Page 142 of Freeing Denver

“Yes!” we say in unison.

He cautiously takes the pink and purple phone and holds it to his ear. “Hello?” Jessi claps.

“Was that so hard? Jesus,” Ronan snaps.

My gaze strays back to Denver as she heads to the makeshift bar to get a drink with Sebastian and Sandy.

“You realize this place is like a fortress?” Taf asks me. “She’s fine.”

“I know, it’s just weird being back. Last time it all went to shit.”

Taf sips his drink. “No, it didn’t. She was here last month.” JJ elbows him, hard, and Taf chokes. “What?”

I look between them, brow furrowed. “Denver hasn’t been here since the wedding.”

Taf wipes the beer from his chin. “Yep, that’s what I said.”

“God, you’re a dick,” JJ says. “It’s a good job I love you.”

“What’s going on?” I ask. They exchange looks and I move closer, narrowing my eyes. “Tell me.”

Dante and Alexei slink away. Ronan pretends to hear someone shouting him and goes to the far side of the room.

Taf says, “Alistair just needed a hand with some stuff?—”

My eyes widen. “What stuff?”

“There were some issues with territory with Ranger’s old businesses,” JJ says. “It was a quick, super small, you know … what’s the word I’m looking for, Taf?”

“Crime?” I growl, and glance around the room before spotting Denver. She’s holding a glass of wine and is laughing loudly. Not for long. “Hold my child.” I hand Jessi to Taf and stride over to Denver, my skin hot with annoyance. Herattention lands on me and she pauses her wine glass at her lips, and I think I see her mumbling “Uh-oh.”

“Mrs. Harland? A word.” I don’t let her answer before taking her drink and putting it on the bar. I lead her into one of the bedrooms, snapping the door closed.

She smiles innocently. “Sex?”

“Tell me. Right now.”

She stamps her foot. “It was one shipment!”

“Shipment? Taf said it was territory!”

Denver presses the tips of her index fingers together. “Okay, so one shipment and one meeting.”

“You told me you were in Italy!”

“Well, Italian territory. Same thing.”

“Denver.”

She whimpers and scoots forward to grip my shirt. “I was so careful. Alistair just wanted me there because of my reputation, that’s all.”

“We havekids, Denver,” I hiss. “What if you’d been arrested?”

The switch in her is a little scary. She keeps her hands on my chest, but her eyes narrow and she paints a look of false calm on her face.

“You’re right.”

Okay, now I’m definitely scared. “I am?”