Page 4 of After the Storm

Shame fills me as I finish. I know I letitgo on for too long. His body tenses. I wonder briefly if he cares much about me or if he’s just showing human decency.

Every interaction I’ve ever had with Roman has been positive. All through high school, I’d spend the night when my mom was out of town for work. I’d wander down to the kitchen when I couldn’t sleep and Roman was always there. We’d talk into the early hours of the morning about everything and nothing. But that was the extent of our friendship, if you’d even call it that. My thoughts are cut off when I hear Roman speak again.

“Are you going to tell Ares?” he asks.

No. Absolutely not.That’s what I want to say. I want to tell him ‘I can’t,becauseAres will pick a fight with Tyler, and I’m terrified that Ares will lose.’I want to tell him Ares won’t be able to keep the anger in. That I’m horrified if Tyler knew I told anyone, he would hurt me or the people I love. I want to tell him that telling even one person was one too many, because if Tyler ever finds out—I’m dead.

But none of that comes out. Instead, I just say, “I don’t know. Not yet.”

“He deserves to know, Audra,” Roman says quietly through gritted teeth. I can no longer read the tone in his voice. I also can’t quite read the look on his face in the dim light from the TV we never turned off. My eyebrows pinch together as I look up at him confused.

“You said you’d never tell. Please don’t.” The small, desperate plea is all I can manage.

“I’m not telling anyone, I promise. But you have to tell Ares,” he states quietly, like it’s a demand he’s hesitant to make.

I pull away from him. “Haveto? You’re kidding, right? Itjusthappened, Roman, and now you’re telling me who Ihaveto tell?”

The words come out more aggressive than I mean them to, but the combination of fear and desperation coursing through me is lethal; ready to maim anyone in my path.

“You’re right.” His face immediately softens. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. You don’t have to do anything until you’re ready.” The words come out steady and even, like he practiced it quickly in his head before he responded.

“Then howdidyou mean it?” I snap, turning my head away from him.

“I just need to know someone is out there protecting you, Audra. I want to know you’ll be safe,” he states. Suddenly the anger I feel seems unreasonable.

“Tyler will kill me, Roman. Not in a funny or dramatic way, he’ll actually do it. You didn’t see the look in his eyes. He could do it. I know he could.” The words leave my mouth and suddenly I’m back in Tyler’s apartment, sitting on his bed as he stands over me screaming in my face about something I did.

Tyler’s palm makes contact with my cheek and I’m completely stunned. It’s the first time he’s hit me that I can’t find some excuse for. The first time that I know without a doubt he hurt me on purpose. It shocks me in a way I can’t put into words. I can’t move, can’t speak. I can’t even cry. Apologies start spewing from his mouth faster than I can register them in my head. I’m there motionless, fully paralyzed in the wake of him.

I feel split in two. Part of me is still on the couch with Roman, the other stuck in a memory. But this doesn’t feel like a memory. No. This feels like I’mthere. My hands are trembling and my breathing hitches so hard I’m not entirely sure if it stops all together. Distantly, I hear my name being called, but I can’t tell from where. Not until I feel Roman grab my hands and squeeze gently.

“Audra.” There’s an urgency in his voice that he’s trying hard to keep at bay. “Hey, it’s just you and me. You’re okay here.”

I lock eyes with him, silently begging him to drop the subject. He seems to understand, and squeezes my hands again before letting go.

“I won’t tell anyone. I promise. But if you ever feel unsafe, please call someone, Audra.” He pauses for a moment, hesitating on his next words. He nods slightly to himself before continuing. “Please call me. Ares would never forgive me—hell,I’dnever forgive me if I didn’t keep you safe until you tell him.” I nod. It’s the only thing I can do at this point, the ability to speak stripped from me after my panic.

Soon enough, I snuggle back into his warmth, the weight of his arm lulling me back to sleep. I drift off soon after, thinking about the absurdity of the night, Tyler, and the constant, calming heartbeat of the man beneath me.

Chapter2

Roman

Sunlight beamsthrough the windows of the living room, drawing me out of my sleep. I open my eyes to black and white hair splayed all around me and the smell of breakfast filling the house. I look down to Audra and find her fast asleep, breathing softly with her head laid on my chest.

The mark on her cheek faded overnight, now looking more like she slept too hard on it. Her eyelashes flutter, eyes sweeping and perfect button nose scrunching slightly. She starts to grumble, huffing loudly as a small whine emerges from the back of her throat. Someone isn’t a morning person.

I shush her and hold her closer, rubbing my arm slowly over her back. Her face relaxes and she sinks further into me.

I could really get used to this.

Immediately, I know it’s a bad thought. I know it’s the last thing I should be thinking right now, but all I can think about is the years I’ve spent dreaming of this. I don’t let myself go too deep down that rabbit hole, instead I focus on the smell surrounding us. Mom and Dad must have gotten home late last night or early this morning.

I nudge Audra slightly. “Hey, my mom made breakfast, do you want to get up and eat?” I ask quietly in her ear. She groans and burrows herself into me, pulling the blanket over her head.Oh fuck me. If she isn’t the cutest goddamn thing.

I resist the urge to smack myself. I have to stop thinking about her like that. It was okay when she was single. It was even justifiable when she was in a relationship, so long as I kept it to myself. But now that she’s fresh out of a shitty relationship? Now is absolutely theworsttime for me to be thinking about how fucking adorable Audra Hart is.

“C’mon, we should get up,” I suggest with another small nudge. She groans again and peaks out of the blanket.

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