Luck of the Devil (The Forge Trilogy #2)(36)

In his position, I probably would have done the same thing. He took one hell of a risk when he bet on me, and I’m starting to wonder if losing at La Reina wasn’t actually the best thing to happen to me yet.

Only time will tell . . . and I set the clock on that running with my ultimatum that he close his deal and let me go.

The word divorce doesn’t sound quite so appealing as it did before.

Thankfully, before I can think more about the constantly changing landscape that is my marriage, I spot the ice cream shop that I only go to when I’m truly splurging.

“Are you in the mood for dessert yet?” I ask Holly, pointing across the street.

“Girl, I’m always in the mood for dessert.” She pats her sundress in the vicinity of her belly. “Especially when I’m not on tour.”

I step out of the circle of Forge’s arms and wave my finger between him and Creighton. “I’m buying, gentlemen. Don’t even try to stop me.”





37





Forge





The women are still eating their ice cream when my phone vibrates again.

Fuck. The last thing I want to do is let this night be interrupted by business, so I ignore it. That’s when Indy pulls hers from her purse and rises from the small café table.

“Excuse me a moment?” She holds out the phone so I can see the screen. “It’s Alanna.”

I palm my phone as she steps away and see I’ve missed two calls from Summer. Why the hell would Summer be calling me?

Before I can call her back, Indy tosses her ice cream in the trash and rushes back to the table. “We have to go.”

I’m out of my seat before she’s done speaking. “What’s wrong?”

“The guests in Alanna’s efficiency apartment are tearing it apart. She’s scared, and the police said they couldn’t be there for an hour or more. Summer is threatening to try to stop them herself.” Indy grabs at my shirtsleeve to pull me away.

“Sounds like you have somewhere more important to be,” Karas says as Holly gasps.

“Yes, go. Please. Take care of it. We’ll see you again. I promise.”

“It was so nice meeting you both,” Indy says with worry lines creasing her brow. “I’m sorry the night has to end like this, but—”

“Go,” Karas says. “It’s fine.”

I grab Indy’s hand, and together we rush down the sidewalk in the direction of Alanna’s building. A car won’t get here more quickly than we can go on foot because of the congested, winding streets. Even a taxi isn’t going to be quicker.

Then I look down at her shoes, tall heels that are going to cause her to break a leg if she tries to run.

“I’ll carry you,” I say, but Indy shakes her head. “This isn’t the first time I’ve had to run in these Manolos, and probably won’t be the last. Let’s go.”

She tugs at my hand. We dart through the cars, and I use my body to shield her from oncoming traffic.

We reach the corner, and one of her heels sticks between the cobblestones. Indy falls forward as she steps right out of it.

I reach for her to steady her before I yank the shoe free and push it into her hands. “Hold this,” I say, then lift her into my arms and break into a jog.

“I can run.”

“And I can run faster.”

Any further protest is silenced as I turn the corner and Alanna’s building comes into view. Summer is out front, looking around for God knows what. She spots us immediately.

“Where the hell is your security guy? I thought someone was watching the building?”

I glance around to see the dark sedan parked on the street and wave a hand. Koba jumps out.

Fuck, I should have called him and sent him up first. But my only thought had been to get here as fast as possible.

“What the hell’s going on?” he asks at the same time I do.

“I don’t know exactly,” Summer replies. “I assume they’re fucked up and got into a fight. We can hear dishes breaking and furniture cracking. Alanna is losing her mind, and the police are useless.”

I lower Indy to her feet and she shoves on her shoe. The four of us rush into the lobby as the elevator is closing, but I shove my arm between the doors. “Did they hurt you or Alanna?”

Summer whips her head from side to side. “No. She knocked, and they yelled through the door. They wouldn’t open it. I went over there and pounded until one of them smashed a plate against the door and called me a cunt. Then I phoned the police.”

“We’ll take care of them.” Anticipation pumps in my veins, the same way it did when I ran after the guy who snatched Indy’s purse in Saint-Tropez, and then again when I got her back from Bastien. No one fucks with me or mine.

“Which apartment?”

“Six B,” both women say in unison.

“Go sit with Alanna,” I tell Indy and Summer when the elevator opens to her floor. “Assure her everything will be fine.”

I don’t wait for my orders to be followed before Koba and I stride toward the apartment. I didn’t really need to ask which unit it was because the sound of destruction gets louder as we close in on the door.

Fucking assholes.