Fate (42 page)

Vincent glanced at Rose for a moment then turned back to Romero. “It’s complicated but something like that.”

After hours of having felt nothing but pure bliss
,
Rose felt the guilt sink in fast. He’d chosen Iraq over coming back home because of her. She spent the rest of the evening trying to keep up the fake smiles
,
but she couldn’t help feeling terrible that because of her Vincent had gone through all that he had.

Once everyone was gone, they sat on the sofa in the family room alone.

“So what happened?”

Rose tilted her head not understanding Vincent’s question. “When?”

“Tonight. You seemed happy enough the first part of evening then something happened and that changed. You just tired? Too much excitement for one day?”

She shrugged
,
playing with his dog tags, feeling herself getting choked up again. “I just hate that it was
entirely
my fault you had to go through everything you went through.”

Vince sat up
,
pulling away swiftly, so as to get a better view of her face. “Your fault? How was it your fault?”

“
I
f I hadn’t been so stubborn and believed in you more
,
I would’ve read your letters and known sooner why you left. I never would’ve had to fake having a boyfriend
,
and you never would’ve thought I moved on.” She looked in his eyes now. “That’s why you went to Iraq, right?”

Vincent caressed her face
,
and she leaned into his hand. “Baby,
my
having to enlist in the first place was
all
my fault. I mean Enzo is the one that was doing the dealing
,
but I didn’t have to cover for him. I
chose
to. And he had
nothing
to do with me kicking that asshole
’
s ass next door. No one did but me. I had a choice there
,
too
,
and I made mine
,
so it cost me.”

“But you could’ve come back here to train instead of going to Iraq.”

“My choice again. It’s not your fault I made a stupid choice
,
but you know what? You’re the reason I’m even here. You’re what kept me going. Do you really think it’s a coincidence my entire squad didn’t make it out of there but I did?” He traced her lips with his finger. “You were there with me
,
Rose
,
and I fought hard even in pain for you, to get back to
you
. You’ve
always
been my incentive.”

She smiled
,
remembering how often she’d questioned why he would go back to dealing when he’d always claimed he wanted to better himself for
her
. Then she remembered something.

“Vincent, I was gonna wait for another time
,
but I want this behind us already. I want us to start all over starting now with nothing hanging over our heads…or
my
head
,
I should say
,
that I’d be dreading to do or talk to you about.”

He pulled away searching her eyes. “You don’t have to dread talking to me about anything, Rose.”

“It’s about Ben.”

His expression changed instantly. “Ben? What about Ben?”

She pressed her lips together not sure where to start. Vincent showed up so suddenly she never even got a chance to think through how she’d explain this. He started to pull away from her
,
but she reached for his hand. “Don’t.”

He stopped and stared at her. “What about him? Just say it
;
you’re making me nervous.”

“Don’t be. It’s nothing like that. We just started talking again after you left
,
and we hung out a few times
,
but it’s never been more than a friendship with him. Then when I had to lie about having a boyfriend so Grace could stop worrying…well you know how this family is. Every gathering I showed up without my so-called boyfriend
;
they wanted to know where he was.”

Caressing his hand
,
she hoped he wasn’t getting angry. She couldn’t make out what he was thinking
,
but he said nothing.

“I uh…I asked him if he’d show up at one of the parties and pretend to be my boyfriend.”

“What?” He started to pull away again
,
but she didn’t let him squeezing his hand. “It was just the one time
,
and I felt so awful when Lorenzo called me on it
,
that I never did it again.”

“Lorenzo called you on it? What did he say?”

She shrugged. “
He a
sked how long I’d waited after you left then threatened to beat him up
,
r
ight here in Sal’s house.”

Even as appalling as she made that sound
,
Vincent still laughed. “That would’ve been hilarious.”

“Well he didn’t, but you wanna know what else your brother did?”

“Absolutely,” he said looking far too amused.

Even though this was not meant to be funny
,
she was glad his mood had switched.

“When he found out Ben was the one giving me the injections
,
he practically blackmailed me to make him stop.”

“Ben was giving you the injections?” Vincent’s eyebrows lifted. “And while you’re at it,
where
exactly on your body are these injections?”

Rose gulped
;
his cheery demeanor was waning. “Ben is a pre-med student
,
so he’s trained.”

“Pre-med my ass. You don’t need to go to med school to give an injection.”

“Oh my God
,
t
ha
t’s exactly what Lorenzo said.”

“Yeah, no shit. But you fell for it?”

Rose dropped his hand
,
but he took her hand right back in his. “No I didn’t
fall
for it, Vincent.
I
asked
him
if he would
,
and he was nice enough to take the time to come do it twice a week.”

“Oh, I bet he was. And where was he giving you these shots, Rose, on your ass?”

He squeezed her hand when she tried to let go again. “On my thigh,” she said almost through her teeth.

Vincent stared at her for a moment without saying anything then he smirked. “So how did Enzo blackmail you?”

She sat up for this. “After he told me the whole truth about why you really left
,
how it was him dealing
,
not you
,
but you took the fall for him, I admitted
that I’d
made the whole thing up about being with Ben. I told him I was still in love with you and that I’d write you to tell you and that I’d end the fake relationship I had with Ben. Then a few days later Ben showed up at the restaurant for my injection. Your brother followed me out
of
the restaurant demanding to know why he was there to see me again.”

“Good man. Good man.” Vincent nodded smiling. “Go on.”

She had to smile now. “So because he wouldn’t back down, I had to tell him about the injections. Then he said the same thing you did.” She did her best to imitate both of their caustic tones. “
Pre-med my ass
.”

Vincent laughed at that then kissed her. “Al
l
right, so what happened next?”

“He threatened to tell you about it if I didn’t stop and just let
him
give me the injections.” She stared at him for a moment
,
suddenly feeling emotional again. “I didn’t want you thinking I’d actually moved on and with all guys, Ben. So I had no choice but to tell Ben I didn’t need him to do it anymore.”

Vincent leaned his forehead against hers
,
smiling.”
Where’s my phone?”

“What?” she pulled back to look at him.

“I gotta call my brother to tell him I love him.”

Rose fell into him. “You and your brother. Holy hell, I thought I only had you to deal with!”

“Well, now you know.” Vince smiled
,
kissing her as he moved her body onto his on the sofa. “But Ben’s gone
,
babe. You gotta know that
,
right?” She made herself more comfortable lying on top of him. “I can’t deal with his ass. I’m just
letting
you
know
that right now. He might be a nice guy
,
and he’s your friend and all
,
but I can’t
stand
the way he looks at you
.
Lorenzo saw it too. As long as you’re cool with not being around this guy when I’m not there
,
we can work something out.”

“He might be at some of my games. He said he wanted to watch the finals.”

“That’s cool,” Vincent said
,
kissing her a little deeper than he had all night
,
“
b
ecause I’ll be at all of those games, too
.

His hand slipped into her shorts making her squirm. “Remember where we’re at
,
”
s
he reminded him
,
feeling her body tingle as his fingers made their way to that perfect place.

“I do,” he said moving those magic fingers like only he knew how. “We’re fully dressed in case anyone walks in
,
but Sal and Grace looked tired as shit. I have plans for us tomorrow when I’ll get mine
,
but tonight I wanna feel you get yours.” His fingers moved perfectly
,
making her spread her legs to accommodate him going in deeper. She buried her face in his chest
,
trying to stifle a moan. “This is mine?”
h
e asked tickling that perfect spot.

“Yes!” She lifted herself
,
spreading even wider for him.

Taking advantage of her spread
,
he slipped two more fingers in. “All mine?”

She licked his neck then sucked it
,
making him straighten out real quick. “All yours, baby.”

Over a year was long enough
;
she pushed his pants down just low enough and pulled him out. He was up and erect and as beautiful as she remembered. Without taking anything off
,
she pulled her shorts aside and slid right onto him.

She covered his mouth and h
ad to stifle her own moans. “Sh
h!”

“Nobody’s waiting until tomorrow,” she whispered.

She began riding him up and down
,
letting her foot hit the floor
,
so he was
all
the way in. Then she lifted her foot off the floor
,
feeling him go even deeper
. Sliding up and down him again and again she began to feel his body stiffen and she knew he was getting close.
Then
she stopped for a moment
and just sat
there, her eyes rolling back as she felt him in her as deep as he could possibly go. “Vincent
,
baby
,
I missed you so much” she whispered breathlessly.

“I’m gonna come, babe
,
a
nd I’m not wearing a condom.”

“I don’t care! Do it!”

In the next second
,
he grabbed her waist and lifted himself up
,
pushing himself into her and froze that way. “Auughh!”

She came
,
just feeling the heat of him explode inside her. There was nothing more satisfying. She sat on him for a few minutes longer
,
enjoying the euphoria
,
trying to catch her breath. A little surprised he hadn’t asked again
,
she smiled
,
looking down at him. “You own this forever.”

He smiled without opening his eyes but squeezed her behind. “I know.”

“You do?”

“Yep, I figured it out in Iraq. This ass was made for me. That’s why I
had
to come back and claim it.”