Total pages in book: 15
Estimated words: 13796 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 69(@200wpm)___ 55(@250wpm)___ 46(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 13796 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 69(@200wpm)___ 55(@250wpm)___ 46(@300wpm)
“Now tell me the story of how you saved big bad Bruno from a bear.” Belle giggles. “We’re all dying to hear the unedited version.” I glance over at Bruno and see he’s caught up in his conversation with the men.
“I actually saved him from drowning. The bear had already run off by the time I got there.” They both stare at me with their mouths hanging open as I explain our first meeting.
When Devin and her husband arrive, we go through the whole round of introductions again. By the time we sit down for dinner, I realize I’ve fallen in love with Bruno’s family. They are fun, quirky, and obviously love each other…exactly what my life has been missing.
Plus, they live to give each other hell. What could be better?
Chapter 8
BRUNO
It does my heart good to watch my family fall in love with my girl. Ariel fits in perfectly with the nutty Arakas clan. “You chose well, my friend.” Dante hands me a glass of whiskey as we stand next to the pool, watching the ladies talk. After dinner, we decided to sit on the back patio and enjoy the warm Texas evening.
“I know.” I smile and clinck my glass to his. “I’m buying stock in the goddamn water.” I was a skeptic until the water proved its power to me. Now, I’m one of its biggest fans.
“Sounds like a plan.” My boss glances over at the women chatting away before his eyes turn dark. “Once we figure out who the fuck is dumb enough to steal from us.”
Constantine and Carlton, two of our other men, come strolling out the back door. “Sorry we missed dinner.” Constantine, Dimitri’s best friend, grabs himself a drink. “But we have news.”
“Fucking finally,” I growl, ready to get this shit taken care of so I can move on to marrying my siren. “Who the fuck needs to learn a lesson?”
I don’t plan to draw this out. I have a beautiful little siren to marry and knock up.
“Bunny Harper.” I stare at Carlton in shock, positive I heard him wrong.
“Bunny?” I question. “The stripper who’s worked at The King’s Castle since before we took over?”
Surely these assholes have it wrong.
“Yep.” Constantine shrugs before downing his whiskey.
As he heads over to the poolside bar to pour himself another, I turn to Carlton. “Are you fucking positive it’s her?” I trust these men with my life, but I still can’t believe the short, perky stripper is our thief. She doesn’t seem smart enough to pull it off or dumb enough to try.
“Hacker was able to pull up some very telling videos off the security system hard drive. We watched it over and over again to make sure we were seeing it right. She wasn’t as smart as she thought, though, since the bitch left a slew of evidence behind,” Carlton explains while Dante cusses under his breath. “We have Bunny on tape robbing us blind. She got fucking lucky, and a few things fell into place giving her the perfect opportunity to pull this off. First, a group of frat boy assholes got in a fight Saturday night, and the disturbance was just what Bunny needed to make her move. She snuck into the back office while all the bouncers were dealing with the brawl and called the security company. She got lucky, and the call was answered by a new security team representative who saw the note on our account that we regularly ask for videos to be paused. He didn’t verify Bunny’s identity before turning off the recordings.” We frequently have the videos paused when we have to take care of unpleasant business, like eliminating someone, but the security company is only supposed to take orders from me, Dante, Dimitri or Constantine. Heads will roll for this fuck up. “Then she grabbed the deposits from Friday night that were still in Bruno’s desk. That’s why we only lost seven grand.”
Constantine sets a fresh drink in front of me. “Bunny made one huge mistake, though. She didn’t realize we have backup recordings that go to our own server.
“Now that we know who did this, how do you want me to handle it?” I turn to Dante.
Dante sits back and rubs his thumb over his bottom lip for a few moments. “Inform Bunny that it’s time for her to move on and make sure the fucking thief knows I won’t be so forgiving if she ever returns.” He shrugs.
That’s what I expected him to say. While Carlton calls around to find out where Bunny is, I walk over and pull my curvy little siren aside.
“I have to go to the bar to take care of a few things.” I hate to leave her right now, but I need to take care of this business so I can get to work on something much more important— knocking up my little siren.