Acquisition: A Just Business Mafia Romance Read online

  If she was pregnant, and Armo didn’t want it or her any longer, she would have no support.

  The words on the page blurred before her, and she hadn’t read anything about biopsychology by the time the harried-looking nurse’s assistant called her name a half-hour later. She shoved her textbook back into her backpack and stood up to follow the woman who didn’t look much older than her down the narrow hallway and into a small exam room.

  Clearly, the university hadn’t earmarked much in the way of funding for the Student Health Center. She’d never been there before, having gone to a fancy gynecologist downtown when she had told Armo she wanted to go on birth control pills. He’d arranged the visit for her, so this was her first experience with the less-than-stellar Student Health Center.

  The name tag identified the nurse’s assistant as Wanda, and the young woman pushed back a handful of braids before she started making notes on a paper chart. It was a stark contrast to the gynecologist’s office, where the nurse and doctor had both used tablets to enter data.

  “When was your last period?” asked Wanda.

  Katie rattled off the date before tacking on, “I did start birth control pills for the first time last month though, on the Sunday after the first day of my period. I figure that’s why I’m late. It probably messed up my cycles.”

  Wanda didn’t seem interested in her opinion, though she did say, “Birth control pills are more likely to regulate your cycle, not screw it up. Did you miss any pills?”

  Katie shook her head. “Not one, and I took them all at the same time every night too.” She’d been scrupulous about doing so, determined to avoid an unplanned pregnancy, especially until Armo was ready to embrace how he felt about her and admit it to both of them.

  “Okay then.” Wanda opened the cabinet door in front of her and took out a sample jar. “Pee in the cup, and then leave the sample out here on the counter. I’ll be back to run the test in a little bit.”

  The nurse’s assistant left, closing the door behind her, and Katie went to the small cubicle that passed for a bathroom attached to the room to do the test as requested. She returned and placed it on the counter, her fingers trembling as she did so.

  After what seemed like an hour wait that was probably closer to ten minutes, Wanda returned with a small foil packet. She ripped it open and pulled out a square and a dropper. She was quick and methodical with the steps involved, and Katie watched apprehensively. They were the longest few minutes of her life as she waited.

  “It’s positive.” Wanda delivered the verdict impassively.

  Her stomach dipped into her toes, and a wave of nausea rolled over her. Wanda must have been through this before, because she thrust the trashcan under Katie’s chin. Katie considered it a small personal victory when she managed not to barf up the excellent breakfast prepared by Armo’s housekeeper earlier that morning.

  After returning the trashcan to its spot on the floor, Wanda washed her hands and reached into another cabinet above her head. She pulled out a plastic bag filled with papers and passed it to Katie. “Here’s some literature. This will answer all your questions, and there’s a list of doctors in the area, along with their specialties. If you decide to terminate, you’ll want to schedule an appointment soon, because it often takes time to get in to the clinic, thanks to the politicians and burdens placed on the clinics to restrict access to women’s healthcare.”

  Katie took the package of paperwork, holding it in her shaking hand as she stared into Wanda’s dark eyes. She wanted to ask what she was supposed to do now, but she didn’t bother. For one thing, Wanda clearly didn’t care, and for another, the other woman certainly didn’t have the answers she sought anyway.

  She slipped off the table and made her way out of the exam room just behind Wanda, pausing at the front desk to pay the ten-dollar fee before leaving the clinic and heading across the Commons, where she dropped onto the nearest bench. She stared down at the paperwork bundled together in the plastic packet, but couldn’t bring herself to open it or sort through any of the brochures inside.

  She managed to see the titles of a couple and gathered that the packet included information on prenatal care alongside abortion providers. It was a thorough packet, but a disconcerting sight to see the two disparate paths available grouped so casually together.

  The situation was anything but tidy, though she wished she could just randomly reach in and pull out the right answer. It wasn’t her decision to make alone, but she was dreading the conversation with Armo. Though earlier she had been certain he wouldn’t think she’d tricked him, now she was filled with fear and reminded of how many times he had circled away from discussing their future or any deeper emotions between them aside from sex.

  He seemed to want her with him, but he didn’t seem prepared to make the final commitment that would keep her there. It was bound to cross his mind that she had deliberately gotten pregnant in an attempt to force him to make a decision. He might not even utter the words, but she was certain he would be thinking them. The idea of him suspecting such a thing felt like a betrayal, though she knew he would probably feel equally betrayed when she told him about the baby.

  She let out a small sob, bending over long enough to shove the paperwork back in her backpack before shouldering it and walking away from the university. She was in no state to attend class today, and though she felt a twinge of guilt at having skipped out on both of her classes for the day, she had bigger problems than ruining her perfect attendance record.

  She wandered aimlessly when she could have caught a bus, hailed a cab, or even called the driving service Armo kept on retainer if she wanted. Instead, she just walked, her brain worrying at the situation as her feet led her inexorably back to the apartment she shared with Armo.

  But shared for how long? As she approached the block that housed the exclusive complex, she couldn’t help turning that question over and over in her mind. She knew that Haley would tell her she was better off without him if he didn’t want to claim his responsibility, and her sister had been not-so-subtly hinting for weeks that she should either press for a commitment or move on, but she hadn’t been able to even consider such an action. The idea of leaving Armo was just as incomprehensible as it would be to reach into her chest and rip out her own heart.

  The current situation placed her in the horrible position of perhaps not having a choice in how long she stayed. She was certain that if she gave him enough time, Armo would open up and admit that he loved her. She was sure she’d seen it in his eyes when they made love, or as they cuddled together, or even just doing mundane daily tasks. She was certain he would soon realize and admit his feelings, but only if she didn’t push him.

  Now, she had to push. It wasn’t so much a push as a gigantic shove across an invisible line she hadn’t even tiptoed up to before. It was a daunting prospect, and she was so consumed with fear at the coming confrontation that it took a moment to realize someone was calling her name. She didn’t connect the sound until someone also touched her shoulder, making her jump as she spun to look at the person. “What?”

  “Katie Collins?” asked a man in a dark suit. He had close-cropped hair smoothed close to his scalp and gray eyes that lacked any hint of emotion.

  She nodded apprehensively. “Who are you?”

  He quickly opened his jacket and withdrew a bi-fold leather case. He flipped it open to reveal a badge. “I’m David Parsing. I’m with the FBI. I need you to come with me.”

  She furrowed her brow, staring at him uncertainly. Her first instinct was to obey, because that’s what you did when the FBI approached you. However, she hovered, put off by something about the man himself. He scared her. “No, thank you.” She said the words perfectly politely even as she edged closer to the street housing Armo’s apartment. She was only fifteen yards or so from it, and if she broke into a run she might be able to reach the security gate before the man could catch up with her.

  “I’m afraid I must insist.”

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p; She shook her head. “Do you have a warrant?”

  The other man let out a harsh laugh. “I see Moretti has trained you well.”

  She frowned at him. “What do you mean? What’re you talking about?”

  “Moretti told you all the things to say if the FBI approached, didn’t he?”

  She shook her head, totally baffled. “I don’t know what you mean. Are you talking about Armo Moretti?”

  Parsing’s face twisted into an expression of annoyance. “Of course I’m talking about Armo Moretti.”

  The urge to run increased at his harsh words and look of disgust. “I really don’t know what you want with me, but I’m not going anywhere with you without a warrant.”

  He stared at her for half a second, his expression serious. Abruptly, a grating laugh escaped him. “You really don’t know, do you?”

  “Know what?”

  “Who your boyfriend is? You don’t know that he’s one-third of the mafia family that runs this town? Can you really be that naïve?”

  She stiffened in shock, shaking her head in automatic dismissal of his words. “That’s crazy.”

  He seemed to enjoy enlightening her with his version of the “truth.”

  “Larenz Moretti is the boss of the Mafioso in this city. Armo is his consigliore, and their third brother Dante is the underboss. I’m on a task force assigned to bring them down, and I need your cooperation.”

  He put a hand on her shoulder, and she automatically shrugged him off. “I’m not helping you with anything. I don’t believe a word you’re saying.”

  “It’s the truth. You’ve been sleeping with the mafia. The same hands that touch your body at night are covered with the blood of his victims.”

  His words were both nauseating and horribly inappropriate. She wrinkled her nose at him. “Don’t come near me again unless you have a warrant.”

  “That can be easily arranged, Ms. Collins. I’d hate to arrest a sweet young lady like yourself, but I won’t hesitate if it helps me bring down the Moretti’s.”

  “Do your worst,” she shot back as she turned and rushed away from him, her focus solely on reaching the security gate so she could escape the odious FBI agent and his even more disgusting words about Armo.

  Only after the gate closed behind her did she turn to glance at him, but the man was already gone. She rushed through the complex to Armo’s apartment, her heart racing and her hands trembling. They shook so badly she couldn’t even let herself in, opting instead to ring the doorbell and let Gretchen, the housekeeper, open it for her.

  She brushed past the other woman, unable to reply to inquiries about her health and state of mind. Katie knew she was alarming the housekeeper, who had never been anything but warm and friendly to her, but she suddenly felt watchful and suspicious of everyone.

  Making her way to the master bedroom on the second floor, she closed the door and collapsed against it for a moment, her heart beat pounding in her ears. After a second, she fumbled her cell phone free from the backpack and dialed her sister’s number. She didn’t bother with pleasantries when Haley answered. “Why are you always suspicious of Armo and insinuating things?”

  Haley hesitated. “I just don’t think he’s good enough for you.”

  “Bullshit. Tell me the truth, and stop trying to protect me.”

  Her sister let out a long sigh. “Why don’t you come here to the shop, and we’ll have some tea and talk?”

  “Tell me now, Haley!” When her sister still didn’t speak, she barked, “Now!”

  “Do you remember Mike Hanlon?”

  Katie scrunched her brow, trying to think of the face that matched the name. She knew she’d met him a few times, but it took a moment to remember under what context. “Were you dating him for a while?”

  Haley hesitated before answering. “Dating is a strong word. We were just seeing each other casually, but when he found out you were dating Armo, he warned me at the time that you were in danger. He didn’t say the exact words, but he strongly hinted at the idea that not only was he in the mob, but that he reported to the Moretti brothers.”

  By itself, the words wouldn’t have held much weight with her, since her sister’s ex hadn’t even admitted he was a criminal, and there could have been any number of reasons for him to imply such a thing. However, when added to the FBI agent’s allegations, it gave the accusation more credence. She let out a small sob and bent forward, unconsciously cupping her stomach as she started to cry.

  “Katie? Talk to me. I’m going to come over there if you don’t answer.”

  “No, don’t do that. I just need time to think. Give me some time, Haley.” She disconnected the call before her sister could reply, hoping that for a change Haley would actually listen to her instead of running roughshod over her opinions and doing what her older sister thought was best. She just needed some time to gather her thoughts and figure out what she was going to do. She couldn’t do that with Katie around.

  Chapter Three

  After taking some time to calm down and think rationally, she knew that she had to speak to Armo. He might avoid owning up to his feelings completely, but she didn’t think he’d ever lied to her, and she needed to hear the truth from his own mouth.

  The idea of waiting for him to come home was too much torture, so she decided to go to his club instead. She had spent several hours locked in her private pity party, trying to sort out the truth, and it was now dusk as she left the apartment and got into the cab she had called. After her brush with the FBI agent earlier, she didn’t want to risk hanging around outside the boundaries of the security fence while awaiting the bus. Nor did she want to travel conspicuously in one of Armo’s chauffeured town cars. A cab was nondescript and felt safe.

  A few moments later, the cab drew up outside of Boulevard 3, the club that Armo owned with his brothers. Coming here usually made her smile, but she didn’t have that in her this evening. Her hand was on the door handle when she saw Armo step out of the club. She could have finished exiting and caught his attention, or waved him over, but something about the way he moved stilled the impulse. Instead, she told the driver, “Change of plans. Follow the man in the black jacket, but don’t get so close that he knows he’s being followed.”

  The cabbie gave her a look in the mirror like she was nuts, but he didn’t argue as he put the car into gear. He’d likely assumed, based solely on where he had picked her up, that she had the money to fund an all-night drive around the city if she chose.

  She held herself stiffly in the seat as she watched Armo get into his sports coupe and roar out of the club’s parking lot, driving confidently and at least five miles over the speed limit. The cab driver managed not to break the law, but he was clearly skilled and kept up with Armo’s pace.

  She felt sneaky following Armo without his knowledge, but she was desperate to know what he was doing. She couldn’t even explain why she was positive that he was up to something, but she was listening to her gut.

  They drove for twenty minutes before pulling up outside a crumbling building in the industrial district. It wasn’t quite large enough to be a warehouse, but might have once been an office for one of the warehouse storage places around the area. Now, it appeared to be nothing more than a mess.

  She waited until Armo had parked his car and disappeared through a side entrance before reaching for the door handle again. She bit her lip as she considered whether she really wanted to go inside and discover what was happening. She didn’t really have the luxury of burying her head in the sand and pretending like everything was just fine. For the baby’s sake, if not her own, she had to know if Armo did the terrible things the FBI agent and her sister claimed.

  “You’re not really going in there, are you, lady?” asked the cab driver, his incredulity clear in his tone.

  She wanted to shake her head, but nodded instead and grasped the handle firmly. “Wait for me.”

  He looked indecisive for a moment. “This is a bad neighborhood, and I bet you th
ere’re bad things going on in there. I’ll give you five minutes, and then I’m gone.”

  She glared at him. “I haven’t even paid the fare yet, and I’m not going to until I get back.”

  He shrugged. “My life is worth more than a hundred bucks, lady, and yours should be too. We should get the fuck outta here.”

  She shook her head. “Just wait for me. If you’re in danger, then drive away; otherwise, please just wait for me.”

  He let out a harsh sigh. “Ten minutes, and not a minute more. Just so we’re clear, if I hear gunshots or anything else, I’m driving away and calling the cops.”

  She nodded her understanding and slid out of the cab, cautiously approaching the building as she looked around her. There were two other cars parked nearby, but she didn’t recognize either of them.

  Katie turned the knob and pushed against the door, wincing when it squeaked slightly. She froze for a moment, holding her breath as she waited to see if she had been discovered. When no one came running, she slipped inside and eased the door shut so it wouldn’t make more noise to alert someone to her presence.

  She didn’t have to figure out which way to go, because the sounds of grunts reached her. She moved across the cracked cement floor cautiously, not wanting to fall or hurt herself.

  When she made her way down the hallway, she held her breath each time she had to cross a doorway, but found all three rooms empty as she walked past them. The fourth room was where the sounds she could hear all the way at the entrance originated from, and she paused, leaning with her back against the wall as she tried to listen before peering in.

  “I told you to stay away from me and my family. That sure as fuck goes for my girlfriend, Parsing.”