Roman

Three months later…

Ishifted myself into a more comfortable position on the pillow and tucked Julianna into the crook of my neck, sweaty and deliciously tired. She had that exhausted, satisfied smile on her face, one I loved putting there.

She was so beautiful. And she was mine. How did I get so damn lucky?

Julianna's burner phone rang, vibrating on the white painted wooden bedside table. She went to roll over but I crushed her to me, keeping her there.

"It's probably my father," she said. "I have to take it."

"Let it go to voicemail," I whispered in her ear as I rubbed my hips against her.

She pushed at my chest, laughing. "You're so greedy. Afterwards."

I let out an annoyed sigh but I let her go.

She rolled to sitting, showing off her smooth violin-shaped back, and answered the phone. "Hi, Dad." There was a pause. She twisted to look at me, a frown on her face.

"What?"I mouthed to her.

"It's…it's for you." She held out her phone.

Me? Her father wanted to speak to me? He was cordial enough to me at our small farewell in Verona. He often asked Jules to pass on his hellos. But he'd never asked to speak to me.

I took the phone from her and held it to my ear, my stomach doing a flip. "Sir?"

"Roman," the chief's gruff voice sounded so strained. "I have some bad news for you."

Bad news. My skin prickled.

"Your brother's extradition request was denied by the Colombian government. I think he has bought himself his freedom. Unfortunately, that means we can't allow you to take back your old life as we planned. If he found out you were still alive, that you took a deal with us, there's no doubt in my mind he'd take revenge."

The blood drained from my fingers as my life, my and Julianna's life, dissolved in front of me. My happiness, it seemed, was just a castle made of sand. I should have known it was too good to be true. "I see."

"I'm sorry, son."

"Me too."

He hung up. My heart was heavy with the weight of the world on it. Jules was staring at me with wide eyes. She knew something was wrong. I was going to break her heart when I explained. This made me more sad than anything.

I told her, my heart cracking as tears welled in her eyes. "I used to hate being Roman Tyrell," I said. "Now I can't wait to be him again."

Julianna curled into my side, her hair falling over my chest.

"There's nothing stopping you from returning to Verona, Jules," I said. "You must miss?—"

"No." Her head snapped up.

"You don't?—"

"I miss Verona. I'm saying ‘no' to going back without you."

"There's no point in us both being exiled."

"I'm staying with you."

"But—"

"End of discussion. What we need to be figuring out is what do we do next." Her voice was firm. She was so full of strength. It was one of the reasons I loved her. She glanced up at me with a hopeful look in her eyes. "Any ideas?"

I shook my head. I had no answers.

* * *

The next morningI sat at our small dining table, scanning the Colombian news on the tablet for any word on my brother's activity. Jules was curled on the couch reading a book. We were both quiet today after yesterday's revelation.

My phone rang at my elbow. I frowned. It was a private number. Maybe Nonna was phoning using Skype?

It was too early back in Verona, they were six hours behind us and it was only eleven a.m. here.

I hesitated before I answered.

The voice that spoke was one I'd never heard before, deep yet smooth, a mild accent I couldn't place and slightly formal. "Do not act like anything is wrong, Mr. Montague." He used the name of my new identity. "We wouldn't want to scare the lovely Julianna, would we now?"

Julianna?She was going by the name of Juliet Caraway.

My skin prickled. My fingers went a deadly cold. I glanced over to Jules, her hair falling over her eyes as she curled around her book. "No, we wouldn't."

"Very good, Mr. Montague...or should I call you Mr. Roman Tyrell."

I stood and walked into the bathroom, ignoring Julianna's questioning glance. I locked the door and leaned against it.

"Who is this?" I hissed. "How did you get my number?"

"Do not fear, Roman. I am not here to hurt you. I am here to help."

"Help me with what?"

"I hear you have a problem regarding your older brother…Marco."

"How do you…?" I trailed off. That was a wasted question. If this man, whoever he was, was able to find out my real name and my phone number, it wasn't a stretch that he'd found out about Marco's extradition denial. I moved on to the next best question. "What do you want?"

"I told you, Roman. I want to help."

"Help me how?"

"I work for an organization that specializes in ridding the world of...problems. Such as the one you have with your brother." That was an answer in riddles if there ever was one.

"Oh yeah? How do you propose to solve my problem?"

The man let out a small chuckle. That sound alone managed to raise the hairs on my arms. "Let me put it this way, the organization I work for is called The Church."

My blood turned to shards of ice in my veins. The Church. A group of gentlemen assassins. They were deadly ghosts.

"Why… Why would you help me?"

"It's quite simple. Your brother in exchange for a favor."

My throat tightened. "What favor?"

"One yet to be called upon."

"That's not?—"

"This is not a negotiation. You have twelve hours to think it over. You'll give me your answer face to face. Tonight. I'm afraid Julianna can't come. You'll have to give her the slip. Can you do that?"

"Roman?" Julianna called through the bathroom door. "Is everything okay?"

I flinched away from the door. "Fine, honey."

He was asking me to lie to Jules, not just about meeting him, but about my brother. I promised I wouldn't lie to her ever again. I promised her.

But this was for our future. I'd be doing her a favor by keeping this horrible solution from her, by sparing her from the dark truth.

"Answer yes or no, Roman," his voice sounded in my ear.

"Yes."

"I'll text you where to meet."

"Give me a name?" I said before he could hang up. "What do I call you?"

"You can call me…Sevastian."

The line went dead.

I pressed my forehead on the smooth surface of the bathroom door. What would I do?

Should I take his offer? Should I accept this bloody solution to my problem? The world was better off without Marco Tyrell in it.

Jules…she'd never agree to it. If I wanted an end to my problem, I had to keep this from her. I didn't want to keep anything from her.

But we couldn't remain in exile forever. She couldn't live in exile forever. I could already see the homesickness that Julianna tried to hide. It leaked out from her without her knowing. In the smile that didn't reach her eyes every time she spoke to her father. In the tears she brushed aside when she thought I wasn't looking. She was here for me. I had to do this for her. I had to take this deal. I had to end our exile so Julianna could go home. I had to lie to her. For her. I had no choice.

I opened the bathroom door. Jules was standing there, innocent curiosity in her eyes. "Who was that?"

I couldn't do it. I couldn't lie. I'm sorry, Jules.

"I have something to tell you," I said. "And you're not going to like it."

We sat on the couch and I began to speak. I watched her face contort as I outlined who The Church was and the details of Sevastian's offer.

She shivered and I pulled her closer so she was seated across my lap. "You know what you have to do," she said quietly.

I nodded. I had to refuse him.

Julianna turned her amber eyes to me. "You have to accept it."

"What?" If I had been standing, I would have fallen over. "But, it means…"

"I know what it means. I know you shouldn't have told me. I'm glad you did. Because now, we can carry the weight of this decision together."

I couldn't speak. I didn't know what to say.

She leaned her forehead against mine. "Let's end this," she whispered. "Together."