by Ali Vali
“That would be misguided as well as unwise,” Remi said. “You have our word that we’re not interested in your business unless it affects ours in a negative way. Remember that when we bought the casino we removed everyone who was working for you and Nunzio Luca, and no one died.”
“If not you, then who?” Rodolfo asked.
“That I really don’t know, but whoever it is does want your territory,” Cain said.
“I thought you knew everything that happened here,” Rodolfo shot back.
“Again with the self-importance,” Cain said with a smile. “I know you’ve got a problem, but not who’s giving you one. Give me some time and I might find an answer.”
“Why would you help me?”
“Because I’m starting to have the same problem, and my solution might lie with what’s happening to you.”
Rodolfo nodded, then glanced at Carlos. “Do you plan to trust Hector Delarosa with this solution?”
“Touché, Rodolfo.” Cain saluted him by tapping a couple of fingers against the side of her forehead. “I’m not the only one aware of what’s going on around me.”
“I know Hector and of your desire to do business with him, but I should caution you before you sell your soul to Satan.”
Cain laughed softly. “I’m familiar with the devil, señor, and I’ve already struck my bargain, but it isn’t with Mr. Delarosa. I’m as interested in doing business with him as I am with you.”
“Then be careful. Hector’s as ambitious as he is dangerous.”
The sentiment seemed genuine, and for a second Cain felt sorry for this man who appeared to be an island with no family. “I appreciate the warning, and I’ll be in touch if I find out anything about our mutual problem.”
“What makes you think it’s the same?”
“We’ve chosen different paths for our lives, but I do believe we have one thing in common,” she said, and he shrugged. “If I wanted to destroy you I would go after you, Rodolfo, not those in the lowest positions.” And that was true. When she’d sent him a message to cooperate, she’d gone after those much higher in the chain. “Just like I know you would come straight for me if we had a problem.”
“This has happened to you?” Rodolfo asked, moving to the edge of his chair.
“Not to the extent that you’ve experienced, but there’s always a start to everything, don’t you think?” She finished her drink and shook her head when Ramon pointed to her empty glass. “All I can ask is that you keep me informed if you hear from or about Juan.”
Rodolfo opened his mouth, then closed it as if he’d rethought saying what had come into his head.
“New Orleans isn’t Los Angeles or New York, but it’s big enough for all of us, Rodolfo, if we learn to stay in our own sandboxes,” she said in an effort to relax him. “We may not agree on our business choices, but we’ll never try to stop you from making a living unless you go against us or anyone in our families.”
“You can trust us with whatever you want to say,” Remi said.
“I realize Juan needs to be punished,” Rodolfo said slowly. “But he isn’t capable of carrying out attacks like these against us.”
“Juan has no problem with violence, from what I can tell,” Ramon said.
“That’s not what I mean.” Rodolfo reached for the bottle and poured himself another shot. “I tried to make Juan a man since his father would never be in his life, and I tried to bleed out any trace of the scum who fathered him.”
“But blood is thicker than anything sometimes, isn’t it?” Cain said.
“I gave him everything, but Juan mentally could never handle what I expected of him. If you aren’t responsible for my setbacks, I promise you they’re not Juan’s doing either.”
“His ally is Anthony Curtis, and I bet that’s who’s guiding him,” Cain said.
“Not just that snake,” Rodolfo said, almost spitting on the floor, to judge from the set of his mouth. “The real puppeteer is probably my sister, but I’ll let you know.”
When Rodolfo jumped up and waved his fingers in his guard’s direction, Cain was certain he’d raced through that confession. Having to admit what he did was bad enough, she figured, but there was more, and he was too embarrassed to share it.
“We’ll be in touch, then,” she said, before he followed Carlos from the room.
“You think his sister is helping Juan because she knows Rodolfo’s pissed?” Remi asked.
“Partly that and partly because of what Rodolfo did to Juan’s father. The guy must’ve been a hell of a lover for her to still hold this much of a grudge.”
“I bet Emma would if something happened to you,” Remi said, and laughed. “If that’s the case, why go after our people?”
“I can’t prove it’s these idiots, but if I wanted to carry out an agenda, what better way to do it than by granting whoever’s helping me a part of theirs.”
“The sister wants Rodolfo, and Juan wants Emma.”
“That’s about it,” Cain said, and wanted nothing more than to go home to Emma. “Rodolfo is smart enough to realize that his mentoring slid off Juan like mud off a turtle’s shell because no amount of tutelage can make up for stupidity. Juan thinks he has the cojones to run his own organization. He just doesn’t have the brains to carry it out.”
“What about this sister, Papi?” Remi asked Ramon.
“Rodolfo has come to drink and gamble here, but we aren’t friendly enough to talk about our families.”
“Cain, any insights here?” Remi asked.
“Only what Hector shared with me about Juan’s father,” she said, and let out a long breath of frustration. She was tired of being behind the proverbial eight ball of lacking information so she could navigate among the new sharks who’d invited themselves into her pool.
“Problem?” Ramon asked.
“If I want to know anything pertinent to someone or something here, I just have to make a few harmless, uncostly calls. Mexico and farther south is out of my range.” She felt comfortable admitting her limitations as she stood.
“Do you think Hector Delarosa can shed some light?” Ramon asked.
“I’m sure he’s expecting my call, and I’m equally sure he knows all about Ms. Luis, but picking up the phone this time will cost me. The only thing I’m really sure about is that I refuse to do anything that’ll put me or anyone I care about in debt to Delarosa.”
“We’ll find some other avenue, then,” Remi said. “And that can wait until tomorrow.”
“Thank you both for your support today, and it’ll be good to start fresh in the morning,” Cain said, and hugged them both.
It would take plenty of tomorrows to put everything back that had gone askew in her life, but she wasn’t stressed this time because Emma would be there through it all. Cain had learned that she couldn’t be strong all the time. She could finally admit her weaknesses to Emma, no matter what the rest of the world saw.
*
“Is Mom coming home soon?” Hayden asked Emma, who was enjoying the icing stuck to her fork.
“If something’s up you can talk to me, you know,” she said, cutting off another small corner piece of cake. He drained his glass of milk and stared at the ceiling to give himself time to respond, Emma guessed, since he swallowed like he was in some sort of competition all of a sudden. “Or you can wait and talk to Mom before you float away,” she joked.
“Sorry,” he said, his eyes dropping to the countertop. “It’s not that I don’t want to tell you, but it’s guy stuff.”
She had to smile thinking of Cain at this age and wondered if girls had made her eyes flit everywhere around the room except on the parent sitting across from her. When they’d met, Cain had been the ultimate player who very seldom struck out when she met a woman who interested her. And that had held true until they went out. Emma’s approach had been different from what Cain had been used to, and it had thrown her off her game a bit. By the time Cain had regained that confidence, she’d fallen in love
with Emma.
“It’s okay, buddy. If it’s a girl who’s the problem, Mom’s the one to talk to.”
“She married you, so don’t worry about her knowing too much about other girls,” he said, making eye contact with her as if alleviating any worry on her part was more important than his embarrassment.
“I’m never worried about that. I just meant that, on the girl front, she’s got a bit more experience.” Emma licked her fork again and wiggled her eyebrows at him, smiling.
Those few dates were a wonderful time for her. She’d finally given in to all the cravings she’d ever had but had kept bottled because of her strictly religious mother. To Carol Verde, love between two people of the same sex was something depraved and wrong. All those long lectures her mom had given fell from her head the first time she saw Cain, and the hardest thing about accepting that first date was not ripping her clothes off at the end of the night and begging Cain to touch her.
“Why are you blushing?” Hayden asked, laughing when she felt her face get hotter and probably redder.
“Pregnancy does that to me,” she said.
“Uh-huh,” he said right away, apparently not buying it. “You’re okay with me wanting to talk to Mom, right? I mean, I’ll tell you if you really want.”
She longed for one more day when she could hold him like she could when he was three and had done something to try to please her. What she’d been so sure of in those lonely nights in Wisconsin was right. He needed the balance of who she and Cain were together to make him happy. That he’d let her in again was a blessing she gave thanks for every day. By being willing to share a secret he’d meant only for Cain, he was trying not to hurt her feelings.
“How about we make a deal?”
“I’m only gone a couple of hours and he’s got you blushing and making deals?” Cain asked as she stripped off her jacket and started rolling up her shirt sleeves. “This should be good.”
“We were talking about girls,” Hayden said, with a big smile that was such a carbon copy of Cain’s it made Emma put her hand over her middle and wish for the same miracle Hayden was to her.
“Not exactly,” she said, sinking back into Cain when she moved closer. “But kiddo here needs to talk to you, so I’ll head up and change.” She kissed Cain, then Hayden, and started for the door, thinking about how her life had changed for the better in such a short time.
“Mama,” Hayden said, stopping her in the hall. “You really don’t have to leave.”
“It’s okay. Go ahead and talk and I’ll be upstairs if you stump her,” she said with a wink.
“You’re a good kid, Hayden,” Cain said before starting on what was left of Emma’s dessert. “What’s up?”
“Mama’s planning a party for me.” His tone meant that Cain should know what he was talking about.
“That’s what she told me, yeah.”
“You don’t think that’s lame?” He glanced at the door and seemed relieved that Emma had excused herself.
“It doesn’t matter what I think, bud, so let’s have it,” she said, happy that finally she was facing an easy problem.
“Mom, I’m pretty sure that thirteen-year-olds don’t have birthday parties their mom planned, and if they do their friends will think it’s way lame.”
He had a point, but Cain knew that Emma was trying so hard because she needed to make up for all the birthdays she’d missed when they were separated. Their son had given her the gift of forgiveness soon after Emma and Hannah had moved in, since he needed his mother more than he needed to carry that anger with him. Guilt was a bitch, and unfortunately Emma insisted on carrying her own portion of it.
“It’s your day, and while everything’s that’s been happening didn’t let us really celebrate it, you should be the one to choose how we do it.”
“But I don’t want Mama to think I’m lame either.”
She raised her hand to stop him. “Let me finish. Did she tell you what she’s planned?”
“She wanted to surprise me.” He said like it meant Emma wanted to take a picture of him wearing a tutu.
“Remember that you can do whatever you like and I’ll back you up, but your mama had in mind a party with your friends and people of the opposite sex. Maybe a cookout, some music I probably won’t like, and some computer-game tournaments for some cool gifts she ordered.”
“Oh,” he said, glancing at the doorway again, only this time looking almost disappointed that Emma wasn’t standing there. “I didn’t think that’s what it was.”
“What, you guessed pin the tail on the donkey and a cake in the shape of a race car or something?” She laughed when he shrugged. “For future reference, you should know that your mama is as cool as she is beautiful, and the most embarrassing thing she’ll do to you is kiss you in front of your friends. Even though you can carry her around now, you’re still her little boy. And that’s the most important thing you should know, son, that you’re her little boy. She feels like she’s got a lot to atone for.”
“She doesn’t. What happened to us was weird, but I don’t blame her, not anymore.”
“She knows that, but between us, her head is way ahead but her heart is having trouble catching up.” She spoke softly, thinking that he had most probably figured that out, but saying it out loud would only make his relationship with Emma that much stronger.
“Did she invite Julie?” he asked as a way of changing the subject, and Cain didn’t worry because she knew he’d received the message.
“The cute brunette you talk about like she invented air?” She laughed when he blushed. “That was the first invitation sent out, and she’s already responded she’s coming.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
“No problem, and I hope you’re okay with the fact that this is so late.”
“Mama and my new sibling came first, and that’s all I cared about.”
“Anything else bothering you?”
“It sounds so bogus now that I was worried about it.” He picked up the dishes and stuck his hands so far down his pockets she thought his pants would fall off. “You aren’t going to tell Mama what I said, right?”
“Not a chance.”
They climbed the stairs together and Hayden kept going toward the master suite while she checked on Hannah. It was still early. She wanted to go to bed and make love to her wife, but she still had to deal with Muriel since she’d left right after the fire alarm. Katlin had tried to call her, but Shelby had told her the day had finally worn Muriel down and she was sleeping. Cain’s anger over the Emma’s Club incident had died down enough for her to wait and talk to Muriel later. Cain owed her a meeting with a level head where they’d both be happy with the outcome.
When she looked through the door of their room, Emma was sitting in her favorite reading chair with Hayden sprawled on the floor at her feet, his head resting in her lap. Emma was combing his hair back and telling him something that was making him laugh. Mum, I hope you and Da can see the family I’ve built, she thought in as close to a prayer as she could conjure up. They’re a fine addition to what you and Da gave me.
“Mom, you didn’t tell me Mama hosed you down with alcohol the day you met.”
“Day we met?” she asked and pointed her finger at Emma. “She spilled half the bar on me, then introduced herself.”
“I got your attention, didn’t I?” Emma asked, then blew her a kiss.
“I’m sure that’s what it was.”
“Let me go before you get too sappy,” Hayden said, sitting up so he could kiss Emma. “Good night,” he said, then kissed her before he left, closing the door behind him.
“Anything serious?” Emma asked after a few minutes passed.
“He’s okay. All he needed was a pep talk about his cool factor, or lack of it.”
“Your son thinks he’s lacking cool?” Emma stood and tightened the belt on her robe. “He’s delusional if that’s what was on his mind.”
“In my opinion he got all he needed and then so
me from both sides of his family tree, and that’s what I told him. We’ll have that talk more than once until he comes into his own. Nothing to worry about.” She opened her arms and turned Emma around when she stepped into them.
“Why do you think that?” Emma kissed her biceps when she undid the robe tie.
“Experience, mostly.” The dark blue silk nightgown was sheer enough for her to notice how hard Emma’s nipples were. “The Caseys are sometimes the worst-kept secret in New Orleans, so depending on where you fall in the pecking order, it’s a given almost as to what your future will be.”
“And for him being second from the top of that totem pole is a problem?” Emma sucked in a deep breath when Cain brushed the flat palms of her hands over her nipples.
“Sometimes that position is like someone handing you a size twenty shoe when you’re learning how to walk. You can do it, but not easily. He doesn’t want to try a lot of stuff now that’ll tarnish him getting that job he wants so badly in the future.”
“Did you want it that bad, mobster?” Emma asked, pressing Cain’s hands to her chest as if needing more stimulation.
“Why wouldn’t I?” She lowered her head to suck on Emma’s earlobe. “It’s a stressful but cool job.” She moved down Emma’s neck. “Comes with good perks.”
“Any I should know about?” Emma asked, stepping forward so Cain could remove her robe.
The nightgown’s thin straps left most of Emma’s shoulders bare, and Cain took advantage, slowly running the tips of her fingers along the smooth skin. “Good hours is what most people would say.” She moved her hands down Emma’s back so she could start lifting the garment off her.
“That’s not what was important to you?” Emma asked, moving away from her and pressing her hands against her chest, which made her step back to sit on the bed. Emma made sure the door was locked before getting naked and standing before her.
“Getting the girl to notice me because I was the one in charge—that was and still is the greatest perk.” She spread her legs so Emma could move closer. “You are so stunningly beautiful.”