Page 90 of From Rome, With Hate

“I didn’t realize you were up yet.” She spins back around to face the full-length mirror on the wall.

“I haven’t heard you sing in a long time.” I grow closer to her. “I forgot how beautiful your voice is.”

Her smile fades as her eyes catch mine in the reflection. “I haven’t sang in years. Well, actually, I haven’t since the last time we were together.”

“Huh.” I rake my eyes over her as I move to stand behind her and gather her hair to brush it aside. “So, that means the songisabout me.”

She rolls her eyes, then rests her head back against my chest. “It’s “Gorgeous”by Taylor Swift. It released a little after we separated, but when I heard it the first time, it reminded me of the night we snuck into the bathroom at Sola’s party.”

“Hmm,” I hum against her neck, staring at her through the mirror. “I should listen to the song or read the lyrics, then, huh?”

“Definitely listen to it,” she says, lifting her arms and draping them around my neck. Her entire body is open to me. We sway side to side as if we’re dancing to the song.

“Makes me happy knowing your nickname has held up to your reputation.”

“Yeah.” Her smile fades momentarily before she’s stepping away from me. She places the shirt back onto the rack.

Pinching the bottom of her shirt, I twist it around my fingers and tug her backward. She spins, slamming against my chest.

I plant my lips against hers, tasting the toothpaste still lingering on her mouth. How long has she been awake? I pull away, smoothing my hands over the curve of her ass and hips.

“You should have woken me up sooner so I could hear more of your singing.”

She smirks. “I wanted to let you sleep, considering you’ve been sleeping on the floor for the past two weeks.”

I frown, shrugging. “The floor hasn’t been too bad.”

She narrows her eyes. “I don’t believe you.”

A tiny pin prick meets my chest, but I brush it off. Progress. We’re all about making progress right now. “Okay, fine. The floor sucked ass.”

She laughs and places her hands around the base of my neck. “See? Everything is much better when we’re honest.”

“Right.” I smile, but it disappears the more I look at my beautiful wife.

I’ve never wanted anyone other than her.

“Since we’re doing this whole getting everything out in the open and off our chests thing…” I start, knowing I just need to get this out and over with. “I have one last thing to confess. Last night, you brought this up, and I should have said something then.”

Part of me is afraid it’ll make me lose Julianna all over again, but if we truly want to forge a path for a new version of our future, I need to tell her everything. It’s the only way.

Her eyebrows pinch with worry, but I push through.

“I didn’t have sex with Macy that night.”

“What?” Her entire body deflates.

I keep my hands on her hips. “Everything else was true. I ran into her at the party, but I was so drunk and high, I didn’t have much fight to stop her. I was broken, and my mind wasn’t with my body. At least until you appeared.”

Julianna’s eyes line with tears, and I hate that I’ve put them there again, but this needs to be said.

“I saw the both of you, though, Rome,” she says quietly.

“You did, but you don’t know what happened afterward, do you?”

Her eyes roam over my face, the memory of that night obviously playing in her eyes. “I saw the two of you together then left. I couldn’t face you. Seeing you like that…”

“I know. By the time I got to Kiernan’s party I was already drunk and high, but when I ran into him, he’d offered me more. I’d lost our daughter, and I’d seen you at the restaurant with Will. All I wanted to do was make the pain go away. I’d responded to your text and wandered into the hallway in my drunken stupor when Macy found me. I was already trying to fight her off, but my body wasn’t working. Like, my body physically struggled to function. But then when I saw you, it was as if you somehow snapped me out of whatever zombie-like state I was in. I immediately went after you and called your name, but you didn’t stop for me or even hear me. The music was so loud, and by the time I reached the hallway outside Kiernan’s apartment, you were gone.”