Page 56 of Champagne & Handcuffs

“Tell Joss I said to be safe too.”

Seth smirked. “Then she’ll know about us.”

“True. Okay. Keep her safe so when this is all over, we can tell her together.”

He pulled me back to his chest and kissed the top of my head. “I will.”

We hugged for long seconds. I didn’t want to pull away, but I had to. “I better go. Can’t miss my flight.”

Seth sighed but didn’t let me go. “I wish I could drive you to the airport.”

“You have an asshole to take down. Let Joss have a crack at him before you bring him to jail.”

“I plan on it.”

“Good.”

We stayed in each other’s arms again while people passed us through the revolving door of Bally’s. All I had to do was tell one guy that I needed a taxi to the airport and then my time with Seth would be over for days unknown. But the clock was ticking and planes don’t wait.

“5-0 …”

“I know.” Seth sighed again. Then he pulled back, tipped my chin up, and brought his lips to mine. Leaving fucking sucked. “A week—two weeks tops, and I’m there.”

“I hope so.”

We broke apart. Seth grabbed my hand and then gestured to the guy to call a taxi from the line where they waited. The yellow cab pulled forward, and Seth turned to me again. “This fucking sucks.”

“My thoughts exactly.”

“But you better go before—”

“I know. Everything will be okay.”

“Hope so. I love you, Kitty Cat.”

“I love you too. And we’ll figure it out. Even if we rack up a bunch of airline miles.”

Seth pressed his lips to mine again, and even though we both didn’t want to move away, we did. I slid into the yellow car and waved goodbye.

“What airline?” the cab driver asked as he pulled out of the driveway and onto Flamingo Boulevard.

“Southwest.”

While he drove down the desert streets, I thought about how this trip started off with me having a broken heart to my heart once again beating in my chest. Also, the butterflies were doing a happy dance, flying around and making my heart whole again like Cinderella’s birds did when they helped her get dressed each morning.

The cab came to a stop, and I looked around, not seeing the airport at all. “Um—I needed to go to the airport.”

He looked in the rearview mirror. “Change of plans.”

I blinked, stunned as my door opened and I was dragged out by a guy in a black suit. “What are you doing? Let me go!” I yelled, my heart hammering in my chest.

His hand came across my face, smacking me so hard that I thought a tooth might come loose. “Shut up!” he hissed. “Don’t speak until you’re spoken to.”

Fear ran through my veins as he dragged me into a dark warehouse and into a cage full of other women. Once I was behind the chain link fence wall, I asked on deaf ears, “What are you doing? Let me go!”

He laughed. “Welcome to your free trip to Mexico, bitch.”

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