Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 92474 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 462(@200wpm)___ 370(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92474 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 462(@200wpm)___ 370(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
“Criminals like you?” she whispered, then wished she hadn’t. What was she doing? She needed to get them to leave, not antagonize them.
“Criminals like us? We aren’t no criminals are we, Badger?” Baldy said.
Badger? Seriously?
“Nope,” Burpy replied. He let out another belch as he gorged himself on her leftover cream buns and cupcakes.
Asshole.
“What do you want in return?” she asked.
“Why, just a small monetary donation.”
Oh, God. She got it now. They wanted protection money.
“And if I don’t pay you?”
“Then you don’t get our protection.” Baldy smiled at her, but it wasn’t a pleasant smile. No, he looked like a shark about to take a bite. From her. “And that wouldn’t be good. For you. So, we’ll be here first of every month. Have our money waiting. Got it?”
“How much?”
“Ah, six hundred a month should cover it.”
Six hundred a month? They were going to bankrupt her. She didn’t even have her head above water now. She’d had to dip into her emergency stash just to make rent this month.
“You’ll put me out of business.”
“Don’t worry, sweetie,” Baldy said, moving in closer to her.
Fuck. Fuck.
Her heart raced in fear as he backed her up against a wall. He ran a finger down her cheek. God, he smelled awful. Like rotten garbage. He leaned in, his breath fanning across her face, nearly making her gag.
“If you got problems paying, I’m sure we can come to some arrangement.” He grabbed her breast with his hand, squeezing it.
She shoved him back then placed an arm over her chest protectively. “Get away from me asshole! I wouldn’t touch your disease-ridden dick if it was the last one on the planet.”
He raised his hand, and she flinched, ready for another black eye. But Burpy reached out and grabbed his arm. “Chill, man.”
“Fuck, fine.” Baldy straightened his clothes. “Frigid bitch. Be seeing you in a week. Have the money.” Baldy slapped Burpy’s back, making the other guy belch again. She was starting to think he had digestion issues.
Not that she cared.
Once they’d left she made sure the doors were all locked. She thought Anita had locked them on her way out.
“Doesn’t matter. Unimportant. Shit. Shit.” She slumped to the ground behind her counter, pulling her legs up to her chest.
What the hell was she going to do?
“We need to be careful,” Regent said as he climbed into the backseat of the car. “We don’t know whether Santiago is working with Patrick, but this could be a setup.”
Victor just grunted. He glanced down at his phone.
Still no message. No missed calls.
Fuck.
Just take a peek at her.
He’d been able to get some cameras into her apartment when he’d been there. But he was trying not to check on her too often.
And failing miserably.
He’d never be able to let her go. Not fully. He could step into the shadows and watch her like he had before, but he’d always be there.
When he touched her, he felt at peace. That was something that not even fighting gave him. She kept the demons at bay.
How could he live without her?
He opened the app to check her apartment. He frowned. She wasn’t in the living room, kitchen, or bedroom. Maybe she was in the bathroom.
“Did you hear me? Victor? You seem distracted, and I need you to have your head in the game.”
“My head’s in the game.” He set his phone aside. “You sure going to this meet with Santiago is a good idea? Could be a trap.”
“Which is why I need you with me and not with her.”
Victor shot his brother a look. “You know about her?”
“Course I do. Can’t believe you thought I wouldn’t. You took her to Matteo’s.”
Matteo, the owner of the restaurant he’d taken her to for dinner was also friends with Maxim.
“You wanted me to know,” Regent claimed.
“Guess I did.” Subconsciously.
“If you want her, then you need to protect her, Victor.”
He stiffened. “You think Santiago will try to take us on?”
“I don’t know if it’s him or if there’s someone else in the shadows. Ever since we got that tip that Patrick was hiding out under Santiago’s protection, I’ve been working on turning one of his men to my side. But that could be why Santiago has called this meeting. Wants to feel us out, figure out what we want.”
Victor grunted. He didn’t like it. He had a bad feeling about all of this shit.
Regent got out his phone. “If it’s just about sex, I get it. But I’ve never known you to keep going back to the same person. Or take someone out for dinner. So, if she’s something more, get her secured, Victor.”
“I gave her a choice. A chance to back out. I think she’s decided she can’t stomach being with me.”
“You’re going to let her choose?” Regent gaped at him. “Who are you? This isn’t you. Aren’t you the one who often argues that we need to protect the women in our lives no matter what their views are?”