The Billionaire Playboy's Regret (Lark and Max) novel Chapter 40

“I swear Ollie, if I get shot in the head, I’m coming back to haunt your ass.” Lark hissed at her friend as they entered a dive bar in the shadiest part of Houston. She rubbed her nose with the back of her hands, “this place smells like piss.”

“It really does.” Ollie grimaced. “Guess this certainly isn’t a romantic reintroduction.”

Lark bumped into Ollie’s back as the woman in front of her came to a complete stop. Her friend’s muttered “f**k me couldn’t he have gone bald?” had her looking over Ollie’s shoulder and then gasping.

Three of the most gorgeous yet hardened men she ever saw in her life were sitting at a table facing the entrance to the bar and Lark knew the one in the middle with the shark eyes was the one Ollie was pining for. He was visually stunning with thick black hair, eyes dark as coal and a complexion which made Lark wonder if he wasn’t using Max’s beauty line because it was flawless.

Most importantly though was the way he was looking at Ollie. A slight tic at his jawline as he clenched his teeth was the only movement from him but the very visceral reaction of the sight of her was almost tactile.

“I get it now,” Lark whispered behind Ollie who gave a little whimper. “No f*****g wonder you can’t keep your pants on.”

“I wore two pair of panties today just in case,” she hissed over her shoulder as she strolled with far more confidence than Lark knew she was feeling. “Mr. Laredo. You asked me to see you since I’m in your city. What can I do for you?”

“Who are you?” one of the men sitting next to Mr. Laredo looked at Lark with sharp cold eyes. He was almost as beautiful as the man sitting to his left and intuitively Lark knew these men were brothers.

“Legal representation in case my client needs me.”

“And do all lawyers come to bars carrying weapons?”

“It’s not concealed,” she didn’t try to hide the fact she was wearing a holster. She’d never shot a man, but she told Ollie to make sure she was armed because if she was going into such a situation she wasn’t going in with a briefcase as a weapon. “I have a license to carry.”

“And have you ever shot a man?” the man asked coolly.

She thought of the way she’d shot Max multiple times the week before playing paintball and decided to stretch the truth.” Last weekend I did. It was good fun. Olivia, do what needs to be done but I would much rather get out of this stench filled place, please.” She wasn’t sure where she was pulling all her bravado from but knew Riggs would be proud of her. If he wasn’t Gael certainly would be, despite her wearing jeans.

“You are walking into our place of business with a gun, Ms. Lawyer. I do not think you understand the ramifications of your actions.”

“I don’t think you understand the reluctance I had to walk into this establishment at all and how much I encouraged my client to decline the invitation. If she is here, then I am here and I will not be here unarmed.”

“Enough!” the man in the middle raised his hand silencing his compatriot. “Olivia, you look well.”

“I am well, Mr. Laredo. I want to know why I’m here.”

“You ran away from me. I think I deserve to know why.”

“I told you why.” She lifted her chin, her dark eyes unwavering as she met his. “I refuse to be a side piece to any woman. I will not debase myself or another woman.”

“It was a marriage of convenience Olivia. Was never even consummated.”

“Right.” She scoffed bitterly.

“Let’s take this conversation somewhere more private.”

“I’d rather lick the pissy carpet of this shithole.” Ollie retorted rudely.

“We apologize for the smell,” the man who was questioning Lark commented, “but we entertained a visitor right before your arrival who thought he saw the boogey man and peed his pants.”

“Nice,” Lark rolled her eyes as she looked around for signs of blood or other bodily fluids. She was going to smack Ollie in the head for dragging her into this s**t. She hissed at her, “I swear Ollie if I have to see a dead body today you might be joining it.”

The man seated next to Ollie’s Mr. Laredo gave a loud laugh, “you, Ms. Fancy Lawyer with the shiny pistol and the pretty shoes, come have a drink with me at the bar while my brother and Olivia chat. Do not worry, they will stay here where you can see her.”

She looked to Ollie and then shrugged and followed him the few feet away to the bar and Ollie took a seat across from Mr. Laredo. The third man got up and disappeared out the back door.

She sat down at a stool as the man reached over the bar and grabbed a bottle of vodka. She wrinkled her nose, “bourbon, please. I don’t drink vodka. Makes me jittery.”

“Very well then,” he winked at her and reached to the amber colored bottle and grabbed two tumblers.

Lark shot a glance at Ollie who was sitting with her spine stiffer than she’d ever seen it.