“You believe he’s still on the up and up?” Tennant asks carefully, his tone suggests he doesn’t.
I make a see-saw motion with my hand. “He wants to avenge his Boss and friend, and knows we’re the best recourse. Do I think we can trust him after this bullshit ends? Probably not, but it doesn’t matter. We’ll get Cole back and then focus on nabbing the Senator. I want this over with.”
“We all do,” Hollis replies. “Chances of Oliver cloning Lachlan’s phone while he’s there?”
I smirk. “High.” A few keystrokes later, I share the access I was granted during the phone call with Hollis.
“Good, let’s get to work.”
Tennant leaves to go do…something, allowing Hollis and I to our jobs in peace.
Tension and stress melt away as I get lost in my work, the world at large disappearing. This, and playing with Oliver, are the only two things that can make that happen, and if I had my choice? Well, I’d do both at the same time. I like efficiency.
I’m curled next to Roman, and the door is partially open. It’s a nod to the fact I’m still on suicide watch, but since it’s daytime and the medical wing is busy, and Roman has appointed himself my protector, we’re being allowed to sit together with semi-privacy. It’s…relaxing. Even in the quiet of the room, his presence is a balm to the chaos that keeps storming my mind.
“I don’t care what you think. If you insist on seeing Roman, you will do it with Lio there, if they choose to do it that way!”
I startle, looking at Roman, who shrugs while frowning. I recognize Javi’s voice, and personally, I don’t think I’d push him to the point he yells, but whoever seems to be arguing with him must not have received that memo. I shift uncomfortably, scooting even closer to Rome.
“What the fuck do you think is going on?” I mutter.
Roman leans into me, shaking his head. “No idea. But whoever is arguing with Javi may end up with a knife wound.”
I giggle and Roman’s lips curl into a bright smile, my breath catching at the sight. I lightly touch his cheek in amazement. The freedom to touch him…it’s thrilling, new, and yet somehow, it feels like the most natural thing in the entire world.
The door comes crashing open fully and a new man strolls in, glancing at mine and Roman’s position with a barely-concealed sneer. He turns toward Javi, who marches in behind him. Pointing to us, he says, “See! This is why I insist on it being a solo session. This is not normal.”
Hissing under my breath, I grasp Roman’s hand, grounding myself when he squeezes me tightly. I don’t know who this new fucker is, but if he thinks he’s getting near Roman alone, he can guess again. Fuck that.
Javi draws himself up to his full height, which I never noticed isn’t actually all that tall. His outfit today is especially interesting, with so many colors. I wonder if Daddy can find me a shirt like that. Although, given Roman’s horrified glance, he’s not as impressed with the ensemble as I am.
“You will do as I tell you, since I outrank you. Now. Introductions.” Javi glares at the man before huffing out a breath and turning toward Roman and I. “Roman, Lio, this is Stanley West. He’s the therapist Doc hired. He’d like to have a session with Roman.”
“No. Fuck no.” Roman shakes his head vigorously, drawing in on himself. It makes my fingers itch to grab the knife on my side. It's a new gift from Roman that we haven’t told anyone about yet, but I resist as I stare down this new therapist.
I’m extremely unimpressed. Next to Javi, he looks uptight and boring. Definitely not a contender for who I’d want to see. But, if Doc chose him…I suppose he must have some redeeming qualities. Sarah trusts Doc after all.
“Roman,” Javi says in a gentle voice. “I understand you don’t want this appointment. You’re welcome to have someone with you during it.”
“I don’t think—” Javi holds up his hand, interrupting Stanley. The withering glare has the man backing down ungraciously.
I press closer to Roman until there’s no possible gap between us. “I'll be with you, Rome. I promise.”
Roman’s sad eyes meet mine, they're filled with wariness and fear, and my heart pings with the need to protect him. He always jumps in front of everyone else. My friend’s heart is so damn open and full of love.
Whatever he sees in me must give him courage because he takes a deep breath and nods, whispering, “Alright. I’ll go…as long as you’re there.”
I kiss his forehead, lingering as I draw in his scent. Pulling back, I meet his gaze directly and vow, “You’ll never have to go through it alone. I’ll always be by your side. Whenever you want. And even when you’re sick of me.”
He gives a shaky smile before steeling himself to look over at this Stanley asshole. With a heavy sigh, he slides out of the bed, keeping his hand in mine, and I follow awkwardly. “I’m ready. Let’s just…get this over with.”
Stanley looks Roman up and down, eyeing the skirt with his lips pressed together, and his fingers twitch when he notices Roman’s colorful nails. He doesn’t say anything, but I inch closer to Roman. If he says one thing about the way my friend dresses… Well, I have my knife on me. It’ll be the last thing the asshole ever says.
I let Roman pull me along as we follow Stanley to his office, Javi keeping pace beside us. When Stanley opens the door and gestures for Roman to step inside, he hesitates. With a small tug, I walk forward, leading Roman into the therapist’s office. It’s…very basic. It looks uncomfortably like a TV show’s renditionof what a therapist's office should look like, which sets off my discomfort further.
There’s a sleek black couch alongside one wall, and a more comfortable-looking chair set to the side, positioned to look at the couch. It’s…weird. Like he was going for an intimate setting, but failed. I can’t put my finger on why it’s wrong, it just is.
Then there’s a black desk that’s set further back in the room, with an executive chair and a large monitor. Everything is fucking black, or in the case of the more comfortable-looking chair, white. It’s fucking creepy as hell.
