There's a circular rug over the tile floor with a large coffee table in the middle. Two tall backed fluffy chairs on either side of the couch make a half circle. Throughout the rest of the shop, small tables of different heights are placed in the open space, the colorful chairs we painted spaced around them.Anessa walks out from the kitchen area, dusting off her jeans."The place looks amazing. I'm sorry I wasn't here to help put it together.""Please." She scoffs, turning back to grab two mugs from a stack behind the counter. "You've been shacked up with your hottie. If I had a four pack at my disposable, I'd do the same thing. A girl understands.""Actually it's six." I stare out the window getting lost in a quick daydream about Ridge. It's not his six-pack that first comes to mind anymore. It's more. Thoughts of him in the morning when he brushes my sleep tousled hair from my eyes. Or the way he smooths his hand against the frame of my face, like I'm the most precious perso

"Mario..." Shock colors my words. Or maybe it's my fear."Did you miss me?" Benny steps to the side and closes the door behind Mario. "Because I sure missed you, Tabby."My back hits the couch, the heavy piece of furniture sliding inches across the carpet, before the pain of Mario's slap registers. I rub my cheek refusing to cry as my stomach rolls in pain and worry. This is so not good.Mario, the left side of his face covered in an ugly green bruise, crouches down to my level and grabs a handful of my hair, wrenching my head back. "I want my diamonds, bitch. Where are they?" Mario's black suit wrinkles as he leans into my face, each of his slicked back black hairs in place.My head screams in pain as he loosens his grip and then pulls back more. "Mario..." I stammer over my words, "I don't... have... any–""Shut up." He releases my hair, leaning in closer. "I've heard enough of your lies. Now I'm here to collect one way or another."He stands, but motions to Benny, pointi

Benny, however, can't turn away. His dark eyes burn as he stalks me from above, a gun pointed in my direction. "How do we want to do this, Tabitha?" he asks, his grin one of nightmares.The gun clicks.I'm out of plans. Let's be honest. I only had one plan, and it failed miserably. My indecision and regret fill the quiet room and I give up with a final gasp for air.The back door flies off its hinges and slams against the wall causing me to jump and recoil away in my tight ball. A loud crash and splintering of wood rings in my ears. There's a pop and I freeze waiting for the pain of Benny's bullet.It never comes.Benny's smile falls, he takes a step back and then crumbles to the floor. A stream of red liquid from the side of his body pools in the cracks of the tile grout moving away from his body."What the fuck?" Mario screams turning to me, the strainer full of diamonds held out in front of him.A thick black boot I've watched Ridge lace up every morning steps into the

VOLUME TWO: FUTURE RISKPlease don't let this be a big hairy spider.Please don't let this be a big hairy spider.With a deep breath I stick my hand in the hole in the drywall, making slow progress. The palm of my hand disappears until I no longer make out even an outline in the shadows. I stop and squint to get a better look, twisting my fingers."What the fark?"I rip my hand from the hole and drop the green mushy stack. It falls to the floor with a squishy splat.It's...money.A large stack of fifty-dollar bills is secured together by an orange band of paper in the middle. Bands like the kind banks use to keep money together. Using a single finger, I tip the stack over. The edges are wet and... well mushy. Like sitting in the wall behind an oven caused the money to deteriorate.My hand goes back in the hole, no longer concerned about spiders. There are probably some back there, but the prospect of money outweighs my fear. It takes three more trips back and forth. The

Katy clears her throat for at least the sixth time in the last twenty minutes and looks at me, widening her eyes. Clearly she's trying to tell me something.What that something is, I have no idea.I stop by the walk-in freezer with my hand on the door. "Would anyone like some cookies?"Bennett and Ridge were huddled together in the corner of the kitchen speaking in low voices two seconds ago, but now both turn with similar questioning looks. Hasn't anyone heard of cookies making everyone feel better? It worked in the Matrix movies."No, we're good in the cookie department." Bennett looks me up and down like he's checking for a second head."I could go for a cookie." Tabitha steps around the prep table headed for the large walk-in refrigerator where I keep racks of extra desserts."No cookies," Ridge says a little louder than necessary. "We don't know what the situation is yet. There could be evidence in there."Tabitha stops long enough to give him an are-you-serious look