Page 23 of The Roman's Woman (A Singular Obsession)

Kelly sucked in a breath. “Get your things and leave before he gets out.”

She nodded dumbly.

“Are you listening?”

“Yes,” she choked out over the lump in her throat.

“Okay, do it now. And Sophia,hurry.”

She hung up without another word, looking around wildly. For a moment, she just sat there, the implications of what she’d heard sinking in. What had she done, and who the hell had she done it with?

Move. You need to move.

Jumping up, she started grabbing clothes and electronics. She threw her computer in her carryon and her phone in her purse. Her toiletries were in the bathroom, but they didn’t matter.

Ransacking her neatly organized drawers, she stuffed everything else into her suitcase and nearly bit her lip open after realizing she hadn’t held back anything to wear.

Not everything is in the bag.

The black dress from last night was lying on the floor—the one Gio had given her.

Shit. Not Gio.

The man in the shower was a stranger and a fraud. She didn’t even know his name.

Nearly tripping in her haste, she glanced down at her naked body.Faster. Move faster. With shaky hands she pulled on the black dress, fumbling with the zipper. Shoes, she needed shoes. A pair she could run in.

With a wrench, she shoved her feet into her black sneakers, grateful that she brought the kind that slipped on with no shoelaces to slow her down.

Her eyes fell on Gio’s discarded clothes, the sleek suit and shirt he’d worn last night. Impulsive, she picked them up and ran to the window, levering it up with one arm. The window faced a quaint little alley behind the hotel, one lined with coffee shops. Heedless of the startled and amused glances of the people below, she threw the clothes down and slammed the window shut, spinning around when the door to the bathroom opened.

“Bella mia, did you find a place for breakfast? If not, there's this great little place a few blocks from here I want to take you to.”

Sophia backed away, her heart threatening to burst out of her chest. He was standing there naked from the waist up, his chest glistening and a towel wrapped around his waist.

Oh, hell, what did she do now?

He looked at her and frowned. “Mi amore, what’s wrong?”

She raised her hand and was surprised to see it trembling. In fact, she was shaking from head to toe.

Gio’s face filled with concern. He stepped toward her. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

No.

“Stop!” She tried to yell, but it came of strangled and broken. She couldn’t breathe. “Stay away from me! Don’t come any closer.”

His mouth fell open. “I don’t understand.”

Sophia laughed, half-hysterical. “Of course you don’t. I don’t either.” Tears stung her eyes. “Why did you do this?” she whispered. “Who are you?”

Realization lit his eyes. She could see it washing over him. He closed his mouth, and the blood drained from his face. But unlike her, he wasn’t about to lose his shit. His face was solemn…and he looked unbearably sad.

He blinked rapidly.

“I need to explain,” he said, holding up his hands, palms out.

It was supposed to be a calming gesture, the kind made when trying to calm a hysterical person. Well, it wasn’t working.

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