Page 87 of Ruthless Contract
My chest and shoulder still ached if I moved too quickly or stayed in one position too long. The wounds I’d brought homefrom Italy were healing, but they hadn’t healed enough for me to forget they existed.
I had pain pills that would wipe the ache away. But I wasn’t taking them. I didn’t want to become dependent on meds, even the ones I’d created.Especiallythe ones I’d created.
“Did you hear what I said a moment ago?” Raz asked.
There was no point in lying. I’d zoned out there for a bit.
“No,” I admitted.
Cas laughed. “At least he’s honest.”
Raz shook his head. “I said Monique wants to know if you’ve decided whether you need a plus-one for the wedding or not.”
My fingers tightened around the glass. I wanted a plus one. I wanted Juliet. I wanted her sitting beside me while my brother married the woman he loved. I wanted her hand in mine when I introduced her to my family, showing them that I, too, had found love.
I wanted to lean down and whisper inappropriate things in her ear during the ceremony just to watch her try not to laugh. I wanted my family and extended family to meet the woman who’d made the one they called Ruthless Rome want to settle down.
The problem was that I couldn’t introduce a woman I couldn’t find, a woman I hadn’t even officiallymetyet. And I couldn’t invite a woman who hadn’t spoken to me in three days.
“Tell Monique I’ll let her know,” I said.
Raz's eyebrows rose. "That's not a no."
"I didn't say it was,” I told him.
Cas nearly choked on his drink. “Wait. What?”
Raz studied me a moment longer. “I assumed your answer would be no. Do you have someone in mind?”
Cas leaned against the bar, grin widening. “Well, damn. Is that why your eyes were glued to your phone earlier? Who is she? Do we know her?”
Leo chuckled. “Ruthless Rome has finally fallen. Never thought I’d see the day.”
Ignoring them, I took another sip of my drink.
“Who is she?” Raz asked.
“You don’t know her,” I told him, hoping that would shut them up.
It didn’t.
Cas’s brows lifted. “So there is a woman.”
All three men fixed their gazes on me.Damn it.I should’ve kept my mouth shut.
“Bro,” Cas started. “If you don’t talk, I’ll have to ask the ladies to investigate this for us.”
Raz chuckled. “Trust me, you do not want Monique, Meka, and Toya to set their sights on you. You may not survive it.”
I thought back to their plan to kidnap Raz and how savage they were during the gala incident. A cold shiver raced down my spine.
“There might be someone,” I admitted.
Cas smacked the bar counter. “I knew it. No wonder you’ve been distracted lately.”
They’d noticed. Damn.
“You met her in Italy, didn’t you?” Cas asked.
