Worse for Better- Book #1 in the WF Series

Chapter 18: Apology

✩ Roman's POV ✩

"Hello, is this Roman Blackwood?" a robotic-sounding voice asks me and I reply with a yes.

It goes silent for a second and I'm about to hang up but a voice heard through the speaker stops me. I put the phone back up to my ear and the person begins to speak.

"Roman? Please don't hang up," I recognize my mom's tone the minute it enters my eardrum.

My heart picks up in a fit of hostility that I can't even begin to describe.

You've got to be fucking kidding me.

Her voice is like a time machine that brings me back and makes me relive all the shit she did to me, all at once. I have no idea where she got the sudden urge to annoy my ass after everything, but I want no part in it and could give less of a shit about her. Also, I hung up on her last time so that should've given her my answer on where I stood on wanting to talk to her.

"Don't call this number again," I state before hanging up right after my sentence.

I have so many fucking words in my head that I want to say to her. That I've wanted to say to her ever since I was little. My head is throwing hammers at me and my body is as stiff as it's ever been. My hands are held tightly into fists and my teeth are gritted while I try to get myself under control even though I can feel my pulse skyrocketing.

***

♡ Alaiya's POV: ♡

"Occupied darlin," I knock on the bathroom door and a man responds.

I apologize and walk to the another bathroom without getting lost in this mansion. I knock on a door down the hall, hoping it's a restroom while waiting for a response.

"I'm pissing," I recognize Rider's voice yell.

I walk away again and try looking for another one when Ms.Blanchard runs into me and sees my lost facial expression.

"Upstairs on the right." She points, recognizing what I'm looking for.

I thank her in relief and follow her directions to walk up the freshly polished floors, admiring the beautiful furniture placed around me. I see the bathroom at the end of the hall and sigh in relief. I don't need to use it, I just need to sometimes take some time to myself in public situations, especially when I'm around a lot of people. I get all fidgety and anxious and it makes me feel sick.

As I'm walking, my shoulder bumps into a body, making me step back as the solidness pushes me back a little. Both our bodies are forced to turn around and when I look up, I see Roman's... different looking expression looking back down at me. He looks angrier than usual, but at the same time, his eyes show more vulnerability and emotion in them. His glare is even darker than before, and I can't help but ask the question that slips out of my mouth next.

"Are you okay?" I ask worriedly.

"Yeah." I can tell he's lying because his answer didn't come with a curse word, nor a snarky or sarcastic comment. It was plain which isn't very Roman of him.

"You're lying," I call his bluff.

Now I realize what he means when he says that to me. I mean, I'm not as nosy as him, but I think it's fair for me to ask after all the questions he's asked about my personal life.

"Drop it." He softly brushes past me and walks towards the stairs.

Oh, so when he lies to me I should drop it, but when I repeat to him over and over again my lies, he gets more stubborn and kidnaps me.