Roman stared at Rhea. He wasn't sure what to make of her. Something had happened tonight that he needed to know the answer of before allowing her to go home. She had accepted that she was forced to stay in his house but he wondered how scared she was behind her tough appearance.

"Easy," Austin said. "One step at a time."

Roman looked towards the voice and saw Austin help Jezebel walk back into the living room.

"Jezebel," Roman said. "Are you okay?"
"Help me over to Roman," Jezebel said.

Austin helped Jezebel over to the chair on the left side of Roman. Jezebel sat down and Austin walked around the table to sit across from Roman. Roman looked down at Jezebel's hands and saw she was wearing her gloves. She turned her head and looked at the fireplace.

"This is my favorite room in this house. I like the fire. It keeps me warm on the inside as well as the outside," Jezebel said.
"Sometimes you make me feel sad," Roman said.
"Why?" Jezebel asked.
"No man can ever touch you. For 30 long years you've only experienced other people kissing and loving each other. You can't even hold someone's hand. It's not fair that someone as beautiful as you will never experience that type of love," Roman said.
"I don't need it," Jezebel said.
"Everyone needs love," Roman said.
"Not that type of love," Jezebel said.
"Double A," Austin said.

Roman looked over at Austin with raised eyebrows.

"Aro ace. Double A," Austin said.
"I don't understand," Roman said.
"Nature took care of me when granting me this gift," Jezebel said.
"She's aromantic and asexual. She doesn't want anyone to touch her or love her in that way," Austin said.
"You know I don't believe in that shit," Roman laughed.

Austin sighed and looked over at Jezebel. It wasn't the first time and it wouldn't be the last time she met people not believing that was real and that some people lived like that without any problems. It didn't matter. As long as his sister was happy, he was happy for her.

"Our father was not a good man," Jezebel said.
"Your father? What does he have to do with anything?" Roman asked.
"Austin," Jezebel said.

Austin felt tears run down his cheeks. Roman looked at the younger man and saw nothing but pain on his face.

"He did things to me. Horrible things. Things that no child should ever experience," Austin said.
"Why are you telling me this now?" Roman asked.
"Because I need you to understand that the level of pain I carry around inside me is enough to bring an adult man to his knees," Austin said.
"I still don't understand. What does that have to do with what happened tonight?" Roman asked.
"My pain is horrible but Rhea's pain is even worse. The level of pain she went through for so long is enough to kill an adult man," Austin said.
"Rhea?" Roman looked over at Rhea. "Who hurt you, sweetheart?"
"You did!" Jezebel growled.

Before Roman knew what was happening, Jezebel was behind him. He hadn't noticed she had used Austin as a distraction to remove her gloves. She placed her hands on his head and he got all the pain from both Rhea and Austin at once. Austin jumped across the table and covered Roman's mouth so no one in the house would hear him scream.

"Feel my pain!" Jezebel hissed. "Feel all the pain you brought on her!"

Pain went through Roman until his body gave up and died on the spot. Jezebel fell to the floor and crawled over to the fireplace.

"Are you okay?" Rhea asked.

Jezebel looked up and saw Rhea standing there with her gloves. She reached up and took her gloves from the other woman.

"Was your revenge satisfying enough?" Jezebel asked.
"It felt justified," Rhea said.
"You're free to go," Jezebel said.
"What if I don't want to?" Rhea asked.

Rhea sat down next to Jezebel and felt the warmth from the flames.

"It feels nice here. And your brother is cute," Rhea said. "Can I ask him out?"
"You wanna date my brother?" Jezebel asked.
"I think so," Rhea said.
"He's a big man. He can do whatever he wants. He likes to play dumb in front of Roman and his cousins but he's smart enough to fool them all," Jezebel said.
"I already figured that part out. There was something in his eyes that made me understand you two have been playing them all along," Rhea said.
"We needed a place to stay. We agreed to work for him but we never learned to like him," Jezebel said.

Austin jumped down from the table and went over to sit down on the other side of Jezebel.

"I like this house," Austin said.
"Me too," Jezebel said.
"Should we claim it?" Austin asked.
"I think you should," Rhea started grinning. "And I'll help you."
"They're all asleep by now. A quick in and out of all their rooms and they won't even wake up," Jezebel said.
"I like you," Rhea laughed. "I think you just became my new, best friend."

Jezebel snorted in laughter and nodded. She stood up and Rhea and Austin followed her.

"I can't handle anymore minds tonight. We'll go the easy route with guns. I know where Roman keeps the key to his gun safe," Jezebel said.
"Of course you do," Austin chuckled.
"He trusted me too much," Jezebel chuckled too. "Alright, let's go slay some bad men and make this our home. If you need a room, Rhea, feel free to move in as well. This place is big enough."
"Maybe one day if Austin and I will last," Rhea said.
"What did I miss?" Austin asked.
"You're going on a date," Jezebel smirked. "After we clean up this place."

Austin looked over at Rhea and smiled when he finally realized what Jezebel was talking about.

"I'm so game," Austin said.
"Good," Jezebel said. "You deserve someone like Rhea. A strong woman who'll have your back the same way you'll have hers."