselves about what basis Khouri could possibly have for thinking such a thing. Setha could barely sit up straight she was laughing so hard.
“We know this happened awfully fast,” she admitted once the laughter eased off a tad. “My family was just as surprised by it.”
Avra fidgeted with her g
old earrings that dangled against her neck. “Did they try to talk you out of it?” She bit her lip once the question was asked.
“They didn’t.” Setha smiled on the memory of it. “I love your brother very much.” She brought fist to chin and regarded them seriously. “It—it’s strong and it shocked the hell out of me. I thought I knew mostly all there was to expect from men. Khouri showed me how wrong I was.”
Raquel reached out to squeeze her hand. “We believe you.” She looked to her sisters who nodded. “We believe you ’cause we see the same thing on Khouri’s face when he looks at you.”
“That surprises you?” Avra noticed Setha’s expression. “Honey, we’ve never seen him so intense, so…set on any woman—ever.”
“When we were down there on the floor, Khouri was watching you every time I looked his way,” Fiona added.
“Mmm-hmm,” Raquel confirmed, twisting a cheek-length lock of coiled hair around her finger. “He watches you like you’re the only thing he sees.”
“Really?” Setha didn’t know if the schnapps was to blame or if happiness had her so loopy with delight.
“Mmm-hmm.” Again, Raquel confirmed before finishing off what remained of her drink. “My brother watches you the way your brother watches my sister.”
All eyes turned to Avra, who sat watching her tablemates blandly.
“What?” she said.
* * *
Khouri shook hands with Danilo Melendez when the man approached him in the circle where he stood having a drink with his soon-to-be brothers-in-law.
“Apologies again, sir, for the way we broke the news,” Khouri said, shifting his bright eyes toward his father who had arrived along with Dan.
“Guess it’s hard to learn your daughter’s serious about someone, let alone that she’s about to marry him,” he said.
Everyone in the group chuckled even as they nodded.
Dan clapped Khouri’s shoulder. “I think it would’ve been hard to hear were it anyone but you. Your reputation precedes you, son. I’m confident my little girl is in good hands. That is—” a sly look crept into his black stare “—if I can trust anything this man says.” He tilted his head toward Basil. “And I’ve been trusting his word since before any of you were born.”
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