Page 61 of Romeo

I chuckled and quipped, “Me either.”

She actually laughed.

I patted her hand. “I’m glad to see you smile again. But you need to be honest with me here.”

She stared at me with worry in her eyes.

“Whatever's been bothering you,” I said. “You need to tell me about it.”

Nodding her head, she sighed. “I know and I already decided that I need to. It happened after I arrived here, so I never meant to deceive anyone.”

I stared into her eyes and asked, “Deceive?”

“What are you saying?” a voice cut in.

We looked up to see my father standing over us.

Looking upset, Julianna said, “I found something out recently and then when I arrived here…Well, I realized my life and what you are dealing with were connected.” She turned her head to look at me. “And it doesn’t have anything to do with being with you.”

I paused and shook my head. “What?” I really didn’t understand what she just said.

She patted my hand and went on, “I know it’s confusing, but I got caught up in this awful twist of fate and I didn’t know what to do about it.”

“So explain it to me,” I urged. “And not in parables please? What does this twist have to do with?” I asked her.

“My family,” she replied.

“We vetted you thoroughly, Ms. Regatta,” my father stated. “Before hiring you as an attorney. We found no red flags or anything suspicious within your family.”

“I know. It isn’t a dangerous situation. I swear it isn’t. Also, I’m not even sure it’s true. I just don’t know yet.”

“What is it that you don’t know?” my father asked. He looked as confused as I felt.

Tears filled her eyes as she looked from him to me. She opened her mouth to reply.

“Jarret has arrived,” Logan announced from the table.

Redemption and Legend were helping a tall man through the door. Each man had one of his arms over their shoulder.

My father turned his head and motioned to the large sofa. “Set him down there.”

Glory came through the door and hurried behind the men.

Liv rushed over and stood by the sofa to help.

Jarret fussed at them, “I’m fine. I’m fine.”

“No, you're not, Dad,” Glory argued. “Legend says you were drugged up and have bruises all over you.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Jarret retorted. “I was kidnapped, baby girl. That stuff is bound to happen.”

Legend and Redemption carefully lowered Jarret down onto the leather sofa.

Sitting next to him, Glory grabbed his hand. “Tell me the truth here, Dad. How do you really feel?” She looked worried.

He grunted and shook his head. “They tranqed me. Then when I was almost awake, that woman had them drug me down again. I came to once and tried to escape and that’s when I got the bruises. Finally when I woke up today, I was in a fucking coffin. How do you think I feel?”

Glory laughed and shook her head.