Page 9 of Watched

“You watch me sleep?” Rome shouts.

“The past few nights, I have, yes.”

Rome’s mouth opens and closes a few times, his breaths turning shallow. Then, his eyes grow wide, and he palms his chest.

Oh fuck, is he—

“Rome,” Xander calls, putting away his gun to move toward Rome.

“Baby,” I call as he sucks in a ragged breath. He has panic attacks? He’s not taking medication for it. He’s never seen anyone. “Fuck, baby,” I breathe out, rushing toward him.

“Fuck off,” Xander snaps, making me halt beside him.

Rome’s tear-filled eyes lock on Xander, and my heart clenches watching Xander help Rome raise his hands behind his head to open his lungs.

“Deep breaths,” Xander instructs calmly, and Rome’s eyes close.

“I didn’t realise he—”

“Get the fuck out,” Xander whispers harshly, cutting me off.

“Baby,” I plead, but Rome shows no sign of acknowledging me. I could just kick Xander in the head and beat him to a bloodied pulp, but that will only cause Rome to spiral.

Hazel eyes glare up at me. “Next time you break into his house, remember this, because seeing your face sure as fuck won’t calm him down if it happens again.”

I groan and step back around the coffee table, heading toward Rome’s back door. Unlocking it, I look back at Rome. A tear slides down his cheek, his gaze quickly averted. “Don’t come near me again,” he whispers.

“Don’t forget who you belong to, Rome.”

So, I didn’t actually leave. I was just waiting for the roach to fuck off, because watching Rome’s beautiful face while he sleeps is the highlight of my night. I usually sit in a chair with my hands clasped under my chin for hours, staring at his blond hair splayed across his forehead, his parted lips and soft expression, listening to his soft snores. He has a telltale sign he’s about to wake up—his foot twitches and his nose scrunches.

Every. Time.

I thought Xander would check the surrounding block and stay for an hour or two, then leave, but no. He’s currently sitting in Rome’s living room, watching something on television while Rome’s upstairs, most likely passed out.

Sensing a disturbance in his surroundings like a trained bloodhound, Xander’s eyes drift from the television to me as I stand in the window, glaring at him. A wicked smile curls his lips as he taps the barrel of his gun to his temple.

Stupid fuck.

He can’t see my face due to my mask, but by the way he grins, he’s aware I’m beyond irritated. It’s almost two in the morning now, and this roach displays no sign of fatigue.

I move away from the window to the bench at the far end of Rome’s backyard and take a seat. The cool metal soothes my irritation as I fan my arms across the back and wait. Less than five minutes pass before Xander’s figure moves toward the back door. He unlocks it, quietly slides it open, and closes it behind him.

Leaning back against the glass with crossed ankles, he inspects his gun. “If you’re anything like your brother, I know this doesn’t scare you.”

He chuckles when I remain silent. A gun certainly doesn’t scare me, and neither does the knowledge he’s equipped with an army of minions who will blindly follow his orders.

Lowering the gun, he lifts his gaze to me. “Rome’s worked too hard to get to where he is. I won’t let someone like you derail him.”

“Someone like me? Quite ironic, coming from a drug dealer.”

“I keep my shit away from Rome.”

“For his sake or yours?”

A quiet chuckle bounces his chest. “I’d kill for him and not think twice about it.”

“What makes you think I won’t?”