She stands up, and her hands clench the hem of her shirt nervously.
I tilt my head and study her carefully.
She’s very pretty with long blond hair, big blue eyes, and a curvy body. She is watching me closely, and we continue to stare at each other until Bobby notices me.
He walks away from the men and comes around his desk to me. After a quick kiss and hug, he holds me to him. “You up for this?”
I lean back and look at him. “Something I can help with?”
He holds my hand. “Yes.” He pulls me toward the young blonde, and already I notice that Bennett and Knox have moved to each side of her, and they’re both looking almost protective over the woman.
“Hmmmm,” I say softly.
“What’s that, honey?”
I shake my head and put a smile on my face. “Hello. You must be Audrey. I’m Eleanor.”
She smiles back at me, but now that I’m closer to her, I notice the dark circles under her eyes. She looks as if she hasn’t slept in days.
I don’t know what I expected, but this is not it. She doesn’t look as if she’s cold and manipulative. She looks almost innocent.
Audrey gives me a hesitant nod. “Mrs. Kingston.”
“Eleanor,” I correct gently.
She looks surprised by that.
Bobby walks toward me and places a hand against my lower back automatically. “You sleep okay?”
“Mm-hm.” I glance up at him. “I got your note.”
His lips twitch as if he’s trying to hold back a smile, but then a full smile forms.
Knox puts his hands on his hips. “Well, look at that. The Mafia king does smile. He must have gotten laid last?—”
Before he can get the rest of the words out, Bennett reaches behind Audrey and slaps Knox in the back of the head. “Ugh, stop. That’s my mom and dad you’re talking about.”
With a smile on his face, Robert switches back to business mode. “Audrey was just filling us in.”
We all turn and look at Audrey.
She is obviously nervous with all of us watching her, and I try to take the edge off. I walk toward the couch and sit down, patting the seat beside me. “So what’s going on?”
Audrey glances nervously toward Bobby before looking back at me. “They’re moving product through midtown.”
Bobby’s expression darkens instantly.
“What kind of product?” I ask even though I already know.
Her voice lowers. “Drugs.”
Silence fills the room, and my stomach twists. The Kingstons are not saints by any means, but we don’t mess with drugs, and we don’t like them in our territory. When we discovered the Sterlings were buying up property, I think we all assumed they were coming after our gambling, guns, or other businesses. I don’t think any of us actually thought he would bring drugs.
Audrey swallows hard. “My father is using the warehouses to move everything through the city. He’s buying properties close together so he can try and keep it hidden.”
I glance toward the maps spread across Bobby’s desk, and realization settles in my chest.
I was right. We guessed what he was doing, but we didn’t know anything for sure. Bennett steps closer to Audrey apparently without even realizing it. “How long?”
