Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 155903 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 780(@200wpm)___ 624(@250wpm)___ 520(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 155903 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 780(@200wpm)___ 624(@250wpm)___ 520(@300wpm)
“Oh, Rocking Reuby, stop being so dramatic,” Cat told him.
“Nope. Not calling me that, either.”
Cat sighed. “Papi isn’t going to kill you, because there’s no way he’d ever think I’d cheat on him. Would you, Papi?”
Alejandro’s scowl disappeared, and he sighed. “Of course not.” He picked Cat up and put her on his hip. “Doesn’t mean you’re allowed to be in a bedroom with another man, mi Pequeña.”
“Silly Papi, he’s not a man. He’s Reuben.”
“Thanks,” Reuben said dryly as he stood. “That makes me feel so good about myself.”
Cat smiled widely. “You’re welcome.”
“We all need to talk.” Alejandro strode out of the bedroom and into his office. Reuben followed.
Alejandro sat with Cat on his lap and reached into a drawer, pulling out a packet of wet wipes.
Reuben sat across from him as Alejandro cleaned Cat’s face and hands.
“That’s better,” Alejandro said. “Did I say you were allowed to eat ice cream?”
“Is anyone ever not allowed ice cream?” she replied sassily.
“Yes, naughty kittens who spider-slime guests,” Alejandro told her.
“Reuben isn’t a guest,” she protested. “He’s always here. He’s like part of the furniture.”
“You could have said a part of the family,” Reuben told her.
“Hmm. I could have.” Cat’s eyes twinkled.
Such a brat.
“Right. What do we need to talk about? Is it the new chief of police?” Reuben asked.
Smith Childs was the new chief of police. He was trying to make a name for himself, and his interference was making things difficult for them.
Alejandro frowned. “I’m not that worried. Every new chief of police tries to push their own agenda. He’ll settle down. Or we’ll find something to make him settle down.”
“You want me to get onto that? I can start looking into his background.”
“Yes, see if you can get something on him we can use if he becomes too troublesome.”
“Consider it done.” Reuben nodded.
“But now, back to something more important,” Cat said as she leaned forward. “Reu-Reu.”
“No.” He eyed her.
“We’re worried about you.”
Dear Lord. Why? Why him? What had he done to deserve this?
Actually, scratch that. He wasn’t a good guy, so this was probably his penance.
“You’re . . . worried about me?” he repeated, moving his gaze to Alejandro.
The other man was grinning.
Oh, fuck him.
Reuben was going to kill the bastard. He didn’t care that Alejandro was the closest thing he had to a brother.
He was dead.
“Why are you worried about me? Shouldn’t you be concerned about sitting?” Reuben asked.
“Why would I worry about that?” Cat asked. “I sit just fine.”
She shouldn’t be after the way she’d just spider-slimed him.
“We’ll discuss that later,” Alejandro told her firmly. “Cat has been worried that you look worn out. She keeps telling me how concerned she is that you haven’t found anyone else to help you since Gwen left.”
Alejandro was no longer smiling. He didn’t like it when Cat thought about anything other than him.
“It’s kind of you to be concerned, Cat, but I’m fine,” Reuben told her.
“I think you’re working too hard. You need to have some fun. Maybe even find someone to have some fun with.” Cat smiled slyly.
Oh, hell, no.
“Do not even think about trying to find me someone,” he warned.
That was the last thing he wanted or needed. Reuben wasn’t even sure he was capable of caring about someone like that. He’d had a few girlfriends before he’d decided he’d rather just have fuck buddies. That was much simpler.
Less messy.
“I wouldn’t dare.” Cat held up her hands. “No, what I think you need is an assistant.”
“An assistant?”
“Yes. To take some of the workload off you.”
“You really want me to bring in an assistant? To help with my work?” he said the words slowly. What was Alejandro thinking?
“Uh-huh.” Cat nodded.
“Cat, I can’t just hire someone to help me. Who would we trust with information about Alejandro’s businesses?” he asked.
“But what about Alejandro’s legitimate businesses? And the other work you do? An assistant could help with those things. Right?”
“Other work I do?” he asked.
“Yeah, all the pro bono stuff.”
Reuben sighed. “I’m fine, Cat.”
“You look terrible,” Cat told him. “Pale and tired. And you’re cranky. Crankier than usual. Even more than McGrumpface, and that’s saying something.”
McGrumpface was her bodyguard, Rafael. And he rarely cracked a smile.
But then, neither did Reuben.
“Cat is going to worry about you until you get some help. So, get some help,” Alejandro ordered.
Cat smiled at him.
Fuck. Seemed he was getting an assistant.
How had his life turned out like this?
Working for a cutthroat, savage mastermind.
And then, there was her husband.
2
Faith had her head down a toilet when she heard goats bleating.
Straightening, she dropped the toilet brush into the toilet.
Fudge knuckles.
Pulling off her gloves, she grabbed her phone out of her pocket as the goats kept bleating.
She saw it was Asta from the employment agency calling and quickly answered.
“Hello, this is Faith.”
“Faith! I have it! A job for you.”
Faith stood. “You do? What sort of job?”