Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 76365 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 382(@200wpm)___ 305(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76365 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 382(@200wpm)___ 305(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
I couldn’t wait to wipe those smirks off their faces, even if I had to do it myself.
“I’ll keep Bones in line.” I smiled at Frankie. “Thanks for dealing with the insurance shit. If I had to see that guy again, I’d take the pen and stab it through his eye.”
“And I know you’re dead serious.” Frankie picked up his phone again and used it to give a mock salute. “I’ll be back with our funds.”
As soon as he was gone, I turned to Bones. “Back on the bags, big boy.”
Bones grimaced. “I thought Frankie was bad. Not you, too, Ari. Can’t a guy get a break?”
“Five minutes,” I agreed. “That’ll give me enough time to print out a picture of Jace’s face and tape it to the punching bag so you can kick the shit out of him.”
“I like the way you think, angel,” Lotto agreed, already moving behind the counter to the computer.
I smiled. Of course the guys would always have my back. When it came down to it, Smiley’s was more than just this building. It was our pride and joy. Our turf.
And if Misty and Jace Perk dared to take another step on our turf, I’d show them exactly how Smiley’s dealt with loudmouthed assholes.
Chapter 9
Lotto
Apiece of Jace’s battered eye ripped from the picture and fell to the floor.
With a few more of Bones’ strong punches, his entire face caved in until the dick’s picture was unrecognizable.
Bones stepped back and wiped a bead of sweat from his brow. His ripped body gleamed with sweat from the hour-long workout. Frankie was the warden of Smiley’s, but Ari was the perfect understudy. Every time Bones dared to make a mistake, she barked at him to do it right. Once or twice, she even slapped his ass and threatened to kick it next if he kept fucking up. This was a worthless threat, because Bones would enjoy that a little too much.
I handed him a bottle of water, and he drank the entire thing in two gulps. Ari threw a towel at him, and Bones took a seat in the only plastic chair that had survived the Treepocalypse. While he wiped himself down, I glanced at the broken, ripped picture of Jace Perk still half-hanging off the bag. It was what the asshole deserved. I had half a mind to grab gloves myself and let out some steam despite my last fight having been schoolyard shit during college.
Bones crumpled up the empty plastic bottle and threw it to the side. “I feel like I went too easy on him.”
Ari tilted her head. “Who?”
“Jace.” He gestured his chin toward the punching bag. “I should have slugged his chin like River.”
“He’s missing half an eye.” Ari laughed and threw her silver hair over her shoulder. “Wish he was in real life. I’d make him look like less of an asshole.”
“Or more of an asshole.” I sighed and pulled out my phone.
Perk’s Gym had already posted another picture of River in the ring, though this was clearly an old picture. His hair was down around his tan shoulders, and he had a cut above his upper lip that hadn’t been there today. Maybe Jace was pissed off about the punch. It was what he got for running his mouth. If anything, River had taken it easy on the bastard. If Bones or Frankie got to him first, he’d be missing more than a paper eye.
I read over the caption, but it was more of the same bullshit. Number #1 gym in Seattle. Can’t wait to prove it. He’s named River because he beats his opponents black and blue. It was all talk for a gym whose owner had nearly been laid out by a simple right hook.
“Anything new?” Ari peeked to see the screen.
“More of the same.” I slipped my phone into my back pocket. “They’re just trying to mess with us. Get under our skin.”
“It’s working.” Bones frowned. “Those threats will only continue unless we do something.”
“Misty mentioned Troy.” Ari chewed on her bottom lip. “You don’t think he’s funding them, do you?”
“No,” I answered immediately.
Troy was a good businessman. He wouldn’t double dip by offering us a shit ton of money while funding the Perk siblings at the same time. Not unless he had a reason for it. I didn’t want to mention my suspicions to his true motives. Ari would worry, Frankie would get all pissed off, and Bones would agree without thinking about the ramifications. But Troy was setting something up with us and Perk’s Gym. They wouldn’t be up our asses if not. I simply couldn’t figure out what because it had been radio silence since Frankie and Ari’s meeting. My best guess was a River and Bones headliner at Heathens Hollow that would make the money he gave us look like pocket change.