Page 5 of Forever Zara

Wedding: T-minus 19 days.

It was mid-morning in Denver. Rider had to battle forty minutes outside of Armado Springs through heavy traffic. Two of his boys were parked up when he slung a leg over his bike, stepping down.

The crisp February air had him pulling the black leather sheepskin jacket up nearer to his ears. His boots crunched the receding ice underfoot as he walked down to the corner and bumped fists with Capone and Texas.

“He’s inside,” Capone informed, jutting his dark head to the store in front of them.

It wasn’t a poor street from what he saw. Busy for a weekday. Lots of traffic through to the interstate. Rider was looking into expanding some of their enterprises. They’d already bought up most of the stores on Main Street in Armado Springs.

Some they rented to the current holders, and the empty properties were in development to be operational by the summer. There were seven empty on the strip. Because they’d been standing empty for a while, he was hoping to get them for a song.

The three men walked into the nearest storefront to meet with the realtor.

It was a decent size and would work in their favor to expand the gambling dens.

The business was booming. Already there was a six-month waiting cap to get at a table.

They looked around for a while, listening to the realtors' spiel.

“What do you think?” He asked his boys.

Texas had been flipping properties for a while now and knew what to look for. He gave an agreeing noise.

“It’s a reasonable size for a sandwich bar, Prez.” Added Capone. “Has plenty of foot traffic.” The strip only had one rundown diner. This would be Capone’s project.

What interested the men more was the basement and what work it would take to knock through to make it one extensive area.

Some female hangarounds already showed enough interest for pitching in.

Back on the street, they viewed the other properties. Most were a carbon copy of the first. Some needed a little more work to get them up to standard.

But Rider saw the potential for expanding theSoulsprofits.

He shook the realtor guy’s hand. “Get the paperwork together. I want all seven.”

The guy’s eyes lit up seeing the big fat commission in his future.

“Absolutely. Should have them ready for you sometime next week.” He hurried off to his SUV before Rider could change his mind.

“Heads up, Prez. We have company.” Capone pointed out. Rider swerved his head to see the slowing cop car. Charlie Timmons was behind the wheel, but Tag’s ex-girlfriend stepped out when it stopped in the middle of the road. She sauntered over with a chip as big as the moon glowing on her face.

With the help of Arson, a few months back, Tag had stopped her attempt at blackmailing Tag for the use of his dick. From the looks of it, Sofia hadn’t taken kindly to it. She’d pulled in their prospects for trumped-up reasons in the past two months than ever before.

Rider could smell when someone had a hard-on for theSouls.

And this woman reeked of brewing trouble.

“You can’t congregate here.”

Rider arched his eyebrow while Texas chuckled at his side. “A new law we’re not aware of, Officer Fielding?”

“Don’t get smart with me, Marinos.”

Amused, Rider kept his face straight as he watched her, losing her cool so quickly.

“We’re shopping for Valentine’s Day.” Piped Capone, thickening his accent. His Sergeant at Arms was barking up the wrong tree if he thought his smolder shit would help. The female looked like she wanted to throw the cuffs on them all.

Glancing behind her, Rider locked a stare with the sheriff. Timmons had always been a fair cop, fairer than the last sheriff who’d been a crooked cunt. They’d worked together to rid their city of theBratvainvasion, but Rider was in no doubt that Timmons wasn’t a cop who would turn a blind eye. Mostly, he left theSoulsalone because Charlie knew Rider took care of the town. He watched the other man sigh, switched the engine off, and he climbed from the vehicle.

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