Page 83 of Destined for the Devil
"Why did you say my dad played by the same rules? Did he dosomething similar too?" I recognized how naïve I sounded. But even if that rotten thought crawled into my mind, I refused to believe that my father was some kind of shady criminal.
Roman sighed, his hands sliding down my body and settling on my hips. "Look. It's really…really not my place to…it's not my place totellyou all the wrongs your father was involved in. You need to see it for yourself.” He tucked a stray hair behind my ear, speaking with conviction. “And yes, I believe that he was a good father. I believe that he was a good husband and loved you all very much, but Isla, he worked with people like me. And you have an idea of what I've done." Roman trailed off, his gaze settling on our house.
Fear and adrenaline ran through my legs. I didn't want to believe him. But the way he phrased it made me realize that maybe…maybe my dad could have been both. Maybe he was a good father and husband and also…a criminal.
Like Roman. Roman loved me. He would have been an amazing husband. He would have loved our kids. But Roman was also a fucking murderer. Technically, there was a tiny possibility that my dad was both, and there was no way I would have known any of that.
I ransacked my brain for the hundredth time, trying to come up with any memories that would have indicated my dad was involved in something sinister. But I was so distracted by how Roman looked and how delicious his body smelled. He was devastated and broken, just like me.
I sighed and knew what I had to do. This was the moment where I would have to decide; either I come back to him, or I stick with what I knew was the only morally and logically correct decision. My tongue refused to say the words, but in my mind, this felt like the only way.
"Please drive me home now. And go back to L.A."
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Isla
Begrudgingly,Romandrovemeto my friend's house, his cheeks shining with tears, all of him looking defeated. Our breakup…it destroyed him, and in a sick way, it gave me pleasure knowing that he was suffering like me.
"Roman?” I stared straight ahead once he pulled up to the curb, every word a drop of poison. “If you show up like that again…I'll call the cops.” My hand was on the door handle, ready to escape. “I know you don't care about that shit, but…I don't want to see you again. Believe me and understand me. Don't make this harder than it already is. We can't be together. We just can't. No matter how many ways you try to convince me."
I was out of the car before I even said the last word.
"Isla!" He called my name, but I slammed the car door, refusing to turn around. “Isla, baby,please!” I could tell that he was out of the car, about to chase after me, so I ran—I bolted to the front door, escaping him.
Seeing Roman really threw me for a loop. I missed himterribly. I loved him, I wanted him, I wantedus.And I almost gave in. My mind shut down, all my instincts taking over, but thankfully, logic kicked in and I woke up.
No.
It was over. Over.We couldn't be together. End of story. I had to live my life.
The semester started, and I was in disbelief that I was back in school. After such a long break, it was a struggle to get back into it. The studying, the reading, and going to my clinical rotations were overwhelming. I was also burning through my savings just to stay afloat, but in the second week of September, I finally received a call from the estate lawyer: probate was complete.
At the end of one particularly exhausting day, one of my new classmates caught up to me as I was beelining it out of the building. "Hey, Isla!” Sam called out. He was always so cheerful. “You wanna grab coffee? We can figure out what we’re doing next week. What’s that place you like again?”
Sam was in the same field, and we became fast friends, seeing as I knew no one. He seemed like a nice guy. Both his parents were doctors, and he was about two years older than me. He said he took some time in between undergrad and med school to volunteer in Africa. He was tall and had that clean-cut all-American look—brown hair, warm smile, and that unmistakable jock energy.
It was surreal to be back in school, having classmates, and once again working on what I had to abandon. It was as if someone rewound the clock to how I used to live before Roman tore it all apart and killed my parents.
I never forgot that part. I reminded myself every day that hekilledmy mom and dad. And everyday...my heart swelled in love…for him.
I hadn't seen him since the library incident, a night I heavily blamed myself for. However, I did notice things; I wasn't stupid.
Either he arranged security to follow me everywhere, or it was actually him stalking me. He wasn't letting this go. It was both adorable and alarming. I couldn't believe I thought it was adorable.
Ugh. I had fucking issues.
"Oh, thanks, Sam, but I can't tonight,” I said, offering a quick smile. “I have a…thing to do. I'll catch up with you tomorrow though, okay?" I was heading to the lawyer's office, and that was priority number one.
"A thing, huh?” Sam teased, raising an eyebrow. “Alright, well, enjoy your date!" He winked playfully but didn’t move, waiting to see what I would do next.
I left him outside the building, feeling his eyes on me, that small smile lingering on his face, and it made me feelgross.The idea of any man having the audacity to look at methatway was beyond repulsive. Only Roman should have the right to rake his eyes over me.
I shoved the thought aside and refocused, moving my legs quicker to get to the lawyer’s office on time. I was a woman on a mission.
And what I found out at the lawyer’s shook me to the bottom of my very soul.
