Rushed(127)

"You're going to make a great Mafia queen some day," I chuckled in reply. The two of us left the nursery that was next to my rooms in the house and headed into the main hallway, where I found Aunt Margaret already waiting. "Your niece is sleeping soundly with Mr. Bear."

"That's good," Margaret said, smiling. "I actually have some work to get done tonight, so I guess I'll be using her diaper table for my laptop. How're you two feeling?"

"I'm good," I said, rolling my neck. "My wife didn't break my neck today in practice—just twisted it a little."

"I was just trying to squeeze his head some, make sure it doesn't get too big," Luisa joked in reply, causing Margaret to laugh. "But we're feeling good. Thankfully, Julia still likes mid-afternoon naps."

"Those are a blessing," Margaret said. "I caught one myself, only an hour or so, but if the princess wakes up, well, I'm not exactly in my twenties any longer."

"You still look twenty-nine to me," I said, giving her a kiss on the cheek. "But seriously, thanks for looking out for Julia tonight."

"We're a family. It's what we do."

Luisa and I headed downstairs, stopping in the kitchen to arm ourselves. "So what's the job tonight?"

I smiled, knowing my wife knew exactly what the job was. She just liked to act that way so that we would go over it before going to work. "Not a big deal. Some punk named Teddy Maguire, who's bringing in some bad shit to the University District, trying to peddle some doctored-up study drugs to the college students."

Luisa shook her head in good humor, perplexed by the American obsession with drugs. "Like some Adderall or whatever it is he's calling it can replace decent study and a good night's sleep. In any case, we find him and?"

"And put the fear of God in his heart. Or at least the fear of the Bertolis. Seattle and Tacoma aren’t welcome zones for him. The pistols are just in case he gets stupid," I said, handing Luisa her Beretta. "You ready?"

"Ready," she said, sliding it into her holster. "By the way, after work, you mind if we stop off at the Starlight Club?"

"The Starlight? Why?" I asked, grinning a familiar smile at the little play. We had gotten into a habit of it, and it was a great way to blow off some steam after a night's work.

"I think I'd like to dance a little for my husband. I'm sure Terry can get us a VIP room—don't you think?"

"I'm sure. One question, though. What are we going to do when your brother gets here next week?"

Luisa shrugged and gave me a kiss on the cheek. "We'll figure out something. I'm just glad that my dad is trying to make amends for his behavior last time you were in Brazil."

We left the house and went out to our car. "Hey, who's driving tonight?"

Luisa held up her hand. "I believe it’s my turn. You drove last time."

"No way. You drove last time. I'm sure of it," I replied, smiling.

She crossed her hands over her chest and raised an eyebrow at me. "So how should we settle this?"

"Rock, paper, scissors?"

My lovely wife considered it, then nodded. "Deal. Ready? 1 . . . 2 . . .”



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If you haven’t read Book 1 in the Bertoli Family (Daniel & Adriana) Trilogy, get Relentless HERE.





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Preview: Blitzed





by Lauren Landish




“I brought Laurie back to meet her father. I brought her back to meet you.”



I’m normally not into jocks, but when Troy Wood asks me out, I feel like I’m the Chosen One. After all, he’s hot as hell and Silver Lake’s best athlete, practically the King of Campus.



God’s gift to women—that’s what they call him, but I’ll make a gentleman out of him.



Everything is perfect, and he already practically has his ticket to the Big Leagues.



There’s just one little problem . . . I’m hiding a secret that could destroy him and his future. I can’t tell him . . . I can’t tell him that I’m pregnant with his baby.



**Blitzed is a full-length romance with an HEA, no cheating, and no cliffhanger!





Chapter 1

Whitney



Thank God the bad part of summer is over, I think to myself, adjusting my newly bought burgundy skirt around my hips as I step out of my 2005 Honda Civic— which had long ago worn out its welcome, along with its air conditioner. It gets me around town, though, so that works. The heat is so unbearable.

The summer had been blistering, the hottest on record, with days that reached temperatures of 105 degrees, and I spent most of the summer simply fighting to stay cool. Now, I’m happy to finally get some relief as summer lets go of its stranglehold on the Pacific Northwest a bit. Right now, it’s seventy degrees, and the cooler air feels great on my skin.