“Don’t worry about any of that yet. Kyle will figure something out. He’s good at that. We can always use a backup receptionist or bartender at the club. Melissa is just part time behind the bar and some nights it’s a lot for Jarrod to handle on his own. Kyle and I will take care of you,” Jenna told her, giving her a big hug. “Come on, let’s check on the kids and see how they are doing. Then we will go find Kyle and see if he knows anything more.”
“You don’t think he called Mel and the guys, do you?” Lena wasn’t ready for them to know where she was.
“Honey, I’ve been with you and I don’t know what Kyle did.” Jenna wasn’t going to tell her that she was sure Kyle had called Mel, R.J., and Hal and let them know how stupid they were being. Lena didn’t need to hear that yet.
Chapter Eleven
Lena spent two weeks moping around Jenna’s house. She helped her with the children and helped Kyle track down who could be framing her and why.
Every time the phone or doorbell rang, she jumped, hoping her men had come to their senses and were there to apologize and take her back. That was when she wasn’t so mad she was plotting how to make them all pay, if she ever talked to them again.
She knew Kyle had been talking to them. She had walked into his office once and was sure she had heard Mel’s voice on the speakerphone. Kyle had quickly picked up the receiver then pointedly glared at her until she left his office. He kept the door locked from then on and she was sure she had heard him telling Jenna that she was going to get ten swats for not keeping a better eye on Lena. She didn’t know if Jenna got in trouble or not, but Jenna was very happy the next day.
After the third week of watching Lena mope around the house, Jenna couldn’t take it anymore and decided to talk to Kyle. Normally she tried to stay out of his business, but this involved her family too.
“We have to do something about Lena. I can’t stand seeing her like this,” Jenna said when Kyle let her into his office, locking the door behind him. Jenna knew about Lena walking in and understood why he didn’t want it happening again.
He pushed his chair back and pulled her into his lap. “I know, baby. I don’t like seeing her hurting either. I can tell you that R.J., Hal, and Mel realize what a mistake they have made and are close to solving this with the help of Mel’s contacts at the FBI.”
“Do they have a plan to get Lena back?” Jenna wanted everyone to be as happy as she and Kyle were.
“No, but I do,” Kyle said and told her what he had planned and how she was going to help.
Mel, Hal, and R.J. had pulled every string they could and had Kyle pull a few, too, until they managed to find out who was after Lena and why they had picked her. They weren’t going to quit until they had her completely exonerated.
Mel knew what he and his FBI contact had found was just the tip of the iceberg, but they didn’t know until they dug further just how deep the threat ran. It wasn’t just mob contacts. Simon’s Uncle Greg had been using the bank to launder drug money and then used it to support the campaigns of several high-ranking officials in the local government. It was quite the hornets’ nest they had opened and a mess that could take years to untangle to its fullest extent. They had no idea how far-reaching the ramifications could be. Simon and Frank were low men on the totem pole and Lena was just a pawn in their game.
After weeks of work, Mel, Hal, and R.J. had convinced Mel’s contact with the FBI that Lena knew nothing and they had found the evidence they needed to not only convict Frank and Simon, but Simon’s Uncle Greg also. It also looked like a few members of Congress would have some questions to answer.
With Frank and Simon both in jail, the groups that had been targeting Lena realized that she was innocent and the threats to her were withdrawn. Mel got an anonymous message that simply said, “the girl is safe,” and nothing more happened. It was over.
The threat to Lena cleared, it was time for the men to get their woman back. If she would take them.
When Kyle had told Jenna he had a plan, it meant he did. Getting everything to fall into place was the easy part. Kyle’s plans rarely failed.
Kyle arranged for Lena to take some bartending shifts with Jarrod at the club to “help out” for a couple days and made sure that Mel, Hal, and R.J. were meeting him at the club one of those nights.
Jenna loaned Lena one of the outfits Kyle had bought her for the club, convincing her it was appropriate to wear since she was tending bar. Everything set up, Kyle and Jenna sat back to watch the show.
Chapter Twelve
Jarrod was great to work with. He was good looking and sexy. If she hadn’t already fallen head over heels for Mel, R.J., and Hal, Lena could see herself having a good time with Jarrod. This was the third night she had helped out at the bar and she was getting comfortable with him. He was sweet, a big flirt, and a teddy bear. Very protective of her. On her first night working the bar, one of the regulars had gotten a little handsy and Jarrod had explained to him in no uncertain terms that Lena was not available to play.
> The second night after they had everything cleaned up, Jarrod offered to do a scene with her, but she refused. She didn’t want anyone but her men.
The third night Lena worked was the busiest and she didn’t have time to stop between serving drinks. Kyle had invited some of his friends from another club to do a wax demonstration and the club was crowded with people who had come to watch it. It was busy enough that Kyle had called Melissa, the part-time bartender, in to help. Watching them together, Lena could tell there was something between Jarrod and Melissa but she wasn’t sure what was going on with them.
It was busy enough that she really didn’t have time to pay a lot of attention to what was going on. Jarrod and Melissa were handling the customers at the bar, and Lena was busy filling drinks for the waitress and helping wait tables when needed.
After the first demo was over and things were starting to quiet down, several of the waitresses went on break, leaving Lena to wait on tables.
Lots of people had left after the demo and only a few tables were occupied. One table was back in a dark corner and although Lena couldn’t make out the faces she knew there were people back there.
“I’m grabbing this last table, then I’m taking a break if you’re good with that?” she called to Jarrod and Melissa, and ventured back to take the order. One of the lights must have been out because the corner was darker than normal.
Knowing she would be safe in the club she walked on back to the corner when someone grabbed her around the waist and put a hand over her mouth. “Don’t fight, baby, it’s just us,” Mel’s voice said in her ear.
Lena sagged in relief at first then she got mad. Kicking and struggling, she was carried off to one of the private rooms. “We want to talk to you,” Hal said when Mel let her go, locking the door behind him.