Page 37 of Watched

At times, I can’t differentiate between Blade and a fucking animal. I told him that once, and his reply was, you say that like an insult. You’re supposed to be smart. I thought you’d know humans are animals. We have the same instincts: hunt, prey, kill. I was left biting my tongue and walking away while he laughed.

Her vanilla scent wafts toward me, and I ignore the sting of nostalgia.

“Why are we here?” I snap from the doorway. “Are you going to take her underwear and jerk off with it or something?”

“Did your latest update come with mind-reading skills?”

I choose to believe he’s intimidated by the fact I’m more intelligent than him, which is why I’m continuously referred to as a computer.

I roll my eyes and dig out my phone, pulling up Rome’s number.

Me: Do you like your car?

Using his sleeve again, Blade opens a drawer and does, in fact, take out two pairs of underwear—one red lace, the other black cotton—and stuffs them in his pocket.

Fucking hell.

Warmth fills my chest when a new text lights my screen.

Rome: Take it all back.

Me: It’s yours.

Rome: I don’t want any of it, especially that ring your dad gave me.

“Oh shit,” I laugh.

“What?” Blade asks, taking a pill bottle from her nightstand to inspect how many are in there.

“Dad gave Rome a family ring.”

“Hmm.”

“What does ‘hmm’ mean?”

“I just don’t think he’s worthy of you.”

“You don’t know him, nor does your opinion of him matter. If anything, I’m not worthy of him.”

Blade moves to open a drawer of her desk, carefully looking through it and leaving my statement to hang in the air.

Shaking my head, I type my reply to Rome.

Me: Do you keep forgetting what I told you? You’re mine. You can’t get rid of me.

Rome: Watch me.

Me: Always, baby.

Closing the app, I pull up Dad’s number and dial, putting it to my ear.

“How is she?” he asks.

“Yeah, fine,” I sigh. “You gave Rome a ring.”

A deep chuckle flows into my ear. “I could see the way you looked at him the first time you saw him. He’s a good kid, very ambitious. Make him my son-in-law, Rain.”

“I will.”