Don't Deny Me

Chapter One

It was the kind of night that made you think winter was going to be harsh. In New York City, the levels of cold went from bone chilling to freezing blood in your veins from late November to March. Today, his face was only slightly numb from the winds blustering between the buildings. He counted that as a good thing, even though the freezing rain that had fallen that day had formed ice on the sidewalks. He watched one man in a luxury business suit and camel hair trench coat almost take a header when he slipped on a patch of ice. Gabe grinned as the ice crunched under his biker boots. Those Gucci loafers aren’t helping him much.

Gabe always wondered about men who would spend a few thousand on a pair of damn shoes. His cop salary was meant to do other things, like pay rent and eat. But tonight he wasn’t a cop, and he wouldn’t be one for a long time if his undercover persona worked. His cell phone rang as he walked to his destination and the freezing rain started again. He looked at the read out and frowned before answering.

I told you don’t call this number for a while, Gabe said.

Hello to you, his brother John said. Just letting you know that Joe and I have your back if you need it. I’m calling from a burner phone.

Good to know on both points, Gabe said. How’s Ma?

She’s good. The doctor said she can go home on Tuesday, and we have a nurse at the ready, so don’t worry about it, he answered. Come by and see her when you can. You know they checked you out and would know you have brothers and a mother.

Yeah, I’ll try next week, Gabe said. I’m hoping they buy that I can use our relationship to our advantage and get info from my dear old brothers. In any case, I’m almost there, later.

Give Ma a call tomorrow, later, John answered and hung up.

There wasn’t a lot of emotional words between him and his brothers, but they loved each other and were close. They were all cops and looked out for their mother who raised them by herself from the time he was six and the twins were four. His father was a Marine who thought he could find a better life without them. Gabe wouldn’t spit on him if he saw him on the streets on fire. Gabe had used the police department resources to find the man, and he hadn’t lived in New York for over twenty years. He liked it that way, because if he ever saw him, Gabe had no doubt he’d punch his teeth down the back of his throat for what he did to their mother.

Gentleman’s Life came up on the right, and the lights of the club blinked in welcome as he crossed the street, weaving his way through the cars stopped at the light.

Hey, fucking look where you’re going, an obnoxious driver yelled.

Gabe stopped and gave him a look that made the man visibly swallow and regret his words. He saw the tags of the car were expired by at least a year, and if he wanted to be a dick, he could bust the asshole just on principle. Instead, he gave the man the finger and continued across the street. The muscle at the door was a big guy dressed all in black. He stood under a small awning that did very little to keep the freezing rain from bouncing off his burly shoulders. Gabe was six two, easy, and this guy had at least three inches on him. He flicked a glance at Gabe, looking him high and low before shaking his head.

We don’t serve cops, the bouncer said.

Luckily for you, I’m not one, and I have an appointment, Gabe said. Anthony sent me to see Mr. Sirek.

Don’t move, the bouncer ordered and talked into his radio. A second later he nodded at Gabe. You can head in, you’ll be led to the office. Daren will pat you down inside, in case, you know... I smell a rat.

I get it, cop, rat, good one, Gabe said humorlessly and stepped through the doorway as the bouncer opened it.

The inside of the club was tastefully done. A gentlemen’s club to him meant strippers, but no dancers were on stage working the pole like a chrome phallus. Some of the girls sat at the bar and sipped their drinks, while others moved in a slow dance on the floor in the arms of men. Gabe had heard of clubs like this, where men came in just to be held and live the fantasy of romance. He wondered if it ended there, or did they pay for extra? He’d know soon enough if his cover worked and he got into Sirek’s good graces. Another bouncer stopped him with a big hand on his chest. Gabe looked up at the bulldog faced it belonged to.

Daren, I assume? Gabe’s voice was neutral.

Daren’s smile was fleeting. That would be me, gonna pat you down.

When Daren grabbed his crotch Gabe had to restrain himself from punching the man in his ugly face.

Buy me dinner next time, Gabe said through gritted teeth when Daren finally let him past.

Can’t be too careful, Daren said. Boss is waiting. Juno will take you over.

Time seemed to slow down when he saw her walking toward him. Long legs on a body that had curves that could’ve be sculpted by Michelangelo. Her hair was black with streaks of blonde and bone straight down her back. There was no damn wind in the club, but Gabe swore that tendrils of her hair blew across her face. Her face was simple but gorgeous, with flawless make up, and her skin was silky and reminded him of milk chocolate. But it was her eyes that got him: liquid chocolate that held wariness and fear. This woman was scared and tried to hide it well.

Right this way. Her husky voice was like a caress and reminded him of the jazz singers he liked.

Juno, I assume, Gabe said casually, hoping she would talk more.

Yes.

That’s all he got, and Gabe pushed the disappointment aside. He wasn’t here for her. He was on a job. Sirek sat in a booth wearing a tailored suit and looking like he thought he owned the world. Maybe he did, but how he got it wasn’t legal. They knew he ran guns, girls, and was a known drug connect. If something illegal was going on, he had a finger in it. His dark hair was slicked back with too much gel, and his face wasn’t pretty in the least. Jowls instead of jaws, and a chin too prominent, made it look like his mother threw him together in a hodgepodge of soup when she was baking that bun. Gabe stood by the table as Sirek assessed him with dark eyes that held unconcerned interest. He felt he was on top of the world, and already Gabe could taste the victory of knocking him off the pedestal he thought he lorded on.

Thanks, baby, Sirek said to Juno and ordered, Get us two whiskeys over ice from the bar and head back to the office.

Does she belong to him? Gabe wondered, and the thought made him grit his teeth in anger. He’d seen evidence of how Sirek treated his women, and if he touched her, Gabe wanted to break the hand that did it. The level of malevolence that the thought elicited struck him as strange.

Anthony speaks highly of you, Sirek said.

He says you’re an asshole, Gabe replied, and one of the bodyguards put a heavy hand on Gabe’s shoulder. Tell your pet here to take his hand off me, or I rip it off and club him to death with it.

Sirek laughed loudly and signaled the bodyguard to move his hands. That’s Anthony, all right, and you got a pair on you, cop.

Ex-cop. Don’t you read the papers or see the news? Gabe said. Apparently, I’m the least favorite of anyone in the NYPD right now.

You got brothers on the force, Sirek pointed out Sit down and let’s talk about your career.

Gabe slid into the booth. What’s to talk about? No pension, no benefits, and I have a set of skills you can use. I may not be on the job anymore, but my resources stay the same. You either want them or not.

It all depends, Sirek said mildly. I have to check you out and see if you are on the up and up. There’ve been rats that tried to tunnel into my business before. I hate having to exterminate my businesses from pests.

Gabe knew that he was talking about the feds last year and the informant they had inside. The guy was never found, but Sirek could be talking about an actual pest problem. The thought still burned him, though. He knew the agent they had sent in, and when he dropped off the map everyone knew he wasn’t coming back. But no one could do anything about it without proof, and that is where he came in.

I wouldn’t be here if you didn’t check me out by now. You wouldn’t risk me seeing the inside of any of your businesses in case I recognized a face, Gabe said and looked up as Juno brought their drinks back. Damn, I could look at her all day, he thought. He turned his attention back to Sirek and took a sip of his drink. You wanted to lay eyes on me yourself, gauge what kind of man I am.

Come sit by me, Juno, Sirek said casually before answering. Gabe knew the tactic was to pee on her leg and mark her as his. You’re very astute, Mr. Stone. I like smart men under my employ, and smart men also know when to speak and when they need to keep their mouths shut.

Gabe sat back. Listen, you want me to work for you, fine, I’ll work and I’ll get paid. You want a yes man or a lap dog to pet, that isn’t me. I’m not a yes sir, no sir kind of guy. Didn’t work for me in the NYPD and it won’t work now. So, let’s call this a failed interview and I can go look at my other options. Capetti has shown interest in my skills as well.

Sticking to his guns and mentioning Sirek’s biggest rival did its job. Sirek’s eyes turned angry at the name.

Never walk away in haste, Mr. Stone, Sirek said and slid a phone across the table. I’ll have a test assignment for you in the next few days, complete it and you’re in. That’s the phone you use if I need you or you need me. You make a call from any other phone it won’t be answered, and the number you call will be no longer in use. Play by the rules you become a very rich man.

Gabe took up the phone and turned it on. Sounds like a plan.

Mr. Stone, one other thing,