Page 99 of Pretty When He Bleeds

Mom.

I hesitate for half a second before answering. “Hey.”

“Hi, baby,” she says softly, and something in her tone immediately sets me on edge.

I swallow, gripping the phone tighter. “What’s up?”

“I’m here.”

The words don’t register at first. “What?”

“I’m downstairs, sweetheart,” she says, and I hear the sound of a car door closing in the background.

I grip my phone tighter.Fuck.

I don’t know why I’m suddenly so fucking nervous. I knew this was coming. She told me she needed to see me in person, and I agreed. But now that she’s actually here, standing outside my fucking building, I feel like the walls are closing in.

“Damon?”

“I’ll be down,” I mutter, then hang up before she can say anything else.

I turn toward Roman, and he must hear the tension in my voice because his game is suddenly forgotten. He rips off his headset, tossing it aside, and sits up straight. “What’s wrong?”

I exhale sharply. “She’s here.”

Roman stares at me for half a second, then sits up, already reaching for his clothes. “Okay.” No hesitation, no questions, just “okay.”

I watch him as he pulls on his jeans and throws on my hoodie, and something tightens in my chest. I don’t know how I’d fucking function without him.

Once he’s ready, I grab my keys and open the door. Roman places a hand on my back as we step into the hallway, and I don’t even think about pushing him away.

When we get downstairs, my mom is standing just outside the building, her arms crossed as she scans the street. The second she sees us, she straightens, her eyes immediately locking onto Roman.

“Oh,” she breathes, her hand coming up to her mouth. “Roman.”

Roman looks just as wrecked, his eyes wide, his throat working like he’s trying to keep it together. And then she’s moving. She rushes up the steps and wraps her arms around him, holding him tight like she’s afraid he’ll disappear.

I watch as Roman stiffens for half a second, his whole body going rigid like he doesn’t know how to process it. But then his arms come up, wrapping around her tightly, his face burying into her shoulder.

“I’ve missed you so much,” she murmurs, her voice thick with emotion. “I didn’t know if I’d ever see you again.”

“Missed you too, Ma.”

I inhale sharply. He used to call her that all the time, back when he and Caleb were inseparable. Back when he practically lived at our house. I stand there watching them. Seeing them like this—seeing the way my mother holds him like he’s hers—it does something to me.

And fuck, I think it does something to Roman, too.

She finally pulls back, cupping his face, her thumb brushing along his cheek like she’s memorizing him. Then she turns to me and I steel myself. She reaches out, resting a hand on my arm, and studies my face. “You look tired,” she says softly.

I smirk. “That’s just my face.”

She rolls her eyes, but there’s fondness there. Then she exhales and glances between me and Roman. “I’m really glad you’re both here,” she says, her voice suddenly quieter. “Because there’s something I need to tell you.”

Roman tenses beside me. “What is it?”

She hesitates. “Let’s go inside first.”

I exchange a look with Roman, his brows drawn together.

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