Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 98736 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 494(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98736 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 494(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
“And now you’re getting ink over your heart that she drew?” It’s more of a question than a statement.
“Yep.”
He’s quiet. I’m sure mulling all of this over in his mind. He finishes up my tattoo, cleans and covers it, before pulling off his gloves. “This means I’m an accomplice.”
“What?”
“I know too much. He’s going to be pissed.”
“This conversation never happened. Look, man, I’m missing her like crazy, and she’s going to be pissed as hell when I tell her that I told you, but you can’t say anything. You have to let us work this out.”
“You’re going to tell her you told me?”
“Of course I am. I’ve never lied to her, and I won’t start now. Fuck me, Legend. I’m trying to win her back, not fuck this up further.”
He raises his hands in the air, letting me know he’s backing off. “I won’t say a word, but you need to fix this. You need to either grovel or let her go.”
“I can’t let her go.”
“You might not have a choice.” He voices my greatest fear.
“She loves me.”
“Did she tell you that?”
“She didn’t have to. I can feel it. I can’t explain it. All I know is that until it happens to you, you won’t understand it.”
“You’re really in love with our Em?”
“She’s my Em, and yes, I’m in love with her.”
“So possessive,” he jokes.
“Again, until it happens to you, you won’t understand, but I promise you there is nothing in this world I wouldn’t give up for her. I’ll do whatever it takes to prove that to her.”
“You’re talking forever, Rome.”
“Won’t be long enough.”
“Holy fuck.” He shakes his head.
“Just keep this between us. Please.”
“Done. However, I’m not going to lie for you. That’s not who we are.”
“I know. I hate that we lied to you all, to him, but she wanted to wait, and when I tell you, there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for her. I mean it. I let her call the shots. She has all the power.”
“You’re pussy-whipped without actually having the pussy.”
“I warned you.” My voice is low and gravelly.
“Retract the fangs, Rome. What I meant was, you’ve never slept with her, and she’s got you under her spell. Once she gives in, I can’t imagine how much worse it’s going to be.”
“I know she’s younger than me. Those ten years were a big part of my hold-up, but when we’re together, I don’t feel them. However, I still knew they were there. I knew she was inexperienced, and I let her set the pace. I’ll continue to do that. If she wants to wait until we’re married, that’s fine too. I don’t care as long as at the end of the day, she’s mine. I get to call her mine, and I don’t have to hide that I fucking love her with everything I am.” I’m breathing heavily by the time my little speech is finished, and I feel every word. Fuck the age difference. Fuck her brother if he can’t see that she’s my entire world.
I want to marry her. I want the rest of my life with her.
He slowly nods. I just dropped a big-ass heavy truth bomb on him, so there’s a lot to process. “I hope it works out for both of you.”
I nod, hold my fist out, and we bump knuckles. Grabbing my shirt, I slip it back over my head and go back to my space. I look around and all the hard work we put into building this business and our reputation stares back at me.
I’ll miss it if it comes down to me giving it all up, but I’ll do so without a single regret.
Chapter
Twenty-Two
Emerson
* * *
Sitting on my bed, I stare at the boxes surrounding me. This place, a home I’ve shared with my best friend for the last three years, holds so many memories. I know how incredibly fortunate I am that we both went to the same school. Different fields of study but both in healthcare. I’m grateful to my big brother for helping me make this happen. I owe him so much. I also owe him an apology.
To say the last four months have been difficult is a gross understatement. I had big plans for myself, and for my future. They all included Roman, and suddenly, I had to let them go. I’m still figuring out how to do that, but what I have figured out is that I haven’t been fair to my brother.
He did nothing wrong. He loves me with everything he is, and I know he wants what’s best for me. That’s not a crime, and even if it were, he wouldn’t know that he committed it. He had no idea that Roman and I were together, and that’s on me. I chose to wait until I graduated. My fear held me back.