Page 17 of Forbidden Romeo

“And if I pick Jack?” Kate says defiantly.

If it were anyone else, I think Padraic would have blown a fuse at that moment. But he manages to restrain himself and focuses his wrath on me, pointing a rigid finger in my direction. “If any of you see this man leave the compound, you drag him back here. Are we clear?”

The room silently turns to look at me again, and my jaw clenches. Scolding me in front of everyone like I’m a teenager.

“You can’t expect me to stay here when my brother’s killer is still out there. I’m more use to you on the streets,” I growl back.

“I expect you to follow a goddamn order,” he roars.

No one breathes as they wait for my reply. I look around the room for an ally, anyone else who might be willing to stand up to Padraic Duffy. But Ray is staring intently at the table. Even Andy looks uncomfortable. The only other person who holds my gaze is Kate, who simply shakes her head.

I take a step back, then another, before looking back at Padraic.

“Of course, sir.” My voice is strained, but at least it’s respectful. “May I be excused?”

Padraic grunts in confirmation before launching into a new topic of discussion. I tune it out as I leave, wholly consumed by the anger and frustration coursing through my veins.

I make it about halfway down the corridor before a voice stops me.

“Jack?”

I turn to see Kate approaching me. “Thanks for sticking up for me in there,” I say sarcastically.

“I took the fall for Lars, asshole,” she hisses back.

“I didn’t ask you to do that.”

Kate considers me for a moment before heaving a heavy sigh. “You never know when to pick your battles, do you?”

“He was treating me like a child.”

“He’s grieving the loss of his son.”

“I’m grieving the loss of my brother!” I snap right back.

Kate grabs my arm and holds me fast, sharp nails digging into my skin. “I want revenge for Graham as much as you do, but you’re not going to achieve anything if you lose your head.”

The warning is clear, but underneath… I stare at her a moment longer to be sure I understand. I have an ally in Kate, after all.

And when we finish with the Maguires, they’ll regret ever crossing us.

Chapter Five

Jack

I walk into the lab the next day, relieved to find Ray alone, hunched over his computer as always.

He greets me with a small, sarcastic salute as he spots me. “Jack.”

“Hello, Raymond,” I reply formally.

“You need your Internet history cleared again?”

I smirk; at leasthehasn’t changed since my demotion. I was starting to get a little bored with people avoiding me.

“That reminds me, how is your sister?” I quip back.

Ray rolls his eyes and keeps typing away. I take this as my sign to pull up a chair.

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