Sorry this chapter is a little bit late. I hope you all like it. Thanks for reading!

"How much are those bullet holes going to cost us?"

I was lying on my stomach in the back seat of baby. After Hector's Spanish powwow with Manuel, we called Harry and told her we had another ride. Manuel managed to get Hector's car from Marina Del Rey to Newport Beach before we even docked the Snatch Shack. Apparently he knew people who had similar gifts to Hector.

"No sweat Goldie, I already called my cousin Julio who works in a garage in Santa Ana. He is on the way over and is gonna patch those bitches up."

I had a feeling his cousin wasn't exactly trained for working on boats, but I really needed the money so I didn't want to ask too many questions.

I was trying to look out the window to see where we were going, but Hector's seats were so well greased I kept sliding back down. From what I could tell we were heading South on PCH away from Los Angeles.

"Hey Hector, shouldn't we be going the other way?"

"Did you get the fuckin' address from Manuel or did I?"

I could tell Hector's blood sugar was getting low. He was like a toddler. His mood was dependent on his hunger levels. I knew he wanted to stop for snacks, but considering my left butt cheek had a hole in it, he decided against it. Partner loyalty before hunger.

We drove a couple miles into Newport Beach's numbered streets. Hector pulled in a garage that had been left open for us. The house was on the boardwalk facing the beach. It was the biggest on the street and took up half the block. It was blue and white and looked like it belonged in Hyannis Port with a couple Kennedys running around. We made our way through the garage past the row of surf boards and wetsuits. I was trying to walk without sticking out my butt from the pain, but finally gave up. It hurt too much. I probably looked like Jeff and Jason after their "procedure".

This house was definitely not what I expected. Is this really where Manuel lived? I was picturing a craftsman house in South Central or an apartment in Venice Beach, but a Cape Cod style multimillion dollar house in Newport Beach was definitely not on the list. Did he commute to L.A.?

"I can hear your mind cranking Goldie," Hector said. "Yes, this is his fuckin' house. One of them at least."

I jumped on the last bit of news. "What do you mean one of them?" He has more?

"Sh…ee...it I knew I should have gotten a snack. I'm not thinking straight I am so fuckin' hungry. Just leave this shit alone."

When we got into the house we saw Manuel talking with an old Chinese guy who was the size of an elf. He actually made me look tall. He was wearing an apron that said, "Don't fuck with Dr. Ho". Manuel was wearing baggy jeans and a khaki shirt that definitely showed he went to the gym on a regular basis.

The house had a huge white kitchen with an island that was connected to the living room, which had wood floors and was decorated in all grey and white. There was a big grey suede sectional sofa with a huge flat screen television on one side of the wall. There were a lot of books around, but no family photos or anything really personal. The far end of the room was entirely made up of glass doors looking out onto the beach.

I whispered to Hector, "Is that really the doctor?"

"Yes. And girl, your whispering fuckin' sucks. Will you go lay your ass down so you don't faint and shit."

Apparently Hector's whispering sucked too because Manuel and the elf heard him and turned around. When the doctor saw me he came running over to examine my butt. I was sure I looked like a reject from a horror movie. The blood had soaked through most of the top half of my jeans and the towel I was holding was also a nice shade of red. The elf asked me to remove my towel so he could get a closer look.

Manuel walked over. "You okay?"

Hector chimed in. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Manuel ignored him and looked at me.

"Not too bad." I answered.

Except getting shot and having a hit man following me I'm great.

"Fuck, you mean Goldie," Hector said finally getting it. "You know her face is looking even more ass white than normal. Girl, didn't I tell you to go sit the fuck down."

Hector could be such a mother.

Manuel studied my face and decided he didn't like what he saw. He asked Hector to get me a drink from the kitchen. Then picked me up and carried me to one of the bedrooms.

I said some sassy comment about me being able to walk, but I secretly liked being carried by Manuel. Any chance to get this close to him was certainly a plus. Damn he smelled good. I wanted to sniff his t-shirt, but I was afraid I'd get caught.

"What's with the house," I said while taking in my surroundings. The color palette from the living room had been carried throughout the rest of the house.

"What about the house?"

"It's yours?"

He didn't answer.

"How can an FBI/CIA/DEA agent afford this house?"

"Overtime."

Was Manuel making a joke?

"Come on, Manuel. Hector said this was only one of your houses. Where else do you live?"

I could tell by Manuel's face he didn't like the fact Hector spilled even the smallest piece of information.

"You're bleeding and you want to talk about houses?"

"Yes. I was hoping you'd feel sorry for me."

"A little scrape isn't going to do it Goldie," he said lowering me down on the bed. They had already laid out a big grey towel on top of white bed sheets.

The elf came rushing in with plastic gloves on, holding his hands in the air. On the side table there was a metal tray filled with medical tools. He was singing loudly to himself in a mixture of Chinese and English as he buzzed around making sure I was in the right position.

Was this singing elf really going to stitch me up?

Manuel must have read my expression because he said, "He's good Goldie."

"He's an actual doctor?"

"Yes."

"From an accredited medical school?"

He crotched down so his face was next to mine. "You trust me?"

I knit my eyebrows together. I had never thought about it before.

"Yeah, I do," I said.

"Good," he said. "'Cause I'd never let anyone work on you who I didn't completely trust."

Hector peeked through the door way holding a jar of olives and not looking happy about it. He passed me a can of soda. I cracked it open and gulped it down.

"Fuck Manuel is this all you have to eat?"

"I'm not here a lot," Manuel said as way of an explanation.

"Where are you usually then?" I asked.

"Lots of places," he said clearly not willing to give anything away.

"Goldie don't worry your skinny little ass will look exactly as it did before," Hector who obviously had eavesdropped on our earlier conversation. "Doc here is a pro."

I ignored Hector and tried again with Manuel.

"Why so many secrets?" I asked.

Manuel thought a moment about whether to answer me or not.

"It's safer for you this way."

I was going to ask why, but Dr. Ho interrupted and announced, "I am going to need some help."

That quickly got a reaction from Hector. "No fucking way. Doc, you know I don't do well with needles and shit."

A look of recognition passed across Dr. Ho's face. "Ah, yes, the big guy here fainted when I had to stitch up his calf. Fell like a tree in a forest."

Manuel smiled. "I'd forgotten about that."

"Then if you fuckin' remember that. Then you know I ain't gonna be good seeing Goldie's ass all cut up either."

"Thanks a lot partner," I said.

"Sorry Goldie, I don't even do this shit for my kids. Yolanda takes care of it."

Someone wasn't wearing their big boy pants today. Jeez.

Damn. Just then I remembered what I had put on this morning. I was in my cinnamon roll happy mood so I put on my Wonder Woman underwear. If Hector found out I what I was wearing, he would tell Gus and Victor and my life will be a misery. Not to mention if Manuel was going to see my butt, I'd like it to be blood free and encased in something sexy, not in my favorite superhero.

"Then it's you?" Dr. Ho said to Manuel who slid his eyes over to me.

Why couldn't I have put on a cute g-string or something lacy?

I buried my face in the pillow. How more embarrassing could this day be?

"You're just here to hand him the stuff you don't need to look in this direction," I said to Manuel.

"Oh he needs to look. Otherwise he could drop instruments and that would not be good," Dr. Ho said.

"You heard him. I have to look," Manuel said giving me a smile.

I put my face back in the pillow hoping this day would be over with.

I felt my jeans being cut off and heard the doctor start to giggle. "It's a shame you didn't use your special bracelets to stop the bullet."

Really? I was getting mocked by a guy who looked like he was related to Bilbo Baggins.

I peeked out from under to pillow and saw Manuel obviously being entertained by the Lord of the Rings extra.

"I didn't have anything else clean today. Is that okay with you?" I said glaring at Dr. Ho.

"You don't need to get so angry. I love Wonder Woman. Very sexy."

I turned to Manuel, "You saw the actual medical license?"

"Yes," he said looking more amused.

"Shame I have to cut the sexy panties off."

What a minute? I didn't care about the jeans, but I loved these undies. I'd had them for as long as I could remember.

"Do you really have to cut them?"

Dr. Ho nodded. "They have to go."

I groaned into my pillow. First, getting shot, now my favorite undies were ruined.

I couldn't catch a break. Every couple seconds Dr. Ho was asking Manuel to help him hold something or hand him a tool. It wasn't like I was having open heart surgery. How difficult could it be? Did my butt really have to be on display for Mr. Hottie?

"This may sting a bit," he said as he poured what felt like bleach into my wound. I didn't want to be a baby, but 'Oh, my God.'

Dr. Ho cleaned off the blood and I was dying inside, knowing Manuel was still standing there seeing my butt in a room that was so bright it seemed to have its own sun. Why didn't I do more squats like Jeff and Jason had suggested at the gym last week. They warned me my ass would deflate like a balloon if I didn't start doing them on a regular basis.

I still had my head in the pillow wishing I was unconscious when I felt the elf poke, then squeeze the right side of my butt, which would have been fine except I had been shot on the other side.

"Very firm," he said. "Nice round buttocks."

While I appreciated the compliment I wasn't sure if it was necessary to get felt up by an aging elf for me to get stitches. I was getting ready to say something, but Manuel beat me to it.

"If you don't stop what you're doing, we're going to have a problem," he said in a calm, quiet voice that sounded a little scary.

I glanced up to see Dr. Ho stammering trying to get the words out. "I'm sorry. It's not what you think. I was checking to see how much flesh she had to see how easily the needle will go through on the other side."

I shrugged. It sounded okay to me.

Not sure of Manuel's mood Dr. Ho seemed to speed up the pace. He gave me a shot that numbed everything, then I felt a little tugging, but otherwise it was pain free. Thank God, the elf had placed a towel over my butt when he was done. I had enough of mooning people for a lifetime. He gave me some antibiotics to take and his phone number if I had any problems.

When Dr. Ho left, Manuel handed me a pair of jeans that looked exactly like the ones that I had just worn. I checked the label and they were even the correct size. On top of the jeans was a very expensive looking pair of white lace panties.

"How'd you get these?"

"I had someone pick them up for you."

Who would do that? Did he have an assistant?

"How'd you know the size?"

"Lucky guess," he said.

It had nothing to do with luck. I had a feeling he had experience knowing a lot of women's sizes.

"Thanks Manuel."

"I didn't know you had such a thing for superheroes otherwise I would have had them replaced too," he said.

I made a face. "It's not superheroes. Just Wonder Woman. And please do not mention it to Hector. He'll tell Gus and Victor and they'll tease me forever."

"I can keep your secret," Manuel said.

No doubt about that.

"But it's going to cost you."

"What do you want?"

He locked eyes with mine. "I'll think of something later."

Oh my.