Page 108 of Forbidden Romeo

“Roisin Maguire. My, how you’ve grown!”

It’s like someone poured iced water down my back. I turn to see a woman with thick black hair approaching me, her gray roots confidently on display and a smug grin on her face. Her dress is tight in places it shouldn’t be, but the effect is wholly intimidating. She’s older now, but there’s something about the arrogance in her eyes that hasn’t changed a bit.

“Eda.”

My father’s contact with the cartel.

“My condolences,” she says, coming to a stop in front of me. “I’m sorry I couldn’t be at your father’s funeral. But rumor has it, neither were you.”

“What do you want?” I whisper, every warning bell in my head going off.

“I merely wanted to pass on my regards to an old friend. Although I’m surprised you remember me, the state you were in the last time I saw you.”

I grimace. “I’d hoped you’d be rotting at the bottom of the Hudson by now.”

When Eda laughs, it sounds more like a cackle. The memories it triggers pierce through me like a thousand knives, and I almost stagger back.

Though I try to keep my face schooled into a neutral expression, his eyes light up at my reaction. “Still as feisty as ever, hmm? How’s your sister these days? I always thought she would be the one to marry into mob royalty.”

“Leave my sister out of this,” I whisper, suddenly very aware of how much weight my body is holding up.

“I’ve missed our little chats, Roisin,” Eda coos. “You should come to visit me some time; you can’t imagine the delicacies I have in stock these days.”

I think I might vomit. Even the thought of Roisin talking to this woman again has my vision spinning. This woman destroyed my sister. It took five years and giving up my entire life to get her to a place of recovery. But now we’re both back in New York, and Eda seems just as powerful as ever.

What the fuck have I done? I breathe in and out. Why did I let her come back to New York? This is my fault. My fault.

As I begin to spiral, someone steps up beside me. I barely register he’s there until his arm wraps around my waist, and I’m pulled to his side. Without missing a beat, he takes on the weight that threatened to buckle my legs a moment before.

Jack kisses my forehead lightly before turning to Eda with a sneer. “What’s this,chroí?”

Eda’s eyes go wide at the sight of my fiance. “My name is Eda, Eda Romero,” she says a little too eagerly, holding her hand out to Jack.

Jack stares at the outstretched hand in disgust, “Well, Eda Romero, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t speak to my fiance or her sister again.”

Eda’s smile falters, “We’re just old friends, aren’t we, Roshe?”

“No,” I whisper before finding my voice again. “No, we aren’t.”

Eda glances between the two of us as if something has just clicked, then reaches out to touch me. Perhaps to stroke my arm or grasp my hand to try and prove our affection. However, before she has a chance to even graze me, Jack has moved, snatching her arm and pulling her in close so he can hiss in her ear.

“And if you even think of touching her, the DEA will be on your ass before you can even spell it.” He steps away but does not release her from his iron grip. “Are we clear?”

Jack throws her arm away, and she instantly rubs the skin where his fingers had been. Her dark brows furrow as she backs away. “I’ll be sure not to bother your fiance or hersisteragain, Mr. Duffy.”

With that, she turns on her heel and stalks away.

I sag against Jack in relief, aware that more than a few people seem to have noted our interaction.

He kisses my forehead again, this time lingering so he can whisper, “Are you okay?”

His voice is so full of concern I almost believe it.

Instead of responding, I pull away and smooth my dress. Throwing the on-lookers a tight smile before taking off down across the room. I just need to leave, go somewhere I can be alone. There must be a thousand unoccupied rooms in this goddamn house.

I know Jack is hot on my heels because he keeps calling after me, but I ignore him. I can't bring myself to respond, knowing that my voice will probably crack under the weight of the emotions storming through me.

Finally, I reach a quieter corridor and beeline for a set of double doors. I push them open and find myself in a dark dining room that I barely have time to register before Jack yanks the door open behind me.

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