Page 149 of Hard Luck (Blackstone House)

While he talked, I quickly googled “marriage rules in Puerto Rico.” He’d need ID, his birth certificate, copies of his many, many divorce papers, and…what was this? A blood test? Couples couldn’t marry in Puerto Rico without being tested for STIs by an approved laboratory. Halle-fucking-lujah. He should take every vacation in Puerto Rico. We’d already burned his birth certificate four times, but he kept ordering copies.

“…if there’s no wind, we can always play golf,” Priest finished.

“Great, looking forward to it.”

“You hate golf.”

“So do you, and I’m thinking of Cole.” Did he play golf? He did now. “Enjoy lunch.”

CHAPTER 52

COLE

“Another drink, ma’am?”

“I’ll have a Sex on the Beach, please. And my name is Bella, not ‘ma’am.’”

The waitress was young, and her accent said she’d come from the Bahamas along with the yacht.

“And for you, uh…”

“Cole. A beer would be great.”

Cole was used to boats. He wasn’t used to boats that came with a crew, unless that crew was him.

By some twist of fate, the yacht they were relaxing on was named theBlack Diamond, and she came fully staffed and fully loaded. Two RIBs, a quartet of jet skis, watersports equipment, even a mini submersible, although hers was a commercial model rather than the research-oriented vessel Dr. Blaylock had designed. Apparently, the man they called Priest, whose wardrobe consisted of Hawaiian shirts, board shorts, flip-flops, and not a lot else, had borrowed her from a friend. Cole needed those kinds of friends.

So far, he wasn’t sure what to make of the guy—Priest had acted like a laid-back surfer dude until after dinner lastnight. They’d ridden ashore on one of the RIBs because Tulsa said there was a good rib shack near the beach, which was true, but it wasn’t like any rib shack Cole had ever been to. The wine list ran to three pages, and the ribs cost the same as a sirloin back home. Cole wasn’t sure who’d picked up the tab, but it hadn’t been him, and as they headed back to the yacht, he was feeling guilty about that when suddenly the energy in the group changed. A man up ahead, more of a boy really, was dragging a girl by the arm, ignoring her protests as she tried to dig her heels in.

The group moved as one, quickly and quietly. They closed the gap between the couple, sweeping Cole along with them, and Priest tore the teenager away with a ferocity Cole hadn’t expected of him. Thecrackas Priest slammed the kid against a wall made Cole wince. The women formed a circle around the girl and hustled her away.

What was he supposed to do? Pretend not to notice what was going on? Jog after the girls’ team? Wait, were there teams? He felt as if he should do something more than stand around like a spare part, so he folded his arms and tried to look intimidating.

“That’s not how we treat women, son. Or men, if that’s your thing.” Priest had the kid pinned to the wall now, arms above his head.

“Who the fuck are you?”

“Nobody important.” The kid spit in Priest’s face, but Priest didn’t flinch. “What did she do?”

“Fuck you.”

“What did she do?”

“She was talking to another guy, okay?”

“And do you think dragging her along by the arm will make her more or less likely to talk to other guys?”

“Bitch needed to be taught a lesson.”

“Yes, she did. And the lesson is that she’s better off with a different man.” Priest shifted his grip, freeing a hand. Hecasually used the kid’s shirt to wipe the spit off his face. “If you go after her, those women will fuck you up worse than I ever could.”

“That’s the truth,” Cole muttered.

“And just in case you consider acting inappropriately toward the girl again, she’ll have their numbers. If you like your genitals where they are, I suggest you think very, very carefully about this conversation and learn a little chivalry.”

Priest released the kid and gave him a shove that sent him stumbling along the sidewalk. The man seemed utterly unperturbed by events as he set off for theBlack Diamondagain.

“Should we wait for the others?” Cole asked.

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