Page 72 of Don't Break My Heart
“You’re right, it’s not. Let me back in.” His hand slides back down to mine, and he laces his fingers with mine, holding me close.
“I don’t want to fight anymore. I’m so sick of it.”
“Then we won’t fight. We agree to talk things through like responsible adults.”
I stare back at him and something in his serious expression makes me want to laugh. “We both know that will last all of a day. You enjoy baiting me too much.”
“I enjoy fucking you too much to keep fighting with you if I have to see how devastated you are every time. I just want to make you happy, Sloane, let me take care of you.”
“What about Orlando?”
“That’s for him to work out with you.”
“From now on, if Orlando wants to communicate with me, he can call me himself.”
“He can’t, Sloane. He’s worried his calls could be traced and someone might find you because of it.”
I push off him just a little. “What? Hasn’t he dealt with Valentine yet?”
He takes a step back from me and hands me my underwear. “You need to get dressed or I’m throwing you back on the bed.”
I see it in his eyes, he’s not joking. All this back and forth has him turned on again. I step into them and then pull on my dress. Romeozips it up my back for me. “It’s more fun when I get to help you out of your clothes.”
“I’m sure.” I study him, wondering if he’s trying to distract me from my original question. “What’s happening with Valentine? I thought when Orlando found out he tried to kill me he would have taken him out for sure.”
“Oh, you can bet we all fucking wanted to. He might be our flesh and blood, but you’re our girl and…” He runs a hand through his hair. “That motherfucker deserves all he’s about to get.”
“About to get?”
“It’s not as simple as just eliminating him. Orlando has to work with him through the takeover or those women you want to save could be killed in the process.”
My heart kicks up a beat, imagining what Orlando is dealing with back in Italy. If he is even safe working so closely with Valentine. “Has he shut down that club yet?”
“It’s no longer operating in the capacity it was.”
I narrow my eyes, needing more information and he damn well knows it. “What happens to the women they had working there?”
“They have been put into safe houses, Orlando has doctors seeing to them, and some have already been returned to their families.”
Relief washes over me. I half expected him to say there is nothing they can do or some shit like that, but to know they are actually doing something, doing what I wanted to all along, is a comfort. “Daisy?” I ask, desperate to know she’s okay in all of this.
“With Dante and their parents in the country. Our men are guarding them until Orlando finishes what he’s started.” He takes my hand in his as we walk out of the room. “He’s doing everything he can, dollface, I promise.”
We walk hand in hand toward my office, my stomach churning as I think over what he just told me. Orlando is putting my plan into place. He’s not evil like his papa or brother. Part of me thought him taking on that top position would change him, would bring out the depraved side lurking just below the surface, but it hasn’t. Even in my absence, he’s doing what he can to help.
Romeo swipes his card to let us into my office.
“I have something that might help.” I move straight over to my bag and pull out the check that Commissioner Sedgwick gave me. “Harley has this idea that maybe we can set up a clinic like hers in Italy. That and maybe we change the way the clubs run so they are set up more like this place. Do you think this might help to fund some of those ideas?” I hand him the check.
“Where did you get this?” He looks me over, confused, and I almost want to laugh, because there just might be a few little things he doesn’t know about me after all.
“I visited my auntie the other day. Apparently, it’s from the sale of my family’s estate. She’s been hanging on to it for years in the hope she would eventually find me.”
He raises a brow. “This is a lot of money, Sloane, it could change your life.”
“I have everything I need. I want to make a difference, Romeo.”
He offers me a slight smile then pulls me into him, kissing my lips. “This is why we all love you. You’re so selfless. Always putting others in front of your own needs.”
