Riding Dirty: Luciotti Crime Family (A Bad Boy Mafia Romance) - Kara Hart Page 0,9

to stay away.

Those legs, though. I couldn’t stay away when legs like that were begging me to stick around. Why else would she be wearing tight spandex if she didn't want a nice lay?

She just kept letting me have it. “It is good for me. It's good that I normally don't have to deal with people like you!” She hissed it, although I could tell she wanted to scream every word at me. I was used to this treatment. I wasn't worrying. But it was annoying trying to enjoy a cup of coffee with a young woman hissing in my face.

If she worried about her boss, she wouldn't be worrying much longer. He was one among few who owed me a little money and information. Carmelo was on the bottom of my list, but still important to my whole operation.

I decided to end this fight once and for all. This time, I'd do it without violence. I drank the rest of my cold coffee and set the cup down. “I'd love to stay and argue, but I have to go to the mechanics to check on my car. Before I go, I want to give you an apology. It was my bad. Won't happen again. Here, to make up for it,” I slid another hundred-dollar bill onto the table.

“I can't take this,” she whispered. “It's blood money.”

I could barely hold back my laughter. “Take it. It's for your incredible service,” I said, walking toward the front door.

“Wait, what's your name?” she called out as I was leaving.

“Why on earth would you want my name? I thought you hated me.” It was a good question. Plus, I wasn't exactly trying to give my name out to every stranger I met.

“I don't hate you. I just think you're insufferable. But if you're going to be living around here for a bit I might as well introduce myself. Besides, maybe those tips will keep coming.” She laughed awkwardly.

“It's Lucas,” I said.

She looked at me all confused and leaned against the bar. “Okay… What exactly should I do with that information.”

I shrugged. “Luca. It means light in Italian,” I said.

“How fitting,” she said.

“Sure. Thanks for the lukewarm coffee, by the way. I'll be back tomorrow.” I didn’t ask her what her name was. I’d learn in due time. I left her shaking her head, making my way to the old mechanic with one hand.

3

Dahlia

“Okay, on three you're going to jump!” I yelled. “You ready?”

“Mommy, I'm too high!” Jen squealed at me from the top of the swing set.

“Do you need mommy to slow you down? I'll stop pushing you,” I said, knowing exactly what kind of response she would give me.

“No, silly-bug! Push me higher!” She giggled endlessly, barely holding on. I hated playing this game with her. Even though she had grown up quite a bit, she was still my baby and I constantly felt like she was in danger.

“Silly-bug? I'm not a silly-bug! I'm your mother,” I said, pretending to be stern. I made a weird face at her and she laughed even louder.

“Mommy, do the thing! Be ‘Mission Control’. Bring me down from space!” She swung by me, her thin hair whisking in the air.

I prepared my best mission control voice, putting my hand in front of my face and pretending it was an intercom. “Er, roger. This is mission control to silly-bug. Come in silly-bug. Do you read me?”

That, of course, annoyed her. “I'm not a silly-bug! You are!”

“Oh okay. You're right. I forgot.” I laughed. “Mission control to space station Jennifer. We've got it on good authority that a major asteroid is heading your direction.”

“An asteroid!?” She screamed. “No!”

“Afraid so, Space Station Jennifer. And it seems like there's a kissing-alien hiding in one of its craters!”

“Mommy, what's a kissing-alien?” She asked me, mind full of wonder.

“It's an alien with one mission: to kiss little children to death!”

“No!” She squealed.

“Yes! Avert back to Earth or prepare to be smooched forever. Over and out.” I faked like I was hanging up an intercom and waited for her to jump out of the swing. We had probably been here for the past two hours and I still had to help with her homework. Whoever said having kids wasn't a lot of work clearly didn't have children.

“I don't like those kissing aliens! I'm coming down!” She yelled. And within seconds, she blasted off into the air, flying at an incredible speed of five miles per hour or less. To her, it probably felt