Katia: I’m going to need fifteen more minutes.
Damien: No prob. Scarlett’s on stage. Take your time.
I smirked, knowing he would enjoy watching one of the most gorgeous dancers in the club while he waited.
I meticulously went through the bank transactions; cross-checking my software and documenting the deposits. Thankfully, there were only three deposits, all under $20,000, and I told myself to remain calm. I needed to visit the bank and speak to the manager to make sure I stopped the erroneous deposits, but I also didn’t want to set off any red flags. I’d worked hard to ensure Michael’s bank transactions were legitimate, which sometimes meant lumping in cash deposits as part of his business deposits. The last thing I needed was to put his accounts under scrutiny.
Inhaling deeply, I searched my brain, acknowledging that there was one person in my circle who probably knew the intricacies of money laundering better than anyone. Locating his number in my phone, I shot him a text.
Katia: Hey. I need to speak to you about something pretty urgent. I haven’t told M yet, and would like to speak to you before I do. Can you meet me for coffee tomorrow morning?
Leo: I have an early meeting but can meet you around ten a.m. Do you have a coffee shop in mind? Purple cushions are optional.
Laughing, I typed back. Leo usually met me in a private room here at the club, and last time I’d commented on how uncomfortable he seemed conducting business in the room designed for sexual pleasure.
Katia: I’ll give you a break from the cushions. Bloom Café on President and Fifth. Does that work?
Leo: Yes. See you there around ten.
Katia: Thank you. Coffee on me. I know you’re busy.
Leo: No prob. Are you okay? You’re worrying me.
Katia: I’m fine. See you tomorrow. Thanks again.
Leo: See you then.
I inhaled another calming breath and looked at the ceiling. I didn’t want to keep this from Michael, but I wanted to gather as much information as I could before talking to him. He’d want to know everything, and I wanted to be prepared. My thumbs moved over the screen as I shot him a text.
Katia: I need to meet with you in person. Are you coming to the club tomorrow?
I watched the text bubble as he typed, fortifying myself to give him the bad news.
Michael: I am now. What’s wrong?
Katia: Not over text. I’ll be here by 1pm tomorrow.
Michael: See you then.
I gnawed my lip, ignoring my growling stomach as he texted me again.
Michael: And if you don’t eat, I’m going to force Damien to feed you.
Katia: Sexy, but he’s too young for me. I’m going to grab a slice on the way home. Thanks for thinking of me. Now go bother Bianca. I’m tired.
Michael: She told me to ask you if you’re still coming to dinner on Friday. She’s making lasagna because you said it’s one of your favorites.
Katia: I’ll be there. She’s the best. Probably too good for you.
Michael: Oh, I know it. Don’t tell her, okay? Get home safely. See you tomorrow.
I smiled, genuinely happy for Michael, who’d married the woman he’d loved for years.
Was it strange that I felt that way considering Michael and I had once been intimate? I didn’t think so, but what did I know?I wasn’t exactly an expert on relationships and preferred the company of my cat to most people. But Bianca and her daughter Alexis had been nothing but gracious to me since becoming part of Michael’s family, and I liked them both immensely.
I now considered both women friends, which was rare for me. After losing my parents and my sister, I’d developed a harsh view of the world and the people who inhabited it. Trust was difficult for me, and I gave it sparingly.
Somehow, with Bianca and Alexis, it had come very easily. Perhaps that meant I was opening up in some new way. Or maybe I just didn’t want to rock the boat. After all, Bianca was kind to accept her husband’s former lover in her inner circle, and I certainly wasn’t going to shun that goodwill.
