“I could have sworn you were here for the conversation before I fell asleep.”
“I was. You’re safe here, Eloise.”
Eloise.Why does it sound so sexy rolling off those lips?
“I appreciate the offer, Mr. Alexander, but?—”
“Rome.”
“Huh?” He sits up and lets the blanket fall to his waist, and once again, my eyes feast on his tattoos.
“You call me Rome. When we’re here, or in the club, or wherever, you use my name. Got it?”
“Uh, okay.”
“Second, you live here now.”
I shake my head, but he takes my face in his hands and leans in to kiss my forehead.
God, he has good lips.
“Are you telling me you’d rather live in that roach coach you called a motel?”
“I only found one roach,” I inform him, but he doesn’t laugh. “No, I hated it there.”
“See?”
“No, I don’t see.”
“I’ll lay it out for you. You’ll live here, in my penthouse. With me. You’ll continue working as a bartender downstairs.”
“Am I being held prisoner?”
He scowls and honestly looks offended. “Of course not. But if you leave the building, you take guards with you. Until I speak with your father.”
“And I’m out.” I pull away and get out of bed. “If you’re speaking with my father, I’m leaving. Absolutely not.”
“Do you think after what he’s put you through, I’ll stand by and let him get away with it?”
“My father is a powerful man, and I will not put you or anyone else in danger, and if one of his goons found me, others are on the way. I have to go.”
He stands and faces me, pushing his hand through his dark hair. “You’re also looking at a powerful man, Eloise. Your father doesn’t fucking scare me.”
He should.He scares the shit out of me.
“I’m not kidding, Rome.”
Suddenly, his face goes hard, and it makes it hard to swallow.Shit, he’s intimidating. “Neither am I, firefly. Those three men you met earlier? The four of us make up the Kings of Vegas. We run this city. Your father sent his man into our territory. For that alone, we need to have a conversation.”
He steps up to me and brings his hand up to my cheek, and it immediately calms me.
“Added to that, he hurt you and threatened you. He’ll pay for that.”
“I left one organized crime household and fell into another. That’s what you’re saying?”
He lets out a frustrated breath. “I will never hurt you. You’re safe here, Eloise. I promise.”
“Why do you call me firefly?”
