Page 34 of From Rome, With Hate

Her heated gaze falls to my mouth as she inhales a sharp gasp.

I can’t help staring at her pretty pink lips, knowing there was once a time I couldn’t stop dreaming about them, wishing and hoping I’d never have to tear my mouth from hers. She was all I ever wanted. Now, we can’t seem to escape one another, no matter how hard we’ve tried over the years.

Sensing my shift in tone, she asks on a whisper, “Why are you now agreeing to the divorce? Tell me the truth, Rome, if you’re even capable of it.”

I curl my mouth, still in awe of how sharp her tongue can be, but then it falls.

“Dominico is dead.” The statement alone sends a chill down my spine.

Julianna’s tired, hungover eyes widen just a fraction. Then she’s swallowing and taking a step back. “Oh…”

She doesn’t offer her condolences, knowing I would rather walk through broken glass than hear anyone’s apology for his death.

“What does that have to do with you needing me to stay here?” she asks.

“He found out about us.”

A sharp gasp passes her lips. “How?”

I inhale a deep breath, wondering where the fuck to even start. Julianna may technically be my wife, but she wasn’t lying when we said we’d agreed to live separate lives. She doesn’t know the depths of my ties to the Italian mafia or how I’ve spent the past ten years trying to escape it and live as normal a life as possible. She’s no idea what I’ve done to betray my family or how that betrayal has now put both of us in danger.

“He sent someone to kill me two weeks ago.” I rub my fingers over my lips. “Obviously, he didn’t, but he nearly killed Marcus in the process.”

“Who was it?”

“I don’t know yet.” I shake my head, knowing Rhys can no longer help me.

In fact, I don’t even want his help. I don’t need to embed myself further into the underbelly of the Irish mafia. If I truly want to leave this life behind, I need to do this on my own.

“Marcus and I have been trying to figure that out. But the Montgomerys continued to run business as usual since he went to prison. The network is deep and complicated, so it could be anyone at this point.”

“Wow.” She breathes.

“The guy who attacked me may have died, but there’s someone else. They called me with a warning. That’s how I found out he knew about you. He sent me a picture of us at Charleigh’s wedding. They’re working for my dad and have no intention of stopping just because he’s dead.”

“Oh, my God.” She tilts her head up to the sky. Her hands fly to her face, covering them as she screams into her palms.

“What?”

“I fucking knew it, Rome.” She lowers her hands.

“Knew what?” I ask, dumbfounded. It would be like her to completely blow past everything I just told her—the part about me being nearly killed.

“I just knew you would rope me into some more of your bullshit. It’s always something with you, and you somehow never take accountability for it. You never did that night with Macy, and you’re not doing so now.”

“You don’t understand what it was like living under my father’s thumb. Not everyone can have a family as perfect as yours,” I spit back.

“My family? Perfect?” She points to her chest, aghast and laughs bitterly. “You’re such a fucking asshole, Rome.”

“And let’s not even fucking go there with, Macy,” I continue, the anger taking control. “My heart was torn to fucking shreds, Julianna. I lost everything.”

“So did I!” she shouts back, tears spilling from the corners of her eyes.

Both of us pause, staring at one another with as much hatred as we had standing in this same place ten years ago. Hurts can’t be undone, but it’s especially impossible once you’ve had the unfortunate experience of falling in love with your enemy.

Tears stream down her cheeks, and it takes everything in me not to move from where I’m standing. I think at this point I’drather drown in the fucking pond than watch Julianna standing here, crying.

“Listen.” I pinch the bridge of my nose. “I just need you to stay here until we find who is after us. Then I’ll give you the divorce, and we can be done.”