Page 80 of The Preachers' Promise
“You’re not wrong.”
It hurts so much to talk, and I’m exhausted, but I don’t want to miss a second of the chance to communicate with her any time I can. Especially when it’s just the two of us. I’m not jealous of the other guys, but these precious times when it’s only me and her are too important to waste feeling sorry for myself or giving in to the pain.
She climbs onto the bed and curls into my side, careful of my sprained ribs. “This is all going to be okay, isn’t it, Rome? Now we’re going back to Verona Falls, and we’ll have Cain’s men protecting us, and my father knows I’m with you guys. It’s all going to be okay.”
I hug her closer and try not to wince at the pain in my ribs. “Yeah, baby. It’s all going to be okay.”
37
OPHELIA
In the end,we stay overnight at the hospital.
It gets too late to make the drive back to Verona Falls, and it’s better that we give Roman a little longer to rest and ensure he’s not concussed and doesn’t have a bleed somewhere the doctors haven’t picked up on.
The staff at the hospital seems fine with us all staying, though I’m not sure there would be much they could do if they weren’t.
By the morning, the swelling around Roman’s eye has gone down a little, though the skin surrounding it is close to black. He looks like he’s done several rounds in a boxing ring, which I suppose isn’t far off.
I still feel guilty every time I look at him. How could my dad do this? I understand he was frightened for me, but having Roman beaten was nothing to do with that, and everything to do with him throwing his weight around and making a point. It’s yet another time recently that he’s shown me a darker side. I hated seeing that side of him. I spent so many years thinking of him as being kind and loving, but ever since Daisy wrote to me, he’s changed into someone I don’t recognize. I guess I missed out on those formative teenage years where he might have come down harder on me, and he babied me when I returned from the cult.I knew what he did for a living, so I was aware he must have a capacity for violence—I’d just never seen it firsthand like that before, and it’s left me shaken.
By mid-morning, we’re back in the car. Cain drives, and Malachi takes the passenger seat. He fiddles with the radio, switching stations until he finds something he likes—an 80s rock station.
I sit in the back with Roman, my head against his shoulder and his hand on the inside of my thigh. I hope the other two aren’t getting jealous of the amount of attention I’m giving Rome, but, if they are, neither of them is showing any signs. I think they understand how much more Roman needs me right now, and that I’d do exactly the same for either of them if they got hurt—and especially if it was because of me.
Not that I’d ever want that to happen, of course, but a part of me is enjoying being needed. I’m not sure I’ve ever experienced it before. I’ve always been the one who’s had to lean on other people. Roman needs me now, and that alone makes me feel stronger.
We stop to refuel after a couple of hours, both the car and ourselves. Malachi returns with so many snacks, he can barely carry them all. I feel sorry for Rome, who is stuck with the protein shakes the hospital gave him.
Cain eyes him with amusement. “You shop like an eight-year-old who’s been given access to his parents’ credit card.”
Malachi tosses all the snacks into the car and takes a bite of a Snickers. “I know, it’s great, right?”
Cain rolls his eyes. “Get in.”
I’m happy to consume a whole heap of sugar for the rest of the drive. Roman dozes for the majority of it, which is good for him. It means his body is resting, and when he’s resting, he’ll heal.
“Have you had word that your father’s men have arrived, Cain?” I ask, sitting forward a little to decrease the space between me and the back of his head.
“Yeah, they’re at Verona Falls already. They’ve brought an RV with them, so we’ll all have our own space.”
“I bet Nataniele loves that.” Malachi gives a half laugh. “A huge RV parked in his precious college grounds.”
Cain shrugs. “It can’t be too big, or they’d never get it near the water tower. Besides, Nataniele won’t even be able to see it unless he comes over that way, which he never does. Hopefully, it’ll be like they’re not even there.”
I hope it’ll be the same for us. While I understand the necessity of Cain’s men watching out for us, I’d also like to be alone with my Preachers. With the immediate danger out of the way, I want us to settle into some kind of routine. I also want to think about our future. It’s clear whatever this thing is between us isn’t just going to be a flash in the pan.
We love each other.
We’ve all said it now, and it’s momentous for me. I hold it to me, tight, and it warms me through. Every time I think about it, it’s like the sun hitting my skin on a summer’s day. I get a fizzy, excited feeling, and I think it’s happiness. I’ve known so little of it in my life, it’s not easy for me to recognize.
It won’t be easy to navigate, but we can do it.
I know this kind of relationship can work. I’d seen an example of it on the night I first met the Preachers at that party. The first night I ran. The son of the dean is also involved in a relationship where there’s more than one man, and they even have a child. So I know it can be done; it just won’t be easy, especially with how protective my dad is. I can’t imagine any of the guys’ families will be too happy about the setup, either.
I think about what Roman said regarding not wanting to take over his family’s business. How will Roman’s family take thenews that he wants out? Will they take it as an insult, a slight to the family? Would it be enough for them to want to see him dead? The thought chills me, taking away the warmth of the sun I was feeling from their love and replacing it with ice cold shards of terror.
Ultimately, it would be my fault, because I was the catalyst for him thinking this way, and I cannot be the cause of that. Roman’s love for me can’t be something that gets him killed by his family. I’d never recover from the loss and guilt.
