Page 90 of Forbidden Romeo

Of course, it did. He’s always just sogoodat what he does. The bastard. Now I’m the one who’s going to pay the price for it.

“So,” I say with a sinking heart. “There’s going to be a lot of people there tonight?”

“Yes, and all eyes are going to be on you and Jack.”

Great. Excellent. Well, at least Jack will be able to show me off like he wanted.

When we first moved to LA and I used to let my mind wander, I’d sometimes try to imagine what it would be like going back to this life. Maybe as a grown woman, I might have finally been able to avenge my mother. I might have been able to convince my brother to let me work by his side.

They were just the fantasies of a girl who was lost and confused. They fizzled out once I had a taste of what real freedom is.

But never in my wildest dreams did I think I would reenter the underworld on the arm of my family’s greatest enemy. To be used as nothing more than bait.

This is going to be humiliating.

Kate seems to sense my dejection. “It’s my job to make sure you look the part, are prepared to act the part, and get people interested in the fighting again as soon as possible. Sound good?”

“What do you mean, act the part?” I say, frowning slightly.

“Well… It’s been a while since there’s been a Duffy engagement, and fiancés tend to get paraded around a bit, I’m afraid.” She takes a break from scrolling to give me an apologetic look. “Not to mention that this time, it’s RoisinMaguire. Whatever she does, people will want to know about it. People will be expectingsomethingto gossip about.”

“If I slap Jack around the face, would that do it?” I murmur.

“Probably,” Kate says before her eyes widen in delight. “But I actually have a better idea…”

“Do I want to know?”

“Probably not.”

She turns her phone around.

It’s my turn for my jaw to drop.

Kate gives me a devilish grin, “You think you can handle it?”

“Craig?” I say a little hoarsely. “Could we grab some champagne?”

“Way ahead of you,” the beautician says as he reappears to hand us a couple of flutes.

Kate raises hers to me, “To Roisin Duffy?”

I clink it with my own.

“To Roisin goddamn Duffy.”

Chapter Twenty-Four

Jack

From the VIP box, I can keep a close eye on the audience that floods in through the doors toward the ring. If there’s even a flash of red hair, my team has instructions to act immediately. I don’t care how many men Padraic has brought with him; tonight, I’m not taking any chances.

And in the unlikely case that a Maguire slips through, I’ll be ready.

I’ve not been back toLuckiessince the night of Graham’s death. When we sat in this very box, joking about this very night of fighting. How many times have I sat here with Graham, bickering about the bets, scouting the crowds, or even fighting in the ring ourselves when we were younger and had something to prove? This whole situation isn’t sitting right with me in the slightest, and I feel like my nerve ends are on fire. Every loud noise has me on edge.

“Hey, Jack!”

I flinch, turning to see Ray leaning against the divide between the VIP box and the lower seats.

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