Total pages in book: 130
Estimated words: 125517 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 628(@200wpm)___ 502(@250wpm)___ 418(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125517 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 628(@200wpm)___ 502(@250wpm)___ 418(@300wpm)
Mama flashed him a belittling stare. “I do not need your assurance that I can leave. I’m not afraid of this verme, or anyone in this club,” she sneered. “You’re not prepared for the devastation I could bring down on your heads if anything happened to me or Arden.”
Wizard’s expression grew lethal in its intensity. “Puck apologized. I take any threats toward my club serious. Do you normally react so strongly to men hitting on you?”
“I do when I ask them to stop and they don’t.”
“Message received. You can put your knife away.”
Mama didn’t click her knife back in her buckle until Puck moved several feet away.
Hotly, Mama tossed her curly, black hair over her shoulder as she stormed out of the club in her four-inch heeled boots.
Arden dropped one of the lids when Mama slammed the door after her.
Puck looked at her curiously. “What did she call me?”
She started putting serving spoons into the trays without looking at him. “Which time?”
“She called me two names?”
“Mama called you a fool the first time, and then she called you a worm.”
“She has everyone call her Mama?”
“It’s a family restaurant; she considers all her employees family,” Arden explained. “The food is ready.”
No one moved to make the first plate.
“Eat,” Wizard ordered, making no move to get up to make himself a plate while the others in the bar started swarming the food.
Arden managed to nab a plate from the grasping hands and started making Jesus one. After filling it to the brim, she grabbed a fork and bottled water. Then she made her way around Puck, who was standing in line as if he was starstruck.
“Tell me. How badly did I fuck up?”
Arden grimaced. “Well, you tossed Lola onto Doom’s lap, but you lost any chance with Mama when you called her baby girl.”
“Fuck,” Puck swore.
“Yeah. Sorry.”
Puck’s lip curled in amusement. “No, you aren’t.”
Arden couldn’t hide her humor. Leaving Puck regretting his life choices, she went to the door, opened it, and handed Jesus his plate. “Eat it while it’s hot.”
“Thanks.” He grinned. “By the way, is the woman—”
“She’s single, but uninterested.”
Jesus frowned. “How do you know?”
“I can safely say anyone who belongs to this motorcycle club would receive a no as answer if they asked her out. Trust me.”
Jesus’s eyes went over her shoulder to the room beyond. “Someone fucked it up for the rest the rest of us?”
“Yes.”
Jesus’ shoulders slumped in disappointment. “Damn.”
“You don’t want to know who?”
“Puck. He’s never been able to resist a great ass.”
Arden angrily stepped back through the door, slamming it closed after her. Now she wished she hadn’t given Jesus an extra garlic knot.
Stepping back around the bar, she started filling drink orders. Lucky for her, they mainly wanted beer. The ones who wanted mixed drinks, she told Celeste. Once everyone was settled and eating, she glanced over at Celeste, who was making a drink for Kat.
“I’ll take it to her. You go ahead and make yourself a plate,” Arden told her. “Take a break.”
Celeste gave her a grateful smile. “Watching them eat was killing me. I’ll hurry so you can eat, too.”
“No need. I ate before I came,” she lied. She couldn’t eat if she wanted to. Mama was going to give her an earful when she called. She would be lucky if Rocco didn’t show to make her leave.
Carrying Kat her drink, Arden tried to place it down and go back before anyone at the table could say anything.
Wizard had other plans.
“What’s Mama’s name?”
“Call and ask her.” She started to head back to the bar, but Doom turned in his seat, blocking her path with a thigh.
“Wizard is the club president, and he asked you a direct question,” he said coldly.
Arden crossed her arms over her chest. “A simple Google search would show who the owner of the restaurant is.”
“If it’s that simple, then you shouldn’t have a problem telling Wizard, should you?” Doom mocked.
“Natalia Amato. Satisfied?” She pressed her lips together in a thin line.
Doom moved his leg.
She returned behind the bar and made a plate then placed another on top and went to put them in the refrigerator. Coming back, she started clearing the empty food trays and carried them into the kitchen to set them in the sink. She would wash them and carry them to the car when she left.
When she walked back into the bar area, she saw Doom staring at the empty containers she hadn’t taken to the back yet.
“There isn’t anything left? Wizard wanted a plate.”
“I made him a plate. I set it in the fridge. Give me a minute.” She stacked the remaining food trays. “I’ll heat it and bring it to him.”
“You might as well quit looking so angry. What does it matter if Wizard wanted to know her name?”
“Depends on why he wanted to know.” Arden looked at Doom as if he was a toadstool.