Free The Lady in Pink - Deadly Ever After 2 by J. A. Kazimer Page B

twice in a five-hour span?”
    Sixty-forty at best.
    Unless there was a storm brewing.
    In that case my odds went up considerably.
    I decided not to share the over/under with Izzy yet.
    It was best to sometimes just let it ride.

CHAPTER 16
    E xactly one hour later, a bright yellow taxi pulled up to the curb in front of Izzy’s brownstone uptown, and I leapt out, waving to Right and Left, who had followed in another taxi. Both fairyguards held up a hand, raising their stubby middle fingers. Guess the little guys held a grudge for my ditching them earlier. Not like I cared one way or another. I would do what I pleased, when I pleased. If they couldn’t keep up, that was their problem.
    I rapped on the front door, surprised when Izzy opened it immediately. I took a step back, both for balance and to take in the full effect of the stunning vision of half-fairy in front of me. Izzy wore a strapless black dress that fell to her trim ankles, flaring in all the right places. Her hair hung loosely around her shoulders in waves of auburn fire. But it was her full, plump, ruby-colored lips that drew my gaze again and again.
    And her wings, of course.
    They fluttered lightly in the breeze, sparkling like beacons of light in the night.
    Heat filled my lower body, tensing every muscle with electricity and lust. Breathe through it, I ordered my treacherous libido. No matter how delicious Izzy looked, she was off-limits. My partner, I reminded myself. Even if she wasn’t, we could never be together. My curse all but guaranteed it. For the slightest of my touches would cause her pain. And I would never be able to resist touching Izzy if allowed the chance.
    “Is it that bad?” she asked, running a nervous hand down her dress. “I should change.” She spun on her ruby-slippered heel and headed back inside. I tried to stop her, but the flash of the pale white skin down her back claimed my ability to speak. I could only stand there waiting for my blood to return to my head. When I was able to form words again, very basic ones at that, I followed her into her brownstone. “Izzy,” I called. “You look amazing. Please don’t change.”
    She stepped from her bedroom, her lips puckered as if she didn’t believe me, let alone a word I ever said. “Are you sure? It isn’t too . . .” Too perfect? Too breathtaking? Too bad she was my partner? I shook my head, afraid I just might drop to my knees and start to beg for a crumb of affection.
    She pulled at the fabric above her barely contained breasts. “This dress was not made for wings.” I disagreed but thought it best not to voice my opinion.
    For a moment she looked vulnerable and much younger than her twenty-seven years. The need to protect her took me by surprise. Izzy didn’t need protection. She could and would take care of any danger that came her way. I stifled the outrageous desire and held out my gloved hand. “Let’s get this shit over with,” I said with a grin. Hesitating for only a second, she took my hand in hers, and together we headed off to the ball. Thankfully not one godmother—fairy or otherwise—screamed out a ridiculous curfew as the taxi shot down the street.
     
    A few minutes into the taxi ride Izzy’s cell phone buzzed. She glanced down at the caller ID, her mouth curving into a frown. “It’s Jonas,” she said to me. “I wonder what he wants.” Instead of waiting for whatever witty commentary I came up with, she answered the call. “Is something wrong?” Silence filled the cab as she listened intently, the fingers of her free hand curling into a fist as her eyes grew violet with rage.
    Whatever Jonas was telling her wasn’t good. My heart rate increased as the silence grew.
    “How bad is it?’ she asked a few seconds before she hung up. She turned to me, her lips a thin, flat line.
    I swallowed. “What happened?”
    “A fire.” She paused as if weighing her words. “At the office. Two and a half hours ago.”
    The hairs on the back of my