Page 32 of Watched

Nope, won’t be doing that.

Kilah snickers as I let her pass and then follow behind. “I’m a friend,” I say quietly in her ear. “Got it?”

She hums her understanding, extending her pinkie over her shoulder. I hook mine around it and shake.

“What are you, five?” Rome grumbles, throwing a glare over his shoulder.

Filing out into the foyer with the crowd, Kilah races away.

“Kilah,” Rome calls.

She spins, throwing her arms up. “I’m going to the toilet.” Long, blond curls whip as she spins back around, almost tripping in her heels.

I turn my gaze back to Rome. He looks so fucking good—right now, always. Rome Aston is a god I will happily get on my knees and pray to.

I tilt my head, his cheeks flush from pink to red under my stare. “Want me to lick you c—”

“Stop,” he interrupts. “I’m going to the bathroom. Do not follow me.”

“Move!” Blade’s voice booms, and I snap my gaze towards the door.

The chatter of the crowd dissipates as he storms toward me in his usual black jeans, t-shirt, and leather jacket. We’ve made a deal to inform one another of where we’re going when we leave the house, but I did not expect him to physically show up here.

A woman gasps as he barrels past her. Terrified eyes lock on mine, and if there’s an expression I’ve never witnessed from Blade, it’s terror.

I step toward him. Now visibly clear of others, his trembling hand reaches for my nape. “Jesus, what the fuck?” I try to pull from his hold, but to no avail.

I’m pulled out the door, down the path, and around the corner toward the parking lot. His hand releases, only for me to be thrown back against the brick wall.

Motherfucker.

His shaking hands grip my shoulders, and his brows drop in utter pain. “She tried to commit suicide,” his voice cracks.

My heart falls. “Wh-what?”

“I need to go to LA. Aaron won’t let me leave unless you’re there to make sure I don’t try to kidnap her or some shit.”

“Wait, how? Wh-what?”

“Pills.” He shakes me as though I should already understand. “She took so many fucking pills, and she was foaming at the mouth. I-I went to sleep. My back was killing me. I woke up to watch her and—sh-she—was…”

I grip his face, hardening my stare. “I’ll go.” He shakes in my hold, his pained eyes searching mine, like I have the conformation he needs that she’s okay. “You called the paramedics?”

He nods. “I don’t have audio. They took her away, but I—I don’t know if she’s…”

“Dad will call Dr Illya and get conformation.”

“I already fucking told him to do that, Rain!”

Even with conformation she’s alive, his staggered breaths and soul shattering demeanour tell me all I need to know. Unless he witnesses her breathing with his own two eyes, he won’t believe she’s okay.

“Rain?” Rome’s soft voice whispers. “Are you okay?”

I release Blade and he me.

Rome takes a hesitant step closer, searching my body in the dim wall light shining above me. I blink, a tear rolling onto my cheek.

I’m crying?