Page 92 of Jude

‘Hey, we’re close to getting a spousal visa for Sofia, but we need her to travel out of the country for it. It’s a federal requirement.’

I sighed.

‘Look, I’ll put my thinking cap on and call you back with options, thanks, mate.’

I hung up, mulling the matter.

Driving home that evening, navigating the winding roads, a thought hit me.

What if I took Sofia on the tour with me? Give her a flavor of life on the road, but also help her sort out her paperwork?

I’d need to have a couple of chats with Brian and Mason to firm things up, but the plan made more sense with every moment I thought about it.

‘Genius,’ I told myself, my mind in deep planning mode.

SOFIA

It took a few days after my disastrous wedding-ring fiasco for the embarrassment to fade.

I surrendered and let go of the outcome, and my mood went back up.

I was humming as I dried dishes when Jude strode into the kitchen with a stack of documents.

He set the folders onto the marble island, his green eyes meeting mine with his quiet intensity that always made my pulse quicken.

‘Hey,’ he rasped.

‘Hi. What’s all this?’

His lips quirked.

‘We’re heading to Europe in a few weeks.’

I paused, a towel dangling from my fingers as I processed his words.

‘For your next tour over summer?’

‘Six Sinners is going, yes,’ Jude replied. ‘But so are you. This isn’t just a holiday. My attorneys applied for a spousal visa, but the only way it’ll be granted is if the residency documents are stamped at an embassy abroad. We’ve got your Italian passport. So it makes sense that you come with me for the Euro tour and lock in your legal status at the same time. Two birds, one stone.’

A sudden, cold knot tightened in my gut, choking out the initial spark of excitement.

‘Italy?’ I whispered, my fingers gripping the edge of the marble counter.

My eyes searched his face, jolting with fear.

‘Jude, the Compagni Syndicate is based in Italy. What if someone sees me? What if Dario -?’

Jude closed the remaining distance between us.

He reached out, his calloused hand coming up to cup the back of my neck.

His thumb stroked my jawline.

‘Listen to me,’ he growled, sending arcs of feeling down my spine. ‘We’ll have an elite security detail on us twenty-four-seven. Private security, armored transport, no loose ends. And we’re landing in Rome. The Compagni built their empire from Naples and Milan; they have no foothold in Rome. I checked with my investigator at the firm.’

His jade eyes narrowed as my heart hammered.

‘Besides,’ he rumbled, his grip on the nape of my neck tightening just enough to pull me an inch closer, ‘you’ve seen what I do to people who step out of line. You’re my wife now, Sofia. If anyone so much as lays a single finger on you, they won’t live long enough to regret it. You’re safe with me. Period.’