by Rose Croft
“Screw you, Roman, you have no say in what I do. Nick invited me.”
“Nick?” he growled, showing his teeth. His eyes darkened, a brewing blackness was unleashing, growing more frightening with each passing second.
I think I’d reached my limit of his stupid scowls and threats. I grinned brightly. “Yep. His house. His party. Now run along and sulk somewhere else.”
“That’s funny considering this is my fucking house too.” He lived here. He actually lived here. Of course he did.
“What’s your point?”
“My point is, these run-ins are beginning to irk me like an uncomfortable thorn in my side. Kind of painful, but more annoying.”
“Oh, I’m sorry you feel that way.” Sarcasm oozed from my mouth. “Since it seems like it’s you who holds a grudge and prolongs our chance meetings. What will you do, drag me out by my hair and throw me out the front door?”
One side of his mouth curled in a snarl. “You underestimate me, again. I wouldn’t need to.” His eyes raked over me with something more than distaste and a worn, familiar feeling slipped through me. He added in a cool tone, “Did Nick send you to his room to wait obediently for him like the sweet, innocent girl you portray yourself to be? Hmm?” He curled a finger under my chin. “Did he?” My lips flattened refusing to rise to the bait. He bent closer; his words floated over my lips. “We both know that’s not true, don’t we?”
I turned my head away, saddened he thought so low of me. “You don’t know me anymore.”
“I know you better than anyone here, including Nick.” He gripped my chin again forcing me to face him. “Maybe I should reconsider this situation.”
“There is no situation.”
“Oh, but there is. You think I would stand by and let my friend get fucked over by you?”
I jerked my chin away taking a step back. “Fine. If you want me to leave, I will.”
He edged in on me with nostrils flared like a beast that’d just been awakened. “Too late. I’ve changed my mind.”
I swallowed although my throat had gone dry. “Why?”
He shrugged with his eyes devoid of emotion.
“Do you hate me so much?”
“Hate is a weak emotion, Theodora.” He reached out and lightly traced my collarbone.
“What is it you want, Roman?” My voice shook as my skin quivered beneath his touch.
“Maybe I want to fuck you so hard until you have me etched in your memories. Until I forget what a heartless liar you truly are.”
“Don’t.” I shoved at his chest, but he pressed in closer.
“Does the truth hurt?” His hips swiveled into mine feeling his erection through our clothing. He was hard.
My eyes brows shot up startled by his apparent hatred and lust. “You’re so wrong. This is wrong.”
His finger trailed lower dragging down the hem of my top until it bunched at the valley of my chest. His lips curled in a cruel grin. “Don’t act like you have a conscience now. It doesn’t suit you.” His finger stroked the swell of my breast.
I blinked trying to gather my senses. “You’re insane.”
“That may be true,” he retorted while his thumb traced slow circles against my skin. He was an evil temptation cloaked in a smooth warning. Roman was toying with me. I felt the unbridled fury in his soft touch. I knew him too well. He added, “I wonder what Nick would say if he walked in and saw your flushed cheeks right now. How your lips are parted begging to be kissed. Or saw your legs wrapped around my hips as I drove into your tight cunt.”
I curled my fingers around his hand flinging it to the side. He was an egotistical dickhead. “That’s all this is isn’t it? You’re trying to prove a point.”
“If I wanted to prove a point.” He slapped a palm on the wall near my head caging me in. “It wouldn’t be difficult.”
I dug my nails into my palms, trying to keep my composure. “Oh, sure. Here’s an excessively obvious point. I will never sleep with you again.”
His intense eyes never fled mine. “Is that so?”
I nodded, never breaking our gaze. Minutes seemed to pass as we stared. “I need to find Nick.” I made a move to scoot around him but he clamped down hard on my shoulder.
“Stay away from him.”
I wouldn’t even grace him with an answer. “Let go, Roman. Or—”
“Or what? What will you do? Enlighten me.”
His smug look was goading me, and I reacted without thinking, doing something I only thought worked in movies. I swung my leg up with all my might, shoving my knee into his crotch. Even as tough as Roman was, he doubled over with a sharp exhale, cursing my name. It was enough time to slip around him out of the room. I fought the bubble of adrenaline rushing through me and passed through the hall contemplating where I would go. Instinct had me heading through the living room, searching for Kenzie and finding a ride home. I scanned the room filled wall-to-wall with a crowd of people waving their hands in the air, bumping and grinding like this was the biggest music festival of the year. There was a snowball’s chance in hell I’d find my roomie through this sea of people.
“Hey, where’ve you been? I thought I’d have to call out a search party to find you.” Nick was at my side with a protective hand across my shoulder, shielding more people from bumping into me.
I thought about Roman’s threat. Then, I shrugged and said, “I wanted to tell Kenzie something, but…”
He studied my face with concern. “Is everything good? You want me to take you home?”
I eyed the red cup in Nick’s hand and took it from him, sipping the remainder of his drink feeling reckless and still riding my high. “No.” I decided I wasn’t going to allow him to ruin my night ever again.
“Okay. Cool.” Eventually he guided me away from the crowd. Back down the hallway that was now semi-crowded. Back to the lair. Ignoring the warning in my head to leave while I had the chance. I knew I was tempting the devil, but at this point, I didn’t care.
Roman
I lost it. I was a fucking idiot, and when I saw her in my house sitting next to Nick. Then, when she admitted being here because of Nick. It’s like my control went up in flames. Get it. The fuck. Together. I smoothed a hand over my shirt and stepped into the lair, scoping out the crowd disdainfully, playing my part, but I wasn’t really seeing anything. Diversion at its finest. I did my usual, but the night was different from any other when we hosted a party.
I should’ve been pumped on a natural high. I should’ve been acting the fool and chugging drinks like all my friends, lapping up the attention that people so desperately laid on me. I should’ve been thankful the Falcons were getting national attention after the game today. We were a small private school nobody really knew about. When I’d first stepped on campus, we were unknown. But now people would know our name…Tonight, I knew the stakes and had one of my best games ever. We’d defeated our hated rivals who were favored to overtake us in most sports polls before the game. Belated newsflash with spoilers—they didn’t.
Even that didn’t soothe the seething rage threatening to boil over when I’d stepped into this room earlier and saw Theodora sitting next to one of my best friends. Which was irrational, actually, at face value. Except to me, it wasn’t. Hence, the reason I slipped away and followed her into Nick’s room with the intent to kick her ass out. However, I didn’t. Now, my balls were whining about the way I handled the situation. Literally. Fucking pussies.
“Roman, smile, you just had one of your best games ever.” Taylor snapped her fingers in front of my face. “You’ve been staring into space like a whacked out weirdo for five minutes.”
I took a sip and gave her my attention. “I’m fine. Just wound up.”
“Try to take down your intensity.” She held up two fingers. “Just a notch.”
I tossed my drink back resolving myself to get rip-roaring drunk.
To hell with Theodora. Why was I even wasting my energy on her? She’s the one who invaded my spa
ce. She’s the one who’d ripped my heart out when she turned everything we had into something ugly.
Then, I saw the heavy door to the room open.
And I saw her.
A halo of blond mussed hair bounced with each step she took.
Green eyes glittered with defiance as she flitted across the room.
On the arm of Nick.
On the fucking arm of my best friend.
She didn’t listen. She didn’t heed my warning.
A thorn in my side she was, I heard a brash crunch echo in my ears, realizing I crushed the plastic cup in my hand.
Theodora
“Do you want me to walk you up to your room?” Nick had one arm slung carelessly over the steering wheel of his Ford F-150 Raptor.
“I can manage. Thank you for taking me home.” I fought a yawn. Kenzie and Justin wanted to go eat breakfast at the local all-late night café where all the college kids flocked to and Nick had joined us. Somehow, it kind of happened that Kenzie rode with Justin and I ended up with Nick. Not that I was complaining. It was nice to hang around someone who was fun and charming. Nice to not feel my heart threatening to crash through my chest bone in a rush of apprehension. Being with Nick was just nice. And that was exactly what I needed. Although, I wasn’t immune to the dark gazes I received throughout the evening from Roman while he partied with his friends and had Taylor at his side. Surprisingly, he didn’t try to publicly throw me out or confront me. Maybe he came to his senses. Or he didn’t deem me so important. Would he always be on my mind? Stupid girl. Clearly, I was still buzzing from the drinks I had earlier.
“Not a problem. I like you, Theo.” He slid out of his seat, walked with a confident swagger around the truck to open my door, helping me step out. His hand was warm and big as he kept his hold, but it didn’t send tingles up my skin. Nick was charismatic and looked like the poster boy for any girl’s ideal dream date. He felt safe and had a comfortable air about him.
His blue eyes crinkled under the lamplight in the campus parking lot as we stood. I glanced behind me at the dorms. “Well, thanks again.” I shifted my feet, not knowing what to say, wondering if he was going to try to kiss me.
“My pleasure.” He rolled his lips as he continued peering at me. My hand was still engulfed in his. “Good night, beautiful,” he said softly and leaned in kissing me on the cheek, his lips lingering before he pulled away.
I flitted my hand in the air awkwardly. “Good night.” I walked steadily to the dorms and heard the roar of Nick’s truck engine behind me. He didn’t drive off until I made it safely through the front entrance.
I trudged up the stairs to the second floor, the clack of my sandals echoing eerily in the abandoned stairwell since it was around four in the morning. I lightened my steps as I made the familiar path down the dimly lit hallway to my room and halted as the small hairs on the back of my neck pricked up and fear slowly oozed through my veins. My door was faintly cracked open.
I reached out, fingers lingering on the handle as worst-case scenarios went through my head. What if someone broke in? What if I’m about to be murdered? Scenes from my favorite horror movies were playing in my head, and I felt like the idiot character who sensed danger but didn’t run away. Then, reason seemed to flit back in my head. What if Kenzie forgot to close the door completely when she came home? She and Justin left the café before us. I assumed she’d already made it back.
I pushed cautiously on the handle, opening the door inch by inch. “Kenzie?” I whisper-called, creeping cautiously into the room. “Kenz—”
A death vise clamped my arm, dragging me into the room. I screamed, but a hand smothered my face as I was whipped around and shoved against a wall. Blackness surrounded me.
I punched out with my hands but fingers clamped around my wrists, securing them behind me like a steel band. I kicked out and soon an ankle was wrapped around mine, holding me in place. If I lashed out with my other foot, I would probably fall to the floor. Panic shimmied through my system like a relentless fever. I hadn’t experienced this since that night long ago…
“You’re trembling. Still afraid of the dark?” The voice was low, definitely male but sounded clinical like he was making a quaint scientific observation. But I knew who it was. “Or is it me you fear?”
“Let me go,” I mumbled against his hand. His large palm covered half my face making it difficult to breathe, and I was terrified of dark places. He knew it very well, and damn him for using it against me. My fear was pulsing through me like the heavy bass pounding from the party earlier tonight. Intensified by the unpredictability of this person I thought I knew so well. Obviously, Roman was certifiable and didn’t take kindly to my defiance. I was stupid to think him leaving me alone for the duration of the party was him letting his revenge go. At this rate, I was going to pass out or have a panic attack if he didn’t remove his hand.
“Remember how you used to beg me to stay with you and hold you because you didn’t want to be alone at night? And I did. I would’ve done anything for you. I wanted to protect you then. I trusted you.”
His words were like tiny shards of glass scraping over my skin because it was all true, and I believed it at the time—he was my knight in shining armor. “Air. I need air.” My words were unintelligible, smothered into his skin.
“Who protects you from the nightmares, now?” he growled, pressing his hard body into my back. My chest flattened painfully against the textured wall.
I was suffocating. Muffled shrieks fell through my lips to no avail as I struggled, which only sounded like pathetic moans. Where was Kenzie? Like a caged animal, fight-or-flight took over my system, and I tried to bite his skin. My mind furiously worked overtime like a hamster on a wheel. Why? Why? Why? Why was he doing this? Did he hate me so much? Was he not happy until he humiliated me completely?
My eyes started watering and a tear trickled down my cheek. He must’ve felt it too because his hand eased up, and I dragged a deep breath into my lungs. I was still wedged between him and the wall, and my arms felt like they could be pulled out of my sockets at any second. I glanced behind me toward the bed on the opposite wall.
“No one’s here but you and me.” He withdrew his palm from my face and fingers trailed down the front of my throat. “Scream, and I’ll cut off your air supply.”
“Why are you doing this?”
“Because you’re in my path. I gave you fair warning.”
“I don’t want to be in your path.”
“And yet you are.”
I closed my eyes, trying to recollect my calm. “Look, if it’s about earlier, I’m sorry, but you provoked me.”
“And you’ve been provoking me since I first laid eyes on you again.” He yanked my hands apart and around until they were above my head, flattened by his heavy palm. “Did it give you pleasure? Watching me while Nick had his hands on you?” He yanked my hair, pulling until I eyed his face, which was made more visible from adjusting to the dark and the outdoor lights slipping through the blinds. His eyes were filled with contempt and gloom. “Does he know that I owned you? I’m warning you for the last time stop whatever this shit is you’re doing with Nick before it goes any further.”
In this moment, my fear bloomed into something else. A slow rise of hate. I hated how he thought he could tell me what to do as though I would roll over and do whatever he said. It was obvious he thought his status on the food chain was much higher than mine because he was born into wealth and I wasn’t. I wasn’t the daughter of one of the Martinez employees anymore.
Besides, he was a hypocrite. He’d spent the whole evening entertaining Taylor. The one his father wanted him to marry. As if my son would ever consider falling in love with someone like you. I’d never forget those words Roman’s dad had said in his study. I’d never forget the look of contempt in Roman’s eyes when he found out what I did.
“It’s none of your business what I do,” I gritted out.
“Theodora.”
My fury
was sprouting wings like a phoenix as he spoke to me like I was a child. “If I want to see Nick, I will.”
“Retract that, now.” He pressed harder against me.
“No.”
That one word hung in the air between us. He chuckled, but there was no humor in his tone. “Are you sure you’re ready to play this game, Corazón?” The once endeared term he used to call me sounded ugly. He bent closer to me, and his nose trailed down the column of my throat as he inhaled like he was trying to absorb my scent, suck in my essence. “I tried to warn you off, but if you really want to play, give it your best shot. But I will give you forewarning.” He bit into my skin, sucking ruthlessly as a mixture of pain and pleasure strummed through me, and I clawed at his palm holding me in place, although it was futile to fight his brute strength. He was relentless, while I was immobilized. I gasped as the pressure finally subsided, and he growled against my skin. “I. Never. Lose.” He abruptly released me, leaving my arms to droop like a rag doll as I took shaky breaths, trying to calm myself and wrap my head around what just happened. After a few minutes passed, something else inside me emerged, a fire and determination that I wasn’t going to lay down or slink away. I knew too well Roman hated to lose, I just didn’t realize at what price it would cost me.
Roman
“Did you tap that the other night?” Axel nudged Nick, who both were sitting over to my right on the field doing pre warm-up stretches. Those two were chatting like giddy chicks about the party, while I clenched my hands around my cleat and held my stretch, fuming, trying to keep my focus and not attack Nick.
Nick had this annoying grin on his face but said nothing.
“That girl is fine,” Axel stated and pushed off the ground, bouncing on his toes. “So, did you?”
Nick stood up too. “No, I didn’t tap that, and if I did, I sure as hell wouldn’t tell you.”
“You gonna see her again?” Axel asked. “I mean, besides in class.”