Her Russian Protector 2 - Dimitri,
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//-->Dimitri (Her Russian Protector, Book Two)By Roxie RiveraCopyright © 2013 by Roxie RiveraAll rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributedin any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author.Smashwords EditionThis ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with anotherperson, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this bookand did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return toSmashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard workof this author.Table of ContentsChapter OneChapter TwoChapter ThreeChapter FourChapter FiveChapter SixChapter SevenChapter EightChapter NineChapter TenChapter ElevenChapter TwelveChapter ThirteenChapter FourteenChapter FifteenChapter SixteenChapter SeventeenChapter EighteenChapter NineteenAuthor's NoteRoxie's BacklistChapter OneWith a loud grunt, I tried to drag the heavy sack of flour from the unloading dock tothe storeroom. I'd already moved six of them and felt what little energy that remainedwith me start to drain. My four o'clock alarm and a full day of running from the kitchento the bakery counter had done a number on me.An irritating heat prickled my eyes as the stress of it all started to beat me down. Istretched my neck, hoping to ease my tense muscles, and closed my eyes while I drew aslow, steady breath into my lungs. Giving in to the panic of my craptastic situation wasn'tgoing to help me.My ears perked to the sound of someone coming in the side employee entrance.Finally!"Johnny?" Is that you?"There was a long pause before my younger brother finally shouted back at me."Yeah."I frowned and let the sack of flour slump against my leg. "You're three hours late. Ineeded you to help me close today. Where have you been?""Hey, I got here when I could." He appeared in the doorway of the stockroomlooking every bit the hooligan and scowled at me. "Get off my case, Benny"I bit my tongue at the sight of his baggy jeans and that god-awful tank top. Hissneakers were immaculately clean and bright white, of course. The gang tattoo on hisneck still infuriated me. When he'd come home a few days before his high schoolgraduation with that ugly thing emblazoned on his skin, I'd almost had a stroke."Look, I need your help. The supply truck was late today and I've got to geteverything into the storeroom."He didn't move. "Why didn't you have Marco or Adam do it?""I can't afford the overtime, Johnny. We're barely making ends meet." I wasn'ttelling him anything he didn't already know. We'd discussed our financial difficultiesnumerous times over the last few months but I don’t think he gave it much thought.Apparently he assumed I would fix the problems—just as I always did."Maybe you should think about selling to that real estate guy," Johnny suggestedand finally started to help me. He tossed the bag of flour onto his shoulder and carted itinto the storeroom.The thought of the slick real estate developer who had been pushing a sale contractat me for the last few weeks made my jaw tighten. Gentrification my ass! "We aren'tselling, Johnny.""Why not? It's good money, Benny.""Money isn't everything, Johnny. This bakery isn't just part of the neighborhood'shistory. It's our history. Three generations of our family have worked here. Ourgrandparents built thispanaderiawith their blood and sweat and tears." I shook my head."We're in a rough patch and we'll get through it. We arenotselling.""That's what the yarn shop lady and the furniture guy down the street said beforethey got smart." Johnny brushed by me to grab another sack of flour. "That's yourproblem,nena.You don't think big. You know what we could do with that kind ofmoney?"I rolled my eyes. Lately, Johnny had all these big plans. What he lacked was follow-through and drive. It was so easy to make concoct schemes but even harder to put in thework required to make them a success."First of all—stop calling menena.And secondly? There wouldn't be that muchmoney left over after the sale."He frowned as he carted the heavy sack into the storeroom. "What do you mean? Isaw what the guy offered us. That's a shitload of money, Benny.""Yeah, it is but how do you think we paid for Abuelita's chemo and all the hospitalbills? Before that, she'd taken out lines of credit on the building to pay for grandpa'sdiabetes problems. There are lines of credit and second mortgages." I rubbed the back ofmy neck as the stress of it all made me tense. "It's complicated, Johnny."His eyes narrowed accusingly. "Why did you let her get all those loans?""I didn't, Johnny. I didn't find out until she opened the books to me. By the time shetold us she was sick, she'd already gotten in way over her head.""But the bakery makes good money.""It's not that simple. The costs of supplies have increased. We had to replace all theovens and the proofing boxes. We lost a quarter of our breakfast and lunch income whenthe layoffs at the gas plants hit." I couldn't even bring myself to mention what kind of anosedive our business would take if the rumors of a Starbucks going in down the streetwere true. "Our health insurance premiums are way up.""So cut them off," he coldly suggested. "Let them pay for their own doctor visits."I glared at him. "Do you ever listen to the crap that comes out of your mouth? Someof our employees have been with the bakery since the day our grandparents opened,Johnny!"He shrugged. "Yeah. So? People should pay their own way."Frustration welled up inside of me. "I guess I should have made you pay all thelawyer fees for your last arrest, huh? I mean, you want to pay your own way, right?"Johnny's eyes narrowed. "How many times are you going to throw that in my face?""Oh, I don't know, Johnny. As many times as it takes for you to realize what a dumbass you are with all this gang bullshit.""It's not bullshit, Benny. My crew is my family.""Your family?" Anger surged through me. "I'm your family, Johnny. I'm the one thatloves you just the way you are. I'm the one who has been there for you since we werelittle.""You don’t get it, Benny. You never will."I couldn't even look at him. Glancing away, I said through gritted teeth, "Just finishmoving the heavy stuff, okay? I can get everything else."He started to argue with me but slammed his mouth shut and got back to work. Wedidn't say a word as we carried the stacks of baking supplies from one room to another.I'd learned that arguing with him only pushed him farther away from me. There wasnothing I could say that hadn't already been said.
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