The Corner Booth (18 page)

CHAPTER 32

“Excuse me. You’re Cassandra, right?” As she looked up from her phone, Cassie’s eyes opened wide in surprise.

“Emily!”

“You remember my name.” Emily’s laughter was light and unforced.

“Of course. How could I forget you? You were a great dance partner.” Cassie waved to the seat opposite her. She had found this tiny café only the day before when she walked by it on Newbury Street and had promised herself a trip back. She couldn’t believe Emily now stood in front of her.

Pulling the empty chair out, Emily looked around before she took the proffered seat. “I hope you don’t mind. When I saw you sitting here I couldn’t just walk by without saying anything.”

“No, of course not. I am so glad you did. I am sorry that I didn’t call you. Your number got erased by accident, and I had no way of contacting you.”

Emily motioned to the waiter and placed her order before she responded. “Yeah, I figured something had happened.” Emily looked around at the other patrons. “Are you alone, or are you waiting for company?”

Cassie laughed at the expectant look on Emily’s face and shook her head. “No, I am alone.”

“Well, that is a shame.” Both women laughed at the joke. It was as if they could read each other’s mind. Emily leaned in and stared at Cassie. “I know this is going to sound really weird, but I was disappointed when you didn’t call, and even now, doesn’t it seem like we have known each other forever?”

“I know exactly what you are saying. It is weird, especially since you are not from around here. Just in case we get interrupted again, let me give you my number and I will take yours again.”

It was several minutes of silence as they exchanged numbers and waited while the waitress placed new drinks in front of them. The afternoon air was almost balmy, if you could use that word in mid-October, and not a cloud in the sky. It was the perfect afternoon to be at the outside café, which had quickly filled up with tourists and locals.

“Love the vibe of this street.”

“Me too. So you are from England? I am not very good with accents,” Cassie asked.

Smiling brightly, Emily took a sip of her drink. “I am. I am here on a temporary work visa. Wanted to check out the States, and it is easy to get one as an au pair.”

“Don’t you miss your family?”

“I have none, really. Quite on my own, but, that is why I am here. Figured the older I get, the less courage I would have. I want no regrets.”

“God. I am the same as you. No regrets, for sure. Hey, I think we are going out to one of the clubs. Would you like to meet up with us?”

Emily’s black eyes pierced Cassie’s own. “Maybe you should check with your boy toy. I don’t think he was too happy to have me in the mix last time.”

Cassie frowned. “I sorted that out. Seriously, I would like to hang with you, and he really isn’t that bad.” Cassie stopped speaking as Emily stared off into the distance.

She grabbed Cassie’s wrist. “Don’t turn around right away but isn’t that your boyfriend over there?”

Cassie was glad that Emily had asked her not to turn around quickly, because instinctively, that was what she was going to do. Chuckling, she shook her head as she turned. “No, I don’t think it could be. He said he had meetings all afternoon…” Cassie tried not to stare as she saw Sakis seated with another man. Both were impeccably dressed, drinking and smoking cigars. Which she knew normally wasn’t allowed. A table away, Stephan sat and watched over the two men discreetly. As if he sensed that someone was staring, he locked eyes with Cassie’s own. Never had she seen the look of shock on Stephan’s face. After several minutes, he walked over to Sakis and whispered something into his employer’s ear.

“Would you mind if we went somewhere else, Emily?”

“Don’t mind at all. Shit, they are coming this way.” Emily leaned in to whisper a warning.

“Shit, shit, shit.”

Moments later, Sakis walked by their table. Glancing down as if he had just seen them, he smiled.

“Good afternoon, Cassandra.”

Cassie remained frozen in her seat as he moved closer to kiss her on both of her cheeks, before he did the same to a very shocked Emily.

“Andre, this is a friend of the family, Cassandra Oliver and her friend, Emily.”

Cassie didn’t like the way that Andre checked out both her and Emily, but she quickly masked her feelings as she held out her hand and watched as Emily did the same.

“Sakis, maybe your friends could join us tonight, as we finish our negotiations?”

Sakis shrugged nonchalantly. “I am sure that can be arranged.” He pointed to the two women and said something in Greek to Stephanous before he walked away without saying goodbye. Cassie was beside herself with anger at his arrogance. He had treated her as if she were nobody.

Stephan knew that Cassie was ready to explode. In an attempt to prevent a scene, he stepped in front of her to block her view of the two men walking away. He wanted nothing more than to pull her into his arms and wipe the hurt away that he saw deep in her eyes. He didn’t even pretend that the slight hadn’t happened.

“Cassie, this is business.” Stephanous tried to explain Sakis’s behavior.

“Oh, I am sure it is. Well, we are not going tonight.” Cassie heard Emily cough loudly into her hand. Hesitating, she linked eyes with her new friend. Emily was mouthing, “please.” Cassie knew that Emily liked Stephanous. Right now she was angry; once that anger subsided, she knew that she would be able to think more logically. She changed her rash decision.

As she turned, Cassie smiled brightly and threw Stephan off guard. “On second thought, Em and I would love to go. Just let me know what time someone will pick us up at my apartment.”

Stephan stared for several moments as both women walked in the opposite direction of Sakis and Andre. He was not reassured with Cassie agreeing to go out tonight. With a heavy sigh, he grabbed his phone. He was going to need reinforcements in the security department, knowing that much of his time was to ensure that he didn’t leave Cassie’s side.

CHAPTER 33

“Hey, are you okay?” Emily finally had the courage to ask the dreaded question as Cassie pushed the key into her apartment door. Cassie had been quiet the entire subway ride back to Brookline. “We really don’t need to go tonight. I feel like I pressured you to say yes.”

Cassie’s lips curved into a rueful smile. “No, I really want to go out tonight. It’s just….” Cassie couldn’t finish the sentence, feeling as if she was going to burst into tears.

“It’s just that he acted like he barely knew you.” Emily threw her bag onto a side chair. Turning, her eyes took in the studio apartment. It was elegant in a subtle way. The soft white silk curtains cascaded from the ceiling to the floor, which made the windows seem larger than they were. A large lounger sat in one corner of the room. Behind it was a floor-to-ceiling bookcase that not only held books but boxes strategically placed and a grouping of perfumes on a silver tray. Emily loved the display and walked closer to check it out.

“When you live in a studio, you need to be creative in finding extra storage.” As Cassie lifted a cover to one of the massive boxes placed on the bottom shelf, Emily laughed at the contents. Cassie had rolled up towels and washcloths. Each matching piece rolled together so that it could easily be removed all at once.

“A friend of mine was in the military for a long time. He showed me how to roll clothes and other items for better storage. It is amazing how much more you can fit in a small area by doing that. Emily, can I get you a drink?”

Emily nodded at Cassie. “Why don’t you surprise me, but make sure part of the surprise has alcohol in it, okay? I think we both need it.”

Cassie disappeared in the kitchen as Emily continued to check out the apartment. As small as it was, there really was a lot to look at.

Moments later, Cassie handed her a drink. It was sweet but not overpowering. She was disappointed she didn’t taste any alcohol. As if reading her mind, Cassie chuckled. “Tell me how you feel after the first one. I keep a batch in the fridge from time to time. If you like it, I can make more.”

Taking a seat on the lounge chair, she watched Cassie putter around the room. The soft jazz that filled the air surprised her.

“Your place is fabulous. I do believe you are an old soul, Cassie.”

“Yes, I have been told that before.”

“I don’t mean to stick my nose in where it doesn’t belong, but I think you should talk about it. You look as if you are going to explode.”

As she sat on the floor, Cassie took a long drink and contemplated how much she should share. She knew nothing of Emily. Time and time again, she had trusted and then paid the price for that. She was not ready to go through that again. On the other hand, if she needed anything right now, it was a friend; no, not just a friend—a female friend.

“When I am with him, I come alive. He is attentive, caring, sincere. There are no false pretenses when it comes to Sakis. Yet, then there is the business end of who he is. Which I know is important and I don’t want to come across as it being all about me, but, you saw what happened today. He acted as if he didn’t know me. And it is not that I mind; it’s just that he will apologize tonight, tell me that he doesn’t like mixing business and pleasure, and then he will expect me to smile, and tell him that it is fine.”

“But it isn’t fine, is what you are saying.”

“Should it be?”

“I am really not sure. I confess I haven’t had any real strong relationships, so I am probably not the one to come to for advice. But, if you are looking for something from me, I can tell you this. Everyone is different. Every relationship is different. What works for others would not work for me. If it works for you and you can set your feelings aside for those moments that he is all business, then do that. If you can’t handle it, then is it fair to either one of you?”

Cassie cocked her head to one side, hanging on to every word Emily spoke. She made sense. “What was your last relationship like?”

“Oh, we were great in the sack, but didn’t have too much to talk about when we weren’t under the sheets. After a while I got bored, and I think he did too. It was kind of a relief for both of us when I left.”

“Yeah, there is nothing wrong with him in that department, for sure.”

Emily watched as Cassie’s face went a bright pink at the admission. “Your face just turned every shade of red.”

“Just not used to talking about my sex life.”

“Well, I like talking about shagging, and I love shagging, so there. You will not be seeing me changing colors.” Emily could feel the drink finally having an effect on her body. “Holy shit, that drink is strong.”

“Told you.” Cassie laughed as Emily slid down the lounge chair to take a nap.

“So what are you going to do tonight, Miss Cassandra?”

“I am going to make him wish that he announced to the world that I was his girlfriend and then we will go from there.”

“That’s my girl. Wake me up in a couple of hours, will you?”

CHAPTER 34

Stephan glanced at his watch again.
Why hadn’t the girls arrived yet?
He had debated on picking them up himself, but didn’t want to leave Sakis’s side. Sakis was able to finalize the negotiations this afternoon and the deal was set with Andre; all that was left was to determine the delivery date of the weapons. This one sale, once it went through, would be the largest of any that Sakis had negotiated. He was earning a reputation of being trustworthy and the Albanians were relying on this so much so that they would be wiring the money before the first shipment even went through.

As he scanned the club for anything unusual, he glanced over at Sakis and Andre to ensure that they did not need him. He had asked Phil to pick up the girls. Right now, his friend was the only one he could trust to get them there without any drama or delays. Obviously he was wrong. Stephan tried to call Phil again. The phone just rang and rang. Hanging up, he refused to allow himself to get nervous. These were just two young women; what trouble could they really get themselves into? It was only ten. The evening was still young and Sakis himself, who usually didn’t arrive until midnight, hadn’t asked yet where Cassie was. He would give them until eleven before he started to worry.

Several miles away from the club, Cassie was trying to catch her breath. Emily literally had her laughing from the moment she woke up from her nap until now. She hoped that she hadn’t smeared her makeup.

“Emily, you need to stop. Remember, you said we had to walk in like we owned the place. The way we are acting, you would think that we needed chaperones.”

Grinning, Emily wiped the smudge away under Cassie’s eye. “You are right. We need to pull ourselves together. You know we look so good tonight, we could pass for models.”

Sobering, Cassie leaned over and hugged Emily to her tightly. She whispered in her ear, “I am glad you saw me today, and I am so glad you are with me tonight.”

They pulled away and looked at each other, before they burst out laughing again. Emily was right about one thing. They really did look good. She wore a form-fitting red dress, compliments of Sakis, that from the front looked quite chaste, but the back dipped so low it hovered just before it became indecent. Her long hair was up in such a way that tendrils framed her face softly while a long string of white faux pearls were wrapped around her neck. Cassie put them towards her back so that the pearls fell down her back and not the front.

Emily had sprayed her lightly with glitter. The shimmer of the glitter drew attention to her bare, flawless skin. Cassie felt mature, extremely sexy, and most of all, very much in control. As she shifted in her seat, she could feel the heat color her cheeks. Emily had convinced her with this type of dress shouldn’t be ruined with panty lines, so she opted for none. Grinning at the thought, she took in her new friend.

Emily looked fabulous with her jet-black hair cut at a slight angle. It completely framed her porcelain skin and brought out her dark eyes. Her makeup was also flawless. Emily had chosen a black dress as low-cut in the front as Cassie’s was cut in the back. Cassie learned a lot about double-sided tape that day. Emily was shorter than Cassie, but her red stiletto heels made her legs look longer than she truly was. The men would not know what hit them.

Gesturing towards the front of the vehicle at Phil, Cassie grinned and nodded. She knew the driver was beside himself. He’d arrived at nine thirty and had buzzed up to her apartment. Both women were ready, but told him that they would need a few more minutes. Every few minutes after that, they would look out the window to find him pacing the sidewalk, sometimes on the phone. That was when they had come up with the idea to swipe Phil’s phone. They didn’t make their way downstairs until forty-five minutes later, much to Phil’s chagrin. After Cassie had introduced herself and Emily, they climbed into the car as he held the door open. Before she stepped in, Cassie stumbled on the sidewalk.

As anticipated, Phil’s arm shot out to catch her. Grabbing at his jacket in an attempt to steady herself, she slipped her hand inside his pocket where she knew he carried his phone, and easily slipped it out. “I am so sorry,” she apologized, breathless.

Phil barely nodded in response and shut the door firmly behind them. He just wanted to get them to the club and finish for the day. They had driven one block before Emily interrupted his train of thought. “Excuse me, Phil?”

“Yes.” He tried to keep his voice from sounding annoyed. These two were worse than his kids.

“Would you mind terribly driving me to Chestnut Hill? I forgot my medicine.”

Cassie coughed to mask her laughter. She knew that Phil was just about ready to kill them both.

“My orders were to pick you up in Brookline and take you directly to the club.”

“I know. I am so sorry,” Emily stated in her sweetest voice. “That’s okay. If you can just drop me off at the first gas station or convenience store, I can take the train home and meet you two at the club. I really need to take my meds.”

Both girls heard him swear under his breath before he did a U-turn. “No problem. It won’t be that much farther out of our way.”

Emily had taken another fifteen minutes to find her “medication” and now they were finally headed back into the city. Cassie figured that they would be fashionably late and not on Sakis’s time. While she and Phil waited in the car, she watched as he reached for his phone. Patting all sides of the fabric, she felt a twinge of guilt at the scowl that formed on his face. She was more than sure that Stephan would have called him by now and from the look of agitation, Phil must have thought the same. But he said nothing about the missing phone.

It wasn’t until they reached Boston did she speak up. “Phil, are we almost there?”

“Yes. About ten minutes if traffic stays clear.”

“Great. When we get out, you might want to check under your seat. I think Emily accidently kicked something there a few minutes ago.”

Cassie didn’t even finish her sentence. She had to grip the handle on the door as Phil cut off several cars to pull over to the side of the road. He flung her door open, and Emily and Cassie grinned as he bent down to feel under his seat.

“Thanks. That was my phone. I must have dropped it.”

“Oh, I am so glad I said something then.” Cassie winked at Emily as Phil swore again when he saw the number of missed calls. His phone started to ring, just as he pulled out onto Beacon Street. Cassie was sure that every other word had to be an expletive coming from Phil’s mouth as he spoke to someone on the other end of the line.

“I sure wish I knew the Greek language, don’t you, Em?”

CHAPTER 35

The black Range Rover pulled directly in front of the club. Cassie watched as the police on duty pushed the crowd back. The only person who didn’t move out of the way stared at the vehicle as it stopped. Stephan looked furious.

Emily leaned over to whisper and her voice shook. “You know, for some reason, I just got nervous all of a sudden.”

They both squeezed each other’s fingers tightly as both doors opened simultaneously. Stephan stood tall and silent; his hand reached in, palm up, to assist Cassie. She sat frozen for a moment, but then slid her hand into his and allowed him to gently pull her out. Emily was already making her way around the car with Phil.

All thought of chewing her out left Stephan’s head as first one long bare leg and then the other stepped out of the vehicle. Stephan couldn’t breathe.

As tall as she was in the high heels, she still had to look up at Sakis’s bodyguard. “Hi, Stephan,” she whispered. She knew her outfit made an impact as she hoped it would and prayed he wouldn’t have a heart attack when he saw the back of the dress. Turning, she faced Emily so that Stephan could get a full view. She heard his audible gasp. Cassie grinned and winked at Emily. So far the evening was going exactly as planned.

Stephan, finally finding his voice, gestured in front of him. “Ladies?”

Emily walked ahead of Cassie. Stephan instinctively placed his hand on Cassie’s back to steer her forward. His fingers touched soft bare skin on her lower back. He had to stifle the moan that was ready to leap out of his throat. If this was his reaction, he could only imagine what Sakis’s was going to be. None of this was lost on Stephan. If this was just the beginning of what she had planned, he was in for a long, painful evening. Stephan was more than sure that the two women in front of him, as innocent as they made themselves out to be, had planned every second of their evening. And after the torment that they put Phil through and mental agony that they put him through, he dreaded what was next. Cassie was obviously trying to make a point, and in his world, she already did.

Emily stared around her at the unusual club. She had read the reviews on the Lotus Nightclub and there wasn’t one negative word written that she could find. The jazz/funk club had a line of people wrapped around the building. She knew that some of those people would never make it in tonight. Yet, she and Cassie breezed through. Standing in awe at the interior, the only words she could use to describe the room was old-world grand. Large white panels of silk curtains hung strategically from an incredibly tall ceiling. It reminded Emily of the tall ships that she had seen at Boston Harbor, their sails billowing in the wind. The dance floor was relatively small compared to other clubs, but it was obvious to her this also was done deliberately. This was a club where you sat, if you could find a seat, and spent a lot of money on drinks while enjoying the entertainment.

“Emily?”

Emily jumped at her name; she realized she held everyone up. Stephan and Cassie were now in front of her. She wondered where the owner would sit in a place like this.

Stephan gently urged Cassie forward again. Searching the surrounding area, Cassie tried to see Sakis but she was unfamiliar with this club. Weaving through the tables, Stephan stopped near a set of marble stairs. Another set of curtains blocked the way ahead. Stephan held on to the side so that she and Emily could step through. A tinted glass door separated them from the private room. As she stepped through, Cassie realized the area was larger than she had anticipated, and she had a moment to view Sakis and Andre, leaned in close together, deep in conversation. Both were smoking, and the wisps floated around their heads before working its way up to the ventilation system. The walls to the room were all glass; the occupants could see out, but no one on the outside could look in.

“Holy shit, Cass. I get it now. All the conflicting emotions, the feeling of insecurities,” Emily whispered.

Cassie nodded, not taking her eyes off her lover. His white shirt had a few of the buttons undone, under a long jacket. The silver bracelet reflected the muted lighting every time he took a drag from his cigarette. She could feel the familiar feelings of need work its way from her stomach and reach between her legs. She wanted to go to the bathroom before they were seen, to gather the last remaining courage she felt she had left. Turning to Emily, she grabbed her friend’s hand. “Let’s go to the women’s room.”

“Too late, baby. He has seen us.”

She turned slowly to look around her. Sakis and Andre had risen to their feet. Both men had put out their cigarettes and headed towards them.

“I literally am thinking I am going to throw up, I am so nervous,” Emily said between gritted teeth. “Oh, and by the way, I don’t want Stephan anymore. He scares me too much.”

Before Cassie could reply, Sakis was in front of her. He took her hand in his large one as Andre moved to claim Emily and steered her towards the table. Cassie stepped forward to follow, but Sakis held her in place. His arms wrapped around her, he slid his hand so his fingers grazed down her back. Gooseflesh broke out over her skin, and she almost lost the resolve she had to stay angry with him. Her chin lifted slightly; the movement did not go unnoticed.

“You look incredible, Cassandra. I barely recognized you.”

“Thank you.” Cassie coolly refused to look him directly in the eyes, choosing instead to stare at his throat. Sakis slipped a finger under her chin and forced her to look at him.

“Do not be angry, agapi. That was business.”

“And this?” Cassie spat out before she could stop herself.

“This?” Staring at her lips, he leaned in. “This, my sweet love, is pure pleasure.” His head dropped and his mouth covered hers in a deep kiss. His tongue made its way into her mouth before she could protest. He took every last breath she had, causing her to feel weak in the knees. Clutching at his shirt, she hung on as his hands gripped her ass, pressing against her, and forced her to feel every inch of him before he brought his hands to cup her face.

“See what you do to me?” he growled as he lifted his head, still staring at her mouth, now glistening from the kiss.

“Come, let me get you a drink.” He grabbed her hand tightly in his.

Stephan watched as Sakis and Cassie kissed, shoving down every emotion that tried to force its way to the surface. It always shocked him, the way he reacted to anyone touching her, including Sakis. She was not his, and somehow he needed to figure out how to deal with his thoughts. Both couples were now deep in conversation. Andre and Sakis had their arms on the back of each of the women’s chairs. The two women sat next to each other. He noticed that Cassie really didn’t contribute that much to the conversation and wondered when the two would be taking the trip to the bathroom. As if reading his mind, Emily leaned over to whisper in Cassie’s ear and both rose at the same time, as did Sakis and Andre. Catching a look from Sakis, Stephanous nodded at his employer.