as everything inside me was being eviscerated.
Either directly or by order, I had a lot of blood on my hands. I’d beaten. I’d killed. I’d tortured.
But nothing I’d done would come close to what I’d do to Mugsy Carmichael once we found him.
As badly as I wanted to take her in my arms, I moved to the side. “Go get changed.”
Without a word, she took off toward our room.
And I watched her go, my gut telling me I was fucking up by giving her space.
Rather than following, I went to find Vera. When I found her in the laundry room, I asked, “How’d you like a week off?”
Her face lit, but it wasn’t for herself. “You’re taking time off?”
“The week.”
“Good. You need it.” She pointed up. “So does she.”
Even more after what happened today.
I didn’t share that because if Vera found out, there was no way she’d leave Juliet.
“When?” she asked.
“Right now.”
Vera’s eyes widened before narrowing with suspicion. “Why so soon?”
“I need some time with Juliet,” I said, which wasn’t a lie. “I’ll get you a room at Nebula, everything on me.”
Her eyes went huge. “No, that’s—”
“I sprung this on you. Go home and pack. It’ll be set when you get there.”
Catching my dismissal, Vera sighed. “Young love.” Heading for the side door, she grabbed her purse off the hook before turning back. “Enjoy your week. Relax for once.”
I would.
Just as soon as I found out what had Juliet pulling away.
Juliet
I knew that was too easy.
Shielding my eyes with my hand, I looked up to see Maximo standing next to me in his aviator shades, low slung trunks, and nothing else.
“Aren’t you going back to work?” I asked. When I’d gotten outside and he’d been nowhere to be found, I’d assumed he’d gone to his office.
“No.” He handed me a Diet Coke and some pain meds, waiting until I’d taken them before ordering, “Roll over.”
My mind may have been a mess of conflicted confusion, but my body didn’t have the same problem. It heated at his demand. “What?”
He held out a bottle of sunblock.
Oh. Right.
I rolled over and closed my eyes as he crouched to apply the lotion to my back and nape, massaging it in. His skilled fingers moved down, nearing my ass.
My breath caught, anticipation rioting in me. It whooshed out in a disappointed rush when he stood, taking his touch with him.
No, this is good. If he touches me, I’ll lose my head, and things will get even messier.
This is good.
Then why does it hurt so bad?
Without a word, he turned around and moved to the deck. Sitting on the patio couch, he stretched an arm across the back of it and stared down at his phone.
Tearing my attention from him, I flipped onto my back, but without my iPad to read, I was bored and restless. It was doubtful the chlorinated water would feel good on my face, so swimming was out.
Floating wasn’t, though.
Going to the pool house, I grabbed a lounge floaty and dragged it into the water. Once I was situated with my Diet Coke, floating under the shade of the canopy, I’d hoped my mind and body would relax.
They didn’t.
Because even in the peaceful quiet, my thoughts were at a roar.
Whore!
Rat!
Nothing!
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Lies
Maximo
THREE DAYS.
Three long-as-hell days.
And with each passing one, Juliet pulled away more, sinking into herself.
I had no idea what to do.
I wanted to force her to tell me what she was thinking. I wanted her to not tense and flinch every time I touched her.
I wanted her to smile at me.
Sitting in my office with the door propped open, I didn’t check any of the emails waiting for me. I didn’t go through my messages, other than the reports from the men—all of which were dead-ends.
Instead, my eyes and my mind were on Juliet as she worked across the hall.
She needed time. I got that. But rather than things improving, they were getting worse.
Something had to change.
As though I’d summoned her with my thoughts, Juliet got up and came to stand in my doorway. Dressed in a pair of short shorts and a tee that hung off her shoulder, she was so beautiful, it fucking hurt to look at her. Her hair was pulled into a messy bun—she hadn’t worn it in a ponytail since that day. My marks were gone from her neck completely. That bastard’s bruises were there but fading.
Her body was healing, but the lost look in her green eyes said her mind was far behind.
When she didn’t enter,