Page 97 of Dark Romeo

I let myself relax. He was also one man I truly trusted.

“You know,” the Father continued, “she could be good for you.”

I almost choked on my own tongue. “I’d be the end of her. Don’t you remember who my family is? I’m a danger to her just by wanting her, just by thinking about her, by breathing her name out loud.”

“She also has a say in this.”

I shook my head and made a noise of disgust in my throat. “How selfish am I that I could consider ruining her just so I could have her?” I wanted to possess her. To own her. Even if it meant I would end her life with my darkness. I wanted to soak myself into her soul, so deep she’d never get me out. I was this close to letting myself do it. Wasn’t this proof enough that I was evil?

Father Laurence placed his hand upon my shoulder. “What if it wasn’t you who darkened her life, but she who lightened yours?”

She could. Her light was strong enough to save cities from themselves. The Princess of Light.

I shrugged his hand off me and let out a humorless laugh. “Let’s face it, Father. I’m not worth saving.”

JULIANNA

____________

I couldn't believe what I'd done. Every time I thought of how I touched myself at that window my body shivered with fever. Not just from the echoes of lust in my body, but of the shame, of the bitter-burnt rejection when I asked—no, begged—for Roman to come here, and all he did was to hang up.

Days went by. I didn’t hear from Roman. No texts, no calls, no surprise visits. And no roses. No damn roses. I hated that I would have given anything to get the silky folds of another fragrant flower nestled in a white box. I doubted I’d hear from him again. I refused to message him. I had my pride. My cheeks seared as my actions flashed before my eyes again. I cringed. When would I ever get over it?

I kept my windows locked and my curtains closed at night, a sign to him, if he was even still watching, that I simply didn’t care. I was determined to just forget about him.

Easier said than done.

I pushed through the building door into my lobby at the end of a long, frustrating day. The sound of the elevator dinging closed caught my attention. I was about to yell out for the occupants to hold the doors when I caught sight of the unmistakable frame of Roman, dark shirt, dark jeans, a grim look on his face. Nora was in there next to him. He looked up and right at me just before the elevator doors closed.

What was he doing here? With Nora?

But I knew. I had broken into his world and rattled his cages when I manipulated my way into his apartment, when I entered Nonna’s house, when I had dared to walk masked among his friends at Fated. He was now doing the same to me. This was payback. No more free passes.

I sprinted for the open stairwell and leapt up the stairs, taking two at a time. They spat me out onto my floor, my hand going to the gun in my holster. I heard a familiar gruff voice. Nora’s door shut behind him, muffling him. She’s in there with him, alone. If he hurts her…

I readied my gun as I moved swiftly to her front door. I pressed my ear against the door to listen for a brief second.

“No, don’t.” I heard Nora’s voice through the wood.

I couldn’t wait. She was in trouble. I tested the handle. Thank God, it was unlocked. I shoved open the door and leapt into her apartment, gun first. “Freeze!”

Nora jumped, the jam jar in her hand slipping and crashing to the floor. Roman didn’t seem so startled. He lifted his hands in the air, one of them holding a cereal box, the other a bunch of bananas. There were grocery bags sitting on the kitchen counter. I pointed the barrel at Roman. “Turn around.”

He gave me a smirk before turning. His black t-shirt stretched across his wide back and fitted jeans hugged his firm, round butt. No gun tucked into his belt. Where was his gun?

I caught Roman looking at me over his shoulder. “If you wanted to check out my ass, you could have just said so.”

My cheeks burned.

Nora dropped her hands down on her hips and let out a tut. “What in tarnation do you think you’re doing? Leaping into my apartment waving a gun like that. You scared the bejesus out of me. You could’ve given me a heart attack.”

I stared between Roman and Nora. Roman, the bastard, was watching me with amusement.

“I thought you were in trouble. I thought he…” My words died in my throat when I realized how ridiculous I sounded. Nora had no idea that the Prince of Darkness himself was standing in her kitchen helping unpack her groceries.

“You thought I was going to harm your neighbor?” Roman asked, his features tightening, his hands still in the air. “Is that truly how little you think of me?”

Now I just felt bad.

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