Chapter Twenty-One
Rosalie
My alarm blares beside me, and as I pry my eyes open into the darkness of my bedroom, the events of last night slap me in the face. Hard.
My three bullies from high school are now a part of my direct security team. They’re calling all of the shots when it comes to my safety, and honestly? I want to strangle Elijah.
No, he didn’t know any better, but come on! How is this my luck? Am I doomed to never escape those three? Forced into a corner once again after I fought so hard to get out of it…
No. They won’t send me back to that dark void. I promised myself long ago that I wouldn’t go back. This is just a minor bump in the road, but as soon as we find another company to take over, I’m kicking them to the curb.
I rub my eyes, sitting up in bed. Everything is as usual, but when my neck prickles, I realize something is wrong.
I swing my legs around, squinting into the darkness. I scan my bedroom, and my heart slams when I see a large figure seated in the decorative chair across from my bed. I scramble back, the air evacuating my lungs as my pulse revs.
“Whoa,” Maddox’s gentle, deep voice coos. “It’s just me, Song—Rosalie.”
I place a hand over my patterning heart, closing my eyes as I swallow back my fear. “Maddox? What the fuck are you doing in my room?”
He stands, causing the leather chair to crinkle. “Watching.” He says casually as if it’s just another day.
I place my hands on my temples. “I meant outside my bedroom.”
He’s quiet for a moment. “It was my mistake.”
I get up, grumbling as I pad over to him. I take his ridiculously big shoulders in my hands before steering him towards the doors. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but get out.”
He looks over his shoulder at me, his expression impassive. “Where am I supposed to watch you from?”
I wave my hands exasperatedly. “Not here! This is an invasion of privacy.”
He frowns, those dark, dangerous eyes searing into me. “How am I supposed to know if someone breaks into your balcony?”
I open the door, shoving him out into the hallway. “I don’t know, dude! Figure it out.” I slam the door in his face, pressing my back against it until I hear his receding footsteps. When he’s finally gone, I sink down to my ass on the floor.
A delirious laugh tumbles past my lips as I shake my head in disbelief. “Oh, my god! I can’t get away from them even in my sleep.”
I lock my door before turning on the shower in my connected bathroom. I scrub my skin until it feels raw and bare. Even the scalding water isn’t enough to erase the vulnerability I feel right now.
Of all the god damned people who could help me with this…
It was bad enough that I speculated someone was selling my information to the public. If my new bodyguards can really help investigate this…
Oh, god. I don’t want them snooping into my personal life.
It was bad enough in high school, but now?
They would know every nasty detail down to how many hospital visits I racked up in a year when I was fifteen.
The broken bones and deep scars were enough to raise the eyebrows of the nurses on staff, so I always left before the cops could show.
Roman, Kairo, and Maddox would see it all.
I don’t think I have much of a choice at this point.
After the active break-in the other night, I was so rattled that I moved my Glamletics shoot to lunchtime today. I keep looking over my shoulder, scared to make the wrong move in case someone else is waiting right around the corner for me.
I haven’t felt this shaken since…
I blink quickly, not allowing my mind to go there. I have more pressing matters to deal with. If Roman, Kairo, and Maddox want to knock themselves out with this, then they can have at it. I’m washing my hands of it.
I riffle through my walk-in closet, then pull out a matching set of pink athletic tights and a sports bra. I grab my yoga mat from the workout room before choosing to do my morning warm-up outside on the deck.
The sun hasn’t risen yet, and the calm, cool air causes serenity to wash over me as I stretch. This is my alone time, and the only time I allow my brain to turn off. I take my time, feeling the burn and pull of my muscles as I hold different poses until a small sweat breaks out on my brow.
Just when the first ray of light breaks over the skyline, that awareness tickles at the back of my neck. I frown slightly, my eyes closed as I do a back bend. My hands hit the mat, and I release my breath as my eyes slide open.
Kairo is standing in the glass sliding door, his arms crossed and his hip propped against the frame as he watches me with a smirk.
He looks so…different.
The sides of his hair are faded, and I can see the dark, geometrical tattoos that cover his head and trail down his neck. He’s filled out more with bulging muscles that are covered in even more sharply defined tattoos. Paired with the dark jeans, white t-shirt, and rugged boots, he looks dangerous.
If it weren’t for the cute little wire-framed glasses sitting across the bridge of his nose, that is.
“Ugh,” I sneer. “You weren’t just a bad dream?”
He snorts. “I’m your worst nightmare, Thorn.”
“Say it louder for the people in the back,” I mutter before pushing myself back up into a standing position. I close my eyes again, blocking him out as I switch to another pose.
“You know…” he drawls, stepping slowly onto the deck.
Would it be wrong of me to take off my tennis shoe and smack him in the face with it?
Don’t choose violence, don’t choose violence, don’t choose violence…
He leans around me, chasing my eyes and blocking the spectacular view with his giant ass head. “You’re really flexible, Thorn.”
I give him a saccharine sweet smile. “And you’re blocking my light with that forehead. Move.”
His mouth falls open as his lips quirk in challenge. “Ooooh, good one! My turn. Why don’t I bend you over the railing and give you a real workout, hmm?”
I scoff, planting my hand over his forehead before shoving him away. “You wish. Go find someone else to terrorize.”
He tilts his head, fighting against me. The charming Cheshire grin he sports makes something ignite in my lower belly, and a blush paints over my cheeks as I side-step him and snatch my mat.
As I squat down, I stare at the ground with wide, unseeing eyes.
What the fuck is wrong with me?!
I didn’t just find him attractive…
“That’s right,” he taunts in a gloating manner. “Run away, Thorn.”
That strikes a chord deep in me.
I roll up my mat, rising before rearing back and smacking him across the back of the head with it.
Is it childish? Yes.
Do I give a fuck? No.
He turns on me, his eyes sparkling with something sinister. “Oh, you’re going to pay for that.”
I bolt into the house, pushing Roman, who looks like he just woke up, aside.
“What’s going on?” He questions, lifting a thick, unimpressed brow at me when he doesn’t even budge.
“Stop him!” I shout, pointing towards the deck as Kairo launches himself past the threshold. I run around Roman, using him as a human shield before he steps into his friend’s path and stops the blonde in his tracks.
“What the fuck are you doing?” Roman asks through clenched teeth.
He sounds pissed.
Kairo peeks over the brick wall separating us before pointing at me. “This isn’t over.”
I lift my middle finger, smiling when the blonde tries to push Roman out of the way, but doesn’t succeed.
“Stop,” Roman commands, his voice booming with authority. “That’s enough.” He looks between us, his jaw grinding. “Don’t make me separate you.”
“Please do,” I implore.
Those harsh eyes cut to me, and I’m transported back to the last day I saw them—the stairwell incident.
The lack of remorse I witnessed on his stony features and how it was my breaking point.
That was the day that changed my life for the better, and it was all because I couldn’t stomach what I had seen. The lack of compassion and empathy.
Some things never change.
“We need to go over the new security plans and start our investigation,” Roman says in that no-nonsense way of his.
I lift my chin dismissively. “Then get to it. Charlie gave you her direct information last night. She’ll handle any concerns you may have.” I turn on my heel before Roman stops me.
“Not so fast,” he commands. “We aren’t going through a fucking middleman while we live together. That’s not happening.”
I roll my eyes before begrudgingly turning back to him. “Living together is a little strong. I prefer the term employed.”
That strong jaw works as if I’m the most insufferable human alive, and I have to admit, it feels pretty good to work Roman up this way. “We’re living together. Now, we can either sit down and discuss this like adults or create our own file. The choice is yours.”
Oh, I don’t like the implication behind that. I don’t like the idea of any of them peaking into my past, but if anyone is going to find out, I would rather it come from me than a few prodding searches on the internet.
I sigh, feeling a little defeated. “Fine. Shouldn’t Maddox be here too, then?”
The two men exchange a look before Kairo shrugs innocently and leaves Roman and me near the back door.
Being left alone with the leader is a lot like being set on fire.
Roman is all blunt honesty and silent authority—a commanding presence that orders attention rather than asking politely.
He’s also far bigger than I last saw him, and well over six feet.
Pair it with the dark black and white tattoo of an animal skull inked into the front of his throat with curling, sharp horns that curve upwards near his jaw, and the striking pale blue eyes that are so light they almost blend into the whites, and you’ve got a beast rather than a man.
That gaze fixates on me, and I shift subtly as my skin burns. “I’m going to ask you something, Rosalie, and I need you to be truthful with me.”
I tilt my head. “Sure?”