Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 80507 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 322(@250wpm)___ 268(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80507 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 322(@250wpm)___ 268(@300wpm)
Heart pounding, I felt like I was going to fall over when Naz casually walked over to me and murmured in a loud voice, “Is Uncle Romeo hurt?”
“Y-yeah, bud.” I ruffled his head. “He must have gotten in an accident, but he’ll be okay, don’t worry.”
“Okay.” Naz shrugged and went back to the dinner table. “He better hurry, or I’m taking all the meatballs.”
With a smile, I joined him, trying to calm the tremble in my hands at his confession.
Was Romeo serious?
Was my life in danger?
Naz’s?
I sighed and took a seat, piling the spaghetti on Naz’s plate. I’d made something simple, Naz had begged to make his favorite meal for his Uncle, and I didn’t have the heart to tell him no.
After all, a five-year-old didn’t understand why it felt wrong to play perfect family at the dinner table when we were anything but that.
It was everything I’d had at the beginning.
Nothing I had at the end.
Most of the time, I’d had an empty seat across from me, a glass of wine in my hand while tears streamed down my cheeks. Nothing could stop the fear in my heart.
Now? I had hope.
What a dangerous word to rely on.
“Sorry.” Romeo was back in minutes. I’d yet to touch my own plate, but Naz was half done with his. Most of the sauce was on his face, dripping down his chin. Naturally, he chewed with his mouth open as he talked to me about his day.
“It’s okay, Uncle Romeo; I was just getting a head start because I’m so hungry. Mom says if I don’t eat, I won’t be big and strong like my dad, and I want to be big and strong like him. Hey! You’re big and strong, Uncle Romeo. Do you eat broccoli?” He made a face.
Romeo chuckled, reaching for his wine glass. “Every day, three times a day. It’s what gave me these.”
He was wearing a simple white shirt that clung to his body like the many women he’d screwed, so when he flexed, I was surprised the shirt didn’t rip down the middle and just fall at his feet.
I’m sure he was used to that.
Clothing falling at his feet.
Women.
Nuns.
Plants.
How could anyone resist him?
“Holy cow!” Naz gaped. “Uncle Romeo, you’re huuuuge!”
I choked on my sip of wine when Romeo gave me a quick look as if to say, huge everywhere, you should know.
“So if I eat my broccoli, I’ll look like that too?” Naz dug his fork into another meatball and shoved it in his mouth.
“Yup, but it only works if you do your homework and listen really well to your Mama. Otherwise, the broccoli dies on the inside and makes you mean.”
Naz’s face fell. “Mean like a bully?”
“Yeah, like that.”
“W-was Dad a bully?”
Romeo paused, wine glass nearly to his mouth. “Why would you say that?”
“Because he screamed—”
“Hey,” I interrupted. “Stop talking with your mouth full, okay? Finish your meal so you can get to bed on time; I’ve already let you stay up past your bedtime so you could have dinner with Uncle Romeo.”
“That’s because he’s my new hero!” Naz announced. “I thought about it, and Spiderman really isn’t that cool. He doesn’t carry a gun—” Dear God, save me from this child’s over shares. “—and when I get scared, I think Uncle Romeo’ll come help, so that makes him a hero, right Mom?”
When I got scared, he always helped.
I didn’t say that out loud.
I just nodded my head, muttering, “Uncle Romeo will always be there for you, Naz.”
“Us!” He thrust his fork into the air. “For us, right, Mama?”
I opened my mouth to answer, but Romeo beat me to it. His hand found mine under the table and squeezed, locking eyes with me as he said, “Always.”
The rest of dinnertime passed by pretty quickly. Naz talked about school, Romeo didn’t talk about the blood, nor about cleaning money, much to Naz’s disappointment. While I put Naz to bed, Romeo did the dishes without me having to ask him to do them. I imagined his back muscles flexing every time he wiped a plate. He didn’t like using the dishwasher for some reason.
I was beyond exhausted by the time I was done and was intrigued to find Romeo already in bed, the lights off when I walked into the master suite.
I quickly washed my face and grabbed my black satin shorts with a long-sleeve black shirt before climbing into bed. It had been a long day.
Hell, it had been a long month.
Year.
Years actually.
Freezing, I scooted closer to the bed and nearly died when I hit Romeo’s warm body.
Slowly, I inched myself away only to have him wrap an arm around me and tug me against him.
Instantly, I relaxed as his breathing deepened like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Holding me against his heart.
Tears welled in my eyes.