Juliet Immortal

body, driving Romeo out of his mind with fear.
    Still, he manages to work up a laugh as his eyes rake up and down my soaked frame. “You still love me. You can’t help yourself.” He takes a step forward.
    “Don’t touch me!” I warn, raising my fists.
    “Get away from her! Now!” Ben’s voice comes from behind me, near the wall where he’s just hit the lights. As afraid as I am for his safety, I’m equally glad to see him. I back away, keeping one eye on Romeo as I move toward Ben.
    “You love me, you—”
    “I don’t. And I won’t. Ever.” I can’t lie, even for the sake of convincing Ben I’m with Dylan.
    “You heard her.” Ben takes my hand, pulling me behind him. “She isn’t interested anymore,” he says, a thinly veiled threat in his tone.
    Romeo laughs. “Then why …” His smile fades as his eyes flick back and forth between Ben and me, and a strangled soundescapes his throat. “What have you done?” Romeo turns his full attention to me. “What have you done!” Shock and betrayal sharpen his features, making him appear even more haggard.
    “Leave,
pendejo
,” Ben warns.
    “No.” Romeo’s rage banishes his despair. He steps forward, pointing an accusing finger at my chest. “You will always be mine. This changes nothing. You are mine!” He lunges for me, but Ben moves faster, palms finding Romeo’s shoulders and shoving—hard.
    Romeo stumbles backward, falling to one knee before regaining his balance. Ben’s hand wraps around my waist, urging me toward the door. I turn, trying to keep Romeo in my line of sight, but Ben holds tight.
    “Come on,” he says. “Let’s get—”
    His words end in a huff of breath as Romeo grabs him from behind and spins him back into the theater, tackling him with a scream of rage. They fall to the ground in a tangle of arms and legs and tight fists. “I’ll kill you. I’ll kill you myself!” Romeo’s fist comes at Ben’s face, but Ben dodges to the left, leaving Romeo nothing to punch but floor.
    I run forward, reaching them just as Romeo’s knuckles slam into the wooden planks hard enough to make them crack. I reach for his arms, but he’s already busy with his leg. He sweeps his foot in a circle, knocking me to the floor. I fall as Romeo turns and dives for Ben again.
    Ben’s ready for him this time. He grabs Romeo’s shoulders and rolls to the ground, kneeing Romeo in the gut, hitting hard enough to lift his feet off the floor. Even before he lands, Ben’s at him with his fists, pounding at Romeo’s face, chest, stomach—any body part unlucky enough to come into range. He’s terrifyingly fast, brutal, holding nothing back. If Romeowere in top form, Ben wouldn’t be able to land half his blows, but in his present state Romeo isn’t faring well. There’s a chance Ben could damage Romeo, and his own future along with him. I have to end this. Now.
    “Ben, stop!” I scream. “Stop!”
    But he doesn’t seem to hear me. He’s lost in the fight, his bright eyes shadowed in a way I’ve never seen before. I’m going to have to stop him myself, hope he’ll come to his senses if I pull him away.
    I’ve just taken a step forward when the door to the theater opens and a male voice cries out. “What’s going on in here? Ben! Dylan! Stop this right now!” Mr. Stark—with Mike, the student teacher, close on his heels—runs into the theater. Together, they pull Romeo and Ben apart, revealing the mess they’ve made of each other.
    I suck in a breath, fingers flying to my lips. Romeo’s eye is swollen, and blood leaks from the side of his mouth. Ben’s face looks better, but he can’t seem to stand up straight, even with Mike holding his arm.
    “We’re going to the office. Now!” Mr. Stark pulls a glaring Romeo toward the door. “You too, Ariel,” he adds before heading out into the rain. Mike and Ben follow. As they come closer, Ben’s eyes meet mine, making a promise, a vow that he would do the same thing again in a heartbeat. That he will destroy anyone who tries to hurt me. Anyone who dares to threaten the girl he … the girl he …
    Oh no. It can’t be. He can’t feel
that
. Even if he
thinks
he does.
    It’s impossible.
Gemma
is his soul mate; she’s the one he’s been glowing for since the night I arrived, and probably long before.
    “Don’t say you’re sorry,” he says, stopping beside me.
    “But …” But I am. So, so sorry. It doesn’t matter if the Ambassadors are liars. I can’t