AllFreeNovel
Share Us
My eyes meet hers, and I exhale. “Romeo… Romeo North.”
Her mouth drops open as she pulls away from me like she can’t believe what she hears.
Not ideal.
“Are you fucking kidding me? Rome? I would haveneverrecognized you. Did you know all this time, who I was?”
Dropping my chin, I let out a heavy sigh. “Yes… I did.”
She scoffs out a laugh and stands, then starts pacing. “Why on earth didn’t you tell me?”
Standing, I walk over and reach out, grabbing her arm to stop her from pacing. “I don’t know. I didn’t want you thinking I came to NOLA because of yo—”
“Did you?”
“No. There was an opportunity to see another city, and I took it. You being here is an added bonus.”
She turns from my grip and begins pacing again. “Jesus, Rome. You hid this from me because you know how bad this is.”
“We haven’t done anything wrong, Ingrid. All I’ve done is take care of you when you’ve needed me.”
She snaps her head around, glaring at me. “You’re my dead husband’s best friend’s son. Tell me again how we haven’t done anything wrong?”
With a sigh, I reach for her hands and hold them tight. “Ingrid,wehaven’t doneanythingat all.”
“How you’re looking at me right now tells me differently.” She drops her hands from mine. “I need you to leave.”
My chest squeezes with tension as I try to fight the urge to race forward and fucking kiss her.
Show her that it’s going to be fine.
But I don’t.
I’ll give her what she needs.
I won’t have Ingrid uncomfortable in her own home.
“I’m gonna go because I don’t want to stress you out. But I need you to keep icing your breast every few hours. The lasagna should be ready in about twenty minutes, and there’ll be enough for a couple of meals. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I should have. I just… I just didn’t want you to see me as that weak little boy anymore.”
She slumps her shoulders as I turn to leave. “You wereneverweak, Rome,” she urges as I head for the door.
But she is wrong.
So fucking wrong.
Because I feel weak as fuck right now.
If I were areal man, I would stay.
Demand that I look after her.
But my position at the club is at hand, and if I anger Hurricane for any reason, I’ll be on the road back to LA before I know what’s happening.
“Take care of yourself, angel.” I pull the door open and step out, but her hand on my back startles me.
“Romeo, just for the record… I don’t see you as that little boy anymore. You’ve grown into an amazing strong man, and while you may be twenty-eight years younger than me, the age gap doesn’t feel so huge when I’m alone with you.”
My eyes meet hers. “The thing is, Ingrid, I don’t notice the age gap at all. I see you… just as you are. Your age… my age, it doesn’t matter. I like you as a woman, not as a number.”
