Read Online Dragons Prefer Blondes by Candace Havens - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Candace Havens
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Mira, as far as I knew we’d all kept our word. Oh, we might have a few too many martinis or margaritas all in the name of fun, but we knew our limits.
“If you love her, then get help. Did you call Raul?” That was his sponsor.
“I’ll get my stuff.” He didn’t answer the question.
I had my answer.
Turning, I looked him in the eye. “You can do this.”
He shook his head. I saw the shame spiral in his eyes.
“You can. I’m beyond pissed at you right now for hurting Lourdes and for slipping, but I believe in you.” I meant the words, and I could see from his face he believed me.
Another tear slipped down his cheek. “I screwed up in a big way.”
I nodded. “I know.”
While he gathered his things, I made a few calls. It’s amazing what one can do when they have enough funds.
After he apologized to Lourdes several times and they hugged in a tearful good-bye, I put him in a limo and sent him to the airport. He’d found success at Harbor Springs Rehab before, and that’s where I sent him. Dr. Simonak, the director there, would be waiting for him.
The limo drove him away, and Lourdes turned to me. “He’s not a bad man.” Anger, disappointment, and sadness crossed her face in a matter of seconds.
“No, he’s not. That’s why we have to take care of this now before it gets out of hand.” I put a hand on her shoulder. “This sucks, and I understand if you’re mad at me, but right now we have to take care of him.”
She nodded and walked back into the bar.
I called Angel.
“Ms. Caruthers, where do you need me?”
Have I mentioned how much I loved this guy? If I had a problem with any of the businesses, or if something wasn’t delivered for an event, I called him. The man had connections beyond anything I’d ever seen. By trade he was an accountant, and I used him in that capacity, too. He traveled around the world to audit the clubs. He had an innate way of knowing if anything fishy was going on. I was lucky in that about 99 percent of my employees were incredibly loyal, but he kept an eye out for that other 1 percent. “Angel, my man, you are needed in Madrid.” I explained what happened with Baron.
“I can be there in a few hours. I’ve been going over the FLAG books.” That was one of my London clubs. “By the way, it’s good here. You were right about Ms. Monroe. She’s doing a fantastic job. Profits are up three hundred percent.”
Monroe was another one of my projects. She was a hooker from Russia who just needed a chance. I found her three years ago when she was hired on at the London club as a dancer. She didn’t even know English, but she learned fast. At night she danced, and during the day she went to school. Over the last few years she worked her way up to bartender and then assistant manager. A few months ago when Gere, the manager, went to the hospital with a stomach virus that turned out to be a deadly run with pancreatic cancer, Monroe stepped up her game.
“I had no doubt. I’m looking at the books here, and everything seems in order. I don’t see any discrepancies, but I need your expertise. And we need to bring someone in who can keep things running.”
“Will Baron be back?”
I looked out the window and watched Lourdes as she poured drinks. She smiled at one of the bar patrons, but it didn’t meet her eyes. “No. He’s going to need a fresh start outside the club environment.”
“I’ll see what I can find for him when he’s ready.” Angel also had a way of finding the perfect job for the right person.
“I’m going to head out. You know how to find me if you need me.”
Just as I hung up, the comm went off in my ear. “Ms. Caruthers? It’s Jake.” I made a mental note to tell him to call me Alex. Even if we weren’t fake dating yet, it was crazy for him to be so formal. “What’s up?”
“We’ve got jumpers in Montreal again. Right near the old church.”
“I’m on the way.” I looked down at my dress. “Wait, can you have a
“If you love her, then get help. Did you call Raul?” That was his sponsor.
“I’ll get my stuff.” He didn’t answer the question.
I had my answer.
Turning, I looked him in the eye. “You can do this.”
He shook his head. I saw the shame spiral in his eyes.
“You can. I’m beyond pissed at you right now for hurting Lourdes and for slipping, but I believe in you.” I meant the words, and I could see from his face he believed me.
Another tear slipped down his cheek. “I screwed up in a big way.”
I nodded. “I know.”
While he gathered his things, I made a few calls. It’s amazing what one can do when they have enough funds.
After he apologized to Lourdes several times and they hugged in a tearful good-bye, I put him in a limo and sent him to the airport. He’d found success at Harbor Springs Rehab before, and that’s where I sent him. Dr. Simonak, the director there, would be waiting for him.
The limo drove him away, and Lourdes turned to me. “He’s not a bad man.” Anger, disappointment, and sadness crossed her face in a matter of seconds.
“No, he’s not. That’s why we have to take care of this now before it gets out of hand.” I put a hand on her shoulder. “This sucks, and I understand if you’re mad at me, but right now we have to take care of him.”
She nodded and walked back into the bar.
I called Angel.
“Ms. Caruthers, where do you need me?”
Have I mentioned how much I loved this guy? If I had a problem with any of the businesses, or if something wasn’t delivered for an event, I called him. The man had connections beyond anything I’d ever seen. By trade he was an accountant, and I used him in that capacity, too. He traveled around the world to audit the clubs. He had an innate way of knowing if anything fishy was going on. I was lucky in that about 99 percent of my employees were incredibly loyal, but he kept an eye out for that other 1 percent. “Angel, my man, you are needed in Madrid.” I explained what happened with Baron.
“I can be there in a few hours. I’ve been going over the FLAG books.” That was one of my London clubs. “By the way, it’s good here. You were right about Ms. Monroe. She’s doing a fantastic job. Profits are up three hundred percent.”
Monroe was another one of my projects. She was a hooker from Russia who just needed a chance. I found her three years ago when she was hired on at the London club as a dancer. She didn’t even know English, but she learned fast. At night she danced, and during the day she went to school. Over the last few years she worked her way up to bartender and then assistant manager. A few months ago when Gere, the manager, went to the hospital with a stomach virus that turned out to be a deadly run with pancreatic cancer, Monroe stepped up her game.
“I had no doubt. I’m looking at the books here, and everything seems in order. I don’t see any discrepancies, but I need your expertise. And we need to bring someone in who can keep things running.”
“Will Baron be back?”
I looked out the window and watched Lourdes as she poured drinks. She smiled at one of the bar patrons, but it didn’t meet her eyes. “No. He’s going to need a fresh start outside the club environment.”
“I’ll see what I can find for him when he’s ready.” Angel also had a way of finding the perfect job for the right person.
“I’m going to head out. You know how to find me if you need me.”
Just as I hung up, the comm went off in my ear. “Ms. Caruthers? It’s Jake.” I made a mental note to tell him to call me Alex. Even if we weren’t fake dating yet, it was crazy for him to be so formal. “What’s up?”
“We’ve got jumpers in Montreal again. Right near the old church.”
“I’m on the way.” I looked down at my dress. “Wait, can you have a
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