Sweet Home

  Rome groaned and pulled me closer into his protective embrace. “Ahh, fuck off, Shel. I’ve had enough in dealin’ with assholes for one day!”

  “Are you seriously with her?” She looked at me as though she’d swallowed something nasty.

  “Yep, I seriously am.” And he dropped his head and took my lips in a searing kiss to prove his point. I wrapped my hand around his neck to encourage him further.

  “You know he won’t stay with you, don’t you, darlin’?” she spat at me, causing Rome and me to break apart.

  “And why’s that?”

  “Because Momma and Daddy Prince won’t accept a money-grabbin’ whore with their son, and they can be real persuasive. They want me and they’ll get me, you can count on that.” She smiled as though she had Romeo wrapped around her little finger.

  “Funny, a money-grabbing whore—that’s exactly what Rome said about you,” I replied.

  “You’re nothing! A pure piece of—”

  “Shut your evil mouth, and get the fuck on before I do somethin’ I regret,” Romeo warned with a no-nonsense tone.

  She laughed patronisingly. “I’ll give it a month and then we’ll see what your folks do. You’ll be back in my arms in no time. Your momma’s gonna flip!”

  “I’d never touch you again and wouldn’t be with you if you were the last person on Earth. You’re a bitter, vindictive bitch. As for my folks, I’m quickly learnin’ to not give a shit what they say anymore. I want Mol and she wants me. End of discussion. Nothin’ you or my folks do will make a damn bit of difference to change that. Now leave us the fuck alone.” He twisted his body and addressed the rest of the teaming Quad. “That applies to everyone—leave us the fuck alone or deal with me! The next person who interferes or even breathes wrong in our direction, I won’t be so fuckin’ lenient with!”

  I sighed and closed my eyes. I abhorred violence.

  Shelly straightened her hair and, seeing hundreds of eyes staring nervously at our display, stormed away. I watched as she pulled out her pink covered iPhone—it didn’t take a genius to guess who she was calling.

  Romeo bent his head to my ear. “Don’t listen to her, okay? What she said, they’re just words; don’t mistake them for truth.”

  I moved to sit on the other side of the tree, slumping dejectedly to the ground. I couldn’t shake my unease at what Shelly had said and hated, only hours after announcing we were together, the amount of trouble we’d had thrust our way. I couldn’t help but wonder if Romeo’s parents would think I was with him for his money? Would they try to make him leave me for Shelly?

  Romeo quietly crouched before me and pressed his forehead against mine, his hands lying lightly on my shoulders. “You’ve gone all quiet on me, Shakespeare. I don’t like it.”

  I forced a smile. “I’m good, baby. Don’t worry.”

  My friends headed over to us, anxiously watching us both, clearly checking we were okay. I smiled in assurance that all was well.

  Romeo eyed me sceptically one last time before announcing, “I’m gonna take you out on Saturday after the game. A real date. No more hidin’. ‘Bout time I show all of Tuscaloosa you’re mine.”

  Our friends smiled in delight at his obvious affection towards me, but I shook my head.

  “What?” Rome said as he tensed his shoulders. He thought I was rejecting him.

  I put my hand on his arm and squeezed gently. “I’ve already agreed to go dancing with this lot, babe.” I gestured to the group.

  I watched his shoulders relax. “Then I’ll take you dancin’ with your friends. We’ll all go,” he asserted, ending the conversation once and for all.

  “Okay, it’ll be fun,” I said somewhat calmer, but I quickly lost my smile. “Oh, I’m still twenty, though. They won’t let me in, will they?”

  Jimmy-Don tipped his hat. “Get me a photo by tonight and I’ll get you a fake ID, okay, sugar bean? I know some people ‘round these parts.”

  “Okay, sure.”

  Rome took my hand, pulling me to stand, and threaded my fingers through his. “It’ll be all good. By the way, d’you know how to two-step?”

  “Erm… no.” I replied, not even knowing what the heck a two-step was.

  Laughter broke out around me, and Cass sang, “Saturday is gonna be so much friggin’ fun!”

  12

  “What about this one?”

  “It has tassels on the nipples, for God’s sake!”

  Cass shrugged, putting back the ridiculous black lace all-in-one on the rack and moved to the next line of lingerie. “What about this, then?”

  I looked over to my good Texan friend and gaped, Ally and Lexi breaking into fits of giggles behind me.

  “Crotchless knickers? Jeez, Cass! I want to look pretty, not like a hooker!”

  She slammed the panties back on the shelf, muttering under her breath. “I have these in hot pink and neon green, and I’m no friggin’ hooker! Jimmy-Don loves them—easy access, anytime, anywhere! They’re just practical!”

  I slumped down on the plush red velvet seat in the opulently decorated lingerie shop and threw my head in my hands. Lexi sat beside me and bumped me with her shoulder. “You doing okay, Molls?”

  Slipping my hands down my face, I turned to look at her. “What’s wrong with my normal underwear? I’m sure when I finally sleep with Romeo, he won’t exactly care what I’m wearing beforehand.”

  “Probably. But treat yourself anyways, girl. Just get something you feel comfortable in. Maybe a night robe or something for afterwards?” She smiled, eyes bright. “You wanna feel sexy, don’t you?”

  I sighed. “Yes, of course.”

  “What about this, darlin’?” Ally held out a mid-length black silk robe for me to see. “It has a matching chemise too. It’s sexy without being… well…” She signalled to Cass, who was pressing a braless basque to her chest, nodding her head in approval. “Well, frankly… pornographic!”

  I stood and Ally lifted the item for me to inspect. It was beautiful—soft, subtle—and if I was going to get something a little bit sexy, this would work nicely.

  I nodded and smiled. “I like it. I’ll get it.”

  “These too,” Lexi said as she handed me three sets of matching black underwear—one lace, one silk, and one satin. I took the items and headed to the till.

  Cass walked by me, jumping in my place, waving pink fluffy handcuffs, a large bottle of lube, and a tube of edible chocolate paint in the air. “I’m getting these. Unlike Sandra fuckin’ Dee here, I like my sex wild and untamed.”

  Ten minutes later, we were all weighed down with our new purchases, giggling and having a great time strolling down the street, when Cass stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, causing me to smack right into her back.

  She whipped to face me suddenly, looking panicked. “Hey, I-I need to go back this way. I-I forgot something.”

  “What, girl? What did you forget?” Lexi moaned. We’d planned to go for food.

  Cass’s eyes widened in alarm. “I need… I need…” She snapped her fingers in triumph. “Condoms. I need to go to the pharmacy to pick up condoms. Need them to go with this lot.” She lifted her handcuffs and paint, followed by the wiping of her brow. “Jimmy-Don and I ran out last night. It was a friggin’ good time!”

  I looked from Lexi to Ally, who were also gawking at Cass in confusion. As I turned back to Cass, she was jerking her head back repeatedly, glaring at Ally, urging her to see something over her shoulder. I snapped back to Ally, who was frozen on the spot, chewing on her lip.

  Cass linked my arm, a huge fake smile on her face. “Let’s go. Y’all know how much I like my daily screws. Safety first, folks!”

  I snatched back my hand and dropped my shopping bags to the floor. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

  Ally and Cass tried to act confounded by my question. Lexi was gaping over my shoulder with a dismayed expression. Ally nudged her and Lexi faced me, plastering a huge grin on her face.

  Something wasn?
??t adding up.

  I went to turn when Cass clamped her hand around my arm. “Molly!”

  “WHAT?!” I screamed in frustration.

  Cass’s round face softened at my outburst. “Let’s go home. Please, just, let’s go.”

  Nervous flutters accosted my stomach. My friends were hiding something, something I needed to see.

  I slowly turned around, my heart shattering when I finally saw what had them all flustered.

  Romeo was sitting in a fancy restaurant on the luxurious outdoor terrace with Shelly and two other women.

  All the air disappeared from my lungs in one swift whoosh.

  Ally’s hand wrapped around my shoulder, squeezing in support. “Molly, the blond-haired woman is Romeo’s momma and the redhead is Shelly’s, Mrs. Blair. They’re both a real pair of bitchy old crows.”

  I nodded slowly, taking in the scene. Shelly sat next to Rome, right next to Rome, her arm pressing against his and her hand laid on his chest. The two older women smiled in delight at the two as they sipped on their wine, while I fought back reactionary nausea.

  “He’s been lying to me,” I said as devastation seized complete control of my senses.

  “Let’s just go. Talk to him later,” Cass urged once again.

  “No! I want to watch. I want to make sure I have this whole situation right.”

  “Why, Molly? Don’t do this to yourself.” Lexi stood before me, trying to block my line of sight. I moved her gently aside.

  “Because I want to remember how this feels, just in case I stupidly let anyone in again.”

  Ally narrowed her eyes. “I don’t believe it’s what it looks like! He wouldn’t cheat on you, Molls. Especially with her. You’re all he wants!”

  “Obviously not.”

  We all stood frozen in place, watching the story play out as if it were the latest blockbuster release. Shelly leaned in and kissed Romeo’s cheek in response to something he just said. Apparently, it was very funny if her playful antics were any indication.

  Cass folded her large arms over her equally large chest. “Shelly’s all over him, but he’s not paying a bit of attention to her. In fact, he looks freakin’ miserable. Maybe Ally’s right?”

  He did look uncomfortable, annoyed even, but at that moment, all I saw was a pulsing red haze bordering my vision and a neon gun range target sign smack in the middle of Shelly’s head.

  I turned to walk away as tears pricked my eyes. “I’m going home. I can’t see this.”

  Two things happened at once. Cass and Lexi stood before me, blocking my path like bodyguards, and Ally set off into a steady run as she crossed the road, heading directly towards the restaurant.

  “What’s she doing?” I exclaimed shrilly, my heart beating double time the closer she got in her approach.

  Mrs. Prince noticed Ally first as she stood on the sidewalk on the other side of their table, arms crossed and foot tapping. Mrs. Prince looked utterly disgusted as she too folded her arms in blatant dismissal of her niece.

  I couldn’t hear what was being said, but the lurch in everyone’s attention towards my location alerted me to the fact that Ally had revealed my presence. The expressions were varied. Mrs. Prince clenched her eyes in a harsh glare as she zeroed in on me. Mrs. Blair simply looked bemused. Shelly lunged for Romeo’s arm with a smug grin on her overtly scarlet lips and Romeo paled, aggressively throwing off Shelly’s arm and leaping off his chair.

  Our gazes locked. I couldn’t seem to look away, and Romeo began barking questions at Ally. His face contorted and his head fell into his hands. He looked broken, but I wouldn’t go to him. He could go to hell for all I cared right now.

  “Cass, I’m going to hail a cab.”

  Cass and Lexi sighed and Cass kicked the closest brick wall, scuffing her black boots before placing her hands on my shoulders. “Okay, honey. Do what you gotta do. We’ll see you when we get home. We’d better wait for Ally, and I’m guessing you wanna be on your own?”

  I nodded, picked up my shopping bags, and set off to flag down a cab.

  “Molly!” Romeo’s taut voice nailed my cowboy boots to the spot. I cast a subtle glance back and Romeo, in his dark, tight T-shirt and jeans, stared at me in panic from his position in the restaurant, his body pressed right up against the white picket fence.

  Mrs. Prince laughed menacingly, leaning up to whisper in Romeo’s ear.

  He blanched and dropped his shoulders in defeat. I witnessed, first-hand, the power his mother wielded over her son, just like his father’s attack all those weeks ago—they were controlling their Romeo puppet with their manipulative strings.

  Rome’s jaw clenched and Mrs. Prince wiggled her fingers in a snotty wave in my direction behind his back. She was only missing the obligatory cackle.

  Ally threw her hands up in the air in frustration and I took that as my signal to leave and ran for a taxi.

  I jogged down the road, holding out my hand to an approaching cab, and I thanked God that it began to slow down.

  “Rome, don’t you dare!” Mrs. Prince’s authoritative voice screamed, and I heard tyres screeching and horns blaring from behind me. Before the cab had drawn to a stop, I opened the back door and dived in.

  The alarmed driver frowned at me in the mirror. “Where to?”

  “UA, University Row.”

  He signalled to pull away. I leaned back in the seat, closing my eyes, when fists suddenly pounded on the window.

  “Molly, baby, listen…” Romeo was at the door, running alongside the cab, frantically pulling on the locked handle and slapping the roof. I turned my head away from his worried face, squeezing my eyes shut.

  “Baby, I can explain. Fuck, Mol, stop!”

  I folded my arms across my stomach, anger causing me to shake.

  The driver turned towards me with a highly confused face. “You need me to stop?”

  I sighed as Romeo disappeared from sight and clutched the seatbelt tightly. “No, I need you to take me home. I need you to take me away from that guy… as fast as you possibly can.”

  * * *

  As I entered my room, my new clothes scattered on the floor—the result of me throwing down the bags in rage—and I flopped on my bed.

  So this is what it feels like to have your heart broken. This is what it feels like to… feel. It’d been so long since I’d embraced my emotions that I couldn’t actually remember.

  My phone rang again. It’d been ringing non-stop. I knew it was Rome. He was probably racing here now to explain. Explain how he lied about going to the gym this afternoon and instead took his arranged “fiancée” out for lunch as she pawed gleefully at his chest much to the delight of his dictatorial mother and her right-hand henchwoman. I couldn’t fathom how he could even let her do that. After everything he’d said about Shelly.

  I stared at my white gauze curtains rippling in the breeze and sat bolt upright. He would try to climb up my balcony.

  I scooted off my bed and locked my doors. I always left them open for him, but not tonight. He could just bugger off. I returned to bed and closed my eyes.

  Twenty minutes later, I heard the rustling of the trellis. Ten seconds after that, heavy footsteps on my tiled floor, and five seconds after that, the balcony doors rattled, denying Romeo his entry.

  “Mol! Open the fuck up. I know you’re in there!”

  I covered my head with the pillow as the assault on the seven-foot wooden doors continued, until abruptly, it stopped.

  I sat up slowly, crawling to the bottom of my bed to peek out of the doors—no movement… nothing.

  I moved back to the pillows and reburied my head.

  “What the hell??? You can’t just come in here… wait!”

  “MOVE!”

  “Molly! Molly! Watch out—”

  My bedroom door smashed open with a loud crack as Rome powered through. Cait, my sorority sister, ran behind, panting, her mousy brown hair swinging in her face. “I tried to stop him, but he wouldn’t leave. Do you want me to
call security?”

  I stared at Rome, a ferocious expression across his features.

  “Don’t. Even. Think it,” he threatened, a staccato on each word.

  I turned to Cait and shook my head.

  Cait edged in closer, eying Rome. “You’re sure?”

  I sighed. “Yes. Thanks, Cait.”

  She curled her lip in disgust at Romeo; she wasn’t a fan of the opposite sex. “Holler if you need me.” And she shut the door. Romeo twisted the lock, trapping me inside.

  “Just leave, Romeo. I have nothing to say to you.”

  He stormed towards the bed and spread his hands on the mattress beside me. “Well, I have somethin’ to say to you!”

  “What? That you’ve been lying and cheating all this time and that when you say you’re training in the gym, what you really mean is that you’re meeting up with Mommy Dearest and that tart?”

  He bolted upright, fists tight. “That’s not what fuckin’ happened at all!”

  “Whatever. I don’t care. Leave.” I lay back down, staring unseeing at the white wall.

  Hands gripped my upper arms and Romeo jostled me to his chest, our noses almost touching. “My momma asked me to meet her today. Some kids charity she’s on the board of asked for a signed Tide jersey for an auction. I went to drop it off and when I got there, Shelly and Mrs. Blair were waitin’ with her at the restaurant.”

  I swallowed as he released me, kneeling on the mattress, and he dropped to his knees, gripping tightly to my thighs with his hands. “They fuckin’ bombarded me. Shelly’d told them about you and they started goin’ off about how irresponsible I was and all that shit. My momma laid into me and told me that if I didn’t break it off, she’d make damn sure she did. I can’t let that happen to you.”

  He glanced up at me briefly before focusing on the floor. “My folks… they… look, baby. They treat me real bad, not goin’ into it, but they do, and I’m their fuckin’ son! I couldn’t let her upset you in the same way, so I made up some bullshit about you bein’ just a fling, a friend. Shelly’s too stupid to even realise I was lyin’. I stayed for the lunch to appease my momma. No way will anythin’ happen to you. They’d have to get through me first.”