April
First day on the new job. I’d been in this position before, standing in front of the always-impressive home of my new client, wondering what the day would bring, hoping I’d make a good first impression.
But today was different. I’d never been attracted to my boss before. And, of course, I’d never had a boss I’d had to lie to either.
It was enough to make me want to turn around where I stood, take the train back to my apartment, and forget about the whole thing.
This isn’t just about you—it’s about Mike. It sucks, but you have to do it for him.
I thought about the picture of Mike bruised and tied up. My brother was a bit of a fuckup, no doubt about it. But I loved him all the same. If keeping my family safe meant I had to do something awful to a man who trusted me, then that’s what I’d do.
The house was impressive as hell. Three stories, ornate gables, a tall staircase leading to a set of massive double doors—it was the kind of townhome that had likely always been inhabited by the richest New York had to offer. I could almost feel the power and history radiating from it. Demon faces were carved into the awnings of the building, staring down at me with accusing looks as if they knew exactly what I was planning to do there.
No sense in putting it off. I stepped up to the front doors, took one last deep breath, and pressed the button for the speaker.
A small screen hung next to the doors—the only thing modern about the place. The screen came to life, a familiar face appearing. It was Shauna, Jason’s assistant from the office.
“April!” she said, her voice chipper as if I were an old friend she hadn’t seen in a long time. “Been waiting for you.”
“Hi, Shauna,” I said. “Ready to start.”
“Great. I’ll buzz you in. Mr. Ryder’s busy right now, but I’ll meet you and show you around.”
“Sounds good!”
The screen went black, and moments later a harsh buzz sounded out, followed by the heavy “thunk” of the doors unlocking. The door on the right opened slightly, enough for me to step through.
“Holy crap.”
The entry hall to the house was impressive. Marble floors, a rotunda above, and a three-story spiral staircase were just a few of the jaw-dropping features of the space. My footsteps echoed through the room as I entered farther and looked around, my mouth hanging slack as I did.
“Hell of a place, huh?”
Shauna entered from one of the hallways, a friendly smile on her face. She was pretty and tall and well-put-together. I wasn’t sure of her age, but she looked maybe a few years older than me. She was poised, her back straight as a spear and her shoulders squared. Like at the office, she was the picture of professionalism.
“That’s putting it lightly. I’ve never seen a house like this before in my life.”
Shauna stepped up to my side as I looked around the entrance hall.
“It’s one of the oldest houses in the city. Believe it or not, when it was built this was as far north as settlement on Manhattan had gone. Nothing but farms and wilderness on the other half of the island.”
“Really? I can’t even imagine Manhattan not totally packed with buildings.”
“Right. Buildings and traffic and rats.” She smiled, putting me at ease. “Anyway, Jason’s finishing up a call in his office. Come with me—I’ll get you some coffee.”
“Sounds good.”
We left the entry hall and made our way down the hallway Shauna had arrived from. The house was huge—almost cavernous. I couldn’t believe it was a home for a single family.
Shauna led me into the kitchen. Unlike the classic-style décor of the rest of the house, the kitchen was modern, with polished granite countertops and stainless-steel appliances. She stepped over to fancy-looking coffee machine of shiny copper and set to work preparing a couple of cups.
“That’s a heck of a machine,” I said, my eyes tracking along the pipes of the coffeemaker.
“Jason loves coffee, and like everything else with him, only the best will do. This was imported from Sicily—all handmade to order.”
After a few moments, the maker began to steam, dark coffee pouring down into two cups. It smelled wonderful.
“How do you take it?” she asked.