Page 56 of Dark Romeo

“You’re old enough,” my father bellowed. “Time to start taking on your responsibilities.”

I stared out the tinted window at the city passing us, crossing my arms over my chest.

“Rosaline’s father is a friend of the family,” my father continued, “as is Rosaline.” His voice weighed heavily on her name. My father never hid that he liked the idea of Rosaline and me together. Rosaline’s father was a powerful business man in this city, his reach stretching out farther than the city limits, and if rumor were to be believed, he wasn’t above crossing the line to ensure his empire expanded; all things my father respected. “She likes you, as far as I hear. It would be an advantageous match.”

What about love? I thought but didn’t say.

My father married for love, and she died because of who he was. Anybody I married was signing up for a short life. Marriage to me would be a death sentence. Rosaline didn’t deserve that. No one did.

“Did you see that hot lady detective?” Abel asked with a dark gleam in his eye.

Julianna. He was talking about my Jules. Anger boiled underneath my skin. I wanted to rip his head off. I didn’t. If I showed any affection towards her, it would be dangerous for her. I shrugged. “I’ve seen hotter in Europe.”

Abel let out a snort. “They don’t get much hotter than that.”

I glared at him. “Don’t waste your time. She’d never go for someone like you.”

“Or you.” Abel said with a smile, his words stabbing me through the chest.

“She’s the daughter of the new police chief,” said my father, a tight smile on his face. “A very…interesting girl.”

My blood froze in my veins. Did he know about us? Had he been following me? “She doesn’t seem that interesting,” I said, as casually as I could.

“Her father is a righteous man, hard line, and he’s stubborn enough to believe that he can clean up this city. Incorruptible, they call him. I think I just found what he’d be willing to bargain for.”

I stared at my father. I wasn’t sure what he was saying. Something in his smug tone began a growing unease in me. “What are you talking about?”

My father shared a look with Abel. He turned back to face me, a cruel smile stretching across his face. “No one is incorruptible. Everyone has his price. You need to find their weak spot and know when to push.”

My stomach turned as I imagined Julianna being used as a pawn in my father’s hands. “What are you going to do to her?”

My father appraised me. “Nothing. Yet. We have more urgent things to take care of.”

“Like?”

My father said nothing. I realized from the flash of industrial buildings out the window that we weren’t headed back to his house. The tension grew in my shoulders. “Where are we going?” I demanded.

“To the docks.”

My gut tightened. Images of the man I was forced to kill the last time I was at the docks flashed through my head. Vincent Torrito. I knew his name now. “I have a wife…children…”

I swallowed down my guilt. “Need me to clean up your dirty work for you, again?” I said, bitterness squeezing out in my words.

My father sent me a stern look. “If you’re going to take over one day, then you have to understand the business side of things. Time for you to learn the ropes.”

I leaned back into the leather seat and shut my eyes. It was inevitable. I could feel the abyss like a black hole tugging on me. I wasn’t sure how much longer I could fight it. “We’re meeting with the Veronesis.”

My blood ran cold. “With the men who killed Jacob?”

“Yes.”

“And what do you plan to do at this meeting?”

My father gave me a look. “I hope you wore your vest under your suit.”

I swallowed. Of course, I didn’t wear a fucking bullet-proof vest under my suit. I thought I was just going to an interview at the police station. Not into a goddamn gun fight. “I don’t have a gun.”

My father nudged his head towards Abel, then me.

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