That should do it. Jack thought to herself as she surveyed the apartment. It's dusted. Fresh sheets on the bed and pull out. Blankets and pillows are out. No food in the fridge but there are some sodas and some beer and some bottles of wine a distributor left to try out from one of the regulars.
Deep breath Jack. Are you crazy? You don't know these guys. Stop. You got this. I will make them something to eat and then get out. The security cameras are on in the shop and I can monitor from home. I know I won't sleep anyways. I can keep an eye on them.
Making her way downstairs, Jack caught the end of Lucan saying "Send it. And if I want your fucking opinion, I'll ask for it." Holy shit! She noticed he was not very nice to his co-worker who kept calling him boss. Jack wonders if he talks to everyone who works for him like that.
Clearing her throat, Jack pushes the kitchen door open. "Excuse me, gentlemen." All three men looked at her but it was Lucan who held her gaze with his dark eyes. Wow. Just wow. Jack shook her head to clear it. "If you would follow me, please." Lucan gives her a curt nod and Angelo smiles at her, the other one is dumping an obscene amount of sugar in his coffee. Interesting.
"I thought I would get you guys settled and maybe make you something quick to eat? I don't have any food in the fridge up there but obviously, I have the kitchen down here. Breakfast for dinner okay?"
"Thank you, Jack, but you have gone to enough trouble. No need to feed us. Marco, put the sugar down before you give yourself diabetes." Angelo walks over to Marco grabbing the sugar out of his hand. Lucan is just staring at her. He's freaking me out a bit.
"It's no trouble really Angelo. I have to deal with the cinnamon rolls for tomorrow anyways. Come, let me show you upstairs." Lucan nodded his head again and motioned for Jack to go ahead of him.
Lucan couldn't help but look at Jack's denim-clad ass as she floats up the stairs in front of me. Mind your manners, Lucan thought to himself.
Jack could feel Lucan's eyes on her. The three men all of a sudden make the stairwell feel really tight. She opened the door, standing to the side to let them in. "I uh, I straightened up and put fresh linens on the bed and pulled out. I also have some fresh towels in the bathroom. Beer and sodas are in the fridge and a couple of bottles of wine are in the cabinet. Might be some snacks from our Halloween party there, I'm not sure what Mayson did with them. Please, make yourself at home and come down when you're ready."
The three of them just stood there looking at her. She smiled at them, shut the door, and hauled ass down the stairs to put some distance between her and them. I need to text Mayson so she knows what's going on. She is going to die. Jack thought to herself.
She grabbed her phone out of my purse and double-checked her taser.
JH: Mays. I can't talk but you are NOT going to believe who just came back to the café!
MJ: OMG WHO
JH: Italian Stallion
MJ: SHUT UP
JH: I swear. The snow got too bad to drive.
MJ: Are they staying upstairs?
JH: YES! And I'm leaving soon. Just giving you a heads up. I will text you when I get home.
MJ: I want every detail tomorrow!
JH: Yes ma'am
Jack walked back into the kitchen and set out to make some breakfast for her dinner guests. She can hear the water running upstairs and wonders if Lucan is showering. Lucan. In the shower. Naked. Wet. Holy shit where did that come from? Get a grip, Jack.
"Sir. I'm going to hop in the shower. Can I get you anything before I go?" Angelo asks Lucan.
"No Angelo. Go get in the shower. Marco, give me my computer. Frankie sent something over I need to look at."
"Yes, boss."
Lucan rolled his eyes at Marco. This fucking guy. I need Frankie to replace him. I don't have the patience for him. He's huge, does anything I need but he sounds like a fucking idiot. I hear Angelo start the water. I look around while Marco is setting up. The place is nice. I wonder where she lives if she doesn't live here. The sun is setting and the snow has picked up. I can smell bacon cooking and it's making my stomach grumble.
"You smell that boss?"
"Shut up Marco."
"Yes, boss."
CONFIDENTIAL
Name: Jacey Arden Hale
DOB: 12/15/95
Age: 24, turning 25 in 2 months
Email:
Phone:
Social Media: Twitter
IG: JacksCup
No active personal accounts.
Occupation: Owner and Operator of Jacks Coffee shop located in Bishop, Colorado
Annual income: 300K
Note: Multiple bank accounts found. Most notably, a trust account. See below.
Debt: 2K cc debt. Nothing else. Everything paid off.
Relatives: Alan Scott Hale, Deceased
Ellie Rose Hale, Deceased aka Ellie Rose Hartman
Paternal Grandparents: Jackob Mars Hale, Deceased
Nan Everly Hale, Deceased
Maternal Grandparents: Samuel Edward Hartman
Genevive (Ginny) Hartman
Siblings: None
Relationship Status: Single
Arrests: None
Bankruptcies/Criminal Cases: None
Civil Cases: None, however, an attorney was hired for her to navigate her parent's estate at age 18 due to their death. He was paid in full.
Trust Fund: 3.8m
Investment account: 5.5m
Other relatives: Still searching
Lucan,
I still have info coming in, this is preliminary. She owns the building and the land around it. Looks like there is a cabin or something close that she lives in. I just need a bit more time. She leads a quiet life. It seems to be that she is a good girl. I know I overstepped my boundaries earlier. Reckless men make reckless decisions. Think about this.
Frankie
Lucan closed the email and slapped the computer closed. One thing I am not is reckless. I didn't get where I am from being reckless. Ruthless is why I am where I am. Mother fucking ruthless. I roll my neck and it cracks, releasing some of the tension I had been holding in. I shove my chair back. "I'm going downstairs, Marco. Stay here."
"Yes, boss."
"Let Angelo know."
"Yes, boss."
Lucan looked over at Marco while he's mindlessly flipping through channels. He shook his head. I'm going to shoot him before this is all over. Lucan grabbed his phone and texted Frankie.
LM: Replace Marco.
FB: Will do.
LM: I may shoot him before we get there.
FB: Let me know. I can send a clean-up crew.
LM: Keep the Germanotti brothers occupied. I don't want them running amok in my casino. Tell them to keep their fucking hands off the cocktail waitresses. And watch the tables, they fucking cheat.
FB: They are occupied. I brought in private entertainment. I have a couple of guys following them around. I'm comping them food and drinks. Keeps them happy.
LM: Fuck if they are happy. They need to worry about whether I'm happy or not after that stunt they pulled.
FB: We need to discuss that. Call?
LM: Not now. I will let you know.
FB: Got it
Lucan shoved the phone in his pocket and walked downstairs where he could hear Jack singing. Is that Taylor Swift? Jesus Christ. The smell of bacon overrides everything. I'm starving. He hits the bottom of the stairs which leads into the kitchen. He leans against the door jamb and watches Jack as she slides cinnamon rolls into the oven.
"You have to quit sneaking up on me like that Lucan."
Holy shit, how did she know I was there?
"Yeah. Bad habit of mine Jack."
"Are you hungry Lucan?"
"Starving"
Jack turned around and smiled at him and took his fucking breath away. What the fuck is wrong with me, Lucan thought to himself? Maybe Frankie Is right, I just need to get laid.
"It's not fancy but I guarantee you won't be hungry. Are the other two coming down? Marco and Angelo?"
"Yeah, they should be down shortly"
"Please, go sit Lucan, I'll bring this out in a few minutes"
He nods at Jack and pushes through the door. The table is set and a bowl of cut fruit is out along with granola and yogurt. He opens a basket that is covered in a towel and finds giant croissants, still steaming. He looked up to see Angelo standing there. Sneaky fucker.
"I have Marco occupied, Sir. I let him have a beer and he found some chips. I have some stuff to check upstairs. I'll take mine to go along with his. Keep him out of your hair."
"Thank you, Angelo. I have Frankie replacing him tomorrow. As soon as we hit Vegas. The Germanotti brothers are there. Frankie is babysitting them."
The kitchen door swings open and there is her smile again.
"Hi Angelo, just in time."
"Looks fantastic Jack. I have some work to do. If you don't mind, can I take mine to go and maybe something for Marco? Although he did find some chips and beer. I'm sorry."
Oh. Shit. That means it's me and Lucan. Alone. Eating. Eating food alone, together. She glanced at Lucan, feeling the heat rising in her cheeks.
"Of course Angelo, no problem at all. Let me fix you each a plate. Please, sit for a second."
"What did you make Jack? Looks great. I like to cook, it is a bit of a hobby of mine" Angelo says, smiling at her.
"Oh um, I made croissants and mini frittatas with peppers, onions, chorizo, and goat cheese. Oh, and I have some stuff for fruit and yogurt parfaits. I mainly have breakfast stuff here, I'm sorry. Oh and bacon. Who doesn't like bacon?"
"My mouth is watering. Are we keeping you from your family Jack? I'm sure you would like to get home?"
"Thank you, Angelo, but no, you aren't keeping me from anything. Home is close."
Angelo is slick. Lucan just sits back and watches him interact with Jack. She's friendly but guarded. Smart girl. Doesn't want us to know personal shit. She's protecting herself. Impressive. He also saw her taser in her purse when I scared her. Wondering idly if she has it tucked under her shirt.
"Here, let me take this upstairs for you Angelo" as she is grabbing a tray.
"Absolutely not Jack, you have done enough. Plus, I can't guarantee that Marco won't be sitting on the couch in his underwear."
She giggled and it lit Lucan on fire.
"Fair enough Angelo," Jack says, raising her hands.
"Jesus Angelo, make sure he keeps his clothes on."
Angelo grins "Sir, consider it done"
"Jack, thank you. I can't wait to dig in. I'll see you in a bit." He leaves, taking the tray along with a couple of bottles of water.
She turns to Lucan. "Please, help yourself. I just need to check on the cinnamon rolls."
He nods and watches her as she walks back into the kitchen. As soon as the door opens the smell of cinnamon hits him. I've seen those in the case, but haven't had one yet. I hear a thump from upstairs. I hope Angelo didn't strangle Marco.
Waiting for Jack to come back, Lucan thinks about what his mother would have done if he started eating without his hostess. My mother would have pulled my hair out if I had started eating. He did, however, make his plate and hers. I have some manners. I had an Italian grandmother that could throw a wooden spoon like a fucking champ.
She comes back in as he finishes putting a croissant on her plate.
"Thank you, Lucan, you didn't need to do that. Can I get you anything else?"
"No. Sit and eat Jack."
Geez. Jack thought as she slid into her seat. I wonder if this is how he always is. He made my plate and that says something right? I'll have to ask Mayson.
This girl can cook. It's been a long time since I had a home-cooked meal. I've been living in the casino for too long.
"This is good Jack."
"Thank you, Lucan."
"Where did you learn to cook?"
Wow, he's actually talking to me. An actual question.
"My grandma Ginny. She loved to cook and I followed her around in the kitchen since I could walk. I just sort of picked it up."
"Was this place always a coffee shop?"
"No, in fact, it was a dinner my grandparents started way back in the Fifties up until I inherited it. I decided to turn it into a coffee shop and update it."
"It's a great place, Jack. You have done well." And he watches as she blushes. God, she's beautiful.
"Thank you, Lucan, I've tried, really hard." Damn it, I can feel my cheeks turn pink.
"What is it that you do, Lucan?"
I'm in charge of the largest Mafia family in the United States."I'm in hospitality and I own a couple of agricultural farms outside of Denver."
Oh, okay. But what brings him out to Bishop she wonders. "So you do a lot of traveling?"
"Yeah, I hate flying so my associates and I do the drive back and forth to Vegas every couple of weeks. Bishop is a good stopping point. And we found this place. " And I found you.
"Vegas! Wow. I was supposed to go to Vegas a number of years ago but life happened and I never made it."
I could fix that. Lucan thinks to himself. "Everyone should go to Vegas at least once in their life."
"One of these days I will. Mayson and I should go. She would love it, she's a bit of a wild child."
Jack and Lucan continue to talk till Lucan sees Angelo come downstairs. He opens the door, holding the tray and empty dishes. "Where can I put these dishes, Jack?"
"Oh here, I will take them, Angelo. Can I get you anything else? Want some yogurt or more coffee?"
"No, no thank you, Jack. I poured myself a glass of wine, excellent by the way. However, Marco has been obsessing about cinnamon rolls for the last hour."
Lucan rolls his eyes. Fucking Marco. God damn sugar addict. Good kid, but Frankie has got to replace him. I owe Angelo a favor for babysitting tonight.
"Well let's not keep Marco waiting any longer, I'll ice one for him," Jack announces.
Lucan watches Jack walk away. I'd rather watch her walk to me. Naked. In nothing but heels and that ponytail. Fuck. Calm yourself, Lucan.
"We have an issue with the brothers, Sir," Angelo says quietly. " I checked in with Frankie and apparently, they were doing coke in the high roller room right off the side of the table. I suggested we move them into a private room upstairs. We don't need LVPD up our ass."
"Those fuckers. I hate it when they come to town Angelo. I'm ready to put a fucking bullet in both of them."
"We need to get out of here as soon as the roads are clear before Frankie cleans house, Sir."
"Agreed. Thanks for handling Marco. I appreciate it, Angelo."
"She's a nice girl Lucan, excuse me, Sir."
"Did Frankie say something to you, Angelo?" Lucan is practically growling. Shit.
The door swings open and our conversation is put on hold. Holy shit, those rolls are huge. We're going to be peeling that kid off the fucking ceiling. I'm going to end up shooting him. I watch Angelo casually stroll over to the window, security check. No one knows we are here. We're safer here than anywhere.
"Here Angelo, I made a couple for you to take upstairs," Jack says to him with a smile.
"Thank you so much, Jack. It's been a pleasure. We will be leaving early. How would you like us to handle that?"
"Well, I'm usually here at four, can you guys hang in there till then?"
"You come in at four? By yourself?"
"Um yes? My busboy is usually here at five-thirty. Then Mayson comes in and my official barista." Lucan's eyes look like they want to bug out of his head while he listens to Jack and Angelo's conversation.
"Perfect. We will be out of your hair soon." Angelo grabs Jack's hand and kisses it and watches her blush.
"Grazie dolce ragazza per la vostra ospitalità. La mia vita continua a benedirti." Angelo could see Lucan out of the corner of his eye as he lifted his eyebrow. "Thank you, sweet girl, for your hospitality. May life continue to bless you."
Jack's mouth dropped open and Angelo can't help but grin. He glances at Lucan and notices frowns as he listens to his banter with Jack. Interesting.