Page 81 of Destined for the Devil
The words hit me over the head like a hammer, the sentiment throwing me into deep confusion and anger. What?!
"I would really like to hear your arguments for that thesis." She better fucking explain herself.
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Decimated Family
Isla
ImadeRomanfurious,and I fucking thrived on it. In a second, he turned dangerous, ready to rip me apart, and I wanted it. To feel his palm against my skin. To have himteach me a lesson.
Seeing him again rattled my insides.
I had absolutely no arguments for what I’d said. In fact, I thought he would have made a great husband.
He stood so close, waiting for an explanation with his eyebrows raised and all his attention on me. "Well? Use that skillful mouth of yours. Tell me, why thefuckam I not marriage material, hm?" Oh yes, he looked so angry, and it turned me on so much.
I had no clue what I was doing. I was broken and raging after our breakup, but as soon as I saw him again, it was like I went in a totally opposite direction.
Addicted to him, I forgot all my pain and anger, all my willpower dissipating without a trace. Especially since he continued claiming that my dad was doing some sort of shady shit too. All of a sudden, his transgressions didn't seem so awful.
I was so weak.
"You killed your future parents-in-law? And the grandparents of your children?"What the fuck was I saying?!I was playing into this fantasy that I would marry him!
I absolutely refused to admit how much the thought excited me.Refusedto acknowledge my deep desire for it.
At these words, all of him softened, and he dropped his shoulders, his eyes overcome with sadness once more.
I had to sober up. I had to end this. "Drive me home. And go back to L.A."
Ten minutes into our silent drive to my friend’s house, I spoke up. "Why are you still here?"
"Because of you." He responded somberly.
"When are you going back?"
My heart was threatening to jump out of my throat from how normal our conversation was. I wasn’t shouting or crying; he wasn’t trying to restrain me.
"Whenever you decide you want to come back with me." He spoke so simply about it that it broke my heart all over again.
"I’m not coming back.” I forced the words out of me. “I have no choice but to accept my spot at Columbia now. So, I'm staying. Stop torturing both of us." But there was no conviction in my voice.
"Transfer somewhere there. You can still do that." Roman still lived in the delusion that everything between us could be easily mended. I moved the conversation along.
"Where are you staying?"
"At The Plaza. Grand Penthouse suite. Come visit me."
Of course, the penthouse at The Plaza, not some no-name hotel. That didn't even surprise me.
"So fancy.” I responded with sarcasm but then decided to ask something I’d never asked anyone before, curious to see how he would respond. "How much money do you have?"
I finally turned to him, and he looked like he was trying to ballpark it. He lightly shrugged his shoulders and then said. "A lot."
"What, like sixty million? Ninety?" I asked with no shame.
"More like nine hundred."
