Page 78 of Forbidden Hearts

“Sammy!” Jacob yells as he reaches for the gun.

I pull the trigger. The blast rings in my ears as Jacob collapses back in his chair.

A split second later, the door slams open, and Sammy runs toward me. I turn and shoot him, but even two bullets can’t bring him down. He opens his arms and tackles me to the ground.

The whole world spins around me.

The next thing I know, Sammy is pinning me down on the floor. His bloody chest trickles blood onto my shirt.

With a grunt, Jacob rises from his chair with a hand over his bloody shoulder.

“You really fucked up big time, Alex!”

Chapter 37

Alonzo

Alex didn’t show up to my class this morning, even though her name still appears on the roster. Maybe she just hasn’t gotten around to dropping the class for good.

The next time I’ll see her will probably be at Jacob’s club tonight. I wasn’t bluffing last night. I’m going to drag her out of that fucking place, even if she kicks and screams. Just because whatever the hell we had ended doesn’t mean she is free to be with other men. Especially not Jacob.

Something in the back of my brain has been nagging me this whole time. I got the impression that Jacob was gloating that Alex and I are no longer together.

If she didn’t go back to work for money, then why is she back there? Is Jacob forcing her to work? How?

No, she would have told me something if that was the case.

She’s fucking him. She’s been fucking him this whole time, and they’re both laughing behind my back.

I laugh. I’m the last person to judge Alex. My reputation at the university precedes me. It’s little wonder I haven’t been fired yet. Little wonder to the public, that is, because some of theUniversity staff owes me favors from my time atNuestra Casa. That’s the only reason they allowed someone like me to teach here in the first place.

A knock at the door pulls me out of my thoughts. It’s almost six in the afternoon, well past my work hours, and I still need to take care of some things before I head to The Den.

“It’s open,” I say.

The door opens, and Josh pokes his head in. “Professor Alvarez, I know it’s late, but there’s a student here to see you.”

“Alex?”

“No, sir,” he shakes his head.

“Oh. Well, tell them I’m on my way out and to come back tomorrow morning.”

“Professor Alvarez,” a soft voice breaks behind Josh. Isabella appears behind him. “This won’t take long.”

I sigh.

“Come in, but make it quick.” Josh excuses himself before leaving and closing the door. “What can I help you with, Isabella?” I ask.

She sits on the chair opposite my desk.

“It’s about Alex,” she says.

I lean forward in my chair. “What about her?”

“I was just wondering if you had seen her today,” she says.

A heavy anchor pulls on my heart. It feels like a punch to the chest. “Why do you ask? Is something wrong with her?”

---