Chasing Bad Boys 7_A Bad Boy Romance Series

by Kylie Parker

  “So you’re on the other end of it all, I see,” I say under my breath.

  “What do you mean?” she asks.

  “My older brother is my factory manager,” I say.

  “Older brother?” she asks, “Oh, no, that’s way worse than what I deal with. My sister would lose her mind if her baby sister was better off than her.”

  “That bad?” I ask.

  “Hell yeah!” Sylvia laughs and takes a bite of chocolate-covered strawberry, “Come on Marty, you’re telling me you don’t know how the whole lineup is supposed to go? Oldest sibling is the boss. They’re the ones who get all the hell from the parents, so they wind up being the successful ones. Look after your little sister. Why is your little sister this –why doesn’t your little sister that –as if it’s their fault their younger sibling is a screw-up. And you’re telling me your brother probably went through the same thing his entire childhood and young adult life, and he wound up working for you?”

  “Well if you put it that way…” I frown; I did not really expect this topic to come up on our date. “I really screwed up with him this week,” I say, “I know he’s been having money trouble, so I gave him a raise.”

  “Ooh…” she cringes.

  “How come everyone knows that would be a bad idea except for me?” I question aloud.

  “You’re kind of clueless, aren’t you?” Sylvia asks, “I mean seriously, how did that even happen? You and your brother’s situation, I mean.”

  “It’s kind of complicated, but to explain it simply, my dad left me pretty much everything when he passed away, and my brother got the short end of the stick,” I say.

  She raises a brow, “Why? That seems kind of cold.”

  “We didn’t know until after he died, but Eddie was not really his son.” I say, “So he didn’t leave him much. He left me pretty much everything –the company included.”

  “Wait, but he had no idea he wasn’t your father’s son? So your father raised him?” Sylvia sounds almost angry. Good to know that that is a normal reaction to have.

  “Pretty much.” I say, “I mean; he always gave Eddie a hard time. Like you said, that’s what happens when you’re the older sibling. That’s all we thought it was. Honestly, I was sure that Eddie was going to inherit the company. Eddie knew way more about the company than me –he still does. He thought he was going to walk away as the CEO of Shattered Supplements, but all he got was a summer house that floods every winter, a small sum of cash, and a note telling him he was the result of an affair and basically to go fuck himself.”

  “That’s so harsh!” Sylvia rolls her eyes, “Poor guy.”

  “Yeah, and it turns out his biological father was a horny bastard. He has all these other half-siblings, each with a different mother, that he is just now finding out about, and they’re a bunch of damn leeches guilt-tripping him into giving them money all the time.” I frown when I think about it, and it really pisses me off, “I mean, who do they think they are? They barely even know him. The way they ask him for money all the time really makes me so pissed. That’s why he’s so broke right now. They can take care of themselves; they’re not some charity case.”

  “So… your brother basically feels guilty that he was the lucky sperm who wound up latching onto the egg of a rich broad while the rest of them are struggling to make ends meet… so he gives out money to them… then you make him realize he’s not all that rich at all by making him into a charity case with the raise just like he does with his other siblings?” she questions, “So does that pretty much hit the nail on the head?”

  “Damn,” I say, realizing she is right.

  We push the conversation aside; she’s given me a bit to think about. Soon we are landing, and she laughs when she realizes we are in Paris. “What’s this?” she asks, “Do you take all your girlfriends to Paris? I bet this gets you laid every time.”

  “Not exactly.” I say, “Don’t you realize what is taking place in Paris today?”

  She pauses, and then her eyes light up. “The Tour de France? Are you serious? We’re coming to see the Tour de France?” The athlete in her is about to explode.

  “Oh, no.” I say, “We’re going to bike it.”

  “What?” she questions, “We don’t… I don’t… we don’t have a team, and we haven’t trained…”

  “Relax.” I say, “We’re not going in the actual race. I called in favor. You and I will be heading out a few hours before the race begins. They were not going to let me anywhere near the tracks during race time.”

  You better believe that she is beyond thrilled. What athlete doesn’t dream of biking the Tour de France? Before we head out, we change into some workout attire. It’s going to be a hell of a ride. The bikes I ordered are waiting for us as volunteers are still setting up for the race. “You ready?” I ask as we make our way towards the starting gate. She is more than ready. The two of us speed through the race, exhausted incredibly early on. We wind up halfway through the track before having to stop for half an hour to stretch and laugh about not being quite up to par with our biking abilities. We’re off again, and soon we complete the track just as the actual racers are heading towards the lineup. We’re exhausted, but we hang out to watch the race anyways.

  By the end of the day, we’re both incredibly tired, but that does not stop us from renting a hotel room for a little after-race party of our own. She does not have sex with me, of course. She’s clearly classier than I had anticipated. No sex on a first date despite how amazing it was sort of rule. I can respect that, but now she’s made it a challenge. We wind up collapsing in bed together, and she makes me cuddle. I don’t mind. She is my fantasy girl, after all…..

  End of Sneak Peek

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  BONUS SNEAK PEEK: Chasing Bad Boys Book 3

  Chapter One

  “Get ready. The truck’s coming.”

  Jimmy Holden’s order to his partners meant that they had to hide behind the stolen Cadillac, which was blocking the tree-lined road right outside Highland Park, Dallas. Jimmy, Martin and Nicolas had been scouring the vast state of Texas, looking for opportunities like this. Armored truck drivers usually changed their itineraries, but that was not the case with Andy Reigns, the man that they had recently met in a bar in downtown Dallas. Despite being a raging alcoholic and a bad gambler, he appeared to be an honest man and kept talking about his boring life. In three weeks, Jimmy managed to earn his trust. He stole the weekly schedule from his desk on one of his visits to “Centurion”, the security company that employed his newly acquired friend. Andy used to work nights; he was carrying more money but the pay was better.

  But Jimmy and his small crew were not exactly honest men. Jimmy himself believed that shooting people was just part of his job. Neither Martin nor Nicolas had the stomach for it. What Jimmy loved to do though was stealing. He actually enjoyed it. Amounts did not matter; anything above $50,000 was good enough. That Friday night was different, though. The armored truck would be full of money. It was a perfect chance for him and his crew to make the score of a lifetime. None of them would have to worry about money for a long time.

  Jimmy pressed his eye to the optics of his M4. The night vision scope of his rifle allowed him to see everything, as clear as broad daylight. Their plan was simple: Kill the truck driver and his colleague and steal the truck. They would blow up the rear door later, miles away from the small town. However, Jimmy was stunned to discover that Andy was not behind the wheel that night. In his stead, there was a young woman. He couldn’t make out her identity, but, even if he could, Jimmy had never shot a woman before. Adding to his already big surprise, there was another woman in the passenger seat.

  “Shit…” He hummed, frowning, as the truck approached at a steady pace. Jimmy leaned back, taking his eye from the scope. For the first time in more than three years as a robber, he was in a dilemma. He was torn by indecision, but Jimmy had to think fast.
Tension tightened the back of his neck. The high beams of the truck blinded him, but he would not back down now. The three men had been waiting for this for a while; wasting their chance was not an option. He put his right hand on the edge of his black, ski mask and pulled it down.

  “Jimmy? Talk to me baby, what’s going on?” Marty’s question in the intercom forced a quick, but decisive response.

  “Change of plans, boys…” Jimmy said. “We blow it up right here.”

  The truck began to slow down, as the driver noticed the big Cadillac blocking the way. She pulled over on the right side of the empty, quiet road, less than ten yards away from Jimmy, but neither woman got out. They kept staring at him, as he aimed the driver.

  “Out of the truck! Right now!” His stentorian voice rumbled like thunder, audible over the sound of the diesel engine. The driver opened her door with fear-clumsy fingers. She stepped down from the tall vehicle. Jimmy discovered that she was a lot prettier than he could possibly have imagined. Her colleague followed her example, but she was much calmer than her. Her grip on the door handle was firm and her hand did not shake at all.

  “On your knees! Hands behind your head!” Jimmy cried, as he approached the truck with caution. Marty and Nicolas brushed past him, as he made his way towards the driver. Her long, whiskey hair was neatly gathered in a ponytail and her chocolate skin shimmered in the ample moonlight. But, her light-green eyes were only partially open and the skin on her face tingled with fear.

  “Please, don’t hurt us.” She begged, her voice trembling, looking up at Jimmy. “Just take the money.”

  He was about to verbalize, when he settled his gaze on her nametag, on the left side of her chest. It read: “A. Reigns”. Baffled and with blood pounding through his veins, Jimmy could not force a word out of his throat. Something had happened to Andy, but this was not the place or the time to think about it and the woman in front of him was definitely not the one he should discuss it with. Jimmy’s blue, shadowed eyes took every bit of her. She couldn’t be more than 25 years old. Her tiny nose and her full lips struck him. Had they been somewhere else, Jimmy would seriously consider courting her. He averted his gaze from her and threw a rapt glance at her colleague. She squeezed her lips, in an attempt not to speak. Jimmy realized that she was boiling with rage. A simple look in her eyes was enough. They were black with shock and anger, but he couldn’t care less. An angry security clerk would not stop him and his crew. Moments later, a loud, powerful blast rocked the ground, lighting up that warm, early September night. Marty and Nicolas jumped into the truck, as smoke rose from the rear.

  “I hope you’ve made peace with God.” Jimmy did not appreciate the blunt tone in the older woman’s voice. Two steps to the left brought him much closer to her. He pointed his rifle at her, gritting his teeth. His fingers clenched the handle on the powerful weapon so tightly that his knuckles nearly snapped out of place. Jimmy leaned his face into hers.

  “Have you, missy?” He whispered. At that moment, the sound of footsteps interrupted them. Marty was coming his way fast, followed by the much shorter and heavier Nicolas. They both had had large bags in their hands.

  “We’re good. Let’s go.” Marty suggested.

  “See you in heaven…” Jimmy winked at her, leaning back, as his thick lips curled into a slow, razored smile. He turned around, following his men. They started running towards Marty’s pickup truck which lay thirty yards away from the stolen Cadillac. Jimmy, Marty and Nicolas jumped in it. This was no time for celebrations; they had to leave that place as quickly as possible. They disappeared into the night, leaving two women behind, shocked to their core…

  Chapter Two

  “Four hundred and thirty, four hundred and forty, four hundred and fifty… Three million, four hundred and fifty thousand bucks!” Nicolas finished counting the lute with a loud cheer in their safe house, somewhere in the Texas wilderness.

  “That’s what I’m talking about…” Martin added, while Jimmy gave a satisfied nod. Relief flashed in his eyes, but he didn’t say anything. Yes, they had accomplished their objective, leaving no trail behind whatsoever. It was a clean, professional job. The world would have no idea about who was behind one of the biggest armored truck robberies in the US. Of course, they would have to be extremely careful from now on, but he trusted them, even though Martin was sometimes a little too impulsive. Nevertheless, Jimmy didn’t share his partners’ enthusiasm. More than that, he couldn’t hide his concern, preferring to stare at the stack of money on the small kitchen table.

  “What’s going on, Jimmy?” Nicolas wondered.

  “Can somebody tell me where the hell Andy was tonight?” Jimmy answered his question with a question, as his face hardened, raising his eyes from the money to glare at Nicolas.

  “Yeah, I noticed Andy wasn’t there tonight…” Martin agreed. “But, who cares anyway?”

  “Did you notice his nametag?” Jimmy posed one more question, fixing his gaze on Martin, sat on his right.

  “Nope…” Martin shook his head sideways.

  “She wore Andy’s nametag…” Jimmy added. However, his friends’ reaction disappointed him even further. Martin and Nicolas glanced at each other, trying very hard not to laugh. To no avail. They burst out laughing, as if they had just heard the funniest joke ever. It then occurred to Jimmy that neither of them was paying attention to his words, despite his persistent attempts to educate them on how security companies operate.

  “Jimmy…” Martin chuckled. “I think you worry too much.”

  “Do I?!” Jimmy yelled, banging his fist on the table. “What have I told you about security companies?”

  “They’re pretty thorough…” Nicolas was quick to reply.

  “Right. Which means that she’s either his sister, his wife or something happened to him at the last minute, he couldn’t make it and they gave his nametag to some random chick. We’ve been here for three weeks. Did you notice any… wives or sisters? Because I sure as hell didn’t.” Jimmy stated, finally grabbing their attention. Their smiles were wiped off their faces.

  “Jimmy, what are you saying?” Martin asked.

  “Andy’s a bad gambler. I don’t know. Maybe they whacked him. Lots of people have seen us hanging out with him. What if the cops show up and start asking questions? What are we going to say? ‘We didn’t do it. We were busy robbing a truck’? That’s one hell of an alibi.” Jimmy’s sharp response made them worry even more.

  “Ok, this may sound a little stupid but weren’t you going to take him out?” Martin squinted at him.

  “I don’t know. I kind of liked him. Most truckers are douchebags. He’s been good to us.” Jimmy admitted.

  “What if someone killed him? What are we going to do?” Nicolas was starting to panic; His squeaky voice quivered.

  “Well…” Jimmy croaked, leaning back on his chair, folding his arms behind his head. “Let’s see if Andy’s alive first. Martin, check the internet for any murder reports in the area, will you?”

  “It’s too far-fetched, Jimmy…” Martin commented. “Anyway, give me five minutes.” He murmured, rising from his seat.

  “I mean no disrespect here Jimmy, but do you realize what we’ve just done? We should be celebrating.” Nicolas suggested.

  “It’s ok, man.” Jimmy said with a sigh. “I know, but I want to spend this money while I’m young. If we get busted, we’re looking at twenty years. Each. Which reminds me. Don’t buy anything… fancy.”

  “You didn’t have to remind me, Jimmy…” Nicholas gave him a big smile.

  “Yeah, it’s Martin I’m worried about.” Jimmy claimed. “He could go buy a freaking Ferrari.”

  “No, I won’t.” Martin interjected, returning to the table with his laptop in his hands. “See for yourself. It’s been a pretty quiet night in Highland Park. Nothing ever happens here.”

  “I’m not celebrating until I see Andy.” Jimmy murmured, still not convinced that Andy was ok. “We’ll pay him a visit tomorrow mo
rning.”

  “Bermuda, Bahama, come on pretty momma...” Martin hummed the lyrics of “Kokomo”, as a huge grin slowly formed on his face.

  “I prefer Brazil.” Nicolas winked at him.

  “Hold your horses.” Jimmy grumbled. “You’re not going anywhere just yet and you sure as hell can’t carry all that money with you.”

  “I only need 10K.” Martin laughed. “I’ll stash the rest. What happened between you and that security clerk?”

  “She said something about… God. I never liked religious freaks, but this one really pissed me off.” Jimmy’s mouth tightened, as he recalled the events of that night.

  “What about Andy’s wife?” Martin interjected, laughing even louder.

  “Go get some sleep you idiots…” Jimmy groaned, arising to his large, 6’2” stature, unwilling to discuss things any further. It was clear to him that Martin and Nicolas were too happy to share his concern. Eventually, he would snap at them and although he was not afraid of them, Jimmy wanted them to savor this moment. After all, they had earned it. Maybe he was worried too much, as Martin had earlier remarked, or perhaps he was just unable to believe that he was rich. Either way, the questions that filled his mind didn’t allow him to get much sleep that night.

  “I sure as hell hope Andy is fine and I’m just overreacting. I don’t know who that girl was but she looked good. Way too good to be his sister or his wife. I couldn’t tell how tall she was, but with a face like that, I wouldn’t mind if she was just five feet tall. What happened to you, Andy? Why couldn’t you make it tonight?”

  Chapter Three

  The first colors of the sunrise were up in the sky when Jimmy left the safe house the next morning. He wouldn’t wake up his partners. Besides, the chances of them waking up so early were rather slim. Jimmy could hear their loud laughter until 4am and he also found numerous beer bottles in the kitchen, a clear sign that they had celebrated without him. However, the last thing on Jimmy’s mind was to tell them off for having a few beers. He had to find out if Andy was ok and the only way to do that was to drive all the way to Highland Park, thirty two miles away from the safe house.