The tension in both Bella’s and Bond’s faces tell me something’s not right. Not in the way that a fight and shootout is about to break out in the middle of this patio. If they knew or thought that, they wouldn’t have brought the children to be in the middle of it. But not right in that way that my day is about to get as stressful as they both hoped my day hadn’t been going.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Bella says.
Bella pauses to thank the server as he brings an appetizer. Some kind of caviar, scallops, and lox with cheese and crackers. Personally, I’m just in the mood for a cheeseburger and fries.
When the server leaves, Bella says, “It’s a good thing.”
It likely isn’t. But there are too many potential ears around to hear.
“Oh yeah?”
“I spoke to Stephen Pray this morning,” Bond says.
“Did you?”
“He heard and saw the plans you have for your luxury hair salon online. He was impressed. Said it always heartens him to see the youth getting into business.”
I huff and take one of the crackers with lox and cream cheese.
“I’m not that young,” I mutter.
“You are to him,” Bella says breezily. “Anyway, he said he wants to help and is interested in sponsoring the salon. He was thinking maybe Pray Drinks can be the exclusively sold beverage. For both the sober and the non-sober.”
Of course, it’s not that simple. But it’s not like Bella or Bond can say more in this setting. Maybe it could have waited until we got home. But if there are any eyes and ears listening to make sure Bella and Bond passed on the message, why wouldn’t they pass it on during a family lunch?
If Pray’s legal business weren’t as big and global as it was, I’d think he wanted to partner with my salon to help him launder money. But Pray Drinks is valued high enough with enough corporations and shell corporations under its umbrella to not need one luxury salon’s help.
No. This isn’t about laundering money or even helping him move his drugs. This is about exercising his power over the Uccello-Bianchi mafia family. This is a test of loyalty. One I couldn’t say no to evenifBella and her family weren’t in such a precarious arrangement with Pray. Because saying no to a man like Pray is how you find your business burned to the ground because of an “electrical failure” or ruined from random and senseless “gang violence.”
“He wants to bring you out to Colorado as soon as possible to discuss it. He suggested the governor’s mansion but said knowing a woman with as high and expensive tastes as you, you’d probably rather meet somewhere more sophisticated,” Bella says taking a sip of her dark wine.
“Tell him I’m available whenever he is,” I say.
Because it’s not like I can say no. I have to go. Just looks like I’ll be putting my disguise to the test.
As I’m asking the waiter if the chef can whip me up a cheeseburger and fries, it occurs to me that Viper told me to lie low. What I’m about to do is the exact opposite of lying low.
I almost laugh imagining his reaction.
He’s going to be ready to kill me.