The door to the apartment had been fixed, and the hallway was as good as new. One of the neighbors moved out after they heard about the attack, obviously too afraid to live anywhere near me.
Not that I blamed them.
It felt good to be home again, but it also didn’t feel like home anymore. Hank had sat on one of the couches and hid all our knives under the sink. Just the fact that he was ever there made it seem less cozy.
Christopher grabbed a beer from the fridge and sat on the couch, looking just as angry as he did three days earlier.
“Thanks for taking care of me…” There were no words to express my gratitude. He took time off work to stay at the hospital with me. When he asked if he could call Calloway, I said no. And he’d respected my wishes.
He drank his beer and said nothing.
I sat on the other couch, knowing the conversation was coming. We had to talk about this. It was obvious Christopher was working up to it, his jaw clenching and unclenching. “The cops aren’t going to do anything about this because they’re absolutely worthless. So, we need to do something.”
“I’m out of ideas,” I whispered. “I’ve taken him on countless times in the past. I know I can hold my own in a fight—”
“You’re missing the point, Rome. You shouldn’t have to live like this.” He slammed his beer down, making the table shake with force.
“I know…”
“No woman should have to feel like prey every single day of her life. How can the justice system fail you like this?”
“It’s not the justice system’s fault. It’s Hank’s.”
“Same difference,” he snapped. “The guy owns all the cops in this city. It’s fucking ridiculous.”
“I told you, Christopher.”
He shook his head and looked at the ground. “Unbelievable…”
“I know.” I felt terrible for putting him through this, for stressing him out with worry over me. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t you dare apologize, Rome,” he whispered. “It’s not your fault.”
I was still sorry anyway. I was sorry I took Hank’s help on the street that afternoon. I was sorry I got Christopher mixed up in this, making him so upset that he wanted to break everything inside the apartment. Believe me, if I could’ve made Hank go away, I would’ve. But this was just a game to him. He would keep playing until he won.
“I think we should tell Calloway.” He interlocked his fingers, his head bowed toward the floor.
“What?” Calloway was the last person we should involve. “I’m not seeing him anymore, Christopher.”
“I know you aren’t. But I think he could help us.”
“Help us how?” By murdering Hank? I could do that just fine on my own.
“Calloway is powerful. He’s done more for this city than everyone else combined. His rehabilitation program has put more ex-cons to work and kept them out of jail than any other federal program. Every judge, lawyer, and city official knows exactly who he is. If it’s Calloway’s word against Hank’s, I think Calloway stands a fair chance. And even if he doesn’t, Hank would be afraid of him.”
“Why?”
“Because he’s huge. His arms are the size of my head.”
I wouldn’t admit to anyone that Calloway made me feel safe. Whenever I stayed at his place, I felt untouchable. “I’m not bringing him into this. He’s not my boyfriend anymore. I’m sorry that you’re involved with this at all. I can just move out—”
“Shut up, Rome,” he snapped. “I’m not trying to hand you off to someone else because I can’t handle it. I just think getting him involved would help. He might have an approach we aren’t considering. This guy knows a lot of people—including those from the underworld.”
If I told Calloway what was going on, he would explode. He would destroy everything he built by doing something stupid. I wouldn’t be surprised if he grabbed my things and forced me to move in with him, like a bear dragging his cub back to the den. “No.”
“Why?” he hissed. “Give me one good reason why.”
“He’s. Not. My. Boyfriend.” Calloway was just a man from my past. We worked together, but I wouldn’t consider us to be friends. My problems weren’t his problems—not anymore. “Christopher, we’ll figure this out on our own.”
“Like hell, we will,” he hissed. “We have no defense against this guy. Even if I got a gun, I couldn’t use it against him. I would be thrown in jail for murder instead of hailed as a hero for saving my sister.”
“I know…but he’ll lose interest eventually.”
“After he rapes you,” he hissed. “And no, we aren’t letting him get his way. He’s a fucking brat that never learned a single lesson in his life. He’s scum.”
“He can’t do this forever. One day, he’ll get married and have kids.”
“Who knows how long that will take. In the meantime, we’ll walk on eggshells for the rest of our lives?” He shook his head, rage brewing in his eyes. “I’m not living like that, Rome. And you aren’t either.”
Christopher had every right to be frustrated, so I let him vent all his anger. “We’ll figure it out one way or another. But I don’t think getting Calloway involved is the answer. It’s you and me. We can do this.”
He dragged his hands down his face in anger.
“Christopher?”
“What?”
“We’re in this together, okay?”
He finally nodded, releasing a sigh. “Yeah. Just you and me.”
My bruises were pretty much gone, and the blue color could easily be hidden with makeup. My foot was better, but I wasn’t able to wear heels just yet. I could wear flats around the office for a day or so without anyone asking questions.
I lay in bed but couldn’t sleep despite how exhausted I was. At the hospital, I slept like a baby because I knew Hank couldn’t get to me. But now that I was in the apartment, a place he’d already broken in to, I didn’t feel safe. Christopher slept across the hall, his bedroom door opened so he could hear the sounds of the apartment, but that still didn’t chase away the fear.
My phone vibrated on my nightstand then the screen lit up with a message.
From Calloway.
I know I should leave you alone, but I’m worried. My assistant told me you’ve had the flu for three days. I just wanted to check on you.
My eyes burned with tears at the words, wishing I could tell him everything that had happened to me lately. I missed sharing my life with him, telling him about the ups and downs. I didn’t just miss him as my lover, but as my friend. The worst is over. I’ll be back in the office tomorrow.
I’m glad to hear that. You must have caught it when we were under the bridge earlier this week.
I remembered that day better than any other. He somehow broke my heart for the second time. Yeah. Maybe.
I’ll let you go to sleep.
I didn’t want to go to sleep, not in this tainted apartment. I wanted to lie against his hard chest, feeling at peace because no one could reach me. I wanted those strong arms to wrap around my body. I wanted him to look me in the eye as he made love to me. Tears bubbled until they formed drops and slid down my cheeks. Letting out the grief didn’t make me feel better—just worse. Good night.
Good night, sweetheart.
16
Calloway
I caught a glimpse of Rome the next day at work.
I walked into the break room just as she was leaving. My arm brushed against her shoulder, sending chills down my spine despite the juvenile touch. I got a whiff of her scent, beautiful and seductive. I suddenly pictured her underneath me, her mouth forming that sexy O as she came all over my dick.
Fuck, I missed her.
I missed fucking her.
I spent the rest of the day in my office, grateful she was back on her feet and moving around. She didn’t seem sick anymore, but then again, I was only in her presence for two seconds.
Normally, my driver took me home from work, but I’d been wal
king lately. The cold air and the sound of traffic seemed to minimize the pain in my chest. I had nowhere to be, so I wasn’t exactly in a hurry.
When I walked up to my front door, Christopher was standing there. His hands were in his pockets as he leaned against the wall beside my door, his ankles crossed. His hair was untidy like he hadn’t bothered doing it that morning. His shoes weren’t as polished as usual either. “Didn’t expect to see you again.” I walked up the stoop until we were eye to eye. “Hope everything is okay.”
“No.” He flashed me a venomous look. “Everything is not fucking okay.”
“I haven’t slept with anyone.” Did he come over here to tell me off again? I’d already admitted my crimes and apologized for them. It was time to move on.
“No, not about that. Let’s go inside.”
I ignored the way he invited himself into my house. I got the door unlocked and we entered. I dropped my jacket on the coatrack and watched him do the same. “You want a beer—”
“No.” He locked the door behind him even though it was unnecessary. I lived in a great neighborhood. No one was going to break in and loot the place—at least if they weren’t stupid. “Rome doesn’t know I’m here, and I’ve got to make this quick.”
At the mention of her name, he had my full attention. “What’s up?” I hoped he would try to put us back together, to tell me Rome missed me and I just needed to fight harder for her. The longer I went without kissing her or touching her, the more insane I became. I was slowly losing my mind, missing that woman in my bed.
“It’s a fucking nightmare, man. I need your help.”
All my hope deflated. “What is it?”
“You remember that ex-boyfriend of hers?”
I didn’t like where this was going. I was already pissed—instantly. “Yes.”
“She told you what happened with him, right?”
Both of my hands formed fists. “Yes.”
“Well, what she didn’t tell you is he’s been stalking her for a while now.”
Stalking her? What the fuck? “What the hell did you just say?”
“You’re mad now…” He chuckled like this was somehow funny. “The reason why I asked you to give her a job at your office is because Hank went to her office a few months ago and harassed her. Luckily, I was there, so that scared him off, but apparently, he’d done it a few times.”
What. The. Fuck.
I’m gonna kill him.
I don’t need a gun or a knife. My hands would do.
I couldn’t speak because I was too angry. And that was a first.
Christopher continued when I remained silent. “She moved in with me, which I think was a great decision because of Hank. But a few days ago, he broke in to our apartment and ambushed her when she came home. They fought in the hallway. She broke his nose and wrist but took some damage herself. She wasn’t really sick. She was in the hospital.”
Now I couldn’t breathe.
He’d touched her.
He’d placed his hands on her.
Hurt her.
I stepped back slowly until the backs of my legs hit the couch. I fell with a thump onto the cushion, my heart beating so fast it actually hurt. I couldn’t catch my breath. So much adrenaline. So much fucking pain.
Christopher told me about his attempt with the cops and how it didn’t go anywhere. This man was too powerful as the DA for New York City. The guy was pretty much untouchable.
Until now.
Christopher watched me closely. “You haven’t said anything in about five minutes. Are you okay?”
I processed so much shit in minutes, and it took my brain a second to catch up. When I found my strength, I stood up again. “I can’t believe she didn’t tell me…”
“Since you aren’t seeing each other anymore—”
“I was seeing her the first two times he assaulted her.” I was yelling at Christopher even though he hadn’t done anything wrong. “I’ll take care of this.”
“What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know yet. But this problem is officially gone.” I stormed out of my own house and left Christopher behind, not giving a damn if he stayed or went. I didn’t even grab my phone or my keys.
And I ran all the way to Rome.
“Open the fucking door!” I slammed my fists into the wood like I was playing the drums. I kept knocking, bruising my knuckles without feeling even a hint of pain. “Rome, do as I say, or I’m gonna break it down.”
When she finally opened the door, she wore a resigned expression on her face. “I can’t believe he told you…”
I slammed the door so hard behind me the walls shook. “And I can’t believe you didn’t tell me.” I rushed her, forcing her back to hit the kitchen counter. My hands gripped the counter on either side of her as I got in her face, feeling so much anger—most of it directed at her. “You have a lot of fucking nerve, you know that?”
“What?” Clearly, that was the last thing she’d expected me to say.
“You left me because of my skeletons. But you have bigger ones. This asshole has been stalking you for months, and you didn’t run it by me? You didn’t think that was important information that I needed to know?” My nose pressed against hers as I continued to yell. “That my girlfriend could have been raped or taken, and I wouldn’t have had a clue about it. Fuck you, Rome.” I finally stepped back, my hands curling into fists.
Shocked, she stared at me with a pale face.
“Pack your shit. Now.”
“Whoa, what?” She couldn’t keep up with my thoughts.
I walked back to her, returning my hands to where they had been. “Pack. Your. Shit. You’re living with me until we get this taken care of.”
“I am not—”
“You wanna fight me?” I threatened. “Fine. But you’re gonna lose, Rome. You’re gonna lose so fucking hard.” My eyes were wide open, and my hands were shaking. “Do as I say, or I’ll make you. What’s it gonna be?”
Normally Rome would fight me tooth and nail. But she must have known I’d reached my boiling point. I was so insane with rage I couldn’t think straight anymore. Or she was really that scared, too afraid to stay in her own apartment because that psychopath could come back at any moment. “Give me a minute to pack…”
I finally stepped back after she was cooperating. I crossed my arms over my chest and stared her down. “Hurry your ass up. I don’t want you in this apartment a moment longer than necessary.”
The ride back to my place was saturated with intensity.
My hand was still tight in a fist on my thigh, my knuckles white and about to snap. I kept my eyes glued out the window, not looking at Rome or getting too close to her. I was so angry with her I didn’t know what to do with myself. I wanted to strangle her, suffocate her. The betrayal was so searing I couldn’t think straight.
She didn’t make the mistake of uttering a single word. I didn’t give a damn if my driver overheard our entire conversation, but to save herself some embarrassment, she was smart to stay quiet.
We arrived back at the house, and to my surprise, Christopher was still there.
“I didn’t know if you were coming back…didn’t have a clue how to—” He stopped talking when he saw Rome pulling her suitcase behind her into the house. He eyed her before he turned back to me, silently asking for an explanation.
“She’s living with me now.” I pointed to the door.
Christopher looked at Rome. “What’s going on—”
“We’ll talk about it later. But for now, I need to be alone with Rome.” I only kept my temper in check because he was kind enough to tell me the truth. But make no mistake, I was on the verge of screaming.
This time, Christopher did as I commanded. He walked out and shut the door, leaving Rome alone with me. Honestly, I wasn’t sure if that was a wise thing to do.
Once the door was shut and we were alone together, the silence was deafening. It was so quiet I could hear the blood pounding behind
my ears. When I tightened my fists, I could hear the slight crack of my knuckles.
Rome stood beside her suitcase, her arms tight around her waist. It was the first time I’d seen her lose her confidence. She appeared apologetic, knowing she was guilty for what she had done. She didn’t hold her head high with elegance, with the respect of a queen.
I asked the biggest question on my mind. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“You know why.”
“I really don’t.” I kept my voice low, but the threat in my tone never faded away. “And you’re going to tell me.”
“Because I knew you would do something stupid—like murder him.”
“That doesn’t sound stupid at all—quite the opposite.” I wanted this man’s body inside a dumpster on 12th Street, rotting away and stinking up the alley. I wanted his corpse to be cut into small pieces, perfect for feeding fish in the harbor.
“He’s a very powerful man—”
“And you think I’m not?” I was an opponent that never lost a battle.
“You’ve worked really hard to build this life. I didn’t want to tear you down with this.”
“Tear me down?”
“He can make your life a nightmare, Calloway. Christopher has tried intervening, but I know Hank would take his license away, get him fired, and strip away all of his accomplishments. I couldn’t let that happen to him. And I’m not gonna let that happen to you.”
“I’d like to see him try.” I closed the space between us, cornering Rome against the wall. “This is how this is going to work. You live here with me now. I’ll take you to work every day and anywhere else you want to go. But you stay in my sight at all times. Got it?”
She wanted to argue. It was obvious by the darkness in her eyes. Her lips pressed tightly together like she was trying to swallow the argument.
“I didn’t hear you.” I pressed my face closer to hers.
“I think it’s a little extreme—”
I grabbed her by the neck, unable to control my temper. “Wrong answer. This guy broke in to your apartment and messed you up. If anything, it’s not extreme enough. Now, you will do as I say. Got it?”
Black Diamond (Obsidian Book 2) Page 16