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“Geoffrey pursued Sven for months before he hired him to help with his case. The constant contact wore poor Sven down,” Dom said with a shake of his head.
“Sven doesn’t look so poor and unhappy with Geoffrey.”
Dom cackled, straightening so that he was holding the back of the chair. “Sven is on cloud nine with the G-man, but if you’re looking for the same kind of thing with Royce, I think you’re going to be disappointed.”
“Why?”
Dom shrugged and looked uncomfortable for the first time. “Royce isn’t the dating type. I’ve known him for a couple of years now. He doesn’t talk about himself, but I’ve never gotten the impression that he dates. Or has fun. Not much into laughing either.”
“So, it’s not just because I’m a client? He doesn’t talk to anyone?”
“The only person I’ve seen him talk to is Quinn. Treats him like a little brother.” Dom shifted and lifted one eyebrow at Marc. “But don’t think you can get any information out of Quinn. He’s super protective of Royce.”
Marc closed his laptop with a sharp snap and leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. “I don’t want you or anyone else to tell me about Royce. I want Royce to share things with me because he trusts me. I have to earn it. And maybe he won’t ever want to date me. Maybe he’ll only ever see me as a client. That’s fine. But I’d at least like to get a shot. Spend some time with him when he isn’t required to be with me.”
“That’s cool. You seem like a nice guy. I just don’t want you to get hurt hoping for some roses and happily ever after with Royce. I…I just don’t think he’s into that kind of thing.”
“Not everyone is,” Marc murmured to himself. His own experiences hadn’t given him any glimpses at a happily ever after or even a happily for now. If he had any sense, he would listen to the hint that Dom was trying to politely give him and put these hopes aside.
And maybe Dom was right…for now.
His main concern was Royce and making sure that everything was okay with him and his family. He just wasn’t sure how he was going to accomplish that when Royce was determined to keep him at arm’s length.Chapter TenRoyce parked a block away and watched Café Mediterranean through binoculars, his gut roiling with fury. His uncle was certainly not trying to be discreet with the row of parked SUVs blocking nearly everything but the red roof. Because they were parked at an angle, none of the bright blue of the umbrellas and wall showed between them, but Royce was familiar with the restaurant. He might have grown up on American cuisine from his mother, but he’d loved the dishes his father had introduced from his family when he’d been young.
No movement showed in the cars, so it looked like Corbin’s entourage was inside with him.
The man hadn’t changed. Always had to make an entrance.
Royce had been twelve the last time he’d seen his uncle, and the memory of his grief and fury at Royce’s father’s funeral had burned the image so deeply into his brain, it almost destroyed other…hard memories. He’d been mostly protected from the Karras family’s activities because he’d been so young, but he’d been a precocious kid who didn’t often do what he was told, and he’d walked into a few iffy situations. One of those had angered his uncle so badly, he’d snatched Royce by the arm to pull him out of a restaurant and broken it.
That was the angriest he’d ever seen his father. Alesandro had broken his brother’s nose that day. And as angry as Royce remembered Corbin being, he had felt bad for breaking his arm. That hadn’t stopped him from threatening worse if Royce talked about what he’d seen in that restaurant. A man, bloody, beaten, and begging for his life.
A man who showed up in the news as missing days later.
Royce set down the binoculars and rubbed his eyes. He needed to come across as cool and unaffected in there—not ready to punch through walls. He couldn’t think of one reason why his uncle was causing trouble. Not now. He thought back to the phone call, to Corbin bringing up Marc. The wave of anger and fear that rolled through him made him nauseous. If that man went anywhere near Marc…
The strength of his fury and fear shocked him. Made him realize he couldn’t keep this to himself. Not only should he have called someone in to watch his back, but he should have told Dominic where he was going. It was just not easy for him to trust. To reach out.
He rolled his eyes as he dialed Quinn.
“Hey! How’s the boyfriend gig going?” Quinn’s cheerful voice brought him a small measure of relief.
