Page 36 of Forbidden Romeo

He’s goddamn furious.

I exchange a glance with Kate before sliding into the back seat. Her expression screams, “I told you so” so loud I can almost hear the words.

“Jack,” Padraic says stiffly.

Kate sits beside me and begins examining her nails, a picture of indifference. Seems she’s done her part and is more than happy to sit back and watch whatever is about to happen unfold. Some ally she is.

The driver hits the gas, and we pull away from the hotel and into the city. All the while, Padraic stares at me as if waiting for me to make the first move. Undoubtedly, he can counter it with whatever punishment he has locked and loaded in his verbal arsenal.

I sigh. “Do you even want to hear my explanation?”

“I don’t want to hear another word come out of your goddamn mouth,” Padraic replies gruffly. “You made a fool of me coming here, and I will not tolerate this kind of disrespect again. Do you hear me?”

“Yes, sir,” I say obediently.

His face colors red. “What did I just say?!”

I almost respond but think better of it. There’s no arguing with him when he’s like this.

Padraic looks out the window, and I watch as he regains control of his anger before he bothers looking at me again, “I clearly can’t trust my men to keep you in, so this is how it’s going to go. I’m assigning Morris to you twenty-four seven.”

FuckingMorris.

The guy I’ve had to bail out on more than one occasion because he fucked up and started a fight with the wrong person. The guy who’s beenbannedfrom dealing with hostages because of his sadistic tendency to kill them before Padraic can even get an offer on the table.

The same thing must cross Kate’s mind as she looks up from her nails with a frown. “Morris is barely a grunt.”

“So is he.” Padraic thrusts a thumb at me.

I can’t maintain my silence a second longer. “You’re kidding me.”

“Shut up!” Padraic yells, losing his cool. “You will report to him every morning and every goddamn evening. Do I make myself clear?”

“I’m not a child!” I say, matching his anger.

“Yes, you goddamn are.” Padraic’s eyes are twin flames of pure rage. His anger is barely contained within his shaking frame, and I thank the gods Kate is next to me at that moment. With her here, he won’t release his control in case she gets caught in the crossfire. Still, I’m not willing to test that theory.

Instead, I sink back into my chair and lower my head in submission. My pride tastes bitter in my mouth, but I know this isn’t a battle I can win right now.

Padraic seems to relax at my display. “You try this again, and the next girl you bring up to one of my hotels will never come out.”

***

“Jacky!” Morris greets me with a wicked grin on his face as I approach the apartment complex. One look at the delight in his eyes tells me all I need to know. He’s going to make this hell for me.

“Morris,” I reply stiffly, walking past him toward the door.

He picks himself up from leaning against the wall and follows me inside. “First day back on the ground, hm?”

God, his voice is already grating on my nerves. “I’ve worked the ground all my life.”

“Aye, but this is the real shit. The roughing up, getting your hands dirty,” he says as we climb the stairs up to the second floor. “There’s really nothing like the sweet smell of fear up close and personal.”

I ignore him, mentally begging him to shut the hell up, and walk ahead down the corridor.

But Morris doesn’t seem to take the hint. “No more sitting up in your high tower, boy. Now you’re working forme;we’regoing to have a grand old time.”

I try not to bristle as I knock on the door. “I don’t work for you.”

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