Twice as Hot (Tales of an Extraordinary Girl #2)(88)
Author: Gena Showalter

Again, his tone had been flat. But now, his eyes were flat, too. "Yes."

"That’s good. That’s very good."

Was it? Was it really? He was stiff, harder in that moment than he’d been when he’d first awoken without his memories. Harder than he’d been the night he’d first invaded my apartment all those months ago, determined to neutralize me. "Rome, I – "

"That’s enough for now," he said, cutting me off. He turned, giving me his back. "We don’t want to exhaust you when you’ve got a big date tonight." There was no bitterness in his voice, no jealousy.

Suddenly I couldn’t move, could barely breathe. Had he already decided to wash his hands of me? "Are you going to be there as promised?"

"I don’t think so."

My mouth went dry. "Why not?" I asked shakily. I knew it was wrong to do this here, in front of Jean-Luc, but I couldn’t help myself. I had to hear him say it. We’re not meant to be together, after all.

How would I react? What would I do? I still loved him. Still wanted him, craved him.

He shrugged, didn’t face me. "No reason to, really."

And there it was. My answer. He was letting me go.

"Sunny wants to see you," he said. "I’ll bring her by before dinner. If that’s okay?" At one time, he wouldn’t have had to ask. I guess he planned to formally dump me with his daughter in the other room. That way I wouldn’t throw a fit or burn something down. Well, wait. Would I burn something down in a fury now that I could summon the elements without emotion? I laughed bitterly. Did that matter now? Rome wanted out of my life.

Part of you knew this was coming. It’s what you’ve been preparing yourself for.Fine. We’d get it over with. Do it tonight. Tears burned my eyes. "Bring her by, but I want to talk to you afterward. Okay?" Would I beg him to stay with me? Or would the future Lexis had predicted finally begin to fall into place?

I want my old future,I nearly screamed.

Rome ignored my question. "Go get cleaned up. I’ll see you tonight." For the second time in recent memory, he walked away and never looked back.

After playing with my puppies for half an hour, avoiding Jean-Luc’s probing gaze, a shower and a change of clothes, I stood in front of my locker, packing up to go home. My eyes were still burning, tears hovering at the corners, just waiting to fall. How had my life reached this point? A few weeks ago, I’d been the happiest woman on the planet. Love had been mine. A magnificent, sexy, strong man had been mine. Now…I had nothing.

Well, I had a few dates with a man I didn’t and couldn’t love because my heart would always belong to Rome.

And he was about to end things forever.

My gaze landed on a piece of folded paper. I hadn’t placed it in the locker, so I grabbed it. From Rome? Jean-Luc? Footsteps suddenly echoed, growing louder and louder. I stiffened, stuffed the note in my pocket, thinking to read it later when I was alone, and buried my head so deeply inside my locker that whoever it was would surely pass me by without trying to begin a conversation. I wasn’t ready to face anyone. Might not ever be ready.

But then the footsteps stopped. By me. Damn it! No reprieve for me today or any other day, it seemed.

"I’m sorry."

My fingers clenched on the door, and my teeth gnashed together. Lexis. I didn’t face her, but busied myself with straightening the clothes and weapons I had stashed inside. She was lucky I didn’t use one of them on her. "That doesn’t change what you did."

"What I tried to do. And I know."

No, what youdid. "You’re only sorry now because you failed."

"I’m sorry because I had a few days to think about things. I was trapped in that cage, listening to the people around me moaning and crying and begging, and I realized I was trying to do the same to Rome.

Trap him."

She made my head hurt. "Just…leave me alone, Lexis."

There was a pause, a shuffle of feet, but she didn’t do what I’d asked. "You don’t owe me anything, but I’m asking – begging – for a few minutes of your time."

"And I’m saying no." As satisfying as it was to see Lexis beg, I couldn’t deal with her. I’d break down. I was at the edge already.

"Yes. You’re going to listen to me. Nothing happened between me and Rome. I tried to kiss him that first day, but he quickly pulled away, as though he sensed I wasn’t the woman for him right away." My fingers curled around one of the blade hilts. "I know nothing happened. He told me. But it doesn’t matter anymore. Now get lost."

Another pause. "What do you mean, it doesn’t matter?"

There was no avoiding this, it seemed. "We’re over. Okay? We’re over." I slammed the locker shut, still clutching that blade. I faced her with narrowed eyes. She was as lovely as ever, dark hair brushed to a glossy shine, emerald eyes sparkling. "Happy now? You finally got what you wanted."

"No." She shook her head, shock radiating from her. "No. I – No. Belle, I’m so sorry. Truly. I…don’t know what to say. I meant for that to happen at first, but not any longer. I swear it. You two are meant to be together. I admit that now. I do. There’s no better stepmother for Sunny, and the way Rome looks at you…the way he talked about you, even when I was telling him we needed to work things out. He wouldn’t even kiss me! Said all he could think about was you." Wonderful to hear. But too little, too late. I closed the distance between us, my shoes smashed against hers, my nose practically rubbing hers. "You once told me there was a woman meant to be the love of Rome’s life, but you weren’t sure if it was me. Well, guess what. It isn’t." My chin trembled as I spoke.

God, saying that was hard. "You once told me I’d plan my wedding but Rome wouldn’t care. Well, you were right. You once told me I’d marry someone else. Maybe you were right about that, too."

"That can’t be right." She was pale, shaking her head. "Are you sure it’s over? Give him another chance.

He – "

"He is the one who’s going to dump me. "

"But…but…no. He wouldn’t do that. He loves you. He told me yesterday, this morning. Even if I did still want to be with him, I wouldn’t have a prayer. You’re it for him. The one. If you could have heard him screaming at me…I’ve never seen him so angry." There at the end, shame dripped from her tone.

Yeah, but that only meant he’d wanted me before I’d shown him just how powerful I would be. More than an ache, more than a stabbing pain, her words were a cancer eating at me. I pushed her with my free hand, hard, and she stumbled backward. "Get out of my way. We’re done here." Determined, she jumped back into my path. "Or maybe you can hear. Maybe you can see." Before I could react, she flattened her palms against my temples. I jolted, images shooting straight into my head.