Page 33 of From Rome, With Hate

She crosses her arms beneath her chest again. The motion pushes her breasts up. They swell above the fabric of her tight black dress—a sight that’s had me forcing my dick to calm down ever since I saw her dancing at the club last night.

Skepticism replaces the anger as she narrows her gaze. It moves past my shoulder to where Marcus is standing guard at the back of the SUV, facing the front of the property. Then her narrowed eyes cut back to me.

“What’s the real reason you brought me here?”

“I already told you.”

“Bullshit. We agreed years ago that getting a divorce would only make the truth of our marriage more public. Marrying in secret was easy. Divorcing would threaten to expose the fact our families betrayed each other. It would create a media spectacle. Does that not matter anymore?”

I don’t answer her.

“Why is Marcus limping?”

“So many questions.” I shoot her a glare, anger simmering in my veins. “I thought you preferred to live with your head buried in the sand?”

That question breaks her. She inhales a deep breath, tipping her chin higher as she shoots invisible daggers in my direction.“When it comes to you and your family, it’s best to exist in ignorant bliss.”

“Is it best, or is it simply convenient?” I snarl, memories of the night our entire lives shattered replaying in my mind.

“Both.”

I let out a sarcastic laugh, exhausted with this conversation. I knew bringing Julianna here was going to be a challenge, and convincing her to stay would be even more difficult, but it’s been years since we’ve been able to talk rationally, thanks to a combination of factors at play. The fact we’re enemies, we’re still technically married, and the mistakes of our past hanging over us like dark heavy clouds.

Looking at Julianna now, I try to remember we aren’t those foolish, naïve, eighteen-year-olds anymore. The only way to get her to concede to staying here for her safety is to tell her the truth.

“I swear to God, Rome,” she fumes, her patience with me wearing paper thin. “If you don’t tell me what the fuck is going on right now, I will steal the car keys from Marcus and drive home myself.”

I chuckle. “You, take on Marcus?”

“The girls and I took a self-defense course two years ago.”

I already knew this after keeping an eye on her all this time. She probably suspects I have, but she says it with her full chest anyway as if to shock me.

“Besides,” she continues. “It might be a little easier considering he’s injured. And using acane.”

She emphasizes the word cane as if she still can’t believe Marcus is using one.

“You wouldn’t attack him.” I grin smugly.

“What makes you think I won’t? You don’t think I can?”

“You’ve always had a soft spot for Marcus.”

She groans in frustration, and my dick perks up again. She knows I’m fucking right.

She marches toward me, stomping into the gravel until she brings her face close to mine. Even in her chunky high heels, she’s still shorter than me. Her forehead meets my chin as she looks up, stretching her neck. I resist the urge to reach up and wrap my hand around it.

“I may have a soft spot for Marcus,” she snarls, “but that’s only because he hasn’t hurt me the way you have. Now, give me. My fucking. Phone.”

Heat spreads across the entire front of my body. It’s summertime, and the morning sun is fully awake. There’s not a cloud is in the sky. My skin prickles with sweat under my all-black suit, but I know it isn’t just from the sunlight beating down on us. It’s Julianna’s anger and hatred for me. It’s radiating off her body.

I’ve gotten under her skin.

I wrap my hand around Julianna’s phone inside my pocket and pull it out, holding it between us.

She’s quick to grab it, wrapping her hand around mine.

“Not so fast,” I warn her.