Page 84 of Unfettered

Roman kisses me again, and this time I drag him in closer, taking over the kiss, enjoying the way he moans into my mouth.

“I need to go,” he says when I finally release him.

“So, go.” I kiss him once more for good measure, before letting him go completely. “Text me if you need anything, yeah?”

He nods. “You too. I want to be there for Nario…and your other Boys.”

I smile. “They’d like that. Stop by later when everyone is awake.”

“I will. Love you.” With that, Roman continues on his way, and I make my way toward the medical offices.

The guard on Javi duty is standing outside his door. He nods when he sees me. “You can go right in, sir.”

“Thank you.”

I brace myself for a moment before opening the door. The fact Javi hasn’t tried to get rid of the people watching him is…concerning, and tells me more about his current mental state than anything else can.

Stepping into his office, the air feels stale, as if it’s been closed up for weeks, even though Javi is sitting at his desk with one of his ever-present notebooks in his hands.

“Go away,” he says without looking up. “Especially, since you didn’t have the decency to knock.”

His tone is hollow, not matching his words, and they’re as dark and bleak as the clothes he’s wearing.

The black on black shouldn’t be surprising, not after seeing him at the meeting, but without his bright, colorful, and downright ridiculous clothing, he looks like an entirely different person.

“Afraid I can’t do that, Paperotto.”

He looks up, his multi-colored eyes dull and lifeless as he stares at me. “What are you doing here?” he asks without any inflection.

I frown, because he’s usually so good at accommodating me and making sure I understand the intent in his words—even when he’s being a pain in the ass.

“I told you the other day, you can’t hide from me forever. Come with me.”

“No. I have work to do. I’m very busy.”

“It wasn’t a suggestion, Paperotto. We can do this the easy way or the hard way, it doesn’t matter to me.”

He scowls. “I told you after the meeting that I was fine.”

I nod slowly. “You did, and I didn’t believe you. So…” Walking around the desk, I stand over him. “What’s it going to be?”

Javi’s nostrils flare, and he snaps the notebook shut so I can’t read it—as if I’d ever invade anyone’s privacy like that. “What’s it going to take to get you to go away?”

I let one side of my mouth curl up into a half-smile. “Nothing. You’re mine, remember? That means I’m going to do whatever I need to do when it comes to you.”

He sighs. “I’m fine. Am I sad? Yes, of course, I’m sad. I lost the only fucking person who ever understood me. There. Happy?”

I shake my head and grip his chin, forcing his face up to mine, ignoring the way he stiffens at my touch. “Let me help you.”

“You can’t.” I read the words on his lips more than hear them. The helplessness in his eyes is devastating, and it kicks me in the chest when I see how young, vulnerable, and unprotected he is in this moment.

“At least, let me try, Paperotto.”

Javi’s lips part as he stares up at me, and I think he’s going to agree, but then he pulls out of my hold. His movements are jerky as he rips open one of his desk drawers and shoves the notebook inside, locking it when he’s finished.

“I have things to do,” he says, his voice flat and emotionless, and he won’t raise his eyes to meet mine again.

I sigh, hating that he’s making me do this the hard way.