Romeo (Blood Brothers) (13 page)

She placed a starfish-shaped hand on the side of his face, wetting his cheek with her damp thumb. He stared into her dark eyes and she stared back. In her little face, he saw a great sadness and much pain. Three years old and already she’d suffered enough to last a lifetime. But there was also intelligence and a fighting spirit in Adrienne’s eyes that rivaled Jaxson’s. Romeo couldn’t explain it but he felt an instant connection with her as if they were meant to meet. It was a different feeling than the one he felt for Christine, but the odd feeling was there nonetheless.

“She likes you, Mr. Grimbody. She really likes you.” Jaxson walked over to him, awe on his young face.

Adrienne leaned forward, resting her head against his chest. A fierce feeling of protectiveness washed over him; he wanted to make sure that nothing harmed this child ever again. He glanced at Christine, who had a suspicious sheen in her eyes.

Jaxson, on the other hand, stared up at him with his mouth wide open, obviously not believing his eyes, especially when his little sister, secure in Romeo’s arms, went to sleep.

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“That was amazing, Romeo. I’ve never seen her do that,” Christine repeated for the fifth time during their car ride home.

“Jaxson seemed to warm up to me after that.” Romeo sounded quite pleased with himself and he had every right to be. Never in a million years would she have ever expected to see Adrienne reach out for someone other than her brother.

The little girl barely let Christine hold her. Even though it didn’t make sense at the time, something had told her that Romeo and the children would get along, but she hadn’t expected them to hit it off quite like that.

Christine had been a little concerned after Jaxson’s initial reaction, but he did come around after Adrienne’s seal of approval. Once they had laid the little girl down for a nap, Christine, Romeo, and Jaxson went outside to play basketball. Romeo would often lift Jaxson up so that he could reach the hoop. It had warmed her heart to see how good the two of them had finally got on. The little boy didn’t have any real male influences in his life, so it was nice to see such a positive interaction. What was even better was how Romeo had seemed to light up from his interaction with the boy. His eyes had shown with laughter and pride. For someone who claimed not to have much experience with children, he was pretty good with them. He was a natural.

When Adrienne woke up, they ate a picnic lunch in the backyard, but the little girl wouldn’t sit anywhere except on Romeo’s lap, again surprising Christine and Jaxson. The day had been perfect. What probably would have made the day even better was if Romeo and she could make love one last time, but she knew that wasn’t to be. Her feelings had become too involved when she’d tried so hard for them not to be.

Now, she was in a position she cursed herself for getting into. She was in love with him and there was absolutely nothing that could be done about it. Christine didn’t want to burden him with her feelings when she knew that even if he did return her love, things would come to an end eventually, sooner rather than later. She had to do this now or never, or she’d find it impossible to sever their tie. It would be selfish of her not to.

Christine pulled up to the driveway of her house with a heavy heart. “Romeo,” she began as they got out of the car.

He studied her face with intent blue eyes. “I’m not sure if I like the sound of that ‘Romeo.’” He walked over to her but she backed away. She didn’t want him to touch her because if he did, Christine would never be able to do what she had to do.

“What’s wrong?”

“I really wish I didn’t have to do things like this.”

“Like what?”

“Well... I...”

“Tell me.”

“I think this is the last time we should see each other.”

“What?” He spat out, advancing toward her.

Christine braced herself, trying to stay strong. “I think this is the last time we should see each other,” she repeated.

He furrowed his brows in his confusion. “I believe an explanation is in order.”

“I... well, this has been a fun experience, but like all good things, this must come to an end.”

“What are you talking about? What was the point of you introducing me to the children and making me care for them if you had planned on dumping me?”

She desperately searched for a lie. “I wanted to see how you’d be with them. I didn’t think you’d hit it off. I figured you’d fail the test and that would give an excuse to end this. So no, I’ll just have to be more direct. This is it for us, Romeo.” Christine had forced herself to look him in the eyes as she spoke to make her words more convincing.

“Like hell it is.” Romeo grabbed her by the forearms and pulled her roughly against his chest.

She’d never been scared of him in their time together but, for the first time, she felt real fear. His cobalt eyes glowed menacingly. “I had fun with you, but that’s all I wanted. I just wanted to see what it would be like to fuck a vampire.” With each word she spoke, her heart broke some more, especially when his face turned pale, then a deep shade of red.

“Liar! You can’t tell me what we shared was just a roll in the sack. It meant something, damn it!”

Was it possible that he’d fallen for her, too? No. It couldn’t be, otherwise this was a bigger mess than she’d thought. Christine feigned an air of nonchalance, forcing herself to laugh in his face.

“Please tell me that you didn’t fall for me. Aren’t vampires supposed to be lusty creatures? Nya told me about the famous Romeo Grimaldi and I had to find out for myself if the tales about your... uh, cocksmanship were true.” Christine winced inwardly at the whopping lie she’d just told.

“You little—no. I don’t believe you. I can’t believe you. How could you let me make love to you in every way possible, and that was only this morning, then tell me it’s over? The time we spent with the children today meant nothing to you? I don’t believe that lame ass lie you just told.”

She shrugged. “Believe what you want. Anyway, I did it more for them than you. They get so few visitors. It could have been any man.”

“You’re a fucking liar and I won’t let this be over. You still want me and I can prove it!” He pushed Christine back against the hood of her car.

“Romeo, what are you doing?” Christine cried out in surprise. To her chagrin, she felt a tingle of excitement racing through her body, but she couldn’t give in to him, no matter what. She tried to wiggle free of his strong hold. “No, Romeo.”

“You say no now, but your body is already saying yes.” In one swift movement, he ripped her shirt down the middle. Christine wore no bra underneath because the top had one built in. Her breasts were now exposed to his hungry gaze. Her nipples puckered from a combination of the gentle breeze and Romeo’s intense stare. Christine had never been more thankful to have tall hedges on either side of her driveway; otherwise the neighbors would have gotten a good show.

“Look at your nipples, all tight and pointed just for me, waiting for my caress.” He palmed each breast with an insolence that tore at her soul. Her tender lover was gone and in his place was a vampire scorned. Romeo squeezed one sensitive tip until Christine whimpered. As much as she hated that he handled her so roughly, her body still welcomed his touch.

She could feel the dampness of her panties already. Romeo unsnapped and unzipped her jeans, pulling them down her legs. Only after he tore her panties off did he speak again. “I can smell your pussy, Christine. Already you’re wet for me. You want my cock.”

“No,” she moaned.

“Oh, yes, you do.” Romeo ran long fingers over her slit before delving inside her hidden depths.

“Oh,” she moaned again, trying to fight the fiery sensation of lust running through her body.

“Tell me you want my cock.”

“No,” Christine gasped out, fighting desperately to hold back the tears. She hadn’t known he would react like this but in her mind she deserved it for hurting him.

Romeo undid his jeans, freeing his hard dick. He pulled the lower half of Christine’s body closer to his erection, rubbing it against her labia. “Say it, goddamn it! Say you want my cock. Tell me you want me.”

She could deny it no more. “Yes, oh, God, yes. I want your cock. Fuck me, Romeo. Please.”

“With pleasure,” he growled before plunging forward. Romeo gripped her thighs tightly, pounding into her with savage thrusts. “Your pussy wouldn’t get so wet if you didn’t want me anymore. This is
my
pussy. Mine. And you had better not forget it.”

Christine’s head rolled from side to side, her voice lost. Tears wet her face when she spied the angry and hurt face above her. Romeo fucked her until she was sore and even then, he didn’t stop, nor did she protest. She wanted him too much and would accept his pain and rage to be with him this one last time.

“Ah!” He screamed his release, shuddering against her. The ache in her heart was far greater than the one in her pussy. She looked away from him, unable to face him.

“Tell me how much you want me again, Christine,” Romeo demanded with an almost pleading note to his voice.

“You can make my body want you but my heart and soul will never be yours.”

Christine felt his shaft slip out of her. For one anxious moment, she thought he would hit her.

“Damn you to hell!” Romeo shoved his cock back into his jeans and rearranged his clothes.

“Where are you going?” She asked tentatively when he started to walk away.

“That is none of your fucking business.”

Christine closed her eyes so that she wouldn’t have to watch the other half of her soul walk out of her life.

Chapter Fifteen

“What the fuck are you looking at?” The surly biker raked his gaze over Romeo. Without warning, Romeo slammed his fist into the man’s face, sending him reeling to the floor with a scream of pain. “My nose! Goddamn it, you broke my nose. I’m going to sue you, motherfucker!”

Romeo kicked the man in the ribs. “Stop being a little bitch.”

“Hey, buddy. Why don’t you lay off?” Another biker joined him, pushing Romeo away from the cowering man.

Romeo turned on the newcomer, who probably had a good fifty pounds over him. Not that it mattered. He’d take on everyone in this bar if he had to. “If you know what’s good for you, you’ll walk away.” He had been prepared to give the man a chance, but he changed his mind.

Romeo grabbed the second biker by the arm and propelled him against a pool table. Three more bikers surrounded him and he readied himself. He’d only come to the bar to have a drink and be left alone, but a biker gang gathered around the pool tables had seemed to single him out. They probably saw him as an easy mark to rob and possibly rough up.

Romeo would have ignored them because for once, he wasn’t in the mood for a brawl, but neither was he in the mood to put up with anyone’s shit. They’d been trying to pick a fight with him for the past hour, calling him “queer” and other names to get a rise out of him. It was only when the biker who now lay on the floor with a broken nose had bumped him that Romeo finally reacted.

A tall, solidly-built biker raced at him while Romeo eluded him. He then punched his adversary in his protruding stomach. Someone jumped on his back; Romeo reached up and clapped his hands strongly over his attacker’s ears, probably bursting the eardrums.

“You boys are starting to fucking piss me off.” Romeo took two bikers and smashed their heads against the pool table, sending them toppling to the floor. He had to get out of here before he killed one of them in a fit of temper.

He dashed out of the bar, tired of this little game.

“Hey, Blondie!”

He turned around to see yet another biker standing behind him. Only this time, the idiot held a gun.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Romeo muttered to himself. Before the gunman could pull the trigger, Romeo was in front of him, thrusting the gun away and smashing it to pieces in one hand, then backhanding the man with the other.

This was usually where he’d make some kind of witty remark, but he just didn’t feel like it right now. With one last kick to the villain’s ribs, Romeo turned away in disgust, leaving the now crying man in a pile of his own shit.

Romeo kept walking trying to expel the rage and hurt he felt. The only reason he now found himself trolling the streets of New York like a lovesick fool was because he’d needed to get out of Boston as fast as he could. If he’d stayed within the same city limits as Christine, there would have been nothing to keep him from going back to her and making her admit that she loved him, too. His pride refused to allow him to go back and beg her for another chance.

Romeo had been positive that he hadn’t imagined the look in her eyes when they’d had sex—no made love, earth-shattering, amazing love. The tender way her gaze touched him when they’d played with the children made him wish for permanence. Christine was the one woman who’d made him want what Marco and Nico had. He supposed it served him right to suffer now for the years he’d mocked the sentiment of love. He told himself he hated her but deep down he knew it was a lie.

When he’d left Christine, Romeo had gone to a nearby motorcycle dealership and purchased a ride. He already had several at his various residences, but he didn’t have one handy here. He’d called Wolf, then Dante to tell them he’d be incommunicado for a few days because he would have been no good on a mission. He wouldn’t have been able to give him one hundred percent.

Then he drove around wondering how he could move on from this. He toyed with the ideas of finding another woman to forget about Christine or trying to completely forget her altogether. The problem was that he no more wanted another woman than he wanted to live without her.

Romeo had been rough with her when Christine had told him she just thought of him as a convenient lay. He was ashamed for handling her that way but he’d hurt so bad, beyond any physical pain he’d ever suffered. Her sudden about-face almost made him think she was hiding something. He wondered if there was more to this than she was letting on because, in his mind, there was absolutely no way she could respond to him in bed the way she did and then call it just temporary. And then there was her connection to Nya who had conveniently showed up after that rogue attack. There was certainly something sinister going on with the femme. It wouldn’t have shocked him if her so called friend had told Christine to sever ties with him or maybe she was a master actress and this had been a set up to destroy him from the beginning.

The more he thought about it, the more it began to make sense. After all, Christine was one human whose mind he couldn’t read. If she were in league with rogues, then maybe he had been placed under some kind of spell. Black magic. It wouldn’t have been the first time one of the Grimaldi’s had been charmed. Nico had been under a charm that had kept him from his true bloodmate, Sasha, for several years before he’d been released.

But despite all these possibilities, his heart told him she was an innocent. There had been a lot of crazy shit that had hit him and his family this past year that he wasn’t sure what to feel anymore. Romeo rambled around New York for three days, only venturing out of his penthouse apartment when he couldn’t stand being inside anymore.