His Juliet: An Age Gap Hurt Comfort Mafia Romance (Empire of Royals Book 2)

Romeo was due at the store with our pizza any second now, and I had made up my mind.

I wanted to kiss him.

I hadn’t had the slightest desire to kiss or even be close to someone in years, but now I couldn’t stop thinking about it. It was absolutely possible that Romeo’s default setting was “massive flirt,” and he had no interest in me beyond friendship, and I could accept that. But after all our texting and late-night calls, I had convinced myself that he might want something more.

There was a knock at the door and I scurried over to see a smiling Romeo through the window. My heart skipped. He was unfairly handsome, the snow sticking to the tips of his black hair and dusting his jacket.

“Hi,” I said, pulling the door open and shivering at the gust of cold air that hit me. Romeo quickly shut the door behind him and tucked me into his side. “You’re cold,” I squealed as my warm skin collided with his icy jacket, but I didn’t pull away.

“Must be because I need my Juliet to warm me up.”

My cheeks heated and I cleared my throat. “Do you need help with those?” I pointed at the two large pizzas balanced in his hand.

“I’ve got them.” He winked and pressed his other hand to my lower back, urging me deeper into the store. Once we got to the front desk, he put down the pizzas, and I noticed a brown paper bag on top of the boxes. At my questioning look, Romeo pulled out a glass container.

“This is some of the best tiramisu you’ll ever have.”

“Did you make it?”

Romeo chuckled, putting the container on the desk and opening the first pizza box. “That’s not my talent. My friend Sofiya made this.”

A wave of emotion flattened me, making my chest feel tight and hollow at the same time. Who the fuck was Sofiya? Did Romeo treat this friend the same way he treated me?

He held out a slice of pizza on a paper plate and I took it. His brow furrowed. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” I tried to sound nonchalant, but my voice came out frosty. “It’s nice that she shared the tiramisu.”

He stared at me intently, his fingers coming up to brush my cheek. “It was nice. Her husband was not pleased that she gave this away. He gets very possessive about what his wife makes.”

“Oh.” I felt stupid at my surge of jealousy, but Romeo just smiled and bopped my nose.

“You’re cute. Let’s eat, baby, and you can tell me about your day.”

We sat on the floor in the same spots as the first night we met, facing each other. This time, gentle snowflakes were coming down instead of rain, no menacing figure was trying to get inside, and our legs were tightly pressed together. I could feel the heat radiating from him through his dress pants. He had taken off his suit jacket and rolled up his sleeves, revealing thick, muscular forearms that matched the strength of the rest of his body. They looked powerful enough to throw even my curvy body around.

I realized I’d been staring at him for way longer than appropriate. I dragged my gaze up his chest to his sharp jaw and then met his eyes, which were dancing with amusement. Embarrassed, I looked away and took a large bite of pizza, jumping slightly as Romeo squeezed my calf. He kept his hand there as he ate and asked me questions about my day. I struggled to concentrate, my entire world narrowing to his tight grip as he lightly massaged my leg.

“How was your day? Did you get to rest after your late night?” I asked.

“Don’t worry about me. I had plenty of espresso.”

I frowned, not liking that answer. “You need sleep, too.”

“So do you.”

We were both done eating, our empty plates set to the side. Romeo leaned forward, his hand sliding up my leg, and the air became electrified. His eyes captured mine and I couldn’t look away. He cradled my face, and I leaned into his rough palm.

“Juliet.” His voice was low and hypnotizing.

This was it. This was my chance.

My breath hitched and then⁠—

I pressed my lips against his. Gentle and hesitant at first, but at the taste of him, at the softness of his mouth, I wanted more. I curled my fingers into his hair, pulling him closer.

Romeo swore, and then he was maneuvering me on his lap so I was straddling him. His movements were confident, commanding, and I loved it. My breath hitched when he palmed my ass with one hand and gripped my jaw with the other. “Open up for me, angel.”

My lips parted and I moaned at how his dominance made pleasure shoot to my clit. He pulled me flush against him and I felt his erection, huge and hard and hot against my core. I gripped the back of his neck, not wanting this moment to end, but I had nothing to worry about—Romeo showed no sign of pulling away as his tongue dragged against mine.

He moaned my name and I whimpered as he shifted, pressing me even tighter to his cock. “Fuck, Juliet. How are you real?” His hands left my hips and ran up my sides until they were cupping my heavy breasts. I jolted when he lightly pinched my nipple through my clothes. “Is that okay?”

I nodded and took him touching me as permission for me to do the same. My hands wandered down his chest, hesitant at first, but when he groaned, I grew bolder.

It had been years since I touched a man, and it had certainly never felt like this. It had never been something I wanted. Craved.

I lost myself in him, in seeking pleasure, and had no idea how much time had passed when we pulled away, breathless. He traced his thumb across my swollen lips.

“You taste just as sweet as I imagined.”

Say something romantic. “I can’t believe we just made out on the bookstore floor.”

Yes, just like that.

I was hopeless, but Romeo didn’t seem to mind. He grinned. “Hopefully the books don’t tattle on us.”

I smiled, but a wave of insecurity washed through me. I was still on his lap, but now that we were just sitting here, I wasn’t sure what to do.

His firm hands were on my thighs again, inching up and up, closer to my core.

I kept my breathing steady even as little bursts of panic bloomed inside me. Did he want to take this further? Could I handle it without freaking out? My body wanted him, was burning for him, but my mind was locked away with darker memories.

His thumb brushed against my sex and I flinched. He immediately pulled away.

“Sorry,” I whispered.

“Hey, no, you don’t apologize.”

But even with his reassurance, my insides were bathed with shame. My face flamed red and I wanted to run and hide. Why couldn’t I be normal?

“Oh, stellina. Come here.” He was so gentle as he pulled me to his chest, his arms wrapped around me in a hug that was so tender and perfect it made me want to cry. I relaxed into him, pressing my face to his neck to breathe in his masculine scent.

“You control the pace, always.”

“It’s not that I don’t want to—” I started.

“Shh,” he said. “There’s no rush.”

The way we were sitting meant his cock was pressed against my core. I shifted a little, sparks of pleasure shooting into my stomach with the friction.

“Ignore it. Just a side effect of being this close to the most beautiful woman in the world.”

I let out an involuntary snort. “You don’t have to say that.”

Romeo gently pushed me back so he could see my face. “Excuse me?”

His gaze was so serious, so stern, it made my insides squirm. “I just… you don’t have to say things like that to flatter me.”

He twisted his fingers into my hair until I was held at his mercy. “I am not trying to flatter you, Juliet. If I say you’re the most beautiful woman in the world, it’s because you are.” Something dark flashed in his eyes, making me tense. He let out a long, slow breath. “Tell me you believe me.” It was a command, not a request.

I bit my lip.

“Juliet,” he growled.

I let out a huff that was part laugh. “Okay, fine. I accept that you believe I’m the most beautiful woman in the world. Happy?”

“Ecstatic,” he deadpanned.

I ran my hand through his hair again just because I wanted to. “I think you’re the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen. But I’m sure you get told that all the time.”

A wide smile stretched across his face, transforming him from sexy and brooding to absolutely stunning. “It means more coming from you.” He traced his thumb over my lips and gently pressed inside my mouth. My eyes widened as I sucked his finger and I was almost ready to say fuck it, let’s have sex now. My body felt so alive. But he quickly removed his thumb and sighed. “I have to go out of town for work, and I’m not sure how long I’ll be gone.”

My heart sank. “Oh.”

“I’m sorry. I don’t want to leave.”

Did he not want to leave because of me? It sounded like that, but I was too afraid to ask.

“What will you be doing?”

“Our company is considering a merger with a business in Chicago. My boss would usually go, but his wife is about to have a baby, so I have to actually do my job.” He leaned his head back with a groan, and I grinned.

“Oh no, Romeo having to actually work.”

“I’m glad you see how horrible this is for me.”

“So terrible.” I ran my hands up his body, trying to ignore the ache in my chest at how much I would miss him. “I’ve never been to Chicago, but I’ve heard it’s nice.”

He just grunted. “It’s windy and cold and not New York City.”

“But they have deep-dish pizza.”

His scowl only deepened. “Yeah, and what the fuck is that?”

“Oh, come on. I’ve heard it’s really good.”

“You’ve never had it?”

I shook my head.

“I’ll have to bring you one.”

I laughed. “Okay, you can bring me a Chicago pizza to make up for being gone.”

“Deal.”

My fingers entwined with his, and he squeezed my hand.

“Have you always lived in the city?” I asked.

He nodded. “My parents were from Italy, but I was born here. What about you?”

“Yeah.” I chewed my lip. “I actually don’t know anything about my parents. I think they immigrated here from somewhere, but I’m not sure.”

Romeo’s thumb made little, soothing circles on my hip. “What happened to them?”

“They died.” I fiddled with the collar of his shirt. “Actually, they were murdered.” Dark, disjointed memories flashed through my mind. A sinister voice. A scream. Two loud bangs. And then complete despair and loneliness as I lay trapped in a closet until the police found me.

Romeo made a low sound in the back of his throat and pulled me closer to his chest. “How old were you?”

“I was two, so I don’t remember them. I spent my childhood in foster care and then later in a girls’ group home.”

It had been so long since I told anyone about my past, since I trusted someone, but as Romeo ran his hands up and down my back, I didn’t feel panicked. I felt taken care of.

“My father was murdered, too,” he murmured. “I was grown, in my early twenties, so I got to have him growing up. But I at least know a little of what it’s like to lose someone like that.”

“I’m so sorry.” I ran my fingers through his hair, wishing I could take away his pain. “That’s horrible.”

“Yeah.” His voice was rough. “Yeah, it is.”

I laid my head on his chest, wrapping my arms around him as tight as I could.

“Your mom?” I asked.

“She moved back to Italy after it happened. We talk on the phone.” He played with my hair, but I heard the pain in his voice. I couldn’t imagine what it would be like to try to keep being a family after something so horrible happened.

“Have you been to Italy?”

“I have, several times,” he said. “I think you’d like it. Charming towns, beautiful art, and incredible food.”

“When I was younger, I thought it’d be fun to travel.”

“You still can.”

I made a noise of disbelief in the back of my throat. “I can’t manage a one-block detour. Not sure Italy is a realistic prospect.”noveldrama

“Is there treatment for agoraphobia?”

An immediate wave of shame assaulted me, along with the desire to run away and hide. It was a perfectly reasonable question, one I’d googled many times, but hearing Romeo ask it reminded me of how broken I was. How could I hope to be his girlfriend when I couldn’t go anywhere? Would all our dates take place in the bookstore? He was bound to get bored soon, especially if he ever found out how broken I truly was.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” he asked, cupping my face with both hands.

I swallowed hard. “Nothing.” I took a deep breath and pasted on a small smile. “I’m sure there is treatment, but I don’t know… I kind of doubt it would fix me.” I shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal.

He frowned. “You don’t need to be fixed, Juliet. I just hate to see you suffer.”

I looked away. “Yeah, well, sometimes that’s life.”

The silence between us felt awkward and stilted, and I cursed myself for ruining things, especially when we weren’t going to see each other for a while.

“Next time we hang out, I’ll bring dessert from this Italian bakery, Marco’s. It’s just a few blocks from here,” he said.

Next time. He’d said next time. I hadn’t ruined this.

His hands were still cradling my face, steady and tender. I braved a glance at him, taking in his soft eyes and smile. “Pizza and pastries. You’re going to spoil me.”

“That’s the plan, angel.”

His words made me feel warm inside but also confused me. What were we? Were we dating? Hooking up? Casual friends who sometimes made out? But my question stuck in my throat. I didn’t want to come across as needy or make him feel like I was demanding something. He’d already given me more than I had a right to.

He cocked his head. “What is it?”

“Nothing,” I said quickly, with a small shake of my head. “I’ll miss you when you’re in Chicago.”

He hugged me into his chest but didn’t say it back. I squeezed my eyes shut, embarrassed by my confession, but then I heard it. His words were quiet and muffled as his face pressed into my hair.

“I’ll miss you, too.”