Sweet Rome (Sweet Home) (31 page)

I was so out of my depth with all this shit. I was twenty-one and was through with all the pressure. Through with having to fight every damn day to just to have a normal life, for me and my girl to just be together, away from anyone’s business, and have our child in friggin’ peace.

Temporarily losing my damn mind, I began tearing apart the gym as every fucked-up scenario of what my folks could be up to played through my mind. Throwing mats, overturning equipment, I panted harder and harder until I was completely breathless. My shirt was soaked with sweat and blood, so I ripped it off, throwing it across the room, and slumped down to the bench, fighting back the tears.

I’d never felt so damn helpless in my life.

After several minutes of just staring at the ceiling, I heard the gym door creak open, and I stilled. When I dropped my head, I saw Molly stepping through, mouth gaping open at the state of the gym and then turning her attention on me, her face paling and her eyes huge.

She walked forward and I hissed, “Guess who’s hosting the fucking SEC Division Championship dinner two days after we get back from the game in Georgia?”

“Oh no, baby—” she whispered and her hands immediately went to protect her stomach. I don’t think she even realized what she’d done, but that action alone had me dying inside—she feared what my folks were going to do to our child.

“It’s a fuckin’ joke! They’ve never given a shit about football my whole life and now they suddenly volunteer to host the biggest dinner of the year… at the plantation? It’s a fuckin’ trap to get us there, Mol!”

She tried to comfort me, to get closer, but I couldn’t let her. I was so damn livid. Couldn’t have her trying to soothe me.

“Romeo, you need to calm down! Half the college is out front. You’ve beat a teammate to a pulp—”

At the mention of that fucker, my skin pricked. “He fuckin’ deserved it. He started spouting shit about you… to me! He had a fuckin’ death wish the minute he opened his stupid mouth!”

“I don’t care what the hell he said about me. Look at the state of you! You’re acting insane!”

Was she kidding? Didn’t she realize why things were so bad, why I was so riled up? “My parents have staged this whole thing. Remember last time, the way they attacked us? This is just a more elaborate trap. They knew I’d never go back voluntarily. Coach has agreed to it. They’ve already invited the governor, mayor, and a million other boosters who’ve all eagerly accepted. They made sure the college couldn’t refuse! Fuck!”

Molly moved to the bench out of the way of my warpath, and facing her, I stated, “We’re not going. There’s no fuckin’ way you’re going to them in your condition.”

I couldn’t take my eyes off my girl as a hand rubbed across her tired head. She went on and tried to convince me to go, even going so far as to offer to stay at home. But there wasn’t a chance. Didn’t she know how much I needed her?

Moving before her, I said, “No! No fuckin’ way! Why shouldn’t you be there with me? The college needs to change the venue. Fuck my parents. I know them, Mol. Something is going on, I just know it, and I won’t have them destroying my family—I’m over their mind games.”

Loving sympathy flooded her features and I breathed deep, using Mol’s presence to calm me—she always calmed me—and I could tell I was upsetting her being so charged up. I walked slowly to where she sat and, dropping to my knees, laid my head on her lap, pressing kisses to her stomach. “If they find out about our little angel in there, fuck knows what they’ll do. I can’t lose you both.”

Soft hands ran through my hair and I used the touch to lose the rest of my rage.

“Romeo, I understand why you’re like this, but it’s one party, with hundreds of people around. They won’t do anything so publicly. They wouldn’t want the embarrassment. I’ll stay by your side the whole night. They won’t have a chance to get to me. You’ll protect me. I know you will.”

I would, with my life if needs be.

Molly set to cleaning me up, caring for me like she always did. “I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if they hurt you or our little angel, baby,” I said.

She took my face in her hands and insisted, “Nothing will happen.”

I felt like I was six again, trapped under my parents’ hold. For the last few months I’d been happy, and in one fell swoop, they managed to drop me back to being the abused kid they’d ripped on for years.

I could feel the tears, but I couldn’t stop. “Why do they always have to interfere? We’re doing so good. You’re healthy, our baby’s going strong, and the Tide’s the clear winner of the SEC Western Division and heading to the National Championship. Then they come in with their plotting and scheming, ruining my life again. I’m telling you, it’s all rigged. They’re planning something. Something big.”

I knew it, could just feel it within me.

“They’re powerful people, Romeo. The party won’t be moved. We need to go and put on a united front. You need to be a leader for your team.”

I held her tightly. Then, inching back, she said softly, “You really lost it.”

I knew I’d fucked up again, so I told her about the conversation I had with Coach, what he’d tried to do for me.

As she continued to clean me up, she shook her head and said curtly, “I don’t like it when you lose control. You need to be better than this, Romeo. I don’t want to have to worry about your temper, especially when the little one arrives.”

I fucking loved this girl. Here we were, in a wrecked gym, my body covered in blood, and she was still trying to make me a better man, still admonishing me for my bad behavior.

I couldn’t help but smile wryly.

“What?” she asked, confusion contorting her beautiful face.

“I love you,” I announced, placing a kiss on her throat, and I could see the need for me building in her eyes. Pregnancy had us fucking like rabbits… something I wasn’t complaining about.

Pushing on my chest, Molly chastised, “That won’t get you out of my bad books! Look at the state of this place, of you!” But when her nostrils flared and her hand ran down my sweaty stomach, I knew she was two seconds away from letting me sink into her warmth.

My cock throbbed in my shorts, and pressing right up against my girl, I said, “I want to fuck you right now, so bad.”

“Not here. And not until you promise me that you’ll never act like this again.”

Was she fucking kidding me? I could see she was on the edge too and the damn door was shut; we were good. “I’m all riled up and need a release, the kind that only you can give me.”

Pushing on my chest again, she said, with conviction this time, “I mean it. Don’t ignore me. My child won’t grow up with a daddy who can’t control himself when things go wrong.”

That sentence was like a hammer to my heart. I would never hurt our angel.

“You get that, don’t you?” she asked, using my own words against me.

“I get it. It stops now. I won’t be anything like my daddy with our angel. I promise you that.”

Needing to get away from this place, and
really
needing to fuck her, I said, “We’re going to the cabin. I’m going to strip you down and you’re going to do everything I say, until neither of us can stand. You get me?”

“Ugh! Fine! I get you!”

Tilting my head, I assured, “I’m going to make sure you’re protected at the party, baby.”

“I know you will.”

Moving to the bench, I pulled her onto my lap, feeling a million times better. “It’s déjà vu,” she said, “you, cut up and bleeding and me, cleaning you up. But let’s not make this our ‘thing,’ okay?”

“Last time, I promise. I’m going to change. No more cleaning up my messes. Scout’s honour.” I held up my hands, joining the appropriate fingers together.

“You were never a scout, Romeo,” Molly chuckled.

“I joined…” I informed.

Fixing her eyes on mine, she asked, “Really, you did?”

“Mm-hmm… but I was kicked out for fighting.” Sad but true… The fucker probably deserved it back then too.

“Why am I not surprised?” she said, curling farther into my chest, her breath warm on my skin.

Our friends let themselves in a short while later, where I explained about my folks and the party, much to their dismay, and then I told Austin and Jimmy-Don about the baby. They were, unsurprisingly, shocked, but meeting eyes with Austin, I knew he was going to help me protect Molly and our angel.

27

The Prince Plantation

SEC Championship Homecoming Dinner

“My husband and I couldn’t be more proud of our son, Rome. He was always so talented growing up, and y’all love and respect him too—that only increases our admiration.”

A soothing vanilla scent drifted on the breeze as Molly leaned in, rubbing my arm, and took my tightly gripped fist off the edge of the table, placing it on her slightly rounded stomach. Squeezing my eyes, I calmed some but tensed once more when my momma continued talking from the top table, addressing the heavy crowd.

“My husband and I couldn’t make it to the game in Georgia, unfortunately, as we had prior engagements with our company here in Alabama, but we watched the SEC Division Championship on TV, seeing y’all win over the Gators and lift that trophy for everyone here back home.”

Screams and cheers went up from around the room, except for our table. Coach looked over to me, shaking his head at my momma in disgust.

“We couldn’t be more proud of our son who threw like a true professional in all four quarters, or all of the Tide for that matter. Your state and school adore y’all.”

I actually felt nauseous as she lied her way through the speech. Proud? Talented? They’d never been proud of me, but here they were, fucking showboating to the crowd, the cream of Tuscaloosa society smiling at me, congratulating me on my amazingly supportive parents.

They had no friggin’ idea.

“I love you, baby,” Molly whispered into my ear, and I turned toward her face, slackening my tense jaw and pressing my lips against hers, breaking only momentarily to say, “I love you too.”

My folks didn’t even acknowledge me much after that, too busy networking and putting on their show.

We had nothing left to say to one another anyhow.

The dinner moved on to the party side of things, and I relaxed when I managed to convince Molly to dance—keeping her close, keeping her protected.

“Rome?” The band finished playing “Sweet Home Alabama” to rapturous applause from the team and fellow guests, and, turning at the sound of my name, I saw Coach behind me.

“Oh, hey, Coach.”

Facing Molly, he said, “Miss Shakespeare, can I borrow Rome for a while?”

I stiffened, not wanting to leave my girl, but, giving Coach a big smile back, she nodded. “Sure, my feet are killing me anyway. I need to sit down. My damn ankles are like balloons!”

Taking Molly back to the table and sitting her down with her friends, I said, “I’ll be back as soon as I can. Stay with someone, okay?”

Pressing a kiss on my cheek, she answered, “I promise.”

Turning back toward Coach, I managed to signal to Austin and Jimmy-Don to watch out for Molly, and they both gave me a thumbs-up.

Over an hour passed, and I was still talking over game tactics for the BCS against Notre Dame—the most effective plays and the weaker parts of the Dame defense. I felt as though my eyes were crossing with boredom, and when my daddy joined the mass of business men and boosters, also throwing in his two cents, I had to hold back from launching across the group and throttling the bastard, especially when he looked at me and smiled—no, not smiled,
gloated
—my heart sank.

Something was up.

I began backing away from my daddy’s smug face, Coach frowning worriedly at my behavior, and I ran around the house, bursting into the backyard, and searched furiously for Mol. I beelined for the table we’d been sitting at and did a quick count: Cass, Austin, Lexi, Ally, and Jimmy-Don.

No Mol.

Jimmy-Don stood and looked behind me, beaming. “Where is she, man? You made her damn night with that note, you cheesy bastard!”

My hands began to shake, my breath choppy. “Where’s Molly? What’re you talking about?” I gripped onto his arms, my move silencing the table. Jimmy-Don’s mouth worked, but nothing came out.

“Where is she?” My hold on his arm tightened, hurting him, until a sharp push from Ally stopped me. Jimmy-Don stumbled back into Cass’s arms, completely white.

I looked down at my cousin and whispered, “Mol?”

And then I heard it…

“Rome!
ROME!!!”

Whipping my head to the entrance of the house, I saw Shelly practically sprinting down the stairs in my direction.

All the blood in my body seemed to drain away as she approached me, panicked and hysterical, her face laced with tears.

I began to run and, grabbing her, asked, “Where’s Mol?”

“She’s… we didn’t know… the library… She’s… Oh my God, Rome…” was all she could get out.

Throwing her to the side, I ran into the hallway, tens of my teammates staring at me with a mix of sadness or shock. I had no idea why, but it only served to scare me further.

I could vaguely make out our friends following behind me, and seeing the heavy crowd blocking the entrance to the library, I shouted, “Move the fuck out of my way! MOVE!!!”

Scattering at my command, the doorway cleared and I almost collapsed at the sight of what I found, my legs buckling with instant terror: Molly curled on the floor, covered in blood, screaming and writhing in pain.

No…

In seconds, I was by her side. “Mol! Fuck! Baby, I’m here! I’m here!” I didn’t know where to hold her, how to stop her pain.

Golden eyes, dulled with pain and sadness, looked my way, and she whispered, “Romeo, our baby, our baby… I-I think I’m losing it. Help me… Please…” and she wailed in pain again, clenching her legs together and hugging her stomach before crying so hard into the carpet she could barely breathe.

Lifting my head, I saw our friends staring at us in horror, and I shouted, “Somebody call 9-1-1. She’s losing our baby!”

Fuck. She was losing our baby… Questions of how and why were circling my mind, but I couldn’t tear my attention from Mol, who looked like she was dying—fuck!
Was
she dying?