woman was shoved out by two burly bouncers with her face as red as her dress. He couldn’t hear what was said, but clearly she was enraged at those who threw her out.
Curious, Carl sat up, watching her snatch her purse and tiny jacket, flip the bird to the bouncers before turning and stomping away on rather high fuck-me, red heels.
Instinct told him opportunity may have knocked on the door. Snatching the photo of Arial, Carl scrambled from the car and hurried after the blonde.
“Oh, Miss!” He was a little out of breath from his sprint to catch up to the woman. “Miss, please, can I talk with you a moment.”
She stopped and turned angry, flashing brown eyes on him. “What!”
“Sorry, I saw how badly you were treated back there; why would anyone throw such a beautiful woman out of a club?”
Carl kept his distance, so not to appear threating, giving his best charming smile. She didn’t take the bait. Stupid bitch . But snapped out a, “What do you want?”
“I’m Carl Pratt. I’ve been searching desperately for my lost girlfriend and was only wondering if you have seen her.” He thrust the picture of Arial into her line of sight.
The woman’s face reddened even more. “You’re looking for that fat bitch.”
Bingo!
“Yes, the woman stole my heart and my money; you know her?”
The blond stepped forward, snatching the image out of his hand, a gleam of hatred in her eyes. “She stole my men! The fat bitch threw a drink in my face and they took her side and threw me out of the club.”
“So unfair.” Carl cooed. “It seems, if I may, we may have something in common.”
She slapped the picture back and narrowed her heavily mascaraed eyes on him. “What do you mean?”
She really was stupid; this would be a walk in the park. “You want your, uh, men; I want my girl back, and if I’m not mistaken, a little revenge too?”
“Yes, I want to strangle that woman’s chubby neck.”
“Let’s go get a coffee. I’m sure we have a lot to talk about and plan our revenge.”
Excitement gleamed in her eyes, and his expectations rose.
Being the outward gentleman, he offered his arm to the blonde. “Yes, I’m all for planning revenge. I’m Belinda.” She took his arm, and he guided her back towards his rental.
Yes, with Belinda’s insight and assistance, he would soon have Arial back, and then she would learn what it really meant to belong to Carl Pratt.
* * * *
Ben couldn’t wipe the grin from his face, nor could he keep from touching her.
“I’m sorry, I...I never behaved like that before...I.” Arial leaned against him; he tucked her head under his chin, cradling her in his arms.
He felt her chest rise as she inhaled deeply and closed her eyes, no doubt the shot of adrenaline from her verbal smack down only now starting to fade.
“Ben spotted the barracuda waiting outside the bathroom and thought something was up,” Steve explained.
“We hurried though the crowed, but didn’t reach you in time to stop her verbal attack. Our idiot brothers held us back. God, Arial, when I saw your face, the hurt in your eyes...” Ben hugged her tight, burying his face in her neck.
“I’m fine.” She hugged him back. “Really.”
“I’m...we’re so damn proud of you. You stood up to that bitch and showed your mettle baby.” Steve ran his hand down her arm.
Her little laugh was shaky. “I can’t promise to be brave all the time.”
“You have no idea how brave and strong you are, but we’ll always be here for you, as well. We’ll stand strong together.”
She nodded with a smile. “Yes, together.”
“So...” Steve began, schooling his face into one of passiveness. She cocked her head, staring at Steve. “You’re going to keep us, hmm?”
She froze in his arms, her eyes widening. Ben sent his friend a warning glare. Don’t blow it now, buddy.
“It’s good to know.” Steve’s grin was slow as he held her gaze. “We were going to wait to do this, but I think your
Curious, Carl sat up, watching her snatch her purse and tiny jacket, flip the bird to the bouncers before turning and stomping away on rather high fuck-me, red heels.
Instinct told him opportunity may have knocked on the door. Snatching the photo of Arial, Carl scrambled from the car and hurried after the blonde.
“Oh, Miss!” He was a little out of breath from his sprint to catch up to the woman. “Miss, please, can I talk with you a moment.”
She stopped and turned angry, flashing brown eyes on him. “What!”
“Sorry, I saw how badly you were treated back there; why would anyone throw such a beautiful woman out of a club?”
Carl kept his distance, so not to appear threating, giving his best charming smile. She didn’t take the bait. Stupid bitch . But snapped out a, “What do you want?”
“I’m Carl Pratt. I’ve been searching desperately for my lost girlfriend and was only wondering if you have seen her.” He thrust the picture of Arial into her line of sight.
The woman’s face reddened even more. “You’re looking for that fat bitch.”
Bingo!
“Yes, the woman stole my heart and my money; you know her?”
The blond stepped forward, snatching the image out of his hand, a gleam of hatred in her eyes. “She stole my men! The fat bitch threw a drink in my face and they took her side and threw me out of the club.”
“So unfair.” Carl cooed. “It seems, if I may, we may have something in common.”
She slapped the picture back and narrowed her heavily mascaraed eyes on him. “What do you mean?”
She really was stupid; this would be a walk in the park. “You want your, uh, men; I want my girl back, and if I’m not mistaken, a little revenge too?”
“Yes, I want to strangle that woman’s chubby neck.”
“Let’s go get a coffee. I’m sure we have a lot to talk about and plan our revenge.”
Excitement gleamed in her eyes, and his expectations rose.
Being the outward gentleman, he offered his arm to the blonde. “Yes, I’m all for planning revenge. I’m Belinda.” She took his arm, and he guided her back towards his rental.
Yes, with Belinda’s insight and assistance, he would soon have Arial back, and then she would learn what it really meant to belong to Carl Pratt.
* * * *
Ben couldn’t wipe the grin from his face, nor could he keep from touching her.
“I’m sorry, I...I never behaved like that before...I.” Arial leaned against him; he tucked her head under his chin, cradling her in his arms.
He felt her chest rise as she inhaled deeply and closed her eyes, no doubt the shot of adrenaline from her verbal smack down only now starting to fade.
“Ben spotted the barracuda waiting outside the bathroom and thought something was up,” Steve explained.
“We hurried though the crowed, but didn’t reach you in time to stop her verbal attack. Our idiot brothers held us back. God, Arial, when I saw your face, the hurt in your eyes...” Ben hugged her tight, burying his face in her neck.
“I’m fine.” She hugged him back. “Really.”
“I’m...we’re so damn proud of you. You stood up to that bitch and showed your mettle baby.” Steve ran his hand down her arm.
Her little laugh was shaky. “I can’t promise to be brave all the time.”
“You have no idea how brave and strong you are, but we’ll always be here for you, as well. We’ll stand strong together.”
She nodded with a smile. “Yes, together.”
“So...” Steve began, schooling his face into one of passiveness. She cocked her head, staring at Steve. “You’re going to keep us, hmm?”
She froze in his arms, her eyes widening. Ben sent his friend a warning glare. Don’t blow it now, buddy.
“It’s good to know.” Steve’s grin was slow as he held her gaze. “We were going to wait to do this, but I think your
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