Page 25 of Now You're Mine

The first thing I did was report the post to both the University and the police, but I’m not delulu enough to believe they’re going to do shit about it. I’m on my own. That much is painfully clear.

How did everything get so royally fucked up? Where exactly did my life careen so unbelievably off course?

All I wanted was to go to college and get a fresh start. That’s it.

But the second Bree and I set foot on this campus, we were fucked. Scratch that,beforewe even set foot on campus. Roman and his bros made sure of that. Nothing Bree or I did could have changed that.

Still, I’m not powerless. After my assault last year, I was determined to never be a victim again. It’s taken a lot of work to get to the point where I could even set foot on this campus, and I’m not letting anyone scare me. Not even the campus king.

My alarm goes off at six o’clock in the morning. It’s my early day, and even though I haven’t sleptat all, I pull myself out of bed. I have class in an hour, and the one thing I learned about working through trauma is that keeping a schedule is good. A schedule keeps my mind and body moving forward. So, even though it’s theabsolutelast thing I want to do, I force myself to get up and get dressed.

After a quick shower, I reach for my usual, jeans and a baby-T, then I grab my backpack and head out the door. Two steps into the hallway, I practically trip over an outstretched leg. I suddenly remember that Nathan was posted outside my door, but when I glance down, it’s not Nathan staring back up at me.

My breath catches.

Roman.

He’s sitting on the wood floor outside my door, back pressed against the opposite wall, one leg bent, the other stretched out in front of him. He looks up expectantly and I hesitate because I didn’t expect to see him rightnow,at six forty-five in the morning.

Pushing off the wall, he stands up. His hair is mussed, and there are dark circles under his eyes like he’s been sitting out here all night and hasn’t slept. I almost feel bad for him.Almost.

“Wow, you really have a death wish,” I say, glaring at him.

He glances down the hallway, then back at me, his gaze flicking over me from head to foot, like he’s assuring himself I’m okay. I might find that cute if I didn’t know what a psycho he is.

Shoving his hands into his pockets, he lifts his chin toward his bedroom. “Can I come in?”

Is he for real?

“No.”

Fucking asshole.

He rubs his chin, which is dark from not shaving, and dips his head. He fucked up royally, and he knows it, but that doesn’t make any of this okay. But when he looks up at me from beneath his lashes, something inside me jolts. The treacherous side of me. Thereallydumb side of me.

I lean against the doorframe. “Just tell me what you want, Roman. I need to get to class.”

He glances down the hallway again, almost like he’s waiting for someone to show up. “I need to talk to you about something.”

I motion, like,okay, talk then.

“Privately.”

No one in the house is even awake at this hour, but whatever. Releasing a heavy sigh, I step aside so he can enter the room. I know I shouldn’t be alone with him—God only knows what he’s capable of—but I need to get this conversation over with.

“The door stays open,” I say, standing next to it, cracked open. If shit goes down, I have an easy escape. “And I’ll remind you, there are several other people in this house. All I have to do is scream.”

Roman shoves his fingers into his hair, pulling as he glances up at the ceiling. He only ever does that when he’s stressed. And he should be. I intend to make his life hell.

I cross my arms over my chest. “What is it?”

Dropping his head, he looks at me with fear in his eyes. Like,realfear. And Roman is never afraid. He walks through life withthe confidence of someone who has everyone at his beck and call. Like someone in complete control. Seeing the fear in his eyes now spikes my own anxiety.

“I’ve hired a security detail to follow you,” he says. “They should be here any minute.”

I lift my hands. “Yeah, Christian told me that yesterday.”

If he’s looking for a thank you, then he needs to get his head checked. He’s the reason I need a security detail in the first place.

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