Page 37 of Roman and Jules
She said she loved me.
Jules didn’t believe that he loved her too, like he wasn’t capable of it. That hurt. Was it true? Had this been all about him? Even loving her?
He didn’t know. He just wanted her with him.
But he needed to forget her.
I’ll never.
These painful thoughts tortured him all night. He sent her text after text, for once feeling some sympathy for his cousin’s pain at losing her this way. This wasn’t about Bella or Rosalyn or his revenge—this was about her. He’d confessed it all. And still no response.
Morning took its time getting there, and he’d barely drifted off to sleep before he was wakened by pounding on his door. He dug his face groggily against his pillows, until one thought pushed him upright. What if that was Jules? He shot to his feet and threw on his jeans from the night before, followed by his shirt, all the while rushing towards the sound of knocking.
“I’m coming. I’m coming!”
The persistent hammering made him seriously doubt it came from her, but he was practically there anyway and he leaned heavily on the handle and shoved the door open.
Ty stood in the hallway with carefully manicured hair and a blue suit overbearing in its elegance. He ran his tongue over his chapped lips. That was why his mouth looked wet all the time.
Tempted to toss him out of the building, Roman’s eyes traveled to the sky before he gestured his worst enemy inside. “What do you want?”
He needn’t have bothered to invite the vampire—Ty barged inside with or without his permission, twisting his head from side to side. “Where’s Jules?” She must’ve told Ty something inflammatory for him to come running to her after all this time.
“Not here.” Roman leaned his back heavily against the doorframe, his hardened gaze on his cousin pacing his kitchen. “Would you like me to give her a message?” This came out sarcastically. Ty had her number, and the man slanted a glare at Roman. There were no cameras—they could do what they wanted to each other—but inexplicably, they both kept their distance. Jules’s accusations still rang in Roman’s ears, and Ty lived in fear of the world discovering who he truly was. The rules of gentlemanly conduct certainly didn’t bind them.
When his cousin refused to answer, Roman left the door open and went for the cereal, pretending that this visit meant nothing. He poured the Cheerios into a bowl, and then wrinkled his forehead when he got only the powder left over from the bottom of the bag. He tried the cornflakes next. Same problem. Only crumbs. Jules liked her cereal. He snatched an orange and peeled it. If he didn’t put his hands to work, he might be tempted to put them around Ty’s neck.
Ty’s chest heaved while he watched his cousin. “She told me that she loved you.”
Roman winced then hoped Ty didn’t notice, still keeping his eyes fixed on the peeling fruit. Her feelings didn’t mean she was coming back to him. He’d hurt her. He’d said too much in the heat of the moment, and frankly, he’d take it all back—if he could remember the half of it—but he knew Jules too well. Every word he’d said would be imprinted on her soul. The girl wrote poetry for a living, for goodness’ sake.
He noticed his cousin still watching him, waiting for him to confirm or deny what Jules had said. He’d die before letting Ty see his heart. He tossed an orange slice into his mouth and chewed slowly while his cousin thrust his hands into the pockets of his trousers and turned from him. “Jules wrote me back last night, said she didn’t want to hear from me again.” Ty inspected the painting of the desert on the wall under heavy brows—like he was there to be sociable.
Roman swallowed the rest of the orange and called him out. “So what are you going to do about it? Do you love her?”
Ty swung around with a growl. “Yes, as a matter of fact. Yes.”
“Could’ve fooled me.”
His cousin snorted. “Youknowwhy I didn’t come after you! You used it to your advantage, but I’m not too broken up about it, see? Because you got burnt too.”
WhathadJules told him?
Ty’s smile was slow and vicious with his vengeance. “Yeah, go ahead and pretend that you’re above it all. So calm, so cool. I know what’s happening. It doesn’t matter, because in the end, none of us were willing to give up our inheritance for her.”
Roman’s chin shot up. Jules had spilled everything. “Hey, Ty, what if I told you that I won’t do anything to threaten your precious inheritance from Aunty Priscilla?”
“I wouldn’t believe you.”
Neither did Jules. Roman pushed the rest of the orange into his mouth and rolled it around his tongue before swallowing. How could he prove that he didn’t care about tripping up Ty anymore? He’d give everything away to get her back. And if Roman loved her? Truly loved her? If it made her happy, he’d give her away too.
No, no, that’s too far. I can’t.And just as suddenly her words came back to haunt him—Roman was incapable of love. Was she right? Was he some sort of weakling afraid of his feelings? He either loved her or he didn’t. “She’s performing for a Halloween show,” he heard himself say, feeling like it came from someone else. “It’s at the Curtain Theater.”
Ty seemed confused. The dimple on his cheek that had nothing to do with any present mirth grew more pronounced while he floundered. “Why are you telling me this?”
Roman shrugged. “Just curious to see how much you care about her, man.”
That brought his cousin up short, and he blustered something about Roman’s pathetic tricks as he charged out the door.
