Chapter 27

Rome "Do you really have to go?" Julia pout with her arms around my neck. My hands were underneath my shirt she wore roaming her naked body.

I didn't want to leave her either, we got back to my house early this morning and she had managed to convince me to stay in bed with her for a few more hours, but I needed to go over to Greengrove to check on the progress of the hotel. I also needed to go over to the apartment complex since it won't be long until it is ready.

"I'm sorry baby. I would love nothing more than to stay here with you all day, but I have work to do." I watch her soft pink lips moves into a frown, "Why don't you come with me instead?"

She sighs and sits on the bed, "I can't I forgot I have to make a down payment on an apartment today."

I raise my brows at her, "What apartment?"

"The apartment I looked at a couple days ago when you walked out on me." She says timidly.

"You're not moving out. Cancel whatever appointment you have today and have a day of relaxation with your friends," I remove the card I gave her the last time from my wallet and open her palm and place it there, while ignoring the wide-eyed look she was giving me. I place a kiss on her open mouth, “have a good day."

"Rome I can't just do that. I need a place to stay!" I heard her say while following behind me.

"You're already staying here with me Julia," I reply while descending the stairs.

"But what if you wake up one day and decide that you are bored and tired of me and kick me out on the streets?!"

I stop and turn to look at her. She was standing a few steps up looking at me with a worried and sad expression on her beautiful face. She was scared that I would abandon her.

I walk back up the rest of stairs until I was standing right in front of her. Cupping her cheeks, I look into her eyes and told her, "I'm the fucked up one here Julia. I'm the one who should be worried that one day you, this amazing kindhearted woman will wake up and leave me one day because you realized that you could do so much better than me. I know we are just getting started Julia and I'm unaware of what the future holds, but I'll never get bored or tired of you. I can't even imagine that happening."

A tear slips down her left cheek. I wipe it way before pulling her in for a sweet and passionate kiss. I pull away and look at her tear-filled eyes, an emotion that I've never felt before came over me. All I wanted to do was protect her and make her happy, to ensure her that I would never abandon her like the people she loves did.

She pulls away and throw her arms around me giving me a bear hug, "Thank you Rome."

"For what love?"

"For caring and showing me that you actually do." Her words were a bit muffled, but I still managed to hear what she said.

Running my fingers through her hair I told her, "There is no need to thank me Julia, I know you've been hurt before, and I promise you that I will never hurt you in any way possible. I will be here for you whenever you need me."

I pull away from her so that I could stare in her beautiful hazel eyes again, "Always."

I enter the grocery store to purchase a bottle of water since the sun left me feeling like a damn fish out of water. Instead of Julia’s friend at the cash register, it was the old woman. They must have left early to spend the day with my baby. I did tell her to invite them out.

Rolling my eyes, I walk to the shelf that had the bottles of water. I pick one up and walk over to the old woman.

"How's my Julia doing? I haven't seen her in a while," she asks while typing something into the cash register.

"Why don't you call her and find out. You have her number, don't you?" I did not like her one bit. She was just a stubborn, oblivious, old woman. From the look she was giving me I knew the feeling was mutual.

"You are such a rude young man. You better treat Julia right."

I smirk at her and give her a hundred dollar, “Keep the change."

Just as I exit the store, I felt someone pull me to the side and push me against the wall. Where the fuck this psychopath got energy from, I had no idea.

I pull the water and drink almost all of it while keeping an eye on the colorful disheveled witch. She was giving me a look that made me sick to my stomach.

"What do you want?" I ask while focusing on closing the water bottle.

"You."

I couldn't help but chuckle, "You are insane lady, now get the fuck out of my face."

Instead of doing what I told her to, Gina smirk and took another step closer to me. She points an ugly claw at me, again she makes me wonder if she was really the woman who gave birth to Julia.

"You sent Xavier to the hospital for the second time. The poor idiot was so scared that he skipped town before he was even released, leaving me here all alone."

"Why don't you go after him? You are similar to a snail but I'm sure you can still catch up." I say uninterested, the last thing I want to do is stand here and talk to her.

She ignores what I said and continue, "This simply means I now lack the one thing only a man can provide me with. So, what do you say? Are you going to give it to me right here or do you want me to give it to you?"

I was disgusted, "You think I'm anything like that asshole? You are fucking atrocious Gina and you better thank your creator that you are a woman right now, because if you weren't I wouldn't think twice about putting you in a hospital either."

I move her out of my way and begin to walk away.

"My stupid daughter can't full fill the needs of a man like you, but I can. You know where to find me when you are in need of a real woman," She says with a giggle.

I turn around to glare at her. I wasn't just going to stand and listen while she bad mouths Julia. "You are the one who needs to take lessons from your daughter Gina. Women like you are worse than the plague, but I must thank you for giving birth to her and thank her good heart that she didn't turn into you, because she is the best thing to ever happen to me and I'll be damned if I let you continue to talk shit about her or hurt her again."

With that said I turn around and left her looking dumbfounded. I needed to get rid of her as well, I can't have her interfering in Julia's life especially with the plan I have on mind.