Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Roman’s face up close, felt the ghost of his thumb under my chin, heard his voice telling me I needed to stop moving like I was by myself in this world.
But what little did he know I was by myself that was the whole point.
Depending on people had backfired on me too many times. Loving people had cost me too much. I had decided I was done putting myself in places where somebody else’s choices could ruin my life.
And here comes Roman Blake, standing in a doorway on some island, talking about he wanted to make sure I was safe.
It would have been easier if he was just a cold-hearted asshole, but he wasn’t.
I turned over and grabbed my phone. Charlee had texted me in our group chat again.
Charlee: You alive?
Fee: She probably somewhere laid up.
Charlee: As she should be.
I rolled my eyes, but a small smile still pulled at my mouth.
Me: I’m alive. Y’all annoying.
Charlee: You sound stressed.
Fee: You drunk or you dickmatized?
Me: Good night. Blocked.
Charlee: LMAOOO you not blocking nobody.
Fee: Sooo… you and Roman talked yet?
I stared at that last message for a second, then sighed.
Me: Yeah, we talked.
Charlee: AND???
Fee: Don’t start playing dumb now.
Me: He helped me with something. That’s it.
Charlee: Girl, please.
Fee: Mhm.
I locked my phone before they could double-team me with more questions.
It was not that I did not want to tell them.
It was that I did not know how to explain what I was feeling when I didn’t even understand it myself.
All I knew was, for the first time in a long time, I felt… seen.
And that was dangerous.
I must have dozed off, because the next thing I knew, the light in the room had shifted and my phone said it was just pastseven. My stomach growled, and I remembered Roman ordering us food earlier.
I pressed my lips together.
