Chapter Twenty
BEC
Iwoke up with a start. My heart was racing, pounding against my chest, my body slick with sweat. I could feel the adrenaline coursing through my veins, but I couldn’t pinpoint the cause.
I looked around, trying to figure out where I was. The room was dark, and rain trickled against the window in a steady beat. I didn’t recognize the room, but something about it was familiar. I ran my hands over the dark green comforter as I tried to make sense of what had happened.
The kidnapping and car chase rushed through my mind.
Every second I spent in that car hit me with a sudden force.
From the anxiety of being taken, all the way to the relief I felt when Rome appeared through the glass roof.
The last thing I could remember clearly was going to the hospital as they carted Rome away in a police cruiser, and I yelled that he was innocent. That he needed to be with me.
“Rome,” I whispered as I tried to stand. I didn’t know where I was, but I did know I needed to be with him.
I was stopped as a warm arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me back into the bed.
“Shhh,” Rome mumbled as he cradled my body against his. “Go back to sleep,” he spoke into my hair and proceeded to drop a kiss on the top of my head.
“Where are we?” I asked as I curled into his hard, strong body.
“My house,” he explained, his voice deep… more of a rumble than a sound. “You're safe here. Go back to bed. You need sleep.”
I relaxed into his arms because I knew he was right. But it wasn’t the house that made me safe, it was him. I drifted back to sleep quickly with the steady rise and fall of Rome's chest under my cheek, and the sound of rain as a relaxing backdrop.
When I woke up again, late morning light drifted through the window, flooding the now-empty bedroom. I sighed and stretched, feeling my aching joints relish in the motion. I vaguely remembered Rome mentioning we were coming to his home, but I hadn’t fully processed what that meant.
My head ached as I sat up, the pounding a steady beat. I gingerly pressed my fingers to the laceration on my head. I could feel the bumps of the stitches I had received in the hospital. It would leave a nasty scar, but thankfully, it would be hidden in my hairline.
I looked around Rome’s bedroom. I could admit I had wondered what it looked like. He had spent time in my home and space, and in many ways it was vulnerable. Letting anyone into the space I considered safe was scary for me, but I always knew Rome would protect it.
I imagined his room having movie posters, a smaller bed in the corner, and a desk.
Instead, I awoke in a room with dark green walls, in a king-sized bed, and a large bookshelf in the corner.
There was a nightstand on either side of the bed, a folded flag lay on one with his dad’s name printed on the bottom, but no desk in sight.
Then there was a wall of only pictures, plastered from floor to ceiling.
I stood gingerly from the bed, noticing for the first time that I was not in my dress from yesterday.
I was now dressed in a grey t-shirt with 'ARMY' printed across the breast, and it hit me mid-thigh.
I had no memory of who had changed me, but was just grateful to be out of that tight, form-fitting dress.
I padded across the cool hardwood floors to the wall of pictures.
There were quite a few of Rome and his sisters growing up.
He was smiling widely in every single one.
I noticed a couple with his mom, and even a few of a man who I assumed was his late father.
They had the same dark eyes and hair, but it was their smiles that were the most similar—both having the innate ability to light up a room.
I traced my fingers over the photos of Rome in the Army, pictured with his fellow Rangers teammates.
I recognized Malachi based solely on his resemblance to Jackie, his sister.
It seemed Rome had plastered the most important people in his world on this wall.
My breath hitched when I saw myself. He had cut out the pictures from the different magazines and newspapers we were printed in. Not just a few… but every single one.
“I see you made the wall.” I jumped as I turned to see Rome’s youngest sister, Bee, leaning in the bedroom doorway.
“Sorry,” she laughed, “didn’t mean to spook ya. I just came to see if you were awake. My mom made breakfast.”
“It’s okay,” I waved off. “Any chance you have some…” I paused and looked down at my exposed legs, “Well, pants I could borrow?”
She laughed again and nodded. In a flash, she was back with a stack of clothes, “I brought you options, pick whatever you want. It’s probably not up to your standards, but they should fit okay.”
I smiled kindly, “No standards here. I just don’t think it would make a great impression on your mom if I wandered down with no pants on.”
Bee waved off my comment. “She’s simply thrilled you and Rome are officially together.” She turned to leave the room and glanced over her shoulder, “We all are.”
She closed the door behind her, and I was left stunned by her kindness. I knew I was a catch in my social circles. I had money, influence, and a stellar societal standing. Being in a relationship with me meant any door you wanted could be opened.
But that was my world. Rome’s world was different.
They didn’t look at what I could do for Rome and their family.
His family just wanted him to be happy and feel loved.
They wanted someone who would support him, and he could support in return.
It was a kind of love I had once thought was impossible, and at the very least, rare. I never thought I would experience it.
Rome was proving me wrong.
I quickly changed into the leggings and sweatshirt that Bee had left behind. I would have preferred to stop by the bathroom to try to clean the mess that I knew my face was, but I didn’t know if Rome’s mom would appreciate me opening random doors in her home.
“I can do this,” I mumbled to myself as I opened the bedroom door. Luckily for me, the stairs were within eyeshot of the doorway, and the sound of chattering was my guide.
Mornings in my house when I was growing up were fast-paced occasions, as we were all too busy to sit down together. Though, the idea of having to sit with my mom and dad each morning was painful. Will and I simply wanted to get out of the house as fast as possible.
It seemed this household had a different opinion on breakfast. I stepped off the final stair and turned to see a beautiful sight.
Every member of Rome’s family sat around the dining table.
The table was piled high with pancakes, eggs, bacon, and various forms of cereal.
Everyone was still dressed in pajamas, including Mateo and Lucia. Mateo spotted me first and smiled.
“Why, good morning, Bec,” he greeted.
The table quieted down at his announcement, all heads turning my way.
Rome’s eyes went wide as he stood, rounding the table and stepping in front of me. “Shit, I’m sorry you woke up alone. Bee said you were still asleep,” he murmured and cradled my face in his hands. “How’s your head?”
I leaned into his touch, not even caring about our audience. “The cut stings, and I have a headache, but it could be worse.”
He sighed at my explanation and kissed my forehead softly before leading me to the table where his family awaited. There was an extra chair pulled up next to Rome’s spot, and I sat happily between Rome and Bella.
I had expected a full-court press on what had happened yesterday, or my relationship with Rome. Neither was the case. The family simply returned to their earlier conversations, and Rome helped me dish up a plate of various foods from the table.
“I asked him what his favorite color was,” Aria explained to the group. “His response? ‘Mommy said Daddy stares at you too much so now she does drop off.’ Like what the hell? I need a new job.”
Bella chuckled, “What did you expect when signing up to teach six-year-olds?”
“She’s an elementary teacher,” Lucia explained from the other end of the table and turned to Aria, adding, “We have a guest, context would be beneficial.”
Aria turned to me with an apologetic expression. “Sorry, I’m not really used to…” she trailed off.
“Any of us having a partner to bring to family meals?” Livia interjected.
Aria nodded and pointed to her sister, "Precisely."
‘Hey,” Luna protested, “I’ve been with my boyfriend for years now.”
“There’s a reason he isn’t invited to family meals,” Rome mumbled under his breath. This earned him a glare from Luna as well as a flying piece of cereal aimed directly at his head. “Hey,” he protested, “injured girlfriend next to me. Save the flying projectiles for later.”
Luna rolled her eyes and turned back to her breakfast.
“Is it always like this?” I asked Rome under my breath.
“What do you mean?” He asked while taking an insanely large bite of his pancakes. “Chaotic?” The words were muffled by the food.
I giggled… actually giggled. Which was embarrassing. I really needed this concussion to heal up quickly. “No, happy?”
He stared at me for a moment, midchew. Finally he sighed, swallowed, and kissed my temple. “Yeah, sweetheart. That’s how it should be.”
“So,” Mateo clasped his hands together, “how about we address the elephant in the room while we’re all together.”
“Ooo, the fact that Rome is actually a good boyfriend?” Bee asked. “Because let me tell ya, I am shocked.”
“Rude,” Rome mumbled.
“No, Bianca,” Mateo chastised, “I mean the circumstances of our guest’s stay.” He motioned towards me. “Rome, correct me if I am wrong, but her work believes she’s in Oregon?”
Surprised, I turned to Rome, who nodded. “Yeah. The car chase is all over the news. I called and told her assistant that we flew to her brother's place while she heals up. It buys us a few weeks to figure out what the fuck is going on.”
“Rome,” Lucia chastized, “not in this household.”
“Sorry Mama,” he apologized. “What the heck is going on? Happy?”
She nodded in acceptance, “Carry on.”
“Anyway,” Mateo interjected, “we need someone with Bec…” He then abruptly turned to me, “Can I call you Bec, or would you prefer Rebecca?”
“Bec is perfect, thank you.”
While Rome physically resembled his late father, it was obvious the hand Mateo had in raising him. Mateo was why Rome was as kind and considerate as he was now.
“We need someone with Bec at all times to ensure what happened, doesn’t happen again.”
“You really don’t need to go through all this trouble. I can simply hire people…” I began to explain, but Lucia clicked her tongue, cutting me off.
“You’re family now, and we take care of each other." She was resolute, leaving no room for argument.
Rome grabbed my thigh under the table, giving me a reassuring squeeze.
“We need to keep you as low profile as possible. I know you probably have the money and connections to fix this, but I don’t know how to get there in that way.
I do know how to keep you safe my way. Hiring people would bring attention to where you are really at.
The way things are set up now, it all goes through Bly Enterprises.
We need to keep you away from them until we find out who tried to kidnap you, and why. ”
“But my job?” I asked in a quiet voice.
“I know,” he answered in an understanding voice, “but what’s more important… you having this job and proving everyone wrong? Or your life and your safety?”
Six months ago, I would have readily answered: My job. My job was my entire life. I would have given anything up to prove I was up to the task.
Now… well, now I had Rome. Now I had a life away from the job, and joy away from the job. None of which I was ready to give up.
“You’re right.”
Rome stared at me for a moment in shock. “Just how bad is your concussion that you actually admitted I’m right?”
I rolled my eyes and playfully punched his arm.
“There she is,” he joked and wrapped his arms around me. I guess I was moving in with the Romano’s for the foreseeable future. What could go wrong?