Risk It All (Risqué #2) Read Free Page B

out!’
    Brianna watched the short, stocky landlord pivot and steam out of the apartment that she’d been sharing with Erika for three months. For all of the drama swirling around her at the moment, the only mistake that Bri had made herself was believing an old friend, Erika, when she had assured Brianna that she had cleaned up her act.
    Erika’s boyfriend had taken off six weeks ago leaving a great big mess of trouble trying to find him; one that she and Erika had been left to deal with. Trouble, Brianna thought looking around at the trashed two bedroom apartment. Clothes were scattered everywhere, furniture was turned over, and crockery was broken. Yes, this place looked like trouble had rocked up, flashed its dashing smile, and strolled straight back into her life.
    She used to court trouble, to seek it out, her brother worked on the fringes of legality so she was no stranger to cops. And Blaser… he was a bad boy straight out of every girl’s wet dream.
    Bending to pick up a chair, she scanned the riot of objects scattered all over, tidying up was likely to take the rest of the night. She could get it done, but she doubted it would change Mr. Lieberman’s mind about letting her stay. Erika had taken off ten days ago to get away from her boyfriend’s trouble. Being that Erika was the only one on the lease Brianna shouldn’t even have been staying here after that.
    The landlord had turned a blind eye to her staying in the first place after Bri had used her Bambi act and persuaded him that she was really in dire straits. She hated to act pathetic and she hated to ask for favours, but she hadn’t expected to stay here for long. Since Erika had left ten days ago neither Bri nor the landlord had voiced the obvious fact that she was now living there alone and illegally.
    Glancing at the door, she speculated as to how long it would take Rafe and his cronies to show up now that she was most vulnerable. Rafe was the dealer looking for Erika and her boyfriend, he had a squad of men who would delight in doing this kind of work. Bri couldn’t even kid herself that she’d be safe if she did choose to stay here because whoever had done this job for Rafe had kicked the door in to gain entry without finesse. Her only choice now was to get her stuff and get out.
    As much as she hated running away from responsibility, and this mess technically was her responsibility, she was the last man standing on one side of a war that she hadn’t been around to start. The abode was hardly the Ritz; Erika and her boyfriend had long ago destroyed or sold anything that was decent about the apartment. Now it struggled to call itself water tight, there had been no upkeep of the place. But the state of the apartment hadn’t bothered Brianna, she’d only come back to town on the pleadings of her brother.
    Gary had told her that she could stay with him, he’d practically begged her to. But Brianna didn’t want to be sucked back into living like her brother did, pay check to pay check or dabbling in illegality. So she came to stay with Erika in the hope of maintaining her independence.
    Being back home had its disadvantages and advantages, the biggest example of both had presented itself when Blaser came knocking on her door. Erika had warned off Bri’s ex when he showed up unannounced. But it didn’t matter what Erika said, there was very little that would sway Blaser Warner once he’d made up his mind about something.
    Gathering up some clothes, and what she could find of her other possessions, Brianna tidied as she went along, seeking items out. The suitcase that she’d originally brought was broken, but she managed with a duffel bag she found and a large tote. Erika and her boyfriend were gone, they weren’t coming back to chase an old piece of luggage.
    She was just about ready to leave but slowed in her collecting because she had no plan, nowhere to go. Her brother was the only person she’d relied on growing up. Any friends that she