Page 69 of Mocha Kisses

She nods, “Because you don’t have any evidence that they can hold me on.”

I laugh and then gesture to Nova who has his sleeves rolled up, his jacket thrown over his forearm. He looks like he’s going to destroy her and maybe six years ago, he would have. Now? He’ll just terrify her a little bit and then send her on her way. I wonder if she’ll piss her pants. Probably not. She’s too hard a bitch.

“Yana Siegler, I have enough evidence for them to lock you away for at least the next twenty years, mainly due to fraud and money laundering. Maximillian told us all about his publishing company and where most of that money has gone. Whatever choices you’ve made have landed you in a position that requires you to continue finding new money avenues so you don’t fall apart. What you don’t seem to understand is that where you’ve lodged yourself, it’s not exactly a prime position. How the fuck did you even find Luna?” Nova takes a step toward her, cocking his head to the side as he does.

She shudders and then straightens up. A flash of terror runs through her expression and I nearly miss it. “Her father is crafty as shit. Running around telling everyone how he got a million-dollar loan. The bastard couldn’t keep his trap shut. When it comes to women, he has a weak spot so I played on it. The Agency came knocking, so we figured out a way to take the heat off.” She shrugs like it’s no big deal and it takes me an embarrassingly long time to connect the dots.

I run my tongue along my lips, thanking Luna that she told me to put my rings back. I don’t feel whole without them. “Are you telling me that you told her father to fuck her mother so that he’d have someone to push the debt off onto? That’s just fucking cruel.”

“It worked but to rebuild, we needed money we didn’t have. So, I just posed as the agency and started taking what she was paying, siphoning just a little to them to keep ‘em quiet.”

Yana truly had all this thought out. Obviously, she got greedy, seeing how easy it was to siphon the money. The men after Luna, though, I don’t get. “And the suits?” I ask.

“An added touch. Easy to find and more than eager to please with a $100 or two in their pocket. Keep her thinking the agency is after her and we keep getting the money. Then you all had to screw it up. We nearly had everything we needed six years ago. The town lawyer before you was a fucking dickwad. He let us clear the forest and we had all the permits ready until you blocked one of them. Everything would have worked out perfectly and now my husband is working off his fucking debt with them while I’m just out here.”

That’s where I laugh because she isn’t justout here.Nova tsks as he steps closer and Yana visibly cringes. “You see, you’re not justout here, Yana. You played with the wrong group of people. They don’t like people touching their money and you didn’t just do it with one loan. You did it withmultipleloans. They’re not very happy.”

“Youknowthem?” She gasps.

Nova chuckles, a dark, demonic sound that sends shivers down my spine. “I thought you did your research, Yana. I used to work for them. Just so happens Carson let me have this one.”

“You’re going to drag me to their doorstep?”

“I don’t have the time or energy for that. I can’t be seen doing something so… unruly in public. I have a family to think about. Besides, I have everything I need,” he purrs as he holds up a small device. We haven’t used a recorder in years, haven’t needed to but her confession will be everything. We want her public humiliation just as much as Luna needs closure. Nova has timed this perfectly as the crunch of gravel sounds behind us, Nova twisting around to throw the newcomer a dark smile. “Carson, lovely to see you.”

Carson steps up and clasps Nova’s hand, the man a nearly identical copy of Nova. That lean build between them, the silver and black hair, the completely put-together suit and personality. The only real difference is that Carson’s eyes are green and he wears his beard thick. “You look like you’re having too much fun. Can I have her now? Is she mine?”

Yana’s eyes bug out of her head as she plasters herself against the wall. “What—what are you doing here?”

“Picking up the woman who’s been stealing my money. Her husband sings like a canary, did you know that? Saying all sorts of shit that I can’t possibly believe until I talk to the source. You coming?” Yana makes no effort to move. “I will absolutely throw you over my shoulder and carry you kicking and screaming to the car. Not one person out here except for these two and my men. No one to rescue you. You dug this grave and it’s time for you to lie in it.”

This time Yana pushes off the wall, but she doesn’t seem defeated. I’m hoping it’s a rouse until she dashes around Carson who just sighs, snaps his fingers, and waits. A squeal pierces the air and then the iconic ‘put me down’ before the sound of car doors opening and then slamming follows.

“That was anticlimactic,” I whine.

Carson shrugs. “And now she’s my problem. Consider your girl off the hook. I’ll sort out my money problems and tell your family to stay away from my business. I hope we meet again but when you’re signing up for a job, not trying to keep me from one.” He pats Nova’s shoulder and nods to me. “Always a pleasure, Rome. Say hi to your brother.”

“I won’t.”

Eager to get back to the other two, I wait just long enough for Carson to disappear around the corner and return to the venue. Watching them smiling and laughing has my heart nearly jumping out of my chest. Luna’s cheeks are full as she stuffs shrimp in her mouth like it’s going out of style. Griffin is explaining his series to one of his fans, the male hanging on every last word. The other attendees are enjoying themselves, even Max sipping champagne surrounded by a few others.

It’s the first time I can relax in nearly two weeks and it feels good.

Nova steps up beside me. “Ready to leave?”

“Can we? Fuck, I’m ready to take them home and devour them.”

“Them?”

My face heats and I think about it, especially the kiss I dealt Griffin this morning. We’re not ready for that step but yeah, that’s where we’re headed. “Yeah, them.”

“Then let’s let our lovers know that we’re ready for a little party of our own.”

We swarm into the crowd, wrapping ourselves around their backs. Luna holds onto my arms as I squeeze her, twisting around with those puffed-out cheeks. “Time to go home, sweetheart.” Her eyes widen. “I told you I was going to fuck you in this dress and then Nova promised to peel you out of it.”

“What about me?” Griffin whines.

Nova shrugs. “I don’t know. You like watching. Do that.”

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