I could have offered the same position to the Yakuza, but when someone spits in my face I don’t tend to feel generous.
“You know I am going to ask why us and not the Japs,” he states after he takes a long drink from his scotch.
“You didn’t put up airs when I asked for a meeting. You know I am a valuable person to work with.”
“Fair enough. If you would put the call in we would be very appreciative,” he says, nodding his head as he puts emphasis on appreciative.
“Good, it’s settled. I’ll make the call tonight.” I snap my fingers at Cherry Bomb who has been waiting off to one side.
Leaning to me, Cherry puts her ear next to my lips. I take in a breath of her skin as I say, “Have the pink dreaded girl and any others who catch the guys fancy taken to the private rooms.”
“Yes, sir,” she purrs back to me then walks towards the back and motions to a few of the girls.
Cherry has a certain smell about her, it’s a mixture of some heady pheromone she exudes as a perfume. That smell use to affect me in ways I didn’t allow myself to act on. Now? It smells like something annoying.
Lilith’s scent alone causes me to feel primordial and possessive. It pulls me to her, keeping my very being locked on her. Whether she understands it or not, Lilith is mine and just the thought of another woman doing nothing for me is enough for me to know I am hooked on her forever.
Looking back to Marco, I say, “If you guys need anything tonight let Cherry know, she will make sure you have it.”
Grinning to me, he nods but then looks like he has come to a decision. “Because we didn’t want to seem like you owed us anything, I have information on the Yakuza and the man they are using, Marshall.”
Instantly my interest is peaked. “You said they are using?”
“Yeah, it looks like he has gone to them for something. We don’t know what but he’s been there for an hour. We just found out right before we got here. My uppers wanted to make sure you knew.”
Nodding my head, I say, “Thank you, Marco, it’s very appreciated.”
Smiling, he nods. “My appreciation is much returned, friend.”
Nodding to us both, he says, “And Lilith, forgive me for not asking… You are?”
“She’s my wife,” I say as I turn to smile at Lilith.
“Congratulations Lucifer!” he says, lifting his glass to us both.
Looking to Lilith, there’s a stunned expression on her face, and out of the corner of my eyes I can see Simon shaking his head slightly.
Lilith turns to speak to me but with a shake of my head she clamps her mouth shut. Now is not the time for us to have this conversation. I think she can tell that when I grip her hand in my own.
Cherry comes to the table with a group of girls and they start pulling the Italians up from their chairs. Smiling, the Italians wave goodbye to us as they get ushered to the back of the building. Cherry follows them all, my insurance that things will go as expected.
Turning to Simon, I snap, “Find out what the fuck Marshall is doing with the fucking Yakuza. Now.”
At first he is taken aback by the information then he nods. “On it.”
We should have had that damn information.
He leans down to my ear as he is getting ready to leave. “Do I need to get the paperwork and filings dealt with?”
Nodding my head, I say to him, “Yes.”
“Need a ring?”
Frowning at him, I tell him, “I can do that on my own.”
Nodding his head, he shoots out of the club. I am mystified on how the fuck he didn’t have that information but I am sure he will get it soon.
He better, because right now we look like idiots.
17
Lily
I can’t believe I’m sitting here, listening in on some kind of mob deal going down. How did my life get to this? Is this my fault? Is this the consequence of all my bad decisions?
The fact that Marshall’s name is brought up doesn’t surprise me in the least. Now I know what he’s been up to all these years. It wasn’t just his mistresses in every city, these kind of under the table deals are how he made his money.
I’ve been so oblivious, so damn willfully blind, I know deep down inside I have no one to blame but myself for this.
Tonight started off on such a high note, but now I feel deflated, like someone let all the air out of me.
I feel like an absolute idiot for thinking Lucifer was taking me out on a date. I spent all day getting ready for a nice night out, some time away from the children. Just me and him, getting to know each other…