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 f**kin’ 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 f**kin’ 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.”
His mother had planned all this crap? Planned to ambush him and persuade him to call us off? Hordes of questions almost spilled from my lips: Why do they treat him so badly? What have they done to him throughout the years? But I kept quiet. He was pulsing with anger and I didn’t have the heart to push him any further.
“Why did you lie and say you were going to the gym? Why not just be honest with me?”
He spoke through gritted teeth. “I was honest, I swear. She called when I was finishin’ up. The plan was to just drop off the jersey and leave.”
“But Shelly was touching you. She kissed you and you let her! How could you do that?”
Rome threw his head back on a groan. “Because I don’t want my parents to come after you! I had to play along… to protect you. You don’t understand what they’re like! Powerhouses, Mol. ‘Round here they’re f**kin’ powerhouses.”
Shifting closer, Romeo gently took my face in his hands. “God, baby. I would never do anythin’ to lose you. Believe me when I say that I sat there and endured their schemin’ hell to protect you. Fuck Shelly, I can’t stand the bitch!” He stood and paced before me, sincerity dripping from every action. “Don’t matter now of course.”
I frowned. “Why’s that?”
He stopped and exhaled a humourless laugh. “Because I told Momma to shove her Blair/Prince marriage merger bullshit when I came gunnin’ after you.”
A flicker of hope fluttered in my chest. “You did?”
He stalked closer, climbing on the bed, forcing me on my back. “Mm-hmm. Told her that I ain’t ever marryin’ Shelly ‘cause I’m with you. That I’m done with their shit ‘cause I’m with you. Plus, I ran down the street after your cab, screamin’ and bangin’ on the paintwork. I’m sure that hammered home my point.”
Reaching out, I clutched his hair and brought him towards my lips, only breaking the contact to say, “You need to tell me if you’re going through stuff with your parents. Tell me so I can’t doubt you. It’s hard for me to trust, but I’m learning to trust you. Please… confide in me.”
Rome brushed his stubbled chin along my throat, inhaling my scent. “Baby… you’re safe with me, and I would’ve told you everythin’ that happened when I got home. I didn’t expect to see you. God, it almost destroyed me when I saw your reaction from across the road… and then you ran, after you promised you’d never run from me.”
His hips tilted and his hard groin pressed between my legs. I had to bite my tongue to stop from moaning out loud. “I do trust you. I-it just looked bad. She kissed you. I… I didn’t like it. I needed to get away.”
Rome continued grinding against me, my eyes rolling back in pleasure. “I’ll never cheat on you, Shakespeare. You’re too damn important to me for that. I told you I’d never f**k around on you, and I don’t like to be doubted.”
Nervous excitement surged within me at his usual brusque tone. “Okay.”
I twisted the sheet in my fists as his hardness pressed against me with more pressure and I felt that delicious feeling build at the bottom of my spine.
I stared down into Rome’s eyes and they brightened.
“Romeo,” I murmured as he moved and began shifting to the foot of my bed. “What—”
“Shh…”
Romeo’s hands drifted up my bare thighs and under my dress. My breath caught in my throat when two fingers grasped the edge of my panties and slowly pulled them down.
My head pressed into the pillow as Romeo discarded my underwear to the floor and set to lifting up my dress to my hips. I made sure my tattoo was well covered.