Page 11 of Manny

Mama Audie

Heads up. Lace has a huge crush on you, but you didn’t hear that from me

Mama Audie?Audrina pulls herself together. “So sorry, West. We were just joking around and this one here has had too much coffee this morning.”

“No, it’s fine.” He rushes toward the cake fridge with his goods as I point in silent fury at a smiling Audrina.

“Totally fine,” I reiterate. “But Audrina broke the no cell rule while at work.” I poke my tongue out at her.

Audrina narrows her eyes. “I had to let Manny know something super urgent,” she counters, then in another voice, reserved for sexy silver foxes, she adds, “I’m sorry, West, that won’t happen again.”

He’s just placing the fresh cannoli in the fridge when he turns, a puppy dog smile on his face. “Well now, some rules are meant to be broken, and emergencies happen. It’s honestly fine.”

Of course it’s fine.It’s Audrina.

I smile sweetly as he takes off back into the kitchen and Audrina drops her phone back into her apron. “How do you like them apples?” She raises her eyebrows.

“Fine. You win. Now I have to tell Manny that it was all a joke.”

“I don’t know why you don’t just have a date, he’s the sweetest. You’d be cute together and I get the impression that he’s kinda lonely. It can’t be easy working around all the brutes at the club.” That’s saying something.

“I hear ya. But he’s not as cute asDaddy West.”I flutter my eyelashes. I don’t know why, but as much as I like Manny, and I’m attracted to him, I have that sinking feeling inside that I’m just not good enough. A man like Manny could have any girl, or guy, he wants.

My low self-esteem comes from years of trauma. The big pothole of my life is the fact that my own father shot me when I was a young girl. As in, he took a shotgun, pointed it at me, and pulled the trigger. He also killed our mother.

He was going for a triple murder when Riot managed to get the gun and shoot our father dead. Our neighbor Charles; a man who turned out to be the father I should’ve had — controlled the bleeding, and I somehow lived. I still have the scar above my heart where the buckshot went in to prove it, and the trauma of knowing he shot our mother dead in the process. He was a raging drunk, addict and all-round narcissistic asshole.

I wasn’t a bad kid. If anything, I was quiet. Shy. A reader. That’s what I was doing when he shot me. He was in one of his drunken rages and lost his shit. If my brother hadn’t acted quick, we’d all be dead. Charles took us in and gave us a place to live; he’d been in the system too and knew all about the abuse that could take place. We’d both suffered enough. He didn’t have to do shit, but yet he did. He saved us in so many ways.

When I think back to that rickety old shack, the very shack we burned to the ground, I don’t feel anything. Just a black void of numbness. In some ways, maybe I’ve never known what it means to be happy, but I can’t blame that on Charles. Hedid what he could. I went to college, something I’m proud of, even if I don’t use my degree presently. I majored in accounting and I’m very good at it; working first in consulting and then tax accounting, but let’s just say I got caught up in some shit in Arizona when I worked for a casino. The mob, to be precise, except I didn’t exactly know it was the mob at the time. Okay, maybe I knew they weren’t exactly law abiding citizens, but I was just doing my job. Then they wanted me to break the law. It’s one of the reasons I fled, and can’t work in my chosen profession because I don’t want them to track me down. Not that I did anything wrong, but you never know when the mob will decide you’re no longer useful to them. The stories I could tell…

“I forgot what a joy it was working with you.” She laughs again, shaking her head. “You keep me young.”

“I still haven’t forgiven you for sending that.”

“Trust me, a little push never hurt anyone.”

“Tell that tolover boyin there.” I thumb behind me. “The way he came running out with the replacement cannoli. Priceless.”

“You’re imagining things.” She smiles when a customer approaches and our banter ceases.

I bite on my lip, unable to understand why I’m being this way about Manny. I mean. He’s cute. I’m sure we’d be good together, but I’m used to the ‘love ‘em and leave em’ type.

Not a nice guy who offers to drive so I can eat freshly made food in the car. Who does that? Not the guys I’ve ever known. Except maybe the guy I’ve been seeing casually who is one of the guys stripping at The Vault XL; Bandit. We met at the Rebel’s clubhouse where he’s a member, and while nothing has officially happened yet, I want it to. He’s smokin’, and wouldn’t Manny be shocked to learn one of his brothers admitted to me in a drunken stupor one night that he’s always been curious about men.ThatI didn’t see coming, but it made my toes tingle in a way thathad me blushing. It’s not just that Bandit begged me to keep it a secret, but the idea that he’s holding in these desires and emotions makes me sad for him. I get it, I really do, but it isn’t healthy. The next time I saw Bandit, he just acted like nothing had happened with his confession, and so did I. One thing about me? I take secrets to the grave.

But his admission woke something in me that was stirring long before. Bandit and Manny. I was imagining the two of them together,with me.I roll my lips, my pussy clenching. No. That would never happen. I mean, a girl couldn’t get that lucky, but Bandit isn’t coming out of the closet anytime soon, though I know it’ll be a sweet day when he does. Not that he has to be in a hurry with these things, especially if he’s just curious. The poor guy is lost, just as much as I am. He’s also a single dad and has an adorable son I’ve seen at the club a couple of times, called Eli. He’s eight and a complete sweetheart, but Bandit keeps his cards close to his chest. Maybe he looks rough around the edges; being completely covered in tats with a strong, stocky build. A body truly built for sin. Plus, these intense green eyes that seem to stare right into your soul. While we haven’t slept together, it’s not something I’d say no to. The trouble is? I can’t stop thinking about Manny. He knows I’ve hooked up with other guys, and he’s never said anything about it. In fact, Manny would be the least likely person that I know to judge anybody. That’s why the girls of the club love him so much. He’s like an agony aunt that they run to when they have troubles.

Everyone loves him. There’s a deep respect there from all the club members that I know makes Manny humbled. He’s said as much. And boy, that man can cook. But I can’t figure out if he was just letting me know he likes women, or if he likesme. I don’t wanna look like an idiot by coming onto him when I’m also interested in Bandit. That wouldn’t be right, and I’m not into multiple hook ups.

As I start to help Audrina get the customers’ order ready, I feel like the time could be right to make a move. I don’t know why Bandit has taken this long when we’ve hung out a few times. I know to him I’m a ‘club sister’, but that’s just an excuse.

Now I have to shoot Manny a message and tell him Audrina was being an ass. I’m never gonna live this down.

3

MANNY

I stareat the text with a frown. What the heck?

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