Bad Apple (Part 1) Read Online Free Page A

chin to bring my wide eyes to hers.
    “Mish good boy, Irina. He no bring home bad girls for Mama. Just you. His papa will be happy to meet good wife.”
    “Er no, really this is all a mis—”
    But she just keeps talking, letting me know about her sick husband and how excited he is to meet me, all the while throwing around words that make my bones freeze.
    By the time she’s gone I’m horrified as I turn my gaze to the girls.
    “You gonna get railed, girl,” Tat gasps, running over with a cup of coffee and a cupcake that my ass really does not need. “He’s taking you to his mother’s. You know what this means?”
    Oh God, my life.
    I groan, internally laughing at the irony as I drop my head to the table and wheeze. I must be the only idiot in this city who wants a fling and gets the guy who introduces me to his mama on the first date.
    “There, there, little one, we’re here for you.” Nik grins, giving a new customer the gimlet eye that has the poor woman freezing and apologizing for even daring to ring the bell.
    “Stop teasing me and help. I must be the only woman alive who’s not looking for a commitment and gets one right out the gate!” I groan into the tabletop, everything else forgotten but tonight’s date.
    And here I was thinking I’d go somewhere swanky, eat something outrageously expensive that tastes like shoe leather, and then segue into a casual “so you want that cherry pie now or what?”
    “Look, you can still salvage this, Ri. Go, have dinner with the family, be your usual self, and then let Mr. Tall Blond and Gorgeous know that you’re not in it for the rock,” Liza says softly, flipping her blond hair over her shoulder with attitude.
    “But wouldn’t that be hurtful?”
    I don’t like hurting people, but I also can’t go to dinner with a man’s family when his mom’s already got me fitted for a dress and the rock. I just can’t!
    I’m panicked and showing it a few minutes later when inspiration strikes and I shove to my feet to do something I have never done in the years I’ve been open for business.
    I flip the closed sign, ignoring the frantic, teary-eyed pleading of the two customers who just walked up, and turn to my coven with the finger of doom pointed their way.
    “You guys are coming with me.”
    ***
    Misha
    I’m laughing so hard by the time I get off the phone with Mama that I can barely see my brothers as we watch the store below. Irina comes barreling out, arms waving as she yells at the three women laughing at her before they all pile into an old shocking pink Mini that takes so long to fire up, I actually feel for the thing when it finally roars to life and lets off a black cloud of smoke in protest.
    Leo and Vadi both laugh their asses off when the pink bullet shoots out into traffic, bringing cars and people alike to a standstill, obviously trying to avoid the very illegal U-turn Irina makes before her little box splutters and putters off at a snail’s pace.
    I will buy my woman a new car. Preferably one that comes with a driver or full-body armor, or both.
    “She called Mama and finagled an invite for the rest of her friends. Looks like you’ll be getting into the green-eyed Nikita sooner than you thought, Vadi.”
    That has him laughing again and beating me on the shoulder before we all turn back to my desk and fall into our usual seats with a sigh.
    “Mama must have scared the shit out of her then.” Leo chuckles, shaking his head.
    That makes me laugh anew and I shake my own head as I glance down at the folder on my desk with a sigh.
    “She looked ready to run for the hills when Mama started talking family vacations and Sunday dinners. I almost rescued her until I realized she had no intentions of being with me long term,” I mutter, irritated beyond bearing at the notion that for once in my miserable life, I want something permanent and a woman is looking only for sex.
    It may be ironic, but I refuse to feel anything right now but pure annoyance