Total pages in book: 110
Estimated words: 111278 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 556(@200wpm)___ 445(@250wpm)___ 371(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 111278 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 556(@200wpm)___ 445(@250wpm)___ 371(@300wpm)
“You want me to mess with him? I can, you know. I have liquid laxative and I’m not afraid to use it.”
“Kiesha,” Harry said warningly, putting his arm around her. He was a good-looking guy with a short dark beard interspersed with gray. “You won’t be doing that.”
“I might. He was being mean to my new friend, Pit Bull.”
Gwen groaned.
“You know, if you were mine and speeding or not being safe, I’d put you over my knee.”
That helpful piece of commentary came from Noah, the bartender.
Both she and Kiesha turned to glare at him.
“You’re single, aren’t you?” Gwen mused.
Kiesha let out a whoop of laughter. “He’s not! He’s dating one of my best friends. She likes his caveman ways, though. Sometimes I think she acts up just to get a spanking.”
“Does she just?” Noah winked.
Gwen found herself squirming on her stool for a moment, wondering what it would be like to have a man take her over his knee. It was something she’d fantasized about, but she’d always figured it wouldn’t be as good as her dreams.
But if it was Dominic spanking you . . .
Dominic leaned in, speaking to her quietly. “Are you thinking about that? About being spanked for being naughty? Because you have been a naughty girl, haven’t you, Gwen?”
“You know I could probably have you arrested for saying that to me,” she said. Maybe. Maybe not.
“Not likely in this town,” he countered. “The sheriff is a spanker.”
Dear. Lord.
What sort of place had Reuben sent her to? It was full of deviants.
And she was totally loving it.
She held in a groan.
“Right, Little Monster, I think you’ve caused enough trouble for one night,” Harry said. “Let’s get back to our table. It’s only fifteen minutes until the quiz starts.”
“Shoot! Juliet isn’t here yet.”
Juliet? Reuben’s Juliet?
Oh, shit. Tonight must be trivia night. What were the odds?
Well, actually, with the way her life was going, the odds had been pretty good.
“I’m sure she’ll be here soon,” Harry soothed.
“She better be. If she’s not here, we’re bound to lose to Loki’s Warriors and that can’t happen. Can you imagine all the boasting Loki will do? He’ll be insufferable.”
“Like the way you boast every week when you guys win?” Harry said dryly.
“It’s not boasting if you’re amazing. Besides, I’m cute when I do it.”
“You sure are.” Harry drew Kiesha toward him and kissed her.
Shoot. She should probably look away, but that was freaking hot.
Dominic cleared his throat and she turned quickly toward him, her face heating up. “Are you here for the quiz?”
“Hmm, I like to come when I can. Just to watch, though.”
“It was nice to meet you, Pit Bull,” Kiesha said. “If Jace gives you any more problems, let me know. Having their bowels cleared out can change a man’s personality.”
“I’d watch out if I were you, Harry,” Noah said.
“Oh, she knows better than to try that on me, don’t you, Little Monster? Last time she tried, she couldn’t sit for a week.”
“Worth it!” Kiesha crowed. “I need a sucker. Did you bring any?”
“Yes. Here you are.” Harry pulled a red sucker from his pocket. “That’s the last one, though. You don’t want to get a toothache again.”
“Urgh, a toothache is the worst. But so is not having any suckers. Eating like an adult is so boring.”
“It really is,” Gwen said.
“Heck, yes.” Kiesha held out her fist and Gwen bumped it. She’d never had a girlfriend, not since she was a kid. But Kiesha was someone she could see herself being friends with.
You won’t be here long enough to make friends.
Kiesha and Harry headed back through the crowd of people, which had grown considerably larger, and she turned back to her drink, staring at it sadly.
“Drink your cosmopolitan, Gwen,” Dominic urged.
“I can’t let you pay for it.” She always paid her own way.
Well . . . that wasn’t completely true. Reuben always insisted on paying when they were out together. He had some similar values to Dominic.
Except . . . he worked for a criminal kingpin and did things a lot of people wouldn’t condone or understand.
Like sending his friend in to ruin a man’s business because he was heard talking badly about his sister.
She wondered what Dominic would think if he knew about Reuben?
“It’s just a drink, Shortcake. There’s no expectation of anything. I’m sorry if my calling it a date made you uncomfortable.”
She stared at him in shock.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“You’re just so nice. I’m not used to it.”
He stiffened. “What? What does that mean?”
“Not that anyone is really mean to me or anything,” she added hastily. “It’s just . . . where I come from, people usually look out for themselves, you know? The law firm where I worked . . . it was every person for themselves. You had to be ruthless and cutthroat if you wanted to get anywhere. And any hint of kindness was seen as weakness. Or it was likely someone pretending to be kind so they could turn around and stab you in the back.”