Page 26 of Final Installment

ETA?

Where are you?

Answer your phone.

ANSWER.

???

Headsplittingandstomachsour, Luka bolted upright to the ungodly sound of a doorbell ringing nonstop and an angry fist banging on a door.The room spun, and he winced at the bright sunshine burning across his face.His mouth felt insanely dry, and he would have given anything for a glass of water.

“What the fuck is that?”

Startled by the unfamiliar female voice, Luka jerked his head toward the right side of the bed.Flashes of the night stumbled through his mind, none of them long enough to piece together a proper story.He blearily looked around and let the evidence fill in the gaps.

Two naked, gorgeous women.One blonde.The other a redhead.Both of them cuddled together next to him in this unfamiliar bed.

Oh, shit.

He glanced down at his bare chest.Lipstick marks.Scratches.He lifted the sheet covering his naked lower half and grimaced.He was a mess of lipstick, dried cum and a glimmering sheen of stripper dust.

“Is someone going to answer the door?”the redhead grumbled from her cozy spot draped across the blonde.

Where the fuck am I?He couldn’t get his bearings.It was obviously not a hotel.This was someone’s house.

Is it Devil’s house?

It had to be.He’d been with the enforcer when they left the shit show at the Dushku house.Luka remembered that much, at least.He’d come here to shower and change.After that, there was a drive and then...music?Cigarette smoke?Alcohol?Sticky chairs?Flashing lights?

And then...nothing.

But, clearly,somethinghad happened.

The knocking and doorbell finally stopped.A second later, Besian’s furious voice tore through the house.“Where is he?I’m going to wring his fucking neck.”

Shit.

Luka tried to disentangle himself from the ladies, but he wasn’t fast enough.The bedroom door was flung open, and Besian appeared with a thunderous expression.He glared at Luka and then at the two women who were now fully awake and covering themselves with the sheet.Besian’s eyes were black with anger as he snarled, “Get dressed.Now.We’re leaving.”

Luka bristled at being ordered around by his uncle, but he had fucked up royally and deserved to be called out for it.Besian had only ever tried to keep him safe and guide him to make good decisions.

And here I am waking up with two strippers the day after my engagement dinner.

“You two?”Besian jabbed his finger at the women.“This never happened.You don’t know him, and he doesn’t know you.I hear a word of this around town, and you’ll never work again.Not in this city.Not in this state.Never.Again.Anywhere.”

The blonde lifted her chin.“That kind of silence doesn’t come free.”

If Besian was annoyed by her threat of blackmail, he didn’t show it.Instead, he said, “Devil will set you up.”

“Thank you,” they both replied.

“You.”Besian speared him with a disappointed look.“Get dressed.”

Like a child scolded by his father, Luka clambered out of bed.He located his pants on the floor and his underwear nearby.His shirt was a mess of glitter and smelled of vanilla perfume and splashes of tequila.He couldn’t find his belt or socks anywhere.His phone had a cracked screen and no battery.

“If things don’t work out with Elona, call me,” the redhead said with a sultry smile.“You’ve got my number.”

Luka froze.“Elona?”