“I’ll tell Grandpa if he steps out of line, and he’ll deal with him.” April shrugged and picked up another piece of lingerie.
“You know?” Tatiana asked with a frown. Her mother had probably given April a similar talk to the one she’d given her, but Tia was curious.
April met her gaze. “About what Grandpa and Ewan are into?” she asked. “Yes. I’ve known for years. Ewan is a lawyer for the family. Carrington wanted him to take another path, but he wouldn’t.”
“You’re okay marrying him just to join our families?”
“Nothing’s set despite what Grandpa thinks,” she said. “I like Ewan, and I’m willing to see if there can be something special, but I won’t marry a man I don’t love even for money and security.”
Tatiana gave her an approving nod. “Me either.”
April gave her a smile. “I guess we’re alike in that way,” she said but her smile faded. “Alexi is nothing more than a small family, Tatiana.”
“Alexi doesn’t deal with drug dealers.”
“But she’s into prostitution, so what’s the difference?” April asked. “Both of our lovers deal in the illegal. So, maybe it’ll just bring us closer.”
Tatiana picked up a gown. “I don’t dislike you, April.”
April gave her a curious look. “I was just never sure you loved me like a sister,” she said. “That’s all I ever wanted, to be a sister to you.”
“You are,” Tatiana insisted. “And this thing—our lives, I don’t want it to make us closer.”
“It could because we’ll both have people in our lives that are criminals,” April told her. “And we’ll have to make decisions every day when we wake up whether or not we’re going to support them or turn state’s evidence.”
“I—”
“We’ll both know more than we should,” April cut in. “Always because we’re alike in that we both listen, and we both want to know things that could concern us.”
“You’ve learned a lot about that world,” Tatiana said carefully.
“More than you think,” she said. “I’m not just a mindless Barbie, Tia. I know I have two choices to get my inheritance from grandfather. One, marry who he chooses or be a companion to Grandma.” She shrugged.
“You’re okay with settling for never having a life you want?”
“I can still have that as a companion,” she said with a smile. “Grandma isn’t nearly as rigid as Grandpa.”
“Sometimes I don’t understand her. She backs up his bullshit.”
“Yeah. She loves him,” April said. “And she’s half afraid of him, but that won’t be me or you.”
“No.”
“Grandfather can be a mean prick,” April said. “He has an ego the size of Texas and a superiority complex that just might get him killed one day. Mom just hopes it doesn’t get us killed, too, but you have Alexi.”
Tatiana processed the conversation knowing Alexi wouldn’t go quietly. The battle between her grandfather and Alexi could turn bloody. She could be forced into a position to choose her family or her lover.
No woman should have to make that decision. If she had to decide today, she’d choose Alexi. Alexi was freedom to her, a chance at a life that wasn’t ordered by her grandfather, and that meant everything to Tatiana.
“This would be pretty on you.” Tatiana held up a negligée.
A woman came toward them and gave her a smile. Tatiana returned it, but her magic turned into a tense ball inside her. That wasn’t unusual when trouble was near, but this time, the feeling of danger was strong.
“I like it.” April grinned and reached for the item.
Someone started shouting a short distance away from them, and they both turned. The store’s alarm went off at the same time, and then April let out a low cry.
Tatiana jerked her gaze back to her to find her cousin on the floor. The strange woman was striding away and glanced back. Tatiana sent out an arc of energy, causing her to trip.
“Mom!”
Tatiana started to move, and a strong arm came around her throat.
“Slow and easy,” the masculine voice said. “We’re taking a walk.”
The man grunted and released her. She threw out a hand, and the woman hit the floor again. Tatiana threw a stun spell at her with a clawed hand, and the woman let out a scream.
Tatiana turned around to find the man who’d attacked her on the floor and Corri moving to April’s side.
She went around to kneel next to her cousin, who was bleeding badly.
“Easy,” Corri crooned. “Call for help, Tatiana.”
“I’ve got her,” Melissa said. “April, honey, look at me.”
April met her gaze, fear in her own. She was trembling as Corri pressed her jacket to her side.
“Shh,” Melissa said. “You’re okay.”
“I—she said something to me before she stabbed me.” Her mouth worked, but nothing came out.
Corri leaned closer, and April did speak. This time her words came out a jumbled whisper. Tatiana couldn’t understand her, but Corri’s expression turned grim.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Pacing in the waiting room, Tatiana kept her hands clenched into fists. Fury continued to pump through her as the moment unwound in her mind again. The scream, the alarm, and April’s shout of pain at her.
“Honey, it’s not your fault.” Melissa stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. “That woman is dead thanks to you.”
“What?” she asked wide-eyed. “I didn’t—” Her hands flew to cover her mouth as horror streaked through her. She’d never harmed anyone with her magic.
“That bitch won’t be hurting anyone else ever again,” Melissa said coldly and pulled Tatiana into a hug.
“I—April.”
“She’s going to be fine. Keep telling yourself that.”
She looked at her mother. “They tried to kill us both. If Alexi hadn’t had Corri following me, I’d be—I’d be in there.” Tears filled her eyes as the force of the moment hit her again.
“Don’t break down right here,” Melissa told her. “Now isn’t the time.”
“Melissa,” Charles called as he rushed over with his wife and Ewan close on his heels. “What happened?” he demanded.
Her mother told him the story, leaving out the part about Tatiana using magic to keep the woman who’d attacked April from getting away.
“I can’t believe it,” Ewan said in a hushed tone. “How could they be so shameless as to attack you right out in public?”
Corri came over and took Tatiana’s arm and pulled her away from him. She had no problems going, not wanting to be that close to him after their last encounter.
He gave Corri a cold look, but Corri didn’t seem to notice.
“I just got off the phone with Alexi,” Corri murmured as she bent down to her. “She would come, but she doesn’t want to cause conflict with your family. She wants you to come home as soon as possible though.”
Home. The word made her heart warm. She didn’t have to leave here and go to an empty house where she’d be alone. The very thought of having someone waiting for her, caring whether she came in at all, made her happy.
“When I know April is okay,” she said.
“She wants me to stay with you.”
“I’m good with that,” Tatiana replied quietly. Part of her just wanted someone else to protect her rather than her having to do anymore harm, today at least. “Thanks for saving my life.”
“That’s what I’m here for,” Corri told her.
Tatiana looked at her, saw the sincerity in her eyes, and knew her cousin was right. Alexi wasn’t just a madam, and she stood at a crossroads.
Staying with Alexi could make her a target, but so could being her grandfather’s relative. So, she’d have to learn more defensive magic and be willing to kill to save her own life.
Tatiana could come to terms with that, she decided, but did she want to leave this city and cut all ties with family just to escape this
treacherous world she was now a part of?
While starting over didn’t scare her, being without Alexi left her cold.
It seemed days before the surgeon came out, but he came, his face a tired mask.
“Rayne?”
“That’s us,” Charles said. “How is April?”
“She’s in recovery now,” he said. “She had a few nicks on her hands and one arm, so she must have put up a fight. If she hadn’t, she’d probably be dead.”
“She’s going to recover?” Melissa demanded.
“I expect her to,” he said with a nod. “You can see her once she’s in a room.”
Tatiana sighed, and so did Melissa, who came to hug Tatiana.
“I told you she’d come through this,” she whispered. “Go. I’m going to stay until she wakes up. I’ll call you if anything changes.”
“I want to stick around for a while,” Tatiana insisted. She needed to know April was fine, to see it with her own eyes.
Melissa didn’t argue. She merely squeezed her daughter’s hand.
Tatiana sat down, and her grandmother sat next to her. “How are you holding up? You must have been terrified.”
“I’m okay.”
“Your grandfather is going to arrange for someone to protect you girls,” her grandmother said.
“Why hasn’t he already when he knew this might happen?” she demanded. Alexi hadn’t taken chances with her life, which said a lot about the kind of woman she was.
“He didn’t think it was a real concern,” she said.
“He didn’t? Oh, no? Someone tried to kill me already,” she said keeping her voice low. “Does he even care? I know Alexi made sure he knew someone was after us all.”
Her grandmother gave her a disapproving look. “Alexi is no one, and she’s just out to make your grandfather look bad before she kills you herself.”
“You’re wrong about that,” Tatiana muttered. “Grandfather doesn’t think too highly of women who don’t kiss his butt. That’s why he didn’t protect us. April just got caught in the middle.”
“Don’t say that,” her grandmother said firmly. “Charles is doing his best for this family, but you and your mother are determined to test his patience.”
Tatiana snorted. “Right.”
“I beg you to stop this foolishness with that madam and move into the house where you’ll be safe.”
“I’m safe with Alexi, and I don’t have to bow and scrape to her.” Tatiana started to get to her feet, but her grandmother took her arm.
“That woman is going to be the death of you.”
“Just like grandfather will be the cause of your death, so I guess that makes us equally unfortunate.” Tatiana pulled away and went to sit next to Corri.
****
Judas entered the hospital’s chapel to find only a single white man in the pew. He continued to the front where candles were lit before a picture of Christ.
“Everything is going according to plan,” the white male said from next to him.
“Except the two women are still alive,” Judas said. “Why is that?”
“I’m doing my best, but the contractors have found themselves outgunned.”
“An excuse.”
“You lost control of the shipment,” the other male said. “The Wrench isn’t happy. He’s going to send a new team down to work with you, and you had better make sure things stay on track this time.”
“As in?” Judas gritted out as he glanced to the back of the chapel.
“It means, he doesn’t think killing off Rayne’s entire family will serve any real purpose.”
“That’s where you’re wrong,” Judas muttered. “His brother and cousin are deeply involved.”
“The Wrench is aware of that, but you’re after women who have nothing to do with this,” the white man told him. “He’s reviewed the situation and wants to keep to the plan.”
“Which is?”
“To eliminate Rayne and his inner circle. That is, those involved in the day-to-day operations of the business. Those are the people we’ll hit.”
“What about my target?” Judas demanded angrily.
“You need to focus on doing the job you agreed to,” his companion said firmly. “No other family members are on the table at this time. Deal with it.”
“Fine,” Judas said reluctantly. “I’ll make sure it happens within the next few days. This circus is a perfect opp.”
“The Wrench agreed. That’s the only reason I wasn’t sent to kill you.”
He grunted. “I’ve done my part.”
“Finish and you’ll be rewarded as per the agreement. Allow personal issues to continue to distract you, and you die.”
“What about Alexi?”
“She’s nothing to us at the moment,” the other man said with a shrug.
“I thought the Wrench had an interest in a similar business,” Judas protested.
He’d like nothing more than to see Alexi and Rayne tear each other apart, but that wasn’t going to happen. So, he’d like to see Alexi pulled in half by the Wrench.
“He does, but it’s no concern to you until the Wrench tells you so.”
The chapel door opened, and the white man gave him a nod and strolled out.
Judas glanced at the woman who’d come in, gave her a curt nod of greeting, and followed in his friend’s wake.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Alexi gave Tatiana a smile when stepped into her office late that evening. She immediately rose and rounded her desk.
“How’s April?”
“She was still groggy, but the doctor thinks she’ll be fine,” Tatiana said with a smile as Alexi took her in her arms. She tipped her head back for a kiss. “Did you miss me?”
“Like crazy,” Alexi said with a grin and kissed her again.
Tatiana disentangled herself from Alexi and studied her as she backed away from her, making Alexi wonder what was going through her mind.
“What’s wrong?”
“I’m a little tired,” she said. “I had to kill someone today, and it’s still weighing on me a little.”
“I’m sorry,” Alexi said and reached for her. Tatiana didn’t pull away when Alexi pulled her back. “Are you going to be okay? Should I get Mellie? She can give you something for your nerves.”
“No.” She shook her head. “I don’t want to do that. I just need to deal with it.”
Alexi hugged her, but Tia was a little stiff. Alexi wondered how much of that was due to the rough day and how much was spurred by fear of living under constant attack.
She’d give Tia time to adjust. However, Alexi wouldn’t wait long. She needed a strong woman at her side, and if Tia wasn’t that woman, that was life.
“And thanks for Corri.”
“I’m just glad you can deal with her,” Alexi said. “She’s going to be with you when you go back to work.”
“I—”
“I’ll take care of it,” Alexi cut in.
“No,” Tatiana snapped. “I can’t have her in my office hovering over me and watching my every move.”
Alexi held up her hands in a placating gesture. “Fine. I’ll make other arrangements until it’s certain that this guy who’s hunting your family is gone.”
“Will it always be like this?” Tatiana asked.
“My life is normally quite uneventful,” Alexi informed her. “The most exciting thing to happen to me in the last few months is you.”
Tatiana gave her a little smile. “Same here.”
Alexi’s cell phone rang, and Alexi glanced at it on her desk. “Tia, let Corri take you to the apartment. I need to deal with this.”
“Okay.” She backed away with a lingering look that made Alexi hot. “I’ll see you later.”
When Tatiana was gone, Galli entered her office, her poker face giving nothing away.
“I have pictures of both men. They both met with someone today.” She handed over a small device. “Kel is turning out to be quite efficient.”
“Is he?”
Galli smiled. “I left him with our target.”
Alexi looked through the pictures. “The chapel?”
“I heard some of the conversation, but I can only make suppositions,” Galli said.
“Make them.”
“Five by Five doesn’t want all of Rayne’s family dead. Just Rayne’s inner circle in particular,” Galli told her. “They never did.”
“I can’t believe the Wrench would allow someone else to call any shots,” Alexi said with a frown. “Unless he owed him.”
“I can’t speak to that, but I think the black man in the picture is our Judas, and he’s behind the hits on Tatiana as well as April.”
“Interesting,” Alexi said as her gaze slid over the man’s smooth brown skin and attractive features. The animal snarled low, but she reined it back in, promising to allow it free when they were face-to-face with their target.
“Oh, I agree,” Galli said.
“I would pass this on to Felix. I’m sure he’d be interested, but I’ll take care of it personally.”
And she would. She wanted this one to be quick, clean, and puzzling. However, Alexi thought this one warranted an up close and personal kill unlike Trevor.
“I made a few inquiries and found out how Carrington died,” Galli said with a frown.
“Let me guess. He was killed by one of his own,” Alexi muttered thinking what an ass Rayne was.
“Yeah, it was a robbery,” Galli said. “You think the Wrench might be playing Breakers against itself? Get them to eliminate each other with promises of a good position, money?”
“I’m not sure, but it would be an ingenious plan,” Alexi replied. “When Felix starts looking, all he’ll see is his own people. He won’t be able to point the finger at Five by Five or anyone else.”
“The Wrench will be so deep in his organization, he’ll be able to destroy Breakers from the inside out.”
“Exactly. Then, he’ll be ready to go after anyone else in the area he wants gone,” Alexi said softly, thinking of herself and Mojo. Hell, there might already even be moles inside both.
“Let me know when you’re ready to move on Judas,” Galli said.
“Good work, Galli,” Alexi told her. “Thanks.”
The Madam's Lover Page 18