Page 131 of Forbidden Romeo

But Jack simply kicks the car door closed and carries me to the elevator. There’s clearly no fighting him on this, so I let out a sigh and close my eyes for just a minute.

When I open them again, Jack is sliding into bed next to me. The curtains closed, the lights were off, and his silk sheets were wrapped around me.

“Mmm?” Great job, Aimee; very coherent.

Jack’s arms wrap around me gently, avoiding my arm, which now rests to one side.

“You fell asleep,” Jack clarifies. I can’t quite make him out in the darkness, but I can feel his steady breaths tickling my cheek and his chest rising and falling against my side.

I snuggle in closer. “I figured.”

“You should sleep more; it’s been a long day.”

Dear God, do I want to. But the events of the day begin playing through my mind. “What the hell happened today?”

Jack sighs, “I don’t know. These ‘black coats’ are clearly a well-armed and well-funded militia, but they could be anyone.”

“Or hired by anyone,” I point out.

He doesn’t disagree. “Padraic might know,” Jack says after a moment. “But is it worth asking if he might be the person who sent them?”

“Surely, if he wanted us dead, he would have done it already?” I counter although I can’t deny the thought has crossed my mind. “He’s had every opportunity to do so under his own roof, not to mention in the ring.”

“He doesn’t like wasting money,” Jack concedes. “Besides, I need to talk to him about this so-called ‘alliance’ between our families. Whoever is spreading this rumor is no friend of ours. If the cartel or the Italians feel threatened, we could have a war on our hands.”

I shudder at the thought, then another hits me harder. “Do you think… Connor might have hired the ‘black coats’?”

Jack’s hand cups my face, and he strokes my cheek with his thumb. “And risk losing you?”

“It’s been five years.” I whisper my fears aloud. “A lot can change.”

“Chroí,he was at the hospital looking for you,” Jack reminds me, reassurance lacing his tone. “I have little regard for your brother, but he doesn’t strike me as the kind of man who would risk his sister’s life just to get to me.”

The memory of Connor’s face flashes to the forefront of my mind. He was always there for us, a step behind me and Roisin whenever we went to the park or the store. Always watching, making sure we didn’t get into any trouble.

“He always wanted to keep us safe,” I admit quietly.

“The question is,” Jack says, dropping his hand, “how did he know you were at the hospital?”

I frown at this. “I suppose theDead Eyesfound me pretty quickly.”

“By accident. If you hadn’t treated that guy, we’d never have thought to look for you,” Jack points out.

“But Connor thinks Roisin is in New York, right? Maybe he figured out I couldn’t be far behind.”

Jack thinks on this for a moment, then sighs. Moving so that he can pull me in closer, he rests his forehead against mine.

“Let’s not think about it now,” he says. “Get some rest.”

I instantly relax into him. His very scent settles my nerves, and soon the buzz of unanswered questions that swarm my brain fades into the background.

“Thank you,” I whisper.

“For what?”

There are a thousand answers to that question, I realize. Jack has saved me so many times in more ways than one.

“For getting me out of there today,” I land on.

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