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I stagger back a step.
I’m not used to things going right.
“Great!” I shove the paper bill and the credit card reader at him before he can change his mind. He raises his eyebrows at the bulky plastic reader pushing fifteen years old.
Jerk.
I half expect him to make a pointed comment about convenience—and I would’ve been half tempted to take the cherry pie and shove his face in it—but he just scrawls a signature on the bill and jabs his black credit card in the reader like a knife.
Like he just can’t wait to get rid of me.
Right-o. The feeling is mutual.
While he stares at the screen and waits for it to finish processing at a speed slower than molasses, I stick my tongue out at the back of his head and that thick dark hair.
Childish, yes, but it makes me feel better.
Then the door opens.
We both look up to witness the Kingpin of All Money swaggering in.
He’s a bear of a man, probably in his fifties. Sweet Tooth is built and lean, yes, but he looks almost small compared to this older guy with thick limbs and a penguin belly.
Sweet Tooth immediately stops scowling. Oh, is he nervous?
Interesting.
So maybe Kingpin is Sweet Tooth’s boss or something?
Makes sense. Doesn’t every shark answer to a whale?
I turn back to face my tormenter with a saccharine smile.
“As you can see, everything’s here and perfectly in order,” I announce loudly while he gives me a look that tells me to scram. It’s kind of delicious, the way his eyebrows sink low above his eyes. They heat with a blue-fire rage he can’t indulge, not while he’s in front of this other guy. “And extra sweet, just like you asked for. I’m not sure if you have any allergies, but just to be sure, the items with nuts were baked separately and are off to the left, over there, and—”
“Yes,” Sweet Tooth clips through gritted teeth. “Understood, ma’am.”
Kingpin stares across the spread with raised eyebrows and a shit-eating grin on his face. “Rory, color me impressed! Or should I be thanking our lovely delivery gal?”
Sweet Tooth inhales sharply and glowers at me.
“Thanks,” he grinds out without an ounce of sincerity. “This all looks… great.”
Lame, dude.
You aren’t even trying.
I smile innocently.
“You don’t think it’s too sweet, do you?”
He shoves the bill into my chest and guides me to the door with one big hand pressed against my back.
I don’t even have time to glance back at Kingpin and find out whether he’s enjoying the cheesecake before Sweet Tooth practically picks me up and throws me out the door.
It closes behind him with a loudclick!
“Jesus.” I turn around, rubbing my arm and yelling, “You’re welcome!”
