Page 85 of Forbidden Romeo

As if I need reminding. The annuals take place inmyestablishment. Padraic always has a habit of forgetting that the success ofLuckiesis down to me—especially when it comes to events like this. No, at the annuals,Luckiesis his. The fighters arehis.

But I’ve had enough years of practice handing him the glory to not sound bitter about it now. “You got a good fighter this year?”

Padraic offers me a rare smile. It doesn’t quite fit his face, making it look more like a sneer. “The best.”

I nod politely, trying not to seem too unnerved by his expression. “I’ll be sure to stop by the bookies, then.”

Padraic merely waves me off, and I’m more than happy to get the hell out of there. For one, leaving Aimee on her own was a gamble. It’s only been about five minutes, but so much could go wrong in that time. All I want now is to retreat to bed with my fiancé and reassure myself that she’s okay. Thoroughly.

My fiancé.

My fiancé is not outside waiting for me when I push open the doors.

I glance up and down the hall. Nothing.

My heart begins to thump rapidly.

I comb through the house, narrowly avoiding Buzz and a disgruntled-looking Morris as I slip into the corridor leading to my bedroom. Hoping, praying Aimee has managed to find her way there.

As I approach, I see the door is ajar. Fuck.

I grab my concealed gun and approach slowly. There’s no sound from inside, but that doesn’t mean they haven’t bound and gagged her–

“I suppose congratulations are in order.”

I freeze. Then push the door open.

“Kate.”

The blonde sits on my bed, nonchalantly examining her nails. She barely looks up as I enter.

“If you’d bothered totell me,I would have bought champagne.”

“Where is she?” I demand quietly.

“Already lost track of your fiancé, Jack?”

“Where’s Aimee?”

“I thought it wasRoisin.”

“Kate!”

She finally leaves her nails alone long enough to look at me. “She’s fine; she’s with me. Jesus Christ.”

“Where?” I take a stride toward her.

“You a broken record or something? She’s with me; she’s fine,” Kate replies, nodding toward the still-open door. “Right now, you need to be worried about telling me what the hell is going on.”

I close the door behind me begrudgingly. “There’s nothing more you need to know.”

“You sure about that? ‘Cos if you are, you should know I’m gonna go out there and get the truth from that girl one way or another. And if your stories don’t match up, you’re a dead man, Jack Duffy.”

I run a hand through my hair. God, it’s been a day, and Kate’s wrath is not something I want to deal with right now. I look at her, the determination in her eyes.

May as well get this over with. She’s supposed to be my right hand, after all.

“She’s safe?” I ask one last time.

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