Page 84 of Forbidden Romeo

Kate strides over to us in thigh-high boots and an expression that screams, “Don’t fuck with me.”

She greets me with a side hug. “Are these guys giving you trouble?”

The first man bows his head. “None at all, Miss St. Michael. We were just on our way.”

Unfortunately, as he goes to leave, the predator lingers. “If you find Jack, tell him he’s a dead man.”

“Stop being so dramatic, Morris,” Kate replies for me flippantly. “Jack escaped because ofyourincompetence; get over yourself.”

With that, Kate begins dragging me away down the corridor. Every stride away from those men eases the tension that has gripped my heart.

“Barely recognized you without that knife in your hand,” the blonde says with a devilish smile when we’re finally alone.

“Kate, I need to get out of here.”

Chapter Twenty-Two

Jack

If my father didn’t hate me before, he surely loathes me now.

For a moment back then, I thought Padraic was going to strangle Aimee with his bare hands. The sudden, even calm, circling us like his prey. I’ve seen him like this before, like an animal preparing his perfect strike.

And he always strikes.

Either Aimee didn’t understand the danger she was in or chose to ignore it, but her ability to press every single one of Padraic’s buttons clearly felt intentional to him. Perhaps we should have gone with a quieter, less abrasive strategy, but the thought of asking Aimee not to speak is laughable.

But, knowing what she went through with Padraic and her parents… I’m not sure I could even look at Connor without it coming to blows, much less have a conversation. For that, I can only admire her.

If only the thing that makes me admire her so much wasn’t the thing that could get her killed.

“Are we clear?” Padraic says, and I nod slowly. Thankfully, with Aimee no longer in the room, he’s become more manageable.

“Yes, sir.”

Causing a rift between the Maguires and the Novas was a thinly-veiled cover-up for my own selfishness. Padraic may have conceded that there is a tactical advantage in marrying Aimee or, rather,Roisin. Still, I do no doubt that he saw right through me.

I can see it as he regards me now, with a calculated look. As if trying to decipher why I would risk everything for this girl. Bringing her here was a gamble, and we both know it. Even if I was just doing it to get under Padraic’s skin, I would have been aware of the dangers it would put Aimee in.

“You care for this girl, don’t you?”

The question seems to reverberate around the room.

A part of me wants to say it, to claim Aimee right here and now in front of my father. To show him how fiercely I’d be willing to defend her if he even thought about harming her. To give up this stupid act.

But looking at the glint in Padraic’s eye… he already knows. He’s just goading me into a confession, hoping I’ll make the wrong move. If the family knew, if our enemies knew I harbored true feelings for Aimee—there would be an uproar loud enough to drown out any claim I had as heir. Freeing Padraic from the pressure to appoint me as such.

Aimee’s words come back to me.

It’s all just a game of power, really.

“I care for this family more,” I reply, matching Padraic’s stare firmly.

Padraic holds my gaze momentarily before returning to his work. “Good. Now, get out of my sight.”

I slowly let go, a sigh of relief. All things considered, it could have gone a lot worse.

“Remember,” Padraic says as I turn to leave. “I want you both at the annuals tonight.”

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