Page 37 of Chubs

“Night. See you tomorrow,” Leonardo says as he leans against his car, still looking at his phone.

Motorcycle guy starts his bike, revs the engine a few times before blasting out of the lot. My plans change instantly when I look around and know that we’re completely alone. I secure my hood and pounce.

“What the fu—” he shouts before my fist makes his words end on a groan.

When he hits the ground, I lean down and deliver a few more hard blows to his face. While he’s stunned, I run my hands over him and remove the gun tucked into his shoulder holster. Tossing it aside, I commence the ass-whooping of a lifetime. Fists and feet, I give no mercy.

When he stops moving, unconscious but alive, I pick up his gun and phone. Holding it near his face, the phone comes to life. I quickly go to settings, set a pin code, and shut off location. I pocket the phone, stick the gun in the back of my jeans and then pull his wallet, a burner phone, and keys from his pocket.

Popping open his trunk, I drag him to it and then muscle his body inside. I close the trunk, go to the driver’s door and climb inside. Starting the car, I drive it a block over to another parking lot of a vacant business. Pulling out a knife, I stab two tires. Jogging back to the nightclub, I use his keys to enter it. I make quick work of smashing bottles of alcohol before setting it ablaze. Once again, using the shadows for cover, I return to my car and drive away.

Leonardo will need to spend his time healing and not plotting on how to force my sister into marriage.

Returning to my room, I pull out his two phones. They’re a wealth of information that I can use to my advantage. Names, numbers, some addresses, and a lot of texts of associates in the criminal world. It’s also clear that Leonardo is in on the plan to take over the family to better his position.

Sleep may come easier now that I’ve gotten in a workout.

Chapter 14

Lucy

Chubs has been gone for months now, but my heart hasn’t even begun to heal yet. I take one day at a time and hope to get through it still sane at the end of it. I refuse to make plans for anything further than a day or two in advance. I can’t look that far ahead, or a whole lifetime of emptiness is staring back at me. Baby steps is what Lisa reminds me when I get overwhelmed.

Pooh and Pippa’s wedding has come and gone, and it was beautiful. The women were stunning, the men all handsome, and the kids adorable. Craig stood off to the side and signed to Luke during the ceremony. Craig improvised with his own version of the wedding vows, raising more than a few eyebrows along the way. Ava and I snickered a few times over what was being signed, but all in all, the wedding went off without a hitch.

The only time things got uncomfortable for me was when Pippa tossed her bouquet, and it landed in my lap. I hadn’t stood with the other single women waiting to catch it, and yet I ended up with it. My mind wanted to rage at the injustice of it all because if Chubs were here, I would most likely be the next bride. But he’s not, and that ship has sailed. Instead of ripping the bouquet to shreds, I smiled serenely at Pippa’s horrified expression and gave her a wink. She relaxed, and the festivities resumed.

“You Lucy’d yourself that time,” Lisa whispers with a small frown. “After the reception, we can torch that fucker.”

“It’s fine. If the bouquet hadn’t hit the ceiling fan, it wouldn’t have landed in my lap. I should give it to Tessie for luck. She wanted it so bad, she leveled three women trying to get into position.”

“That was hilarious! That one women’s dress ended up near her own ears!” Lisa says with a snort of laughter.

“Can I have this dance, please?”

I turn to find Axel standing next to my chair, bright smile in place.

“Is it going to be a normal dance, or are you going to toss me around like a bag of beans?” I ask because, well, it is Axel.

“Normal, I promise.”

I stand and take his arm, but I know I’m making a mistake, especially when Lisa wishes me luck.

As we come to a stop on the dance floor, the music starts up again. I groan and turn to make my getaway, but Axel holds onto my arm.

“Come on, Lucy! It’ll be fun! I know all the moves, so you just need to follow along. I’m a great leader!”

“Why can’t Bailey dance this one with you?” I whine as Axel starts dancing and moving me with him.

“She threatened Big Al and the Twins if I tried making her, so I chose you instead. You’re a lucky girl!” Axel answers gleefully as he twirls me away and then back into him.

“I’m not doing the lift!” I shout to be heard over the music.

“That’s the best part! Of course, you are!”

I cringe so hard when I see the others stepping back off the dance floor. Their hooting can be heard two counties away, and all faces are sporting big smiles while I try to find a way out of this Axel-sized predicament. I give up when I spot Bailey laughing her ass off, giving me two thumbs up, and little Alex clapping while swinging her dress back and forth.

While I love the movieDirty Dancingand all things Patrick Swayze, I never thought I’d have to dance to “I’ve Had The Time of My Life” with a large, bald biker. A biker, I must admit, that has some seriously good dance moves.

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