Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 105065 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 525(@200wpm)___ 420(@250wpm)___ 350(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105065 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 525(@200wpm)___ 420(@250wpm)___ 350(@300wpm)
So far dickhead has been avoiding the place, but he’s here tonight. I’m sitting at the bar waiting for Lachlan to get back when I notice Donny slinking towards the dressing room. Since Sasha’s on first, he no doubt expects her to be back there getting ready. Too bad for him that I’ve put a little wrinkle in his plan. I’m ready for him, and honestly, I’ve been counting down the minutes for this.
Every day for the last week we’ve taken over one of the downstairs storage areas and turned it into a makeshift dressing room for Sasha only. I made up a whole story about the other girls being bitchy as an excuse. Lach grumbled about it for all of two seconds before I used my lips to coerce him into it. Secretly, I don’t think he actually minds since he thinks Sasha and I are bonding. As it turns out, Lachlan is quite busy with his mobster activities, and me having a friend here gives him some peace of mind. Probably because he thinks it’ll keep me out of trouble. Hah.
While Ronan is engrossed in conversation with Conor, I slip off my bar stool and follow Donovan into the back. When he hears my footsteps behind him, he wheels around and glares at me.
“What the fuck you lookin’ at?”
Sheesh, someone’s touchy today. I can’t help but annoy him further with a smile.
“Looking for Sash?” I ask. “You won’t find her back here.”
He takes a step forward and flexes his arms, looking like a total cockhead. “What’s it to you what I’m doing, huh?”
I hold my ground and shrug. “Nothin’ to me. But you’re going to leave Sasha the hell alone from now on.”
His eyes flash with annoyance and he barks out a laugh. “Who the fuck do you think you’re talkin’ to?”
I reach forward and slam my hands against his chest, knocking him back in surprise.
“C’mon,” I goad him. “You like to smack girls around? Go on, give me your best shot. But unlike the ones you pick on, I promise I’ll fight back.”
Every muscle in his body is rippling with tension and his veins look like they’re about to explode. But he doesn’t move. “Big words coming from Crow’s little whore. You think he’s going to protect you forever, you got another thing coming.”
“I don’t see him here now.” I throw my arms out wide. “So, if you want to act like a big, tough man, then go right ahead.”
His eyes tell me he wants to. The fact that I’m under Lach’s protection pisses him off more than anything. He knows he can’t touch me and still live to tell about it, so he’s holding back. For now. But I don’t trust that it’s going to stay that way for long.
“You’re going to regret this,” he growls. “You dumb fucking broad.”
“Is there a problem here?”
I wheel around to find Lachlan, his focus narrowed dangerously on Donovan. I glance back at Donny and wink.
“I don’t know, Donny. Do we have a problem here?”
“No problem,” he barks out. “I was just telling Mack here how lucky she is to have you. That’s all.”
With a twisted sneer, he leaves the room, humming a little tune as he goes. Way too happily for my liking. I turn to find Lach still staring at the door Donny walked through, almost as if he’s debating going after him.
“You tell me if he gives ye any trouble, Mack,” he says.
“Aw.” I flutter my eyelashes at him. “Are you going to defend my honor?”
He walks up and pulls me into his arms, his expression dead serious. “Always, sweetheart.”
***
The incident with Donny has left me with my hackles up, but it’s only confirmed that Lachlan is serious. He’s not going to let me out of his sight, and he has every intention of protecting me. This is going to be a problem.
So I do the one thing that I swore I wouldn’t. It isn’t often I admit defeat, but in this situation, there’s no choice. I’ve tried to do things my way, mostly because I didn’t want to drag anyone else into it, and I’ve been saving all of my money until I could get the job here. But this is a case where I’d consider the expense a necessity. There’s an ex-cop turned PI who I think might be able to get me the information I’m looking for. The only problem is, I won’t be able to see him myself.
When I finally get a moment alone in Lach’s office, I pull out my cell phone and call Scarlett.
“Hey babe,” she answers. “It’s about damn time you called me.”
“Sorry,” I whisper. “But it’s been a little difficult.”
“Yeah, I figured,” she says. “So how’s it going?”
“Well, not great,” I answer honestly. “They’ve got eyes on me all the time, and… well, I’m going to need your help.”
“Thank God,” she sighs. “I’ve been bored out of my mind. Tell me what I can do for you.”
I glance at the door, knowing Lachlan will be back any second and spit it out. “I need you to go see my guy in the Dot. Tell him I need anything he can get me on Donovan O’Shea.”
Scarlett laughs, and I can hear her scrawling down a note, like she might somehow forget. I know she won’t, she’s sharper than I am. “Alright, babe.”
“Take whatever you need from my safe for payment,” I tell her. “And I will contact you, okay. Not the other way around.”
“Got it.”
The door swings open, and Lach gives me a curious look when he sees me on the phone. I flash him a smile and try not to draw suspicion.
“Okay, grandma,” I say. “I have to go now. You take care and give gramps a hug for me.”
Scarlett snorts on the other line. “Yeah, sure thing, babe. I’ll get right on that.”
A click of the line, and I shove my phone back in my purse and cross my legs as Lach stalks around his desk and sits down in his chair.