Ellena (18 page)

Angelina looked a bit upset.

“What’s wrong, sista?”

“I like Tye and Mike, but we haven’t even gone on a date. I mean they haven’t asked me. I think they like me.”

“Oh, they definitely like you. Look how often they stop in here to see you when they’re in town.”

“It hasn’t been much and I think it may have something to do with their brothers, Terrance and Lucifer. The four of them don’t get along that great, and well, I think when Terrance and Lucifer saw me, they were disgusted.”

“Disgusted?”

“Yeah, I mean you saw them at the opening of Secret Pleasures. The two of them are ginormous men, with lots of prestige and money. They have women throwing themselves at them. Mike and Tye are more down to earth considering that they are just as wealthy. I’m simple, Ellena. I’m not all snobby and into fashion and glamour. I like the basics. I like the meaning behind things and not the fluff, you know?”

“Hey, you don’t have to change just to snag some guy’s attention. I think they like you and they’re waiting for the right moment. It could have to do with all the chaos that has been going on or even the age difference. It seems us Auberts attract the older, more sophisticated and experienced men.”

Angelina nibbled her lower lip then took a deep breath before exhaling.

“I’m getting antsy, Ellena. I want an adventure. I want a change or something. I’m thinking that maybe I should hang out with Elly and Vera a little more and venture out of Orchidea. I’m not looking for a relationship, but I am looking for some companionship you know. Someone to sit and talk with or go to a movie or something. I’ve missed out on the whole teen thing and now I’m in my twenties and I’ve never even gone to a club or out drinking with friends. Sometimes I don’t feel so normal,” Angelina admitted.

Ellena pulled her into a hug. “Sweetie, you’re perfectly normal. You’re an Aubert and unfortunately, we’ve had to sacrifice a lot of our years and youth to working and surviving. I say if you want to go out and party with your friends, then do it. Just be careful and be smart. It’s really not all it’s cracked up to be anyway.”

Angelina smiled as she took a step back. “How was the French Quarter? Did you go to any bars or did you just hang out with Frederick?”

Ellena started to chop up some vegetables for another dish she was preparing for dinnertime.

“I mostly hung out with Frederick at his restaurant. It was nice visiting with him.”

“Just nice or did he try hitting on you again?”

“There’s never been anything between Frederick and I but friendship.”

“I remember that time he pulled you into his arms and attempted to kiss you. Are you telling me that he didn’t hit on you when you were with him?” Angelina asked, and then they heard someone clear his throat. Angelina and Ellena looked up to see Troy standing by the door to the kitchen with his arms crossed in front of his chest. Ellena’s heart leaped for joy at seeing him, but she blushed for being caught talking about another man.

“I’m gonna go help Illeanna clean up from the lunch crowd.” Ellena shook her head.

“Scaredy-cat. Troy doesn’t bite, you know,” Ellena said as Troy held open the kitchen door for Angelina to exit.

The staff went about cleaning up from lunch in the kitchen and preparing things for dinner tonight. It was a Thursday, so it would be kind of quiet at the restaurant. The evenings were mostly Illeanna’s responsibility in regards to food choices as specials.

She looked at Troy. “Did you have lunch? I could make you something.” She wiped her hands on the dish towel and held his gaze. Troy looked sexy in his tight blue T-shirt and carpenter jeans. He was still wearing his tool belt, his black shoulder-length hair was pulled back in a low pony and his blue eyes sparkled. He uncrossed his arms and walked closer.

“What’s this talk about some guy hitting on you?”

Her cheeks warmed and she swallowed hard.

“That was nothing. Just some girl talk,” she said, and he closed the space between them.

He looked her over and placed a hand on her waist.

“I don’t want to hear about men hitting on my woman.” He tapped her hip with his fingers.

They stared at one another.

“It was nothing.”

“I’m sure.” He pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her waist and tilting her chin up so he could look down into her eyes. He was so tall and muscular. She couldn’t help but feel aroused just thinking about divesting him of his shirt and enjoying the sight of his muscles. Illeanna’s and Angelina’s comments came to mind.

“I missed you,
amour
,” he whispered, and her heart soared at his endearment.

“I missed you, too.”

“Show me,” he responded, and she stood up on tiptoes and kissed him.

He of course took over that kiss as his hands explored her backside and the stretchy jeans she wore. She knew that her staff was present in the kitchen preparing, and she slowly began to pull back. Troy released her lips and raised his eyebrows at her. She glanced around, and despite her concerns, her staff were ignoring her and Troy.

“I’m going to pick you up and bring you home tonight. What time should I come back here?

“Eleven should be good.”

“Great. Now, you got any more of those pizzas of yours? I’m starving.”

She smiled wide.

“Sure do, sugar. Just give me about fifteen minutes, okay?”

“Okay, I’m going to go talk with Johnny and Gustave.”

He gave her ass a little tap as he exited the kitchen. Ellena smiled. She was finally feeling a bit more at ease and happy to be back in Orchidea. But still, she felt a tinge of worry for her men. Parker was capable of a lot of things, and just thinking that he possibly had the IAD agent in his pocket made matters worse. She was glad that Leon was working back in town with Eloi outside of Orchidea. She would be devastated if something happened to him.

* * * *

Leon got a call about having to pick up some papers in the Eighth District. He headed over to the precinct and when he got there, he found out that it was a wasted trip. Walking back to the patrol truck that he parked around the corner, he saw some guy standing there, leaning against the street pole.

At first he wasn’t certain who it was and then he remembered him. It was Stucky, the guy who tried to assault Mack and Ellena that night when they left the restaurant.

“I got the goods, are you ready to do the deal?” he asked Leon and Leon placed his hands on his hips and stared at the guy.

“Are you talking to me?”

Stucky looked around him and then moved closer. He seemed kind of nervous to Leon and Leon didn’t like it.

“If I were you, I’d get the hell out of here.”

“No, not until we do the deal. Here’s the money. Where’s the stuff.”

Stucky handed over a bag and Leon stepped back. In a matter of seconds the entire situation was out of hand. An unmarked car pulled onto the scene, IAD agents surrounded him, including Agent Quincy, and he was disarmed of his weapon as they shoved him and Stucky against the truck.

“What the hell is going on?” Leon yelled as another agent opened up the truck and they began to search Leon’s vehicle.

Stucky was being led away, handcuffed, toward another vehicle and Leon was being read his rights. He was yelling now, trying to figure out what the hell the agent thought he was doing. Then two agents yelled out that they found something. A quick glance toward his truck and Leon saw the bag. A bag that wasn’t there before. They opened it up and saw the drugs.

“What the fuck is that?” Leon yelled.

“Your prison sentence,” Quincy stated.

Son of a bitch, somebody set me up.

“So, what you’re telling me is that the government is on to Parker’s operations because of this guy Cordero, from New York?” Eloi asked Federal Agent Bryer Jones.”

“Yes. As I told you a few weeks ago in the midst of Deputy Rue being falsely charged for assault, we were doing surveillance on Parker. He brought in some heavies for financial support of this new endeavor. However, Parker is trying to build this night club as a front for an illegal gambling operation.”

“How did you find out about this?”

“We had the place wired. That guy Dexter, who worked for Parker and tried to abduct Ellena Aubert, was singing like a canary when we brought up the possibility of a hefty amount of charges. He tipped us off on the meeting, on some other avenues of income Parker has and about the nightclub and gambling scam. Then of course we got all that on tape.”

“So you have enough to arrest him and take him off the streets?”

“Not quite. The district attorney has some sort of investigation going on with another situation in the Eighth District that involves Parker, a few officers, two detectives, and some personnel. He’s asking us to hold off for a little bit as they gather their evidence. They’re making plans for a possible raid on Parker and these people. They’ve got names, phone conversations, video surveillance and a few more people they needed to check out. Either way, Parker and his thugs are going down. Just be patient and keep Leon calm.”

Eloi chuckled. “You know him now, too. Do you think that’s going to be easy?”

“Keep him close to that pretty young Aubert woman, and I think she’ll keep him calm.”

“Will do. Thanks for the heads-up. I know that you’re taking a chance letting me in on an active investigation like this.”

“We go way back, Eloi. I wanted you to be sure to know that I’m on this and doing my best to keep your friends safe.”

“I appreciate it.”

Eloi hung up the phone and eased back in his chair. He looked around the office and through the semi-opened blinds to where Jessy Berdoux’s desk was. Instead of Jessy, he saw a woman Jessy met a few weeks ago, Deb, and she was slowly hanging up the phone and looking around. Eloi wondered what she was doing and then he saw Jessy walking over and greeting her. It didn’t sit right but then his cell phone rang. It was the commander from the Eighth District.

“Say that again,” Eloi replied.

“Leon’s been arrested for possession and selling. The place was surrounded by IAD agents and that Quincy guy. Word is, Leon had the drugs in his patrol truck and the buyer was one of the guys known to be dealing drugs. It looks really bad, Eloi.”

“Where are they taking him?”

“IAD headquarters in Baton Rouge.”

“Fuck.”

“Exactly.”

Eloi hung up the phone and stood up from his desk. How the hell was he going to get Leon out of this situation? He needed to call his friend Bryer back. Perhaps this had something to do with the case against Parker and nailing him? But first he’d better call Mack.

* * * *

Mack was pacing the waiting room while Eloi stood by the wall talking on his cell phone. It had been hours since Leon was arrested.

This is fucking bullshit, Mack thought to himself as he heard his cell phone buzzing with another text message.

Looking down, he saw that it was Troy. He picked Ellena up from work and explained the situation. She wanted to come to Baton Rouge, but he had told his brothers to keep her safe at their home.

Troy was asking for an update and Mack replied with the word “nothing.”

“Hey,” Eloi said, getting Mack’s attention, then nodded toward the doorway. Two men were escorting Leon to the door. He was handcuffed.

“What’s going on?” Mack asked as the door opened.

“Please step aside. Prisoner coming through,” one of the guys stated and Leon looked pissed off and very tired.

He locked gazes with Mack.

“I’ve been set up, but it seems I’m still spending the night in jail.”

* * * *

“What? How can they do that to him? Doesn’t that agent know it’s a lie?” Ellena asked as Troy and Roy sat at the kitchen table. They had been waiting to hear from Mack or Eloi with an update on their brother.

“It’s bullshit and we know it, but Eloi and Mack said there’s nothing we can do about it,” Troy replied.

“Agent Quincy is there, which only makes matters worse, considering that Leon was already being accused of sexual harassment, assault, and drug dealing. This is fucked up and we all know that Parker is behind this somehow,” Roy said.

Ellena covered her face with her hands.

“Oh God, how is Leon supposed to handle this? I mean, he puts the bad guys in jail. He doesn’t belong there himself.”

Troy stood up and pulled Ellena into his arms. “Don’t worry, baby. Eloi and Mack will come up with something.”

* * * *

Ellena couldn’t sleep and nor could Troy and Roy. They all sat up on the couch as Mack entered the house. It was after midnight.

“Where’s Leon?” Ellena asked as she stood up from the couch.

Mack ran his fingers through his hair and looked away from her.

“They fucking kept him locked up,” Troy stated.

“Oh God.” Ellena felt her belly tighten and she thought about Quincy’s words about how Parker was everywhere and how Parker seemed to be able to get to anyone, just like he told her. She felt the tears well up in her eyes.