Page 90 of Third Time Lucky

“I’m not sure that’s the right call, sir.”

I drop my hand and look up at the back of his head. “What?”

“Mr. Ransom is not the kind of man who abandons his friends. Neither are you.”

We are friends. I like him as much as I want him. As much as I love him. “Even if it’s the best thing to do for his family and his career in baseball? I know he’s a good guy, Derek. You don’t have to sell me. But this might be one of those times when the best thing for him to do is cover his own back end. Introducing his daughter is one thing, but this?”

His scowl says he doesn’t agree, and every part of me wishes he was right. That there was a way to spin this that could keep Elliot’s flawless reputation and allow me to stay in his life.

The crowd comes into view. It’s not at Jonas Brothers levels, but it’s a good handful too many.

“Well hell, Derek. I bet you didn’t know what you were getting into when you accepted the job. Do you miss driving businessmen to the airport yet?”

“Not remotely, sir. I love a challenge. Ask my wife.”

The sight of a wild mane of red hair has me leaning closer to the window as we reach the curb. It can’t be. “What is that about?”

“I forgot to tell you reinforcements were called in. Ms. Chahal will tell you all about it once we get you inside.”

Derek rounds the car with surprising speed and agility, opening the door to flashes and shouted, overlapping questions.

“Mr. Redmond, when did you start dating The Flash?”

“Your ex-boyfriend’s fiancé says you’re responsible for their reunion. Care to comment?”

“How long have you known about EJ’s love child, and were you blackmailing him to keep his secret?”

Was I what?

Before I can react, and I really want to react to that last one, my hero arrives in black tights, a plaid skirt and a pissy attitude. “Oi. That’s enough out of all of you. Let the man into his building. Boys, help me out.”

Calamity waves a hand and three scary-looking bruisers face off with the reporters, arms crossed as their presence gives me an instant walkway.

I want to hire them and take them everywhere.

“It’s the chief’s cousin,” one of the reporter’s says. “Is this guy related to the Finns or something?”

“That’s right, I’m Chief Finn’s cousin.” Calamity is really playing her accent up as she slips her arm through mine and starts guiding me toward the door. “And I can give him a call right now, if you don’t feck off.”

“We have a right to report the news, Kate.”

“They have a point,” I murmur. “You can’t have them arrested.”

Ignoring me, she claps back at the reporter. “News? You can’t trip over a rock lately without stumbling on some of the biggest news stories in history. Politics. Climate change. The world is going to shit and you call this news? Feck off.”

She ushers me through the door and Mr. Gordon is pacing the lobby on his phone, his laptop facing out to show a live feed of the chaos I just walked through.

Calamity squeezes my arm to get my attention. “It wasn’t me, babysitter. I wanted you to know that.”

“I know it.” There’s no doubt in my mind, despite her glaring demeanor. “And thank you for the save back there.”

She cracks her knuckles. “We’re only getting started. No one messes with one of ours. We’ve already had enough of that to last a lifetime.”

There’s a reporter talking on screen, so I move closer to the laptop. “I’m not a Finn.”

“Tasha says you are. You gave us Jae.”

“Loaned,” I correct automatically.

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