Bookstore Barbie (Magnolia Ridge #1) - Alexa Riley Page 0,36

few dumpsters out back and we sneak behind one and then another until we’re as close as we can get to them without getting caught. I turn around and put my finger over my lips to Barbara, and she nods.

“Chief said they had a security system installed, so you’re going to have to go in through her apartment fire escape. Think you can handle that?”

Barbara’s nails dig into my arm and my whole body tenses on red alert.

“Just make sure you get that guy she’s with out of the way. I want to take my time with that one.” The voice from the car sends a chill up my back and I hear Barbara gasp.

When I turn around she slaps a hand over her mouth and I hear something on the other side of the dumpster.

“What was that?” Missy says, and it sounds like she’s getting closer.

“You’re paranoid,” the guy says. “The cops already left and they said they don’t have any evidence.” I hear a car door open and then close but no movement toward us.

“Only because that little bitch Kayla is his daughter,” Missy sighs, and her footsteps move farther away. “And don’t worry about Shaw, I know exactly what to do about him tonight. The plan is to pretend my place got broken into and get him to come to the rescue. When we’re alone I know exactly how to get his attention.”

Once again Barbara’s nails dig into my arm and I pull out my cell phone. She watches as I dial the number and then put it on silent before placing it on the ledge beside me.

“I don’t care what you have to do, I want some quality uninterrupted time with that little pussy. She played hard to get but I know how to handle someone like her.”

“And once you’ve had your fun, there’s no way she’s going to live here anymore, or be able to afford her store. I’m ready to see the back of that nosy bitch.”

When my body is shaking with rage, I know I can’t wait any longer, but I’ve got all the evidence I need. With one look at Barbara I tell her to stay put and she nods before she lets go of my arm.

“It’s a shame I didn’t put you six feet under the first time you tried to hit on my woman,” I say to the redheaded guy leaning up against his car. Barbara and I both recognized his voice and realized he was the pushy asshole from the day I first went into the bookstore.

“Oh Shaw, thank goodness you’re here! I—” Missy starts, but I hold my hand up.

I can hear the sounds of sirens in the distance and I know I don’t have much time.

“You idiots were told we had a security system put in. Did you not bother to look up and see the cameras?” With my words Missy pales and the redhead looks up to check. When he sees the cameras he swallows hard. “Oh, and funny thing about those cameras. I had those installed yesterday, so the voicemail I got when I was at lunch was probably them telling me they have the footage of who broke into the bookstore after I replaced the lock the first time.”

Missy takes a step backwards, but Redhead has nowhere to go. He’s the one I’m after right this second, because I can deal with Missy later.

“Relax, it’s not like we were actually going to do anything. It was all just to scare her.” He holds up his hands like he’s defending himself.

“You dumb fucker, the cameras record sound and I just heard your whole plan.”

He opens his mouth to say something else, but I don’t give him the chance. My right hook is up and coming across his face with a loud crack. Blood pours from his nose as I give him an jab with my left hand in the gut. He cries out and crumples to the ground just as the police come flying around to the back with their sirens blaring.

“The biggest mistake you ever made was trying to take what’s mine.” I kick him hard in the ribs just as the boys in blue come running up.

“We’ll take it from here, Shaw,” Clarence calls out as the other guys reads him his rights and cuffs him.

Barbara comes out from behind the dumpster just as they throw Redhead into the back of the squad car. She has my phone and I take it from