Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 148962 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 745(@200wpm)___ 596(@250wpm)___ 497(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 148962 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 745(@200wpm)___ 596(@250wpm)___ 497(@300wpm)
A weird, panicky feeling washes over me as I consider how dangerous this could be for him.
“I don’t like this idea.” The words slip out before I can stop them.
Everyone swings their gazes to me, including Romeo, and I shoot him a glare to hide my feelings.
“Gabs.” Abella leans closer, lowering her voice. “What’s going on?”
She can tell I’m upset, but I couldn’t rationalize it even if I tried.
“It’s just…not the way we do things.”
“I understand this is a big change.” Mariella meets my gaze. “But I’ve thought it through, and it makes sense. They can offer us protection, and we can keep the network alive.”
I can’t argue that point with her. She’s the one who created Aegis, and it’s not my place to tell her how to run it. But the idea of Romeo putting himself at risk makes me ill.
I pull the lollipop from my mouth, the sugar souring on my tongue.
“So you’re willing to betray your own brotherhood?” Chantel asks pointedly, shifting the focus to her.
“It’s not a betrayal.” Angelo’s eyes darken. “My men are held to the same standards I live by.”
“And what about The Society?” Serafina questions. “They have their own justice system. This won’t go over well if we’re exposed.”
“That won’t happen.” Angelo’s voice dips, carrying a lingering note of rage over what IVI did to him.
“How can you be so sure?” Lucia challenges. “There’s a reason we didn’t use the poison for every case. It would be suspicious—”
“We won’t use the Bellamorte,” Mariella cuts in. “It will be clean. Heart attacks, car accidents, financial problems leading to disappearances. There are plenty of options.”
A beat passes, but I can see the slow ripple of acceptance sweeping through the room. Even I can admit it’s a good strategy, with the exception of Romeo being involved.
“Why don’t we put it to a vote?” Abella suggests.
Murmurs of agreement echo around the table. Unsurprisingly, everyone votes in favor of the change.
“Alright, let’s plan on reconvening our monthly meetings,” Mariella says. “If anything else comes up in the interim, I’ll let you know.”
Chatter fills the room as I rise on stiff legs and push in my chair. When I turn around, Romeo’s standing so close I nearly collide with him.
“Don’t worry, short stack.” He plucks the lollipop from my hand and slides it into his mouth. “You won’t have to see me…much.”
An unwanted spark of heat flares as I watch him suck on the same candy I just did.
“Why are you being weird?” I peer up at him suspiciously. “Did you come here and poison that before the meeting, knowing I would take it?”
“You caught me,” he answers dryly. “That was my grand plan. Poison you first, then I’ll eat the rest. We’ll go out together.”
Okay, well, he has me there. But still, he usually avoids me like the plague. After the penthouse incident, and now this, it seems like he’s going out of his way to throw me off balance.
His eyes track over my body in a slow, controlled scan, like he’s deciding what to use against me next.
“I see you wore your tiny stilts today.” He bumps his boot against my white shoe. “Wondering what it’s like to be a member of the five-foot club?”
I glance down at my platform sneakers and frown. “I’m already five feet, thank you very much.”
“Sure you are.”
I shouldn’t take the bait, but sometimes, I can’t help myself.
“It must be hard for you when the only thing you have going for you is your height. But at least it’s something, I guess.”
It’s a blatant lie, but it gives me a moment of satisfaction.
He might be my mortal enemy, and there’s no denying that Romeo Vitale is slightly deranged and perpetually moody. But he’s also talented, far too intelligent for his own good, and devastatingly hot.
“Look at you testing out your kitten claws.” A hint of a smile teases his lips. “If only you got so fired up when you talk to everyone else.”
“I’m not fired up.” My cheeks heat.
“You look pretty fired up to me.” His eyes glint with dark interest. “Or is it just hot in here?”
My brain short-circuits trying to think of a clever response, and it only annoys me more—because now he’s winning.
This whole conversation is bizarre, and I don’t know why he’s even talking to me. He usually hovers around the perimeter in social settings, brooding, glaring, or tossing me the occasional insult if I’m in his vicinity.
This feels different, and it ramps up my paranoia. I wonder if he sensed me pulling back, and now he’s just going out of his way to get under my skin.
It doesn’t help that he keeps sucking on my lollipop. I’m tempted to steal it back from him, but before I can, Abella interrupts.
“Hey, Gabs. You ready to have that talk now?”