AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Romero has never stopped watching you. There were times when myself or another kept an eye on you as well. Didn’t you ever wonder why you were never arrested for being a minor living on her own? Or attacked? He knew you needed to find your own way. That at some point you’d come back. It damn near killed him to do little more than observe you floating from place to place. It may not seem like it, but he cares for you. One might argue a little too much. But I will do as you ask. The money will be deposited into your bank account the morning following our rendezvous.”
I sucked in sharply and breathed a gust of relief. “Thank you.”
“What time does your last class finish tomorrow?” Kieran asked, the smile returning to his voice.
It sounded mischievous and sensual, making it impossible not to blush again.
“Three o’clock,” I answered.
“I’ll pick you up. See you tomorrow.”
The line went dead.
My eyes widened. What had I just done?
* * *
I groaned when my alarm went off. Rolling over, I grabbed my phone and silenced the irritating sound. Slowly, I pulled myself out of bed and dressed for the day.
When my hair was gently curled and my eyes done in a smoky sweep of charcoal and silver, I made my way downstairs, stopping dead at the entrance to the kitchen.
Romero stood at the counter, shirtless, facing the window as he poured coffee into two cups. His back and biceps flexed with each subtle movement and I watched, transfixed.
“Morning,” he rumbled.
I blinked, clearing the fog from my brain. “Morning.”
He turned, holding out a steaming cup of coffee for me. My eyes snagged on the chiseled perfection that was his body, following the subtle V that quite literally looked like an arrow directing my gaze lower.
Romero cleared his throat. I took the coffee, sipping the near-scalding liquid in hopes of hiding the way my cheeks burned.
“I got you something for your first day,” he said before turning back to the counter, allowing me a slight reprieve. When he spun to face me again, however, he held out a key fob attached to a Mercedes keychain.
My brows shot up. “Um, what?”
“It’s outside. I hope you like the color. I had it custom painted for you. Now you won’t have to ride that nasty bus anymore. Insurance is paid for an entire year and there’s a gas card in the glove box.”
I tuned him out, marching for the door. Already I felt anger and shame mix together, creating a volatile combination that could explode at any moment.
The car that sat in the driveway sparkled in the morning sunlight, a sunny yellow. My favorite color. It was brand-new and, I knew, way too damn expensive.
“No,” I said, shaking my head. I stormed back inside the house.
No way was I accepting the car. Not when I was about to betray his trust and go behind his back to sleep with his friend, then take the money and disappear from his world forever.
I couldn’t do it. I wouldn’t.
Chapter Seventeen
JULIETTA
Romero leaned against the countertop, looking like a model. His dark hair was rumpled with sleep, but it only managed to add to his sexy visage.
He sipped his mug of coffee, eyeing me over the rim. My thinly leashed rage was threatening to snap the more I stared at his calm demeanor.
“I’m not taking that car.” I crossed my arms over my chest to emphasize my point.
“And why is that, niña?”
