Page 58 of Acid

My phone goes off, and I grab it, hoping maybe it’s Perrie. I snort when I see who it's from and show Piston.

Crazy Bitch: Hey baby, I just wanted to let you know the baby is healthy, and we’re having a little boy!!! Call me xx

Piston laughs. “I can’t wait to fucking knock her into place.”

I grin and pat his back. “You and me both. Come on, let's get going. I have a girl to shout at, and you have a pregnant wife wanting her chocolate milk.”

He laughs again, and I lift a hand to Viking, who nods back as Piston and I head out.

Half an hour later, I walk into Halliwell’s gym, and I smile slightly when I see Perrie gently painting inside the stencil.

She winces, and I tense, cursing.The fucker is dead…..

“Back again, huh,” she says, looking my way, and I smile.

“Where else would I be, Tinker?” I ask as I remove my cut, throwing it on the reception desk, and walk her way.

“You shouldn’t be here, Ollie,” she whispers, and I just smile at her, taking the paintbrush from her hand, and picking up the bag of peas on the floor, handing it to her.

She sighs, puts it on her ribs, and says, “I mean it, Ollie. You shouldn’t be here.”

“You know, I remember the first time you and I met,” I say as I gently paint around the H for Halliwell. “I was so fucking angry. I’d just kicked the shit outta my dad after walking into the house to see him booting Piston’s stomach over and over, and I needed an outlet. And then here comes this girl interrupting me, digging herself into my life, becoming my best friend….”

Perrie sniffles and I look her way. Tears are in her eyes, and I see right through her hard exterior.

“You didn’t just fight tonight because of our conversation, did you?” I confirm.

She shakes her head and whispers, “There was another note after work. They said they were going to put a bullet in your head. I’m petrified, Ollie….”

I drop the paintbrush and walk over to her, gently cupping her cheek. I use my thumb to wipe her fallen tears, and what I see shining back at me in her gorgeous light blue eyes, they suck me in.

She fucking loves me, but she’s running, just like I am….

“You’re not going to lose me, Tinker.” I pull her into me, and she wraps her arms around my waist, her face pressing into my chest. I hold her tight and promise, “It won’t happen. We’ll find this fucker, I promise.”

And it’s a promise I know I’ll keep. I may be fucked up, but this girl owns my heart.

20

Perrie – One Week Later

I eye Acid as I grab the coffee pot while he does the books at the counter.

The man has barely left my side since hearing what the Aldos did to me, and I’m pretty sure he’s been sleeping in the ring. I’m also pretty sure the Aldo brothers being found by some divers, wrapped in bags three days ago, had something to do with him as well.

My very own knight in supple leather.

“God, that man is sexy,” Prudence groans. I look her way to see her biting her bright red lip, her eyes firmly on Acid. I swallow the jealousy that rises. Even as my body trembles, watching her saunter over to him, unzipping her dress a little, I still swallow the jealousy and walk to the back table.

“Hey Pezza,” Coby says as I continue walking past him, sighing. “Seriously, you’ve got to stop ignoring me, baby, " he snaps.

Again, I ignore him, giving the elderly gentleman a small smile as I refill his coffee cup.

Coby growls, and I side-eye him as he stands and storms out of the diner. The man can’t seem to get the hint, and the more he shows up here, demanding I speak to him, the more I conclude he’s the idiot leaving notes on my windshield.

Shaking my head, I walk to the next table, my eyes wandering to Prudence a couple of times. She’s bent over the counter, ensuring to show a lot of cleavage as she flirts with Acid, whose head is down as he writes.

She’s probably more his type than I am.

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