Page 135 of Insta-Family (Forbidden Descendants 3)

“Yeah.” Trick laughed and slung an arm over my shoulders. “Because nothing turns on a woman more than a slurring, drunk man stumbling all over her.” Furrowing his brow in disbelief, he gaped at Luke. “Seriously, man?”

“Shut up.” Luke scowled back. “I’m not talking to you.”

Chuckling even deeper, Trick pulled his phone from his pocket as it started to ring. “God, you are way too easy to rile.” Then he answered and brought the phone to his ear. “Not now, sis. It’s guy’s ni—”

Smile dropping immediately, he jumped from his stool, instantly at attention. “Holy shit. Where are you?” He exhaled as if relieved by whatever answer he received, and he lifted a hand. “Okay. Just calm down. We’re on our—Chloe? Chloe!” He tore the phone from his ear, breathing, “Jesus. We got disconnected.” Then he looked up at us. “We gotta go. Dax broke his restraining order and found Chloe. They’re at Lucy’s.”

“Lucy’s?” I cried, jumping from my stool as well, dropping my bottle and breaking it when I did. But why the hell were they at Lucy’s?

“Holy shit.” Luke leaped over the counter to join us. “Well, then let’s fucking go,” he roared, leading the charge toward a side hall. “I’m parked right out back.”

Trick and I raced after him. As soon as we pushed our way out a metal door and into an alley where four vehicles were parked, the lights on a truck flashed from Luke unlocking it.

I snagged the keys from his hand, saying, “I’m driving.”

“Hey,” Luke cried after me. “I’m the one who hasn’t had a drink tonight.”

“Just go!” Trick ordered, shoving him from behind.

We piled into the truck, and I jammed the key into the ignition. When it roared to life, we shot off toward the end of the alley. I didn’t pause at the opening of the street, just cranked the wheel and merged into traffic, causing another car to veer out of my way and honk its horn in outrage.

“Christ,” Luke swore, gripping the oh-shit handle. “Don’t get us killed before we even get there.”

“He’s doing great,” Trick announced from the back before patting my shoulder encouragingly. “Shit. Chloe’s not picking up.”

“Let me try,” Luke said, pulling out his own phone.

Trick sent him a look. “If she’s not picking up for me, why the hell would she pick up for you?”

“I don’t fucking know!” Luke shouted, looking stressed as he continued to try calling Chloe, anyway.

“What about Lucy?” I said. “Someone try Lucy’s phone.”

“On it,” Trick said, already dialing.

We blew through a red light, and both riders cursed in fear as we narrowly avoided being T-boned.

“No answer,” Trick reported a few seconds later.

“Motherfucker.” I smacked the steering wheel, letting the fear and worry wash over me.

Be okay, please be okay, I silently begged. I couldn’t lose Lucy. Not Lucy.

“I’m getting on the group chat,” Trick announced. “See if anyone else knows what’s going on.”

“They’re probably okay,” I reasoned, going faster even as I spoke. “I bet we’re just overreacting.”

But as we came up on Lucy’s house, the light from the front door hanging wide open at an odd angle spilled out into the dark yard.

“That doesn’t look okay,” Luke noted in a grave voice.

“Oh my God,” I rasped.

Jumping the curb, I pulled up right into the yard and screeched the truck to a halt in front of the entrance.

“Lucy?” I roared, plunging from the still-running truck and leaping toward the front door.

I exploded inside, only to skid to a devastated halt when I breathed in the sight before me.

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