Page 75 of Hard Luck (Blackstone House)

“Submersible?” Bella asked.

“Dr. Blaylock developed a problem with one of his eardrums several years ago, so he can’t equalise anymore. That means diving is out. So he brings his own submersible for the deeper work, and usually a student or two to help with the shallower surveys.”

“Sounds pretty committed.”

“Yeah, he is. I heard he funds some of his studies from an inheritance, but he’s also good at landing grants. Look up his name—he must’ve written a hundred papers.” Cole turned to Frankie. “Where’s your car?”

“Right outside.”

As they exited the terminal, Frankie blew a kiss to the security guard who’d let her park where she wasn’t supposed to, and then she helped to load the bags into the trunk. Cole offered Bella the front seat, but she shook her head.

“I’m fine in the back.”

“Sorry about Frankie,” he said, too quietly for Frankie to hear. “She can be a lot.”

“She’s mildly entertaining.” Bella’s lips curved into a cunning smile. “Get her drunk enough, and I’m sure she’ll dish the dirt on you.”

CHAPTER 25

JEZEBEL

Damn, my head hurt.

Frankie was a lunatic. Erin’s sister from another mister. I’d expected to hate her, but at midnight, I’d found myself doing no-hands shots with her and Toni while Cole looked on in horror-slash-bemusement. Frankie had nearly choked, but I’d thumped her on the back until she coughed up tequila, and she’d declared us besties.

When I fell out of the cab in front of Frankie’s upmarket home—there was clearly money sloshing around somewhere—Cole had insisted on carrying me up the stairs, and I’d had to accept because I wasn’t certain I could have made it on my own. And when he tried to leave, I’d dragged him into bed with me.

And then I’d fisted his cock and demanded he fuck me hard and dirty, but he’d refused and spooned me instead, one hand splayed across my stomach and his breath soft on my ear.

It had been a mistake.

Probably.

And I’d made another mistake this morning becausesomehow I’d ended up on Frankie’s sailboat, and for the first time in my life, I was seasick. And full of regrets. I never got drunk.Never.Not even on vacation. The thought of losing control terrified me more than anything, and yet Cole had needed to talk me out of entering a wet T-shirt contest.

He’d taken care of me.

And now I was going to stay at his house.

I didn’t know what the future held, but I did know that in the two days after I’d walked away from him, I’d felt hollow, and now I felt whole again. Once, I thought I’d been in love with Bastian, but he’d never made me feel that way.

I was…confused.

And still mad at Echo.

“Hey, look at the dolphins,” Toni called from the cockpit. She was sitting out there with Cole and Frankie while I lay on a bench in the saloon. The middle of the boat was the steadiest—a Navy SEAL had told me that when the Choir went through a private version of BUD/S training. Fuck, I’d rather be carrying a RIB along the beach on my head while the instructor riding in it whacked me with a paddle than sailing in this boat right now.

Cole crouched beside me. “Feeling any better?”

“No. How are Frankie and Toni still functioning?”

“Their blood is eighty proof. You normally quit after a glass or two, don’t you?”

I nodded and quickly regretted it. “Why didn’t you stop me?”

“I tried. You accused me of being the fun police and threw an ice cube at me.”

“Sorry.”

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