Page 57 of Royal Desire

Her words sit in her throat too long before she finally whispers, “Murder.”

I sit here stunned and grip her tighter. “He framed you for murder?”

She barely nods, but it’s a confirmation.

“Fuck.”

“Yeah.” She licks her lips and sniffles. “Fuck is right. Now you know why I’m running.”

“This is unbelievable. What kind of so-called evidence does he have?”

“I was at the scene of a murder. It was an audition. After I left Enzo’s bar, he made my life miserable. No one would hire me. I could barely land an audition. And when I followed up on any audition I did get, everyone ghosted me. Once that happened a few times, I knew it wasn’t a coincidence. Enzo knew my every step and made sure I had no work. Hell, I couldn’t even get a job waiting tables. I could barely afford food and definitely couldn’t make rent. My life was falling apart just because Enzo Caruso set his sights on me and refused to give up.”

I can’t tear my eyes away from her terrified blues. “So you came home.”

“I’m sorry.” Her tears start to flow again. These feel different than the ones before. “I know you hate me because I left with no word. You’ve made a life here and deserve to live it without running into me on every corner. But I had no choice. I had nowhere else to go. I had no job, no money, and the Mafia knew my every move. It was a miracle I got out at all.”

I force myself to breathe. “I don’t hate you.”

Her eyes flare, and her words come out on a sob. “You don’t?”

I let go of her hands and claim her face. “Fine. I hated you ... for a few years. Then I made myself hate you when you first got back. But I can’t think about the past. You’re Ruby. My Ruby. I’m good at doing hard things. But hating you was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life.”

She rolls her lips in, and I feel her tension as I sit here and hold her face in my hands. “I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

I brush my thumb over the swell of her cheek. “I know what you’re going to do. I’m going to pour you another tequila, and you’re going to tell me every single thing about the murder and every piece of evidence he thinks he has on you. I’ll take it from there.”

She shakes her head. “No. I can’t drag you into this. You don’t want the Carusos to know who you are—especially Enzo.”

I feel my lips tug at the corners, but there’s not one ounce of pleasure behind the act. “Two things, Ruby. Enzo Caruso will never threaten you again, and you’re not going down for a crime you didn’t commit. I won’t allow either to happen.”

She pulls in a deep breath. “I shouldn’t accept your help. I don’t deserve it.”

“No, what you don’t deserve is that shithead Mafia fuck blackmailing you into marrying him or to go down for a crime you didn’t commit. We’ll talk about the rest later.”

She finally gives in. “Thank you.”

I want to pull her to me and kiss her. I want to carry her to the bedroom, bury myself inside her, and forget the last twelve years ever happened. Hell, at this point, I’d give my right nut just to make her smile.

Well, maybe not that.

But pretty much anything else.

“You need to let me go. I’m about to pee my pants.”

I huff an exhale and smile for real this time. Those basic words take me back to another time in another life. How many times have I heard her say that?

I don’t let go of her. I grip her face tighter. “I don’t hate you. Whatever happened in the past, I don’t care.”

She looks like she doesn’t believe me.

I go on. “Find the bathroom. I’ll get the tequila. Then you need to get to the nitty gritty of your story.”

“Okay.”

I finally let go of her and watch her walk to the guest bath off the hall. I don’t waste any time and pull my phone out to text Eli.

Me – Tell your guy not to leave New York City. I have leads that I need more information on.