The King and the Courtesan

by Angela Walker

  Chapter 44

  Juri and his cohorts had parked down the street, far enough that the security cameras couldn’t see them. Ace opened the back door of a junky sedan and gestured me inside, then slid in beside me. Juri took the wheel, and Lucille the passenger seat. The other men drove black cars, the kind Ezekiel drove—used to drive. I was still trying to figure out if this was real

  “What just happened?” I asked Ace.

  “We just killed Ezekiel,” Juri said from the front, taking a hard right. “Of course, we had help.”

  “Those aren’t your guys?” I pressed my face against the window as Juri’s cohorts turned the opposite way at an intersection.

  “No, those would be Floyd Milford’s men.”

  “Floyd Milford’s involved in this?”

  “You think we’d be able to get into that place without his help?” Lucille asked, already lighting a cigarette. She twisted around in her seat to face me. “Place is crawling with security and cameras. Floyd knows people. When Ace went missing, we made a call.”

  “He wanted us to stay out of it.” Juri accepted the cigarette from Lucille and inhaled. “‘Leave it to the professionals,’ he said. But Lucille an’ I never sit out when it’s family involved.”

  “Family?”

  Ace chuckled. He was slouched in his seat, still pale and shaky. “We’re a family of misfits.”

  “We weren’t expecting you to be in such hot water.” Lucille rolled down her window so she could blow smoke outside. “You’re one lucky cookie, love.”

  “Ezekiel’s dead,” I whispered, slapping my forehead. “Holy shit, Ezekiel’s dead.”

  “Yeah, things are about to get real ugly in Metro. He was a sick son of a bitch, but he knew how to keep everything under control. Now every gutter rat with a pistol’s gonna try to grab a slice of the pie.”

  “We’ll just stay out of it,” Juri said. “Wait for the dust to settle. It ain’t the worst thing that’s ever happened to Metro.”

  “I’ll be in danger. Ezekiel’s men…they won’t take this lying down. They’ll be out for revenge!” My gut, which was just starting to untangle itself, tensed up again.

  “You don’t know how this drug cartel thing works, do ya?” Lucille gave me a wink. “No one cares when the king pin falls. In fact, they love it. It’s a chance for more business. Trust me, no one’s gonna be looking for you. Not with him gone.”

  “You can’t know that.”

  “Lucille’s right.” Juri nodded, taking another sharp turn and cutting off a car behind him. “You’re finally free, girlie.”

  I stewed over this in silence, still terrified for my life. Such concern had been my obsession for the past few months, and it wasn’t easy to let go. I was only able to relax when Ace took my hand.

  “We could have busted you out sooner,” Ace said. “You should have asked.”

  I couldn’t imagine such loyalty, considering none of these people knew me that well. “I’d never ask such a thing. You all put your lives at risk.”

  “You do crazy things for family.”

  “I’m not part of your family, though.”

  Juri laughed, looking at me in the rear-view mirror. “Girlie, in Metro, we’re all family.”

  * * *

  I woke feeling sick the next morning. I was shocked by how normal the day seemed and how clear my mind felt. It was cold outside, but the sky was blue, and there were people on the street. I heard Mimi making noise in the kitchen. It was as if my time with Ezekiel never happened.

  I scrambled out of bed to go vomit. When that was taken care of, I shuffled into the kitchen, where Mimi was still dressed in her PJs, making breakfast. She turned to me with a small smile.

  “Hey, girlfriend,” she murmured gently. “Want some eggs?”

  “Anything a bit more solid?” I asked. “I don’t think my stomach can take it.”

  “I’ll make you toast.”

  For a minute, there was only the ticking of the clock on the wall. I stared at the floral pattern of the kitchen table. I had so many things that needed done and questions that needed asking. But I was still drinking in the fact that I was here, alone with Mimi, wearing old ratty pajamas, my schedule clear, and all the freedom in the world at my fingertips. Despite everything terrible that had happened lately, I hadn’t felt this good in months.

  “Ace should be stopping by soon,” Mimi said, breaking the silence. “He’s worried about you.”

  “I need to apologize to him and thank him. Maybe send him a card,” I joked, taking a sip from the juice that Mimi set down in front of me. “‘Thanks for Getting Beat Up on My Behalf and Saving Me From Certain Death’. Do you think they sell those cards at the store?”

  “In Metro? I wouldn’t be surprised if they did.”

  I knew there was so much Mimi wanted to say to me, but she was cautious. Maybe she thought it was too soon. It was, but would it ever be the right time?

  “Ace is a nice guy,” Mimi said. “I like him.”

  “Yeah.” I took another sip of my drink.

  “I just wished we’d met under better circumstances.”

  “Hmm.”

  Mimi turned and looked at me. I tried to ignore her gaze, but eventually, I had to face her. “What?”

  “Oh, Melissa,” she exhaled, then crossed the kitchen to sit down next to me. Her eyebrows rose high on her forehead, wrinkling it. “Melissa, I can’t believe you’re here with me. I thought I’d never get you back alive.”

  “Me neither.”

  She reached forward and pulled a strand of hair out of my face, tucking it behind my ear. “I love you. I’m so happy you’re safe.”

  Tears rose in my eyes, so I stared at the tablecloth. “I love you, too, Mimi.”

  We hugged briefly. I buried my face in her shoulder, sniffing. She felt so thin and light, not the best protector out there. But she was my big sister, and I’d take whatever I could get.

  Mimi pulled back, wiping her eyes with her hand. “Now don’t get me started. Once you get me crying…” She stood and made her way to the toaster. “Do you want butter on this toast?”

  There was a knock at the door. I answered it.

  “Ace,” I greeted with a weak smile. Already in a hugging mood, I stepped forward and embraced him, slipping my arms under his and clutching his shoulder blades. He was bigger than Mimi, but not much of a rock, either—too thin and wiry. But he smelled nice, and he was warm.

  “You doing okay?” he asked softly as I pulled back.

  “Am I okay? Look at you.” I brushed my hand over the bandages on his face. “You’re the one who got the shit beaten out of him.”

  “I’ve had worse.”

  “Then yes, I’m doing fine. Sick, but I think that’s because of…well.” I looked down at my stomach, then angled myself sideways. “Come on in. Mimi’s making breakfast.”

  Funny how quickly life returns to normal even after the most horrid ordeals. Somehow, I expected myself to be different, changed. Instead, I felt like the same exact Melissa. Now that I was out of the fancy clothes, my hair curly and tangled again, eating plain toast and surrounded by family and friends, I was nothing special. I was not a highbred courtesan, and I wasn’t a cold-blooded murderer. I was simply Melissa.

  We shared small talk for a few minutes, but eventually, we had to address my looming problem and what to do with it.

  “I’d say abortion was still an option,” I said. “But that money I got from Blade is still in Ezekiel’s bedroom.”

  “Oh, but if it’s not necessary, Melissa…”

  “Mimi, it’s probably fucked up anyway. Not only by the drugs, but the violence. I haven’t done much to take care of it, I’ll admit that. Who knows what problems it’ll have if it’s born.”

  “You don’t know that.”

  “We could get it checked out,” Ace suggested.

  “With what money?” I asked. “I don’t have insurance. Mimi has money left from what Ezekiel gave her, but that’s no
t nearly enough to pay for medical bills and rehab.”

  “Well…”

  “Ace?”

  He bit his lip. “I could ask for some favors.”

  “Are these favors that’ll get you in trouble?”

  “Oh, no. I just don’t like to ask too often, in fear of taking advantage of him.”

  “Who’s him?” I asked.

  “Floyd Milford.”

  “Ace, he already helped us out in a major way. Don’t you think it’s a bit much to ask him for another favor?”

  “That wasn’t a favor, trust me. He wanted to take Ezekiel down.”

  “When I spoke to him, he seemed lukewarm about Ezekiel, at most.”

  “Yeah, that’s when Ezekiel wasn’t kidnapping friends of his sister’s.” Ace reached forward and rested his hand on mine. “You’ve only met him once, but I know him. This is a good cause. I’ll explain the whole thing to him. Trust me. He’s got too much money and not enough things to do with it.”

  “I don’t know…” A whole life of fighting to pay back debts had made me very cautious about borrowing money. Especially if we were talking about someone as high profile as Floyd Milford. He and Ezekiel probably owned half of this city.

  “Melissa.” Ace put a hand on my wrist. “It’ll be fine. He won’t expect any money back.”

  “I just hate—”

  “I know, but there’s no harm in asking.” Ace glanced at his wristwatch. “We could go see him today if you’d like. Or is it too soon? Do you need more time to rest?”

  I stood, pushing my chair back with a screech against the linoleum. “I won’t be able to rest until I know what’s going on with this baby. Let’s see him today.”

  * * *

  I would have worn the dress I had on when I left Ezekiel’s, since it was the nicest piece of clothing I owned, but it was bloodstained. So instead, I borrowed one of Mimi’s cheap, yet pretty, dresses, throwing on my designer heels and slapping on some quick mascara and lip gloss. I didn’t want to look like a tramp, but I didn’t want to look like a hobo, either. I lamented that there was still a gash and a bruise on my temple from Ezekiel’s strike, but there was nothing I could do about that past some concealer—it didn’t work too well.

  We drove Mimi’s car while Ace volunteered to give directions. I hated the fact that we had to return to Ralston. Luckily, we did not have to pass Ezekiel’s penthouse. Instead, we headed toward the more sprawling estates of Ralston.

  “I’ve only come here a few times to gawk at the nice houses,” Mimi said, navigating the manicured cobblestone streets, wide as highways yet empty as back alleys. Mansion after mansion slipped past.

  “Yeah, it’s not exactly on my list of must-see attractions,” Ace replied. “But every city has its fat cats.”

  We turned up a meandering drive after telling the guards at the gate who we were. I suppose Ace was a regular enough guest to be granted access, because we weren’t given much trouble.

  “You said you’ve met Floyd once?” Mimi asked, turning around to face me.

  “Yes.”

  “He’s nice?”

  “He helped get me and Ace out of Ezekiel’s place alive. So yeah, nice would be accurate.”

  “Floyd’s a good guy. Almost as cool as his little sister.” Ace laughed.

  The mansion was yellow with white trim, sitting in the middle of sprawling green lawns and trimmed hedges. It stood three stories tall, its entrance guarded by goliath marble columns.

  “This wasn’t his house initially, mind you. He inherited it from his dad.” Mimi stopped the car, and we all got out. Ace climbed the steps as Mimi and I hung back to stare at the mansion’s impressive façade.

  “Are you guys coming?” he asked, already at the front door.

  “Yes,” I said, carefully ascending the steps in my high heels.

  We were greeted at the door, not by a maid, but by a perky, middle-aged woman in a tracksuit. She was beautiful, yet not in the way wealthy women were. There was no elegance or grace in her, only curiosity and enthusiasm.

  “Ace!” she cried, hugging him firmly. “So nice to see you again. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

  “I guess.” Ace grinned. “Trixie, this is Melissa and Mimi. Mimi and Melissa, this is Trixie, Floyd’s girlfriend.”

  We both waved timidly.

  “Floyd is upstairs in his office, grumbling over something,” Trixie said, turning around with a dramatic swish and striding toward the staircase. “As usual. I offered to take him to the park, but he said it was too cold and yada, yada, yada. Grumpy old man.” She whipped her head around to wink at us as we ascended the spiral staircase. The interior of the mansion was amazing in its size and elegance, but nothing really shocked me. I’d seen my share of decadence.

  However, upon reaching the more lived-in quarters of the house, I realized Floyd was not the anal perfectionist Ezekiel had been. His office was in complete disarray, except for the floor, which had to remain clear in order for him to navigate in his wheelchair. He was seated at his desk when we entered, bent over his computer. When he saw us enter, he shut the laptop with a click and straightened.

  “Hello there. Good to see you both,” he said, grinning and rounding his desk. Trixie hummed and began pulling things off the furniture, rearranging the shelves into a more orderly configuration. She struck me as a little odd, but who was I to fault a person’s good mood?

  “To what do I owe this visit? Has everything been all right since yesterday? Juri told me you all made it out relatively unscathed.”

  “Well…” Ace scratched his neck.

  “I feel a little ashamed coming to you, after all you’ve done,” I said, stepping forward and bowing my head. “But…” I bit my lip. “I’m in a bit of a predicament.”

  “Oh?”

  “I know I’m responsible for what happened to Ace, and because of that I shouldn’t be asking any favors.”

  “You aren’t responsible for anything,” Ace insisted.

  I ignored him. “I lied to Ezekiel. He was angry and did whatever he thought would get the truth out of me fastest, which meant kidnapping Ace and threatening his life.”

  “Melissa—” Ace said again.

  “What did you lie to him about?” Floyd asked.

  “I’m pregnant and I hid it from him.”

  Only mild shock registered on Floyd’s face, though who knew what he was really feeling. “Is that so?”

  “He didn’t like that much.”

  “I see.”

  “Problem is…I don’t know what to do. I was thinking of going through with an abortion, but that would cost money, and honestly, if the child is healthy, I’d rather just have it. Of course, the problem with that is that I don’t know if the kid is healthy. Even if it is, I can’t afford all the medical care it’ll take to find out, let alone all the bills when it’s born—”

  Floyd raised a hand to shut me up. Used to Ezekiel’s authoritative manner, I quieted instantly.

  “You need money.”

  “I’m sorry,” I blurted, even more ashamed of myself. “This isn’t your problem at all. I-I shouldn’t have come.”

  “Hmm.” Floyd tapped his lip as he stared at me.

  “What?”

  “I’m thinking, that’s all. Answer me this—do you actually want the child?”

  I couldn’t answer that question. When I’d been with Ezekiel, I would have done anything to remove it from my life. But now, with Ezekiel out of the picture, there was something about the idea of being a mother that tempted me. I don’t know why. Maybe it was my way of moving past Ezekiel, of proving to myself and to him that I could succeed in this one thing. But could I? My mother had such good intentions when she had my sister and me.

  And look how that turned out.

  “Why do you ask?” I asked softly.

  “Because adoption is an option.”

  “I don’t know. Who’s going to want a child whose mother is…well, me.” I threw up my arms and then let th
em drop gracelessly. “I don’t exactly lead a sinless life.”

  “I may know of someone.” Floyd turned and reached for a paper and pen on his desk. “I’ll tell you what. I’m going to write down a clinic, and I want you to call them and schedule an appointment. Don’t worry about the cost. I can easily cover that. When you get the results, we’ll talk again. If they say your baby seems happy and healthy, then I’ll see what I can do.”

  “You know someone?” I asked.

  “We’ll see. Trixie!”

  “What?” She popped up between us, all smiles and fluttering eyelashes.

  “Where is that damn secretary of mine?”

  “I believe you had a disagreement yesterday over her, er, dramatics at work the week prior.”

  “Oh yes. That.” Floyd’s brows descended moodily. “Woman can’t keep her personal life out of her work.”

  “You fired her, if I recall correctly.”

  “She was skipping work,” Floyd explained to Ace, Mimi, and me. “To get high with one of the maids.”

  “Oh,” I responded, not sure what to say.

  “Okay, then. Trixie—”

  “I am not your secretary,” she objected hotly.

  “Fine then.” Floyd reached for his computer. He spent a minute typing, then wrote down the needed information on the paper. Finally, he handed me the slip.

  “That’s the clinic. They’re very good, and I have an acquaintance who is a doctor there. She’ll take care of you.”

  “Thank you,” I whispered. “How can I thank you?”

  “Find me a new, competent secretary,” he said testily, but then laughed, his expression lightening. “Seriously, though, don’t worry about it. I’m happy to see you out of Ezekiel’s clutches. Alive, at least.” He smiled.

  “Yes, the alive part is what makes me the most relieved,” I replied.

  * * *

  Doctors made me nervous, but this time, I knew it wasn’t just for me. I did my best to be brave and deal with the embarrassment that came with a thorough gynecological exam. I’d been through it twice before when Ezekiel had me screened for STDs, but they remained profoundly uncomfortable experiences. Why it bothered me when having sex with strangers didn’t was a mystery to me. Perhaps I didn’t like sharing the intimate details of my life with an educated professional who would most likely judge me for it. My clients at work had no basis on which to judge me, considering why they were there.