Page 81 of The Cleaner

A smile tugs at my lips. “So how did you manage to get Melissa to marry you?”

"She was pregnant," Danny says simply. “When’s the wedding?”

"The fucker has chosen Valentine’s Day,” Denis says, laughing. “Now we’ve got to listen to our wives talk about how romantic this shit is.”

Freddie chuckles. “He’s only doing it on Valentine’s Day so he doesn’t forget the date.”

I flip him off. That’s not the reason. If I could marry her tomorrow, I would, but I know my woman. She’ll want to plan something, so I’m giving her time.

"Two months, though, Mav?” Emmanuel says. “You sure that’s enough time?”

I share a glance with Stephen. The man married Jess in less than a week and the wedding was exactly as his wife wanted.

“With Lis and Callie involved,” Danny sighs, “you’ll not need to worry about it. They’ll organise everything.”

I nod, knowing Danny's right. Lisa's friends are like whirlwinds when it comes to event planning. "Yeah, I'm counting on it. Lisa's already mentioned they've started a group chat for ideas."

"God help us all," Denis groans, taking a long swig of his beer. "Remember Chloe’s wedding? I thought we'd never hear the end of it."

"At least this time, it's not your wallet on the line," Stephen chimes in, a hint of amusement in his voice.

My niece had the wedding of her dreams and her dad gave her everything that she wanted. Just like any father would do for their daughter.

My phone buzzes just as four other phones vibrate. I grin, knowing that it means the women have finished their dinner and drinks. I’m hoping Lisa lets loose and has a few drinks. Fucking her anytime is magnificent and the best I’ve ever had, but I have no doubt that drunk sex with her will be wild.

“Time to go,” Stephen mutters as he rises to his feet. He’s eager to go to his wife, who’s currently five months pregnant.He’s protective of Jess, even more so now that she’s carrying his child.

I can’t lie, I want that. I want to see Lisa pregnant with our child, but my woman needs time to warm up to the idea. Things are moving forward and I need to check to see if she’s on the same page yet.

We make our way out of the bar. The chill in the air is fucking cold, and I have no doubt that it’ll snow tonight. Something Lisa will be happy about. She’s been talking of a white Christmas.

I grin as I look across the street. The women are standing outside the restaurant. Lisa, Melissa, and Callie have their heads bent together talking while Jess, Chloe, and Mallory are locked in conversation. Ava—who returned from America just over a month ago—has her attention on her phone.

I hear the beep of a car and turn to see Raptor—Mallory’s man—and Pyro—Chloe’s man—smirking as they walk toward the women.

“Oooh,” I hear Callie say as we cross the street. “It’s time to go home.”

Lisa's eyes light up as she spots me approaching. She breaks away from Callie and Melissa, practically skipping over to me with a radiant smile.

"Hey handsome," she purrs, wrapping her arms around my neck. The scent of her perfume mixed with a hint of alcohol envelops me. "Miss me?"

I pull her close, my hands settling on her waist. "Always, baby." I lean in for a kiss, tasting the sweetness of whatever fruity cocktail she's been drinking.

When we part, Lisa's cheeks are flushed and her eyes are sparkling with mischief. "Mmm, take me home, Maverick. I have plans for you tonight."

A low growl escapes me. "Is that so?"

She nods, biting her lower lip in that way that drives me wild. "Yes,” she breathes.

My cock thickens against my zipper. Fuck, I need to get her home.

A high-pitched whining sound hits me and I instinctively pull Lisa closer to me. My eyes dart around, searching for the source of the sound. The others have tensed up too, their protective instincts kicking in.

"What was that?" Lisa whispers, her grip on me tightening.

Before I can answer, I hear Callie’s muffled scream as she stares down at the ground. My gaze follows the direction and my stomach drops when I see Ava lying on the cold, dirty ground, a bullet wound to the chest.

Fuck. Ava.

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