Heads snapped towards the entrance as heavy footsteps stormed down the hall. The tension in the room thickened. ir’s pulse pounded in her ears.


    Roman.


    He filled the doorway, broad–shouldered and furious, his dark eyes sweeping across the room looking for a target. His <b>jaw </b>was clenched so tight it looked like it might crack, his hands fisted at his sides.


    He wasn’t just angry. He was livid.


    The room wentpletely silent. Everyone just stared at the new yer who had entered the fray.


    “Well, shit.” ir said under her breath. She was going to fucking kill him. It was all there in her eyes for everyone to see.


    Dan shifted in his seat, clearing his throat. “What the hell are you doing here?”


    ir stared at Dan. What an idiot. That was not the way to speak to your boss when you were no longer engaged to the boss’s secretary? Not like Roman was the type to put up with any disrespect. But Dan had been shagging Laura in business hours. She would guess that Roman already knew.


    H


    Roman didn’t even reply. He switched his gaze to ir, searching, as if making sure she was okay. When he seemed satisfied seeing her sisters nking her, his eyes flicked to Laura.


    Laura went rigid, gripping the edge of the table so hard her knuckles turned white. Dan, oblivious, leaned back in his chair like he owned the ce.


    “I was outside,” Roman said, his voice low and lethal. “Trying to decide if I should knock. But then I heard everything.” His gaze darkened, looking between Aunt Viv to Uncle Peter before finallynding on Dan. “And I couldn’t fucking listen to another second of this bullshit.”


    Aunt Viv straightened. “Who the hell are you? This is a private matter…


    He cut her off. “No, it’s not. Not anymore.”


    ir’s stomach twisted. Shit and double shit. There wasn’t a way she could exin his presence here. Whatever Roman was about to say was going to detonate in the middle of this already vtile situation. And she wasn’t sure if she was ready for the fallout. She hadn’t even told her sisters yet.


    Roman took a slow step forward, every muscle in his body coiled tight. “You want to sit here and act like Dan is some devoted fiancé? As if ir is the one throwing this away?” He let out a sharpugh, humorless and cold. He gave Dan a look that would make most men check themselves. “Maybe you should ask him about his othermitments first.”


    Dan scoffed, but his cocky smirk faltered. “What are you even talking about?”


    Roman tilted his head, studying him like a hawk studies weak prey. Then he shifted his gaze to Laura.


    Before Roman could say anything, Dan stood up, saying. “I’d like to know what the hell you are doing here. ir is my fiancé.”


    Keira scoffed, thenughed.


    Dan didn’t give Roman the chance to reply.. “You may be our boss, Roman, but that doesn’t give you the right to just march in here and control us outside work hours. I think ir and I need to have a word with HR tomorrow. This is really overstepping.”


    ir’s eyes widened at Dan’s audacity to link their names together. It didn’t go unnoticed by Roman. Because his nostrils red. Keira, ever the sharp one, noticed and realization dawned in her eyes. She turned to ir, giving her a thumbs up.


    16:08 Wed, 18 Jun


    Then fanned her face with her hand.


    .95%


    “ir has made it my business,” Roman informed everyone in the room. “Try your best with HR, Dan. Because I have already informed them of the extra long lunch breaks you have been taking.”


    Bingo. He had known about Dan. It made ir frown. Had he known why?


    But Dan, jumping up from his seat in a rage, stopped her line of thought.


    +28)


    “That’s a lie. I don’t know what ir told you, but it’s just sour grapes. She was angry because she found out…” Dan stopped, realizing what he was about to say.


    “You were saying?” Roman invited him to continue digging his own grave.


    “Listen, this has nothing to do with you. Please leave.” Dan was clearly rattled having Roman involved. Worried about what coulde out in front of his boss<b>. </b>


    “Like I said, ir made it my business when she turned to me for support after walking in on you having sex with-”


    Dan cut him off, turning to ir angrily. “You fucking went to him.”


    ir was a little surprised by the anger in his face until she remembered Dan didn’t like the extra time ir had to spend with Roman on business trips and like the times she had yed host for him. ir’s eyes widened in shock. He was jealous, or was it more like he thought he owned her?


    “Just how did hefort you, ir?” Dan asked.


    “Dan.” Pa said, not happy with the way her son was acting.


    ir couldn’t help the red flush that filled her cheeks. It wasn’t guilt because she had nothing to feel guilty about. It was everyone finding out this way.


    Seeing the color on ir’s cheeks. “You fucking slut.” Dan screamed at her. He took only one step towards her. Roman didn’t say a word. He moved immediately. One moment, he was by the door. The next, he was in Dan’s face, a solid wall of fury making Pa and auntie Viv gasp.


    Dan raised shocked eyes to Roman’s. “What the hell is your problem?”


    Roman’s voice was eerily calm. Too calm. “You.”


    ir felt Sutton grip her arm. She nced at her sister, who was watching the unfolding disaster with wide eyes<b>. </b>


    Keira, however, looked thrilled.


    “Finally,” she whispered, like she’d been waiting for this moment. “It was getting so boring listening to Dan beg. This is so much more fun. Do we have any popcorn?<b>” </b>


    ir bit the inside of her mouth to stop herself fromughing. This was not the time. Keira’sck of tack was really going to get her in trouble one day.


    Aunt Viv shot up from her seat. “This is unnecessary! We’re trying to have a civilized conversation.”


    Roman ignored herpletely. His focus was locked on Dan. “You think you can just waltz back into ir’s life and pretend like nothing happened?”


    Dan scoffed. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”


    Roman red at him. “I know exactly what I’m talking about.”


    O


    95%


    +28)


    Dan puffed out his chest like he thought he actually stood a chance. “I don’t have to exin myself to you.” Then shot a look towards ir. “How could you throw yourself at him?”


    Roman tilted his head slightly, like he was debating whether throwing Dan through a window would be worth the legal consequences. “You think I won’t break your jaw in front of everyone here?”


    Keira leaned toward ir. “Please let him.”


    ir shot her a look. Keira was really loving this.


    Dan, either brave or extremely stupid, opened his mouth to say something even more stupid. “You’re acting like you actually matter here. You’re nothing but a fling. ir will marry me.”


    ir stiffened. Like hell.


    Roman’s expression didn’t change. He didn’t blink. Didn’t flinch. But the temperature in the room dropped by ten degrees.


    “A fling?” His voice was dangerously low. “You really are that dense, aren’t you?”


    Dan shrugged. “I mean, let’s be real. ir and I have history. You’re just some guy who got in the way.” He smirked. “But don’t worry. ir’s mine, Roman. always has been. We will just need to talk about her slutty ways.”


    ir barely had time to register what happened next.


    One second, Roman was standing still. The next, he had Dan shoved against the wall, forearm pressed against his throat.


    ir couldn’t believe Dan’sment after he had been sleeping with Laura for months and god knows who else. If Roman hadn’t been between her and Dan, she would have kicked Dan in the nuts. What was it with men that didn’t see their own faults? He was the slut, not her.


    Keira let out an impressed whistle. “That’s hot.”


    “Really!” Aunt Viv shrieked. “Stop this at once!”


    Pa gasped, clutching her hands <i>to </i>her chest.


    Dan choked out augh, though it was weaker now. “I’ll sue you for this.”