Page 169 of Romeo

“She wasn’t meant for this life. She’s moved on.”

“No, she hasn’t,” I said, leaning against the doorframe with my arms crossed.

I knew exactly who he was talking about. Morgan Delany. The woman he’d left behind and apparently never stopped thinking about, no matter how hard he tried to convince himself otherwise.

“What the hell would you know about it?” he snapped, whipping around to glare at me.

“I saw her last Christmas.”

Chasm stood slowly from the edge of the bed, his entire body going rigid. “What the fuck were you doing in Rosewood?”

“My cousin got married.”

“Sugar? Wasn’t she already married?”

“Nah, she killed that abusive bastard,” I said casually. “Another cousin got hitched. But I saw Morgan while I was there. At the reception, actually. She was wearing this blue dress, hair pulled back. Looked good.”

“Did you talk to her?” he asked.

The desperation beneath the gruff tone wasn’t nearly as hidden as he probably thought.

I shook my head, and something shifted across his face before he caught it. King had been quiet since I walked in, standing near the window with his arms crossed, listening to every word. He’d asked me to check on Morgan when I went to Rosewood last Christmas. He knew damn well she hadn’t moved on, even if Chasm was too stubborn to believe it.

“Then how the fuck do you know anything?”

“I talked to her mama.” I smiled. “She’s the only one in Rosewood that knows anything about you.”

“Devlyn doesn’t know?” His voice cracked with the realization that Morgan had kept him a secret from her best friend. “Well, I’m not surprised. Morgan wasn’t meant for this life,” he repeated. “I’m sure her business keeps her busy.”

“What do you know about her business?” King asked, stepping away from the window. “I thought you hadn’t seen her?”

“I haven’t.”

Chasm answered too quickly, and the tightening of his jaw said there was more to it. He might not have seen Morgan, but the bastard knew what she was doing. How he knew was another question entirely.

Before either of us could push, Chasm shoved between us, his shoulder catching mine as he stormed down the hall.

“Tell Zombie I’m on my way,” he called over his shoulder, already heading downstairs.

King and I followed him outside.

“Romeo, Shotgun, Ace, Big Ben, and Archie, go with him,” King bellowed.

Son of a bitch.

“I don’t need fucking babysitters. I’ve done just fine on my own,” Chasm shouted without bothering to stop.

“You weren’t president then. And as your president, suck it up, buttercup.” King’s smirk only deepened Chasm’s scowl. He turned toward the clubhouse again and clapped me on the shoulder as he passed.

“You’re going with them. Keep an eye on his stupid ass.”

I dropped my chin to my chest and exhaled through my nose.

So much for Rosewood.

I pulled out my phone. My thumb hovered over Fiona’s name before I finally typed the message I’d been dreading.

Me: I can’t come to Rosewood yet, Cher. Club business has me tied up.