“That’s good. Did I hear you right when you said you wanted to get paid in breakfasts?” Valencia raises her brows and giggles at me. I’m sure she finds it amusing, but I spend my hard-earned money here either way. At least this way, it’s a wash for us both.
“I sure as hell did.”
“Well, that’s nice of you. Want some coffee?”
“Yes, please,” I tell her, and she turns around, grabs a ceramic mug, and picks up the coffee pot. She gives me a heavy pour and grabs a small circular dish with sugar and creamers in it.
“Mind if I ask a favor of you?” Valencia’s never asked me for any sort of favor, and I don’t mind helping out, especially the ladies. They do so much for the club, and not everyone notices how lost we’d be if they weren’t around.
“Shoot,” I tell her as I grab a creamer and pour it into my coffee.
“I really need to start looking for a car. I was wondering, since you’re a mechanic and know your way around them, if you’d come with me to a used car lot and take a look.”
“Yeah, I’ll go with you and make sure some asshole doesn’t try to pull a fast one on you.” Valencia smiles at my words and grabs my hand, giving it a squeeze.
“Thank you so much. You have no idea what kind of relief that is.”
“When do you want to go?” I ask her as I pour another creamer into my coffee, then start adding my three sugars.
Valencia shrugs her shoulders. “Probably in a couple of days when I’m off.”
“All right, sounds good. Let me know when and I’ll be around.”
“Thank you!” Valencia smiles brightly, and I look down at her hand, still covering my own. She pulls it away, but I really don’t want her to. I like how close Valencia and I are getting, and I want to keep getting closer to this beautiful, sweet woman.
“No problem,” I tell Valencia, and Iris comes walking back over to me with a slice of pie, but it’s not cherry.
“I have apple caramel, which I know is your second favorite. Chuckles over there got the last piece of cherry, and I didn’t know it,” Iris says, shaking her head.
“He ordered it as soon as he saw you walk in through the door,” Valencia fills us in.
“That ripe bastard.” I laugh, and the girls both find it amusing as well.
“I guess he felt like his pie was going to be taken from him,” Iris snickers, and she’s right. The only other person in the club who loves cherry pie as much as I do is Chuckles.
The bell to the front door rings, and in comes a few of my brothers from the club. Behind them are some regular customers, so Valencia and Iris walk off to tend to their needs. Meanwhile, Mug and Cowboy come up to me and have a seat on each barstool on either side of me. “Hey there, brother,” Cowboy starts up the conversation.
“Hey,” I say to both of them.
“What’s going on with you today?” Mug questions.
“Nothing much anymore. Fixed Iris’ car up for her, so now that’s done, I’m just enjoying some coffee and pie.” I take my fork and carve a bit of the pie off, then toss it in my mouth.
“Mmm, I see. You heard Liam Mackenzie’s in town?” Cowboy asks lowly.
Liam Mackenzie is the big boss in the Irish mafia. He’s the top dog overhead of the Gallaghers, O’Deas, Steeles, and his own family. He’s also the man who gives us a lot of our contracted work, and I wonder why he’s in New York City.
“I didn’t, no. Any reason for him being in town?” I’m really interested in the answer.
“Not sure, but Boss and I will find out later. He’s requested a meeting with us.”
Liam’s here for a reason, and I’m sure Boss and Cowboy are itching to find out why.
CHAPTERFOUR
Valencia
Today Reno and I are going car shopping. It’s been so long since I’ve had a car and felt that kind of freedom. The idea that I can drive somewhere anytime I want without relying on someone else or walking makes today even more exciting.
