Chapter 4

Jack

“What do you mean she’s gone out?” I was supposed to be relaxing on my own this evening, taking a night off, but Joe had shown up not long after dinner to tell me Hailey had left her house and gone to the newest speakeasy with some other women.

That was not at all what I’d expected her to do.

I thought she’d hunker down in her house or try to run, but going out on the town? My respect for her and my curiosity rose in equal measure. What was she thinking? Was this a show of defiance, or was she in denial? Did she truly think she’d be able to go on with life on her own?

I wanted to know. I wanted to know what she was thinking, what she was doing.

Joe shrugged. “She stayed in her boarding house all afternoon, then left after dinner, all dolled up.”

The hint of admiration in his voice he couldn’t quite conceal indicated she’d dressed to the nines and looked swell by the time she stepped out. So, why hadn’t she run? That had, honestly, been my expectation. Even if she hadn’t run, I expected her to be plotting. Unless… was this part of her plan? I drummed my fingers on the table next to my chair, then got to my feet.

Apparently, my plans for a night in had been canceled.

Hailey

The air, smelling of cloves and smoke, was filled with laughter as we wove our way to the bar. There was a band and dance floor on the other side of the room, couples swaying to the crooning of the lounge singer as her body swayed in time with the music. I slowly relaxed.

There had been no sign of Joe or Bruno when I’d left Mrs. Cunningham’s boarding house, to my relief. It had been hard to see in the dark, so there was always a chance they’d been watching, but I hadn’t looked… hadn’t cared. Tonight, I was going to show all of them they couldn’t change me.

Sure, I needed to escape quickly, and I planned to do that as soon as possible, but in the meantime, if Giacomo’s men were watching, they’d report back to him that I was living my life as usual. Perhaps he would even see it as a sign of acceptance, which would hopefully make any watchers lax in their surveillance. I doubted Giacomo DiNardo had ever been openly defied before, but I was far more afraid of living the life my grandfather had chosen for me than anything else.

A couple of drinks helped take the edge off, and I was feeling much more relaxed. Enough so, I finally told Clara the truth about my past, about DiNardo’s demands, even if I didn’t tell her exactly what he’d done to me and about the chief letting it happen.

“I can’t believe the chief fired you,” Clara said, shaking her head.

Like me, she was dressed fashionably in a beaded frock that went to just above her knees. Unlike me, she had bobbed her hair. I, on the other hand, had twisted mine up, so it almost looked bobbed, but the heavy locks were actually held in place with pins and my beaded headband. Eventually, it would give me a headache, but for now, I cared more about fitting in.

“He didn’t fire me exactly.”

“It amounts to the same thing. What are you going to do?” Concern flitted through her dark eyes, her brow wrinkling.

“I don’t know yet,” I said, which wasn’t entirely true but wasn’t a lie. I only had a very general idea of what I would do next. Even without specifics, it was safer if no one knew my plans, for both them and me. I trusted Clara, but she still worked for the chief, who was clearly under Don DiNardo’s thumb.

Chewing on her lips for a moment, Clara reached out to touch my hand.

“Tell me if there’s anything I can do to help.” Despite the drinks, her expression was somber, her eyes serious. It made my chest hurt. Either she thought us closer than I had realized, or she was incredibly na?ve. Either way, I couldn’t justify putting her in danger.

“Right now, this is helping.” Lifting my glass, I smiled to push away the seriousness of the conversation. “I needed this tonight.” More than ever because I had a feeling this would be my last night with Clara. Any more than tonight might put her in danger. Everyone at the station knew we had plans tonight.

“Did Bruce say anything after I left?” I asked, keeping my voice casual. I don’t know why I cared. I’d already seen his true measure, but he was the only one other than the chief who knew what happened in the interrogation room—even if he hadn’t stayed to watch Giacomo bring me to climax, thankfully.

Clara made a face, and my heart sank.

“He’s a rat,” she said stoutly. “He called you a liar, but that was all he said.”

“Technically, I did lie.” Sighing, I took a sip of my drink, letting the buzz, the warmth flow through me, soothing the hurt. Clara rolled her eyes.

“You lied about your last name, but you never lied about who you are. You’re still you.”

“Unfortunately, I don’t think everyone will see it that way.”

“Because they’re rats.” Clara nodded sagely, and I found myself giggling, actually giggling, despite everything.

Putting my drink on the table, I threw my arms around her, hugging her as hard as I could. She hugged me back, some of her drink sloshing onto the back of my dress, but I didn’t care.

“You’re a good friend, Clara.” Better than I’d known, even if some of it was due to naivete.

“So are you. Don’t worry, Hailey, we’ll figure something out.” Pulling away, she downed the last of her drink and grabbed my hand, tugging me toward the dance floor. “Come on, let’s go dance!”

Grabbing my drink, I tipped it back and finished it off, then followed Clara to the dance floor. Something wild hummed through my blood. There were a million things I should be doing instead of dancing in an illegal bar, but right now, I didn’t care. The world had given me so little since it took my parents. Tonight, I was going to take what I wanted, and I wanted to have a good time with my friend.

Jack

There she was, dancing in another man’s arms as if she didn’t have a care in the world.

I watched her from the shadows for over an hour, more than a little confused by what I was seeing. Far from the angry, independent, buttoned-up worker at the precinct, Hailey looked every inch a daring flapper, though her hair was not actually cut short. Only the thinnest threads seemed to connect her to the traditional young woman I’d seen earlier today.

The song finished, and she found her friend again, a pretty blonde with a slim figure and a wide smile. She’d been at the precinct, though I hadn’t realized it until Gio whispered the information to me. I think she’d caught his eye, but I didn’t pay attention, my focus on Hailey.

Unpredictable Hailey linked her arm through her friend’s and threw her head back, laughing at something the little blonde flapper said. She was beautiful when she laughed, something I doubted she’d do anytime soon with me.

That was what had stayed my hand and kept me watching. Hailey didn’t know it, but this was her last night out like this, so she should enjoy it. I was enjoying watching her. My crew was already packing up her things at her boarding house to take to my father’s home, where she’d be staying until our wedding this weekend.

Once we were married, she wouldn’t have the same kind of freedom. While I might take her out to a club like this, once I was assured she would behave herself, she wouldn’t feel the same kind of freedom. She definitely wouldn’t be dancing with other men. Whether or not her friend would still want to talk to her… well, I supposed that depended on if she had the same puritanical streak Hailey did. Going by her slightly shorter skirt, sassy haircut, and flirtatious demeanor, I didn’t think she did. Hmmm, perhaps she could be useful to me as well.

I gestured to Gio, and he leaned in.

“Distract the blonde?” I asked.

Gio smiled, a light sparking in his dark eyes, confirming his interest in Hailey’s friend. I mentally wished her luck. I couldn’t remember the last time my cousin had shown genuine interest in a woman, but Gio and I were like two peas in a pod—what we wanted, we took.

“No problem.”

Straightening from where we were standing against the wall in the shadows, we headed across the room, following Hailey and her friend to the bar.

Hailey

I’d had more to drink than I’d meant to but couldn’t seem to stop. I was having fun. The events of the day seemed so far away, which is where I wanted them—one step removed or more if I could manage it. Eventually, I’d have to deal with it, but not yet.

I was going to laugh, dance, and have a grand old time until I had to go home and figure out my next move. I’d planned to make my getaway in the early hours of this morning, but that plan was out the window. I was too drunk. I hadn’t meant to get this drunk, but now that I was, I would have to put off my plans for a day. Perhaps making a break for it during the day would be better, anyway. Less expected. More people to blend in with. New York City had a bustling nightlife, but daytime was even busier.

“You should come home with me,” Clara said to me, her words slurring. “They won’t expect that.”

“No.” I shook my head. “That might put you in danger. You don’t want to catch the eye of any of those bastards.”

Clara’s eyes widened, her fingers coming up to cover her mouth in mock shock that was a bit real.

“Ooooh, you said a bad word!”

I had to laugh. Clara was the one with a sailor’s mouth. I don’t think she’d ever heard me curse before. She started giggling, then I started giggling, and it was as if I couldn’t stop. Hysteria? Inebriation? Sheer panic? An unholy combination of all three?

“Hello, ladies.” The deep voice that purred in my ear was like ice water thrown over me.

My giggles cut off, as did Clara’s, her eyes widening with shocked horror. I didn’t need to see her expression to know who was pressing up behind me, his hand already on my waist, touching me in an all-too-intimate manner. I might have only met him once, but I would recognize Giacomo DiNardo’s voice anywhere.

Another man was sidling up next to Clara, his features and suit close enough to Giacomo’s, I knew they had to be related. Darkly handsome, perhaps a bit shorter than Giacomo, but with shoulders a touch broader, he looked down at Clara as if she was a particularly tasty treat.

“Leave her alone!” I reached out to push him away, the alcohol making me far braver than I might have been otherwise, but Giacomo caught my hand, pulling me against him.

“Your little friend will come to no harm,” Giacomo murmured in my ear.

My belly did an unexpected flip, tendrils of warmth stirring between my legs as though my body remembered him touching me there and how good it felt. My nipples stiffened as he wrapped his arm around me, partially mimicking the stance he’d held me in earlier that day, making the betrayal of my body complete.

“As long as you come and dance with me. Now, little one.”

Bastardo.

I wanted to gnash my teeth and curse him, but Clara was already being pulled toward the dance floor by the larger man. She shot a glance back over her shoulder, frightened and unsure.

“Mr. DiNardo, can I get you something to drink?” The bartender’s voice.

I groaned. Of course. Somehow, even though it was the newest spot in town, he was already known there. With my luck, he probably owned the joint.

“No, thank you, Victor. My girl and I are going to go dance.”

“Very good, sir.”

One arm wrapped around my waist, Giacomo steered me to the dance floor while I did my best to ignore the way his closeness was wreaking havoc on my body and my senses. My mind was trying to race, but it felt sloshy and weak, thanks to the alcohol.

There had to be a way to escape, but I could tell Giacomo was sober. And he knew the people here. And his capo had Clara. I couldn’t leave her, even if I could escape the arm wrapped around me like a steel band.

I nearly stumbled into his arms when he swung me around on the dance floor, pulling me into him. My legs weren’t working quite right. I stared up at him, hating myself for finding him attractive, for my body’s response to being pressed up against him, yet unable to do anything about it.

He was a good dancer, which added salt to the wound.

“I have to admit, doll, I was surprised to hear you’d gone out tonight.”

I stared up at him, struggling for a response. It took a moment for my brain to catch up with the implications of his words. Of course, I’d suspected he’d have me watched, but this confirmed it. I also hadn’t seen anyone watching me when I’d left Mrs. Cunningham’s, so I’d have to be more careful next time.

“That’s because you don’t know me… at all.” The tart reply I finally came up with didn’t have the sting I’d hoped for. Giacomo chuckled.

“I know you well enough.”

“Ha. Like what?” I tilted my chin in challenge, though some part of me was also genuinely curious. How well could he possibly know me?