Page 24 of Sinister
“You know what I mean. Now, come here, I missed your sassy pants the last few days.” He grabs me around the waist and pulls me against him, giving me a bear hug. “Where the fuck did you run to at the party the other night?”
I freeze in his arms, the guilt and anguish radiating from me is palpable. “I had to get away.”
“From me because I was a cunt to you again?” His voice is low, and the slight uncertainty is something new.
“No!” I pull away from his chest and look up at him surprised he’s even thinking that.
His eyes dart between mine, looking for truth in my one word answer. Even my expression isn’t enough to convince him, I can tell from the slight downturn of his lips.
“I came looking for you.” He holds me tighter against him.
I swallow the razor blades in my throat, allowing them to scrape their way down to my heart and shred it more than it already is. “I’m sorry.” My words hurt.
“Please don’t run from me again even if I’m being a moody prick and say I can’t,” he barely whispers.
“I won’t.” I place my free hand on his abs. “You look very dapper in this.” I smile up at him, hoping my bad English accent lifts the mood. I don’t want to discuss the other night here and now. It’s too raw and I can’t bring myself to tell him someone stole the one thing I was saving for him.
“Dapper,” he repeats in the same bad English accent, his mood instantly shifting. “I doubt a dapper elitist would behave in such a manner”
I try to get out of his grip when he lets the loudest fart rip and the stench wafts up to surround us. “Oh my God, Rome, let me go! I think you need to lay off the protein powder.”
“Sniff it and weep, baby.” His chest rumbles with laughter and as much as I try not to breathe, I can’t help but laugh as well.
“Seriously, I need to open the window to get some fresh air.” I slap at him playfully and he lets go of me.
Waving my hand in front of my face, I scurry past him and open the window to allow some fresh air in. “Your insides are rank.” I wave my arms around to try and get the fart smell out.
“Just think, now you’ll get to smell my farts on the daily.”
“That’s just great, main reason I agreed to move here.” I roll my eyes at him and close the window back up.
“Come on, we’re wanted downstairs at the gathering.”
“The what?”
“Where we meet all the frat brothers and the ones who will be sharing the house with us.” He indicates with a jerk of his head for me to follow him.
Shaking my head, I hold my hand up at him in a stop gesture. “No thanks, I’ll just stay here. It’s bad enough I’m living here as it is. I don’t need the scrutiny and hateful glares of all your frat brothers in the one room.”
Rome tilts his head and I know he’s calculating on how he can grab me and make a run for it downstairs.
“Don’t even think about it.” I step back into the desk.
“Move it or I’ll fart on you again.” He grins and steps aside to allow me to pass him and exit through my bedroom door.
“I’ll take it. It’s the better of the two options.” I cross my arms in defiance.
“Monroe. Stop being difficult and antisocial.” He raises his eyebrows at me.
“Rome. Stop being annoying as fuck and trying to make me make friends with your stupid elitist roomies.”
He launches at me and before I can move to dodge him, he has me around the hips, hauling me over his shoulder. “Don’t struggle or we’ll fall down the stairs and make a grand entrance and everyone will be staring at you then.” He slaps my ass as he heads out of my room.
Pickle still in hand, I stare at the dark wooden floorboards as Rome makes his way toward the staircase. He slides me down to my feet and the closeness makes goosebumps break out over my skin. If only he had followed me up the stairs, this whole exchange would be completely different.
“What? Why are you looking at me like that?” He grins down at me and steals my pickle, biting half of it off and chewing it disgustingly. “Now, move your ass down those stairs and come meet your new roommates.” He turns me on the spot and forces me to descend the stairs.
I spot Chaser and Sinisa sitting on two of the four leather chairs placed in front of the massive stone fireplace. If this place wasn’t a frat house, it would make the most stunning stately home. I count ten guys all wearing the tailcoats with the same emblem on the lapel, and I realize, Chaser and Sin are also dressed the exact same. The rest of the guys in here are dressed in dark blue versions of the black tailcoats. What the English monarch weirdness have I stumbled into?