Total pages in book: 126
Estimated words: 122206 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 611(@200wpm)___ 489(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 122206 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 611(@200wpm)___ 489(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
Edana’s eyes flashed, and before any one of us could blink, she had rounded the car and rushed at Harley. He yelped, and the man, all muscle rippled, broad shoulders, six foot two of him, ran from a five-foot-ten Edana like the devil himself was on his heels. I stepped aside so Harley could escape. Edana gave chase wielding a wrench, oblivious to the laughter that followed her. I smiled at the pair before I returned to my desk.
Hardly a minute later, Dante appeared.
“Where’s Lilly? I haven’t checked her car yet, but it’s gone. So is she.”
Dante’s question reminded me of my deal with her.
“She left.” I looked at him. “She said I’ve to come by her clubhouse at seven sharp.”
“She invited ye to the Knit Happens HQ?” He peered my way. “Were those her exact words?”
A sudden case of nerves consumed me.
“Yes. Ye have to bring me, she said, because I don’t know where it is.”
“Sure thing.” He shook his head as if in disbelief. “I know where the Knit Happens HQ is, but I’ve never been inside. Security is too tight. When I tried to get in once, a few years ago, someone threw a Molotov at me from the roof while shoutin’ ‘For the patterns!’. I dived outta the way just in time, would’ve been killed otherwise. Never went back after that.”
Merciful Christ, what had I gotten myself into?
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Ina
* * *
“Dante, take me home. Right now. I can’t do this.”
His soft chuckle sounded loud in the deafening silence of his truck.
“No. You’re gonna get that big, sexy arse in that buildin’ to find out if ye have what it takes to become a knitter. I believe ye do, by the way.”
He was so full of shite that it was ridiculous.
I scowled at him. “You just want me to tell ye what the inside of the buildin’ looks like!”
He had given me very specific instructions to follow. I was to uncover every secret the headquarters of Knit Happens held. As if that was an easy task—Tom Cruise had operations to complete in Mission Impossible with less risk, for God’s sake!
“Take pictures on the sly when ye can,” Dante ordered, unbothered. “Memorise everythin’ ye see, and whatever ye do, do not sign anythin’ Lilly presents ye with. And for the love of all that is holy, show no fear, specs. Otherwise, she’ll go for your throat.”
I was terrified all over again.
“It’s a knittin’ and crochetin’ club!”
Dante turned his head and looked at the building that looked like it belonged in Batman’s Gotham City as a villain’s lair. “That’s what Lilly wants us to believe.”
My God.
“You’re ridiculous.” I shook my head. “I’m being ridiculous. This is silly. I’m not gonna be worried anymore. I’m gonna be excited because these women will have fantastic patterns. I can make Gavin such a beautiful scarf when I get a new pattern.”
Dante grumbled, “I’d like a scarf for the comin’ winter, too.”
“In that case”—I leaned over and kissed his cheek—“I better get goin’. I have to be accepted as a member before I can crochet anythin’ good for either of you.”
I grabbed my wool bag, hooked the strap over my shoulder, then turned to get out of Dante’s truck. I yelped when he smacked my arse—quite firmly, might I add.
“Sorry,” he said as I climbed out. “Can’t help but smack it when it’s starin’ right at me.”
I turned and rolled my eyes, making him grin.
“Love you.”
I shivered. “I love you too, honey.”
“Remember,” he said. “No fear.”
“No fear!” I nodded. “I’ll phone ye when I’m finished. I’ve no idea how late this will go.”
“I’ll come when ye buzz me, don’t worry. I’ll be down at the pub with me brothers since I haven’t gone out with them in a while.”
Jealousy slithered around me and began whispering doubts into my ear, but I shook that bitch off. I would not be that kind of partner to Dante. Absolutely not.
“Tell any women who approach ye that you’re mine.”
Dante’s eyes darkened. “Always.”
I nodded, squared my shoulders, then closed the door to his truck. I took a deep breath and walked towards the entrance of the building, then I jumped about a foot in the air when Dante suddenly beeped his horn. I spun around and pierced him with a glare when I found him laughing his stupid head off.
“Sorry,” he shouted when he rolled his window down. “Had to loosen ye up, specs.”
I stuck my finger up at him, turned, and started walking again, swaying my hips a little more with each step.
“A little slower, oh yeah … Christ, woman. That’s all mine!”
I grinned as I reached windowless double-wide doors. Above the doors was a huge sign with equally huge letters that read KNIT HAPPENS, and under it, in smaller capitalised writing, it said, WORLD-CLASS KNITTING ESTABLISHMENT, BETTER THAN WHATEVER CLUB YOUR GRANDMOTHER FREQUENTS. Instantly, I began to giggle. That was so Lilly Doherty.