Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 69993 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 350(@200wpm)___ 280(@250wpm)___ 233(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69993 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 350(@200wpm)___ 280(@250wpm)___ 233(@300wpm)
“Trust you?” I look deep into his eyes, still huffing from the adrenaline. “You let that crazy bitch disrespect me when I’m here to help you out, not the other way around. I’m outta here.”
“I’m sorry, Gia. I should have told her to just make you a drink and keep her mouth shut. That’s on me.”
“Sure the fuck is on you! Is the old bitch going to apologize?”
His lips twitch. “If that’s what you want.”
I nod my head. “Yeah. It’s what I want, or I’m out of here. For good.”
“Okay, fine, I’ll get her to apologize.”
“Fine.”
He nods toward the door. “Ace and the guys are waiting inside.”
“Lead the way,” I tell Preacher and follow him back inside the clubhouse. “That bitch touches me again; I’ll fucking kill her.”
Chapter Ten
Preacher
Gia chooses a chair against the wall with her eyes facing the door and the bar, darting to each every few seconds. She’s in full self-defense mode, prickly as hell, too.
“Okay, so what’s this about?” she asks, using her tough girl demeanor to keep distance between her and everyone in the bar.
Ace sits at the table first and eyes Gia with amusement. “You all right, Slugger?”
Gia gives a short nod, unwilling to give an inch. “I’m fine, thanks. How’s the crusty old cunt? Hurting, I hope.”
Gia’s beautiful and a little bit broken, so I get the show, but the tenderness she hides is what interests me most.
“Want some ice?” Ace asks and nods toward her red, slightly swollen knuckles.
“I’ve dealt with worse. What do you want to talk to me about?”
Coop comes to the table with a tall beer for himself, then hands Gia a glass. “Jack and Coke for the lady.”
“Did you spit in it?” she scoffs, eyeing the glass like it might bite her.
“No.” Coop laughs. “I made it myself. With a twist of lime for the brawler.”
Gia’s lips twitch, but she doesn’t give into the amusement. “Thank you.” She takes a cautious sip and settles her gaze back on Ace. “What do you need to talk about Mr. Pres-i-dent?”
“You can just call me Ace.”
“Gia,” she says. “But you already know that.”
“I do.” Ace sits back and watches Gia carefully the way he does with everyone, but Gia doesn’t squirm at all. No, she stares back at him, taking in every detail.
“What can you tell us about Frank?”
Her eyebrows dip in confusion. “Frank? Why the fuck do you want to talk about Frank?”
Ace lets out a small huff. “Just tell me what you know about him.”
“Frank Braden? He’s my mom’s boyfriend. They’ve been going out for about a year. Just found out today the bastard is married. Asshole.”
Her eyes dart around the table at each of us. “Is that what you wanted to hear? Frank hasn’t been around in a few days. I don’t know if he ghosted my mom or what. Maybe he’s with his wife or died in the fire. I don’t know. I just know he's an asshole for fucking with my mom like that. Other than that, I don’t know anything else. Can I go now?”
“He’s not dead,” Coop tells her plainly.
“How do you know? Did you have something to do with the fire? Do you know where he is?”
“No,” Ace jumps in angrily. “But I can tell you without a doubt that Frank Braden is alive. He’s hiding out because of his own fucked up actions, and I’m just trying to figure out if you know why he might need to hide out. Has he asked you to do anything? Computer-wise?”
Gia swallows. “Nothing specific. I moved some of the church money around a couple of times.”
“Church money? How much?” Coop leans forward, very interested in her answer.
“Couple-hundred grand, maybe two-fifty.” Gia shrugs as if it’s no big deal, but her entire body is tight with tension.
“Do you know the account owners?”
She laughs. “Frank? Yeah, I know Frank. They were all church accounts.”
“You didn’t find that suspicious?” I ask because Gia seems like a smart woman and would have had questions.
“No. Why would I? Frank was a nice guy to Mom, and he didn’t treat me like a piece of shit. He actually complimented me on my skills and told me I should do something with them.”
Her shoulders droop, and she lets out a tired sigh. “He gave me five hundred bucks for the job.”
“How was he after you made the transfers?”
She shrugs. “Squirrely the whole time I was doing it, but once it was done, he seemed more relaxed, ya know?”
Gia downs her drink in one smooth gulp. “Can I get another one?”
Ace nods. “Yeah, Coop, can you get Gia a drink?”
“Sure.”
Ace continues, “I would consider it a personal favor if you could get me the account numbers where the money originated, Gia.”
“And if I can’t?”
Ace shrugs. “I’ll be disappointed, but you’ll be safe.”
She nods and picks up her purse, producing a pen. “You know why his church burned down? Ro says the news is calling it arson.” She snatches a napkin from the table and starts writing really fast.