Roman

Iwas lying in bed with Julianna Capulet. And we weren't naked.

Well…this was new.

I could do this. I could just lie here with her and not?—

She shifted her leg over mine, her thigh now pressing right against my dick. I stiffened, the awareness flooding down my body. Fuck, I missed her honey skin and soft, warm curves. I reached for her, halting just before I touched her.

Don't be a dick, Roman. She was attacked tonight. The last thing she needs is for you to attack her too, you horny bastard.

But she asked you to stay. That's practically an invitation to?—

Keep your damn hands to yourself, you selfish fucker.

I gritted my teeth against the feral desire that gripped me, threatening to break my control. She wasn't making this easy. What the hell did you even do with a woman in bed if you weren't fucking her?

Cuddles. I seem to remember one of the women I dated complaining that she wanted to cuddle in bed. How was I supposed to "cuddle" her without crushing her? I carefully placed my arm around Jules. She tucked herself further into the crook of my arm, her soft hair nestled against my chest, smelling like some kind of tropical flower. She sighed, a soft, happy sound. For some reason it made my chest cavity puff up. Damn. This was nice. Real nice. I could get used to this.

* * *

I woke up with a start.

My eyes took a second to adjust to the dim, the touch of dawn only just lightening the window. The strange window. This wasn't my bedroom.

I became aware of the soft body beside me. Julianna. I was in her bedroom.

Shit. I hadn't meant to fall asleep, but she'd been so warm and perfect. I stared down at the sleeping beauty. Her face was soft and completely relaxed.

I realized with a start, this was the first time I'd ever slept beside a woman without fucking her. What the hell did that mean?

Nothing. It means nothing. Now stop thinking and get the hell out of here before she wakes up.

I slid myself slowly out of the tangle that was our bodies. She let out a soft moan as she shifted. I froze. Thankfully, she kept sleeping as I crept out her window.

The city was already awake below me. It was already too light. I was too exposed up here. Anyone could see me looking like a criminal slipping out of her window and onto the fire escape. Anyone. I took a risk going to her apartment last night. I took an even bigger risk in staying.

No more risks, I told myself. Stop being so fucking weak over her. She's not worth it.

But even I knew that was a lie.

* * *

"What the hell happened last night?"Mercutio's voice rang out.

I stiffened. Mercutio was standing in my living room, a blanket rumpled on the leather couch. He must have come here after he dropped Julianna off. He'd been waiting for me.

I shut my apartment door behind me. "How did you get in here?"

Merc tilted his head. "You gave me your spare key, asshole, and you didn't answer my question."

"Julianna got jumped by two hired guys last night."

"And you just happened to be there?"

Smart fucker. "Yeah."

"Some coincidence, huh?"

I gritted my teeth. "Some coincidence," I repeated.

Mercutio's eyes narrowed. He knew I was full of shit. "Who hired them?"

"I don't know. I just got the handler's name."

Mercutio snorted. "I bet he just gave you that name freely. Who's the handler?"

Goldfish. Your father. I wasn't going to reveal this piece of information to him until I'd verified it. Mercutio thought his father was reformed, just hiding out somewhere. It'd kill him to know his father was back in the game. I repressed the guilt at lying to my best friend and shrugged. "The less you know the better."

"What do you think you're doing with her, Roman?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." I kept my mask on as I walked into my black marble and stainless steel kitchen to mix up a protein shake. I would take out my frustrations on a bag once he left.

"Don't fucking bullshit me. I'm your best friend." Merc followed me into the kitchen and stood with his arms crossed over his chest. "You stayed with her last night, didn't you?" He said her like she was some kind of virus. I wanted to throw him against a wall for talking about her like that. But showing any reaction would just confirm my guilt.

I didn't answer. Mercutio was someone I promised myself I'd never outright lie to.

Merc let out a string of curses. "Did the pussy in Europe give you shit for brains? She's the police chief's daughter, Roman."

I was all too aware of that.

"If your father doesn't find out, hers will."

Yes, I knew that too.

"You and she can never be anything. Just the idea of it?—"

I slammed my protein shaker down on the countertop, every single one of his words stinging as they found their mark. "Don't you think I know that?" I bellowed. Mercutio was the last person I wanted a lecture from.

"Then why?—"

"I don't fucking know. I've tried to get her out of my head. Believe me, I've fucking tried. I've tried to stay away from her since…"

Mercutio stared at me. His mouth dropped as a look of realization crossed his face. "She was the one you left at the hotel the day you were supposed to leave Verona. She's your Perfect Girl, isn't she?"

I nodded, just once.

Mercutio grabbed at his hair as if he were about to tear it out. "Why would you even take her home?"

"I didn't know who she was, okay? She didn't know who I was." As if I would mess around with her on purpose. Did he think I had a death wish?

Mercutio backed up until he hit against the bench top, scurrying away from me as if I were a leper. "Holy fuck, Roman."

Yeah that pretty much summed up my situation.

"Holy fuck," Merc repeated, "you're in love with her."

His words slapped me like a cold palm across my face. My head snapped to face him. "I am not in?—"

His words sank in. My chest seared and clenched as if someone had put a round of bullets into it. I tried to shake them away. I was not in love with her. I couldn't be. The heir to the Tyrell empire could not be in love with the police chief's daughter.

I grabbed my shake and tilted it back, drinking the entire thing down, then wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. I really needed to hit something.

Merc was still staring at me with a woeful look on his face. "Dude, what the hell are you going to do?"

I know what I should do. I should walk away from Julianna. Leave her the hell alone.

But I couldn't. I'd tried. I just wasn't strong enough. What choices did I have left?

I shook my head. "I don't know, Merc," I admitted. "I don't fucking know."

* * *

After Mercutio leftI changed into a pair of navy sweatpants. Every time I closed my eyes I saw the two men attacking Julianna. I saw the gun pointed at her, the terror on her face when she realized there was no way out. I saw Eddie grabbing her, then hitting her. I could almost feel the bruise on her swollen jaw. My blood boiled and the aggression spilled over as I remembered them holding her down. I slammed my fists into the punching bag I kept in my spare-room-turned-gym.

Eddie had gotten off way too easily. For a second it felt like the knife was in my hand again, the tip of it inside his mouth aimed at his brain. If Julianna hadn't been there next to me, I might have killed him right then.

See…violent tendencies. Just like your father.

My father's face flashed through my mind as I laid into the bag, sweat pouring off me. Goldfish had been his employee until he went underground, but I'd heard rumors that his supposed confession was just a ploy orchestrated by my father to get the case thrown out. Could Goldfish still be working for my father? Could he be the one who tried to snatch Jules last night?

He couldn't… He wouldn't…

An unwanted memory flashed in my head.

"She's the daughter of the new chief of police. A very…interesting girl."

"She doesn't seem that interesting," I said as casually as I could.

"Her father is a righteous man. He's stubborn enough to believe that he can clean up this city. Incorruptible, they call him. But I think I just found what he'd be willing to bargain for."

"What are you talking about?"

"No one is incorruptible. Everyone has his price. You just need to find their weak spot and know when to push."

My stomach turned as I imagined Julianna being used as a pawn in my father's hands. "What are you going to do to her?"

"Nothing. Yet."

I staggered as a horrible truth slammed into me.

My own father ordered her capture.