Page 11 of Steal My Heart

“Ugh.” I fall back on my pillow, and Nola decides this is a perfect opportunity to pounce on my head. “Oww. Not now. Can’t you see I’m having a meltdown?” I reposition my cat on my stomach, giving her a scratch. “Mr. Calvani acted like he knew this Mr. Bennett, who just so happened to be carrying a sizable wad of cash.” I continue thinking out loud. “And Mr. Calvani claimed me, so I’m guessing he has the upper hand in whatever type of business relationship they have.”

Nolameows.

“Notclaimed me,claimed me. But I bet it would’ve been amazing if he did… Ugh, see, I’d still break rule number three with this man.”

Nola just looks at me.

“It’s a problem, Nola.” I release an exasperated sigh. “A big fucking problem.”

Bang. Bang. Bang.“Yvonne. I know you’re in there.”

“Just a minute.” Hopping up, I grab Nola, who squirms in my arms. “Sorry, but you need to hide,” I whisper. “Please be quiet until I can get rid of him.”

Bang. Bang. Bang.

Locking my disgruntled cat in the bathroom, I sprint to the bed and count out the cash, shoving the rest of my loot under the mattress.

“Yvonne,” he calls the alias I used to rent this dump of an apartment. “I’m not playing around. Don’t make me use my key.”

“That’s illegal,” I shout, grabbing my frumpiest sweats and throwing them on before stepping into my sneakers and answering the door.

My creepy landlord tries to push his way inside, but I stop the door with my foot. “What game you playing, girl? You know it’s time for me to collect?—”

I shove the hundreds at him through the crack in the door, and he accepts the cash with wide eyes. “Past due rent, this month’s rent, and your illegal ‘penalty fees.’” Let’s not even get into the legality of him offering to waive everything if I slobbed on his knob.

His words.

“Where’d you get this kind of cash?” he demands.

“None of your business.” I go to slam the door, but it’s his turn to block the door with his foot.

His beady little eyes look me up and down, lingering on my chest. “You whoring yourself out?”

“Leave, or I’m calling the cops.” I bluff.

He wheezes, a smoker’s cough of a laugh. “Sure you will, ‘Yvonne.’” He removes his foot, and I slam and lock the door. “Guarantee you’ll be in the same bind next month, and then we’ll see about that smart mouth of yours,” he calls.

I make a gagging sound as I brace myself against the door, just in case he decides to use his key.

Waiting until I hear the sound of footsteps down the hall, I sprint across the room and drag my only chair in front of the door. It gives me a sense of security, even if it’s a false one.

Opening the bathroom door, I find a very unhappy Nola. “Sorry, but you know he doesn’t allow cats.” Realizing my mistake, I quickly amend, “You’re not a cat; I didn’t mean that!”

She hisses at me in response, storming out of the bathroom.

Angelo

“Day one as mayor, I promise to clean up the streets of this city. The fact that traffic cameras weren’t working to capture what witnesses claimed to be a shootout is unacceptable. This isn’t the Wild West, and I promise to bring law and order to New Orleans.”

I fling the remote across the room, calling Bennett on speakerphone.

“Mr. Calvani?—”

“It doesn’t appear that my welcome gift was well-received, given the press statement.”

“Nah, that’s just lip service. Our boy seems very amenable to a good working relationship. But he has…conditions.”

“Conditions?” I scoff.