Page 84 of His Juliet

“You came into the bookstore,” I said.

Angelo nodded. “Didn’t know who you were when I was there, though. This is all making a lot more sense.”

Was it? It wasn’t making sense to me.

“You went to the bookstore?” Romeo asked, voice sharp.

“With Sienna and Sofiya,” Angelo said.

Romeo made a noise in the back of his throat, but at my questioning gaze, he smiled and gave me a quick kiss.

Okaaay.So Romeo knew Sofiya and Sienna? Was that why they didn’t come to the event? And why was a strange clawing sensation that felt like jealousy eating up my insides?

I didn’t want to talk about it now, though, with Angelo in the car and my heart pounding as I tried to ignore the fact that we were driving far away from my safe route.

“Is Noodle your dog, then?” I asked.

“Nah,” Angelo responded. “He belongs to Sofiya, the boss’s wife. He was already with me when I got the call, and I didn’t have time to go back to the apartment to drop him off.”

I reached over Romeo so I could pet Noodle, who leaned into my touch, his tongue lolling out of his mouth.

Angelo’s words sank in. He’d saidboss. Did he mean boss in the normal sense, or Mafia Boss? I still wasn’t entirely sure Romeo wasn’t messing with me… or delusional.

“What do you do?” I asked Angelo.

There was a beat of silence and then he answered. “I work at Empire Properties.”

That wasn’t the answer I expected, and I found myself slightly disappointed that it was sonormal. Then I realized where I’d heard that name before.

“Oh my gosh, you guys are my landlords at the bookstore. I just got a letter that my raised rent was a mistake and it’s actually going to be lowered.” I turned to Romeo. “I didn’t have a chance to tell you.”

“Is that so?” Angelo asked.

“It must be a good company to work at,” I said. “I’ve never heard of a rental company lowering rent, but it was really nice.”

“Yeah, it’s a great company,” he responded, an edge of laughter to his voice.

My follow-up questions died in my throat as another car honked at us and I was reminded that we wereon the roadfar away from my apartment. Romeo rubbed his hand up and down my arm, and I forced myself to focus on his touch so I wouldn’t panic. Noodle squeezed himself between us, placing his head on my lap. The weight of it helped me relax, and it wasn’t long before we pulled into an underground garage.

My heart rate picked up again. I didn’t like dark spaces.

“Do you want me to carry you?” Romeo murmured.

Yes. But I shook my head. That was too dramatic… right?

He held my hand as I got out of the car, tucking me into his side as he led me to an elevator.

Fuck.

My legs felt like they’d been encased in concrete. The elevator door gaped open, but my body was frozen.

“Juliet?” Romeo’s voice was distorted as my body shut down, having experienced way too much today.

And then I was in his arms, his firm embrace and gentle words slowly bringing me back to reality.

“You don’t like elevators, sweetheart?”

I shook my head.

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