Page 48 of Don’t Break My Heart (Secrets of Ravens Hollow #3)

He takes a step back from me and hands me my underwear. “You need to get dressed or I’m throwing you back on the bed.”

I see it in his eyes, he’s not joking. All this back and forth has him turned on again. I step into them and then pull on my dress. Romeo zips it up my back for me. “It’s more fun when I get to help you out of your clothes.”

“I’m sure.” I study him, wondering if he’s trying to distract me from my original question. “What’s happening with Valentine? I thought when Orlando found out he tried to kill me he would have taken him out for sure.”

“Oh, you can bet we all fucking wanted to. He might be our flesh and blood, but you’re our girl and…” He runs a hand through his hair. “That motherfucker deserves all he’s about to get.”

“About to get?”

“It’s not as simple as just eliminating him. Orlando has to work with him through the takeover or those women you want to save could be killed in the process.”

My heart kicks up a beat, imagining what Orlando is dealing with back in Italy. If he is even safe working so closely with Valentine. “Has he shut down that club yet?”

“It’s no longer operating in the capacity it was.”

I narrow my eyes, needing more information and he damn well knows it. “What happens to the women they had working there?”

“They have been put into safe houses, Orlando has doctors seeing to them, and some have already been returned to their families.”

Relief washes over me. I half expected him to say there is nothing they can do or some shit like that, but to know they are actually doing something, doing what I wanted to all along, is a comfort. “Daisy?” I ask, desperate to know she’s okay in all of this.

“With Dante and their parents in the country. Our men are guarding them until Orlando finishes what he’s started.” He takes my hand in his as we walk out of the room. “He’s doing everything he can, doll face, I promise.”

We walk hand in hand toward my office, my stomach churning as I think over what he just told me.

Orlando is putting my plan into place. He’s not evil like his papa or brother.

Part of me thought him taking on that top position would change him, would bring out the depraved side lurking just below the surface, but it hasn’t.

Even in my absence, he’s doing what he can to help.

Romeo swipes his card to let us into my office.

“I have something that might help.” I move straight over to my bag and pull out the check that Commissioner Sedgwick gave me.

“Harley has this idea that maybe we can set up a clinic like hers in Italy. That and maybe we change the way the clubs run so they are set up more like this place. Do you think this might help to fund some of those ideas?” I hand him the check.

“Where did you get this?” He looks me over, confused, and I almost want to laugh, because there just might be a few little things he doesn’t know about me after all.

“I visited my auntie the other day. Apparently, it’s from the sale of my family’s estate. She’s been hanging on to it for years in the hope she would eventually find me.”

He raises a brow. “This is a lot of money, Sloane, it could change your life.”

“I have everything I need. I want to make a difference, Romeo.”

He offers me a slight smile then pulls me into him, kissing my lips. “This is why we all love you. You’re so selfless. Always putting others in front of your own needs.”

“That’s not what Reef thinks.”

“Reef was upset.”

“Reef was right, I have been selfish. I wasn’t thinking about what you all needed, I was only thinking about helping those girls. ”

“I love how much you care about others, Sloane. You’re not selfish, you can just be very focused and then you don’t see what’s happening around you. You need us to help with the bigger picture, like keeping you safe while you save the world. That’s what Reef was getting at.”

My head drops as I think back to his furious expression as he sped out of the parking lot the other morning. “I have never seen him so angry before. Not with me, anyway.”

“I have. He’ll get over it, he just needs time to process. It’s hard when you’re the one always trying to keep everyone else happy. It can’t last forever; eventually reality kicks you in the ass. He’s just lying low while he licks his wounds. He will come around when he’s ready.”

“What the fuck did you do to him, or shouldn’t I ask?”

“We have been together a long time, Sloane. I have pissed him off on occasion.”

“I bet.” I huff out a laugh.

“Don’t be a smartass or I might just have to bend you over your desk and fuck the attitude right out of you.”

“You have done enough fucking me for today. Now I need to catch up.” I pull out my desk chair and sit down before he can make good on his warning.

“I’ll go get us some dinner. What do you feel like?”

“Your choice. But can you get something for Onyx as well? I know he hasn’t been looking after himself since we got home.”

He raises a brow. “You’re trusting me to pick your dinner?” He smiles cheekily.

“You’re good with food.” I smirk back.

“Italian it is, I know it’s your favorite.” Now he’s full-on grinning back at me.

He goes to leave, but as he does, I have one more question for him. “What’s wrong with his grandma? ”

“Cancer, she’s pretty sick. She’s the only family he has, and he didn’t find her until a few years ago.”

“Oh.” It’s all I can say. I’m so sad for him. “He has you and Onyx.”

“And you, if you will stop being so stubborn and go knock on his door instead of just stalking him every morning before work.”

My eyes narrow. “You know about that?”

“You’re hardly discreet, doll face. And you know Reef is a detective, right? If he didn’t see you spying on him, I would be worried.”

I smirk back at him, knowing he’s right. I’m nearly as bad as Orlando.