Page 88 of Unmasking My Dark Knight

The sarcasm.

The searing blue eyes and dark hair.

His makeup—those diamond eyes and painted lips—really was enough to change everything about his appearance, but the one thing that didn’t change was how he made me feel like I was strong enough to walk away from my parents and venture into something new. Something scary.

Only this time I wasn’t afraid.

“I’m sorry, I lied to you. I just wanted the chance to see you again and to get to know you better,” he said sternly, like he was mad at himself for even putting me in this situation. “That was a mistake, and I know you feel the same way.”

“It wasn’t a mistake.” I tried to catch my breath while easing my racing heart rate. “Well, the lying was a mistake, but not the end result! That’s all that matters.”

“The end result involves you getting married to Antonio. It’s obvious…”

“It’s not,” I argued.

“It is!”

“No! No, it’s not!” I raised my voice.

“Don’t do this to us,” Romeo gritted. “Don’t come in here and act like last night didn’t happen. You know who I am, and you know what I’m worth. It’s not what your family wants.”

“But it’s what I want!” I shouted.

“Yeah? For how long, Ivy Jade?” he said, getting closer to me. “How long will you survive out there with me in the real world until you realize how far down from your ivory tower we are?” Romeo raised his voice, not out of anger, but out of so much hurt.

The emotion sank into my chest, my lip trembling.

“What you said yesterday, that fucking hurt, but at least it was the truth, and that’s what I needed to hear. It’s better this way. You’ll be happier,” he said solemnly.

“I won’t be happier,” I furrowed, inching closer until our bodies met. “You don’t get to tell me what will make me happy. No one gets to tell me anything about myself anymore. I get to decide. Not you. Not Mami. Not anyone!”

Romeo looked off, further breaking our connection. “I’m not gonna say it again,” he warned.

This was beyond frustrating. I wanted to take him by the suspenders and bang his head against the wall. All my shock turned into anger. Anger that he wouldn’t listen to me. “I’m not going anywhere!” I crossed my arms.

“Ivy Jade…”

“No.” I shook my head.

Romeo tried to walk past me, forcing me to turn around.

I stopped right in my tracks, refusing to be booted out of here before I spoke my truth. I wouldn’t allow him to cut me off again like he did last time.

“Move!” Romeo ordered.

“I already told you, I’m not going anywhere, clown!”

“Why are you being such a brat!?”

“I don’t know? Why are you being so stubborn?” I said back.

Romeo clenched his teeth, his hands curled in frustration. “I fucking lied to you, Ivy Jade! I manipulated you! Why are you even still standing here? I don’t deserve you.”

“That’s right, maybe you don’t! But maybe I don’t deserve you either. Have you thought about that?” I argued, poking my finger right into his chest. “You don’t get to fuck me and lie to me, then storm off like you’re doing me a favor. I understand what you did was wrong, but running away from our feelings is an even worse decision than my marrying a man I don’t love.”

Romeo towered over me, inching me backward until my elbows hit the door.

“We’re from different worlds, and you’ve been proving it to me this whole time. I was just too fucking foolish to see you for who you truly are,” he said with this devious, angry smirk I wanted to slap off his face.