Page 74 of Watched

“You need to be up for training. I’m your alarm.”

He groans and then releases a deep sigh. “I have mine set for five minutes from now.”

“Your alarm is set for 5:05 AM?”

“I-I take all the sleep I can get.”

I chuckle to myself and cross the room to the window seat, watching the rain disturb the green glow emitted by the lights beneath the pool’s surface. “I miss you.”

“It’s been, what? Twelve hours?”

“So? As soon as you’re out of my sight, I need you back in it.”

“That was bloody cheesy,” he laughs.

“But you’re still smiling,” I tease. “How are you? You know, parents and everything.”

“I’m fine.”

“Rome.”

He releases an exasperated sigh. “I need to tell Mum. I just don’t know how.”

“I will.”

“No,” he snaps. “Stay out of it. I’m glad you finally told me, but I wished you’d done it sooner.”

“I helped keep your sisters with you.”

“I know,” he groans, “but you had no right to keep that from me.”

“Why didn’t you get this out yesterday? I thought we were good?”

Silence stabs my ear and I grow increasingly impatient. I knew he was pissed off I didn’t tell him earlier, and he was still a messed-up ball of thoughts during dinner that night, but he was fine in the shower when I proceeded to make him come again. Then, when we got into bed and he cuddled me no problem. If he’s pissed at me, I need him to tell me and not act like everything’s fine.

“I just…I need some space right now,” he whispers.

“Space?” A dry laugh falls past my lips. “You aren’t serious?”

“Yeah, actually, I am. I need time to deal with my family.”

“You aren’t fucking getting it, Rome.”

The line cuts.

Space? That’s not fucking happening.

I keep calling and texting until it goes straight to voicemail, so I text more before I throw my phone to the cushion and begin painting.

Chapter twenty-nine

ROME

“You good, mate?” Sergio asks.

I force a smile. “Yeah, just shit sleep.”

He nods, brushing it off as he moves toward his car on the other side of the underground car park. Unlocking mine, I throw my bag to the passenger seat and deflate into the driver’s seat.