green sensation of jealousy that fills me when I think about him and someone else. I am on the verge of being a complete psychopath.
If my father had access to my brain, I’m sure he’d have a field day.
So that is why I do it. I don’t know if maybe I want his attention. Maybe I want him to give me more than just a simple wave and a few short glimpses of him during the night. Maybe I want to get back at him, make him angry, too. Whatever the reason, it’s the catalyst for us. It is what starts the clusterfuck of poor decisions. I wish I could stop it; I wish I could take a step back and really think about what I’m doing. The truth is, I don’t want any of that. I just want Rome.
And that is the root cause of all my problems.
It’s been so long since we’ve last pranked each other that a part of me is nervous to be the one to restart this war. This prank can easily go south, but I think that’s the beauty of pranks. There’s always a risk, and for once in my life, I want to be that risk-taker.
Since it’s my day off, I wait until Rome is long gone, before trying to find a way inside his house. I get a little thrill of vindication, when I climb over the fence, ungracefully, and Max doesn’t even bark. Instead, the husky cranes his head to the side, watching me like I’m an idiot.
He wouldn’t be wrong.
After trying the sliding glass doors and the back windows, my last resort is his bedroom window, and I snort at the hilarity of it all. It pushes up with no resistance, damn near inviting me to walk on in. His room is the same size and just about the same layout as mine. It consists of dark furniture and clean, sleek lines. There’s nothing out of place.
As much as I’d like to snoop through his stuff, just to really fuck with him, I decide not to. This prank is more than enough. I navigate my way into his living room, eyeing the bare wall with a wicked grin.
Opening the package I bought online, along with a bunch of other supplies, I go to work, chuckling at my creativity. I told him I’d find a way to get him back for the vinegar, and I’m finally doing it.
When I’m just about done, I freeze at the sound of someone coming home, and my mind takes much too long to process. I scramble to grab all the supplies, and in my haste, everything slips from my hands like I have butter fingers.
“Shit!” I hiss down at Max, who’s just watching me oddly, the way dogs normally do. He’s likely wondering what his owner did to deserve such a dick move like this. If he only knew.
I skid to an abrupt halt when I hear two voices. My stomach drops, when I realize he’s coming home with someone.
This is the absolute worst time to catch him in the act with another woman. It’s one thing to see from my window, but here in his home, where I’m breaking and entering? Yeah, that’s where I draw the line for my crazy.
All too soon, the front door opens, and the footsteps get closer, as I try to make a break for it and flee. My gaze darts around his living room, looking for a way out of his house, without being seen. It feels like the walls are closing in on me. The blood is rushing through my veins, making it hard to hear a thing. By the time I think I’ve found a viable option, it’s too late. I hear a female’s sharp intake of breath, and slowly, when I glance over my shoulder, an inaudible gasp leaves me, when I see the look of complete fury in Rome’s eyes. I’ve quite literally never seen anything like it. He looks murderous, and the fact that I ever thought this prank was a good idea has me questioning my judgment and my sanity.
I glance at his female companion and can’t hide the frown that steals over my face. She’s not really what I was expecting, but she’s still beautiful, nonetheless. Dressed professionally, she looks much more put together than I do at the moment. A little older, too.
Didn’t know Roman was into cougars, but hey, to each his own.
“Mr. Banks, can you explain what’s going