Page 56 of Stronger Than Blood
“It’s like a dream,” he said when he snuggled into me, letting me hold him.
“Yeah, a good one though, right?”
“Oh yeah, a really good one. Granny Ida was thrilled about the potential earnings. I think she’s been worried about how I was gonna make it once—”
“Yeah,” I said, knowing he meant once she was gone.
“So, when Christian gets here, and you can hand the keys over, do you think you’ll be able to get away?”
He nodded. “Yeah, I’ve not got anything else planned.”
“Good, I have an idea.”
Before I could express what that was, a very harried Christian came in. “Hey guys, sorry I’m late. Is Kalinda still here?”
“No, sorry, man, she had to get to another meeting, but Mick here said he can give you the keys.”
“Perfect, and while you’re here, can I get more information about what you’re wanting done?” he asked Mick.
“For now, I think just the apartment. We may know what we’re doing down here soon but haven’t decided the details yet. Um, Christian?” he asked, causing the man to turn toward him. “Should I be concerned about breakables I’ve got stored in the back room getting destroyed in the renovation?”
Christian shrugged. “I doubt it. We’re mostly just fixing the plumbing and ensuring the old wiring in the apartment is safe, although it appears that most of the wiring was updated some time in the early 1980s. We’ll be putting in a new bathroom and kitchen and painting, but I can’t imagine it causing much trouble on this lower level.”
“Then, she’s all yours,” he said, handing him the key.
We left, but Mick seemed troubled. “I got a bad feeling about leaving all that here. Kalinda was right. I know they’re probably on a date, but let’s see if we can get the stash transported to a safer location. For real, I’m worried about it now I know what it’s worth.”
I nodded ’cause, to be honest, I felt the same. Truth was, I could all but hear Eddie, the ghost warning us to move things along. “Too valuable,” he kept repeating, enough times that even with my unpredictable gifts I could hear him. I also suspected Mick was feeling his warnings as well.
We found Kalinda in Jonah’s office. When Mick told them about his concerns, Kalinda stood and went to him, placing her hand over his before closing her eyes.
“I… well, I’m not as strong as I was before I passed the torch to my niece, but I do feel there’s some urgency, although not an imminent danger. I think your uncle is a bit worried as well. Jonah, if you have somewhere safe to keep the stash, we should probably do it if for no other reason than to put Mick’s and Eddie’s minds at ease.”
It was good that Jonah didn’t seem too concerned that Kalinda was referring to a man who’d been dead for more than a couple of years.
The solution turned out to be a simple one. One of Jonah’s contacts in Chattanooga owned a secure, climate-controlled facility. One phone call and an armored truck arrived with all the necessary equipment to transport the stash to the safe location.
My plans to woo Mick that night had been for nothing, but I was happy he was no longer concerned about the shine. The storage unit was one someone had used to store fine wines before Mick rented it. It cost a pretty penny, but after we unloaded all the contents onto the beautifully painted shelves and had the huge oak barrel propped along one side, I had no doubt it would help him get the money he wanted before all was said and done.
By the time the stash was stored and locked down safely, it was late. Mick pulled me along to visit his granny, and we ended up eating with her. I could tell, when we left, the poor guy was running on fumes, so although I’d wanted to spend the night making love, I kissed him and sent him on his way to his apartment.
I’d spent enough time with Madam—now known as Kalinda—to know that some things shouldn’t be forced, and I knew, despite him saying he was ready, that I had to let it happen on its own timeline.
That didn’t mean I wouldn’t be thinking lascivious thoughts about him later while I lay in the hotel bed.
Chapter thirty-eight
Mick
Ihad no way to say how much better I felt knowing Uncle Eddie’s stash was safely locked in a storage unit in Chattanooga. I didn’t dislike Mr. Roark, but he made me feel uneasy. It probably had nothing to do with him, though. I’d just spent too many years with my mother and the men who constantly came in and out of her life. I knew I often projected my distrust on most men I met these days because of that.
After we’d visited Granny and had dinner at the home with her, I was wiped out.
I was whiny about not getting to snuggle with Rory, but I knew it was what it was. Our lives were upside down at the moment.
I didn’t see Rory or the others much over the weekend. I had to get to sleep early and then work the early morning shift to prepare all the desserts. I swear, every weekend, the number of orders grew. I wondered how we got that many orders in a small town.
By Monday afternoon, I was more than ready for ‘taking our time’ to instead become ‘move faster,’ and when I texted Rory, I said as much. “What’re you doing tonight?” I asked.
