"O-kay..."

"You, Miss Molly, are gonna look hot tonight," she enthused.

"I don't think I could ever be classed as hot, Ally." I was pretty sure she'd had too much sun.

"That's because you've never been shown how. I'm gonna fix that tonight. We're about the same size in clothes, so you can wear one of my dresses. One that's gonna have Rome all freaked out."

"Go for it, Molls. Why not have Bullet panting to fuck your fine ass!" Cass added, doing her best to be encouraging.

Tipping my head back, I groaned loudly. "Not a bloody chance. What do you think this is, some flippin' cheesy teen movie or something?"

Anger showed in Ally's brown eyes. "My makeover skills are unrivalled. You're doing it."

I stared at Ally's face and bowed my head. "Ah, sod it! I'm actually pretty intrigued to see what you manage with all this," I said, gesturing to my mountain of hair.

She dropped her frown and danced on her seat. "Doubt me if you will, but Rome will go crazy when he sees you. We'll tell him to meet us at nine and not a minute before."

"Whatever you say. Just don't make me regret this!"

The game kicked off for the second half and in the end, they won. Rome did his usual interviews after the match, and Austin was given MVP, which had Lexi flipping about the place in sheer joy.

I stood at my seat, waiting for the crowds to calm before telling him we were heading home. With a slap on the back to his teammates, Rome came running over and when he reached me, he picked me up and swung me around, causing the men to jeer and the women to "aww."

I wrapped my arms around his neck and whispered, "Well done, baby. I'm so proud of you."

"Thank you," he croaked with a raspy voice full with emotion, and he brushed a feather-light kiss on my lips. When he lowered me to the floor, Ally came over and hugged him in congratulations.

Rome took my hand. "Stay here, okay? I'll be back soon, and I'll take you out for dinner before we head to the club."

"No can do. I'm taking her home to get ready now," informed Ally with a saccharine smile.

The look Romeo shot her should have had her recoiling in fear, but she simply smacked his arm and said, "Don't bother pulling that shit on me, Rome. You can be without her for a few hours."

His eyes narrowed menacingly. "I don't want to be. I'm taking her out, end of discussion."

I put my hands on his face. "Go eat with the guys and come to our house at nine. Please... for me."

"Fine. For you. But I'll be there at nine on the dot and you'd better be ready," he growled and branded me with a fiery kiss before smacking me on the arse, a bit harder than was deemed playful, and walked back to the field in a dark, sullen mood.

I sighed. "Great, now he's pissed off with me."

Ally shrugged. "He'll get over it."

"You'd better be right."

"What do you think?" Ally asked as she uncovered my eyes in front of the full-length mirror.

"Fuck me!" I whispered as I stared at the girl in the reflection, catching the girls giggling in the background.

"Looking like that, Molls, I may just do that!" Cass joked, flicking her tongue out suggestively.

"Told you I was good," Ally said smugly.

"That you did," I replied, still struck by the sight.

Ally had certainly delivered. I didn't even recognise the girl looking back at me. She had long, smooth hair, straight at the top and loose barrel curls at the ends. Slices of caramel lifted the espresso colour, giving it a sun-kissed feel, and her skin was brightened by a bronze shimmer. Smoky eyes made her golden-brown eyes striking and her hourglass figure was flattered by the short fitted, body-con black dress, strapless with a structured sweetheart neckline, with high black cowboy boots finishing off the look.

My staring in the mirror was interrupted by a fervent knock at the door, and Cait entered the room. "Hey Ally, Rome and the guys are waiting for you downstairs." Cait blinked in surprise. "Molly... I almost didn't recognise you. You look drop-dead gorgeous, honey."

"Thanks, Cait," I replied with a deep blush.

We headed down the stairs, and I saw Romeo at the bottom, dressed in a red plaid shirt, folded at the sleeves, and low dark jeans-he looked so bloody gorgeous.

Austin, who was in his usual all black, saw us first. I watched as his eyes widened on realisation that the girl at the back was me. Rome was sharing a joke with Jimmy-Don as he casually leaned against the door, and Reece began tapping at his arm. Romeo swung his head to him, scowling in annoyance, but Reece ignored his stern stare and pointed wordlessly my way.

As Rome looked up, I almost laughed at his reaction. He jumped from leaning against the wall and pushed through to the bottom of the stairs. As I walked down each step, I grew in confidence, and if the over-awed expression on Romeo's face was any indication, I'd say that Ally's plan had worked.

When I got to the bottom step, we were almost the same height. My thumbnail was gripped between my teeth as I squirmed under everyone's silent attention.

Stealthily, Romeo's hands reached forward, grasping my backside, and he jerked me to his hard body. Sparks of desire flew from his hot brown eyes. I knew in that instant that tonight would be a test to our control. My insides griped almost painfully in sexual lust; a ravishing heat had taken over my body. And by the feel of Romeo's rough, wandering hands and his jeans against my pelvis, he was fighting to keep his composure too.

Romeo leaned in and pressed his smooth lips against mine. I played with the wisps of hair at the back of his neck, and he whispered, "Fuck, Mol. You're tryin' my restraint lookin' this beautiful. How the hell am I meant to get through the night? I'll be fightin' off the guys with a stick. They're gonna get in trouble if they even look at you for a second."

"I only want you, baby. You know that," I assured and watched as a wave of tranquillity flashed across his face. I reached around, lacing his hand in mine. "Let's go. I'm excited for you to teach me how to two-step."

He guffawed as he wrapped his arm around my neck. "Fuck two-steppin'. I want you pressed right against me, slow dancin' all night long."

14.

Club Flux was packed from wall to wall with drunken Tide supporters who'd been at the game, and as soon as we arrived, Romeo was accosted with praise and congratulatory handshakes. He gripped onto me tightly, his arm around my shoulder and my head tucked against the crook of his neck.

Our group was given a booth in the corner of the club, the benefit of being with the Romeo Prince.

We were heading to the cornered-off area when a drunken student sporting a Tide jersey grabbed hold of my arm and jostled me to his sweaty chest. "Bullet's good luck charm! You're saving the season, darlin'! You deserve a big ol' thank you kiss!"

The guy was immediately pushed away from me and Romeo held him up by the neck of his shirt. "What the fuck do you think you're doin'?"

The Tide fan instantly paled and held up his hands in surrender. "Bullet... I-I was j-just showing my appreciation."

"Then appreciate her from afar. Touch her again and you'll be starin' up at us from the fuckin' ground. You get me?"

"Yeah, yeah, I get you, man. I'll back off. S-sorry..." Romeo dropped him to the ground and the shell-shocked fan immediately rushed away through the crowd. When Romeo turned back to me, I stood glaring at him with folded arms and a pissed-off scowl.

"Baby..." He tried to placate, inching forward.

I sliced my hand through the air, gesturing for him to shut up and stop. "No need, Romeo! Absolutely no bloody need for what you just did. You didn't have to be so damn aggressive to the poor guy!"

Romeo's full lips puckered into a pout. "But he touched you."

"So you threaten him?"

"You're mine and he touched you. I didn't like it."

"Christ, Rome, that was completely over the top."

He blew out a long sigh. "I fucked up again, didn't I?" He looked so lost.

I walked towards him and wrapped my arms around his neck. "Yes, you did."

His lip hooked into a smirk as his hand dropped to run over my backside. "Am I forgiven?"

My breath hitched and I placed my forehead against his. "I'm yours. Be calm."

A wave of peace washed over his features and he nodded his head curtly before crashing his lips to mine, stealing a hard kiss.

We headed to the private table and joined our friends. Within minutes, a petite blond waitress arrived to take our drink orders. From the minute she arrived, she never took her green eyes off Rome. I'd come to expect it. He drew people to him-whether due to his good looks or whom he played for. But she was acting differently; she looked at him as if she knew him... intimately.

After we ordered several bottles of beer, and Rome's apparent ignorance of the waitress' constant attention, I relaxed and was finally able to survey the club. It was a mass of grinding, gyrating bodies and men enthusiastically swinging their female partners around the dance floor-I assumed that was two-stepping. It was all pretty entertaining.

Our drinks arrived and once again, the waitress lingered in front of Rome and this time I knew my suspicions were justified. He ignored her, prompting her to block our line of sight with her pert plastic breasts and sing, "Hey, Bullet, how've you been?"

My eyebrows immediately pulled together and I swerved to Rome, who'd gone completely still.

"We're done here," he replied coldly.

The busty blonde, wearing an obscenely short black dress, leaned on the table, pushing her cleavage together with her bent arms, ignoring his dismissal. "You never called me after our night together."

I stiffened and Romeo pressed me farther into his chest, anticipating correctly that I was about to flee from the uncomfortable scene. It was flee or act on the intense anger raging through my body.

"I was never goin' to. I'll say it again... We're done here." He leaned forward slightly. "Or if you need a simpler answer... fuck off."

The girl's face fell and she snapped. "I'd heard on the grapevine that you were pussy whipped-fuckin' waste of a good cock." She looked down her nose at me and laughed. "And for that too. She must screw better than she wears that shitty dress." She stood abruptly, swinging her curves, and cut her way through the crowd. My fists clenched tight, the tips of my nails digging into my palms.

Ally glared at Rome and she shook her head in disapproval. I didn't dare look at anyone else. I wriggled loose from his arms. Romeo tried to grip onto me harder, but I managed to shuffle to the edge of the booth.

"I need to use the bathroom," I blurted out.

Romeo edged forward, hard faced, and thundered, "Don't you dare run, not after everythin' you said."

I shushed him to silence, which was met by a sharp twitch of his mouth. He wasn't used to being shot down and I knew it annoyed him. "I'm going to the bathroom!" I snapped, and I watched his face ice over. His eyes narrowed at my sharp tone and I tossed my hair dismissively, not caring, and walked away.

I heard Ally shout, "Wait, Molly!" But I didn't stop.

I'd almost reached the bathroom when someone clasped my hand tightly and pulled me behind them. I stubbornly stood stock-still, snagging back my arm, and Romeo whipped 'round to fix me with his furious gaze.

Releasing an angry grunt and taking a tight hold of my hand again, he dragged me into an empty corridor, trying several doors to see if they were unlocked. When one swung open-a storage cupboard-he pulled me inside, flicking on the light, locked the door, and whirled to me, hands firmly on his hips.

"I fucked her once. Last year. There was nothin' more to it. You don't need to be upset by it, and you certainly don't need to fuckin' run away."

I glared at him. "Well, excuse me if I don't enjoy your exploits flaunting their slutty selves in front of my face!"

Romeo's nostrils flared and he stepped closer. "You want to know all about my sexual past, all the sordid details? Fine! I've fucked a lot of girls, in many different ways, in many different places. They'd throw themselves my way and I'd give them what they wanted, and they'd fuckin' love it."

Before I knew what'd happened, I'd struck his face with my hand, the loud slap amplified by the tinny acoustics in the boxy room.

Blood scolded my veins, my chest pounded, and Rome turned a dark shade of purple.

"Did that feel good? Have you got it outta your system now?" he bit out, rubbing his hand along his cheek.

Tears swelled in my eyes. I didn't mean to hit him, but no one had ever evoked such a reaction in me before. I was physically shaking with the sudden rush of adrenalin.

Romeo leaned against the opposite wall, lowering his head. "They fucked Bullet. They only ever fucked Bullet!"

My breath paused with hurt. "Nice, Rome. Real nice. Is that what you'll do to me? Let me fuck the great Bullet Prince, give me what I want, and move on?!"

He stormed forward, forcing me back so my spine was flush against the cold steel shelves, his arms bracing me in a cage on either side. "Not at all, Shakespeare, but hear this. I'm gonna fuck you, but I'm also gonna make love to you. I'm gonna own every goddamn piece of your soul, and I'm never gonna let you go. You're gonna scream my name over and over until it's permanently lodged in your friggin' throat. You're not gonna be just a fuck to me, Mol-you're gonna be my fuckin' salvation!"

I swallowed as he placed his hand on my chin, urging me to look at him, to see him. "You'll make love to me-Romeo-not some pathetic fuckin' football alter ego. You'll get the real me, all of me, forever and ever. Is that clear enough for you?" He closed his eyes, pressing his forehead against mine. "Christ, Mol! I've never done this before. If I'd known you were out there waitin' for me, I wouldn't have fucked all those chicks. But I can't take it back."

I slumped back against the rigid metal. "It's all too much, isn't it? Your family obviously hates me, Shelly won't back off, you turn on anyone who even looks at me, and these... girls you've had in the past seem not to be able to let go. I have my own issues, Rome, you know this, and piled with yours... it's just too much. How can we possibly work under all this stress?"

Panic set on his features. "Don't. Don't do that!"

"Do what?"

"Write us off. Don't run away when it gets tough." He gripped my chin. "You fight your past problems. I'll learn to control my anger. We fight back against my family. We ignore all the others. We get through this! Don't you dare quit on me now, Shakespeare. Don't you fuckin' dare!"

"Rome-"

Dark eyes searched mine. "No! I won't let you go. I know I'm all kinds 'a wrong for you, but you've changed me. You've fuckin' changed me! Can't you see that?! You're gonna face this with me. Say it! Please, baby, say it to me!"

I shook my head, ready to argue, and he shuffled forward until he held me captive with his tall, broad body. "Say you get me, Mol?"

"Rome, I-" I groaned.

A clenched fist hit the shelves behind, causing stacks of boxes to crash loudly to the floor. "You're not runnin'. YOU GET ME???"

"YES! YES, I FUCKING GET YOU!" I screamed, pushing against his chest. Even through the hardness of his words, I could feel the fear pulsing from his body at the thought of losing me.