All I've Never Wanted(31)
“It’s about time,” he muttered, throwing the magazine aside. “Well, what are you waiting for? Bring her in!”
With a nod, the maid stepped out, and a moment later, she entered the room.
Roman’s eyes widened slightly as he took her in. Her dark brown, almost-black hair gleamed under the lights and fell in soft, perfect waves past her bare shoulders. Her green eyes looked brighter and more vivid than usual, and set off her flawless bronze skin to perfection. The slinky black dress she wore—according to his stylist, it was Alexander McQueen and cost over $2000—showed off her tiny waist and long, shapely legs to perfection, and her rhinestone-studded Jimmy Choo stilettos added three inches to her height.
For a scholarship girl, she looked breathtaking. She also looked very, very angry.
“I should’ve known it was you!” Maya spat, flames nearly leaping out of her eyes. “What the hell is all of this, Fiori?!”
He stood up, a little surprised by her reaction. “It’s a makeover, of course.”
She looked like she was about to spit fire. “I know it’s a makeover! But why are you, of all people, giving me one?” She planted her hands on her hips. “Did I say I wanted one?”
“Well, you certainly can’t go around dressed the way you usually do,” he pointed out, rather reasonably, in his opinion. “I have a reputation to protect.”
Maya narrowed her eyes. “And what does the way I dress have anything to do with your reputation?”
“Everything, of course,” he answered matter-of-factly. And here he thought she was supposed to be smart. “Well, now that that’s out of the way, let’s go over the rules.”
“Rules,” she repeated slowly.
Roman walked towards her, listing the guidelines as he went.
“One, you are to be dressed and made up by your personal stylist, hairdresser, and makeup artist every morning, which means you have to get up a bit earlier than usual. Say, three hours? Two, you are to always walk a step behind me in any public place, although of course you can walk next to me in private. Three, you are not to say anything that contradicts me. Four, you need to apologize to me for the party incident in front of the—“
“What. Are. You. Talking. About?”
Well, he guessed he would just have to spell it out for her. “The rules you need to follow as my girlfriend, of course!” Roman couldn’t help but smile smugly as he waited for her to gasp and gush her appreciation.
Unfortunately, that wasn’t exactly what happened.
Maya’s jaw dropped. “And who said I wanted to be your girlfriend?” she shrieked.
Roman sighed. Not the reaction he’d been expecting. “Of course you want to be my girlfriend. Everyone wants to be my girlfriend. I’m the only son of the richest family in the world. I’m good-looking. I’m smart. I’m powerful. I can give you things you can’t even begin to dream of. Private jet, yacht, vacations to anywhere you want. Clothes and jewels, of course—“
“You must be crazy!” Maya’s voice rose another pitch.
He winced. Second note to self: call Gucci to see if they made earplugs.
“I don’t want your stupid jet. Or clothes. Or jewels—“ To emphasize her point, she yanked the diamond-and-ruby necklace off her neck. “I want to go home. And I want you to leave. Me. Alone!”
“This hard-to-get game is getting a bit old,” he snapped. “If you didn’t want to be my girlfriend, then why did you go to all that trouble? “
Maya glared at him. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
He sighed. “Obviously, the only reason you yelled at me at the party and withstood all the students’ abuse was to stand out and get my attention!”
Her jaw dropped, and she slowly shook her head, a disbelieving look on her face. “I always knew you were an arrogant blockhead, but I never knew you were delusional too! Listen to me, and listen to me good, Roman Fiori. I don’t want to be your girlfriend, and I never will, especially when one of your lackies chloroformed me! I yelled at you because you are a heartless egomaniac who needs someone to put him in his place, and I managed to withstand everything you put me through because I’ll be damned before I let someone like you walk all over me!”
Roman was stunned. “Why are you being so difficult?” he demanded angrily. “Any girl would kill to be my girlfriend! Besides, you’re a scholarship kid! You should be begging to be with me! I can give you all the financial support--”
“Are you listening to yourself? Do you know what an ass you sound like? I don’t need your financial support. Just because I go Valesca on a scholarship doesn’t mean I want to be your slave!”
His narrowed his eyes. “Is it because you’re already dating someone?” For some reason, the thought made him even angrier.
Maya threw up her hands. “Have you not been listening to a word I said? I don’t—“
“Actually, Rome, she does.” Parker strode calmly into the room, draping an arm around Maya’s shoulders. “She’s my girlfriend now.”
CHAPTER 8
Sometimes, I wonder if I was a murderer in my past life or something. Obviously, I had to have racked up some pretty bad karma because my present-day life sucks.
I unconsciously moved closer to Parker as I stared at Roman with wide eyes, my previous anger replaced by fear at the look on his face. I was surprised I didn’t see steam pouring out of his ears.