Page 65 of Romeo

“I spoke with his security guard about an hour ago.He’s stationed at his door and will notify me if he sees anything suspicious.”

“That’s good.”Her tone is level, lacking all emotion.She takes another bite of her pizza.

“We’ll be heading back to the ranch tomorrow,” Elliot says.“After the meeting with Dodger.”

I could kill him for the look that name brings to Jules’s face.

“Dodger?”Eyes wide, she looks from Elliot to me.“What do you mean, ‘after the meeting with Dodger’?”

I glare at Elliot.He at least looks a little flush.And since I didn’t go into specifics with any of my brothers about who he is and what he’s done, I can’t exactly blame him.It’s not as though he would have known to expect a reaction from her.

“We have reason to believe he might have something to do with this.”

“No.Absolutely not.”Jules shoves up from her chair and storms out of the room.

“Jules!”I call out then get up and head after her.“Bleib,”I order Romeo as he stands.Stay.

“Sorry, man, I didn’t know,” Elliot says as I walk past him.

“It’ll be fine.”I rush up the stairs after her, making it to her door right before she readies to close it.“Jules, will you hear me out?”

“I trusted you,” she growls, emerald gaze full of fire.“I’venevertold anyone other than Odie about what happened, and Itrusted you.It’s been less than a day and you told your entire family!”She starts to shut the door in my face, but I slam my palm against it.

“First of all, I didn’t break your trust.I didn’t tell them a single part of what you told me, aside from the fact that I wanted information on him because he was a friend of your grandfather’s and also a pervert.I told themnothingabout your past with him.”

A bit of the anger dissipates from her face.“You didn’t.”

“No.”

She releases the door and takes a step back, so I move just past the threshold.“Then why are you going to see him?”

“He’s gearing up to announce his candidacy for governor.People who do that don’t want their secrets coming to light.”

I can see the moment the realization dawns on her face.Her eyes widen in horror, and she covers her mouth with both hands.“You don’t think—but my grandfather didn’t know.”

“He doesn’t know that.For all he knows, you told him.”

“No.No.He and my grandfather still saw each other from time to time afterward, Riley.He wouldn’t have suspected anything.”

“Then maybe your grandfather found out about it somehow.”

“He would have told me.”

“Would he have?”I ask her.“If he believed you’d moved past it, why would he want to bring you right back into it?”

She opens her mouth to respond then shuts it again.

I take a step closer.“The last thing I want to do is hurt you, Jules, or throw you back into the viper pit that is your past.But my gut tells me he has something to do with this.And if he does, we need to know.”

“And if he doesn’t, then you’ve just faced off with my own, personal boogeyman.”

“He doesn’t scare me.”

“He terrifies me,” she replies instantly.

I move in even closer, stopping only when I’m about a foot away from her.“He won’t ever touch you again, Jules.And I’m going to tell you right now that, if I can find a way to get him locked up for the rest of his life, I will.Even though he deservesso muchworse for everything he put you through.”

Chapter23