Page 4 of Once Upon A Sale

Once the sun begins to rise and movement becomes busier on the streets outside, it’s time for me to head home. The security guards gave up on their search hours ago, which I’m actually disappointed about. I’ve taken note to never use their firm for my events.

The morning after is definitely a little bitter-sweet. It means we are one step closer to shutting down the trafficking ring, but it also means I have to put my badass away again until it’s just me and the girls, or until we have another lead.

But, for now, I’m choosing to cling to the sweet side of the equation.

One more piece of scum down, a whole heap more to go.

Chapter Three

Ophelia

The streets are fairly quiet, only a few people about as I make my way to the nearest bus station. It’s a built-up area of office blocks and apartment buildings, so a lot of people either walk or bike to work, a few who work farther out of the area using the buses or their cars.

I’m alert, making sure I’m not being followed, because danger is always just around the corner. This is why I didn’t park my car closer to this part of town; if I was followed from the apartment, it’d be easier for them to trace me because it’s a brand spanking new Corvette. Instead, I’m getting the bus out of town in one direction, then I’ll catch a train in another direction before walking for another thirty minutes to get to my car in one of the many lock-ups I rent.

It sounds like a lot of work, but it’s necessary for our safety.

Once I finally arrive at the lock-up, where my powerful Black Beauty is waiting, I slide into the front seat and take a moment.

Two sides of the same coin. That’s me. I am light and fluffy, and I am dark and dangerous. Kinda like Batman, but withoutthe pointy ears and cape. I won’t say Batman hasn’t inspired me, because the whole billionaire with a face for business and a face for danger is exactly what I am. It’s tiring, and I’m pretty sure I’ll also be alone forever, unable to hold down an actual relationship that doesn’t end in disaster. But every time we save a life, it’s all worth it a hundred times over.

This drive should clear my head, though, pull me out of my self-pity party and back to where I need to be: strong and decisive.

An hour later, the gates to my property loom ahead, all dark and foreboding as they begin opening when the sensors from the security system detect my car. I love this little slice of Heaven. While it may be where my parents both lost their lives, it’s now the place my girls and I live and thrive. Their homes are smaller than mine, situated on either side just over four hundred yards away. All of our homes are behind a tall brick wall, surrounded by hundreds of tall trees and covered by security devices everywhere.

My phone pings as I’m pulling into the garage to park Black Beauty.

Opie:Come see us by the pool!

I guess I’m going straight out to the pool we share; and bonus, not a cloud in the sky today, which is rare here in May.

Opie is sitting by herself. Well, I can’t really call it sitting, she’s lounging on one of the sunbeds with a gin glass full of liquid in hand…

I know she can be a little eccentric, but I doubt she’s got water in there. There are another two full glasses on the small, white, round table beside her.

“Bro, it’s ten in the morning. Why are we drinking gin?” I collapse onto the sunbed beside her after air-kissing her cheeks, grabbing one of the spare glasses because…well, who else are they gonna be for if not me and Tabby?

Apart from our competent house personnel, who make it a point to move around the house like ghosts, it’s always just the three of us. Okay, minus the rare times that Logan comes over for a dip in the pool—and my pussy.

Opie sits up from her slouchy position and looks at me with a huge grin crossing her freckled face, her light-blue eyes sparkling at me like I should know the answer to my own question. I don’t.

“It’s past noon somewhere, doll face. So we’re totally allowed, aaaand…we’re literally celebrating, aren’t we? Unless it didn’t go to plan and we’re not crossing dickface Roland’s name off the list like you said?” She frowns as she finishes speaking and looks at me seriously. “Did you lie to us, Fifi?”

She knows I would never.

Sipping at the gin, I chuckle and lightly shake my head.

“It’s all good, everything went to plan,dickfaceRoland is dead. Bullet went straight between the fucker’s eyes. So, yeah, let’s celebrate the shit out of this!”

Because fuck it, if we don’t celebrate our wins then life would be miserable.

“Hey hey, Fi. I grabbed some bagels from your favorite shop downtown.” Tabby holds up the plate of food as she heads over to join us by the poolside. “Figured we’d need a little sustenance if we’re gonna be celebrating today.” She giggles and shrugs, putting the plate down on the same table as the gin and sitting beside me to air kiss my cheeks.

Picking up the extra gin glass, she raises it up high.

“To one less douchebag in this world!”

We all cheer, raising our drinks and clinking glasses to the toast.

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