Free Sealed with a Kill by Lucy Lawrence Page A

last night,” she said.
    “I can imagine. Are we still on for tonight?”
    “Yes, seven o’clock. I’ll pick you up.” Tenley rose abruptly to her feet and lurched toward the bathroom in the back. “I’m not feeling so well; do you mind watching the shop without me?”
    “Not at all,” Brenna said. “It’s probably the stress; maybe you should go home for a bit and rest.”
    “Maybe,” Tenley agreed. “But we’re still going tonight.”
    “I’ll be ready,” she agreed. “Hey, what should I wear?”
    “Ladies’ night is really a euphemism for divorcée night, so if you want to blend, dress trampy.”
    “Oh, fun!” Brenna wondered if Tenley caught the sarcasm in her voice before the door shut behind her.

Chapter 9

    Brenna was sitting on the floor doing inventory when the bells on the door alerted her that a customer had arrived. She had almost finished counting their Italian specialty papers and didn’t want to have to start all over, so she called out, “I’ll be right with you.”
    “I’ve heard that before,” a deep voice said.
    Brenna whipped her head around to find Dom leaning against the counter, watching her.
    “Tunnel, huh?” he asked.
    “I’m sorry. I was going to call you back,” she said.
    “But the tunnel collapsed and you got trapped. Then the battery on your cell phone died, and you had to dig your way out through ten feet of crumbled concrete. By the time you got out, you were suffering from dehydration and had to be rushed to the hospital, and so you couldn’t return any of my calls. Don’t fret, I completely understand. I’m just glad you’re okay.”
    Brenna couldn’t help it. She laughed. “You have quite an imagination.”
    “So I’ve been told,” he said. He pushed off the counter and strode toward her, offering his hand.
    Brenna took it, and he pulled her gently to her feet and gave her a solid, reassuring hug.
    “I really am sorry that I didn’t call you back. I got caught up talking to Tenley, and it was late before I got home. Still, it was inexcusably rude, and I’m sorry.”
    “All is forgiven,” he said. “I really am just glad to see that you’re all right.”
    The door jangled again, and Brenna stepped away from Dom to greet her customer. To her surprise, it was Julie with her surly son, Suede, in tow.
    “Hi, Julie, Suede,” she said. “It’s nice to see you.”
    “Hi, Brenna,” Julie replied. “Suede and I were just walking about town and saw the shop. I remembered you said that you worked here, and I thought we’d pop in to say hello.”
    “I’m so glad you did,” she said. “This is my friend Dom. Dom, this is Julie. She was on the tour the other day. And this is her son, Suede.”
    Dom held out his hand. “A pleasure.”
    Julie looked a bit starstruck by him, and Brenna realized it was a reaction to the coiled energy that poured off of Dom in waves. She knew he didn’t do it on purpose. Dom came from an old mob family, and Brenna was pretty sure the ability to overwhelm those around him wasn’t a conscious choice but something he couldn’t help because it was written into his genetic code.
    Julie shook her head as if trying to break a spell, and Dom glanced at her mane of red hair as it caught the light and shimmered in a tumble of blond and copper.
    They shook hands, and it seemed to Brenna that they both lingered a bit. Then Dom turned to Suede, who was giving him the curled lip of teenage surlitude.
    “Suede, this is Dom Cappicola,” Brenna said. She put extra emphasis on Dom’s last name, and she saw Suede’s eyes widen. Good, he had heard of the Cappicola family.
    “Nice to meet you,” Dom said. He held out his hand, and Suede reluctantly took it, but instead of your average handshake, they exchanged a flurry of backhanded slaps, curled finger handclasps, and fists pounded one atop another.
    “So, how many people have you whacked?” Suede asked.
    “Tommy . . . Suede!” Julie gasped in parental horror.
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