And it was all because he’d been so focused on “what if I never listened to Roman, never hacked into the school, never got kicked out and blacklisted.”
He had his answer. If he stayed on track, if he lived life according to his preconceived plan, then he wouldn’t be riding in the back of a van through the streets of Paris, working with a crew of people who welcomed him in like family from the start. So all that regret he was harboring? It was all for nothing, energy wasted on holding himself back.
No more. He was valuable, he was where he needed to be, and he was going to see this all through. Wyatt was going to change him and his sister’s life in a way that wouldn’t even be possible in their dreams.
Roman leaned forward, a gentle hand on Phantom’s ankle. He was resting his head on a pillow Doc had produced, smiling as she dabbed his forehead with a wet cloth. “How you feeling, Phantom?”
“Like I’ve been shot in the chest.” He gave a grim chuckle and a wink. “Other than that, fine. Bummed that I lost my watch, I guess? Thankfully, that’s all I got to worry about. Doc is a miracle worker. I don’t know who blessed your hands, but they deserve a Nobel Peace Prize or something.”
“I would also like to thank whoever blessed your hands,” Bang Bang said from the front seat, finger raised in the air.
Doc arched a plucked brow, her nose ring catching the light of the setting sun. “Watch yourself before these blessed hands go in for a slap.”
“Just say the word and I’ll drop my pants.” Bang Bang looked into the rearview mirror, smirking at a blushing Doc. “Oh, you mean across my face. Ah, bueno.”
She rolled her eyes and said something under her breath about him being a silly oaf.
“Mustang, can you get us to the nearest train station?” Roman asked, leaning across Mimic so he could be heard. “We’re taking a trip to London tonight. Mimic, will you come with? Doc and Bang Bang, stay behind and watch over Phantom.”
Roman turned to Wyatt, light green eyes twinkling like jewels. There was an effortlessness to the way Roman led, something he’d always had even as a kid. People would naturally fall back and hand the reins over to the man with the charismatic eyes and sharp smile. He exuded intelligence and not in a way that made others feel less than, but beyond that, he gave off a sense of confidence that was incomparable to anyone else Wyatt interacted with.
“You can stay behind or come with Mimic and me.”
Wyatt didn’t take long at all to consider his answer. “I’ll go with you guys.” He smiled, the thrill of the day washing over him, creating a buzz in the air around him. No regrets, no holding back.
“You sure, Salt?” Roman asked, concern inching into his expression. “You’ll be safer here at the hotel. I don’t think The Pride knows where the page is, so we might have the advantage here, but still. They’ve managed to surprise us over and over again.”
“I’m sure,” Wyatt said. “So long as I’m near you, I feel pretty safe.”
The concern evaporated off Roman’s face, replaced by a crinkle around the corners of his eyes that gave away just how happy he was.
No regrets, ever.
Chapter 21
Roman Ashford
The train made its way through the French countryside, the windows framing a sight that was made for film. The rolling green hills and expansive vineyards, mixing with tiny French towns and farms, were romantic, dreamy, and Roman couldn’t really appreciate any of it. His thoughts were consumed with the heist, with what went wrong and what he could have done to prevent it. He was the leader of this crew, and he’d failed them today, failed Phantom. Thankfully he was going to be fine, thanks to Doc’s skill and quick thinking, but things easily could have taken a turn.
He leaned back in his seat, stretching his legs. Mimic was on another aisle, reading one of her favorite books and sipping on some coffee. Wyatt was walking back down to the seat, tucking his phone back into his pocket. He squeezed past Roman’s knees and sat down, smiling.
“How is she?” Roman asked.
“Good, good. She’s back at home now. She said the guy you sent to protect her is actually really hot. I think there might be a thing between them.”
Roman gave a chuckle. “Freddy’s been a good friend for years now, and he’s a good guy. Julie would be a great match for him.”
“Well, she wanted me to pass on her thanks for letting her live out her best Bodyguard fantasy.”
“Anytime,” Roman said, giving Wyatt a wink. Having the freckle-faced guy sitting next to him was an instant balm to all of Roman’s persistent worries and questions. “Remember in high school when you had me pretend I was your bodyguard walking through the mall?”