Since I Fell For You(93)

Patrick’s pupils had grown so large that his irises barely showed. “I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about. I didn’t send any distractions.”

“Funny,” she said, even though it wasn’t. “The phone and server logs my family and friends have been poring over point to a different story.”

“Those logs can’t prove a damn thing.”

“I know you’re not the most technical person in the world,” she deliberately taunted, “but I’ve spent the last three decades eating, breathing, and sleeping so much technology that I could paint the Mona Lisa out of those logs if I wanted to. Which means that even with no more evidence than that, I can prove CP Systems has sabotaged me and my company.”

“Bullshit.” But there was unmistakable fear in his eyes as he began to move away from her.

“It’s true, Patrick.” Suzanne had never seen Craig look so angry. Or so disappointed. “Suzanne is that good. Worlds better than you or I will ever be. And Dennis already told me you had him install the unauthorized chip in her unit—one that I’m sure he thought was no different than any other install he’s done this year. As soon as you heard that she was away, you must have thought that was your chance to get in there and do the deed undetected, didn’t you, you son of a bitch?”

Before Craig could throw the punch he was clearly itching to launch, Patrick spun and leaped for the door. He was quick enough that Suzanne had barely started after him when she realized he wasn’t standing there anymore.

Because Roman already had him on the ground in a wrestling hold that looked—and sounded—not only painful, but unbreakable.

Lee finally moved out of the corner. “I’ve sent a message to the chief and he’s calling the police. They’ll be here shortly.”

“I truly am sorry about this,” Craig said to Suzanne. “You have my word that I’ll make sure Patrick is brought to justice, no matter the impact on my company.”

“I do want justice,” she agreed, “but I’d like to work to find a way to make sure none of your shareholders, employees, or customers have to pay for your partner’s bad decisions.”

At the same time, the truth was that she didn’t exactly hate hearing Patrick’s groans as Roman dug his kneecap even harder into the other man’s lower back. Though she’d never been a fan of things like ultimate fighting, she had to admit it was pretty darn hot to see how easily Roman held the other man flat, as if he weighed almost nothing instead of two hundred pounds.

Patrick wasn’t right about much, but he’d been spot-on about one thing—she did want to do dirty things with Roman. What woman wouldn’t? And not just because they’d finally caught the bad guy.

Roman loved and trusted her enough to know that she could protect and defend herself. And she loved and trusted him enough to let him protect and defend her—just the way she’d protect and defend him against anything or anyone who might try to hurt him in the future.





CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE





So this is what it’s like to have a big family.

Roman didn’t bother to hold back his grin as Suzanne and Alec verbally sparred over a recent movie. “The layered messages about humanity were what made it great,” Suzanne insisted, while Alec countered, “There weren’t any layered messages, just nonstop action. That’s why it was great.”

Roman’s dining room table was covered with platters of pizza and pasta from Jerry’s restaurant. Every seat was full as Suzanne’s family mowed through lunch with everyone talking over one another. Her phone had been ringing like crazy for the past half hour, but not with junk calls. One by one, each of her cousins, aunts, and uncles who had heard about the apartment fire were checking in to make sure she was okay.

She’d barely eaten one slice of pizza when she put her food down yet again to take a call from her Aunt Mary, a lovely woman in her seventies whom Roman had met at the wedding. Suzanne had told him that Mary had raised her eight kids by herself in San Francisco after her husband passed away in his early forties, which frankly blew his mind. The Sullivans were a force of nature. He couldn’t believe he was lucky enough to be in any part of their circle, let alone in the heart of it with Suzanne.

“I should have set up a family conference call to explain things to everyone at once,” Suzanne joked once she put her phone down.

“If you wouldn’t mind explaining it to us again,” Harry said, “I’m sure we’d all appreciate it. I was so relieved you weren’t hurt today that I didn’t catch much of your original explanation.”