Page 132 of Forbidden Romeo

Jack exhales through his nose, “You did most of the work.”

“I froze up there,” I admit, my body shaking at the memory. “You knew what to do and had a plan instantly—if you hadn’t been there–”

“Shh…” Jack whispers, kissing my nose, my cheeks. “We got out of there. It’s over now.”

He comforts me until the shaking stops, and a new fear enters my head. “I killed those men.”

Jack squeezes me impossibly tighter. “And you saved my life.”

“They would have had families, people who loved them-”

“Their fate was sealed the moment they tried to kill you,” Jack breathes into my ear. “Trust me, the world needs you more than it needs any of them.”

I gulp back tears. “Does it get any easier?”

“Yes and no,” Jack says after a moment. “But don’t you dare, for even a moment, tell yourself that your life isn’t worth it.”

“But–”

“No,” he says firmly, pulling away from me.

Now that my eyes have adjusted in the darkness, I can make out the hard line of his jaw, the firmness of his expression.

“I thought I lost you today,” he confesses in a tone so broken I reach out to comfort him. He leans his head into my hand. “And the world became so much darker.”

“Jack…”

He kisses my palm and pulls away. “I never want to lose you. I don’t care who comes for us next; you are more important than any of them.”

My heart breaks at his words, the pain in them.

New words bubble up in my throat, threatening to spill out into the silent privacy of our little darkness. They glow brightly in my mind, so obvious now, and I realize they’ve always been there. Just waiting to be acknowledged.

I let out a shaking breath.

I can’t. Not now.

Chapter Thirty-Five

Jack

I finally found Padraic at the shipping yard warehouse.

As I approach the looming doors, both Morris and Buzz are lingering outside—it’s not the kind of place I tend to hang around for that reason alone. But I know there are more sinister things lurking behind those walls that put these two sociopaths to shame.

“Well, if it isn’t ‘Rocky,’” Buzz says in greeting.

“You lost me a lot of money, Duffy,” Morris goads as I get closer.

I ignore them and nod toward the door. “You boys get bored already?”

“The boss is having a bit of one-on-one time,” Buzz said.

“Who?” I ask.

“Cartel, I think,” Buzz replies with a shrug. “Hard to tell.”

“Jesus,” I say. If they’re fucked up that badly, it’s going to be a gruesome conversation.

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