Page 103 of Luck of the Draw

An expression crossed his face like he could read between the lines. “It’s entirely my pleasure.”

He knew. Surely, he knew. There was no way he could’ve missed that this was goodbye. Nevertheless, he slipped his hand from hers without saying anything else and returned to the table.

Brennan and Connor picked up with whatever they’d been conversing about, but Liza did that ping-pong glance between Skye and Brennan again. She looked worried. Skye lifted her hand to wave in a manner that was half goodbye and halfdon’t worry about it. Liza’s eyes bounced between Skye and Brennan again before she focused on just Skye’s face and then waved back.

Skye slipped out of the restaurant, turning her back on all those good people and their good lives forever.

Just across the stone-paved path, a caricature artist was painting a portrait of two twin girls about seven years old. Their parents stood by, snapping pictures with their phones, the whole lot of them smiling and happy. A painter was slightly farther down Decatur from them, his brightly colored paintings of old French Quarter houses, all of which looked like Brennan’s, hanging on the wrought iron fence behind him. A cocoa-colored mule and carriage stood nearby on the street.

Skye meandered aimlessly through the bustle of happy families and day-drinking tourists as she slowly hobbled her way down Decatur away from the restaurant, knowing she needed to focus and pick up the pace before she lost all gumption to leave like this.

A sharp stab in the center of her heart caused tears to threaten. She stiffened and focused on her feet to avoid tripping on the old concrete.

This really was the best decision. She’d needed to nip everything in the bud for a while now, and fate had presented her with the perfect set of circumstances.

About halfway between two subsequent mule carriages parked next to the sidewalk, Skye felt the distinct presence of someone following her with haste. She didn’t have to turn around to know it was Brennan. Liza had probably said something once Skye was out of earshot, and he’d decided to go after her.

He grabbed her elbow, jerking her to a stop so hard that her shoulder nearly dislocated.

Who the fuck did he suddenly think he was?

Skye whipped around, posturing to snap at him. But it wasn’t Brennan.

It wasn’t Brennan who’d followed her.

It wasn’t Brennan who’d grabbed her.

It wasn’t Brennan who’d jerked her arm hard enough to hurt her.

No.

It was Jesse.

“No fucking way,” he rumbled, squeezing his fists around her little biceps. He shook her like a goddamn rag doll right here in Jackson Square surrounded by families and tourists. “How in the fucking hell are you still alive?” He gripped her arms tighter, violently shaking her again and pulling her face close to his. “Doesn’t matter. Now you get to come back and make up for a lot of lost time.”

25

FRENCH QUARTER, NEW ORLEANS

Brennan periodically cut glances at Skye as he watched her meander around the edge of the square, taking in the sights.

He didn’t blame her for wanting to get away from him for a bit. Especially after he’d thrown a tantrum at the idea of her going to the wedding with Luke. He needed to do something to smooth the overwhelming tension.

The weather was nice. He should take her over to Audubon Park for a long walk and maybe a casual dinner somewhere way outside the Quarter. Just something to distract them both from their respective and collective problems and make things as pleasant as possible as they momentarily sat in the eye of a hurricane.

He was in the middle of signing the bill and putting his card away when Liza started hollering.

“Hey! Hey!” She leaped out of her chair, repeatedly slapping Connor’s arm. “Baby, that guy is shaking Skye! Go help her!”

Brennan whipped his head around just as Connor flew from the table and bolted out of the restaurant. He sprinted toward the far end of Decatur, and just past the mule carriages…mother fucker.

Some lanky, blonde asshole was manhandling Skye.

Brennan took off after Connor. And just like the night he and Skye had been jumped, everything moved in slow motion, and he pounded the pavement and forgot to breathe, and it took way, way too long for him to reach her.

Fortunately, Connor was a seasoned runner and could always be counted on, and he reached them in a matter of seconds. He wedged himself between Skye and the skinny asshole, pulling her away with his arm wrapped around her waist and holding her behind him while he fisted the guy’s collar.

“You wanna start a fight with somebody, you little bitch?” Connor released Skye and then shoved the guy, walking him backward and away from her. “Square up, mother fucker. Let’s go.”

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