Twice as Hot (Tales of an Extraordinary Girl #2)(110)

"What I tried to do. And I know."

No, what youdid. "You're only sorry now because you failed."

"I'm sorry because I had a few days to think about things. I was trapped in that cage, listening to the people around me moaning and crying and begging, and I realized I was trying to do the same to Rome.

Trap him."

She made my head hurt. "Just...leave me alone, Lexis."

There was a pause, a shuffle of feet, but she didn't do what I'd asked. "You don't owe me anything, but I'm asking - begging - for a few minutes of your time."

"And I'm saying no." As satisfying as it was to see Lexis beg, I couldn't deal with her. I'd break down. I was at the edge already.

"Yes. You're going to listen to me. Nothing happened between me and Rome. I tried to kiss him that first day, but he quickly pulled away, as though he sensed I wasn't the woman for him right away." My fingers curled around one of the blade hilts. "I know nothing happened. He told me. But it doesn't matter anymore. Now get lost."

Another pause. "What do you mean, it doesn't matter?"

There was no avoiding this, it seemed. "We're over. Okay? We're over." I slammed the locker shut, still clutching that blade. I faced her with narrowed eyes. She was as lovely as ever, dark hair brushed to a glossy shine, emerald eyes sparkling. "Happy now? You finally got what you wanted."

"No." She shook her head, shock radiating from her. "No. I - No. Belle, I'm so sorry. Truly. I...don't know what to say. I meant for that to happen at first, but not any longer. I swear it. You two are meant to be together. I admit that now. I do. There's no better stepmother for Sunny, and the way Rome looks at you...the way he talked about you, even when I was telling him we needed to work things out. He wouldn't even kiss me! Said all he could think about was you." Wonderful to hear. But too little, too late. I closed the distance between us, my shoes smashed against hers, my nose practically rubbing hers. "You once told me there was a woman meant to be the love of Rome's life, but you weren't sure if it was me. Well, guess what. It isn't." My chin trembled as I spoke.

God, saying that was hard. "You once told me I'd plan my wedding but Rome wouldn't care. Well, you were right. You once told me I'd marry someone else. Maybe you were right about that, too."

"That can't be right." She was pale, shaking her head. "Are you sure it's over? Give him another chance.

He - "

"He is the one who's going to dump me. "

"But...but...no. He wouldn't do that. He loves you. He told me yesterday, this morning. Even if I did still want to be with him, I wouldn't have a prayer. You're it for him. The one. If you could have heard him screaming at me...I've never seen him so angry." There at the end, shame dripped from her tone.

Yeah, but that only meant he'd wanted me before I'd shown him just how powerful I would be. More than an ache, more than a stabbing pain, her words were a cancer eating at me. I pushed her with my free hand, hard, and she stumbled backward. "Get out of my way. We're done here." Determined, she jumped back into my path. "Or maybe you can hear. Maybe you can see." Before I could react, she flattened her palms against my temples. I jolted, images shooting straight into my head.

Lexis and Rome. Lexis sitting on a couch, tears streaming down her face. Rome pacing in front of her.

"How could you?" he shouted. "You almost ruined me. I love her, Lex. I love her, and you tried to take her from me."

With a weary sigh, the Lexis in front of me dropped her arms to her sides.

"How did you do that?" I demanded.

Her chin rose. "Your powers are evolving. So are mine."

"I - I - " Couldn't let what she'd shown me matter, much as I loved knowing Rome had put her in her place and defended me. As before, I reminded myself that the argument had taken place before Rome had seen what I could do. "Like I said, we're done."

"No. Not until you tell me if you like Jean-Luc. He's the one I told you that you would marry, but I was wrong. I mean, I saw him standing in front of you, kissing you while you wore your wedding dress, but he simply can't be the one you're marrying." She was babbling and couldn't seem to stop. "He's not meant to be yours. He's supposed to be...mine," she ended lamely.

Jean-Luc and Lexis? I stared over at her, blinking. I could have walked away, but didn't. Shock made my feet feel like stones. "Are you freaking kidding me?"

Like a nervous teenager, she twisted her fingers together. "No. I'm not kidding."

"You are incredible. First you wanted Rome, then you let him go, then you wanted him again, and now you want Jean-Luc. For God's sake, make up your mind, 'cause you are driving me crazy!"

"Look, I know you can never forgive me for what I did to you and Rome, not to mention what I did to Tanner."

Uh, you think?

"But you'll win Rome back and Tanner, well, he's already recovered from my desertion." She slapped the small metal door beside her once, twice. "I knew Elaine would appear in his life. I knew he would want her. I did him a favor."

"Hardly. You cut your lovers from your life before they can cut you from theirs. They're good men, but you crushed them. Do you ever think that maybe you're acting prematurely? That maybe they would still want you, but the only reason your visions come true is because of your actions?" Oh my God. The moment I spoke, I realized I'd done the same thing. I'd let Rome go, I'd realized. At some point since he'd regained his memory, maybe even before, I'd let him go. I'd told myself I loved him, that I would fight for him always, but then something would happen and I would fall back on my