Page 38 of Ruthless

Chapter 15

Ginger

"God, where can I find a yummy biker like that for myself?" Della asked the second that Rebel stuck his head in and said that he had to take off, but that we should enjoy the pizza.

I huffed. "Are you kidding me? We just went through Bike Week and they're always popping into the bar. And besides, Rebel isn't mine."

"He doesn't act that way," she said around a mouthful of pizza. "Not the way he looks at you."

I didn't feel like talking about Rebel. The man infuriated me. "So, you don't look too torn up about Daryl. He's asked you for money before, so what happened this time?" We were standing at the counter eating our pizza. I was thankful Rebel had ordered cheese and pepperoni, but I knew that Della liked the works. Still, she seemed to be enjoying it.

She shrugged."He stopped paying me back. I work hard for my money and I don't mind lending it if I've got it, but don't keep coming to me for more when you haven't paid me back what you owe. Daryl didn't ask this time, he demanded, and it was a lot, Ginger."

I was curious. "How much?"

"A thousand bucks!" she exclaimed.

My eyes rounded with surprise. "Why would he need that kind of money? For drugs?"

"Who knows? Probably. I finally realized while we were fighting about it that I was so over him. Our relationship hasn't been what you'd call a real relationship in a long time. I know things change between people over the years, but you hope it's for the better." Her smile was more of a smirk. "I think I'll go back to one-night stands."

I laughed. "That's not the answer and you know it, plus it's dangerous." I reached inside her junk drawer for one of the many loose napkins that she kept stuffed in there from other take-out deliveries. "How's the pizza settling in your stomach?"

"Not too bad, but I think I'll stop at one slice." She rubbed her tummy.

"That’s probably a good idea," I agreed. "Do you think you'll be up to our spa day tomorrow?"

She nodded enthusiastically. "Hell, yes. After the week we’ve had? We deserve it. And let's go out tomorrow night, too. Somewhere far away from Pirates Cove."

"Sounds like a plan. I think I'll spring for a foot massage while I'm getting a pedi."

Della giggled. "I want my whole body massaged. I don't care if I did miss two days of work." I was sure the flu had left her feeling achy.

"Well, I'm ready to turn in. Do you want any more pizza? Because otherwise I'm taking it with me in case Rebel comes back hungry." She shook her head, so I picked up the boxes.

"So he's staying with you?"

I nodded without turning around as I walked to the door. "I'm not sure how it happened, but it appears he is. See ya in the morning, honey." I yawned loudly. Her mumbled “goodnight” could be heard just before she closed and locked her door.

****

Rebel

Moody, Jace, and I were sitting in the back of the room against the wall, watching the sexy sway of the waitress's fine ass as she walked away after delivering our beers. The short shorts that she was wearing didn't begin to cover the cheeks of her shapely ass. The tits that she'd flashed at us hadn't been half bad, either. If it had been another time I might have been more interested, but after having Ginger my dick didn't seem interested in anyone else.

The place was still packed, even though it was after two in the morning. It wasn't surprising, considering that Froggy's was an old, established bar located right in the middle of where all the action was when there was action. The friendly waitresses were eye-candy, the alcohol was reasonably priced, and the food was good. Normally, the place was loud and chaotic, but things were quiet right then.

"So what's up?" Moody broke the silence. The three of us had been friends for as long as I could remember, but he was the one who you never quite knew where you stood. His expression was always serious, emotionless, and it was the coldness in his black eyes that made his weathered face appear to be cast in stone. We were friends, but that didn't mean that we knew each other’s secrets.

The twist of Jace's face told me that something was up, and that it wasn't good. "We’ve got a minor problem. The same contact who told me about the auction also said that the Feds are planning a raid at the same residence that same night."

"Then why don't we let them do the job for us?" Moody asked. "Problem solved."

I was surprised when Jace laughed. "Yeah, and then we don't get paid, brother." Shit, he was right, and it was a big payout, too. "I'm all for taking Duponte off the streets, and it's about fucking time the Feds did their job, but I'm not giving up a hundred thousand dollar payoff after all the time I've already put in to this job."

"Fuck," Moody growled. "I'm with you." He leaned back in his chair. "So we get the girl, we get the reward, and the Feds take down the whole fucking operation."

I snorted. "Just Duponte and his operation. We all know he's not the only one involved in trafficking."

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