All I've Never Wanted(135)

“Calm down, Rome, I was just nervous,” I said soothingly. “It didn’t mean anything.”

“I can’t believe you left me to go on a date with—with--” The vein was throbbing even harder now as he glared at Rico, who just looked amused. “—with a criminal!”

“A criminal who helped save me,” I pointed out, crossing my arms over my chest.

“I helped save you!” Roman roared. “I was the one who got stabbed!”

“Are you really going to use that as your trump card now? Come on, Rome.” Rico rolled his eyes. “Besides, it’s not like you’re traumatized. You definitely recovered enough to joke around with her at the hospital.” He slung an arm over my shoulders. Roman’s eye twitched dangerously. “I hate to break this to you, but Maya told me that she’s beginning to have feelings for me.” He sighed. “It’s been a long time coming, really. Ever since we first saw each other that night at my house…we knew. And her near death experience only confirmed it.” He gazed pityingly at Roman, even though I could tell he was struggling not to laugh. “She didn’t want you to find out like this, since you just got de-hospitalized and all, but…she doesn’t want to be with you anymore.” Rico squeezed my shoulder. “She wants to be with me.”

I couldn’t help but giggle a bit at his horrible acting skills. No wonder he’d been in a gang. He sure as hell wouldn’t have made it in Hollywood.

However, my smile fell away when I saw Roman’s face. His cheeks were drained of color, and his eyes were wide with…hurt?

Wait. He didn’t actually believe what Rico said, did he?

“Is that true?” he whispered, staring at me with a pleading look that broke my heart. As insufferable as an angry, possessive Roman was, I would’ve much preferred that version than this one.

“What? No!” I blurted, trying to wriggle out of Rico’s grasp, but he was too strong. I glared at him, and he just gazed back with a mischievous look in his eyes. “Don’t listen to him. He’s just joking.”

“It’s ok, baby, there’s no need to keep acting anymore. Tell him the real reason why you haven’t kissed him since he left the hospital.”


If looks could kill, Rico would be six feet under right now. I cannot believe he just said that. I stomped on his foot, and he let out a sharp yelp. I took the opportunity to escape his grasp and moved over to Roman, who hadn’t moved an inch.

“So that’s why you haven’t kissed me.” He crossed his arms defensively over his chest, which rose and fell heavily, like he couldn’t get enough air into his lungs. “When did this really happen, Maya? When did you decide you didn’t want to be with me anymore?”

My face felt hot and splotchy. Was he serious? How stupid could he be? How could he really think I would leave him, especially since he knew I’d said the L word to him in the hospital!

“I do want to be with you—“ I began.

“Since the first time she saw me, probably,” Rico cut in blithely. “Honestly, Rome, it’s much better this way—“

“Shut up.” Roman’s voice was tight.

“—and hey, now you’ll be free to go date those models you like so much, while Maya and I get it on—“

The sound of a fist connecting with a face ripped through the air, causing more than a few people to scream, including myself. All I saw was a red-faced Roman throwing Rico onto the ground, but even in my shock, I was stunned to see Rico wasn’t really hitting him back. I flashed back to the carnival in Hawaii. Talk about déjà vu.

“Roman! Stop!” I grasped the back of his shirt and desperately tried to yank him off to no avail. He didn’t even budge. “Zack! Help!” I gazed pleadingly at the blond, who didn’t seem to hear me as he gaped at the scene on the ground.

“Why do you even care so much?” Rico asked tauntingly. “You can find another girl in a second. Just leave Maya to me.” He smirked, even though blood was smeared on his face. I suppose it’d take more than a little bleeding to faze an ex-gang member. “I’ll take good care of her.”

“I said, shut up!” Roman roared, pulling back his fist to punch him again.

At the last minute, Rico threw Roman off of him, and I squeaked as he stumbled back into me.

“Why are you getting so worked up?” Rico’s voice hardened. “You’re probably going to dump Maya soon, aren’t you? Right after you get what you want.”

Roman’s face was drawn in the most terrifying scowl I’d seen yet. “You’re delusional,” he spat.

“Am I? You just want one thing from her. You don’t really want to be with her.”

Roman’s hands clenched into fists. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Then enlighten me.”

That seemed to make Roman snap. “Of course I want to be with her! I’m in love with her!”

The entire deck fell silent. Rico smirked, giving me a smug, you-owe-me-yet-again look Venice squealed happily. Zack’s jaw grazed the ground. But all I could focus on was Roman, who suddenly looked like he wanted to disappear.

Was—what—did he just say he loved me? No. Not even that. Did he just say he was in love with me?