Sweet Home (Page 47)

Reece put his hand on my shoulder. “Bullet won’t be the one that’s hurt, Molly. It’s not like he hasn’t fought before. And no offense, but I’m not getting near Bullet when he’s like that. I like my head firmly on my shoulders, thanks!”

“Ugh! Fine! I’ll do it myself!” I pushed through the circle and broke through to the front. Romeo was straddled above the basketball player, clearly untouched, holding the collar of the guy’s shirt in his hand, pinning him to the ground.

“Don’t you f**kin’ dare talk about Mol like that again. You get me, ass**le?”

The guy beneath him smiled, blood dripping from his lip and a burgeoning bruise forming on his cheek. He was enjoying goading Rome.

“The geek ain’t shit to look at, but she clearly f**ks good if she’s tamed your ass. Does she? Does she f**k like a seasoned whore?”

Romeo growled menacingly under his breath as he turned a bright shade of red, his berserk rage taking hold, and he drew back his fist. The basketball player’s friend tried to jump in to throw Rome off, but Austin dived forward, wrestling him back, wrapping his arms in a tight lock behind his back. At least one of his friends was trying to help him.

As Rome’s fist paused, suspended in the air, I grabbed hold of his wrist and his head snapped around to me, his dark eyes wild. The crowd cautiously stepped back.

“Romeo, don’t,” I pleaded.

He tried to push me away. “Get the f**k back, Mol.”

“Molly! What the hell?!” Cass was behind me, trying to yank me out of harm’s way, Lexi and Ally standing close by with pleading expressions.

I met Romeo’s gaze again, shaking Cass’s hand off my arm. “Romeo, stop. Now. You’re better than this!”

“Yeah, Romeo, stop. Listen to your girl.”

I groaned at the stupidity of the guy on the floor; he obviously had a death wish.

Gritting his teeth, Romeo leaned down to his ear, hissing, “You’re lucky I don’t cave your f**kin’ skull in, but I won’t do it in front of my girl.”

Romeo stood abruptly and wrapped me in his arms, his heartbeat pounding like a drum in his chest. I gripped onto his shirt with one hand, the other rubbing the tension from his back.

I felt Rome turn and he shouted over my shoulder, “Fuck off, Michaels, and get outta my sight before I change my f**kin’ mind and end you!”

Michael’s buddies picked him up off the floor, dragging him away, the circle of spectators breaking up with disappointed faces now the show had come to an anti-climax.

I leaned back, gripping his throbbing biceps. “No, you shouldn’t have. What would’ve been the point? We both knew that you being in an ‘official’ relationship was going to cause some talk.”

“Yeah, but he’s had it comin’ for a long time, babe. He f**kin’ deserves a good beat down.”

“Why was he so hostile towards you in the first place?”

Romeo stilled and I tipped my chin to meet his apprehensive gaze. His worried expression caused me to frown. “What?”

“I… I—”

“You what?” I pushed as Romeo stared at me with an anxious expression, obviously debating whether or not to be honest.

“Just spit it out, Rome.”

“I f**ked his girl a few months back.”

My stomach curled and I stepped back out of his embrace.

“Now you’re pissed at me. I’m totally kickin’ his ass now!” He turned to run after a retreating Michaels.

I kept a tight hold of his hand. “Leave him.”

He regarded me warily. “You’re pissed, aren’t you?”

I slammed my hands on my hips. “Well, I’m not exactly doing backflips on hearing that you shagged his girlfriend, am I?”

Romeo tilted his head in warning at my tone. “I’ll let that go since you’re clearly annoyed, and I suppose justifiably.” His dark mood caused me to smirk and I shook my head in exasperation. I used to find his attitude intimidating; now I found his stubborn moodiness amusing… and really kind of cute.

“Did you hear what he said about you?” Rome continued, ignoring my amusement.

“Yes, but I don’t care, never have cared what others thought of me.”

He dropped his head, trying in earnest to simmer down his temper.

“Come on, sit down with me a while longer,” I said, tugging on his hand.