Mine to Keep (NOLA Knights #3) - Rhenna Morgan Page 0,76

whiz past, bringing spring to New Orleans with it.

But this wouldn’t be an ordinary spring. Hell, none of her life would ever be ordinary again if she allowed herself to believe any of Roman’s ramblings.

Rain pattered against the leaves on the trees outside making the branches dance, and water swished on the pavement as a Lexus sedan drove by. The house was eerily quiet. No drone of the television downstairs or intermittent noises as Roman worked in the kitchen or his office. She was alone. Probably for the first time since she’d been attacked at her apartment.

Well, she wasn’t entirely alone.

Her gaze slid to the edge of the covered porch and the guard stationed beneath it. With the roof blocking her sight, she couldn’t see the other one, but she knew there were two of them. Just as Roman had made her aware of the duo covering the back door before he’d headed out to handle some business. She’d tried to talk him into dropping her off at André’s so she could work as well, but somewhere between phenomenal sex Tuesday night and this morning, he’d decided she didn’t need to work anywhere.

Actually, to be fair, he’d said, You will work on finding what you want to do long-term.

She grunted to herself and sighed.

Potāto.

Potâto.

The guy really was a romantic. A great big scary romantic who’d apparently decided that going overboard was the way to win her over.

It was a wonderful sentiment. One the fatigued and terminally hopeful side of her wanted to appreciate and make the most of. The jaded side of her was screaming to fortify her defenses and brace for the rug to get pulled out from underneath her.

What did she want to do? Yeah, she loved tinkering with jewelry, and, seeing how much Mr. Frannelly got for his pieces, a person could definitely make a living doing it if she could learn how to make things on his scale. But Frannelly had been working with jewelry his whole life. There was no way she could learn as much as he had and make an income in less than a year. Or more. And how would she pay for all the tools? Or know what kind of tools to buy? Where would she sell anything she made?

A ping sounded on the shiny new phone Roman had given her, its screen glowing prettily from the nightstand where she’d left it.

She padded to it, eager for a distraction if it meant ignoring all the answerless questions swirling in her head.

A text message from Cassie waited.

Haven’t heard from you since Tuesday morning! Since the “badass motherfucker” that’s been hoarding you is out with the rest of the boys, can Evie and I stop by? We want to know what’s been keeping you two so preoccupied!

Hmm. Company would be awesome. Especially those two. She could use some answers and perspective right about now. Real answers. Roman might be romantic as hell in his own he-man way, and yeah, he clearly had some legit businesses, but she’d yet to learn how true all those organized crime rumors were.

Of course, if Bonnie agreed to them coming over, they’d want details about her and Roman. Frankly, she’d never been good at the whole girlfriends-trading-stories routine.

That’s because you haven’t had any girlfriends, silly.

This time she grunted her hmm out loud and dropped to the edge of the bed. What else was she gonna do? Sit and stare out the damned window all day? It was barely after noon and she was ready to lose her freaking mind.

Sure. But it’ll cost you a Mustard Whopper and a large onion ring from Burger King to get in. I need comfort food.

Cassie fired back with a string of laughing emojis then added: Deal. See you in twenty.

Twenty ended up being twenty-five, the last five of which Bonnie spent pacing the hallway that ran between the living room, kitchen and Roman’s office. She jerked the door open just as the two women made it to the porch. “Oh, thank God. Human beings.” She took the bag of fast-food goodness from Cassie’s outstretched hand and moved out of the way so they could enter.

Both women giggled, but it was Evie who spoke. “You know you can have one of the guys get you food whenever you want it.”

“Or have them take you wherever you want to go,” Cassie added.

She could? She stopped long enough on her trek to the kitchen to glance back at them both, then continued digging in the