Page 104 of Joey

Dante frowns. “Then who?”

“Joey, D. They were talking about Joey.” My heart starts racing so fast that it feels like it’s going to burst right through my chest at any second. I fish my cell from my pocket and bring up the tracking app.

“Joey?”

“Your father promised her to Viktor.”

Horror dawns on his face. “But that was four years ago, Max. We smoothed it over. He married someone else.”

I glare at him, pissed at us both for not realizing it sooner while Vito stares at the two of us in confusion. “And his wife mysteriously disappeared two years later—because he never fucking wanted her. He wanted his Italian Mafia princess. You think he gives a fuck that it was four years ago?” I snap. “They said I had my hands on his girl. We assumed they were referring to Kristin, but they were talking about Joey. She is the girl.”

He gapes at me in horror. “Fuck! Where is she?”

I look down at the screen and close my eyes, flooded with relief. “She’s at Monique’s house, where she’s supposed to be.”

“Wait.” Dante shakes his head. “Nobody knew about you and Joey. She didn’t even tell her friends.”

“Maybe someone saw us?”

“Where?”

I pinch the bridge of my nose. Nowhere. I was extra careful with her. Even the night I screwed her outside the club, I made sure we were in a secluded spot that nobody could get to. “I don’t know. Maybe she told someone?”

“She said she didn’t though, and why would she say that now that it’s all out in the open?”

“I don’t know, D.” I continue to watch the blue dot on the tracking app. I need to call her, then I need to bring her home. My gut tells me she’s the one in danger. And I let her go to that fucking party without me. Fuck!

“Who’s with her?” Dante asks.

“Ash is watching her, and Henry’s outside. It’s a small party. Monique and a few of the girls from high school.” My mind races, but I can’t process everything quickly enough. “Toby!”

“I thought it was girls only?”

“No.” I shake my head. “Toby knew about me and her.”

“He did? How?”

“That night she went on a date with him. I came for her. I was fucking raging when I saw her crying. He must have figured it out.”

“Toby?” Dante repeats.

“I can’t think of anyone else who even saw us together, D. Not like that. I had my arm around her. Maybe it was obvious…?”

“Then we go pay the little fuck a visit,” Dante says, taking his gun from his desk drawer.

“I’ll tell Joey to come straight back here.” I bring up her number and call her cell. I’m vaguely aware of Vito asking if he can help while I listen to Joey’s phone ring several times before going to voicemail. Not bothering to leave a message, I hang up and dial Ash’s number instead. I shove aside the violent swell of rage and panic swirling in my gut and remind myself she’s at a pool party. Her phone’s probably in her purse.

Ash picks up on the third ring. “Yup?”

“Do you have eyes on Joey?”

“Sure do. She’s floating around the pool on a giant pink flamingo.”

“And you’re with her? You can actually see her?”

“Yeah. I’m looking at her right now, Boss. Standing about twenty feet away from her.”

Relief washes over me, and I nod to Dante who’s watching me intently for any sign of distress.