Page 75 of Bae

“They offered you money?” My eyes found Romeo, and he frowned.

A spidery feeling crawled up the back of my neck.

“Yeah, just like Romeo said. And I know he was concerned when I talked to him that I would sell out my own daughter, so I just wanted to let you know I didn’t. And I’m not going to. You’re more important to me than money.”

What in the world was he talking about? Romeo talked to my dad? When?

Romeo was watching me carefully, almost as if he were afraid I might explode. I could have. Well, not explode. That wasn’t my style. Unless of course bobbleheads were holding signs for my man. But I could have asked my father for details, found out everything I wanted to know just then.

The problem with that was loyalty. I was just as loyal as Romeo. I would never throw him under the bus like that. I would show a united front and pretend I knew what Dad was talking about. Romeo was my husband, and I trusted him. Sure, sometimes he did bonehead stuff (like whatever this was), but I still had his back. Always.

“I appreciate that, Dad,” I replied. “I’m really glad to know you’re doing well.”

“How about you? Everything okay there? I saw the game last night.”

I groaned. “That won’t happen again.”

“I figured. Those gossip hounds have been giving you hell. I was glad to see you giving it back.”

That surprised me. “You were?”

“‘Course. You’re a fighter, Rimmel. You always have been.”

I was a fighter. It was becoming more apparent to me every day.

I asked about my grandparents, and then we fell silent again.

“Well, you’ll let Romeo know what I said?” he asked, sensing the conversation was coming to an end.

“I’ll tell him.” My eyes found my husband once more.

He grimaced.

Before we got off the line, I said, “Hey, Dad. Out of curiosity, what did the press want?”

He made a sound. “Anything that would make a good story. And they were willing to pay big money for it, too.”

“How much?” I asked.

“If the story was juicy enough, over a million.”

The choked sound I made caused him to chuckle. “Don’t you worry. I told them no. I’m clean now, sweetheart. I plan to stay that way.”

“That’s great, Dad. I’m proud of you.”

After I disconnected the call, I spun, taking in my entire family sitting around with plates piled with eggs, bacon, and pancakes. I put my hands on my hips and pinned Romeo with a hard look. “Care to tell me what that was about?”

B whistled under his breath. “Scrappy makin’ a comeback.”

“Romeo,” I said, ignoring my brother.

Romeo didn’t balk; he just gave it to me straight. “The press put a bounty out on you, Rim. They want dirt. Anything they can get.”

I felt my shoulders slump. I wasn’t surprised, but I was weary. “How do you know that?”

“Because they called me,” Drew put in.

I looked at Drew. “They called you?”

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