Page 39 of Born Wicked
“No. Way,” I say, utterly flabbergasted. My eyes go wide and huge, and I can’t quite pick up my jaw.
“It’s what some of the gifted have joked about,” he says with a shrug. “She has to be making money somehow. She never seems financially strained.”
“I can’t believe it,” I say, shaking my head with a laugh. “Guess I know who I’m visiting when I get two seconds of downtime.”
“You didn’t hear it from me,” Roman says, putting his hands up in surrender.
It’s nice. This moment is so normal. Laughing and razzing each other. Wandering the halls of an empty building. It’s not sneaking around. It’s not reminiscing on a shared, dark past. It’s so present and natural.
Finally, we reach the second to top floor, and I can’t help but grin as I take in the space. It’s largely open, a loft style. Arched windows surround the entire space. Polished hardwood floors create a massive space.
It kind of reminds me of my apartment in some ways. It’s old. It’s imperfect. But there’s something… comforting about it. Inviting.
“This would be the most amazing loft,” I state, imagining it already. A kitchen there. A huge dining area over there. You could throw up a wall, and that would be a bedroom with an amazing view. “I can’t believe someone hasn’t converted it yet.”
“We’ve all had our own spaces already,” Roman says with a shrug.
A thought sparks in my brain. “What… what would you think about Jon moving in here? He’s still looking for a place of his own. And this… with a little work, this could be really incredible.”
Roman nods, looking at the space. “Jon is trustworthy, and it’s obvious he’s sticking around so long as you’re in the city. I don’t think I see any harm in it. You’d have to run it by the rest of the Council.”
“I will,” I say, smiling as I imagine it. The place would be an absolute mansion if it were converted into a home. It would still be for public use by the vampire and gifted population. But as a home…
“Where do you consider ‘home?’” I ask as I look back at him with furrowed brows. “The club or the church?”
Roman lives at both regularly, it feels like. He has a dedicated bedroom at the church, but he does have an entire personal apartment at the club.
“Home isn’t a word that has ever felt applicable to me,” he answers, though he looks away from me. His eyes scan the large open space as if he’s trying to capture my vision for it. “Pretty sure that’s supposed to be a place with people you care about, love, good times. I just have places where I can close my eyes and watch my back a little less.”
It’s painful how much I understand. “I think I know what you mean. But I think home is also where we find peace. When I got my first private apartment in New York, it was a complete hole, but it was mine. I worked so damn hard for it. So, when I came to Chicago, and I lost all of that, it was rough. I hated being dependent on Mason. I think the entire city thought I was a gold digger, but I hated every second of that part of it.”
“In the end, the only person you can depend on is yourself, right?” But there’s this little sliver of doubt in Roman’s voice.
“Right,” I answer, though it doesn’t come out very confident. I let out a sigh as my eyes scan the room, though I’m not really seeing it. “At least, that’s what I’ve always thought. Coming to Chicago has kind of shaken that belief.”
“You have a lot of people here who love you, Juliet,” Roman says quietly.
There’s something soft and vulnerable when I softly respond, “Yeah.”
“I hope you recognize it, just how important you are,” he continues. And the sincerity in his voice pulls my eyes to his ice blue ones. “This city needs you. It’s lucky to have you.”
Something about the intensity behind his words sends my heart beating marginally faster.
“You stopped a madman and died for the people here to make it happen.” Something in his eyes tells me he’s a little uncomfortable with what he’s saying, but they also reveal how much he means it. “You picked up the pieces when Sebastian dropped everything. You’re saving lives, Juliet. You’re doing good. And I know you’re overwhelmed trying to fix the gifted and the vampires, but I don’t have any doubt you’re going to do it.”
“You’re kind of freaking me out,” I say honestly. “I know we’re on good terms now, but damn.” My heart is hammering in my chest.
“I just…” he trails off, unsure what to say next. His eyes drop to the floor between us. “You just need to know. You’re invaluable.”
My soul has constantly been evolving and shifting since I Resurrected as a vampire. Recently, I thought I’d finally figured out who I am. But I feel something new in me treading unknown ground. I feel different right now than I felt even twenty minutes ago.
I swallow hard and pretend it has nothing to do with the words Roman has just spoken.
“Thank you, Roman,” I say quietly.
CHAPTERTWELVE
I’m sittingat my computer, staring at the screen, trying to make sense of the data on it.