Page 110 of Be With Me
"Is it?" I studied her face. "No one fucking buys that he’s doing this just because of his brother."
She let out an exasperated breath. "We already talked about this. He just wants justice."
I smiled. "He spent most of his life running a company, and now, at fifty-five, he suddenly decides to run for mayor and make this his life’s mission?" I took a step closer. “Has your uncle’s death really tormented him his whole life?"
She frowned. “I don’t know, Rom. How am I supposed to know that? It’s not like he tells me all of his inner thoughts."
“If he did have a secret backer, you wouldn’t know it. Your dad wouldn’t tell you the truth. He knowsyouwouldn’t stand for something like this."
She gave her head a hard shake. “He would never. He’s a good man.”
I scoffed. "A good man who lets his daughter run herself into the ground? Who lets your business fail because of his own selfish demands? Who makes it your job to take care of your stepmother?”
Her expression darkened. "Do not come after my father, Romolo. This isn’t helping your case."
I raised my hands. "Fine. Fuck it. But that’s the truth. That’s why I came to you. And when I realized you didn’t know anything, I backed off."
Silence stretched between us.
She looked down at the counter. “That’s the only reason you backed off?”
My defenses surged. How much more could I tell her before I seriously fucked myself? If she suspected how deep this went for me, she’d cut it off. She’d try to save me from the pain that awaited us at the end.
But I didn’t want to be saved. Who said I deserved it?
“You kept my secret,” I said gruffly. “That meant a lot to me.”
Her gaze lifted to my face, and her expression softened.
The thoughtful way she studied me made me feel like I was being drawn into quicksand. The longer I stayed here, the deeper I sank. And the worst part? I wasn’t even trying to claw my way out.
“Okay, Rom,” she said finally. God, I fucking loved hearing her say my name. “I’ll see you again. But we have to be careful."
I nodded, my relief edged with bitterness about how uneven this whole thing was. “Give me your phone.”
She unlocked it and placed it into my open palm. "What are you doing?"
"Syncing our calendars so I can see when you’re free." I walked over to my coat and pulled out a second phone. "Take this. It’s a burner. We’ll use it to communicate."
Mia stared at it, then back at me. "You came prepared with a burner? I thought you said this was just one night."
I shrugged. "I always carry one. Just in case."
She hesitated and then took the phone. She seemed to buy it.
Good. The lie was a hell of a lot more believable than admitting I’d come here with a plan—an entire fucking plan—to make sure she'd keep seeing me.
I couldn’t tell her the truth. That I felt something for her. That I didn’t know what the hell to do with these feelings. That at the end of the day, I knew there was no real future for us.
I didn’t believe in fairy tales.
Let alone one that could happen to me.
But maybe, just maybe, I could have her for a little while.
Just for a little while.
CHAPTER33
