Page 137 of Forbidden Romeo

“We’re not moving to LA,” Aimee says stubbornly.

“Chroí,”I beg. Now is not the time for this. We can deal with the practicalities later.

But Aimee isn’t having any of it. She stands abruptly, walking over to me. “Roisin is still here. I’m not going anywhere without her.”

There’s a beat as we stare at each other, a battle of wills.

“I thoughtshewas Roisin?” Ray says down the phone, apparently overhearing our entire conversation.

Fuck it. I put them on speakerphone.

“Ray, meet Aimee Maguire. Aimee, this is Ray.”

“Hi, Ray,” Aimee says without breaking her stare. “I’m not Roisin, and we’re not moving to LA.”

“I thought you didn’t look like your profile picture,” Ray chirps, finally putting everything together.

“You were looking at my sister’s profile picture?” Aimee frowns and finally breaks eye contact to shoot a glare at my phone.

“Jack was stalking her.”

I gape as Aimee’s glare turns to me. Traitor.

“Shut it,” I say to Ray before gathering my thoughts. If they all insist on getting involved, then fine. I’ll lay it out for them. “This is the situation. Padraic is done. I’m either dead or disowned after the last fight, so I need to make preparations for the worst-case scenario.”

Aimee’s hand reaches up to touch my face, her eyes suddenly wide. “Jack-”

“I’m sorry,Chroí,”I say as I plant a kiss on her palm.“I dragged you into this, but I won’t be able to protect you here for much longer.”

“And you think you can protect her in LA?” Kate chimes in, clearly unconvinced.

“Better than here,” I reply honestly. “I can’t ask you to come with me, Kate. Ray is risking his life enough as it is.”

Ray mutters, “A heads-up about that would have been great.”

“There’s no way in hell I’m being left here on my own, Jack,” Kate counters.

“I understand you’re panicked, Jack,” Aimee says. “But there has to be another option.”

I sigh, “Don’t you want a normal life? A Chinese takeout that knows your order by heart?”

She smiles sadly. “Yes, but I can’t do any of that without Roisin.”

I nod at her. “We’ll pick her up on our way out.”

“I’ll have to call her,” Aimee replies, biting her lip nervously.

“Do what you need to do.”

She hesitates. “What do I even say? She thinks I’ve abandoned her here in New York!”

“Does she trust you?” I ask quietly.

Aimee leans into me. “I-I think so?”

“Then trust her to believe you.”

Kate’s voice suddenly comes down the phone. “I have a safe house in Brooklyn.”

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