Total pages in book: 110
Estimated words: 107557 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 430(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107557 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 430(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
“I see your world famous cupcakes over there on the table, Bella. We all thank the cupcake queen for our sugar fix.” He stopped in front of her and bowed in worship.
Jamison’s wife rolled her eyes but wore a big smile. “Like I would ever walk into this place without at least a dozen of them.”
“See? Unlike your clueless husband named after a car part, you know coming empty-handed would cause a riot. How are the kids?”
“Kids,” Bella answered dryly. “Typical teenagers, their emotions are on a rollercoaster as you very well know since they’re here enough. You never know if they’re going to tell you they love you or hate you. They give me whiplash.”
“I’ve witnessed the carnage when hubby brings them. But asking about them gives me an excuse to stare at you since you’re more beautiful than Jamison deserves.”
When she laughed, the BAMC president wrapped an arm around his wife and pulled her closer into his side. “Stop sniffing around mine and go get your own.”
“Speaking of that,” the dark-haired beauty started, “who was with you at the funeral? I didn’t get a chance to meet her and was hoping she’d be here.”
“Someone who hasn’t learned her lesson about him yet,” Decker volunteered.
“She used to work with Mel,” Rez answered.
“At the strip club?”
“Yes. She was the hostess.”
“Was?” Bella asked.
“I told you about The Peach Pit and the Demons,” Jamison murmured.
“Ah, yes. You know, our MC has a strip club, too, if she needs a new job. I’m sure I can put in a good word with Moose. She’s absolutely gorgeous and would be a huge draw.”
Rez lifted an eyebrow. “Moose?”
“He’s the manager,” Jamison explained.
“She was forced back on stage, but her real talent is being a hostess.” Rez really didn’t want Sapphire to swap one stage for another. He’d rather she remained fully dressed when she was around a roomful of horny as fuck men.
“He’s wrong,” Crew said, stepping up and joining their conversation. “I’ve seen her dance. Her talent is definitely dancing.”
Rez opened his mouth to ask Crew when he’d seen Sapphire dance but realized he probably watched her on the camera feeds. He didn’t want to say shit about the cameras the task force had installed at The Peach Pit since they were among mixed company, as in spouses and others who shouldn’t be privy to task force business.
But that didn’t mean he couldn’t shoot Crew a glare.
The task force leader shot him a grin back.
Dick.
He turned his attention back to Bella. “I’ll ask her if she’d be interested in working there. It would only be temporary. She’s waiting for Mel to open her own club.”
“Her appearances could be promoted as if she’s a special guest. Those usually draw a huge crowd. I’ll talk to Moose and let Axel know so he can pass the info on to you.”
He couldn’t imagine her working for a club owned by the Dirty Angels would be worse than one by the Deadly Demons.
“Thanks, Bella. You’re the best. Sorry you’re stuck with that one.” Rez jerked a thumb toward Jamison. “And on that note...” He turned toward Sloane, who was leaning into Decker. “So sorry for your loss, Sloane. We all wanted things to turn out differently.”
“I had hoped.” She patted Decker’s chest. “The only bright spot in this whole mess was me meeting Decker and Val. And of course, all of you. You’ve become my new family now that my sister’s gone. After the fight I had with my parents over interring her ashes in the columbarium, I feel like I really don’t have any real family left. I think that was the last straw.”
Her soft sigh got him right in the gut. Rez already lost his father. He couldn’t imagine losing his mother, too, especially while she was still breathing. They’d had heated arguments plenty of times, but they always patched things up.
“Anyway,” Sloane continued, “I appreciate all of you and everything you’ve done to help.”
Decker tightened his arm around her.
“You have every right to be sad about it, though,” Rez told her. “You need time to grieve.”
“I’ve been grieving over Sadie ever since I found out she was abusing drugs.”
“She put you through the wringer,” Decker murmured.
Apparently, the conversation was too depressing for Crew, since, with a furrowed brow, he glanced around. He used Finn and Mel joining the small group to change the subject. “Wasn’t Monty and her man coming here after the service?”
“She said she was.” Rez grinned. “Do you think she didn’t want to risk one of us cornering him alone?”
“She stuck to him like glue at the Christmas party so we couldn’t do that,” Crew said.
“Do you blame her?” Bella asked. “You guys can be brutal. And she looked happy when I saw them earlier. Don’t ruin it.”
Crew laughed. “We won’t ruin it. We’re only looking out for her.”