The Golden Chalice (10 page)

Kumar chuckled. His arms went behind his head. “Seriously, I have to rewire this place. Just wondering how to set up the office. If the safe can be wired like the vaults. Does that make sense?”

“Probably not.” Sasha shrugged. She rubbed her hands over his chest, feeling his erection press between the folds of her sex. “My guess is it’s a simple locking mech. He’ll want to get in and out of it quick if it’s in his office, right? Just like the one he kept in his pool hall.” She leaned forward and layered his neck and chest with soft kisses.

“Yeah. You’re probably right.”

“I know I am.”

She lifted her head, pushed down with her hands to his chest, and sat upright, slowly rocking her hips back and forth to rub against his hardness. Sasha desperately craved more of him than the first touch he’d given her when he rejoined her in bed.

“You, um, probably could crack the safe no sweat, huh?” Kumar asked.

“Mmm? Sweat…yeah, let’s sweat, baby. Why didn’t you wake me? I need you now.” Sasha eased down the length of his body. “No more talk about safes. I’m gonna fuck you real good, baby.” She took the head of his cock into her mouth. He wheezed out a breath of release. Sasha moaned, swallowing more of him.

Chapter Seven

In both hands, Michelle carried bags from every expensive shop they’d visited on the coast. They’d been gone for two days and she had to buy clothes to wear, though most of their trip had been spent in bed on the boat he’d named after her. The new dark brown pantsuit with a copper silk blouse underneath was a welcome change from the uncomfortable dress she’d first worn.

“Where to, ma’am?” asked one of the men assigned to protect her.

“My room,” she answered dryly. She sashayed through the quiet hall. Lee had driven off in a car waiting for him when they’d landed. Of course, she’d been chauffeured back to their place in Sausalito with an armed caravan.

“Hi, sis!” Sasha walked down the stairs, fluffing the riot of curls that cascaded down the sides of her face.

“I want to talk to you.”

“W’sup?”

Michelle passed off her bags to the guard and gestured for her sister to follow her. She led her out to the veranda where their voices wouldn’t easily be heard. When she turned, she noticed how different Sasha had become. She’d aged. They all had, after the past months of hell they’d shared. Still, it hurt to look upon her, knowing of the lies and betrayal between them. Sasha was her blood. The only blood she had left. And her sister had treated her no better than a stranger.

“What is it? What do you want to talk about?”

“Two weeks. You and I will be taking a trip. A one-way trip.”

“Huh?”

“I told you to pack a bag. I meant it.” Michelle stepped to her with her hands to her hips. “You owe me a life…your life. So I want you to hear me on this. We’re leaving and we’re doing it on my terms.”

“Kumar?”

“Say goodbye to Kumar. It’s just me and you, sweetie.”

“Lee? He agreed to this? To let us go? Just like that?” Sasha snapped her fingers.

“Don’t you worry about Lee. And don’t you question him on this. I’ll handle Lee. You just be ready. Do you understand?”

“No. I don’t understand. I love Kumar.”

Michelle laughed. “You’ll get over it.”

“Wait!” Sasha stepped in her sister’s way to block her in. “Please. Let him come with us. I—”

“Everybody had to pay, Sasha. Pops lost his life. I lost mine and the life of my child. Even the man I love will pay for the things we’ve done. So will you. You lose Kumar. Even trade ain’t no hustle, baby, as Pop would say. Besides, none of it was ever my choice. It was yours, when you started this game. Now you’re a big girl. Deal with it.”

Michelle marched off. Somewhere in the house was a bottle of Advil with her name on it.

***

Lee paced a short pattern in the thick carpet. The constant roll of his shoulders and cracking of his knuckles released some of his anger. He ran his hand restlessly through his hair. He’d been waiting for more than twenty minutes now. Leith Sullivan was never a man to wait. Checking his watch, he bit down hard on the inside of his cheek to keep his impatience in check. Now was the time to be in control.

“
Lo siento
to have kept you waiting,
hombre
. A family matter. You understand.” Escobar strolled through.

At five-feet-four, with a shaved head and a body covered in tattoos from his neck to pelvis, he was far from ordinary. Now, away from the exclusive gym the two men shared and dressed in a gray, tailored suit, Escobar seemed less thug and more businessman. He kept his hands hidden and his sunken, dark eyes fixed on Lee. Three men, each double Escobar’s weight and height, hung near the doors with their guns holstered under their arms. Again Lee checked his watch.

“You’re wasting my time.”

Escobar chuckled. “No, friend. Not hardly. I have news.”

He watched Escobar approach his desk and sit. “Out with it. This news?”

“Cumminskey has returned. To Chi-town,
hombre
!”

“I’m listening.”

“He has a friend in The Order. Protection. Your suspicions were right. Care to guess who’d have the balls to go after you?”

“Monk Eastman?”

“The one and only.”

Lee’s brows shot up. That was indeed news, but not surprising. Monk was the connect man who he’d intended to use to unload the Chalice. He’d tried to set up two meetings with Monk and none of his calls had been returned. Lee suspected the reason. Now it was confirmed. He studied Escobar for a moment. “Why would Monk even bother to step between us? He knows that’s war.

“For the Chalice,” Escobar said. “Monk, Yacazza, Don Gio, the entire council has been on edge since word of the Chalice being
real
surfaced.”

“So honor means nothing now?” Lee asked.

Escobar chuckled. “Honor amongst thieves never meant shit.”

“Fine. We do it the hard way.” He turned and headed for the door.

“Lee?”

Stopping under the threshold, he looked over his shoulder. “Stay out of it, Escobar.”

“I intend to, friend.” Escobar sneered and his gold tooth gleamed. “I have a question. The Chalice—is it everything they say?”

Lee nodded. “Maybe. It’s my albatross. The damn thing is cursed.”

“Something that rare and beautiful probably is.”

“I won’t be seeing you, again, Escobar. I’ll make sure things are settled between you and I.”

Escobar shook his head in disgust. “For her? You’re walking away for her?”

Lee didn’t bother to answer. He owed no further explanation. He now understood what he’d have to do. And just as Escobar suspected, he’d do it for her.

***

“Kumar! Kumar!” Sasha hurried into their bedroom. She turned and headed for the bathroom door when Kumar emerged.

“Here, babe! What the—”

In a state of panic, she rushed him, threw her arms around his neck, and buried her tear-streaked face into his chest. Her misery hung like a steel weight around her neck. She fought to keep standing. Sasha, unable to verbalize her pain, couldn’t stop the retching, sobbing, wailing in frustrated anger.

“Tell me what it is, Sasha!” Kumar grabbed her arms and shook her.

“Ma-ma-Michelle.”

“Calm down. Is she hurt? What happened to her?” He cupped her face in his hands, forcing her to look him in the eye.

“No!” Sasha shoved him off and backed away. “I’d like to cut out her dead heart and put a new one in!” she shouted through angry tears. “She’s doing it, Kumar. Now! She set everything in motion to really send me away.”

“We knew this.”

“No, you don’t understand. I thought it was a bluff. I mean, Lee would never let her go.
Never
. But you should have seen her, heard her. She’s shipping me off and she’s doing this to break us up. She’s out for revenge. She’s plotting something, Kumar. She’s plotting against all of us. You didn’t hear her, see her. She hates me.”

“You aren’t making any sense.”

Sasha turned with her arms crossed. “Really? I’m not making any sense because this makes no sense! Why would Lee agree to send me away? We’re a team. We just did the biggest score in the business. She didn’t do it alone. It was the three of us. All of us! We saved her ass!”

Panic swelled in her chest, stunting her breathing. She pressed her palms over her face, assailed by a terrible sense of bitterness. Kumar said nothing. His silence only added to her torment. Wasn’t he panicked? Didn’t he care?

From her position in the room, she had a clear view through the partially opened bathroom door. She took a step toward the open door and Kumar cut her off. He gave her a nervous smile. “We’ll think of something. In fact, I’m on the case already. I got something in the works.”

“What were you doing in there?”

“Huh? Oh, nothing.”

“Move!” She tried to escape him.

Kumar caught her arm, tried to drag her to him, but she broke free. She entered the bathroom before him. On the sink was a pouch that looked familiar. She’d seen it before, at his place. It lay unzipped, with rubber tubing hanging out.

“I can explain,” he said, stepping in front of her.

“You still using, Kumar?” Stunned disbelief cooled her rage, replacing it with pure fear. If he had slipped, they were doomed. No way in hell they could beat Michelle at her game if he had turned to his habit.

“It’s not that simple. I’m not strung out—”

“Dear God. You are? You’re using! You never stopped, did you?”

“Listen to me. Let me explain this.”

“Explain what? What! That you’re a junkie? That you’ve been lying to me all this time? Making me feel guilty for suspecting, questioning? Explain it!” She hit him hard in the chest. “Say something!” She struck him again. Kumar stumbled. “Explain how you will quit. That it was your one and only time. A slip I caused for hooking up with Lee. Explain how your sobriety is all based on me. Explain it!” She slapped him. Kumar took the blow without a fight. “Say something! Explain it, damn it! Explain how it’s the last time. That you want to change. Just like Pops! Just like Pops!”

In tears, Sasha broke from the room. Kumar went after her, catching her in the hall. He grabbed her by her arms, struggling and twisting with her. He refused to let her go. “I’m not Pops. I made a mistake. One mistake.”

“It’s not one mistake if you’re using. It’s suicide! Why, Kumar? Why?”

“Damn it, don’t you think I know that? I’m trying here.”

“Let me go.”

“I love you! I need you to trust me.”

“Let me go! My life is falling apart and you’re getting high! Same thing as my father! You’re no different. I’m so stupid.” She shook him off and kept going, blinded by her tears and pain.

***

Michelle watched Kumar and Sasha curiously from the end of the hall. Her sister in tears, Kumar desperate to convince her of the un-convincible:
love can cure a junkie
. She shook her head and withdrew. Doubling back the way she came, she made sure Kumar couldn’t see her in the hall. When she turned down the next hall to her room, she came upon Abahti.

“You and I have unfinished business,” he said in a gruff voice.

“Fine.” Michelle entered a guest room. She had no intention of anyone seeing her and Abahti together in the room she shared with Lee.

Once inside, she closed the door. Abahti stood with his arms crossed like some tall spruce, void of feeling or emotion. The man had a raw dislike for her. It never wavered. But she held strong.
Never let them see you sweat
, Pops would say. “Has Lee told you?”

“That you’re going to Prague? Yes. I’m handling the arrangements. Your identity, Sasha’s, it will all be taken care of.”

“And?” Michelle asked.

“The second day of your stay, you and your sister will do some sightseeing before it’s time for you to part ways. There’s a tourist attraction called the Charles Bridge. Excellent views of Prague’s castles; it’s where the Moldau River and many other riverside spots are. That is where you will meet your contact.”

“I’ll need money. Cash. American bills.”

“A million.”

“It’s a start. It’s enough.”

“Done.” Abahti nodded.

Michelle smiled. “He’ll kill you if he finds out you helped me. How can you explain my disappearance?” She regarded him with suspicion. “Lee’s not stupid. Love has him temporarily blind but I’m sure it will wear off when he discovers I’m gone, and so is the Chalice. He’ll smell the setup.”

“That’s the beauty of this. It’s your betrayal, Chocolat, not mine. You’re right, he’s blind, but when you disappear with the Chalice, he will see you for what you are. If there is to be blood, it will be your blood.”

“Is that right?” She paced in front of him, thinking over his smugness. Abahti knew Lee but she knew him better. There was only one way to keep Lee from hunting her down and seeking revenge. That minor detail was one she’d never share with the Nigerian.

“To ensure it, I will be taking extra measures,” Abahti added, silencing her thoughts.

“Such as?”

“Monk Eastman is working with us. He’s financing your disappearing act. Your contact is through him. Lee will never suspect me.”

“So it’s Monk you’ve sold the Chalice to?” Michelle asked.

Abahti remained stone-faced.

The Cumminskey add-in was quite useful, but adding Monk Eastman to the mix was a risk she hadn’t counted on. Michelle remembered Pops’ warning. How Abahti served some unnamed organization. She suspected Abahti planned to set them all up. Make Lee believe she and Monk slipped away with the Chalice for Cumminskey, while he delivered it to the Africans he worked for. It was quite genius. Too bad for Abahti she wasn’t that stupid. “I guess we have a deal.”

Abahti turned up his nose in disgust. “As I always said, you never cared for him. You just used him.”

“Right. Well, you can keep him company while I’m gone.”

She headed for the hall. Abahti put his hand to the door to stop her from opening it. He leaned over her shoulder and spoke into her ear. “And that’s the deal, Chocolat. You stay gone. Understood?”