doesn’t end with me so easy. Boys.”
One held Aiva and another Mandira while they trashed the shop. Mandira closed her eyes, turning her face away, but Aiva made herself watch.
“You'll pay for this,” she said, fury nearly strangling the words in her throat. Daniel strode towards her and seized her jaw.
“No, cousin, you’ll pay for it. All the damage, and the shop. And you’ll pay for it in labor in my home. I don’t have a wife- so a cousin with domestic skills will do.”
Aiva saw the look in his eyes before he hid it, stomach twisting. “Let us go, Daniel.”
He nodded and the men relaxed their holds. “You’ll regret this,” she said quietly, taking Mandira’s hand and walking out.
“What do we do?” Mandira asked. “That’s totally illegal what just happened. I don’t understand.”
Aiva blew out a breath. “Don’t worry about cops,” she advised.“They don’t interfere in old country business matters. We have to deal with this within the community.”
“Why don’t you call Leon?”
They got into Aiva’s car. She leaned back in her seat a moment, closing her eyes.
“I don't know… I think he’s mad at me right now.”
“Aiva, you’re being ridiculous. You take this strong independent woman thing too far sometimes. Go tell your man the bad guy is threatening you and let him handle it. So we can get on with our business.”
Aiva struggled. The few minutes she sat in her car thinking through her next options felt like an eternity. She wanted to handle Daniel on her own. He’d threatened Mandira, someone she loved, and Aiva wanted to smash him on behalf of her friend. How dare he? In her fury, Aiva suddenly understood how Leon must feel when Aiva refused his help. Like he’d been shunt to the sidelines, only to watch helplessly as she tried to slay her own dragons. Leon had never once tried to take away her independence; he’d only tried to be there for her, the same way Mandira was there for Aiva. If she could accept Mandira’s help, why not Leon’s? Because he was a man? That wasn't fair.
Aiva started up the car, mind made up. “You’re right. Let’s go.”
They pulled up to his office tower twenty minutes later, navigating the first floor lobby to the receptionist.
“We’d like to see Mr. Sudano,” Aiva said.
“Do you have an appointment?”
“No. Can you tell him I’m here? He’ll see me.”
The woman’s brow rose, skeptical. “Your name, ma’am?”
“Aiviana Losito.”
The receptionist's expression flickered. “Ms. Losito. Of course; Mr. Sudano left orders to admit you anytime you arrived.” She rose. “Let me escort you and your guest to the elevator.”
Aiva marveled at the suddenly changed attitude, but choose to be amused rather than annoyed. When the elevator doors slid open on Leon’s floor, yet another woman met them. This one older and with an air of brisk efficiency from the stylish though severe cut of her suit, accented discreetly with silver jewelry.
“Ms. Losito?”
“That’s me.”
“I’m Candace, Mr. Sudano's admin. Please come with me.”
“He owns all of this?” Mandira asked, voice hushed.
Aiva swallowed. “Yes. I’ve never been here before.” And the modern sleekness of it all reminded Aiva that she wasn’t dealing with a plumber.
They entered his office, Candace announcing their presence. Leon was on the phone and held up a finger, gaze going from Aiva to Mandira. His brows drew together.
“I’ll have to call you back,” he said abruptly, hanging up.
“Aiva, what’s wrong?” he asked after pushing the button on his earpiece. He strode towards her.
“Daniel.”
Leon’s expression darkened. “What did he do?”
Aiva hesitated. Leon stopped in front of her, not touching, just watched her face.
“First,” she said, drawing his check out of her pocket. “I don’t need this anymore.”
She felt his utter freeze. “That’s the second time you’ve refused my help, Aiviana.”
“I’m going
One held Aiva and another Mandira while they trashed the shop. Mandira closed her eyes, turning her face away, but Aiva made herself watch.
“You'll pay for this,” she said, fury nearly strangling the words in her throat. Daniel strode towards her and seized her jaw.
“No, cousin, you’ll pay for it. All the damage, and the shop. And you’ll pay for it in labor in my home. I don’t have a wife- so a cousin with domestic skills will do.”
Aiva saw the look in his eyes before he hid it, stomach twisting. “Let us go, Daniel.”
He nodded and the men relaxed their holds. “You’ll regret this,” she said quietly, taking Mandira’s hand and walking out.
“What do we do?” Mandira asked. “That’s totally illegal what just happened. I don’t understand.”
Aiva blew out a breath. “Don’t worry about cops,” she advised.“They don’t interfere in old country business matters. We have to deal with this within the community.”
“Why don’t you call Leon?”
They got into Aiva’s car. She leaned back in her seat a moment, closing her eyes.
“I don't know… I think he’s mad at me right now.”
“Aiva, you’re being ridiculous. You take this strong independent woman thing too far sometimes. Go tell your man the bad guy is threatening you and let him handle it. So we can get on with our business.”
Aiva struggled. The few minutes she sat in her car thinking through her next options felt like an eternity. She wanted to handle Daniel on her own. He’d threatened Mandira, someone she loved, and Aiva wanted to smash him on behalf of her friend. How dare he? In her fury, Aiva suddenly understood how Leon must feel when Aiva refused his help. Like he’d been shunt to the sidelines, only to watch helplessly as she tried to slay her own dragons. Leon had never once tried to take away her independence; he’d only tried to be there for her, the same way Mandira was there for Aiva. If she could accept Mandira’s help, why not Leon’s? Because he was a man? That wasn't fair.
Aiva started up the car, mind made up. “You’re right. Let’s go.”
They pulled up to his office tower twenty minutes later, navigating the first floor lobby to the receptionist.
“We’d like to see Mr. Sudano,” Aiva said.
“Do you have an appointment?”
“No. Can you tell him I’m here? He’ll see me.”
The woman’s brow rose, skeptical. “Your name, ma’am?”
“Aiviana Losito.”
The receptionist's expression flickered. “Ms. Losito. Of course; Mr. Sudano left orders to admit you anytime you arrived.” She rose. “Let me escort you and your guest to the elevator.”
Aiva marveled at the suddenly changed attitude, but choose to be amused rather than annoyed. When the elevator doors slid open on Leon’s floor, yet another woman met them. This one older and with an air of brisk efficiency from the stylish though severe cut of her suit, accented discreetly with silver jewelry.
“Ms. Losito?”
“That’s me.”
“I’m Candace, Mr. Sudano's admin. Please come with me.”
“He owns all of this?” Mandira asked, voice hushed.
Aiva swallowed. “Yes. I’ve never been here before.” And the modern sleekness of it all reminded Aiva that she wasn’t dealing with a plumber.
They entered his office, Candace announcing their presence. Leon was on the phone and held up a finger, gaze going from Aiva to Mandira. His brows drew together.
“I’ll have to call you back,” he said abruptly, hanging up.
“Aiva, what’s wrong?” he asked after pushing the button on his earpiece. He strode towards her.
“Daniel.”
Leon’s expression darkened. “What did he do?”
Aiva hesitated. Leon stopped in front of her, not touching, just watched her face.
“First,” she said, drawing his check out of her pocket. “I don’t need this anymore.”
She felt his utter freeze. “That’s the second time you’ve refused my help, Aiviana.”
“I’m going
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