Page 42 of Arturo's Temptation
“Drive safe, I’ll meet you at the bar,” he raised his hand as he slipped into his canary yellow sports car.
“We’re not going to Papa’s bar, I don’t want news of me being out getting back to him or anyone else just yet.”
“All right, the other usual spot?”
“Meet you there,” I winked as the bike roared into action beneath me, the power I felt between my legs was indescribable. No wonder he loved this bike so much. I slipped his helmet on, sliding the visor down ready to go.
Once Ty opened the garage door I escaped out into the night, leaving Arturo and his orders behind.
I’d never felt freer than I did right then.
But I wondered how long it would last.
16
After seeingIsabella’s gone I was infuriated, why didn’t that woman want to do as she was told. She wasn’t at dinner, and I doubt she was anywhere in the house at all, it’s as if she suddenly lived to piss me off.
I paced the floor in my room, over and over, my tongue endlessly twiddling with my lip ring.
Infuriating little?—
Hold on a second…
Something caught my eye mid thought, or should I say something didn’t.
Where were my fucking keys?!
She wouldn’t have, would she?
I ripped my phone from my pocket, stabbing my fingers on the screen in frustration, and sure enough there was my bike, downtown in the middle of a deserted car park!
I heaved in breath after breath trying to calm myself down. It was an odd feeling. I’d felt rage before but I’d always had a firm leash on my emotions.
How dare she go against what I told her? And why did she take my bike?!
Ah, it all made sense now… Why Tyler had slipped out at dinner. Little shit head.
I stormed through the house. I was just reaching for the keys to the Jeep when Ana’s voice caught me mid step.
“Arturo,” her voice was soft. “Where are you going in that murderous mood?”
“There’s someone I need to find,” I smiled, but nothing about it was genuine.
“My daughter?” She enquired patiently, strumming her manicured nails on the counter.
“Yes. Your bloody daughter thought it would be a good idea to take my bike for a spin when she can barely walk straight.” I started again for the door. I wasn’t waiting for Ana to reply, or to try and stop me, the damage had already been done. She wanted me angry. Well congratu-fucking-lations, Isabella. I was murderous.
Finding Bella’slocation was child’s play. One quick search of my bike’s GPS told me she hadn’t gone far. But the area made my blood run cold. From this car park the only place she could possibly be was Logan’s. Logan’s was the closest thing I’d found in this ridiculous city that resembled a good ol’ fashioned pub. And not one of these carbon copy places, no, this was the real deal. Right down to the ale pumps, crisps next to the vodka bottles, and sticky floors. The only difference was it was about five times the size of a pub back home, and half of it was set up like a nightclub. I preferred the quieter half though. The owner, Jay Logan, was a stand up guy and loyal. He also happened to be one of the only people on this planet that I called a friend. I’d lostcount of the times I’d shown up in the bloke’s office, bleeding from a new hole, in my early New York days. No questions asked, he’d chuck me a first aid kit, bottle of whatever he had, and then insist I spent the night.
Sighing, I shoved the car door open and headed for the neon sign glaring at me in bright blue. Of all the places, why did she have to come here?
“Because it would make you and her daddy mad,”said a little voice in my head.
And with good bloody reason. Jay may be a good bloke but his patrons, sadly, were not. They were dangerous, nasty motherfuckers. And there’s no way Isabella didn’t know that. There was a reason most people avoided this place, including Lorenzo and the guys.
My anger hadn’t subsided in any way, shape, or form on the journey over. No doubt Anastacia would have told Lorenzo what had happened by now, but I didn’t give a fuck. Right now the only thing I gave a crap about was Isabella.
Was I mad because Isabella had taken my bike? Yes.
