Better When He's Bad -Better When Series 1(Complete)

Chapter 8

"He didn't use the guy's name?"

"No. I told him I didn't share Novak's business with anyone, but that Mr. Fancy had been in on poker night more than once. Not alone either. He brought his own entertainment, if you know what I mean."

I scowled as Ernie leered at me.

"Race didn't say what he wanted with the guy?"

"No, but shortly after that, Benny and the boys went and roughed up the chick he was shacking up with. Sent him over the edge. Always thought Race was a smart guy, but then he marched into Novak's compound, making threats and talking crazy.

You don't tell a man like Novak his time is coming to an end, not unless you want to end up in the ground. Boy wasn't as smart as I thought."

I didn't like the sound of any of that. Race was smart and he knew not to make idle threats. If he had something on Novak big enough to sink an entire criminal empire, it was no wonder he was off the grid, and it explained why Novak had all his minions looking for him. I didn't understand the timing, why he was back, why he had waited until I was loose to make his move, and I had no clue what he had in his bag of tricks that he thought he could hold over Novak. It was starting to make me uneasy. I didn't do uneasy.

"The guy he was looking for, he have business with Novak?"

Ernie snorted and tapped his too-long fingernails on his desk. "Like I told your boy, I don't discuss Novak's business. That's why I'm still here and why I got all the best girls. You saw Honor; she miss you? I always heard those girls had a thing for you. I think you broke a couple hearts when you got busted."

The girls liked me because I got what I was after and left them in peace. I didn't want to hang around and bitch about my day or discuss my work, I just wanted to get off and go home. Fortunately for them, I was fairly considerate in the sack. I always tried to make sure I gave as good as I got, unless I was in a hurry.

"Right now Novak's business and my business are one and the same. Tell me what you know, Ernie."

I cracked my knuckles and let my hands curl into fists as he lumbered to his feet and leaned on the desk.

"Saw that you brought Race's redhead in with you. I don't know what it is about that girl that has you boys all in a lather, but I think Benny and his boys would love to know you somehow managed to hook up with her right after Race disappeared. Maybe, just maybe, she's the key to getting him to pop back up."

I didn't like being threatened. I liked him threatening a seemingly innocent young woman even less. Dovie might live the hard life, might be familiar with the sacrifice and struggle it took to live on this side of the fence, but everything about her was soft and untouched. She didn't need Ernie or Benny dirtying her up.

It took two steps and a single lunge to get Ernie around his sweaty collar. He swore at me and I used all my upper-body strength to pull his flabby bulk over the desk. He didn't have the strength or the leverage to fight me as he swore and scraped at my wrists to get purchase.

"She is off the table. Do you understand?"

He swore at me again and tried to knee me in the balls. A totally pu**y move by a guy who had others do his dirty work.

"I don't have pull, Ernie, but I still have a temper. You might want to pass along to Benny and to Novak when you see them that nobody wants to be on the wrong side of it after five years on the inside. That's a really long time to stew in your own fury." I gave his hefty body a violent shake, which had his teeth snapping together. "What was the rich guy's business with Novak?"