Page 25 of Daddy, Sir

“That wasn’t a compliment. You need to start over and follow the print like I asked you to.”

Jim snarled and spat; the effluvium landing inches from Sadie’s boots. Before Daniel could wade into the fray to protect her, Mel caught his arm and held a finger to her lips as she shook her head vigorously.

“Fuck you, Sadie. It’s good enough. I’m not spending another four hours on this stupid wall.”

“Huh. Is that your final answer?”

“Yeah.” He sneered, then added, “If you don’t like it, good luck finding another mason who will work for your bitchy ass.”

“Okay.” Sadie hefted the sledgehammer in both hands and swung, taking out a section of the retaining wall. Methodically, and with a faint smile on her pouty lips, she worked her way down, her hammer falling every few feet until the wall rested in a dusty pile of rubble.

“I guess I know what the hammer is for,” Daniel murmured to himself as he watched the show. He’d step in if Jim decided to become physically abusive, but was willing to give Sadie a chance to handle her business first.

Jim gaped at her, then his face reddened with anger. His hands clenching into meaty fists, he stalked toward her. “You little cunt. I ought to?—”

“Pack up your tools and get off my worksite,” Sadie interrupted. “You’re fired.”

“I’m going to—” Jim cut himself off as the rest of Sadie’s crew formed a semicircle behind her. More than a few of the ladies carried crowbars and other tools, and they did not look happy.

“What, Jim?” Sadie asked, without looking behind her. “Did you have a plan aside from getting off my worksite?”

“Fine.” Jim tossed his trowel to the ground at her feet. “Bitch.”

“Better a bitch than a moron who can’t read a fucking print,” she retorted.

After giving her a poisonous glare, Jim collected his things and strode to a dusty gray pickup, then sprayed gravel as he tore out of Daniel’s driveway.

“Um… Let’s give her a few hours to cool down,” Mel said, edging to her car.

“Go ahead,” he murmured before grabbing his kit bag from the trunk. “I’m sticking around.”

Sadie was the complete opposite of the women he usually dated, but she fascinated him. It wasn’t just her stunning physical beauty; he was attracted to her obvious strength. Judging by the way she destroyed the retaining wall, he’d bet there was more than a little brat in there too.

“Your funeral.” Mel gave him a wave as she drove away.

Sadie sniffed, then turned a brilliant grin on her crew. “Now that the trash is gone, who wants to learn bricklaying?”

Sadie

That’s the last time I scrape the bottom of the barrel at the union hiring halls.

She’d known better than to leave her newest hire unattended—especially during an historic restoration. They were delicate, time consuming, not very profitable, and quite possibly her favorite thing in the world. The thought of some redneck good old boy messing with one of her babies…

Worse, this one belonged to an active-duty serviceman who was due to come home any day, so ithadto be perfect. At leastshe’d gotten most of the inside done and was just waiting for the kitchen and bathroom cabinets. With luck, the work would be finished before the end of the week.

Even storm-damaged, the Pueblo-style bungalow was magnificent, with three bedrooms and what would soon be a gorgeous suite with a sexy bathroom complete with soaking tub. It about broke her heart to replace the century-old leaded windows that had been lost in the storm, but at least she’d managed to save a good percentage of the original roof tiles.

“Any takers?” she asked. “Full wages while you learn, just like always.”

Although she hired skilled tradespeople for electric and plumbing, she loved absconding with women. And by absconding, she meant stealing them from shelters or off the streets and giving them well-paying jobs and marketable skills.

Potato, potahto.

Lourdes brushed a stray braid from her face, leaving a smear of cement on her brown cheek. “I will.”

“The kitchen cabinets are being delivered in less than an hour, and I need you for the install.”

Giving her a smile, Lourdes asked, “Next time?”

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