Page 47 of Romeo

Me: Go be charming.

Ma Belle: Apparently that’s your job

Me: You noticed.

The conversation ended there. I stared at her last message for a moment before locking my phone. The flirtation should’ve distracted me.

It didn’t.

Some man had been asking when she got off work.

I walked down the hall toward King’s office. The light beneath his door was on, and I pushed it open without knocking.

King looked up from the paperwork spread across his desk, irritation flashing across his face. “Something I can help you with, Romeo?”

“I need to go out of town,” I said, stepping into the office. “A few days. Maybe a week.”

His pen stopped above the page. “Where?”

I leaned one shoulder against the doorframe. “Don’t ask.”

His eyebrows went up, and the look he gave me made it clear exactly what he thought of that answer. “That’s not how this works.”

“I know.”

The silence stretched between us. King studied me for a few seconds before setting the pen down and leaning back in his chair.

“You in trouble?” he asked.

“No.”

“You about to be?”

I considered the question for half a second. “Not if I handle it right.”

King rubbed a hand over his face. “Jesus Christ, Romeo. You’re asking me to let you disappear for a week without telling me where you’re going or why. You know how that looks?”

“I do.”

“And you’re still not going to tell me.”

“No.”

His jaw worked as he stared at me. I could almost see him deciding how badly he wanted to argue about it.

“When are you leaving?” he finally asked.

“Soon as I’m done talking to you.”

“Jesus Christ.” He leaned back from the desk, the chair rolling several inches beneath the force of it. “Fine. But you check in. Every fucking day. And if this blows back on the club⁠—”

“It won’t,” I cut in.

King pointed at me. “If I get a call from some sheriff or rival MC asking questions, you better have a damn good explanation ready.”

“I will.”

He jerked his chin toward the hallway. “Get the fuck out of my office.”