“Please do,” she responded for both of them.
Ernesto ordered a bottle of something foreign she guessed was from either Italy or Spain or possibly Portugal. She couldn’t tell which language he spoke, but the waiter seemed to understand and scurried off to do Mr. Arrogant’s bidding.
All the while Zak put his focus solely on her as if Ernesto didn’t bother him in the least. She should take a page out of his book and relax. And she tried, she truly did.
However, after only a few more minutes in Ernesto’s company, Kaitlin was even less impressed with her stepsister’s new boyfriend. He was the very definition of pompous, condescending and all things she hated about people who liked to lord over the fact that they had money and spent it on expensive, civilized things, not like the peons of the world scratching out a living, wasting their money on what he considered crap.
Ernesto acted like he’d done them a favor by bringing them to dinner and showing them what the good life truly consisted of. That was all the encouragement Brooke needed. She was back in her element.
She went the mean girl route for dinner, proving she really couldn’t be nice two meals in a row. When she wasn’t making mean comments, she fed into Ernesto’s self-important attitude. They were two of a kind. The obvious act her stepsister put on at lunch was in no way translated to the late dinner meal.
Kaitlin couldn’t help but feel a little betrayed. Perhaps gullible was a better word. She should have known her stepsister hadn’t changed a single bit.
Zak nodded and made the appropriate noises when Ernesto was looking for praise, but mostly he touched Kaitlin, smiled at her and made her feel like the belle of the ball. She fell a little more in love with him with each passing moment in their disagreeable dinner companions’ company.
Once the wine arrived at the table, Ernesto made a big deal of showing off his prowess by repeatedly sniffing the cork and then sampling a small taster glass of wine not once or twice but three times before allowing the waiter to pour wine for the rest of them.
Twenty minutes after the wine came to the table, Kaitlin took a sip of the vilest tasting liquid she’d ever put in her mouth. She wished she could spit it out, but managed to swallow, smile and promptly lie convincingly that it was great.
Ernesto shrugged as if it was a foregone conclusion that he’d selected the perfect adult beverage for the meal. Kaitlin went back to pondering her estimate of how long a night it was going to be.
The waiter returned to take their dinner orders. Kaitlin was poised to order the restaurant’s lauded signature chicken dish with a caper and pine nut sauce, but Ernesto had different plans.
“I hope you’ll allow me to order dinner for all of you.” He didn’t wait for an answer.
Turning to the waiter, he announced, “We’d all like the filet mignon.” He did select the most expensive meal on the menu, but it wasn’t what Kaitlin wanted. A heavy steak dinner so late would make her lethargic until tomorrow.
“Very good, sir.” The waiter asked Brooke, “How would you like your steak prepared, ma’am?”
Ernesto said angrily, “Well done, naturally! For all four meals.” The waiter paled as Ernesto blustered on about not wanting a single drop of blood on their plates or any pink meat, stating he planned to inspect each steak when it arrived at their table for the proper brown internal color.
Kaitlin exchanged a look with Zak that she couldn’t read, expecting him to change his order, but he shrugged and deferred to Ernesto. She liked her steak a nice medium, but resigned herself to an expensive dry meat puck, silently thanking Zak for going along and not making a scene.
Given that she didn’t know much about Zak or what he was capable of beyond his protective tendencies or his prowess in the bedroom, Kaitlin fell more in love with him as the evening progressed and he went along with the ever-present haughty madness, always keeping his primary focus on her.
She did make a special personal note of when Zak took one sip of the wine and then never touched his glass again.
True to his word, Ernesto inspected each of their steaks by cutting them in half to ensure no pink—or juiciness—had survived. It hadn’t.
Zak ate most of his meat. Kaitlin pushed hers around on the plate and hid most of it beneath the garnish. Perhaps the chef had provided the large kale leaf for just that purpose.
“So did you attend any college, Zak? I mean, didn’t you ever want to become more than a mere mechanic?” Ernesto asked as a lavish strawberry studded cheesecake was served for dessert. At least he couldn’t screw up this part of the meal.
“Nah, I was never much into higher learning,” Zak said, seemingly unfazed by Ernesto’s insinuation that he was a mere anything. “But I’m good with my hands, and I like working on cars.” He stared right into her eyes when he mentioned being good with his hands. While she could attest to that personally, she didn’t.
“So no education at all then.” Ernesto shook his head like he was disappointed in Zak’s lack of ambition.
“I went to a specialized school and got a certificate to work on engines. That’s it.” He took a bite of the cheesecake, his eyes closing seemingly in appreciation of the flavorful dessert.
Ernesto gave him a tolerant look, as if unsurprised that Zak didn’t have any loftier educational goals. He turned to Kaitlin. “Now you have a degree in business or accounting or the like, is that correct, Kaitlin?”
She swallowed the mouthful of creamy strawberry dessert that congealed in her mouth the moment he turned his attention on her. “Yes. I have a degree in accounting.”
Brooke took the occasion to slap her down. “Daddy tried to get her to take the exam for her CPA credentials, to no avail.” Her stepsister rolled her eyes as if Kaitlin was an errant child skipping school or something to become…well, a bad girl, she supposed. She glanced at Zak, thinking for the first time that there were certainly worse things. Like pompous, arrogant boyfriends who insisted on nasty wine and steak leather for dinner.
Ernesto managed to look dissatisfied with Kaitlin’s career choices as well, but she wanted to be an auditor not a public accountant. There was a different test she had in mind, but for now she wanted to get some experience. It was her life and her choice, wasn’t it?
Besides, the test she wanted to take was expensive and so was all the study material she’d need to pass it. She didn’t have Daddy paying for everything like Brooke did. Her stepfather was a decent enough guy. He treated her mother very well, but Kaitlin had never wanted or accepted any financial help from him. None.
She’d earn her own way, thank you very much.
Ernesto started a mild rant about how Kaitlin should do a lot of things differently with her life and her career, every word of which she resented. To remain civil to their host, she kept nodding like she cared what he thought and put bites of cheesecake in her mouth to keep from having to respond.
Glancing at Zak, she saw that for the first time all evening he didn’t seem to be paying any attention to her or Ernesto. Instead, his focus was on an angry man intently making his way toward them from the direction of the kitchen.
Ernesto was still talking endlessly about all her poor life choices when the newcomer got within eight feet of their table, and screamed. “Ernesto Montego, you fucking bastard! I’ve come to make you pay for your sins.”
The man lurched forward, a gun-filled hand coming from beneath his jacket as he squared his body to take aim.
Chapter Fourteen
Zak timed his response to the gun-wielding stranger perfectly. The man wanting Ernesto Montego to pay for his sins smelled like a brewery, but might be able to manage to shoot an innocent bystander in the close quarters of the restaurant. Where the fuck was Ernesto’s detail? He’d seen the one guy earlier in the hallway leading to the bathroom area and assumed the one he’d seen in the lobby was stationed outside somewhere.
As Mr. Unhappy leveled the gun at Ernesto’s head, Zak moved easily from the table and launched himself at the gunman. B
efore forward momentum slowed him, Zak shoved the man’s elbow straight up. The gun fired toward the ceiling. A puff of plaster rained down on them, tiny pieces plinking into their glasses and on their plates.
In the next second, screams from the other guests filled the room along with the sound of toppling chairs and shattering glass as everyone tried to escape the restaurant en masse.
Zak clamped his hand around the gun and easily ripped it from the drunk man’s grasp, pushing him down with a quick shove of his boot to the back of the guy’s knees to subdue him.
Ernesto hadn’t panicked, only let out a loud grunt of disapproval when the gun fired. He looked around for his men as soon as Zak neutralized the threat. Brooke managed to slide her entire body under the table. Zak wished Kaitlin had joined her, but she’d remained upright, spine ramrod straight, and stared wide-eyed at him.
Zak registered her awe-filled expression, and considered it reward enough for what he’d done.
When the man tried to get up, Zak pushed his neck to the ground, leaning a knee in the center of his back to keep him down.
That was when Ernesto’s bodyguards showed up.
Ernesto blamed them immediately. “Where were you, cowards? This man almost killed me.”
“Sorry, sir, we didn’t see him come in.”
Zak was relieved that the bodyguard he’d recognized at the Devil’s Playground didn’t seem to recognize him. He processed the small victory in his head, despite his reservations. The guy could still remember him later.
Zak spoke up in defense of the bodyguards to win them points. “The guy came from the kitchen area. Maybe your guards didn’t see him.”
“Well, they should have,” Ernesto said with quiet anger. The wail of a lone siren pealed in the distance. The local cops were probably still five minutes out.
Keeping his knee firmly planted in the gunman’s back, Zak asked Ernesto, “You want to just hand this guy over to the local police when they get here, or something else?” A louder siren joined the first. “If it’s something else, we need to dispose of him before those sirens get here.”
Ernesto seemed startled that he was being given a choice. He opened his mouth, then closed it. He stared down at the squirming man beneath Zak’s knee.
“Let the local authorities handle it. There were enough witnesses in here that saw this unprovoked attack.”
“You should be dead, Ernesto! You deserve to die for what you did!” the man called out from the floor.
“Shut up,” Zak said, pressing down harder. Given the evening he and Kaitlin had just endured from the most conceited man in existence, he wanted to give the guy a medal for his attempt, but saving Ernesto Montego’s life in a room full of witnesses would offer Zak a whole different level of cred in his undercover world.
The first two police officers came in screaming for them all to put their hands in the air. The gun he’d snatched from the guy on the floor was in his right hand. The two bodyguards also had their weapons out.
The three of them put their weapons on the floor, but Zak kept the shooter pinned to the ground. After a short clarification from the restaurant manager, the gunman was arrested and placed in official custody. They spent the next two hours giving witness statements before leaving as they’d arrived, in the limo.
This time they had to share it with Ernesto and Brooke.
Zak and Kaitlin entered first, sliding along the far-side bench perpendicular to the premium back seats they’d used on the trip to the restaurant. Ernesto had fired the two bodyguards despite Zak’s efforts. They both left as soon as the police released them. Ernesto made a phone call that resulted in a long, heated conversation. By the time they walked out of the restaurant, two new guards had arrived. One guy was currently seated with his back against the wall separating the driver from the backseat.
Zak assumed the other new guard rode up front with the driver.
Surprisingly, Ernesto seemed humbled by Zak’s heroics and offered him whatever he wanted in return for saving his life. Zak couldn’t very well say he only wanted to bring down his friend’s extensive criminal enterprise, so instead he pretended like it was nothing and he’d been happy to do it, etcetera, etcetera.
Ernesto insisted he’d repay the favor one day. Zak would have loved to mention Demarco’s name, but couldn’t think of a way that it wouldn’t sound contrived.
How could he feasibly know about Ernesto’s association with Demarco? It was better to let that association unfold naturally later on.
Ernesto wouldn’t forget what he’d done, mostly because there had been a room full of witnesses and the man cared deeply about what other people thought.
Tonight’s events afforded Zak a firm stroke in the atta-boy column for when he and Demarco, and Miles, went into business. He’d have to remember to be shocked to learn that Ernesto and Demarco were business partners. Perhaps he’d remark about it being a small world. Whether Miles knew about tonight probably didn’t matter given what had ultimately happened, but Zak looked forward to telling him about it.
They arrived at Kaitlin’s house in no time, although he was very ready to say goodnight to Ernesto and his gigantic ego. Watching Kaitlin’s jaw tighten throughout the evening whenever Ernesto was talking—which was most of the time—made Zak feel for her even more. Both of them would likely require surgical help to unclench their faces, which had been clamped down to keep the evening’s peace.
“I hope you don’t mind if I keep your stepsister for a little while,” Ernesto said as the driver opened the limo’s back door. “Brooke and I are going out for a night cap at my hotel.”
Kaitlin managed to unhinge her jaw and say, “I don’t mind at all.”
Ernesto got out first, presumably to ease their exit from the vehicle. Kaitlin said goodnight to Brooke over her shoulder, but didn’t wait for any response before practically leaping out of the vehicle. To be fair, none was given, because Brooke’s gaze focused entirely on Zak the moment Ernesto got out of the vehicle.
“Nice to have dinner with you, Zak,” she said under her breath as he moved past. She patted his ass twice. It was a pretty ballsy move, given the identity of her boyfriend and the fact his new bodyguard was sitting right there.
Zak did not respond or acknowledge Brooke’s overture in any way. Kaitlin grabbed his hand and tucked up next to him like her life depended on it.
“Don’t wait up,” Ernesto said with an exaggerated wink.
“The truth is, I won’t even be there,” Kaitlin said, squeezing Zak’s fingers as if he’d dare disagree in Ernesto’s presence. “Brooke will have the house to herself tonight if she wants it, right, Zak?”
Zak allowed half his mouth to curl upward, as if acknowledging the coming evening with Kaitlin alone at his place.
Ernesto slapped the center of Zak’s back a couple of times way too hard, and climbed into the limo without another word. Good riddance to them both.
Hand in hand, and without looking back, Zak led Kaitlin up the front walk to his porch. He unlocked the door, but once he stepped inside, Zak felt like something was off. He sensed a presence in the room and moved in front of Kaitlin as she tried to follow him in.
He reached for the foyer light to turn it on as a voice asked, “Was that Ernesto Montego getting into that limo outside?”
The chandelier overhead illuminated Miles’s shocked expression. Behind him, Kaitlin moved closer, pressing into his back like he was her new hiding place.
“What are you doing here?” Zak asked, arching one brow in a show of contempt.
“I need to talk to you.” Miles flashed a grin, moving backward into the living room space. He nodded once in Kaitlin’s direction as if to say, “Ditch the girl so we can have a long conversation.”
Zak turned to face Kaitlin as Miles melted further into the darkness of the living room. “Why don’t you head home, baby? I’ll call you when I’m through.”
Her gaze moved upward toward his room briefly. She whispered, “Can’t I
just wait for you upstairs?”
He shook his head and opened the front door wider. “Better if this conversation can’t be overheard by anyone, right?”
“This isn’t the end of our evening, is it?” she asked, stepping onto the front porch, but looking extremely unhappy about it.
Zak followed her out and closed the door behind him. He took her into his arms and kissed her like he’d wanted to all night long. Breaking the kiss too soon, he said, “I’ll call you in a little while.”
“Do you prom—” She stopped speaking as quickly as she’d started. “I mean, do you swear?”
Zak fought the urge to laugh. She was the very definition of adorable. “Yes. I swear I’ll call.”
“Okay. I’ll be waiting for you.”
He released her, watching until she’d walked all the way across their shared driveway to her front porch. When she finally disappeared around the corner, he stepped back into his house. Leaving the living room lights off, he sat himself in the comfortable recliner and flipped the television on for noise.
Miles was seated in the room’s darkest corner near the fireplace. “So was it?” he asked.
“Was it what? I mean to say, what the fuck, Miles?”
Miles pushed out a long sigh of exasperation. “How did you end up sharing a limo with Ernesto Montego?”
“Kaitlin’s sister invited the two of us out to dinner with her new boyfriend.” Zak clicked the remote, channel surfing until he found a sports channel showing a baseball game.
“I see. Well, did you make a good impression? That might come in handy later.”
Zak shook his head and laughed, wondering at the timing of his good fortune. “In fact, I saved his life from a gun-wielding psycho in front of a whole room full of witnesses at the restaurant.”
“Shut the fuck up!”
“I was going to call you the minute I got home.”
Miles huffed. “No you weren’t. You were going to fuck the blonde again—not that I blame you. Turns out she really is hot.”
Biker (Bad Boys in Big Trouble Book 1) Page 13
