Shocked

Not seeing Henry had become nearly impossible. Juliet had absolutely no desire to see him whatsoever, but his constant calling and insisting that she go out with him was getting old. Now that he no longer had control of Rome’s contract, she decided it was time to rip off the band-aid. She’d already told Parker that they were just going to have to be friends, a realization he hadn’t taken well, but she thought he’d get over. She wasn’t sure how Henry would react.
She walked into Capressies knowing he was there already. She was purposely twenty minutes late. It would be easier to have a blow up with him if he was already mad. That’s what she needed, to make him so angry at her that he was happy he’d never have to see her again. She just hoped it wasn’t temporary.
He’d sent her several texts already. Her phone chimed from another one as she walked in the door. He was at the same table they usually sat at, staring at the device in his hand so that he didn’t even see her. Pursing her lips so that she could channel all of the frustration she felt at having spent so much time with him over the last several months into her face, she strolled over, clunking her handbag down on the table.
Henry looked up, his eyes wide at the sudden intrusive sound. “There you are,” he said, shaking his head and inserting his phone into his breast pocket. “You could’ve let me know you were going to be late.”
“That would’ve just made me later,” she said, rolling her eyes in annoyance. “You know how busy I am. You can’t expect me to be on time every single time you ask to see me.”
His eyes widened as she sat down. “I can’t expect you to show me the common courtesy of arriving at the appointed hour?”
Her retort would have to wait as the waiter was there to take her order. She requested a martini and waited for him to leave. It was clear Henry was on his second, maybe his third, whiskey by the way the words were coming out of his mouth.
“Not when I’ve told you a hundred times that I am too busy to meet with you.”
Shaking his head, Henry leaned back in his chair. “You know, I’m not sure why I bother, Juliet. It seems like you never have time for me. Perhaps it’s because you’ve been spending so much time with that football player… Parker.”
She sneered and shook her head in return. “Whatever, Henry. You have no idea how I spend my time. Listen, when I first met you, I found you intriguing. That’s beginning to wear off.”
He sat up straight. The waiter brought her drink and she took it with a hurried thanks that sent him off again without asking if she needed anything else. “What’s that supposed to mean?” Henry demanded. “You no longer find me intriguing. So… you don’t want to see me anymore?”
She shrugged. “Maybe not.”
His eyes widened in shock. “Juliet, this is just a fight. I’m just upset that you never seem to have time for me, that you’re always late….”
“And I’m just upset that you’re being a whiny little bitch,” she said, arching one eyebrow and taking another drink.
It had been a low blow, the sort of comment Ella Verona would’ve never let part her lips. She saw his face begin to turn crimson and wished she could take it back.
But the damage was done. He was angry now. “I’m a whiny little bitch?” Henry shouted loud enough for people around them to turn and look. Now it was Juliet’s turn to feel her face redden. “How dare you? You know, you would be nothing if it wasn’t for me!”
Laughter spilled from between her lips, out of her control. “How in the world do you figure? You have had nothing to do with my success!”
“I haven’t?” Henry said folding his arms and then unfolding them, slamming his hand down on the table. “Goddamn it, Juliet. Do you have any idea how many buyers I’ve brought you?”
“Oh, please. As far as I know, it’s just one, and the only thing he bought was from you--a contract that I offered to buy first.”
Realization seemed to dawn on Henry’s face, and even though it wasn’t quite on track, it was precisely what he should’ve concluded with the information he had available to him. “So that’s what this is about? You’re angry that I sold Rome Verona’s contract to Lloyd Sinders and not to you?”
She shrugged, trying to play it off, like he hadn’t just gotten to the heart of the matter. “It doesn’t matter now.”
“Maybe it does. If that’s what you’re so angry about, maybe I can get it back.”
She scoffed. “Please. Lloyd Sinders has been wanting to control Rome since he was a toddler. He’ll never sell it. Besides, I’ve moved on now. Perhaps I wasn’t giving Rome enough credit. I thought that he was an awful person because you hated him so much, but now, well, maybe I got that wrong, too.” She gave him an icy stare, watching him absorb the blow to the gut and reel slightly before his eyes narrowed.
“Now who is being a bitch?”
Juliet sighed and picked up her handbook. “I didn’t have time for this meeting to begin with. I really don’t have time for this.” She pulled out a large bill and dropped it on the table, more than enough to cover her drink and leave a sizable tip. “Henry, it’s been real. Feel free to lose my number. We’re done.” Pushing her chair back, Juliet rose, hoping that her ride was still just outside so she could get away before Henry did something desperate. She could tell by his expression that he was seething and likely to make a scene.
As she stood, he shouted, “What? No, wait. You can’t do that.”
Every eye within a twenty foot radius was turned to them. She gave him a pointed look but then turned toward the door. Henry was up and after her, grabbing at her arm. “Let go of me!” she insisted, yanking it away.
Out of nowhere, someone came flying at Henry, knocking him backward a good twenty feet. He hit the table and sent their drinks spilling, a rattle of glass against wood. Juliet thought perhaps it was another patron trying to help her, but once she got a chance to focus her eyes on the blur that had come to her rescue, she realized it was Rome. “What are you doing here?” she shouted as Henry regained his footing and came flying at her protector.
“Preventing this asshole from ever laying a hand on you again!” he shouted, his fist up to show Henry he meant business.
She stared in shock, having had no idea he’d even left home. Henry’s right eye began to twitch, reminding Juliet of a wild animal, and she took a step toward Rome, thinking she might intervene. She knew better, though. He’d want to handle this, so she’d let him.
Henry’s first punch was wide, off-target because he was so angry, he couldn’t even control his own movements. The whiskey probably wasn’t helping either. A crowd formed around the men as Rome dodged and threw a right hook that caught Henry right in the cheekbone. The Frenchman’s head flung back, the bruise appearing immediately.
He wasn’t done, though. He threw a jab with his left hand that Rome blocked but countered with a right that hit him in the stomach. Rome doubled over slightly but not for so long that Henry could get in another punch. Rome pushed him backward, putting some space between them, and Henry collided with the table behind the one where they’d been sitting, one where the guests had left already. Another clang of upset dishes and silverware hit her ear as a wine glass spilled all over the remnants of a steak dinner, the red liquid appearing to bloody the white tablecloth. Henry scrambled for a second his hands slipping as he tried to steady himself, but then he was up, moving toward Rome again, this time with conviction, one hand halfway behind his back, as if he were winding up for the blow.
Furious that Henry had punched Rome when he was just there to keep her safe, Juliet took a few steps toward the fight, thinking she’d punch Henry a few times herself, possibly below the belt. But before she could get there, a bouncer stepped between the two men, ordering them that that was enough. He was a big guy, probably larger than The Tank even, and there was no way either of them were going to get at one another with his solid wall of muscle between them.
At least, that’s what Juliet presumed. The two fighters seemed to be calming down now, seeing that they had acted irrationally. The bouncer seemed to recognize this as well and took a step back. Rome glared at Henry but then turned to go, presumably to escort her home, when Henry launched himself at Rome one more time.
The blow came to Rome’s back, near his kidney, a punch that was sure to hurt, but as Juliet watched Rome’s face, it became clear that it wasn’t a typical jab that had injured him. His eyes widened, and all of the blood began to drain from his face.
The bouncer reacted first, pushing Henry back and shouting for help. It was then that a shiny object slipped from Henry’s grasp onto the modern blue carpet. Her mouth fell agape as her eyes widened with realization. The blood was draining from Rome’s face because it was spilling all over the floor.
As he fell forward, she rushed to him, grabbing hold of him and lowering him to the floor. His voice was just a whisper, but she could understand what he was saying, “Ella… I love you, Ella.”