Chapter 67&68
🖤 PHOENIX 🖤
The softness of lips on my neck roused me from my slumber this morning. As I blinked away the remnants of sleep, the soreness between my legs and the tiredness in my body reminded me of the passionate night we had shared.
I felt Rome caressing my stomach as he planted kisses along my neck. With a smile creeping onto my lips, It was clear that we had made love last night, evidenced by the disheveled bed and the scattered clothes strewn across the floor.
“Good morning, sunshine,” Rome greeted me, extending the kiss to my lips. I returned the gesture, forgetting for a moment that we hadn’t brushed our teeth yet.
“Good morning,” I replied, attempting to stretch despite feeling his presence behind me.
“I could barely sleep last night,” he confessed, a wide smile adorning his face.
“Why?” I inquired, wrapping my arms around his neck.
“Well, you practically caused it,” he teased, rolling his eyes playfully.
“Me?” I asked, feigning innocence.
“Yeah, you kept pushing your @zz towards my Ďïčk. That little man was active throughout the night,” he explained, causing me to burst into laughter.
“You think this is funny?” he asked, joining in my laughter.
“Yeah, it is. Besides, that little man isn’t so little,” I retorted, making him gasp before we both erupted into laughter again.
“Do you want some more?” he asked, moving closer to me.
“I want, but look,” I said, pointing to my stomach.
“Oh yeah, I keep forgetting. When is he going to be out so we can do this the proper way?” he mused, sparking another round of laughter from me.
“I thought you said I look segzier when I’m pregnant,” I whined playfully.
“You look segzier in both ways, darling,” he assured me, sealing his words with a kiss.
Feeling incredibly fortunate, I couldn’t help but wonder how I got so lucky. Luck had never been on my side, but with Rome by my side, it seemed I had hit the jackpot.
~~
After our refreshing baths, we carefully selected our outfits for the day. Rome had his usual work commitments, while I eagerly anticipated a day spent with my closest friends. To my delight, Fiona, Camilla, and Beatrix had all agreed to join me, especially meaningful as Beatrix’s graduation from high school was just around the corner.
I couldn’t help but feel a surge of happiness for Beatrix; she was on the brink of leaving high school behind for good.
“Take care, and if those Pest start bothering you, don’t hesitate to call me. I’ll drop everything and rush over,” Rome said, planting a tender kiss on my lips. He wasn’t entirely thrilled about my plans to hang out with my friends, but we had already made arrangements.
Little did I expect that Rome and I would end up… well, you know.
Once Rome departed, I indulged in a solo movie session, popping some corn and settling in for some much-needed relaxation. However, despite the on-screen entertainment, my mind kept drifting back to the events of the previous night with Rome. Lost in my thoughts, I absentmindedly munched on popcorn, completely oblivious to the movie’s end.
My reverie was abruptly interrupted by Camilla’s arrival. “Spill it,” she demanded, plopping down beside me with an eager grin.
“Spill what?” I replied, still wearing a contented smile, my gaze lingering on the blank TV screen.
“I know something went down,” she insisted, giving me a knowing look.
“Oh, Lord,” she suddenly exclaimed, Her hands pointing at my neck.
“What?” I questioned, bewildered, as she seized my hand and led me toward the nearby mirror.
Standing before it, she pointed at my neck, prompting me to examine my reflection.
To my horror, a series of unmistakable hickeys adorned my skin, stark against the smooth canvas of my neck. How had I failed to notice them while applying lotion earlier?
No wonder Rome had been showering my neck with kisses; I hadn’t even realized he was leaving hickeys behind, too captivated by his affectionate gestures.
That devil.
“Now spill everything,” Camilla demanded, pulling me back to the living area with an eager gleam in her eyes.
“Okay… so… we…” I hesitated, meeting Camilla’s gaze filled with anticipation.
“Go on,” she urged, her smile widening.
“So… yesterday… we had segz,” I finally confessed, causing Camilla to jump with joy. She was, without a doubt, Rome and my biggest fan.
“Lord… my prayers have been answered!” she exclaimed, brimming with happiness.
“How was it? I know it’s kind of gross to ask, but was he good?” she inquired, her excitement palpable.
“He was the best I’ve ever had,” I admitted, a smile spreading across my face at the memory.
“Thank goodness,” Camilla sighed in relief, her expression serene.
“Why are you so happy?” I asked, curious about her sudden burst of joy.
She let out a soft, contemplative sigh before fixing her gaze on me, her eyes filled with a mix of thoughtfulness and sincerity.
“Well, I never once liked anybody Rome has been with,” she confided, her tone carrying a hint of vulnerability, drawing my undivided attention.
As she spoke, Camilla’s movements were animated, her hands gesturing gently to emphasize her points, adding depth to her words and capturing the weight of her emotions.
“Rome has only been with one person, Georgia. Let me tell you something, Rome would actually love you until he dies. He’s a simp,” she remarked, her lips curling into a wry smile, inviting a shared moment of amusement.
“Now, back to Georgia. I always felt like Rome loved her more than she did him,” she continued, her voice tinged with a mixture of sadness and frustration, her brows furrowing slightly as she recalled past grievances.
“And she acts all nice whenever Rome is around, but when he’s gone, she turns into a devil,” Camilla explained, her gestures becoming more pronounced, as if to underscore the stark contrast in Georgia’s demeanor.
Throughout her recounting, Camilla’s posture remained open, inviting empathy and understanding.
“All my brother did was love her. Can you even imagine that she was cheating, and Rome never knew about it at all? I didn’t want to tell him because it might have driven him insane,” she revealed, her voice softening with a mix of regret and concern, her eyes reflecting the weight of her decision to protect her brother.
“My mom never liked her either. Mom can be very controlling, but Georgia always put her in her place.” That served Mrs. Dante right, but still, why was Georgia acting like that. Camilla chuckled softly, her laughter tinged with a sense of irony, as if she couldn’t quite believe the absurdity of it all.
“She h@ťěd me, and I h@ťěd her too. We never once spoke after she snitched on me years back for sneaking out to see my boyfriend. Brooo, I only went out with my friends, and guess what? Rome yelled at me because of that witch. Thank the Lord she’s gone,” Camilla shared, her tone heavy with bitterness, her body language betraying a mix of resentment and relief.
As Camilla spoke, her words were punctuated by a range of nuanced facial expressions and subtle shifts in posture, each movement and gesture adding layers of depth to her narrative, painting a vivid picture of her experiences.
I felt a surge of empathy for Camilla, wondering deeply why Georgia was acting that way.
“That’s why I always wanted you and Rome together because you are so nice and his perfect match,” Camilla said, her voice warm with sincerity, her eyes sparkling with genuine affection, as she reached out to envelop me in a comforting hug.
“Now, the party is going on without me,” Fiona announced, her entrance marked by a sense of energy and excitement, her movements graceful and poised as she made her way into the room, a bottle of champagne in hand.
“Sweet or alcohol?” I asked, immediately I saw her.
She paused for a moment, before turning her attention to the champagne bottle in her hand.
“I didn’t forget that you were pregnant. It’s sweet,” she replied, and we all burst out laughing.
~~
“Sorry, but… I had the best time of my life last night,” Rome said, lining up his shot with precision, his cue stick poised to strike the ball.
“Bro, you are so lucky,” Neo remarked, positioning himself to take his turn.
“I know,” Rome replied, a satisfied smile playing on his lips.
“Now, I think I need advice from you,” Neo began, prompting Rome to nod in encouragement.
“After Fiona said we shouldn’t be seeing each other, my mind kept on going to Beatrix. I try so hard to forget about her, but I just can’t. I know she would never ever accept me back after what I did to her. It would take the grace of the Lord for her to accept me,” Neo confessed, his tone tinged with regret and longing.
“Well, you messed up real bad, but I just feel like you were using Fiona to forget about Beatrix and that backlash,” Rome observed, settling into a nearby chair.
“Yeah, I think so,” Neo agreed, joining Rome in taking a seat.
“They’re all hanging out today, and guess who they would be gossiping about,” Rome teased, a mischievous grin spreading across his face.
“You,” Neo responded with a smirk, causing Rome to frown playfully.
“No, you,” Rome retorted.
“Yeah, me, but you were the one that hit the jackpot last night,” Neo pointed out, a playful glint in his eyes.
“At least it won’t be called a jerk, but you would,” Rome quipped, before bursting into a hearty laugh.
The sound of their laughter echoed throughout the room.
~~
“I don’t think he liked me at all,” Fiona confessed, her voice tinged with disappointment as she voiced her thoughts.
“He is a jerk,” Camilla chimed in, her tone reflecting her disdain for the subject of their conversation.
“A big one,” Phoenix added, her agreement echoing Camilla’s sentiment.
“But I feel like he really likes Beatrix,” Fiona continued, her gaze drifting towards Beatrix, who shifted uncomfortably under the scrutiny.
“No, no, he doesn’t,” Beatrix interjected, her laughter tinged with nervousness as she tried to dismiss Fiona’s observation.
“Yes, he does. You should’ve seen him the day you walked away when I came. He looked like he was watching the love of his life leave,” Fiona insisted, causing Beatrix to stare at her in disbelief.
“He’s still a jerk,” Phoenix concluded, her tone final as she echoed the sentiments of the group.
“But I feel like…” Phoenix trailed off, catching the attention of the others who turned to look at her expectantly.
“Feel like what?” Camilla asked, her mouth full of French fries as she spoke.
“You both should just stop all this $h|t and be together already,” Phoenix declared, her words cutting through the tension with blunt honesty.
“You feel like he likes me?” Beatrix asked, her expression a mixture of concern and uncertainty.
“Yeah, I know, he can be stupid most of the time,” Phoenix reassured her, prompting a nod of understanding from Beatrix.
“Now, who wants to go to the club?” Camilla interjected, steering the conversation in a lighter direction.
“Now I see why Rome calls you all pests,” Phoenix remarked with a chuckle, earning laughter from the group.
~~
~~UNKNOWN~~
“One month until due date,” he remarked, a hint of excitement in his voice as he glanced at her, his eyes alight with anticipation.
“Perfect,” she replied with a satisfied smile, reaching for the cigarette and placing it between her lips.
She cast a glance at the man beside her, a smirk playing on her lips as she spoke in a low, confident tone.
“When the job is done, I’ll make you rich,” she murmured, her words dripping with promise, eliciting a grin from him in response.
“Thank you, ma,” he replied, his smile widening as he accepted the assurance of his reward.
“What about the other pregnant lady?” he inquired, his gaze shifting to her with curiosity.
“Don’t worry about her. Once I’m done with Phoenix and the baby, I’ll take care of her myself,” she murmured darkly, her smile taking on a sinister edge.
With a final flick of the cigarette, she dropped it to the ground, extinguishing the ember with the toe of her shoe.
Jess had bitten off more than she could chew, and she was determined to make sure Jess paid the price For Messing with her in the first place.
To be continued…