Page 72 of Worth the Trouble

Ilied.

I knew Rome was going to be at Adrian and Eloise’s house when I stopped by. Eloise told me as much when she warned me it might be noisy with Rome and Sebastian working on a demo with a band. And even if I’ve been avoiding him, I couldn’t help forcing an accidental run-in.

I should have called and faced him after my dinner with Vaughn, and part of me is still unsure why I didn’t.

Because you’re a coward.

After all, what was I supposed to say?

One night was all it took for Vaughn to make me feel like a fraction of the girl Rome’s been spending time with. And as much as I want to be near him—to feel him again—I don’t want him to become collateral damage in whatever game Vaughn thinks he’s playing.

I’ve felt Vaughn’s people watching me since that night, waiting to see what I’ll do, and the last thing I want is to bring more heat to Rome. Especially considering I’ll be leaving Denver soon. It’s not fair for me to mess up Rome’s life just to distract myself from the reality of my constricting world.

But then he walked out of a bedroom with a beautiful woman, and even if I know better than to let it affect me, it hit me deep in my chest.

“Lili, what the fuck?” Rome’s voice is firm as he follows me down the hallway.

Why is he chasing when he should run?

Why does he try with me when he swears he never does with anyone?

Why am I the one woman who caught his attention?

And why do I love it?

“I need to go.” I don’t turn or stop as I head toward the front door.

When I reach it, I swing it open and am met with pouring rain. It’s fitting, given the landslide inside me, breaking loose every feeling I no longer thought myself capable of having. And I have no choice but to step out into it if I want any chance of escape.

I’m immediately soaked, and I don’t care. I need to run—from Rome, from these feelings, from the unwanted magnetic force that pulls me in the moment he’s around me.

But he doesn’t let me, following me into the storm and once more proving he doesn’t care how messy things get. He follows what he wants in any given moment.

As I reach my car, Rome’s hand grabs my arm, and he spins me around, pinning me against it.

“Lili, wait.”

I’m not sure what’s more desperate—his gaze, his voice, or this feeling inside me, begging me to listen.

“Rome—”

“Stop.” He barely finishes the word before his lips are on mine, and I don’t think I’ve ever felt more needed in a kiss.

His lean body presses against me, and I feel every part of my armor disarm itself for him. His tongue tangles with mine. Teeth and breaths and sanity fighting in a space neither of us belongs. We’re too different, and our worlds would spit the other one out.

But one kiss—one whisper—and the three days we’ve spent apart become nothing, because he imprinted himself on my body and it only comes alive for him now. For a man I can’t have, who won’t stay, who can’t love. And stupidly, I wish for it all.

I ignore self-preservation and cave at his touch.

Rain spills between us, and I’m drinking the sky as much as I’m drinking him. Maybe Rome is the sky, out of reach and echoing with thunder. He hurts like lightning and soothes like rain.

Rome grips my throat and pushes me back, breaking our kiss. Water runs in rivers over his face, but even the blur of the storm can’t hide the pain in them because I feel every bit of darkness that consumes him.

“Get in the fucking car, Lili.” He opens the passenger side door before taking the keys from my hands, walking around to the driver’s side, and getting in.

The moment we’re both inside, the chill of the rain cuts through my skin. The sound of it hammering on the roof of the car is a drumbeat against the silence between us, and I can’t hide my panting breaths no matter how hard I try.

Rome starts the car and heads down the driveway.

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