Page 87 of Forbidden Wish

“How did you leave things with Mila?”

“I’m going back tomorrow. She was tired and disoriented. The doctor said she needs rest.”

The front door opened. Though she expected her dad, Lachlan came in.

“Where was Strat going in such a hurry?”

“Don’t ask.”

“We’re having a drink. Want to join us?”

“Starting on the hard stuff, huh?” He hung his jacket up by the door and came over to kiss her head. “You eaten something today? Either of you?”

“Stop taking care of us,” Sersha said, handing her brother a drink. “And if you’re going to take advantage of your ex tonight, don’t do it on my couch. You have an apartment.”

“That neither of us are living in.”

“Life isn’t exactly normal at the moment,” Sersha said, giving her a drink.

Swallowing down the burning liquid, she put the glass on the counter and went looking for her purse. “I have to call Ford.”

Someone had to tell her brother what happened. No doubt Jagg called him. Please God, let Strat calm the guys before they engaged with anyone and got themselves in trouble.

No answer. Voicemail.

Somehow, everyone around her, every time she opened her mouth, they got hurt or in trouble. Swooping back to Lachlan, she swept the drink from his hand just as it was about to touch his lip.

“What’s wrong?”

Discarding the glass, she looped her purse strap over her shoulder. “Will you drive me home?”

“To our place?”

“The garage,” she said. “Jagg’s.” How quickly that had become home. Wait, did he think she’d been asking him to follow Sersha’s instruction? “I want to be there when they get back.”

“I can’t leave you alone.”

“Just drive me. We’ll talk about it on the way.” Ford could still be home. Maybe Strat was wrangling the guys there. “Please.”

They said their goodbyes to Sersha and departed.

Lachlan still wanted them to be together. Wasn’t that what Sersha said? Maybe she’d meant in the past Lachlan wanted them to be together. Their breakup had been mutual. As far as she knew, they both understood forever wasn’t in the cards for them, didn’t they?

THIRTY-ONE

FORD WASN’T THERE. No one was. The light in the breakroom suggested someone had been there until not long before. After checking out the rest of the place, just in case, she made a call.

“Dad?”

Thank God he picked up.

“It’s okay,” he said, anticipating her concern. “I’ll drop the guys off and come—”

“I’m at the garage. Lachlan brought me back. Is everyone okay? Did you see Swerve?”

“No. Take a breath, Immie. We’ll be back soon.”

And the line died.

---