The idea of parting with Romeo once we returned to Potomac horrified me.
But he had a job. Responsibilities. A life beyond me.
And me?
I felt like gravity had abandoned me. As if I floated above Earth, struggling to ground myself in my new reality. A reality of childhood arena fights, complicated relationships with food, and justified revenge.
I wanted to hug him. To heal him.
But most of all, I wanted to curse myself for judging him. There were no beasts. Only people whose pain was carved on the outside.
Each night, Romeo crawled into our bed and supported my dream.
We had sex. Lots of it.
Bareback. In the kitchen. The theater room. The sauna. Even at the gym when he’d dragged me there for a spin class with Casey Reynolds—the point of which still evaded me. Why would someone hop on a bike to ride nowhere?
A week after returning from Chapel Falls, I lounged on the living room couch, sifting through wedding pictures with Hettie. This time, I intended to print one with my husband in it.
I skipped to the next image. “What about this one?”
“Dude, for the fiftieth time, you both look unreasonably hot in every picture. I think I actually hate you for it.”
“Fine, fine. We can stop. For now.”
“Oh, thank God.” She palmed the television remote and exited the photo casting app. “Let’s put on Friday Night Tykes again. Nothing beats watching grown men get irrationally angry over ten-year-olds chasing a ball.”
Something flashed across the screen before she flipped the channel.
“Wait.” I latched onto Hettie’s arm. “Go back.”
She pressed a button, revealing a breaking news report. A headline rolled across the screen: Licht Holdings stock crashes again.
The reporter spoke into her microphone. “Our cameras are on the ground in front of Licht Holdings as CEO Theodore Licht and his son Madison are being hauled away in handcuffs by DOJ Special Agents from the Fraud section. Our sources in the Department of Justice indicate that the Licht duo have been arrested on corporate fraud charges. With Licht Holdings’s chances of ever working with a governmental body gone, who will take their place? More details coming to you tonight.”
Hettie muted the television, turning to me. “Oh. My. God.”
I sucked in a breath.
I knew what this meant. And contrary to what she might have thought, it wasn’t good.
Over the course of my stay in Potomac, I’d realized the sheer level of pettiness Madison exuded. He needed to have the last word. No way would this be the end.
A cornered Madison was a dangerous one. In fact, on our flight from Chapel Falls, Romeo mentioned his Christmas encounter with him.
My hands darted to my phone. With unstable fingers, I speed-dialed Romeo.
He answered on the first ring. “Shortbread?”
Hettie cleared the room, giving me space.
“I saw the news.”
“You don’t sound happy.”
“I’m not. I’m worried.” I began pacing, gnawing on the tips of my hair. “It’s a corporate fraud charge. He’ll be out on bail in no time. We have to deal with him roaming the streets until the trial concludes. That could take years, Romeo.”
“I hired a full security detail. Starting tomorrow, when you leave the house, a trained martial artist will follow you. Promise me you’ll let him.”
“I’m not worried about me. I’m worried about you.”
“Don’t be. Costa Industries is the safest building in Arlington County.”
“The Pentagon is in Arlington County,” I pointed out.
“I said what I said.” I could hear the smile in his voice, but I couldn’t find it in me to match his amusement.
I stopped pacing.
My lips parted.
Three words weighed down the tip of my tongue.
I wanted to release them. To launch them into the universe. To hear him say them back.
I didn’t.
It felt foolish to confess it now—over the phone, on the heels of Madison’s arrest.
I swallowed the words.
Unaware of how much I’d come to regret it.
