My Dark Romeo

Distracted by his confused feelings for Dallas, Romeo leaves the house to spend time with Oliver and Zach. When he gets home later, he avoids Dallas, comforting himself that he doesn’t miss her.

Over the following days, Romeo intentionally avoids Dallas to prove he doesn’t need her. One day, he returns home unable to find Dallas. Hettie guesses Dallas has gone to Barnes & Noble to get the newest Henry Plotkin book, but Romeo finds her sick in bed. He tries helping her, but she demands he get out. He dismisses himself and calls her mom and sister for help. He also tasks Hettie with caring for her. Then he goes to the bookstore to get Dallas’s new book. When he returns home, he stands outside her door and eavesdrops on her conversation with Frankie, who’s come over to help. He’s horrified to hear Dallas tell Frankie her plan to get pregnant and then abscond to Chapel Falls.

Feeling betrayed, Romeo stays at Zach’s for the holidays. Meanwhile, he receives constant messages from Natasha and Frankie, pestering him to come see Dallas. He responds, saying he’s getting drunk because Dallas betrayed him, and he means nothing to her. Brooding at Zach’s, Romeo realizes he’s in love with Dallas.

On Christmas morning, Frankie texts Romeo demanding he come see Dallas. He finds her in bed and stays with her despite her insistence that he leave. While holding her, he marvels at how important she’s become to him.

Dallas wakes up, surprised that Romeo is still with her. She lets go of her anger because he’s come back. Feeling better, she tries to initiate sex. Instead, Romeo confronts her about what he heard her tell Frankie. Dallas lies and says she only said that for Frankie’s benefit. Then they kiss and have sex. When Dallas wakes up again later, she notices the Barnes & Noble bag, thrilled to see her new book inside. She realizes she’s in love with Romeo and doesn’t want to lose him.

In the days leading up to New Year’s, Dallas worries about her relationship with Romeo because he’s been emotionally distant. They’ve continued to have unprotected sex, and she comforts herself that she’ll soon have his baby inside of her. Then, a few weeks after New Year’s, Dallas tells Romeo she’s going to visit her family. They admit how much they’re going to miss each other, deciding to go on their first real date after Dallas gets home.

Two days after Dallas returns home, Romeo drives to Chapel Falls, desperate to see her. He insists he can’t be without her and wants to take her out immediately. Dallas accepts, realizing she really is in love.

Romeo takes Dallas to the library before they go out for food. Hungry, Romeo stages a scene when the server says they’re out of hamburgers. Dallas gets him some fries and shepherds him out to the car, insisting that he explain why he’s so upset.

Romeo opens up about his childhood trauma. When he was young, Monica didn’t take care of him, and he acted out. Senior shipped him off to Italy to stay with his aunt, who also neglected him. He rarely had anything to eat. Then one of his aunt’s boyfriends forced him to fight for money. He would only feed Romeo if he won. Eventually, Senior realized what was going on and brought him home. He didn’t care about Romeo but was worried he’d lose his only heir. Ever since, Romeo has gotten aggressive when he’s hungry. He also chews gum because when he was starving at his aunt’s, gum quelled his appetite. Dallas comforts him, promising to be a good mother to their children. Romeo realizes she’s stolen his heart.

Dallas and Romeo return to Potomac. They spend every night having unprotected sex all over the house. A week later, Dallas and Hettie are watching television when they learn that Madison and his father “have been arrested on corporate fraud charges” (334). Dallas calls Romeo, feeling pleased with the news and failing to anticipate the repercussions.

Romeo attends a business meeting, thrilled that he’ll soon be named CEO. Before Senior makes the announcement, Romeo gets a text that Madison has been released on bail and is en route to his home. He gets up to leave. Senior threatens to withhold the CEO position if Romeo doesn’t stay. Afraid for Dallas’s life, Romeo defies Senior and races out.

Romeo takes his car home. On the way, he texts his friends about what’s going on. On his doorstep, he feels suddenly strange and realizes he’s been poisoned. He texts Oliver, who calls an ambulance. Romeo struggles to get into the house, realizing Madison must have paid Jared to kill him. He finds Dallas but collapses as soon as he enters her room. He tells her he’s been poisoned and professes his love. Dallas cradles Romeo’s slack body, blaming herself for Madison’s crime. As the ambulance approaches, Dallas begs Romeo not to die.

Dallas cries over Romeo’s body, shocked that she’s able to shed tears. She looks up to see the remaining petals fall off her rose. When the paramedics arrive, Dallas clings to Romeo’s body, insisting she can’t lose him.

Dallas stays by Romeo’s bedside while he’s in a medically-induced coma. Then the lawyers arrive and reveal that Romeo scrapped the prenuptial agreement and wrote a will, making Dallas his sole heir. Romeo’s eyes pop open. The two cling to each other and profess their love. Romeo admits he hasn’t hated her since the party she threw.

Six months later, Dallas and Romeo return from another honeymoon. Romeo leads Dallas inside, surprising her with a complete renovation. He gutted the house and turned it into a library. They embrace and profess their love.

A year later, Romeo returns home one day to find Dallas crying on the bathroom floor. She reveals that she’s pregnant. Dallas races around the house in excitement while Romeo FaceTimes his friends with the news.

Afterward, Romeo joins Dallas in their bedroom. He studies her, marveling at her beauty.