by Stasia Black
“This is your proof?” She held it up. “Who took this picture?”
“One of AJ’s men.”
“Men like the assholes outside?” Cora could feel the rage welling up inside her. An innocent woman, drawn into this net. She worked over the phone, forwarding herself the picture, then going to Iris’s contact information and forwarding that too.
Something had to be done. It couldn’t be a coincidence that a woman disappeared when her fiancé was threatening to break a multi-million-dollar contract.
After seeing that picture… This wasn’t Marcus. Maybe he would have kidnapped Iris to put pressure on Chris, but he never would have put her in a dank hellhole or pumped her full of drugs. No, this was all AJ.
“Chris, it’s been long enough. We need to go to the police. She’s in trouble.”
“I threatened and they told me to try it. They said she’ll end up in jail, or worse.” He stared up at the ceiling, eyes bloodshot. “I can’t do anything. I can’t help her.”
Drawing in a harsh breath, Cora let the phone fall. She turned, went to the window, and drew back the curtains in a violent move.
Chris cried out but she felt no sympathy for him.
“Enough. Get up. If you ever loved her, get out of bed and start acting like an adult.”
“She left me—”
“I don’t care! She’s in trouble and someone needs to find her.” Cora took another deep breath and said firmly, “I’ve already started looking and have some leads.”
“You won’t find anything. If they took her and got her using again, she’ll never be back.”
“Then I’m going to find her and give her that option. If you could, would you help her? Get her to rehab or whatever?”
Chris was sitting up now. He nodded. “Of course. I love her.”
“Then get up out of bed and start acting like it. Practice or something. Your job is to play.” She drew herself up, trying to show confidence she didn’t feel. “I’ll take care of the rest.”
The two guards outside the Orphan’s room jumped when the door swung open. Cora stalked out.
“Call the maid.” She looked them in the eye. “This place needs to be cleaned up, even if you take The Orphan to another room while they do it. And order him a decent meal.”
With that, she swept out into the hall.
Fourteen
Back in the penthouse, the afternoon sun slanted thickly over the living room. Cora dropped her purse and worked busily over her cell, sending Olivia Iris’s phone info to trace.
Goldwringer replied: Cool! Give me five.
Relaxing back on the couch, Cora allowed herself a satisfied smile. They were one step closer to finding Iris.
She raised her head when she heard the front door open. Strange. Marcus was never home this early, not lately anyway. But this was good. He wasn’t the one who took Iris. Maybe it was time to talk to him, to lay it all out on the table and ask for his help.
Standing, she squared her shoulders. Even if Marcus had business reasons he shouldn’t cross AJ, she was going to convince him. What was a business matter against a person’s life?
“Marcus? I thought you were out on business tonight…” she started to say, then gasped.
AJ’s frame filled the doorway. The man looked larger than when she saw him at the club; his bald head shone in the sunlight. The rest of him was dressed simply in a long trench coat, a grey shadow on his unshaven face. His beady black eyes were fixed on her, assessing.
Shit, what should she do? How had he even gotten in? She must’ve left the penthouse unlocked when she returned from seeing Chris. The only people who could even access their home needed a special key to work the elevator. But duh, she’d just proved the same key worked on all the private floors. And as Chris’s manager, obviously AJ would have access to the same key.
“What are you doing here?” Fear made her voice sharp.
AJ sauntered into the room, looking around like an investor surveying a potential property. Cora stiffened her spine so she wouldn’t shrink away. One thing the Underworld taught her: if you cowered, they thought you were prey.
Still, she was glad there was a couch between her and the approaching gangster.
“You shouldn’t be here. Marcus won’t like it.”
“Nice place.” AJ strolled forward, taking in the view. His stoop took inches off his height, but also gave his movements a predatory look. Like a bear, sniffing outside its lair.
AJ stopped to study a white statue of a bearded man capturing a fleeing woman. Walking around it to view it, he rubbed his jaw. “You pick this out?” He squinted at her, then at a small but exquisite replica of a statue, a copy of the first one.
“My husband.” Cora’s voice was clipped. “And he’ll be home any minute.”
AJ turned from the statue to face her. The deep lines around his mouth bent into a smile. “You know, for a woman stepping out on her man, you sure invoke his name a lot.”
What the hell was he— “What are you talking about?”
“You think I wouldn’t find out about your little visit to my pet singer?” The man started walking towards her. “I thought I’d hide him here, keep him from the fucking fans. Freaky rabid bitches.”
AJ smiled. He kept walking forward, closing in on her. Cora backed up despite herself. “Well, now we have a new story for the paparazzi: Ubeli’s wife doing The Orphan. Little Miss Innocent spreads her legs.”
“How dare you?” Cora snapped. She’d had enough. She stood up to him, not backing down any more. Her five feet eight inches put her almost at his grizzled chin. “When I tell Marcus—”
“You were in his bedroom,” AJ spit back at her. His breath was foul on her face. “There are cameras on the hall.”
Cora froze as what he said sunk in.
AJ watched her face closely. “Tell me, little girl. What’s Marcus going to think?”
What would Marcus think? There was no trust between them, not now. Still, she refused to give this disgusting man an inch.
But AJ took advantage of her momentary silence to reach out and capture a lock of her light hair.
“So, gorgeous,” he twisted the strands between two fat fingers. “What will you give me to keep your little tryst from your husband?”
Cora jerked back. AJ let her move away, watching her go with glittering eyes.
“That’s right, baby, think about it. Then think of how to convince me.” His eyes swept up and down her figure.
She felt dirty just being in the same room as him.
“You can’t threaten me,” she said, trying again to channel some of Marcus’s authority. It came out sounding petulant. A child refusing to go to her room.
She cleared her throat and tried again. “I know what you did. I’m telling Marcus—you kidnapped an innocent woman to threaten her fiancé.”
AJ stared at her, then his shoulders started to move. A strange, heaving sound came from his barrel chest. Cora watched nervously, thinking he was having a fit.
Then she realized the man was laughing at her.
AJ’s mouth gaped, showing his gold tooth. “Are you kidding me? That’s your threat?” The man’s jowls shook with mirth. “I’m going to tell,” he mocked her voice. “Pretty, stupid slut. You think your husband doesn’t know I took Iris? Ubeli ordered it.”
Cora felt his words like a blow. “No,” she whispered.
“That’s right, little girl. And if you ever push me, I’ll tell him exactly where you were this afternoon. And what do you think he’ll want me to do with his cheating whore of a wife?”
Squeezing her fists, Cora let his words wash over her. She was still stuck on the thought that Marcus ordered Iris’s kidnapping. But he hated AJ. Didn’t he? He’d never work with him…
But he already was, wasn’t he? To book The Orphan. If Marcus had wanted Iris gone and ordered AJ to do it, he wouldn’t have had control over AJ’s methods. But Marcus was all about control. So did that mean AJ was ly—
/> “Maybe I’ll be the one who gets to punish you,” AJ continued, smirking. “You might even like it.”
Fighting back furious tears, Cora watched the man move to the liquor cabinet. “Hell, half of Ubeli’s men must be gagging for you. We’ll get a movie camera; make it a bestseller. The black giant would be first in line. I know I’d pay to watch you choke on him.” He chuckled as he poured himself a drink.
A rushing sound filled Cora’s ears; she couldn’t find her voice to talk or scream.
“I’m just saying, if Daddy ever don’t satisfy—Uncle AJ is here.”
“Get out.” Cora’s voice came out strangled.
He raised the glass to her and then downed it. She watched him, fists balled. She’d never hated anyone so much in her life. “Get the fuck out of my house right this second.”
AJ took his sweet time moving to the door. “Pleasure visiting you, Mrs. Ubeli.” He spoke her name with a sneer. “Hope to do it again real soon.”
Cora shivered with anger and fear.
He was almost outside when he turned. “Oh, and we’re moving your boy, so no more little visits. Although, if you do come down—” His hand slipped down to his crotch crudely. “Uncle AJ will be ready.”
Cora wanted to kick him where he was so rudely gesturing. With her pointiest heels.
“It’ll be our secret.” He winked at her.
Cora waited until she was sure he was gone before collapsing on the couch, still shaking with fury. Ubeli ordered it. She mopped her face with a hand, ordering herself to get it together.
He was lying about Marcus. Right?
One thing she was sure about, she was going to free Iris from AJ. Then she would find a way to make him pay. Pretty, stupid slut.
Her phone buzzed. She looked down and opened Olivia’s text, then clicked on the highlighted address. The link took her into a map, where a light blinked, signaling the location of Iris’s phone.
Cora took a deep breath. She knew exactly where Iris was. Or, at least where her phone was. And it was time to finally do something about it.
Fifteen
Midafternoon the next day, Cora took a little walk into the park. No bodyguards with her. She’d given them the slip again after they dropped her off at the shelter earlier that day. She’d been worried about what she would say to Marcus or how to act with him once he got home last night…but he never came home.
Whatever Marcus was up to had him working day and night. Either that or he was avoiding her. Which was probably for the best right now, all things considered.
She flopped down on a bench and checked her messages. Nothing.
A shadow fell over her, and she squinted at Pete the cop. He took a seat next to her on the far side of the bench. His posture was relaxed, but his eyes swept the path and park area around them.
“I have to say, you’re the last person I expected to hear from.” Pete looked her over. “I nearly dropped my phone when I got your message last night. I looked into you. Married to the biggest crime lord in the city.” He let out a low whistle.
Cora spoke without looking at him. Anyone watching would see a young woman resting from her jog and a man on lunch break. “I want to be clear. I’m not ratting on my husband.”
“Oh, you made that clear.” Pete sat up and rummaged in his pocket, taking out a cigarette and lighter. “I heard about your little visit down to the station two weeks after the wedding. Wouldn’t flip even though the feds were offering you witness protection.” He lit the cigarette and puffed on it.
“The offer wasn’t real,” Cora said stiffly. “It was a test.” And if it hadn’t been, she’d still have made the same decisions. There was no point dwelling on the past.
“Well, you passed anyway. Not sure what that says about you. The type of woman you are.” He squinted at her through his smoke.
She waved the cloud away. “I’m loyal. And anyway, I’m not here to talk about my husband.”
“No? Then why the hell did you call me?” He glanced around warily. “You playing some sort of game?”
At the cop’s raised voice, a grey shadow lying on the ground next to Cora raised its large head. Brutus, the Great Dane puppy, got to his feet, coming around the bench to stand in front of Cora, between her and the cop.
“Gods, what is that thing?” Peter coughed and scooted further down the bench.
Cora reached out a hand and scratched the dog’s ears. “Great Dane mixed with something. I took him from the shelter to stretch his legs.” She raised her hand and the dog leaned happily toward her, begging for more.
“I thought he was a boulder.” He watched as she praised the Dane, and got him to lie back down to chew a toy. “So Ubeli lets you wander around alone?”
“My husband’s men are too busy to be babysitting me.” The lie fell easily from her lips. But she realized it was the wrong one when Peter’s eyes lit up.
“Busy, huh? What has their attention?”
Cora took a deep breath. “That’s not why we’re here. I’m actually trying to find a missing person. The singer at my husband’s club—The Orphan. His fiancée disappeared late Saturday.”
Pete shrugged. “So have him go to the station, file a report.”
“It’s more complicated than that.” Cora rushed to fill in the details about the tragic couple and her and Olivia’s search. She pulled out Iris’s picture and laid it on the bench for him to see, along with the shot she’d forwarded from Chris’s phone of Iris. “We think a man named AJ is behind it. We tracked her phone. She’s in his club, or well at least her phone is. And she’s in trouble.”
Glancing down at the picture, Pete grunted. “Yeah, I heard of AJ. Used to run a few corners in this city. Got flushed out with the old crowd. Now he’s back.”
“The old crowd?”
“Gods, your husband don’t tell you anything? The Titan brothers. There were three of them, or maybe it used to be three? I think one of them got axed back in the day?” He frowned as he thought. “They owned this town before your husband did. Some think they’re trying to get back in. They say that this AJ is the first advance.”
The wind picked up, and Cora wished she’d worn something other than a cashmere cardigan. Even in the sun, she felt the chill. “So, can you help find Iris?”
Pete snubbed out his cigarette on the concrete by his feet. “Look, miss, this just isn’t my line of work. Find a missing junkie? You don’t even know if she wants to be found. Maybe she wanted to leave this Orphan fellow and go back to scoring.”
“She didn’t want to leave him. And AJ’s a snake. He—”
Pete cut her off. “But I guess I could tail this AJ guy a little. But I’m not doing anything without getting a favor back. This is small time stuff you’re asking here. I’m going to need something in return. Something juicy. And I wanna know why you’re not taking this to your husband.”
Cora didn’t answer, staring down at the picture of Iris.
“You think Ubeli’s involved,” Pete deduced. “That’s why you’re sneaking around.”
“I’m not—”
“You called up a cop and asked for a meet. How’s that going to look to your husband? Or anyone who runs with him?”
This sounded too close to what AJ had said to her. “Marcus knows I’m loyal.”
The cop rubbed his head and jaw again, not listening. “Hell, I’m probably a marked man just for meeting with you.”
Something inside her snapped. “Then why’d you chase me down and give me your card?” Cora rounded on him. “You know what—forget it. I thought you had a pair. An innocent woman is in trouble.”
She snatched up Iris’s picture and waved it in his surprised face. “You’re supposed to be a—I don’t know—a protector of the city. Instead you just want a big bust to make your career. And use whoever you can to make it.”
She turned away from the cop’s surprised face and stuffed the picture back in her purse. “Look for someone else to hand you my husband’s head on a silver
platter. And anyway, he’s done more to protect people in this city than you ever will—”
“You really think that, you pampered princess?” Pete rose to his feet, towering over her. She tugged at Brutus’s leash and the big dog leapt up, pushing between them.
The cop retreated, but kept talking, his face twisted with anger. He shouted after Cora as she hurried away, Brutus in tow. “You’re just like the rest of them, with your money and your secrets. You people think you’re gods and goddesses, better than us. Untouchable by us mere mortals. Well, you know what? We’re going to bring you down.”
She strode away, head down, as his rant hit her back like ineffective bullets.
And when she got home, her fingers flew to open her contacts. She hesitated a moment, then dialed.
Armand answered the phone. “Cora?” Surprise was in his tone.
“Hey,” she said lightly. “Are you busy?”
“Just about to leave the spa—why?”
“I need a favor.” She bit her lip and remembered how the designer had hovered over her at the party. If she’d read his body language right, he’d be up for helping her. She only hoped she wasn’t opening herself up to too much trouble.
“Sure—you ok?”
“I’m fine. I just—I promised a friend of mine I’d help her out and go see her show tonight. Marcus is working late and I wondered if you’d go with me.”
“Uh, sure. If it’s cool with your husband, I’m free. What’s the show?”
“Well, that’s why I’m asking you to go. It’s a tiny bit out of my norm.” She rose and pulled AJ’s card from her purse. “I need you to take me to a strip club.”
Sixteen
Two hours later, Armand glanced out of the taxi cab in front of The Orchid House and frowned at the sign.
“Cora, as happy as I am to visit this fine establishment, are you sure this is a good idea?”
“Relax. It’s just to help out a friend.” It wasn’t even a lie. Cora grabbed her purse and made to get out of the cab but Armand caught her arm.