Page 81 of Forbidden Romeo

Padraic looks between the two of us and, for the first time, seems to register that there issomethinggoing on between us. Or at least that we’re presenting a united front against him. Something seems to shift in his eyes.

He takes another, more calculated step back. “We’ve been looking for her and her sister for weeks, and you had this one the whole time?”

“Aimee went back to LA after one of your men scared the crap out of her at the hospital,” I say, trying to mimic Roisin’s impertinent attitude the best I can. He may never have met Roisin before, but if there’s a chance anyone has encountered her, I want the stories to be authentic. And Lord knows she wouldn’t put up with Padraic’s shit. “Congrats, you already lost the first sister.”

“So, you’re not the doctor then?” Padraic says evenly. “Pity, you might have had some use to me after all.”

“To you?” I say with a haughty laugh and show him the stunning ruby ring on my left hand. “I think this one goes to Jack, don’t you think?”

Jack has gone rigid behind me. The hand on my back grips hold of my waist in warning. But I don’t care.

Padraic begins to circle us. “Who knows of this?”

Kate’s face flashes before my eyes.

“Only the people in this room,” I reply quickly.

Lie. He can’t suspect we have allies.

“Where are you staying?”

“An apartment in Brooklyn.”

Truth. He knows this already.

“And that’s where Jack has been sneaking off too?”

“Yes.”

Lie. He can’t know about Jack’s apartment.

“Why have you agreed to marry him?”

“Because I love him.”

The words taste bitter on my tongue. A filthy, terrible lie for a filthy, terrible man.

If Jack was tense before, he’s rigid now. I have to fight the urge to turn around and remind him that this is all just a game. Of course, I don’t love him, really; there’s nothing for him to get so stressed about. I’m just playing the part of his fiancé.

The way my body is so acutely aware of his presence, how it leans into him instinctively. It’s not real love; it’s just rushed emotions and a high-stakes situation.

Truth?

Then why do I wish so badly that I didn’t say it in front of Padraic?

Padraic seems to sense my hesitation and shakes his head, circling back around to his desk. A desk that could hold any number of things that could ruin us. Ruinme.

This isn’t going well; we aren’t getting anywhere. We never should have come here; there’s no way we’ll be able to get out of this alive or, at the very least, with our sanity still intact. I’ve heard the stories about the kind of monster Padraic becomes in the interrogation room.

I reach down for the knife tucked into my shoe, but Jack grabs hold of my arm.

Instead of answering my questioning expression, he turns to his father. “Can I speak with you?”

“We’re already speaking,” Padraic replies, sitting down at his desk.

Without looking at me, Jack says, “A-Roisin,could you excuse us for a moment?”

I contemplate putting my foot down and insisting he can say whatever he needs to say in front of me. But even I can admit my presence doesn’t seem to be helping our cause.

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