Redemption (Crossing Lines Book 2), page 5
I’m sort of dating his daughter. I’m sure he caught the fine print because his eyes widen when we walk in together. He’s polite though.
“Kendall, welcome,” he says. “I’ve looked through some old photos, and I think I found something interesting for you. I’ll show you later.”
“I’d love that. Thank you so much for having me.”
“Well, we can’t say no to Robyn,” he deadpans.
I’m still reading the room. He and my father were apparently close at some point, close enough that he managed to insert himself in the organization—ironically, just like Robyn did. That’s where the similarities end. In the present, Blake is friendly but cautious. I understand. As a Mancini, I know the importance of protecting myself just as my father did. We don’t give up all our secrets that easily.
“I’m glad,” I say while Robyn gives him a smile that’s a bit terse.
Her mother Veronica shakes my hand. “How about we start with a cocktail? Dinner is almost ready.”
I sure don’t mind starting with a bit of alcohol. Robyn gives me a questioning look, and I hurry to say, “That would be great. And don’t look so worried, I’ve been cutting down on the pain pills. I’m fine.” The silence that ensues is a bit awkward, which I understand. We’re talking life-changing events, life-or-death situations. Yes, I’d really like that cocktail now.
“Why don’t you take a seat?” Veronica suggests. “We’ll be right back.”
Blake follows her into the kitchen, while I sit on the couch. Robyn hesitates and chooses an armchair.
“Relax a little,” I say. “This is going fine, right? And you cleared family dinner with SAC Carr. We’re good.”
“Yeah.” She nods. “Maybe I’m just too eager to expect bad things to happen.”
“It’s been rough, I’m the last person to dispute that. But we’re fine here. Got to live a little.”
Robyn laughs, shaking her head. “I think I need someone to pinch me. This is surreal.”
“Hey, I didn’t know you were into that, but I can help you. A little later, but still.”
Yes, I definitely have things under control. I managed to get her all flustered in the time it took for the parents to bring the cocktails with a Campari-orange flavor.
The answers Blake might or might not have for me aren’t the best dinner conversation though, and neither is Robyn’s job, which was his job before he retired.
“This is very good,” I say. “And I have to tell you, I like the surroundings much better than the last time we met.”
This is for Blake who gives me a wry smile. “I can imagine. We’re happy to have you.”
“Thank you. You have a lovely home.”
It seems like everyone around the table is taking a deep breath in relief. Yes, art and furniture make for a good subject for some small talk. Easy. Safe.
Blake takes his time. After dinner, he suggests, “How about we go to my office? We’ll stick to the plan, of course. This is informal, but you might want to hear about this in private.”
“Sure,” I say, keeping the smile on my face. “The law forbids me to have any secrets from Robyn at this time, but I think we can work that out later. I’d love to see those pictures you mentioned.”
“Great. We can have dessert and coffee after that.”
Curious, I follow him to his office where we sit down. Blake picks up a box that contains photographs and takes out a few. My jaw drops a little at seeing the young boys in school uniforms.
“Yeah, that was a long time ago. We were over at each other’s houses almost every day, really close, until we changed schools, and it got harder to keep in touch.”
“You found each other again though.”
“Yeah. We met a few times over the years.”
I look at the black and white photograph again. “He trusted you enough to let you in, even when you didn’t always have his best interests in mind.” I’m not sure why this slipped out. Too much wine maybe. Or perhaps I resent him, like I still resent Robyn a little for crossing those lines. Myself, for letting them. I should have been around, picked up something that Jimmy and Luca apparently didn’t, and perhaps Dad would still be alive.
“I’m not sure what the FBI, or your family told you, but I wasn’t looking to set him up.”
“Really?”
“I was trying to protect him, and Angela. I’m sorry I failed, Kendall. I’m deeply sorry about that, but not everything is how it seems.”
“Okay. I should let you explain. Since I’ve been enjoying your hospitality, I think I owe you that much.”
“I think you owe that to yourself more than anything. A lot of people have been telling a lot of stories lately, but this is what I know to be true: Al wanted to come clean. He wanted to run a legitimate business, and make sure you and Angela were protected. We were working on making that happen.”
“But then Jimmy found out.”
He sighs. “Al had a hard time believing that Jimmy might betray him. In the beginning, he had this idea that you two might get married, start a family. While your dad understood that it wasn’t going to happen, Jimmy never did.”
I sit back in my chair, recent conversations with Jimmy flashing on my mind.
“There’s no point in beating yourself up,” Blake says, reading my thoughts correctly. “He was a good actor.”
“I guess so.” I’m still absorbing the fact that Dad could be deeply involved in the FBI investigation, basically an informant? “So my father was willing to risk it all.”
“Because he believed that his parents, and grandparents had gone astray to a certain extent. And he wanted a clean legacy for you, and the generations after that.”
“Wow.” That’s not very eloquent, but I’m not sure what else there is to say.
“He was doing the right thing. So are you.”
Whatever his approval is worth, I can’t ignore that it feels good. Luca and Claudia, my closest family members, were a lot more critical this week, and in the recent past. I’ll have to draw my own conclusions from that, see who really showed up for me. Sofia. Robyn and her family. It’s a confusing upside-down world.
“Do you have any more questions? If not, we can go back down for that coffee and strawberry shortcake in a minute.”
“Sounds great.”
Before I have a chance to wonder what’s going to happen in that minute, he continues, “Just one more thing. I swear this is the truth, and we were trying our best to help Al. No one is happier than me that the ones responsible for his death are finally held accountable. But whatever game it is you’re playing with my daughter…stop.”
“What…?”
“I think you heard me, Kendall.”
Oh, I did. “With all due respect, you don’t want to know about the games I’m playing with your daughter.” I get to my feet. “Thank you for everything, Blake. I appreciate it more than you can imagine. Robyn is a grown woman, and so am I. Don’t forget it. I’d love a piece of that cake now.”
I leave the office, and he has no choice but to follow me back down.
This has been most enlightening.
* * * *
Boundaries sufficiently established, and with less pain than any day since that day, I feel amazing. I feel like celebrating, even with the patronizing warning I received from Blake. I know his brand of mild-mannered machismo because Dad was the same. Nothing for me to worry about.
Robyn, unaware of the details of my conversation with her father, seems to have finally loosened up by the time we enjoy dessert with coffee.
“Everything has been delicious,” I say. “Again, thank you so much. Frankly, for a long time I didn’t know what would make a difference to my grief, but this has helped me. The conversations with all of you…and in my family, we say that excellent food cures everything. I think that’s very true.”
Veronica looks pleased, Blake a tad resigned. Nevertheless, he’s been a good sport.
“Let’s drink to that,” he says. “If you have room for a small digestif?”
For a second, I think Robyn will decline the offer, but instead she shrugs.
“I think we do.”
A home-cooked meal with the Johnsons, it’s almost as good as an evening at Catania. When family matters, it shows. This evening has given me a lot to think about.
* * * *
An hour later, we walk through the front door of my condo.
“This wasn’t just about a few old photos and stories, was it?”
I won’t insult Robyn’s intelligence by telling her she’s wrong.
“You nailed it. It seems like Dad was about to be an informant which is something to wrap my head around, still. Blake was very friendly and polite except he warned me to keep my hands off you.”
Her expression clearly shows her disapproval. “He said that?”
“Not in those exact words, but yes. I might have responded with something resembling sexual innuendo.”
“I don’t know what to say to that. But every time you open your mouth, it’s something resembling sexual innuendo, and to be honest, I’m tired of it.”
That sounds harsh, I was going to say, but the next moment, her mouth is on mine, her kiss demanding. Robyn steps back and elaborates, “The innuendo part, that is.”
“Yeah, I got it. Does that mean you’re going to stay over again?”
“How much more bizarre can this day get?” she wonders out loud.
I pull her close for another kiss, let my hand wander over her shoulder, down her back and then let it slide past the waistband of her slacks. She gasps in surprise.
“Nothing bizarre about this,” I whisper. Her slacks fall to the floor, and she steps out of them. Her sweater is next, and she’s standing in front of me in nothing but her underwear. “Let’s go somewhere more comfortable.”
“You don’t want to undress?”
“It can wait a little.” I love how that…innuendo…makes her eyes darken with desire. “I missed you.”
“I missed you too,” she admits. In the bedroom, I finally get her all naked. I get out of my dress, but leave the bra and panties for the moment, give her a light push, and climb in bed with her. I’m not completely pain-free yet, but it’s mild enough to ignore.
It’s a rushed, impatient encounter as we’re both aware we’re on borrowed time, always have been. But it’s so worth it, having her under my hands, in my hands, stifling her moans with deep kisses. This is not about controlling anything, on her side or mine. This is happening because we want it.
Robyn doesn’t take more than a few seconds to relax. She’s all over me, mindful of recent injuries, but not shy. My panties sail to the floor, and her hands, warm and confident, open me to her as she gets comfortable. She leans in for a taste, and the world is vanishing in a haze of pleasure. Being with her like this is safe. I close my eyes, shivering under her touch, her hair tickling my thighs until the sensations take me over. I don’t try to prolong the inevitable.
I can finally let go.
Chapter Nine
“That was intense,” I observe. In the mirror on the other side of the room, I can see my own somewhat stunned expression, my disheveled hair. Kendall is only now removing her bra. Seeing her wince, I hurry to help.
“Thanks. And yes,” she rasps. “Intense.”
Whatever that means, this had nothing to do with my initial undercover assignment, or the case. I’ve come to think that it was unavoidable, and her constant teasing of me was only partly to blame.
I wanted her.
I want her.
It makes no difference who I pretend to be—this hasn’t changed. The depth of the sexual attraction between us still surprises me. Is it that continued aspect of danger and taboo? I don’t know. All I know is that looking at her now, comfortable and naked, I want to touch her again. Judging from her smile, it’s not that hard to decipher what’s on my mind.
“Don’t overthink it,” Kendall says. She sounds amused.
“I need to think about it a little. Perhaps I should send Ryan to go to work with you. It might be the best solution for everyone.”
“I like it better to have you at work with me. What’s the problem? The numbers don’t lie. It’s not like you’re going to misinterpret them because I gave you great orgasms.”
I have to laugh at that though I can’t deny the fact.
“I’m serious, okay? It’s more her expertise anyway.”
“Anything about my business is your expertise now. At some point, the IRS folks will take over anyway.”
I see I’m getting nowhere with this. I will have to make some decisions. If I go there, I’ll have to have some uncomfortable and overdue conversations. Kendall’s family knows. Dad picked up on things from one evening—I guess Kendall dressing up for the occasion didn’t help.
With sudden dread I realize that this, I cannot explain away, to me, or anyone. Undercover, I needed to do what I had to so she wouldn’t suspect anything. To get close to her.
But Kendall Mancini knows who I am.
“Relax,” she says. “Please. I know we’ll still have to figure out some things, but we’ll do it together, okay? We’re both here, alive. And this was some of the best sex I’ve had in my life. All of that counts for something.”
“And what is that?” I can’t help myself, scooting closer, and she reaches out for me.
“I’m not sure exactly, but just to be on the safe side, let’s give it another try.”
I can’t say no.
* * * *
“You look awfully tense,” she observes when we have breakfast on the rooftop terrace the next morning. The city’s just now waking up. We still have some time before we have to make decisions—again.
“You think? That’s not the nicest thing to say after last night.”
“I’m just wondering what you’re still worried about, after last night.”
There’s not a hint of teasing in her tone. I guess I owe her a real answer then.
“After today, I’ll have to talk to Ryan. I have to talk to SAC Carr anyway, because of the dinner with my parents…”
Kendall shrugs. “We had great food and wine. Your Dad showed me pictures from when he and my dad were boys. And he said that Dad was all in. It looks like I’d have his approval for wanting a clean slate so that’s what we’re doing. I don’t know why we need to involve Agent Farmer.”
“Because she’s not sleeping with you?” I’m not sure how much clearer I could be about making my point.
“That’s right, she’s not. As far as I know, she has a wife and a baby.”
Kendall never ceases to catch me off guard. Ryan is a very private person. I don’t know her well.
“How did you know?”
She looks at me like I asked something dense, and she doesn’t know how to phrase that in polite terms.
“Habit, I guess. I like to know whom I’m dealing with, always have. I could still kick myself over not seeing the signs with Jimmy. Perhaps I was fooling myself thinking I could channel his obsession with me into an acceptable work ethic, but when you showed me the money he embezzled that was pretty much out of the window.”
I hold her gaze, wondering if I need to ask the question.
Kendall laughs. “You know my business, and you know the people around me. You really think I have some private militia I’d sic on investigators and prosecutors? Life is too short.”
We have created a fragile peace, or at least a ceasefire between us. I might be about to blow it.
“To your knowledge, did your father ever do anything like that? Try to get a case against someone thrown out, threaten retribution?”
“I understand you wouldn’t ask the question if you didn’t already know the answer. I’m not naïve. That probably happened, though I wasn’t ever a witness to it. Why does this matter anyway? He’s dead.”
“Yes. I’m sorry.”
I’m still trying to wrap my head around Al Mancini being one of the “almost” good guys. I guess she is too.
“I don’t want to cause you any trouble,” Kendall says. “But I don’t think we need to change anything. I have not asked you to change any numbers, or to hold anything back from your employer, have I?”
“No,” I admit.
“You’ve been enjoying yourself?” Her smile tells me that she, too, doesn’t ask questions to which she doesn’t already know the answer. “Then everything is fine.”
What if I allowed myself to believe this?
What if?
“I wish this case was over.”
My exclamation elicits a sigh from her, and her tone is unusually sober.
“Me too,” she says.
* * * *
It’s a little more complicated than that. I report to SAC Carr later that day.
“Given what I’ve learned, which isn’t that much, I thought I should study up on Alphonso Mancini’s case a bit more. According to my father, he was going to work with the authorities so his family would be safe from both the Biancos, and possible prosecution. I think there’s more to learn for us.”
“That makes sense,” she agrees. “Kendall might have some more information if you manage to jog her memory, and that could help strengthen the case against other members of the Bianco family, and the Rossis. If you need any other resources, let me know.”
“There is something I was thinking of…If Agent Farmer could be available to help with the daily checks. I understand the Mancini’s business pretty well, but she’d see red flags right away.”
“So do you, I think,” Carr says. I’m not sure what that frown means. “Sure, talk to Agent Farmer, and maybe get someone on those old files, see if anything stands out. Otherwise, I want you to stay close to Kendall. You’ve formed a rapport. She trusts you.”
This is wrong on so many levels, and there are many things I could say. For example, it’s unethical, because I’m falling for her a little bit more whenever I spend time with her. We’ve formed a rapport all right, a highly sensual and sexual one. Even here at the office with my supervisor, the thought causes an inappropriate pang of desire. I can’t give this up.
I can’t give up my job. There will be other assignments, right? Bad people to go after, with no blurred lines? Once I’m there, what else is going to happen? I’ll still see Kendall?
