After reviewing the script, I was also surprised I hadn’t noticed the error.Hindsight was always 20/20.Even so, it proved my feelings for Juliet were truly clouding my judgment, intellect, and sanity.
I’d wanted to pay Shado for the job. But he wouldn’t let me. All he’d wanted in return was permission to use my script. I’d thought he meant to use it to find the girl he’d been searching for. However, the whole point of Shado going on leave was because he’d already found her.
Therefore, his wanting to use the script surprised me. I’d asked why he needed it. Apparently, his girl had another stalker,other than him. And Shado was trying to hunt the bastard down.
I’d given him permission to use it whenever he needed. Hell, he could’ve used it without telling me. But Shado, though insane, had always lived by a code. I’d loved having him work for us.
The kid could break into anything and hack anyone. However, I had a feeling that now that he’d found the girl he’d grown up with in the orphanage, he wouldn’t be returning to Mississippi anytime soon.
Couldn’t say I blamed him. I was glad he’d found the person he’d been looking for. I didn’t know how she felt about that, though. I should’ve asked him. But right now, I needed to worry about how my own woman would feel when I found her.
Considering the only way for me to find her was to have herhackme again, I’d say she couldn’t be too upset. She’d started this. She couldn’t blame me for wanting to continue it. My eyes roamed over the pictures of Blossom.
Zooming out inch by inch, I studied her shape, her curves, the way she carried herself. In most of her pics, she posed with her head tilted to the right. It seemed to be a habit. A habit I’d noticed Juliet had during our video chats as well.
They appeared to be the same size, same shape, and said some of the same phrases. Plus, they were both busy with work. I’d be a fool not to be suspicious. Yet, I also felt like a fool for being suspicious.
This wasn’t like me. I was the type of person who focused on facts and evidence. I didn’t let emotions cloud my judgment. Yet, since the first time she’d hacked me, I’d been doing just that.
My jaw tightened. All I had now was suspicions. I needed evidence to support or refute them. I’d planned to test out my suspicions a couple of nights ago. Juliet had promised to finish watching the anime with me, but she hadn’t kept that promise.
The first night she ghosted me, I told myself she was busy and maybe too tired to contact me. After all, she’d sounded stressed from work when we talked. I was working on my patience because I knew it was important in relationships.
The second night, I told myself something must have come up. Life happened. She didn’t owe me every minute of her time, even though the possessive bastard inside me disagreed.
That’s why I sent the script to Shado, asking for his help. Desperate times called for desperate measures. Tonight, I was done lying to myself about why she ghosted me. Either Juliet was pulling away from me again, or I had spooked her.
Because if Blossom Brooks was Juliet With Curves, then walking into her floral shop might have scared her enough to make her want to avoid me. I hadn’t meant to scare her. I hadn’t even known it was her. If it was her.Fuck. This guessing game was going to drive me insane.
“Rome,” Cas called, tapping the counter in front of me.
I glanced up from my phone.
“You plan on drinking that, or are you going to keep staring at your phone like it holds all the answers to the universe?” heasked. “Everyone else is already on their second glass, and you haven’t touched your first.”
Oh, right.
They’d called me out to drink and chat. Well, more like drink and show off how in love they were. I should probably pretend I was interested in being here. I set my phone facedown on the bar and reached for the drink.
“Have you been listening to us?” Cas asked.
“Of course,” I drawled, swirling the amber liquid in my glass, causing the ice to clink.
“No, you haven’t,” Leo stated, tone laced with amusement.
Raz’s eyes narrowed slightly as he studied me. “You’ve been quiet.”
“I’m always quiet.”
“Not this quiet,” Cas pointed out.
I took a sip of my drink. The whiskey burned its way down my throat. I welcomed the bite. It gave me something to focus on besides the woman who hadn’t contacted me in three days and the florist who was haunting my waking and sleeping hours.
“I’m healing,” I told them. “I’m allowed to be quiet.”
Raz’s gaze dipped briefly to my shoulder. “How’s the pain?”
“Manageable.”
