Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 73208 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 366(@200wpm)___ 293(@250wpm)___ 244(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73208 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 366(@200wpm)___ 293(@250wpm)___ 244(@300wpm)
She nodded her head for me to follow her as she moved from the table. When we were far enough away, she leaned close to me. “How do you know them?”
“Who? The Mafia? Because technically, I don’t know those guys, but I know the cousin he’s referring to. He’s in Georgia though. I assume those guys are here in Florida.”
Pepper nodded. “Yeah. So, you aren’t in trouble with them, are you? Because if so, I know someone who can fix it. I’ve got connections to the boss, and when I say boss, I mean, THE BOSS. The one who runs all of the Southern Mafia. The Florida branch is the main one. It’s run by Blaise Hughes, and he controls the entire bunch. Even those hotheads in Louisiana.”
How many states was the Southern Mafia in? They were clearly larger than I’d realized. Maybe I should have gone north. I wonder how far north I’d have to go to get away from them.
I shook my head. “No. I’ve done nothing to any of them. They just wanted a man dead, and he was already dead. King Salazar isn’t sure I’m telling the truth, so he’s watching me.”
Pepper’s gaze watched me steadily. “You’re not hiding anyone from them, are you?”
“No. The man they want dead is very dead. I would have happily handed him over to them if he were alive. He was a sick bastard.”
She took a deep breath. “All right. But you’re sure he’s dead? You’ve seen his dead body? Because you do not want them to think you’re lying to them.”
I swallowed hard and glanced around before looking back at her. “He’s dead.”
“How did you know him? Why did they come after you to find him?”
I wished she’d let this go, but she was being careful. Making sure I wasn’t about to be an issue for her. I understood that. “He was my father.”
She sucked in a breath. “But you wanted him dead?”
I nodded.
“You can see why they might not believe you though, and if he’s not dead—”
“I killed him, Pepper.”
She stared at me for several moments, and I knew my admission might get me fired. I waited, and she finally let out a long breath.
“Well, okay then.” She blinked a few times. “It’s time to get back up there.”
I didn’t move. “You aren’t firing me?”
She frowned. “Why would I do that?”
I wanted to laugh, but I didn’t. “Because of what I just told you.”
Pepper pointed her finger and swung it around the room. “I grew up with this. Bikers. My dad was one. My brother is one. You killed a man who deserved it. Not a reason for me to fire you. Clearly, you can hold your own, and that’s good to know.”
• Twelve •
“No man drives over ten hours for tomatoes.”
Storm
There was no fucking reason I should be here. Not one. King wasn’t asking, and he hadn’t even mentioned anything about her in the past two weeks since Huck had come to check things out. To see if this was in fact where Briar Landry was working. When he’d gotten her location, it had been too close to coincidental that of all the bars in Miami, Briar had found herself a gig at Pepper Abe’s place.
Pepper’s connection to Blaise Hughes was through her brother and Blaise Hughes’s father-in-law, the president of The Judgment MC. When Blaise had hooked up with his now wife, it had been a given that The Judgment was now under the family’s protection. They’d been a powerful MC before, but with Blaise standing behind them, they were now untouchable on both sides of the law.
Huck had found no reason for concern and even suggested Pepper seemed protective of Briar. Was there no one that woman couldn’t charm? Jesus, she was dangerous and sexy as fuck. No, I wasn’t going there. She wasn’t using that voodoo shit on me. Reeling me in and choking me out. The line of men she’d wrung dry and walked away from was probably endless.
I should turn and go back to Georgia. Standing outside Paradise Brew, I glared at the building as if it had offended me just by being here. She was in there. The tracker on her car had brought me here, and it was currently parked in the back. I hadn’t told anyone where I was going. If they knew, I’d never hear the end of it. Especially from Thatcher. Even though the fucker would have come with me if he’d known.
I swung my gaze over the parking lot. So many damn bikes. Harleys mostly, but there were a few Indian Chiefs and one Black Shadow, which surprised me. Pulling out a cigarette, I stuck it between my teeth and lit it. I’d driven six hundred fifty miles. I was going in that damn bar, but not yet. First, I had to take the edge off and figure out why the fuck I’d gotten in my Jeep and driven south at four this morning. I’d checked into a hotel, taken a shower, and tried to talk myself into not doing this. It had failed.