Page 45 of Hate to Crave You
Roman
Truce.
He brooded over that simple word as his older brother, George racked up the balls on the pool table. “What are you brooding about?” George asked, his gaze appraising. “You’ve looked at the phone probably three times in the past ten minutes.”
“Nothing.” Roman shoved the phone back into his pocket, debating on how to answer Julianna. He hadn’t answered yet because he didn’t knowhowto answer her. He wanted to see her. He wasn’t even sure if he was still mad, but his dad was still riding his ass and Roman kept remembering her expression that night in the elevator after his comment,it was fun. Granted, she’d said it first and she’d fucked him over.
But you did start it.That annoying reminder was one he didn’t need.
“For somebody who is brooding over nothing, you sure as hell are broody,” Alessandro commented. Alex was the baby of the family, and every bit as spoiled as one would expect. He was also sharper than a knife’s edge and his keen gaze took in Roman, taking his measure and a smile lit his face as he came to some internal conclusion. “It’s a woman.”
“Fuck off,” Roman suggested and gestured to the table. “Just play, dickhead.”
Without thinking about it, he tugged his phone from his pocket, studying the message once more.
Truce.
She wanted a truce.
What exactly did that mean?
“It’s your turn now, son,” George said, and when Roman looked up, there was a sly grin on his brother’s face.
Annoyed, Roman put the phone down and bent over the table with his cue stick. Calling it, he sank one ball, then another. When he straightened, he saw that George was pawing at his phone, scrolling through shit that he had no business looking at.
And Alex was standing at his side.
Both of them had looks of wide-eyed surprise on their faces.
“What the fuck, dude?” Alex said, awe in his voice.
George was a little more circumspect. “You’ve got a death wish,” he said flatly. “A million women in the world and you choose a Castle to go and tangle with.”
Roman reached over and snatched his phone away. “Mind your own fucking business.”
“If you end up dead, it is my business,” George pointed out.
“I don’t think I’m going to end up dead over this.” Under their glaring eyes, Roman fired back a text to Julianna.
She wanted a truce.
Not a chance.
It wasn’t exactlywhat he wanted to say, but he wasn’t going into that conversation with the watchful eyes of his two brothers standing there.
“Roman’s right. This isn’t going to kill him,” Alex said, slinging an arm around his older brother’s shoulders.
Roman shoved him lightly. “Thanks for the vote of confidence. And again, mind your own business. This isn’t any of your concern.” He fired a look at George. “Or yours.”
But he might as well have been talking to the wall.
Alex continued on. “I mean, have youseenJulianna Castle? Those eyes…her legs…” He whistled and pressed a hand to his heart. “And they say it’s the forbidden fruit that tastes the sweetest.” He slanted a grin at his brother and asked, “Just how sweet is she?”
Too damn sweet,Roman thought. But he clamped his mouth shut and circled the pool table. “Are we playing or not?”
George sighed and picked up his cue stick. “You know, you really should be careful with this viper’s nest you’re walking into.”
“Are you calling Julianna Castle a viper?” Roman asked, an edge in his voice.
