My eyes widened. I had never seen Rome so belligerent before.
“Rome, stop this foolishness right now,” his dad hissed.
Rome’s nostrils flared, his skin flushed red, and he glared at his dad, but stopped yelling.
“I don’t know how many times the doctor has to tell you the same things, but I didn’t sign up to be a nurse and push a grown man in a wheelchair.” My eyes darted to the woman standing on the opposite side of the bed Rome’s parents were on. She wore a bored look on her face. Her mentioning a wheelchair caught my attention. I eyed Rome’s legs.
I squinted, wondering who she was and why she was here.
“Not now, Lauren,” Rome spat.
“Then when, Rome? You throwing a tantrum isn’t going to change anything.”
Rome glared at her. No one had noticed I’d stepped in the room. They were all too busy arguing with each other.
My hands went into my coat pocket and toyed with the engagement ring in it. “Rome,” I called out, stepping away from the door. Everyone quieted and eight eyes fell on me.
Rome’s eyes bucked. “Nakyra, what are you doing here?”
“I’m—” I paused and looked around. Disdain was plastered on his parents’ faces and amusement rested on Lauren’s. “What’s going on? Why are you so upset?”
“This is a family matter, Nakyra, you need to?—”
I cut his mom off. “I’m his fiancée. I am family!” I clutched the ring in my hand.
The girl huffed out a laugh. “Rome, you need to tell her,” she stated.
“Quiet, Lauren!” he spat.
“No! I’ve been quiet! It’s time to reveal the truth. If you don’t, then I will.” She crossed her arms.
“Not now!”
My eyes bounced between Lauren and Rome. Something twisted in my stomach. I licked my lips and swallowed hard.
“We need to talk, Rome,” I told him. “Alone.”
“For God’s sake!” Marisol groaned. “Rome, you need to be focusing on your recovery. Nakyra, whatever you need to speak with him about can wait.”
“No, it can’t.”
My head throbbed. Too much was going on at the moment. All I wanted was to come and end things so I could move on. The last thing I’d anticipated was all this.
Rome gripped his head and winced. “Nakyra, we can talk later.”
I shook my head. Gone was the Nakyra who just pushed things down until later and let them fester. I wasn’t leaving here until I said what I needed to say.
My eyes went to Lauren. “Who are you?”
Her perfectly-arched eyebrows rose. “Are you talking to me?”
“I am. You said Rome needs to tell me something or you will. So tell me.” I had a feeling where this was going but I needed to hear it. So many things were starting to make sense to me.
“Nakyra—”
“I’m Rome’s lover,” the girl stated. “Or rather… I was. I didn’t sign up to be with a handicapped man.” She flicked her long, black hair over her shoulders. Looking at her it wasn’thard to tell she came from money. Everything on her screamed expensive.
“Lauren!” Rome hissed.
