Page 19 of Roman Blake
Roman did not deserve the shit I said to him.
He had saved me.
He had stayed with me.
He had made sure I was safe.
And I woke up cursing him out like he had done something wrong.
Guilt sat heavy on me then.
So before I could talk myself out of it, I got up and walked out of my villa.
That short walk across to Roman’s place felt longer than it should have. By the time I reached his door, my stomach was tied in knots.
I knocked once.
Then twice.
A few seconds later, the door opened.
Roman stood there in basketball shorts and a white T-shirt, looking like he had either just gotten out the shower or was about to get in one. His eyes dropped to me, unreadable, and for a second I forgot everything I had come there to say.
Then I pulled myself together.
“I came to apologize,” I said, folding my arms like that would somehow steady me. “For how I talked to you.”
Roman did not say anything right away. He just looked at me, and somehow that made me even more nervous.
“I don’t remember anything,” I added, softer this time. “I woke up confused and started going off. That was wrong.”
His expression shifted, but only a little.
I let out a breath. “So… thank you. For last night. For helping me. For staying.”
That last word came out quieter than everything else because that part did something to me more than I wanted it to.
He stayed.
He did not have to.
But he did.
And now, standing there in front of him, all I could think about was how different things might have been if Roman Blake had not looked out that damn window when he did.
When I opened the door and saw Melissa standing there, I had to fight to keep my face straight.
She looked better than she had that morning, but I could still see it on her. The tension in her shoulders. The heaviness in her eyes. The quiet shake underneath all that attitude she liked to throw around when she felt cornered.
I already had a feeling why she was here.
Still, I leaned against the door and let my eyes drop over her once before I looked back at her face.
“I came to apologize,” she said, folding her arms like that was gone hold her together. “For how I talked to you.”
I ain’t say nothing right away.
I just looked at her.
