Page 25 of Forbidden Daddy
"Sláinte," the room responded in unison, glasses lifted toward the emerald and gold banners hanging from the ceiling.
I raised my glass with the rest of them, the Gaelic words feeling foreign but somehow right on my tongue. Roman’s eyes were on me, and there was pride in his gaze that made my chest tighten with emotions I didn’t want to examine too closely.
But as the evening wore on, I started noticing things. The way conversations stopped when certain people walked by.The subtle tension in Roman’s shoulders every time his phone buzzed. The way his eyes constantly scanned the room like he was expecting trouble.
"Roman," a man appeared at our table, tall and broad-shouldered with the kind of face that had seen too much violence. "Sorry, I’m late. Traffic was hell."
"Sean." Roman’s voice was carefully neutral, but I felt him go tense beside me. "This is my fiancée, Cassie. Cassie, Sean handles my personal security."
Sean’s handshake was firm but respectful, his eyes already moving to scan the room.. "Pleasure to meet you, Miss. Roman has told us a lot about you."
"Has he?" I glanced at Roman, who was watching Sean with laser focus. "All good things, I hope."
"Nothing but," Sean said, but his attention was already elsewhere. "Boss, we should probably?—"
"Later," Roman cut him off, though his jaw was tight. "Enjoy the party, Sean."
Sean nodded and melted back into the crowd, but I could see Roman’s wheels turning. Whatever had made Sean late, it wasn’t traffic.
The real shift came when Declan appeared.
Roman’s consigliere moved through the crowd like a shark cutting through the water, his pale eyes scanning faces with predatory calculation. When he reached our table, he leaned down to whisper something in Roman’s ear that made his expression go cold.
"Excuse me for a moment," Roman said, his voice perfectly controlled. But I could see the storm brewing beneath the surface. "Cassie, stay here. I’ll be right back."
He stood, straightening his jacket with movements that were just a little too precise. The mask of polite civility slipped, revealing something harder underneath. Something dangerous.
I should’ve stayed at the table like he’d asked. Should’ve smiled and made small talk with the other wives and girlfriends who looked like they’d been born into this world.
Instead, I waited exactly thirty seconds before following him.
The hotel’s service corridor was dimly lit and mostly empty, the sounds of the gala muffled by heavy doors. I moved carefully, my heels silent on the carpeted floor, following the low murmur of voices around a corner.
"—surveillance footage from the warehouse hit," Declan was saying, his voice tight with tension. "The face is clear this time. It’s definitely her."
"Marina." Roman’s voice was deadly quiet. "That bitch should be dead."
"Well, she’s not. And she’s been following her brother’s footsteps. Talking to the Torrinos just like Anton did."
My blood ran cold. I pressed myself against the wall, heart hammering as I processed what I was hearing. Anton—the traitor Roman had mentioned, the one who’d nearly gotten him killed. His sister was here. And she was working with rival families.
"How long?" Roman asked.
"Best guess? Three months. Maybe longer."
Three months. Long enough to plan whatever they were planning. Long enough to get close to people Roman trusted.
"The meeting is in forty-eight hours," Declan continued. "Our contact says it’s happening at the pier. Marina and two Torrino lieutenants. If we move fast?—"
"We’ll be walking into another trap," Roman finished. "Just like last time."
"Maybe. Or maybe we will finally end this."
I heard footsteps and quickly ducked around another corner, my heart racing. End this. That could only mean one thing. Roman was planning to kill Marina. Planning to go to war with another family.
And I was right in the middle of it.
By the time I made it back to the ballroom, my hands were shaking. I grabbed a glass of champagne from a passing waiter and downed half of it in one gulp, trying to calm my nerves. The bubbles made my already queasy stomach worse, but at least it steadied my hands.
