Chapter 16: Twenty Questions
Samara
I can’t breathe. I had to get out of that room. Everything in that room reminds me of home…
I check the stalls to make sure no one else is in here, then I go to the sink and splash water on my face.
Why? Why did he create a room in honor of my family? Is this some sick way of reminding himself that he won? That he defeated his best friend? And what about that? He doesn’t know that I know Teddy, but he called him his best friend. He could have called him anything, a previous friend, an acquaintance, an enemy, anything, but he called him his best friend, and he’d
looked like he’d meant it
He even remembered my mother’s and Althea’s favorite flowers and filled the room with them. I don’t even know how he
could have gotten them. They’re not in season. My father used to grow the irises year–round in our greenhouses just because he knew my mother loved therp.
There’s a knock on the door. “Samantha, are you okay?”
“Busy in here!” I growl back at Roman. He doesn’t push and thankfully, he doesn’t walk in
Our family crest is hanging above the fireplace. The weight of my grief nearly brought me to my knees when I saw it. But the picture of Teddy, Roman, and Sawyer on the mantle, laughing in front of that same fireplace when Teddy was sixteen or seventeen is what really pushed me over the edge, I was almost desperate to take the photo and touch the picture of my brother when he was happy, when he was alive.
“Why?” 1 whisper at my reflection
“Maybe he didn’t betray our brother, Ayla says hopefully.
He was there, Ayla I saw him. He was there with Sawyer.‘
I can feel her hopefulness that our mate didn’t betray our family.
“Maybe we should wait to kill him until we know the truth about that night. You saw him there, yes. But he didn’t kill Teddy, Sawyer did.‘
“Ayla, you shouldn’t get your hopes up, I say to her.
I can hear female voices murmuring outside the door and I’m guessing Roman isn’t letting anyone in here while I’m in here. I quickly wash my face again.
I’m going to somehow have to find the strength to eat with Teddy’s smiling face looking down at me. I smile thinking of the filet mignon
“Try this, Sammie,” he said the first time I joined the family at this restaurant. It was the first filet mignon I’d ever tried and it was love at first bite. I never ordered another steak at this restaurant. My father would joke that I have expensive taste in food, but Teddy just said that I liked the good things in life. I was excited to see that they still have it on the menu.
I look in the mirror one more time, take a deep breath, and put my fake smile back on my face. When I pull the door open, Roman moves, as if expecting me to attack him.
I raise my eyebrow at him, as if he’s being utterly ridiculous. Then I turn and see the line of she–wolves waiting to enter the bathroom
“Sorry for the wait. There was absolutely no need for it but try to get an Alpha to listen to anyone but themselves,” I say. giving them a conspiratorial look. I see some lips twitch and other duck their heads so their smiles won’t show.
“Let’s go, Samantha Our salads are on the table,” Roman says, obviously not appreciating my sarcasm.
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I turn my fake smile on him and head back to our private room. I take another deep breath before entering the room.
“You could have let them in, you know. Women wait enough to use the bathrooms in public places. You shouldn’t make them
wait when there isn’t a reason.”
wasn’t confident that you wouldn’t try to take one of them as a hostage.”
“Well, at least you’ve finally realized that I’m not trying to kill anyone,” I say, taking my seat. Before I can scoot myself in, he’s there, scooting my chair in for me.
“That’s not necessary. I can scoot in my own chair.”
“Of course you
you can. But that doesn’t mean that I’m not going to be a gentleman and help you.”
I force myself to focus on the salad and not on Teddy’s shining, happy face nearby. I take my first bite and it’s yet another wave of memories that flood into my mind. They haven’t changed the recipe for their house dressing in nine years and as I close my eyes, I swear I can hear the laughter of my family around me.
My throat tightens and I’m not sure I’ll be able to swallow the salad down
“What’s your favorite color, Samantha?” Roman asks me,
My eyes flash open and the sounds in my head disappear.
“What?” I mumble around the food in my mouth
“Your favorite color? You do have one right?” he asks, taking a bite of salad.
I force my own salad down and look at the irises. “Purple, I guess.”
“Favorite flower?”
I frown, taking another bite. “I don’t have one.”
“Favorite season?”
“Is this twenty questions?” I ask him.
I’m trying to get to know my mate in a way that you won’t shut down on me,” he says.
Maybe it’s the nostalgin of being in the room, but rather than being sarcastic or snarky, I answer.
“Spring. I love watching everything bloom”
“Favorite book?”
“Omegas don’t have a lot of time to read ”
He gives me a look and I’m surprised that he doesn’t say anything about me not being an omega. Instead, he continues.
“Do you play any instruments?”
“I used to,” I say softly, remembering how much I hated the piano lessons my mother forced on me. Goddess, I’d take every
one of them to have her back
“Which one?” he asks, keeping his voice gentle.
“Piano”
“Did you enjoy it
it? I don’t have one in the packhouse, but I could get ne if you’d like.”
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“No. I hated it actually. And I didn’t have enough years to become good at it,”
155 DONUS
I look down and realize that Roman’s questions have allowed me to eat my salad without choking on it. He pours both of us a glass of wine and hands one to me
“Try this, see if you like it,” he says.
I watch as he swirls the wine in his glass, sniffing it while he watches me. I look at my glass and do what he does, sniffing it.
It doesn’t smell bad.
“Not knowing what kind of wine you like, I opted for the best, but that doesn’t mean you’ll like it. You may find it too heavy, or too light, or you may not like red wine at all. But red wine pairs well with steak, which is why I chose it.”
I take a sip of the wine. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but it’s really good.”
I like it”
He smiles. “Good. You have good taste.”
I huff a laugh.
“You don’t believe me?” he asks.
once
“I was once told that I have expensive taste.”
“Nah, you just like the good things in life.”
I stare at him, nearly spilling my wine.
“What did you say?” I whisper.
He shakes his head, “Don’t mind me. It’s this room. It’s bringing back so many memories,” he says, looking around, his eyes stopping on the picture of him, Teddy, and Sawyer.
When I don’t respond, he looks at me again and sighs. “It’s something my best friend used to say to his sister when someone gave her a hard time about wanting something expensive. He never let her feel bad about it, always saying that she just liked the good things in life. He was good that way. He always knew the right thing to say.” He smiles sadly and I’m not sure what either of us would have said, but it’s at that moment that the waiter comes in with our food.
I use the distraction to take a deep breath. What the hell is going on? How does he remember these things? Why does he look
so sad when he talks about Teddy?
‘We need to find out more before we decide to kill him,‘ Ayla says quietly in my head, watching Roman intently through my
eyes.
I’m starting to think my wolf is right.
Cooper
Samara is starting to see Roman’s grief.
