Champagne Brunch: The Stiletto Sisters Series

by Ainsley St Claire

  As Lilly grabs me more pizza, Nate pours the bourbon and looks at Walker. “What can you tell us?”

  I shrug.

  Marci shakes her head. “It’s hard to say. We were shuttled back from the courthouse by the local team. The pilot was with the helicopter most of the day, as far as I know. We arrived, and I made polite conversation until we took off. Everything seemed fine, but when we were over the densest forest, there was a pop sound, and just like in the movies, every alarm started going off and the pilot told us to hang on.”

  I shiver, thinking how quickly I went from daydreaming about Corinne and Jackson’s beautiful wedding and Landon’s last-minute win at the poker weekend in Hawaii to holding on and cursing Viviana for trying to kill me.

  “I know Viviana was behind it,” I tell everyone. “We may never be able to prove it, but she’s always been a little vindictive. Remember when she sold her company and thought she didn’t get a good enough deal so she dished all that shit at Mason? She froze him out after that.”

  “I think Mason came out ahead in that one,” Walker notes.

  “They must be really scared about what you had to say to the State Department,” Nate says to me. “Tell us how this morning went.”

  I look over at Marci next to Walker, and it seems like he’s almost holding her up. But she smiles at me all the same. “Mia was incredible again today.”

  “It was pretty amazing,” I tell them. “Outside was wall to wall reporters, and inside it was Marci and me with the attorneys for the government. Viviana was there via television from Colorado, plus a court reporter and a sketch artist.”

  “They didn’t fly her in?” Nate asks. “Did you guys know that?”

  Walker puts down his glass of water. “They decided it was too risky to move her. Her network is deep and reaches well beyond our borders, so they didn’t want to take any chances.”

  “Wow,” Lilly says. “I thought she had the right to face her accusers.”

  “That’s why she was on a videocall,” Walker explains. “That took us the longest to litigate before the hearing. It went all the way to the attorney general, and there is precedence in extreme cases.”

  “She can enjoy Colorado weather for the rest of her life, as far as I’m concerned,” Nate says. “How did it seem the government was leaning? I’m due to have lunch next week with President Bolden.”

  I shrug. “I couldn’t tell.”

  “How did it go seeing Viv again—even if it was on a screen?” Lilly asks.

  I shake my head. “I really didn’t see her. I sat back, and the television was positioned so the attorneys could see her. She may have seen me, but I had no more than a glimpse. She didn’t look very good. I’m not sure incarceration agrees with her.” I smirk. “Her red highlights have grown out, and she had dark circles under her eyes.”

  “Was she dressed nice, at least?” Lilly asks.

  I shake my head. “It probably pisses her off. She was always so put together—perfectly highlighted hair, perfect manicure and makeup, and of course, high-fashion outfits. Today she was in an orange prison jumpsuit with a white long-sleeve shirt underneath.”

  “My how the mighty have fallen,” Nate snarks. “What about the questions from the government and her lawyers?”

  “Nothing was too surprising. They asked me the questions about how we met, what we did together, if she ever talked about Cecelia or Nate. There were no curveballs.”

  “I know Abram Frieman, the US Attorney for the District of Oregon, comes off a little too…” Walker crunches up his face.

  “Smarmy?” Marci suggests.

  “I don’t know if I’d say that—”

  “I would,” Nate agrees, and I nod.

  Walker rolls his eyes. “Anyway, he’s a good attorney, and I’m just glad this case is with him, rather than his assistant. He doesn’t want to see her go back to Russia either.”

  “What did her counsel ask you?” Nate inquires.

  “If you can believe this, absolutely nothing. They reserved the right to recall me at a later date.”

  Nate whips his head over to Marci and Walker. “What do you think she’s planning?”

  Marci looks at Walker. She knows something we don’t.

  “Remember, this isn’t the trial,” Walker says. “This is only reviewing the facts to determine whether the State Department is going to trade Viviana for three US citizens the Russians are holding because they claim they’re spies. There are three prongs to the indictment. You guys are with the murder prong. They also have to work through corporate espionage and stealing state secrets. Meanwhile, the Russian government doesn’t want to tip their hand until the trial.”

  He takes a drink of his water. “The trial—if they don’t trade her back to the Russians—is scheduled to start in January. The US Attorney will call witnesses, which we think will mean almost sixty days in court. Then Viviana’s legal team will move to dismiss. Since they won’t get that, they’ll just rest their case. They won’t present any defense. They feel confident they have a trump card with either the Bolden administration or by waiting four years and asking a new administration for a trade. Meanwhile, they’re jailing more tourists each month under false pretenses.”

  “They want to trade Viviana, a high-profile Russian spy, for a group of tourists?” Axel says in a low voice.

  Walker sighs. “Most likely. I’ve spoken to President Bolden about it, and he’s not in favor, but the pressure is on him and the secretary of state. They want the Russians to release a mother of two young girls who was visiting her college roommate for a wedding. They exchanged a flash drive, and she was found guilty with almost no trial and sentenced to sixteen years of hard time. There’s also a man from Wisconsin who’s accused of a murder spree in a part of Russia he never visited. Then there’s a former US Marine who was on a cruise that stopped in Saint Petersburg. He’s accused of being a spy and trying to form a coup against the government. It’s hard to balance these human rights abuses with the need to bring Viviana to justice.”

  “When do they interview you?” I ask Nate.

  “A week from tomorrow.”

  “Make sure you’re safe,” I tell him.

  “Definitely.” He takes a deep pull on his beer.

  I nod. “Who’s interviewed next?” Axel asks.

  “They had Mia on the docket for the rest of the week, so the attorneys will deal with some outstanding issues, and we’re back on Monday,” Marci says. “I have Mason that day. Tuesday will be Caroline and Claire Walsh. Then Wednesday we have Jackson and Landon, followed by Nate on Thursday. No meetings on Friday.”

  “Is Katrina on the list?” I ask.

  “She is, but if they’re not going to actually question anyone, it will be easy. I’m not sure I agree with Walker’s thinking, though.” Marci looks over at him and shrugs. “I say you’re the most powerful witness for both the prosecution and the defendant. They let you go for now because you’ll be their star witness at the trial. You were obviously close to Viviana, and you knew her as a totally different person. They’ll claim the person you knew is really her, and she just got caught up in something that turned out to be more than she could handle. So, she needs pity, not prosecution.” Marci rolls her eyes.

  I sit back hard in the barstool chair. “That’s very sneaky.”

  Walker kisses Marci on the forehead. “I don’t think they’re as smart as Marcella is.” He looks at her with adoring eyes, and my heart warms.

  I know that’s what I want. It’s what I deserve.

  “You both look exhausted,” Lilly says after a moment.

  “We should get going,” Axel says to me.

  I nod. I do want to go with him. “Peter will drive us home.” I turn to Lilly. “I put my clothes in the trash in your bathroom. I don’t want them back. They’re destroyed.” I raise my arms in the sweatshirt. “I’ll get this back to you in a few days.”

  Lilly waves that away. “I have lots of yoga pants. I won’t be lost wi
thout those, and Nate always likes people wearing a Navy sweatshirt over an Army one.” She winks at me.

  “Thank you.” I lean down and give her a fierce hug. “I really appreciate it.”

  “Any time,” Nate says. “We’re so glad you and Marci weren’t seriously hurt.” He looks over at Axel, who nods in agreement.

  Axel finds his jacket, and we walk outside to find Peter standing by my Mercedes. As he opens the door, he steps in and pulls me into a big hug. “I’m so glad you’re okay. I think Frank and the kids are making cookies or something to celebrate.”

  “Thank you. I’m glad too.”

  Axel scoots into the backseat behind me, and I reach for his hand. I could be angry at him, but that’s not what I want. I want to talk through this and make sure we can move forward. He’s been stressed and dealing with his sister’s troubles, and if anything, today taught me not to let the little things get to me. Axel and I haven’t been dating long, so there are bound to be some bumps in the road. I mean, my life is a mess.

  I lean my head against his shoulder, and he laces our hands together, turning my insides all mushy.

  “Where to, Ms. Couture?” Peter asks.

  I look at Axel.

  “It’s up to you,” he says. “We can go back to my house or to yours. Or you can drop me at my place and go on to yours. But I do need to tell you, my house is complete chaos, and the kids are not going to let you sleep late.”

  I nod. “My house, Peter.”

  I watch the lights of downtown San Francisco as we cross the Golden Gate Bridge, and again, I’m grateful to be home.

  When we arrive at my condo and Peter has checked every room to make sure things are safe, he gives me another hug. “Jim has strict instructions. You’re not to go anywhere without someone from our team until Clear has a better idea of what happened today.”

  I nod. “I understand.”

  Peter bobs his head at Axel. “He doesn’t count. I’ll wait until Jennifer arrives. She should be here in ten minutes and can sleep on the couch.”

  “She can have the guest room,” Axel says. “If anyone is sleeping on the couch, it will be me.”

  I smile and try not to be disappointed. I’m sure he’s just being gentlemanly. I suppose we do have a few things to talk about, and I’m too tired to think about it now.

  “I’ll be sure she knows,” Peter says, eyeing Axel.

  “I have two guest rooms, so you’re both fine,” I say.

  Axel takes my arm and walks me to my room. “You look exhausted,” he says. “Sleep well. I’ll be here if you need anything and when you wake in the morning.”

  I nod and shut the door behind me. I don’t even pause to change or brush my teeth. I crawl beneath my sheets and immediately crash.

  Chapter 26

  Axel

  I texted Jeremy earlier to let him know Mia was okay, and I pull out my phone again now to let Nina and Alana know the same thing. I also tell them they don’t have to worry about me because I’m staying at Mia’s tonight. I wish I were staying a little more directly with Mia, but I can be patient. We have a lot to talk about, and I suppose I’m lucky to be here at all. With a sigh, I strip down to my boxer briefs.

  Lying in bed in one of Mia’s guestrooms, I stare at the shadows and keep replaying everything I’ve learned about Mia’s appearance in court today. Could Marci be right that Viviana’s lawyers are planning on using Mia later in the case? I know Mia well enough to know that being a pawn like that would destroy her. In her mind, that would be a betrayal of Nate and his family.

  Viviana would probably relish that.

  Sometime later, light crosses my face, and I sit up in bed. It must be morning—I smell coffee—but I feel like I just laid down. I reach for my phone and discover it’s after eight thirty. I haven’t slept past six since my sister and her boys arrived. What a luxury.

  I wash my face, dress in the jeans and T-shirt I was wearing yesterday, and pad barefoot to the kitchen. Mia’s drinking coffee and watching the boardwalk below.

  “You’re awake. I would have thought you’d sleep till noon today.” I kiss her on the top of the head on my way to the coffee machine. I pour myself a cup and stand across the table from her. “How are you feeling today?”

  She shrugs. “Okay, I suppose. I woke up to go to the bathroom about four and couldn’t turn my brain off.”

  I nod. That scenario is familiar. “What was driving you crazy?”

  “A few things. For one, I went through my phone messages and realized you left one while I was in Hawaii that just now decided to show up. I’m sorry for not responding. I wish I’d gotten it sooner—I would have felt much better about things.”

  “Please don’t apologize, though I’m glad to know you weren’t just choosing not to respond.” I manage a smile. “I meant what I said. I’m really sorry for the way I reacted. But wait—before we get into that, finish telling me what kept you from going back to sleep.”

  She sighs. “What Marci said about me not being questioned.”

  “I went to sleep thinking about that, too. I think she’s probably right.”

  “Viviana’s pissed that I’ve not been in touch and probably feels like I’ve betrayed her—not that she didn’t do the same to me.”

  I reach for her and pull her to her feet to hold her tight. “Nate is smart enough to know you’d never intentionally hurt him.”

  She shakes her head. “I don’t know. Viv’s lawyer is good. She will twist everything and ruin my relationship with everyone who’s important to me. Viviana knows I didn’t have a lot of friends growing up, and she’s going to make sure all my friends abandon me now.”

  I shake my head. “You and Nate are close. He knows you, and he knows Viviana’s lawyer is going to manipulate things and try to turn you on each other.”

  Her cell phone pings. She reads from it and looks up, smiling. “Marci and Walker want to know if we can join them for brunch.”

  I take a sip of my coffee. “Do you want to do that? Or would you rather spend some time just you and me? I owe you a conversation.”

  She takes a deep breath.

  “Or would you prefer to go without me?” I continue. “I don’t want you to feel any pressure from me or your friends.”

  She smiles. “Thank you for being so understanding. I do want to talk things through with you. Let’s do that, and then we’ll reward ourselves by having some fun with Marci and Walker. That is, if you still want to go...” She looks away, suddenly nervous.

  “I do want to go, but first, I want to tell you directly how sorry I am for my behavior last week. I could blame it on my sister and her kids—and that was part of it—but when that guy approached the table and said those awful things, I was shocked. It really threw me. Does that happen often?”

  She shakes her head. “That was a first. Most people don’t recognize me. It’s not like there are trading cards for successful people out there.”

  I throw my head back and laugh. “No. Maybe if there were, I would have known who you were. I should look into that…” I joke.

  “I’m sorry for just leaving you on the sidewalk. I was embarrassed.”

  “I don’t blame you for fleeing—that guy was angry and aggressive. It had to rattle you.” I run my hands through my hair. “After you left, I made a huge mistake. I went to the internet and started reading everything that popped up about you. It was the opposite of what you’d told me and what I thought I knew about you, but I didn’t put it together right away that they were dishonest pieces planted as sabotage. I’m sorry. I’d give anything to change my behavior.”

  She cringes and nods. “It’s easy to see how people fall for fake news. In my case, those articles were completely false and planted by Russian trolls to discredit me. Most people don’t take the time to see the whole picture, and it’s easier to attack a woman than it is a man.”

  “I’d like to think that’s because women are the stronger sex.”

  She smiles at me. “I d
efinitely like the way you think.”

  “Do you forgive me?” I ask.

  She doesn’t answer right away, and my heart lurches from nervous to confused. I don’t usually apologize to a woman for bad behavior, nor do I worry about whether she’ll forgive me. This is all new to me, and part of me is unsure why I even want it.

  She leans in and gives me a soft kiss. “I forgive you. Just please ask me in the future if you want to know something about me.”

  “I absolutely will, and there’s lots more I’d love to know about you. But I don’t want us to miss brunch. How far away do Walker and Marci live? Can we walk?”

  “They’re up on Jackson, which is straight up the hill, but I’m not sure Peter and Jennifer will want me walking.”

  “That makes sense. When do they want to see us?”

  “We have a little over an hour.”

  I nod. “I need to shower and change. I can run home, check on Alana and the kids, and be back in probably less than an hour. Would that work?”

  “We can pick you up and drive over.”

  “Are you sure?”

  She nods.

  With the plan in place, I pull up a rideshare and dash home. My head is still a little scrambled where Mia is concerned, but for entirely different reasons now. She’s truly an amazing person.

  When I arrive, my house is surprisingly calm.

  “Hey, you’re back,” Alana says as I step inside. “We’re heading over to Kelly’s for the day. Do you mind?”

  I shake my head. “Not at all. I think the boys will enjoy that.”

  “How’s Mia doing?” Alana asks. “She was in that helicopter crash up north that was all over the television last night?”

  “I didn’t see it, but I imagine so. It was a helicopter crash, but thankfully, she seems okay.”

  “I figured that was her. She’s totally badass going after a mob boss like that.”

  I nod at my sister. “She is a badass.”

  “I think a badass is what you need,” she says with a smile.

  Tavish runs by holding a permanent marker without a lid. I cringe, but Alana is on it.

  “Where did you find this, little man?”