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)
“I don’t want you in any danger,” Victor told her.
“But I won’t be.”
“These guys are dangerous,” Regent told her.
“But Victor will be with me. He won’t let anything happen to me.”
“And what if they have guns? What if one of them shoots Victor? Or takes you hostage? They’ve got rap sheets as long as my arm.”
She gaped at Regent, her heart racing.
“Damn it, Regent, what the fuck?” Victor snarled. Sitting, he reached over and lifted her onto his lap.
“If it’s that dangerous then you shouldn’t be doing anything. You should just not go,” she cried.
“It’s not that dangerous,” Victor snarled. “I’m going to be just fine.”
“I apologize, Gracen. I shouldn’t have said that. I seem to be out of sorts at the moment.”
She thought that was a big admission for the other man. And she knew he was struggling with his limited mobility. It was clear he hated having to rely on anyone for anything. She nodded, but there was still a tremble of fear inside her.
“But they’ll likely have guns, right?” she asked.
“Yes, but they’re not expecting me to be in there,” Victor told her soothingly. “I’ll go in, turn on some lights to make it look like you’re in there. We have people watching both entrances and cameras inside. I can take care of two idiot gangsters.”
“Wait, you have cameras inside? When were they put there?”
“Uh, I’ve had them in there for a while,” he admitted.
“What? How?” She turned to look at him, shocked to find him looking chagrined.
“A while. I wanted to keep an eye on you.”
She frowned. “Is this like the alarm you put into my apartment? You just set up cameras without telling me?”
“Something like that,” he muttered.
Regent cleared his throat, drawing their attention back to him.
“Won’t the gang retaliate?” she asked. “What if they figure out you guys were involved? Could they cause trouble for you all?”
Regent just stared at her. Then he smiled. Dark satisfaction filled his eyes. “The Ventura gang are very small fish in this ocean. I’m the shark.”
“We’re going to systematically destroy them,” Victor said in a low voice. “And have fun doing it.”
Holy hell.
“Damn, even I’m slightly scared of you guys right now,” Maxim said.
“I still think I have a good point,” she said. “What if Victor sneaks in the back before I enter, then I go in. If anyone’s watching, they’ll only see me. They might be suspicious because the bakery’s been closed for days. Also, we don’t even know when they’ll come by. Victor could be in there for hours. I could be there, cleaning stuff out. And then when someone you have watching spots them approaching, I’ll go out the back.”
“I can go in as well and take her out into the alley,” Maxim offered.
“I still don’t like it,” Victor said
She huffed out a breath. Stubborn man.
“But she has got a point. If they are watching and don’t see her go in, they’ll sense a trap and we’ll never get them,” Maxim said. “And you want these guys, right?”
She held her breath and waited for Victor’s decision.
He turned her to face him. “You’ll do exactly as I say.”
“Yep.”
“You don’t and you’ll be over my knee as soon as we get home.”
She didn’t dare look at Maxim or Regent. She was aware of Maxim coughing to cover a laugh.
Ass.
“I will do whatever you tell me, promise.”
“As soon as they’re spotted, you are out with Maxim.”
“I promise.”
“Damn, I don’t think I would have volunteered for this if I’d realized it would be so boring,” Maxim stated, putting his phone down. Both he and Victor were in the shadows to keep them hidden. Maxim had started complaining about an hour ago, and Victor kept frowning at her and telling her to stay away from the window and grumbling at her not to lift anything heavy and to rest.
She kept glaring at him every time she had to sit. She was still feeling the effects of the spanking he’d given her last night. Apparently, he really hadn’t appreciated her going to Regent after he’d said no.
And she had felt bad about it. It had been a bit sneaky.
It had made her sad coming back to the bakery. It felt cold and empty. Seeing it now, after being away, she realized how rundown and old it felt. She’d emptied out the fridge, scrubbed everything, and now she was trying to figure out what to do with all of her equipment. Some of it she wanted to take to the Malone mansion, but she couldn’t carry it out today. They’d have to come back for it.
“I don’t think they’re coming,” she finally stated.
Victor and Maxim suddenly straightened.
“They’ve been spotted,” Victor said, his finger going to the receiver in his ear. “They’re coming from across the street. Nearly here.” He nodded at her and Maxim.