Now and forever, p.14
NOW AND FOREVER, page 14
Her tone changed. “I hope so.”
“Why, Mireya? What’s happening?”
“Papá said after your wedding Patron approached him about me.”
I stood, gripping my phone. “Patron thinks he can hand out cartel women like candy.” My pulse quickened. “Who does he want to marry you off to?”
“I don’t know. Mama says she doesn’t know, and Papá said it’s not time to include me in the conversation.”
“Of course not. Em said my marriage was in the works for six months before I was told. Why would the men be interested in your opinion? It’s just your body and life on the menu.”
“Menu?” she asked.
“It’s something I said to Dario. I asked how he chose me…if I was listed on a menu.”
“Right, like Patron has our pictures and statistics.” She sighed. “That’s what it feels like. I want to know who even sees the menu?”
“I don’t know,” I admitted. “I doubt Dario would know unless the person is with the famiglia.”
“I don’t think he is, but honestly, I don’t know. I know Nick and Em weren’t pleased with you marrying into the famiglia. I’m sure they’d be upset if another Ruiz was sent to Kansas City.”
“But if you were sent here, we’d get to see one another.” That reminded me. “I’m going to have coffee with Ana later today.”
“Ana Herrera?”
“Yes. She said Elizondro needed to spend more time in the States. She’s pregnant and convinced him to let her stay in Kansas City.”
“She’s pregnant?” Before I could reply, Mireya asked, “Did you get Dario’s permission?”
Mireya was always better than I was at following rules.
“I don’t need it. He told me I was free to come and go as I pleased as long as I take Armando or Giovanni with me—two bodyguards he has assigned to me.”
“He must really trust them to leave them with his new wife.”
“I’m getting used to Armando. He’s not too bad. He doesn’t hover.”
Mireya replied, “Tell Ana I said hi. We spoke a little at the wedding. It’s great to see she and Elizondro are doing well. It gives me hope.”
I recalled what Ana had said at the wedding. “Yeah, for me too. I should go.”
“Call me back when you can.”
“If you hear any more about Patron’s plans, call or text,” I said as I made a mental note to ask Em.
“I will.”
We disconnected the call, and I made my way out of the library, searching for Armando. The door to the theater room was slightly ajar. I peeked in. Maybe it was constructed for Josie? I didn’t have the energy to give that more thought. I found Armando sitting at the breakfast bar drinking a cup of coffee while Contessa was cleaning the stove. With his suit coat missing, his holster and gun were visible.
I almost asked why he needed to be armed in the apartment, but then I remembered Dario saying that in bed and in the shower were the only places he wasn’t armed. Coming up behind Armando, I laid my hand on the countertop. He met my gaze. “I want to go to Hotel Phillips.”
Armando furrowed his brow.
“Dario said I was free to come and go wherever I wanted as long as you or Giovanni come with me. If you can’t take me, I’ll call Giovanni.”
“I can take you,” he replied less than enthusiastically. “Why Hotel Phillips?”
“If Dario told you to take him to the grocery store, would you ask what he planned to buy?”
Contessa smirked. “I’d ask if he knew the way.”
“Okay, that was a bad example.”
Armando took a final drink of his coffee. “We should take the SUV.”
I wasn’t going to argue about the vehicle. “Let me run upstairs and we can leave in a few minutes.” Not waiting for a reply, I headed upstairs. In the bedroom, I assessed my attire: a long black maxi skirt with a lightweight short-sleeved cream sweater top that left a small band of my stomach exposed. My sandals had only a two-inch heel. A gold chunky necklace and large gold earrings completed my attire. With my hair secured in a low ponytail, I decided I looked respectable enough for a Luciano wife. If someone didn’t know who I was, the giant diamond on my finger would give them a clue.
Before grabbing my purse, I considered adding Em’s thigh holster and knife. Then I remembered the male voice on the phone. If Elizondro was in New York, Ana no doubt had her own bodyguards. I didn’t want to be found armed.
Armando met me at the elevator. “Did you call Dario?” I asked.
“No, ma’am.” He grinned. “I sent him a text message.”
I shook my head as the elevator opened. While I wasn’t surprised, I could at least revel in the fact that my precedent was set—I hadn’t been the one to ask permission. In the garage, Armando and I walked to the large SUV we’d used last night for dinner. Once I was seated in the back seat and Armando was in the driver’s seat, I thought about Dario out and about all around town. “Does Dario have a bulletproof vehicle?”
Armando’s stare met me in the rearview mirror. “He has one available to him.”
“Besides this one,” I clarified.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Okay.” I inhaled, reassured that my husband wasn’t slacking on his safety simply because I may have a whim to leave the apartment. As Armando pulled the vehicle out of the garage and onto the streets, the summer sun and blue sky shone above the buildings. Looking around, I asked, “Would you mind being a tour guide?”
Armando’s eyes were covered with sunglasses, yet he turned to the rearview mirror, no doubt assessing my reflection. “Excuse me?”
“I know next to nothing about Kansas City. Maybe you could point things out. Dario mentioned museums and art galleries.”
“The grocery store,” he said with a smirk.
“Exactly.” After all, I had my driver’s license, and if things became less dangerous, I could drive myself from the apartment to points around the city.
Armando’s tutorial of the city began strong, but as traffic congested, his enthusiasm diminished. “Where are we going within Hotel Phillips?”
“I’m going to meet a friend in her room for coffee.”
“A friend?” Despite his mirrored glasses, I could tell he was watching me in the mirror.
“Yes, a friend who was at the wedding. I received an email from her saying she was still in the city.” It was more explanation than I wanted to give.
“I’ll park and walk with you.”
“I’m sure you can drop me at the front door of the hotel.” As soon as the words left my lips, I knew it wasn’t possible. Dario wanted Armando with me. That meant he would be at my side. “Can you please wait outside the suite?”
He nodded.
Miraculously there was a parking space available on the street not far from the hotel. Donning my sunglasses, I stepped out of the car. While it hadn’t been that long since I was outside, I lifted my face to the warm sunshine, relishing the summer day. It would take time to get used to living in a high-rise apartment. I missed my family’s pool deck and the beach below.
Together, Armando and I walked toward the front entrance to the hotel. A doorman greeted us as if we were guests. The lobby was beautiful, recently restored to its one-time grandeur. Even the elevators were authentic, small golden doors covering their entries.
We took an elevator to the twentieth floor, the top level. It didn’t take long to find room 2004. It was the room with a man seated outside the door. He stood as we approached, and Armando stiffened at my side. I kept my voice low. “Oh good, you’ll have company.”
“Mrs. Luciano for Mrs. Herrera,” I said to the man.
He nodded without a word and opened the door.
“You boys have fun,” I said as I left Armando in the hallway, hoping that their fun didn’t include a pissing contest to determine whose gun was bigger.
“Cat,” Ana greeted as I entered before wrapping me in a hug. She spoke in Spanish. “Come in and have a seat. I had room service bring coffee with an assortment of flavors of cream and some lemon cake.”
“You look great,” I said, also speaking Spanish. I inspected Ana more closely than I could at the wedding, as well as the hotel suite. We appeared to be alone. She was also not showing her pregnancy. If anything, she appeared thin. Maybe it was her loose slacks and blouse. I sat in a soft chair near the sofa.
Ana poured coffee into two cups from the silver pot. Handing me a cup, she said, “Look at you with that firm stomach. It’s not as easy after a few children.”
“You’re a real inspiration,” I replied. “I didn’t think the arranged marriage would happen to me. It’s great to see someone who made it work.”
Ana shrugged as she sat on the sofa, curling her legs beneath her. “It’s like that lady said on the TV show. We have all the pussy.”
I nearly choked on my coffee. “Who said that?”
“I don’t remember the show, but she’s right.”
That was a series I’d need to add to my viewing list. It sounded like the woman was full of good advice. Unless…
My thoughts of doubt returned. “What if she isn’t right about us having all of it?”
Ana’s face fell. “Dario isn’t cheating already, is he?”
“I don’t think so. I don’t know.” I exhaled. “I guess I’ve let other people’s comments get to me. It isn’t like we married because of love. We had our first real conversation the night before the wedding.”
“You’re looking at it wrong.”
I set my cup on the coffee table. “How should I look at it?”
“From now into the future.”
My cheeks rose.
Now and forever.
“Women like us don’t get the luxury of choosing our husbands or even dating, so we have to start dating after marriage. These men have responsibilities that weigh them down. I decided not to be an added burden but instead to be a partner.” She shook her head. “Convincing a man like Eli that his child bride could be a partner took time, but the end result was worth the effort. Sure, they have their choice of whores, but those women can’t give them children. I decided to show him that I was all that he needed.”
Leaning back against the chair, I sighed. “And you think I can do that with Dario?”
“Look at yourself, Cat. You’re beautiful and smart. I know he’s Mafia, but he’s a man. So, my answer is yes, I do.”
“They really aren’t that different, are they?”
Ana rolled her eyes. “To hear Eli talk, they’re worlds apart.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m sure you know that not everyone from our world was excited about Jorge’s decision to marry you to the Italians. Some see his willingness to make a deal outside of our people as a sign of weakness.” She shook her head. “Even though I wanted to see you, I almost refused to attend.” She laid her hand over her midsection. “Eli had to convince me there wouldn’t be a bloodbath.”
It sounded like everyone shared the same concern.
“I’m glad they all behaved.”
“It was why we came.” Ana sat taller. “Eli said if the wedding went badly, Jorge would be vulnerable.”
“Wouldn’t that help Elizondro?”
“I don’t know all the details. I just know that Eli attended the wedding as a sign of support for Jorge. He said the Italians needed to know there is a united front even if in private they weren’t happy about it.”
My stomach twisted. “It feels wrong to talk about it now. I’m stuck between both worlds.”
“No, Cat. You’re born cartel. It’s in your blood.”
“What if Dario and I have children?”
She squared her shoulders smugly. “They will have cartel blood.”
And famiglia blood.
I was ready for another topic of discussion. “How are your children?”
By the time I emerged from the suite, Armando was standing there looking as if he was ready for us to leave. “Did you two talk?” I asked as he and I entered the elevator.
“He’s cartel. My Spanish is weak.”
“He speaks English. If he didn’t, he was messing with you. Besides, I’m cartel.”
“No, ma’am. You’re Dario Luciano’s wife. That makes you famiglia.”
On our walk to the vehicle, Armando informed me of a change in plans. “Since we’re out, Mr. Luciano requested that I take you to the Emerald Club.”
“Dario wants me to go to a strip club?”
“A private club,” he corrected. “And it doesn’t open for another few hours. It’s also the location of his main office. I’ve already told him we’re on the way.”
Of course he did.
Chapter
Seventeen
Catalina
The guard shack at the entry of the club’s parking lot was attended by a man who recognized Armando. Lifting the gate, he waved him through. Taking in the outside of the Emerald Club, I tried my best to have an open mind. It wasn’t like the cartel didn’t have the same type of businesses. While I’d heard stories about Wanderlust, I’d never been inside.
Armando parked the SUV, got out, and opened my door.
“Are you going to walk me inside?” I asked.
“Do you want to walk in alone?”
The part of me that Dario claimed had fire wanted to say yes, I can do it. However, in the grand scheme of this situation, the answer was no. I was glad I had my bodyguard at my side especially when a man taller than Armando opened the door. I did a double take. Armando was nearly as tall as Dario, but this man was giant.
“Mrs. Luciano,” Armando said, introducing me.
“Ma’am, it’s a pleasure,” the big guy said in a deep voice. “Mr. Luciano is in his office.”
The sight of an establishment the size of the Emerald Club during the day was eye-opening. It reminded me of walking into a warehouse. The multiple bars, tables, couch groupings, and stages were empty except for workers cleaning, or stocking liquor.
I looked up. The ceiling over the main portion of the building went up three stories with catwalks and large spotlights in the rafters. There was a sweeping staircase that led to the second floor. While I’d never visited a club like this before, I’d seen enough movies to guess that the windows that looked down from the third floor were probably Dario’s office.
“The elevators are over here,” Armando said.
“May we walk up to the second floor?”
He shrugged and led me up the stairs.
“This is the VIP area,” he explained. “Higher shelf liquor, private entertainment, and there’s gambling on this level. Roulette, blackjack, and poker. No slots. The gambling is all with credits. As far as the government knows, no actual money is exchanged.”
“How do the VIP clients obtain the credits?”
Armando smiled. “Yeah, there is that.”
“And I suppose they cash them out.”
“Funny how that works.”
He led me through the different lounges, some separated with red velvet ropes. One had a grand piano near the center. Multiple areas had long stages with poles. Near the elevators to the third floor were multiple hallways resembling those found in a hotel. “Are the private rooms only on the second floor?”
“No. There are twice as many on the first floor.”
“Where are the workers?” I asked.
“Home, I’d expect. Unless there’s a private party, the doors don’t open until four.” Armando flashed a card in front of a sensor and the elevator opened.
We stepped inside.
The back side of the elevator was glass, giving us a view as we rose that overlooked the VIP sections. I turned as the elevator doors opened.
“Catalina,” Rocco said with surprise.
Stopping short, I’d almost collided with Dario’s brother-in-law. “Rocco.” While I barely knew Mia’s husband, there was something about him that made me feel uncomfortable.
He looked at Armando. “I’m going to assume Dario knows she’s here.”
“That would be correct,” my bodyguard said. “And he’s waiting.”
Rocco nodded, waited for us to step out, and he stepped into the elevator. Next, Armando led me to the right and stopped at the first door. He knocked.
“Come in.”
I recognized the voice.
Armando pushed the door inward. Dario stood from behind a big desk, looking as handsome as he did this morning. His suit coat was off, but his shirt was still pressed and crisp. His holster and diamond cuff links were in place.
His gaze met mine, sending a cold shiver through me. Maybe this was his work persona, but I wasn’t getting a warm and fuzzy vibe.
“I’ll let you know when Mrs. Luciano is ready to leave.”
Armando nodded, leaving me behind as he shut the door.
Dario stepped around his desk, each step slow and deliberate.
“Why did you—” I began to ask.
He lifted his hand, inhaled, and leaned against the front edge of his desk. The muscles in the side of his face pulled tight. His fingers blanched as they gripped the solid wood surface on either side of his long legs. Yet his volume and tone were even—too even. “Elizondro Herrera? Your first time to leave our home and you go to the hotel suite rented by Elizondro Herrera?”
Had Armando reported my whereabouts?
I never told him Ana’s name. And then I remembered I’d said it to the man standing guard, the man Armando had been forced to stay with.
“I went to visit Ana. Elizondro wasn’t there. He’s in New York.”
Dario lifted a hand and curled one finger, bidding me to come closer. Steeling my shoulders, I did as he silently asked. He led me around the desk to the side with a view of three large monitors. He moved the mouse, and a grainy picture came into view. “Who is that?”
Leaning forward, I looked closer at the man. “It’s difficult to tell.”
“Give it a try.” His voice was as cold as ice.
The man was without question Latino, large and imposing. My stomach twisted. “Is it Elizondro?”
“Very good.”
I met my husband’s stare. “Ana said he is in New York. She said he had business there. She just wanted to talk.”
