Page 74 of Forbidden Romeo

The only consolation is that I wake up resting on a hard, warm body. Jack’s hand gently strokes up and down my back, sending delightful shivers down my spine. His breath tickles my forehead, where his lips barely graze my skin.

In another life, this would be the perfect way to wake up.

But when I open my eyes and see the face of the man I’m supposed to marry, the cold reality begins to sink in.

In another life, I wouldn’t be falling for the son of my greatest enemy.

Jack seems to be lost in his own thoughts too. He doesn’t notice my gaze until a moment later.

“Good morning,” he says softly.

“You’re still here?”

He presses his lips firmly to my forehead. “Where else would I be?”

“A million miles away if you were smart.”

Jack smirks at that. “What kind of husband would that make me?”

I grimace. “Too soon.”

His smile fades. “I meant it, you know. What I said last night,chroí.”

I let out a deep sigh as I sit up. “I know.”

“If there was any justice in the world, we could have done this properly,” he says earnestly. “I could have courted you, taken you for dinner… Some place nice.”

“You did do those things,” I remind him.

“Once hardly seems enough,” Jack remarks before turning to gaze out the window. “If… Aimee, if we get through this… You don’t have to stay with me. As long as we’re able to convince Padraic and he moves on to the next big thing—”

“You mean after he’s killed my brother?”

Jack throws me a weary glance. “That’s not what I meant.”

“It’s true, though, isn’t it?” I say, suddenly feeling completely exhausted. “You might be able to protect me with this marriage, but the rest of my family are still fair game.”

Not just Connor, but Roisin too…. Sure, Jack may have helped get her somewhere safe. But how long will that stop Padraic from finding her? How long will it take before Roisin suspects something is amiss? Or wanders into trouble by accident?

There has to be a better way to keep her out of this.

Jack watches me carefully. “I don’t expect you to stand by while your brother is targeted.”

“Good.”

“Which is why…” Jack takes a long breath in. “…I’m offering you an out.”

I stare at him for a moment to try and discern what he means. “So, when the time comes for Padraic to make his move on Connor…”

“You can leave me,” he replies simply.

“Aren’t you worried I’ll go straight to my brother as soon as I leave? Warn him that you’re coming for him?” I say in disbelief. Surely he can’t be so trusting of me.

But Jack doesn’t waver. “I can only hope that you don’t. For your own sake.”

My blood runs cold—I know a threat when I hear one. “You’d kill me if we were on opposite sides of the battlefield?” I say bitterly.

“No,” he says firmly. “No. But I wouldn’t want you to see the person I become when the fighting starts.”

---