Page 100 of His Juliet

“But—”

“No. You’ve been put through absolute hell this past week, and I’m not about to leave you alone when you need me.”

A tiny thread of warmth wrapped itself around my chest. “You sure?”

“Yes, I’m sure. I was actually calling to see what you wanted for lunch so I could have it delivered, but now I get to eat lunch with you. I’m only a few minutes away from the apartment. What are you in the mood to eat?”

Guilt was a sick pit in my stomach at how much I was inconveniencing him. “Whatever you want,” I said hoarsely.

“I can’t wait for you to trust me and start demanding shit.”

“I do trust you.” I trusted Romeo more than anyone in my life.

“Not completely, but that’s okay, angel. Make me earn it.”

It wasn’t that I didn’t trust him… it was more that I didn’t trust myself enough to deserve him. I didn’t trust the universe to let me have him.

“I’m in the elevator now. Just a few more seconds.”

Oh god, I needed to get off the floor. I pushed myself up on shaking arms to a seated position just in time for the front door to open.

Romeo didn’t say anything as he went to his knees and gathered me in his arms. “You’re safe. I’ve got you.”

My fingers twisted into his shirt—he was wearing a black suit with a white shirt, unbuttoned at his throat. I wrapped my arms around his neck as he stood and carried me to the couch.

He settled me in his lap and I jolted, pushing at his chest. “Wait, stop.”

He cradled my face. “Stop what?”

My cheeks flamed red. “I can’t sit in your lap.” I shut my eyes in embarrassment. “I might stain your pants.”

He tightened his arms around my waist. “As if I fucking care. Now, what do you need for your period? And did you decide on lunch?”

“No, I have to move.” The idea of staining his pants was mortifying.

Romeo sighed, continuing to hold me close. “I haven’t told you much about my work because I don’t want you to freak the fuck out. But I can at least say with confidence that a little bit of blood isn’t going to scare me.”

I wasn’t quite sure how to process that information. Romeo was so gentle with me, so playful, that I couldn’t imagine him being violent.

“Do you hurt people?” I kept my eyes fixed on my hands.

“Sometimes.” His fingers trailed down the side of my face. “Does that upset you?”

“Do you hurt normal people?”

“No, sweetheart. I don’t hurt innocent people.”

“The people who are after me… what do they want?”

“The Albanian Mafia has been trying to gain a foothold in New York so they can bring in sex trafficking. Matteo doesn’t allow any trafficking in his territory.”

My throat was tight and my skin itchy. “Wait, what? The people who are after me are sex traffickers?”

He gripped my chin so I was forced to meet his gaze. “I won’t let them touch you.” The intensity in his voice made me shiver. “What’s going on in that head of yours?”

I wrapped my arms around his neck and relaxed my head on his shoulder. “It should bother me, right? That you hurt people.”

“But it doesn’t?”

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