Page 2 of Torch

“I-I’m sorry, Julian, but I just can’t do this anymore.”

“Do what?! Be treated like a princess? I give you everything you want!” he shouted, causing a few people around the restaurant to glance at our table.

Embarrassment filled me. “Will you keep it down, please?” I whispered in a pleading voice. “Julian, all you give me is material things that I don’t ask for. You know nothing about me, and that’s because you’ve never bothered to ask.”

“That’s a lie. I know everything there is to know about you.”

“What’s my favorite color?”

Silence.

“What’s my favorite food?”

Silence.

“Hell, I’ll give you an easy one. What did I have for breakfast this morning?”

More silence.

“Julian, I know this isn't what you want to hear, but it’s for the best. We were never supposed to go this far.” I grabbed my clutch, preparing to stand.

“You sure you want to go down this road? You’ll lose everything.” He threatened me like he had done in the past.

I briefly laughed and shook my head before rising from my chair. “I would rather have nothing and be happy than live a lie. Take care, Julian.”

I walked away with my head held high. The moment I stepped out of that restaurant, it felt like the shackles were falling off me. I might have just made my life ten times harder, but it was worth my happiness.

Chapter One

TORCH

As I descended the stairs of the plane, the scorching heat of Las Vegas hit me like a ton of bricks. While this wasn’t my first time in Vegas, it was moments like this that I dreaded coming here. Las Vegas was, without a doubt, a playground designed for adults. But despite the allure and excitement, there was something else that set Las Vegas apart—the heat.

Despite my discomfort, I was excited to be here. The entire club, minus the prospects, was here to celebrate my club brother Tech’s bachelor party. Everyone was beyond ready to get to the festivities. Especially the brothers with Ol’ Ladies and children. We had quite a few children on the compound now.

Four years ago, my triplet, Blade, and I invited our sisters Cara and Sara here to set up security around the clubhouse. As soon as they set foot on the grounds, it was as if the atmosphere of the club changed.

In a good way, though.

Over four years, I’ve watched the brothers claim their women and make families, including all my siblings. Viper, the club president, wasted no time staking his claim on my triplet, Cara. They got married and had a set of triplets within a year.

Bear and Sara were a little different. He battled with his feelings for Sara for a year and a half. Eventually he got his shit together and fought for my sister, giving her everything she wanted.

Blade’s family came out of nowhere. Literally. By the time he learned about his daughters, they were three years old. Naturally, he was pissed that he hadn’t been involved from the beginning, but once he learned his ex-fuck buddy, Ivy, had been threatening his now Ol’ Lady, Bianca, to stay away, he understood. Ivy had Bianca thinking the club would kill her if she came around. Luckily, fate was on his side and brought them back together.

I was happy watching my siblings create their families, but I had no desire to make one of my own. I highly doubted I ever would. I had major trust issues. Knowing this, I avoided relationships. If you don’t have trust in a relationship, then it will never work, so why bother trying?

It still didn’t stop my mother from constantly hounding me to settle down and give her some grandbabies. You would think she would be satisfied with the ones she had now. She had seventeen grandkids between my siblings and the club brothers. But according to her, that wasn’t enough. It’s like she wanted an army of kids floating around the compound.

I didn’t know what the future held for me, but I wasn’t in any rush to settle down. I loved being single with no responsibilities outside of my business.

“I hope you enjoy your time in Vegas, Mr. Romano,” Evelyn cooed with a flirty smile.

She was my father's flight attendant on his private plane. She had been trying to get with me from the moment he hired her. I never told my dad because she would find herself in the unemployment line. One thing my father didn’t play about was professionalism. He was a billionaire with hundreds of hotels worldwide.

“Thanks, Evelyn,” I told her as I picked up the pace to get away from her. I knew she would try to spark up a conversation if I lingered.

“Evelyn still trying to get that back cracked?” Cara asked with her lips pursed.