AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Juliette?” he asks, looking at my undressed form under a sheet and over to Roman, wearing nothing but the jeans he was wearing earlier. “What the hell is going on?”
I can’t find the words to ask him what he’s doing here. Or how he even knew this was the place to find me when he went looking for me?
“Chandry said that she thought she saw you come over here, but I would’ve never guessed to find you here— with him,” he says, the last two words on a snarl.
“Look, Ben,” Roman starts to say but stops when I reach for his hand from the bed.
“Ben,” I sigh in frustration. “This isn’t how I wanted you to find out about Roman and me, but I guess it’s good that it’s finally out there.”
“You betrayed me.”
I roll my eyes. “I didn’t fall in love with him on purpose. It just happened.”
“You’re in love with him?” he nearly shouts in surprise.
“I know what you must be feeling right now,” Roman says.
The anger in Ben’s eyes flares. I try to jump up from the bed to put myself between them, but my foot gets caught in the sheet, and I nearly topple over. Roman is quick to catch and steady me.
“Don’t touch her,” Ben yells and shoves Roman in the shoulder.
“What the hell is your problem?” Roman yells back.
“My problem is that you keep getting in my way. First professionally with this place.” He gestures around the room. “And now, personally. I won’t let you hurt my sister in your twisted way of trying to mess with me.”
“I’ve never tried to mess with you. Since day one, I’ve tried time and again to build a rapport with you.” He turns from Ben to me. “As for what I’m doing with Juliette—”
“We’re in love,” I blurt out.
“No.” Ben shakes his head. “You’ve only just met one another.”
“We’ve been dating for the last week,” I correct my brother. “We were matched on a dating site. I didn’t do this to hurt you. That was never my intent.”
“I still don’t like it.”
“You don’t have to. But this is happening with or without your blessing.” I reach over and take Roman’s hand in mine. “I know that you’ve been consumed with the bar, but it’s taken over your life in an unhealthy way. You need to find a way to separate yourself. Mom and Dad wouldn’t want you to act like this.”
Ben’s shoulders slump in defeat. “I know you’re right, but I don’t know what to do.”
“You can start by letting me help you out more on the business side of things. I can do more than just assistant work for you. And together, we can find success.”
The almost permanent crease in my brother’s furrowed brow loosens for the first time since I’ve been back home living with him. I knew he was stressed, but it’s only at this moment that I realize just how much pressure he’s been putting on himself.
“You’re right,” Ben sighs and runs his fingers through his hair. “But I’m going to need some time when it comes to you two.”
I don’t miss the side-eyed look he gives Roman before turning and walking out. Neither of us says anything until the door shuts behind him.
“I’m so sorry about that,” I say.
Roman chuckles and shakes his head. “I thought he was going to throw a punch at me.”
“Me too.”
Roman pulls me into his arms and rests his forehead against mine. “He’ll come around. You’ll see.”
“I hope so because you and I are a packaged deal.”
He tilts his head to press a gentle kiss against my lips. “Always.”
