Page 53 of Forbidden Romeo

Walking these streets again fills me with such a conflicting storm of emotions. That’s before I even consider everything that just happened with Jack.

The sounds of traffic and the rhythm of footsteps blend with my turmoil. I can almost feel his presence beside me, his deep voice resonating in my ears, his warm breath against my skin. It’s as if the city itself is conspiring to keep the thoughts of him fresh in my mind. The laughter we shared at Coney Island, the way his hand felt intertwined with mine, the electric spark that ignited between us—it all feels like a dream that I’m subconsciously, desperately trying to hold on to.

It wars with my logical brain.Hesaid goodbye.

Shouldn’t I be doubting that our connection was as real as it felt?

Yet, despite the uncertainty, I can’t deny the ache within me. I miss his infectious smile, his unwavering charm, and the way he made me feel like the most cherished person in his world. I find myself torn between the desire to reach out to him, to lay bare my feelings and seek a way back to what we had, and the fear of rejection and further heartache. It’s a delicate dance, navigating the labyrinth of emotions that roil within me.

As I continue my solitary journey through the city that never sleeps, I hold onto the flickering hope that our paths will cross again. Maybe fate will intervene, nudging us back together when the time is right. Or maybe I’m just pinning my hopes on a fantasy.

About three blocks away from the hospital, I pause at a traffic light and use the time to take in my surroundings. That’s usually a habit for me, clocking the passersby, noting any repeating faces. However, with everything on my mind, I realize this is the first time I’ve bothered since I left the apartment.

It’s not until I make it across to the other side that I notice a flicker out of the corner of my eyes. My eyes immediately home in on the movement, catching only the back of a man’s head as he darts into a nearby alley.

It could be nothing, but I pick up my pace a little, throwing glances over my shoulder every few seconds to see if the man reappears.

I’m so distracted by what’s behind me I don’t notice the man in front of me at first. Perhaps a few hundred yards away, a man stands stock still in the middle of New York’s ever-moving crowds.

Staring straight at me.

My blood runs cold. With one last glance behind me, I dart to my left and quickly speed down a new street. Enough left turns, and I will reappear at my original location while shaking off anyone attempting to follow.

“What’s the rush, sugar?”

I almost jump out of my skin when I hear a voice call out to me from my left. I don’t glance his way, but I know from the direction of his voice that he’s blocking off my exit.

I turn right instead and instantly regret it.

The alleyway is tight and littered with trash, and in my hurry, I don’t realize that there’s a dead end until the wire is practically digging into my face.

I swear under my breath. The fence is almost ten feet tall. Not impossible to scale, but it would leave me vulnerable to attacks if my pursuers were to reach me before I made it to the other side.

“What’s your hurry?” another voice coos from behind me.

I stiffen at the sound of three more sets of footsteps.

“You need to stay the hell away from me,” I say without turning around. If they’re just some creepy assholes looking to intimidate me, they picked the wrong woman.

“Why?” another voice says. “You going to set your brother on us?”

My skin turns to ice. These aren’t just creepy assholes. These areDead Eyes.

Dead Eyeswho know exactly who I am.

I pull my gun out of my purse and turn around in one swift movement, leveling them all with the biggest sneer I can muster. “I don’t need my brother to defend myself.”

As I stare them down, I commit their faces to memory. The three men look relatively smart and wear their suits like they were born in them. Annoying, as it makes it near impossible to tell how well-armed they are.

“You’re just one girl,” the third man croons. “You don’t have it in you, and there’s no one here that will hear you scream when we take you.”

“I have backup,” I lie easily.

The third man laughs. “No, you don’t.”

“We’ve been watching you, Aimee,” the second clarifies. “You really think you could come back to New York without anyone noticing?”

“I’m not going anywhere with you. You’ll have to kill me.”

---