AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Julia?” He puts extra emphasis on her name. “No. Just no.”
“So you didn’t kiss her?”
He stares off, likely sorting through the faces of the many females he’s hooked up with. Then he grins, nodding. “You know what? I think I did kiss her once. In eighth fucking grade.”
I shrug. “Still a kiss.”
He blows out a heavy puff of air. “A very meaningless kiss.”
“Still jealous.”
He scoffs. “Not even a little bit. Gage Hanson is not a threat to me in the least.”
“Oh yeah? How would it make you feel if I left right now and fucked Gage?”
His Adam's apple bobs in his throat as he swallows, malice flashing in his features. “I’d kill him before he got the chance to lay a finger on you.”
Yep. Jealous. I can see it now. The way Rome is looking at me, he really does think I belong to him.
Rome can deny it all he wants, but something snaps inside him when he sees other guys talking to me, touching me, even so much as looking at me. Even Brady, although he doesn't make quite as much of a fuss with him.
Rome lets go of me, pushing my arms back and throwing me off-balance for a moment while creating space between us. “I’m warning you, Gage is not a good guy. You gave the fucker a black eye for groping you. That speaks volumes.”
“I wasn’t in the right state of mind when I kicked him.” I mean, Rome’s not wrong. I watched the video. However, Gage did one thing Rome has never done. He apologized and owned up to his actions.
“Or maybe,” Rome seethes, his eyes getting darker as he reapproaches me slowly, “you just didn’t give a flying fuck for once in your perfect little life.” He leans into my face, whispering as if it were a secret. “Maybe you stopped trying to please everyone around you for a second and you actually defended yourself.”
His words cut me deep. Deeper than he will ever know. I think back to the night that everything went wrong. I tried to defend myself. I took the logical step every time. But what I didn’t really do was fight. I could have punched Winton in the balls when I was on my knees. I could have done so much more. But I got scared and I surrendered.
Rome will never know how much I regret that. But I can’t live in the past, and that moment taught me a lot. It taught me to stand up to those around me that try to take advantage.
So instead of acting like he just stabbed me in the chest, I stand tall.
“I don’t try to please everyone around me.”
“Oh yeah.” He scoffs. “Then why are we still standing here?”
He’s got a point. But he’s blocking my path. And as much as I believe in standing up for myself, we both know I’m no match for the town's top quarterback. Crossing my arms over my chest, I glare at him.
“Move out of my way and I’ll leave.” I gesture back to the theater. “I’ll go find Gage and we can go get pizza like we planned for our date. Ya know, since we’re not actually meeting our families. Maybe you could invite Abby.” The sarcasm in my tone is apparent when I speak her name, and by the way Rome rolls his eyes, it’s clear he doesn’t give a shit about her. I just can’t seem to let that one go, though.
“Fuck Abby and fuck Gage.” Rome grabs my arm and jerks me toward the car while he begins walking. “As for you, you’re not going anywhere, unless it’s in my room, on your knees with my cock in your mouth.”
I gasp as he opens the passenger side door and tries to push me in. “You’re disgusting.” I try to pull away from him. I'll walk home if this is how he thinks the evening is going.
Before I can get even an inch between us, he shoves me against the side of the car, my back thudding on impact and causing me to momentarily lose my breath.
Rome crowds my space as he trails a finger over my cheek. “And you’re turned on.” He slides his hand down my chest then under my skirt that is probably too short because it’s Brogan’s.
When his palm presses between my legs, he drags his fingers upward until he’s cupping my crotch. “You disobeyed me, Freckles, and your punishment isn’t over.” He uses his other hand to draw circles around my lips and I freeze, lost in his gaze. “I’m horny as fuck, and you owe me one.”
My skin pricks with desire under his touch. My body is betraying me again, responding to his presence with a mixture of anger and longing. It’s like every nerve inside me is tuned to his frequency. Electricity crackles between us and if I don’t get away from him right now, I’m afraid of what I might allow him to do next. Damn Rome and his power over me.
“Just take me home,” I whisper as I turn my head to refrain from looking at his lips. His fingers push against my entrance and I roll my lips together to keep from making a sound.
“Is that really what you want, Freckles?” His voice is raspy and thick, sending a rush of adrenaline through my core.
I nod slowly, wishing I hadn’t.
