Page 18 of Romeo

I think back to that day—from the time I woke up and made my grandfather and me breakfast.Eggs and toast.We ate together as we read, something we did every morning.He’d been reading a mystery, and I was reading a romance novel between a private security expert and his client.

“It was a relatively normal day,” I tell him.“I made breakfast, and we ate.Then he went up to his study to work on his book.”

“He was writing a book?”

I nod.“He’d been working on it for a decade, but since he’d officially retired from acting, he was taking it seriously.”

“What were you doing while he was upstairs?”

“Cleaning,” I tell him.“He fired his cleaning lady two weeks before—that was one of the strange things.She’d been with the family for nearly twenty years, but he let her go.I took over her job.”

Riley studies me as though it’s a shock I know how to dust.“So you spent the day cleaning?”

“And doing laundry.”I try not to be offended.After all, he hasn’t hidden how he sees me.‘Red-carpet princess’ is what he’d called me.Little does he know I haven’t been seen as a princess in a long, long time.

I swallow hard, that all-too-familiar darkness tugging at me again.

“You are not defined by your past.”I repeat my grandfather’s words to myself, my way of beating the darkness back in place.

“And nothing seemed off?”

“My brother had come by the house, but that was typical for a Wednesday,” I tell him.“Odie would come by, and they’d have a financial meeting.Odie was more frustrated than usual, though.”

“How so?”

I narrow my gaze as I recall the anger on my brother’s face as he left the house.“He just looked angry.I asked him about it, and he said that our grandfather was just getting stubborn in his old age.Then he told me I missed a spot on the floor.”

“He told you that you missed a spot?”

“Odie and I have a strained relationship, Mr.Hunt.It’s been that way for as long as I can remember.He’s a couple years older than me, and I think we just never really connected.”

“He seemed pretty worried about you when he came here.”

“Sure.I’m the only family he has left.Just like he’s mine.No matter how rough our relationship is, we’ll make it work because of that.”

Riley nods.

“Have you told him that you found me?”I’ve been half expecting him to charge through the doors to check me out and usher me off to some off-the-map facility until I’m once again presentable enough to bear the Landers name.

“No.I told him that I would check in when I had something to share.”

“Why?You were pretty ready to call him before.”

“I don’t have all the pieces,” Riley says.“And the more I learn, the more I’m convinced he’s not telling me everything.”

Chapter8

Riley

Sweat beads along my skin as I finish the ten-mile run I’d set out to do as soon as I set foot in the gym.The treadmill is never my first choice, but I wanted to be near my truck just in case I’m needed at the hospital.

Nova is there now, sitting in Jules’s room to ensure she remains safe.I don’t believe whoever is after her will be able to track us here—at least not easily—but I’m taking no chances.This isn’t the first contract killer I’ve dealt with.I know how they think.Eventually, he’ll find us here.

I just hope he’s apprehended before that time comes.

After taking a drink of my water, I wrap my hands and head for the heavy bag in the corner.I’d boxed for Team Army near the beginning of my enlistment, but after losing my temper in the heat of a fight, I stepped away.Now, the bag is the only thing I’ll fight.Unless, of course, I’m fighting for my life or the life of someone else.

I slam my fist into the bag, and it swings.