Devoured - Cathryn Fox Page 0,44
to it.”
“Are you kidding me?”
“They passed it off as an April Fool’s joke but deep down I think they were trying to sabotage my date.”
She frowns and puts her hand on my cheek. She doesn’t feel as clammy as she did last night. “That wasn’t very nice,” she says, siding with me, and I like that. Couples need to stick together, no matter what. Not that we’re a real couple, but Peyton would undoubtedly be a ride-or-die kind of girl when it came to relationships. If she were open to one, that is.
“Sisters.” I push her curls from her face. She’s a hot mess and never looked cuter.
“They must have had a reason.” She eyes me, curiosity all over her flushed face. “What did you do to them?”
“Me!” I exclaim, indignation in my tone as my head rears back in shock. “I’ll have you know I was a saint, Peyton. A damn saint.”
She laughs at that and the sweet sound goes through me.
“A damn saint? Yeah, and I’m Mother Teresa.” Long lashes blink over tired green eyes. “Seriously, why did they do it?”
“I think it was because they didn’t like the girl I was going out with. They all thought she wasn’t good enough for me.”
“Wow, tough crowd.”
“Right—now do you see what I mean about butting into my life?”
“Yeah, I guess, and I bet they’d hit it off with Cason. He’s always up in my business.”
“You really do know how it feels.”
“Something else we have in common,” she says, and glances down, her brow furrowed. Her head lifts and her eyes are brimming with questions when she looks back up at me.
“What?”
“Did they like your ex-fiancée?”
“Yeah, they did. I think at that point in my life they were anxious for me to settle down and have a family. They either missed the signs or she fooled everyone.”
“Fooled everyone?”
“Never mind. It’s not important.”
I’m about to stand when her hand on mine stops me. “Roman, if it’s important to you, it’s important to me.” She pastes on a smile. “I am your wife.”
I am your wife.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
I really shouldn’t like the sound of that so much.
“She didn’t want me for me, Peyton,” I say, and go quiet as her eyes narrow, her brain absorbing that information. “She wanted my name and all that came with it.”
“I didn’t know. I’m sorry.”
“I’m not,” I say without thinking. The truth of the matter is, I was sorry to find out my worth to women, but deep down, I think I might have felt a measure of relief when she called off the wedding.
And why is that, Roman?
Oh, because she wasn’t Peyton.
Well, shit.
She goes thoughtful for a moment. “Do you...think they’d like me?”
“Yeah, of course.” I lightly nudge her on the chin. “I told you that already.”
“Yeah, I know, but I’m probably not the kind of girl they’d like to see you with.”
I stare at her long and hard. “Why would you say that?”
She rolls her eyes. “Come on, Roman. I hardly come from the right background.”
“Why would you think that matters?”
“Are you seriously asking me that?”
“You think pedigree matters to my family?”
“Oh, it matters, Roman. When you’re on my side of the tracks, it matters. I’m judged all the time. You have no idea what that’s like.”
Her words pierce my skin and I stand abruptly. “Is that what you think?” Jesus Christ, I’m judged all the time, too. I’m judged because I was born with a silver spoon, she’s judged because she wasn’t.
“No, I don’t mean that.” She squeezes her eyes shut, hurts from her childhood written all over her face. “Things aren’t coming out right.” Her glassy eyes meet mine. “If that came out as an insult, I didn’t mean it. I think you’re a really great guy.”
“You won’t for long.” She gasps when I pick her up and carry her back to bed. “You’re staying here for the rest of the day.”
She wiggles and tries to protest as I cover her. “I don’t feel right about this, Roman.”
“Stop,” I say, and pin her down. Her breath catches and I grin. “Oh, do you hate me restraining you right now?”
“Yes, you’re such a bully.”
I laugh at that. “Yeah, I am, aren’t I?” I brush her hair from her forehead, everything in me softening. “I want to take care of you, okay?”
“Roman—”
A growl rumbles in my throat. “It’s okay, Peyton. It’s okay to let someone else help.” I dip my head and cup her face. “I’m not going to hurt you. I promise. Can