For the Love of Chocolat Read online

  “He dragged us into it.” Michelle dropped back down on the sofa. She rested her forehead in her upturned palms.

  “Yes, he did. He regretted it. He reasoned that he would teach you girls how to survive the only way he knew how. Michelle, his life wasn’t his own. He just didn’t know how to stop.”

  “Well, thanks to him, neither do I.” She lifted her face from her hands with a fresh coat of tears spread over her cheeks. “He could have told me about The Order. Why he belonged to it. Especially how he introduced Leith Sullivan to the life and made him the evil bastard he is today. The truth, Cosmo. It’s how he could have protected us. Now I’m flying blind here.”

  “I don’t believe it. Not knowing kept you safe. You stopped when you decided. If you were important to those men like Pops was, you would have never stopped pulling off jobs. No school, no life of your own.”

  Michelle heaved a burdened sigh. Her gaze swept the office. A cramped little space littered with papers, boxes of supplies. Cosmo stood there, with his kind eyes and heart. Whenever they returned to Chicago, Pops brought them here and he would cook them a good meal, tell them stories of Italy, of anything that crossed his mind. She always felt safe with him, felt at home.

  “How bad is it? What does The Order want from you?”

  “I’m not sure if there is an Order still. There’s trouble among the ranks. I think Lee has stepped down.”

  Cosmo’s eyes became large and round. “He can’t. Hell, even booze couldn’t break the hold these men had over your father. No one walks away. If he told you that, he’s lying.”

  She shook her head sadly. “He’s the king of lies, so who knows.”

  “You’re in danger, Michelle. You and Sasha both. You have to get out now,” he pleaded.

  “All the more reason why you have to help us. Trust me, this Chalice is my only hope, our only hope. I have to find it before any of them.” She sighed. “That’s my hope.”

  “But how?”

  “I’ll worry about the how later. Think, what was Pops doing the last day of his life?”

  Cosmo rolled up his sleeves. “Your father didn’t share his jobs with me, with anyone.”

  “Think.”

  “You know how he was then. He came here smelling like a brewery a few weeks before his death. He said what he always said. He was caught between a rock and a hard place, and something about turning those men on each other. He always said things I didn’t understand.”

  “Wait.” She threw up her hand like a traffic cop. “Turning them against each other, you mean?”

  “I suppose. When he was drunk, bottom-barrel drunk, he’d talk about destroying them from within. He knew more about those men and what they didn’t want known than any one member. If he wasn’t the best in the business, they would have probably killed him long ago because of it.”

  “What did he say about the Chalice?”

  Cosmo shrugged. “Nothing. I never heard of the thing. But he did joke once about….” A light of recognition flashed over Cosmos’ face.

  Michelle stooped to his level. “What? What?”

  “The Briscol Bank. He wanted to get a job there to work his favorite vaults. I joked it would be the only way to get inside. He laughed. He said he could get in and out of it any time he wanted. He said he used it as his personal piggy bank.” Cosmo wiped his hand down his face, clearing it of sweat. “When he died in the crash, you wouldn’t take his personal effects, Michelle, but I kept them for you.” He went over to his safe and opened it. Reaching inside, he pulled out a black box. “I didn’t think much of it then, but maybe this means something.”

  Michelle accepted the box. She opened the lid. Tears formed at the sight of the contents: a burnt wallet she’d given him for Father’s Day, a chain he’d worn all her life, two diamond pinky rings, what was left of a watch, and his key ring. Attached was a circular cut of silver the size of a dime. A hole was punched into it so it fit like some weird decorative piece. “What is this?”

  “A dime?” Cosmo looked down at it in her hand.

  “Not a dime.” Michelle pondered the mystery. “Cosmo, what if Pops knew he’d have to put the Chalice someplace impenetrable? A place only he could get in and out of?”

  “Like the vaults of Briscol? It’s pretty damn risky. It could be uncovered.”

  Michelle gave him a faint smile. “No. There are vaults sealed with priceless treasures. Those vaults are rarely opened. He could slot it somewhere among other riches and it could remain uncovered. It’s brilliant. And what’s even better, I know how he got in. I can do it.”

  Cosmo frowned. “That’s not brilliance, that’s suicide. If the guards don’t kill you, then the security system will finger you and you’ll spend the rest of your life in prison. If Pops put the Chalice there, it’s because he didn’t want you or anyone to go after it if he died.”

  “I don’t have a choice.” She checked her watch and realized dinner with Lee was approaching. She needed to leave. “Thank you!” She hugged Cosmo. “I have to go!”

  “Wait…wait…I have some money. Not a lot, but enough. I have three hundred thousand. It’s my retirement fund, and I’ll give it to you to run. Take Sasha and get the hell out of the country. Just run.”

  Michelle smiled sadly. “Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t take from you. Don’t worry. I’ll protect us both. Pops showed me how.” She leaned in and kissed his cheek. “I love you, Cosmo.”

  “Michelle, please be careful. Pops never wanted this for you. I swore to him I would keep you from this life, help you start a new one,” he said, giving her a squeeze.

  She grabbed her jacket and held on to the key ring. “I won’t see you again, for your own safety. Thank you for everything.” She blew him a kiss and hurried out of the diner. Holding on to the only key that could bring her the Chalice, she felt a sense a hope for the first time since her nightmare began.

  ***

  “Babe, wake up.”

  “Huh?” Sasha rolled over. At some point, their afternoon lovemaking had led them to the bedroom. Still basking in the warmth of afterglow, sleep had been a welcome event. Now Kumar stood over her with a tray. He’d made her dinner. “Wow, you fixed me something? Thank you, honey.”

  He set the tray over her lap, and she scooted back into the pillows, yawning. The sheet slipped down and her D-cup breasts bounced into view. Kumar’s gaze immediately latched on to them, and she felt her nipples tighten under his stare. Sasha smiled, imagining how wicked things could get when her boobs excited Kumar. He was definitely a breast man. She’d wake with him pressed against her backside and his hands covering her breasts, and even asleep he’d squeeze and tweak her nipples. It drove her crazy, and he swore he didn’t do it on purpose.

  “What’s this?”

  “I made you a spinach salad, cut up some strawberries and grapes, and put it in there with tomatoes, like you want it.”

  “Aww, thanks, sweetie.” Sasha grinned, pouring the balsamic vinaigrette over the leafy mix. Kumar stood there staring, grinning. His dark locks were pressed flat to his head, wavy against his damp forehead. He seemed a bit jittery. He didn’t fidget, but she noticed his clipped movements. “What is it? Why are you standing over me like that?”

  “I, um…I wanted to talk to you about something.”

  Sasha forked some salad into her mouth, nodding. Of course she knew what it was. When he discovered a new code or broke some security system, he wanted to tell her all about it. He had all these ideas about developing a programming language that would surpass the reach of the Internet. It was so confusing. But she listened intently when he was worked up. Kumar sat on the edge of the bed. He ran his hand up and down her leg.

  “I never told you about me and Pops. Not really.”

  “Yes, you did. He helped you get clean. You told me about it.”

  “Not really,” Kumar said. He glanced away. It was rare when he wasn’t able to face her. “I almost overdosed once. I was working a job for Lee. A big job. The
pressure was on me. Hard.” He leaned forward with his arms on his knees and stared down at his feet, head bowed. “I nearly screwed things up. Lee was pissed. Pops almost got tagged.”

  “Which job?” Sasha asked. She knew most of them and probably heard her dad talk about it hundreds of times. Things sometimes went wrong, but he would always say it was part of the thrill. She knew whatever happened, Pops didn’t blame him. Kumar didn’t answer. He kept going with his tale as if on autopilot.

  “I needed something to take the edge off. To make me feel less like a piece of worthless shit, because back then it’s what I felt like most days.”

  Sasha didn’t chew. She couldn’t swallow. She sat perfectly still.

  “It was Pops who found me. Saved me. He kept it from Lee. Pops was good at hiding stuff, and he taught me how to stay strong. It was the last time I used. And um, it, well it was over three years ago.”

  Sasha swallowed.

  “Thing is, babe, I want you to know the truth. With him dead, it’s been a struggle. You found my kit. I lied and said I keep it to stay clean. I keep it because I know I might not. I still need Pops. His friendship. Some days the need hits me hard. But I found a way to beat it. I’m good, clean. It’s just, sometimes the urge comes, and I dunno, I have to go see someone. Talk it out.”

  “Okay?”

  Kumar returned his gaze to her. She saw him battling with his confession of weakness. She understood his need for reassurance. “What do you need to do?”

  “Go to a meeting. I plan to go tonight. I wanted to tell you. No lies or secrets between us. I just don’t want you to think it means I’m weak. Because I’m not. Not really.”

  Sasha lifted the tray and set it aside. She crawled over to Kumar and rose on her knees, then took his face in her hands. “Can I come? To support you?”

  “No. It’s not open to non-users, and besides, it’s dangerous for you to leave here.”

  “Then I’ll support you. I’ll be here waiting for you. I believe in you. I know what my father’s addiction did to him. How hard it was for him. I know it’s a daily struggle for you, and I will do whatever it takes to support you. Do you know why, Kumar Suresh?”

  He blinked but didn’t answer. She lowered her face to his and kissed him sweetly, then stroked his scruffy cheek. “Because you are my heart. I love you, baby.”

  Kumar smiled. “You’re the only woman to say that to me, outside of my mother and sisters, and I believe it. I don’t know why it took me so long to find someone so special, but I’m glad I found you.”

  Sasha kissed him again and Kumar held her within that kiss. She didn’t tell him, but she knew the truth. It was she who was the lucky one.

  ***

  The dress revealed too much, which didn’t surprise her. The back, cut low with a crisscross of silver, braided straps that held up the triangular pieces of material covering her breasts. It was a blue-and-silver trimmed curve-defining fabric and it shone with each step she took. She held to the side of the delicate material, careful of the long hem, as she descended the stairs.

  The first thing she noticed was that the lights to the lower level of Lee’s home were off.

  To navigate her way, she had to do so by candlelight. Michelle assumed this was Lee’s way of seducing her. She was tired of their game. Tonight, her vow was simple. Lee would only receive what she was prepared to give. From this moment forward, her heart was off the menu.

  The candles made shadows dance against the walls, but their soft yellow glow lit the way. She inhaled the pungent aroma of melting wax. It mingled with soft music, beckoning her to the back of his estate. All of it made her quite light-headed. She emerged into a dining room, fit to serve a king’s court. The long table had been removed for a smaller, more intimate one. And there was Lee. He turned, darkly dressed and freshly shaved. Those eyes that made her knees weak swept over her with approval. She swallowed the nervous knot of rebellion in her throat as he approached. Michelle straightened her spine and gave him a small smile in return. “What’s this?”

  “Dinner.”

  “A bit theatrical, don’t you think?”

  “You look stunning. I knew you would. Absolutely beautiful.” His face came close for a kiss but she sidestepped him.

  “So what’s on the menu?” she asked with a casual ease to her tone. She observed the place setting. Real silver cutlery and china with covered plates.

  “You,” Lee answered. He was behind her before she anticipated it. His hands smoothly went down the bend of her hips. His lips grazed the exposed back of her shoulder. “How is it even now you excite me?”

  “Maybe you’re just easily excitable?” she said dryly.

  Lee chuckled. “I think not.” His hands, flat against her thighs, traveled around dangerously high, and he spoke his intentions in her ear. “Dance with me first, then we eat. I want to hold you again.” He breathed into her hair.

  This had not been part of her plan. She was in no real mood for seduction. With so much drama in their lives now, she couldn’t understand why he was so amorous. Michelle sighed. She turned within his hold on her, dropping her arms over his shoulder. Lee approved. They seemed to float to the center of the room. It felt effortless being with him.

  Moving against him did ease the tension between them, she had to admit. Lee’s head fit against the hollow between her neck and her shoulder. The soft air escaping his nostrils warmed her skin and she knew he, too, relaxed. Maybe a little normalcy between them wouldn’t hurt. A series of slow, shivery kisses grazed the contour of her neck, and her lids fluttered shut. The touch of his hand was almost unbearable as he cupped her below and squeezed. She had no desire to back out of their embrace, to turn from the seductive appeal of his lips on her skin, to stop the massage from his hands or refuse the rub of his hardening cock pressing into her. She could be angry again later. These moments were the ones they both readily submitted to.

  The turbulence of his passion swirled around her. Lee’s lips parted hers, and he held her tighter as he deepened their kiss. The tug of her hair forced her mouth to capitulate under his plundering lips. Michelle exhaled once more and chased his tongue with her own. A duel for dominance dissolved to a drudgingly slow, playful release that explored and claimed her in ways no other man had before.

  Finally, he released her from his kiss but held firm to her hair. He studied her face, seeking what, she didn’t know. Her body warmed all over. Swallowing and breathing hard, she dug her nails into his shoulder. Lee gave her a familiar, dark conspiratorial smirk. The unshakable confidence that made him the best manipulator in the business shone in his eyes. She hated him still. She craved him deeply. Inside, she was a confusing mix of indecisiveness. Was he the enemy, her lover, or more?

  “Let’s eat.” He released her.

  She resisted the urge to pull him back and kiss him again. Brand him the way he branded her. Make him submit. She’d make sure to do just that, later.

  “Okay.” Michelle allowed him to lead her to the table. She sat and a waiter poured the wine. From nowhere, a violinist came near the table, changing the tempo of the melody and therefore setting the mood. She had forgotten he lurked in the shadows. The servant lifted her covered dish to reveal a filet, potatoes, and asparagus. Michelle didn’t dare look up. The plan was simple. In order to be free, she would have to convince Lee otherwise. But the girlhood crush she’d carried for years made her heart foolish enough to consider other options. An alliance with him using the Chalice could liberate them both.

  “So you went to see your friend Cosmo today?” Lee asked, cutting into his filet.

  The question hit her hard. Michelle froze. Ripped from her inner thoughts, she lifted her gaze. “What did you say?”

  “Cosmo, Pops’ best friend. You paid him a visit. Do you think he knows where the Chalice is?” Lee asked, picking up his red wine and sipping.

  “What is this? Are you having me followed?” Her brows knitted together in disapproval.

  “Don’t
be paranoid. I will always know where you are. It’s for your protection—and mine.”

  “Yours?”

  Lee winked. “You’re Chocolat. I know my lady and how sneaky she can be when pissed off.”

  She bristled.

  “So does he? Have any idea where the Chalice is?” he pressed.

  “No, I went to tell him goodbye.”

  His left brow arched as if he didn’t believe her. Michelle sat upright. “He’s been the only support I’ve had since Pops died. He thought I was returning to work, so I had to tell him I wasn’t, and I wasn’t going to medical school either.”

  “Ah, your dreams of being an MD.”

  “Well, they won’t happen now, will they?”

  “I’ll buy you a hospital if you want.” Lee winked, chewing with a crooked grin. “You can play doctor all day, and then come home to me and play nurse all night.”

  Michelle laughed. “In your dreams.”

  “So, he has no idea where the Chalice is?” he asked again.

  “No, he wouldn’t. Pops never put people outside of this life in danger by sharing his secrets. You know that.”

  “Maybe he knows more than he thinks.”

  “I said no, dammit! Leave Cosmo alone.”

  Lee remained unfazed by her outburst. She could have asked him to pass the salt and gotten a greater reaction. He nodded. “Fine, he will be left alone. Now what’s your plan?”

  “Plan?” She finished her wine.

  “Yes, for the Chalice, because I know you have one.”

  “I’m working on something. In fact, I may have an idea where to look.”

  He stopped cutting his meat. His eyes lifted. “You might?”

  “Pops had this thing with bank vaults. That’s how Sasha got so skilled. He thought it was a true test to his craft, his ability to get in and out of them without dynamite.”