Chapter 129 Fire.
CHAPTER 129
Fire.
SCARLETT – POINT OF VIEW
The rest of the drive is tense. Nausea rushes through me. Roman is going to want to have a conversation, one I’ll be unable to avoid. We stop at his office first. I haven’t been here before, and I am utterly blown away by the sheer size of it. It’s one of the tallest buildings in Manhattan. The parking lot is underground, and there are a lot of security measures.
He pulls me aside the second I get out of the car.
He doesn’t speak yet. He shows me around the building, one hand around my hips possessively, then we make our way to his office. My heart races as he locks the door behind us.
I walk to the glass wall, where there’s a view of the New York skyline. He really is on top of the world.
Adeline can be annoying at times. She was smoking, yet she is trying for a baby? Isn’t that counterproductive? I know she is trying to ruin Luca’s plans, probably because of the unfinished business she has, but at the same time, that does not give her the right to meddle in my relationship. She only asked a question, but it was a loaded one, and my reaction gave them the answer.
“Do you want a baby?” Roman asks softly.
I turn around, my heart in my throat. My blood simmers nervously, and I can’t hold everything in. I don’t bother lying to him.
“I’ve thought about what it would be like to have your baby,” I confess, heart racing.
“And?” He folds his arms, leaning against the desk.
“It’ll be the best thing ever,” I admit, my cheeks heating. “A baby will be a blessing, but it is our responsibility to make sure we have the baby when everything is fine.”
“Is everything not fine?” He frowns at me.
Another loaded question.
Of course, everything is not fine. We are haunted by demons. Our secrets are stifling.
“There are … things you don’t know about me yet, things I want you to know. I don’t want a marriage rooted in secrets,” I whisper, “but I cannot tell you everything now, I just need time to work through it, so yes, I want a baby, but not now.”
“What if there is no perfect time? What if now is all we have?” He asks softly.
My heart drops.
“What? Don’t say that. We have all the time in the world.” I whisper, my heart racing.
He walks to me and takes my hand, “I don’t mean to scare you, my love, but we escaped death once. What are the possibilities that we will escape death again? My father died in a fire, in the most painful way possible. My mom survived it, but wished she were dead. She lost the love of her life to the flames. Life is short, Scarlett, and I don’t want to live life without you. I don’t want to do anything without you. I want us to walk this road together.”
I nod, my eyes glossing over.
“Life is too short to gamble. I’m not asking for your secrets now. I just want to marry you. Marry me, and we can figure out the rest later. We can rebuild together. We can have as many babies as you want.” He kisses me tenderly, hearts in his eyes, “I want to build a family with you. I want everything with you.”
I wait for him to say the word. I wait for him to tell me he loves me, but he doesn’t.
And it breaks my heart.
So, I step out of his embrace and nod, “We can get married.”
“Okay.” He nods, noticing the abrupt emotional distance.
I look everywhere but him, “I have to go. Adeline is waiting for me. Are we still on for lunch?”
“Of course, baby.” He smiles, but it does not reach his eyes.
Does he know what I want him to say? Why won’t he say he loves me? Why won’t he say the words? Why would he, though? What have I done to deserve it? I’m nothing but a liar, and now, I’m on my way to break bread with my ex-boyfriend.
I know I shouldn’t let these thoughts worm their way into my mind, but I cannot help it.
I say my goodbye and walk out of his office.
He watches me go.
The elevator ride takes only a minute.
Addie is waiting for me in the lobby.
I walk to her and say, “You need to choose your words more carefully, and you will tell me your whole deal with the baby thing, but not now. I have to meet Percy, and you’re coming with me.”
She does not argue.
We walk out, flanked by her security details. Rue and Russel are also here.
As we get in the car, my gaze catches on to a person across the street. My heart drops, and I take a closer look, only to see no one there.
I must be imagining things.
The drive to the restaurant is short and tense.
I’m twenty minutes late. I still have hickeys on my neck and wrist.
Adeline ducks to the bar, and I head straight to the table.
Percy is on a call, facing down, shoulders tense.
I stop in front of him and catch the end of the call. He is speaking another language. What?
“Rosa … Scarlett.” He gets up, arms wide open.
I shake his hand instead of a hug, and he chuckles, “That’s how it is, huh.”
I roll my eyes and take a seat, not willing to get into a debacle with him.
I order a wine, and he orders a full meal, only to push one in front of me. I’m too tense to eat. The conversation I had with Roman lingers with me. I find myself running over the words he said and what he might mean.
“Come on, Scarlett, just a bite.” Percy urges, but I’m not listening.
Romeo said his father died in a fire. My parents died in a fire, too. Adelina and Luca’s fathers died in a fire, too.
This cannot be a pure coincidence.