“He wanted me to have a… story. So when I went back to work today—”
Why the fuck was she back at work?
What was Remo thinking?
Seeming to sense my cyclone thoughts, Roe offered me an understanding look. “I don’t know what drugs Remo used, but Frank doesn’t remember any of it. So, we… I had to rewrite it. Frank was… confused and shocked. He genuinely thinks he would never put his hands on me.”
Well, that was bullshit.
He was a predator, plain and simple. And one day, he would get too angry or too horny to keep his hands off her.
I wanted her out.
I wanted this danger behind her.
And I was going to have words with Remo about it.
“Are you okay?” I asked, reaching for her arm, my hand landing beneath the bruise. My thumb moved out over the marks. The barely-there touch had her flinching.
“I feel a little better after work, actually.”
“How so?”
“It felt good to get the upper hand on Frank. Right now, he thinks he acted like a monster.”
“He did.”
“Right, but he doesn’t remember the trigger. So he just thinks he hurt me for no reason. And he seems to feel bad about that. It lets me get closer without—”
“I don’t want you closer. I don’t want you near him at all.”
Roe’s head cocked to the side at that, and I couldn’t decide if she looked more charmed or annoyed.
“On the one hand, I like that you’re protective of women. On the other, I was the one attacked. And I want to be part of making him pay for it.”
“Okay. Let’s… let’s not talk about that right now.”
I was too pissed off to do it rationally. And she had clearly dug her heels in already, since she had plenty of time to think shit through. While I was still trying to sort through my thoughts.
“I’m okay with that,” she agreed. “I’m kind of sick of thinking about it.”
“What do you need? A bath? Massage? A drink? Food?”
“Yes?” she said, giving me a sweet little smile.
“In that case, why don’t you go ahead and work on the bath? I’ll order up. Think they only do beer and wine this time of night, though.”
“Wine is good. Lots of wine,” she added.
“There are fresh towels and a robe.”
She seemed relieved for a little relaxation.
While I was glad for a moment alone to ring Remo and give him an earful.
I called down for the wine and some food, then moved to the far end of the suite so Roe wouldn’t hear as I called my cousin.
“Look, I don’t have time to talk about the Monroe shit right now.”
