Page 74 of Slayin Villain
I woke up to silence.
Not the kind that made you feel at peace, the kind that wrapped around your throat like a damn noose.The kind that came after a storm you never saw coming, but deep down, you knew you deserved.
The guest house they’d thrown me in was hot and musty.Pagan and Irish had dumped my shit here yesterday, cracking jokes the whole time like I wasn’t dying inside.Rome hadn’t moved in yet, probably too busy licking his pride somewhere.
My ribs ached and the wound on my shoulder stabbed with pain from the mother chapter’s ambush.The patch-over party felt like another lifetime.Now it was just dirty floors, half-unpacked boxes, and the echo of a woman’s voice I couldn’t stop hearing.
Rachel’s voice.
A knock rattled the front door.
I didn’t move right away, just stared at the ceiling like it might give me answers.But the knock came again, louder this time.
I swung my legs over the side of the mattress and opened the door in nothing but sweatpants and a grimace.
Ember.
And Rome.
Together.
She looked wrecked.Red eyes, lips trembling even though her spine was steel straight.He stood beside her, close enough that their arms brushed.
“Y’all here to deliver more bad news?”I muttered.
“Villain, we need to talk,” Ember said, voice trembling.
I stepped aside without a word and let them in.The tension followed like smoke.
Rome looked around, nostrils flaring.“Nice.”
“Cozy, huh?We’ll be roommates soon, in case you forgot,” I gritted, shutting the door.
“Not for long,” Ember said.“I came to say goodbye.That should settle all the fighting.”
Everything inside me stopped.
“What?”
“I’m leaving, Villain.”
“No,” I growled.“You don’t get to walk out if that baby’s mine.”
She flinched.Rome’s hand automatically brushing against her lower back.
“I don’t even know if I’m keeping it,” she whispered.
Rome’s face turned white.“What the hell do you mean, woman?”
Ember closed her eyes like the words were razor blades.“I’m not ready to be a mom, Rome.I’m still trying to be me.”
“You’re not… getting rid of it.”His voice broke at the edges, hot with panic.He stepped in front of her.“Don’t say that.Don’t even think it.”
She looked up at him with tears welling.“I don’t know what I’m doing.But I know one thing, I love you.”
That shattered whatever wall she had left.The sob burst out of her, ragged and raw.Rome caught her, arms around her like they were always meant to be there.He held her close while she cried, kissing her hair, whispering things I couldn’t hear.
I watched them fall into each other like nobody else existed.
