Rome (Marked Men #3)(86)

“What about you guys? The house hunt going any better?”

I shook my head and took a sip of water. “No. I thought I was being difficult but now he can’t decide on anything. Nothing is safe enough. No neighborhood is right. I’m ready to strangle him, and not just because he’s the worst patient in the history of injured men.”

Rome was a warrior. He bounced back at a rate that left the doctors and nurses baffled. He told me that he didn’t want to be in the hospital anymore, he wanted to be home with me, and that was his motivation to get better so fast. The bullet in his leg had done a number on him. It tore through muscle and tendon, making it impossible for him to immediately get back on his feet and be mobile. The shattered rib made moving and lying down a chore and hindered his movement with his right arm, so he was just generally grumpy, and I think he was sexually frustrated because the doctor had told him no action for at least six weeks and we weren’t even to the halfway point yet. He was a big, grumbly teddy bear.

He was also annoyed that he couldn’t be as present at the bar as he would like to be. Brite was back to watching over things until Rome was back to a hundred percent. I secretly thought the old marine felt guilty that Rome got hurt on his watch. They had a pretty intense bond and I was so glad Rome could rely on him. Brite made him talk to his friend after the shooting. He didn’t give my guy any chance to slip back into the black place he had been in before, and as a result there had only been one episode since the shooting where Rome woke up in a cold sweat and shaking. We both considered that a win, and I couldn’t wait until he was better so that I could just take care of him in my own special way and we could both go back to sleep exhausted and smiling. Brite had also shown up at the hospital while Rome was still unconscious, stroking his beard and looking like the cat that ate the canary. It seemed like the shooter had made bail, but he had missed his court date and no one had seen hide nor hair of him since. I wasn’t vindictive, but after I’d been bathed in the blood of the man I loved, there was something to be said for brutal and swift biker justice.

Ayden cleared her throat and took a swig of the Coors Light she had in front of her. Her amber eyes considered me thoughtfully.

“What about just keeping your place? Jet’s been talking about taking part of the studio and converting it into a loft so he’s closer to work when he’s in town. It’s right downtown and close to work and school, plus if Jet follows through, then I could actually see him more when he’s in town and not working.”

I looked at her in shock. “Seriously?”

“Yeah. I want to be with him whenever I can. I’m actually thinking about putting grad school on hold for a year so I can travel with him. He’s going to the UK at the beginning of next year and I want to go. Grad school will always be there; traveling the world with Jet is an opportunity I might not get once I have a steady job.”

I loved my house, loved my neighborhood, and if all the other rooms were empty, it would have plenty of room for me, Rome, and the baby. I bit my lip and tilted my head to consider her thoughtfully.

“What about you and Asa?” Her brother wasn’t at the barbecue. Since it was a weekend and the bar was going to be busy, he had offered to go in so Rome could come hang out with me and the rest of the hooligans. My guy and the Southern charmer had some kind of bromance going on. I didn’t question it, but where I knew Asa could be slippery and scandalous, Rome only saw a coworker and a buddy. It was actually kind of cute and I felt bad for the girls who came into the bar trying to get in between them. I think Asa was one of the few who didn’t give my guy a hard time when he got lost in his own head. He just waited it out until Rome was back to being Rome.

“He’s still ticked off at me. He acts like everything is fine, but I can tell he hasn’t forgiven me, and I don’t really blame him. He comes by sometimes, but mostly he just shoots the shit with Jet and pretends like I’m not even there. He’s nice enough when we talk on the phone and whatever, but I really hurt his feelings when the bar got robbed. I’m not really sure where he’s been staying, but he seems happy with whatever he has going on, so I don’t pry.”

I could see that she was upset about it but I didn’t know what to tell her in order to make it any better.

“I’m sorry, Ayd. That blows. I’ll ask Rome about staying in the house. It would suck for you to go to all the trouble of moving out if he won’t go for it.”

She nodded and Shaw tapped her finger on my left hand. “What about you guys? You think you’ll join the ranks of the hitched and the engaged anytime soon?”

I put a hand over my rapidly growing belly and felt a little tremble under my hand. I wasn’t far enough for Rome to feel when it happened but I knew my baby was in there safe and sound thanks to Daddy, and it always made my heart swell and overflow with love. I didn’t need a ring or a wedding to make that any better.

“We’ve had a lot of excitement in a short amount of time. I think we’re both just looking forward to things settling down and being normal for a little while.”

Shaw threw back her head and laughed while Ayden rolled her eyes.

“Cora, nothing with you is ever normal.”

She wasn’t wrong, so I tossed the cap of my water bottle at her.

“Shut up. Besides, you know Rome has to get better so he can be Rule’s best man. We already have one wedding to focus on. We don’t need another.”