Hard to Break - Bella Jewel Page 0,35

seeing how much of their bullshit you can handle. They do it to the new guys, too. I can go out there and rip them a new one, if you’re upset, and believe me I will. It’s up to you. How do you want this handled?”

He’s being serious. He laughed at first, but now his eyes are scanning my face and I know, even though he’s arrogant at times, that Tazen will defend me if I ask him to. But … he’s right. They are testing me and I can handle it. I will handle it. I am trying to prove I belong in this world, and so running to the boss isn’t exactly going to help my cause.

“No, I’ve got this.”

He nods and hands me a roll of duct tape. “Now patch up those holes and get back out there. Show them they can’t faze you.”

I take the tape from his hand. He grins.

“But before you do,” he says, his eyes dancing with amusement. “Turn around one more time so I can enjoy the view.”

“Careful, Tazen.” I grin at him. “Revenge is coming, and you aren’t safe from it.”

“I look forward to it, baby.”

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

The next few days at work are crazy. Tazen gets the car out and then a new job comes in, so it’s right back to square one. I’m busy helping out where I can, but I so desperately want to work on those cars with him. When the new job comes in, things slow slightly because we have time to move with it, so Tazen calms down. It’s then I get my revenge.

He purchased a whole heap of nuts for the guys, which he puts out during the day for them to nibble on. He’s been doing this since I’ve been there, but today they’re getting a whole new level of snacking. When they’re busy, I go in and swing the cupboard open, pulling out all the nuts. I bring them into the men’s room, lock the door, and drop them all in the toilet, which is in need of a good cleaning. Then I dredge them out and put them in a bowl. I have my phone held out in front of me as I’m doing this, filming the entire thing.

I may or may not do this laughing like a hyena. I shuffle the nuts in the bowl, and they look perfect, like nothing sinister has happened to them. Wiping my smirk off my face, I carry the bowl out to the guys.

“Hey, nuts are up.”

As always, the guys don’t hesitate. They’re in the middle of their lunch breaks, so all of them take a good handful of nuts. Tazen included. I watch with bubbling laughter as they throw them into their mouths, chewing happily. Poor, helpless males.

“How’re your nuts?” I ask, making a choked, laughing sound.

Tazen has just thrown a few into his mouth and is chewing, but at my words he stops. His eyes flick to the guys, who seem oblivious to my little outburst.

“They don’t seem as salty,” Kellan says, chewing. “Did you get the unsalted ones in an attempt to keep us healthy?” He pats his belly.

I burst out laughing, I can’t hold it back. Tazen leans forward and spits the nuts onto the ground. All the guys stare in horror at Tazen’s chewed-up nuts and then their eyes flick to me. With hysterical laughter rising from my throat, I open my phone and pull up the video, turning it towards them. As they realize what I did, they start spitting their nuts out. Some even get up and charge to the bathroom.

I’m laughing so hard my belly hurts.

“That’ll teach all of you for being assholes and pranking me!”

I’m laughing and hiccupping and laughing some more. I double over, wrapping my arms around my belly.

“You’re seriously evil,” Tazen grunts.

“I told you I’d get you back. Now if you don’t start treating me like an equal, my next prank will be much worse. Got it?”

The guys’ reactions range from grunts, to chuckles, to nods. I have come to get to know their names and their roles now. There is Rick, who is Tazen’s second in command, Kellan and Toby who are Tazen’s apprentices, Drasco and Kyle who are his painters and detailers, then Lloyd and Michael who are seriously amazing mechanics that do all the engine work with Tazen. I haven’t had a chance to talk to many of them, because I really only work with Kellan and Toby on the