Chapter 2 - Olivia

Olivia wiped the counter of the hotel reception area she manned. She looked up when two men walked in. Her smile was automatic, a practiced thing, something she made herself do, to seem more inviting, more friendly. Working as the reception lady, she couldn’t be her grumpy self.

“Can I help you?”

“We need to speak to the guy that does the garden. Please.” The please was added as an afterthought.

The man’s tone had her taking an involuntary step back. “I think he’s at the back.”

“Thank you.” The men made to move toward the door and she jumped forward.

“Wait, why?”

“We just need to talk to him.”

“He’s working now, can this wait?” Olivia felt a twinge of unease as the tall man fixed his eyes on hers.

“Ma’am, stay out of this.” He led the other man out and she found herself following. Brody was working on the pool when he looked up and spotted the two men and Olivia. For a second he seemed to freeze, then he threw down the pool net and ran.

Olivia watched Brody run, the fear she’d seen on his face told her the two men were bad news. She turned in shock as the two men swore and started after Brody. She ran back inside to grab her phone for the police then ran back out in time to see the men drag Brody into the back of a black SUV. She knew men like that, her father was constantly surrounded by them. So much for getting away from her father’s dark world. She ran to her car and followed the SUV. There was no way she’d let Brody be manhandled by her father’s goons.

She was on a high, and ready for a fight. And realized too late that the warehouse wasn’t her family’s. The knock on her window made her jump. And fear rose in her throat as a huge, dark-eyed man stared at her. She wanted to run, wanted to start her car but the gun held to the window told her that would be a very stupid move. So, she rolled her window down and tried to smile. “Hi. I’m a bit lost.”

“Please get out of the car.” His voice was deep, and he spoke in an accent she didn’t recognize. “Now, please.” He reached for her door handle and opened the door for her. She stepped out and expected him to grab her arm. “Please follow me.” He said and started walking. She looked around and he stopped. “There’s nowhere to run. And I would catch you. Make this easy on yourself and just follow me.”

“Okay.” She felt stupid. How had she gotten herself into this situation? These weren’t her father’s people, but they were like them. A bit more respectful, but no doubt just as deadly. She followed him into the warehouse and sat down on a chair he pointed out to her.

“Stay here, please.” He walked away, leaving her alone. She thought for an instant to run but knew if they were anything like her father’s people, there were more, and they were watching her. The man returned a few moments later. “Please follow me.” He waited for her to stand then led her deeper into the warehouse. He led her to what looked like an office and stopped at the closed door. He knocked once and opened the door. “Go inside. Don’t touch anything. She will know if you do.” He turned and then looked over his shoulder. “Stay inside here until she comes. We may have manners but asking for trouble would be stupid.” He walked away then.

She swallowed hard. His warning was clear. She wouldn’t be touched as long as she stayed inside this office. Outside, she would be fair game to whoever found her. She hurried inside and closed the door, then sat down on the visitor’s chair and waited. She just started to relax when she heard a scream, then a pop, and then silence. Her heart jumped and she felt bile rise in her throat. Brody was dead. She knew that without a doubt. What the hell had she walked into? She jumped when the door behind her opened and she was on her feet. She stumbled back as a woman stepped in and stared at her. Her back hit the desk and she steadied herself with both hands clamped on the surface. “You, there’s blood…” She trailed off as the woman kept staring at her. Why had she spoken? And who the hell was this woman? The woman stepped into the room and closed the door quietly behind her. She walked slowly to her chair and sat down. Olivia turned and looked down at the woman. She was tall, dark, and dangerous. She almost laughed at her own description, but found for once the cliché was apt. Her eyes, piercing blue, stared at Olivia, the woman seemed to look right through her.

“Sit.”

Dark liquid chocolate. Olivia thought. A voice that would draw anyone in and trap them before they knew what hit them. “I don’t want to sit.”

“Fine.” Cassandra lifted one dark eyebrow and pulled open her top drawer. She pulled out two glasses, poured whiskey into both, handed Olivia one, and threw back her own in one gulp. “Why did you come here?”

“I, Brody, he works for me, or worked.” She sighed and sat. “Two men dragged him away, and I thought my father had something to do with it.”

“Mm, Antonio Henderson.”

“Yes.” Olivia nodded and giving in to her thirst lifted the glass to her mouth and took a tentative sip. She coughed as the warm liquid hit her throat.

“Why would your father want to take Brody?” 

“Who are you?” The woman smiled a predatory smile that made Olivia’s stomach clench. “Do you work for my father?” The laugh took her by surprise. The sound was husky, and sexy and changed the woman from handsome to beautiful.

“No,” Cassandra said. “I do not work for your father.” She leaned back in her chair. “Why would your father take Brody?”

“Because he’s a stupid kid, was a stupid kid, he made decisions based on money instead of brains.” Olivia waved a hand. “Who are you?”

“Cassandra Panagio.” She watched Olivia Henderson’s eyes widen and shock fill her eyes. Then fear. “I’m not going to hurt you. I simply need to know why you are here, Olivia.”

“You know, of course, you know,” Olivia said. “I wanted to come and talk my father out of killing Brody, and give him a chance to repay his debt.”

“His dept could never be repaid,” Cassandra said. “Do you know why he’s dead?”

“He works for my father, you are his biggest rival, and he must have given you information, or given my father information you didn’t want him to.”

“No.” Cassandra found herself wanting to explain. She looked down at her white shirt with blood splashed on the front. She stood, unbuttoned the shirt, took it off, and dropped it in the bin, then turned to the closet behind her and pulled another, crisp white shirt out. She pulled it on and then looked down at Olivia. She felt another smile tug at her mouth and frowned instead. “Like what you see?” Olivia jerked and dropped her gaze. Cassandra did smile then. “He threatened my sister. Offered her to his friends, to take turns with her. Like a trophy, they would dangle in my face.” Anger at the thought rose in her chest again and she poured more whiskey and drank it down. She wanted the taste of bile out of her mouth.

“Oh,” Olivia said her head still down. “So, what happens now?” Olivia did look up then. “I guess I can’t expect to walk out of here.”

“Why not?”

“Really?” Olivia laughed and ignoring the burn from the liquid threw the liquid back in one gulp. “Because I know you killed him. I am a witness.” She shook her head. “I am Antonio’s daughter.”

“I don’t hurt women,” Cassandra said.

Olivia scoffed. “Tell that to the women you have in that brothel of yours.” She clapped a hand over her mouth and stared at Cassandra.

Cassandra smiled at her. “All of those women are over eighteen, and there voluntarily.” She held up her hand when Olivia wanted to speak. “I do not hurt women! They interview, they have to show ID, and they are protected by me and my men. Yes, we’ve had incidents. Three in the three years I’ve been in charge. Those men were disposed of, and the women were taken care of. I don’t tolerate violence. But I can not stop it from happening. If I don’t provide that option, someone else will, and they won’t care what happens to the women working there. Or the men.” She smiled again when Olivia’s eyes widened. “Yes, women and men frequently ask for male companionship.”

“Then I will ask again. What now?”

“Now you have a choice. But before I give that to you, you should understand why.” Cassandra placed a hand on her thigh and the other drummed a rhythm on the desk. Olivia watched the fingers as they moved. “Your father has started a war. For the last six months, he’s systematically started to poke at my affairs. He and whoever is working with him want to, for the lack of a better word, dethrone me.” She narrowed her eyes when Olivia laughed. “Let me explain what happens if he wins. The drugs I control run free in the streets. The guns that move in and out of the city are made available to all the gangs. And that brothel, let’s just say the freedom of choice those people have there, will be taken away. We’ve had peace in Maine for over four years now, that peace will be gone the second your father steps into power. No one will be safe.”

“And you think you’re better than him?” Olivia asked and again placed a hand over her mouth.

“I’m under no illusion, Olivia. I know what I am. I’m just saying I’m the lesser evil.”

“What’s the choice I have?”

“Well, you were right. I can’t just let you go.” She held up her hand to silence Olivia. “So, your choice is to come with me quietly. Or come with me by any means necessary.”

“Go with you? Where?”

“My home,” Cassandra said. “You will stay with me. And your father will fall in line or else.”

“Or else what? If you don’t hurt women, what is the else?” Olivia stood. “I don’t see a choice here. You’re deluding yourself if you believe you’re being nice!” Olivia pointed at her. “And if you think I would go quietly to be your prisoner!”

“The hard way then.” Cassandra stood. “Pedro.” She didn’t yell, didn’t raise her voice, but the door opened behind Olivia and the same man that brought her inside stood in the doorway. “Escort Miss Henderson to the car. I will be along shortly.”

“Yes.” He stood and seemed to wait for Olivia to follow him.

“Are you out of your mind?” She spun on Cassandra and glared. “I will not be a prisoner in this war between you and my father!” She grumbled and folded herself into the chair. “I left to get out of this shit.”

“Pedro,” Cassandra said. He nodded and stepped toward Olivia.

“You said you didn’t hurt women!” She pulled away from Pedro. And something about the way she did it, had Cassandra stop him.

Cassandra watched the beautiful woman. Not once was fear in her eyes while talking with Cassandra but having Pedro reach for her filled her with absolute terror. She took a deep breath and shook her head. “Please take care of the problem outside. I’ll escort Miss Henderson myself.” She watched his eyes fill with relief. “And please call Vance and let him know to cancel meetings for the rest of the day, and tomorrow.”

“There is the marina problem tomorrow,” Pedro said.

“Yes.” She nodded. “Move that one to my house.”

“Yes.” He nodded and left, quietly closing the door behind him.

“I won’t go with you either,” Olivia said.

“I’ve been nice to you up to now. My patience is running low, I’ve had a fucking shit day. And I want to go home to see my sister.” Cassandra pulled on her jacket and rounded the desk. “You will either walk out of here on your own two feet or over my shoulder. Your choice.”

“There’s that word again, choice. When I don’t really have one.” Olivia stood. “Fine, but I will ask one thing.”

Cassandra pushed down her impatience. “What?”

“I want to call my mother.”

“That would defeat the point of being a prisoner.”

“My mother has nothing to do with this world. And if you know as much as you think you do, you will know that she has no idea who or what he is.” Olivia chanced a step forward. “Please, just let me tell her I am safe.”

“Fine,” Cassandra said and opened the door. “You get one call once we’re safely inside my home.”

Olivia stared at her. Surprised at the kindness. “Thank you.” She walked past Cassandra and wondered where she would end up. She supposed only the future would tell. The only thing she knew was that she was done with everything to do with her father’s business. He could find himself a new heir. She had no interest in being a part of the darkness that surrounded him, or Cassandra.