Chapter Four

looked at him this time with spite in my eyes. “Did you come here just to say that after leaving me here to die?”

He shrugged. “No. As a matter of fact, I was passing by.”

“Why don't you pass on to hell? The shortest route is that way, amigo.” I pointed at the window.

“Thanks but no. I love my life too much to end it.” He smiled.

“You love your life and you look like that?”

“Look like that? What's ‘that’ supposed to mean?” he asked with a scoff.

There was absolutely nothing wrong with this man. Leaving out the fact that he is a dunce, hard headed and opinionated, he's very good looking. With a jawline sharper than my future, height taller than my lifespan and eyes and hair as dark as Nicholas's heart. There was nothing wrong with him.

“Nothing.” I looked away.

“Look,” he stopped forward and my grip on the window frame tightened. “If you're going to jump, fine. I don't care. It'll save me a lot of stress and I'll get to go home. However, can you eat it till after dinner?”

“Dinner?”

He lifted a tray of food. “It'd be a shame to waste all this.”

I feigned annoyance. “I'll pass. Thanks.”

Roman was relentless. “You're passing up chicken, potatoes, herbs, the whole deal? Are you sure? This sucker smells amazing.”

My stomach betrayed me with a loud growl again and I scowled. When will my own body stop embarrassing me?

“You're not doing a very good job of hiding your hunger.” Roman smiled.

“Please, jump off this building and die.”

Roman laughed. “I thought that was what you wanted to do.”

I opened my mouth to argue but he cut me off mid-sentence.”You were about to turn into a human pancake.”

“Ugh!”

He walked over to the small table by the corner and placed the tray of food on it. “Come, let's eat, crazy princess.”

“I'm not crazy!” I tried to frown but my mouth was watering. The smell of the stew was heavenly.

“You were talking to yourself. If that's not being crazy then I don't know what is.”

“Were you watching me rant?”

“Yes.”

“Fine!” I let go of the window frame and went to take a seat.

I sat down with a huff and grabbed a spoon. “If this tastes horrible, I'll shove you out the window myself.”

He smiled. “Deal.”

From that night onwards, you could say it was the start of a beautiful friendship. Not beautiful per se, it was a normal friendship.

“Morning, princess.” Roman said, plopping down on a chair in the room like he owned the place, which he didn't. That's s Nicholas's job — the owning part.

I blinked at him. “What are you doing here? This room isn't exactly your natural habitat.”

“I know.” He replied with a smirk. “I'm only keeping you company.”

“Why? Are you dying?”

“Nope.” He took my fork from my hand and stole a slice of toast from my plate.

“Hey!” My attempt to snatch the fork from him was futile. He had already eaten the stake.

“Delicious.” He chuckled as he chewed

“I wish you'll choke on it.”

Roman laughed. “Can't happen.”

“Ugh! You're the worst.” I changed the fork with another and resumed eating.

“But not when it comes to keeping folks company.” He winked at me.

“Keeping folks company? Do I look like I need one?”

“Yeah. Just a few days ago, you almost offered yourself ‘coz of loneliness.”

I rolled my eyes. “Oh please. You're just keeping me ‘company’ for free food.”

“Well, at least I show up so see if you're still alive?  Do you see anyone else volunteering to do that?”

There was none. “Touche.”

And so, our eating together began. I was thankful for Roman's presence. His endless supply of jokes made me forget that I used to eat alone.

It was nice having a friend, a companion to lean on. At least that's what I thought before he showed up again.

One Thursday afternoon, the door to the suite burst open and I jolted.

His piercing dark grey eyes fell on us and he made way to the table filled with my bowl of oatmeal and Crio’s mid-sip coffee.

“Merda!” He cursed.

Merda? Did he just swear at me?

“What the hell is going on here?” Nicholas said in an icy voice sharp enough to cut glass.

“Breakfast.” I replied even though it was painfully obvious.

“Together?” Nicholas's gaze flickered to Nicholas and then back to me.

Beige I could answer, Roman stole the words right out of my mouth. “I couldn't let her eat alone, sir.”

“You couldn't let her eat alone?” Nicholas's jaw tightened. Uh-oh.

“Yeah.”

Nicholas chuckled. “I see.”

Oh no. He chuckled. That was not a laugh but a warning. That's a someone's-about-to-die-soon tone.

I pushed back my seat to speak in Roman's defense but Nicholas interrupted in a dangerous voice. “Roman, a word. Outside.”

I tried not to scream but my body couldn't stop trembling. Nicholas would kill him. Oh Jesus.

I followed them to the door and leaned my ear on the door.

“Are you out of your goddamn mind?” Nicholas’s muffled voice drifted in.

“I’m sorry, sir.” Roman replied calmly, the exact reaction for someone on the receiving end of Nicholas's wrath.

“Did you touch her!”

“She looked lonely.”

“Answer me!”

“I didn't!”

“Keep your hands to yourself, you disgusting rat. She is my responsibility.”

“She's not yours either!”

Did Roman just talk back to his boss? That was a bold move. A bold move but a very stupid one.

The argument ended with Nicholas storming into the room with murder in his eyes.

“I never want to see you come near her again!”

And just like that, the breakfast club was over. No more jokes about my hair or face. It was just me, my oatmeal, and the deafening silence.

I heaved a sigh and leaned back in my seat. “I'm going to miss Roman's company.”

The memory of what happened flickered through my mind. Nicholas was pissed. Instead of fearing for my life, I couldn't help but smirk. My life wasn't as boring as I thought it was. After all, I managed to piss off the Devil of Chicago.

However, one more day in silence and I'll seriously throw myself out of the window.