Intense (Dark Hearts)
“That’s cool, Princess. I got what I needed.” He backs out of the driveway and then turns onto the road without another word. His sunglasses are covering his eyes so I can’t tell what he’s thinking, but it’s cool. I take out my phone and check my schedule for the upcoming semester. It’s so close that I’ve been nervous up until Roman arrived.
I read the email that does my heart good. My favorite organization is throwing a fundraiser. I don’t tell the jerk next to me because he wouldn’t care, but I’m happy either way. My life is so much more different than he presumes, but I’ll let him roll with those preconceived notions.
His phone rings as we get closer to the hospital. By the second ring, he answers the Bluetooth headset in his ear that I somehow missed him slip in. “Yes. Okay. I don’t care what she has to say. Do it, or you’re fired. Just do it.” He tosses the earpiece out of his ear onto the dashboard.
“What’s up your ass?” I question. You’d think coming would have made him happy.
“Princess, don’t start unless you plan to spend the rest of the ride with your face in my lap.”
“Wow. You’re so charming. I don’t know how anyone can refuse you.” We come to a red light two blocks from the hospital, and I hop out into traffic.
“What the fuck?” he barks out.
“I’ll walk the rest of the way. See you next holiday or something.” I just have to get away from him. He takes the next light and pulls into the parking lot for the hospital. I’m sure I’ve pissed him off enough that he’ll keep his distance. God knows that if he doesn’t, I’ll give in like the dirty little secret I’ve made myself.
He has a lover or two in New York, and I can’t get that out of my head. I walk past him as he moves quickly through the lot. He doesn’t say anything. “I need to have a word with my father first, and then you can go in there. I won’t be long.” So we’re back to dismissal.
“Yes, you’ve proven you’re quick.” I snark.
“I’m going to miss that smart mouth of yours,” he scoffs and then steps off the elevator, and his sarcasm hurts.
My mother’s in the room with my new stepfather, and they see us together with a smile on their faces.
“I’m surprised you two made it here without killing each other,” my stepfather says.
“It was a close one. I’m going to grab a coffee. Mom, do you want to come with me?”
She can see that I’m upset, but that’s because she knows me well. “Sure.” She looks between us apprehensively. “Roman just needs a moment alone with his dad.”
“Oh, okay.” We go down to the coffee station and she asks, “Is that it?”
“Yes. Why?”
“Because tension’s radiating off you both. Did you two fight?”
“Well, you know how it is. He suddenly feels the need to tell me what to do like he’s really my brother.” Not exactly like a brother, but I’ll stick with that story.
“Yes, his father did ask him to look after you.”
“Did he?” Great.
“Yes.”
“I am an adult,” I remind her.
“I know, but we worry about you.” Then they should keep my sexy stepbrother away from me.
“The jerk took my phone from me last night because I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going.”
“That’s a smart thing to do. Did you hurt yourself?”
“No, I ran into the back of him. I guess his highness doesn’t like to get bumped.”
“Well, please be good until he goes back to New York. I don’t want your stepdad upset. He loves Roman very much.”
“I’m not sure why,” I scoff.
My mother just rolls her eyes and throws her arm over my shoulder and whispers, “Because you love your children so unconditionally, even if the other parent pits the child against them.”
“Is that what happened?” I don’t know his full story, but I’m dying to learn why he is the way he is.
“Something like that, but that’s not my business to share.”
“Well, that doesn’t give him the right to be an asshole to everyone.”
“You’re right, Amelia.” I nearly jump out of my skin when he pops his head into the small vending room. “I’m sorry. I’ll see you both next week.” He walks away without another look. He’s sorry? He’s not supposed to tell me he’s sorry. The lousy prick.
“Oh goodness. He heard us,” she whispers.
“Oh well.”
“You really don’t like him, do you?”
“He’s an arrogant prick who tried to keep me away from Jake,” I complain, knowing damn well that’s not why I’m pissed in the least. Grizelda is why I’m pissed. Inga’s why I’m pissed.
“I’m sure he was just trying to make his father happy.”
“Speaking of, I better go say hi.” We walk over to the room and make small talk, while in the back of my mind I’m planning all the ways to piss Roman off.