《Beneath Her Bastard Boss》
Room Mate 1
Chapter 1
ir was so grateful to be home. She just didn¡¯t understand the demon that had possessed her boss during their recent business trip. He had driven everyone hard. They arrived home one day earlier than nned, but she was d to be away from him.
She had expected to return to the office with him. To her surprise, he gave her the rest of the afternoon off. Maybe he¡¯d decided they both needed a break. That was tine by her.
Lately, he¡¯d been a real shithead. Short¨Ctempered and demanding. When he dropped her off at her front door, she almost flipped him the bird. She paused, unsure whether he¡¯d catch the gesture in the rear¨Cview mirror.
Roman had this uncanny ability to sense everything. It was almost like he had eyes in the back of his head. You¡¯d think being gorgeous would make him a bit easier to work with. But no. If anything, it made him more of an ass. He was hot, and he knew it. Most everyone always fell at his feet trying to please
the man.
She didn¡¯t know what was going on. Roman had seemed more irritable in the past few months. He¡¯d been rubbing her the wrong way. Of the two years she¡¯d worked for him, thesest two months had been the worst. If he didn¡¯t pay her so well, or if she didn¡¯t need the job so badly, maybe she would tell him where to go.
ir shook her head. That wasn¡¯t true. Despite his sometimes shitty attitude, Roman did look after his staff. The benefits at Kingston¡¯s were great. People put up with more for the right perks.
The office offered excellent medical and dental coverage. There was always childcare within the building, and thepany was cutting back on maternity leave. It was a win¨Cwin for Kingston.
ir picked up her case and headed for the front door of the townhouse she shared with her cousin Laura and her fianc¨¦ Dan.
She checked her watch as she reached the front door. Dan wouldn¡¯t be home for a few hours. She nned to surprise him with a romantic dinner.
Laura was rarely home at night, always out partying. Her cousin was a model¨Cnot a supermodel, but still gorgeous. She knew how to make the most of it. ir, on the other hand, wasn¡¯t interested in clothes or makeup. She was more into books.
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They had both moved to the city for different reasons. Laura to follow her modeling career and for ir, it had been a chance to work for a greatpany like Kingston Industries. Under normally the great man himself Roman Kingston. Thepany had their fingers in so many pies, ir was never bored. Even when Roman was being his most demanding. She loved her job.
Fishing for her keys. She juggled her briefcase, handbag, and suitcase. Once the key was in the lock, it turned easily. ir pushed the door open. Stepping inside, she put her handbag and suitcase down at the bottom of the stairs. Before heading into the lounge room where she kept a desk. Sitting her briefcase on top.
ir turned to make her way to the kitchen, pondering what to prepare for dinner. As she walked past the foot of the stairs, a sudden noise from upstairs caused her to halt in her tracks. Was there someone else in the house? Had she returned home to an intruder? Filled with panic, ir took a step towards
the front door, ready to flee.
However, at that moment, she realized something. Laura. Unlike ir and Dan, Laura didn¡¯t adhere to their typical working hours. She often sleptte and stayed out until the early hours of the morning. It wasn¡¯t the first time ir had found her slumped on the front steps as she was leaving for work in the morning. ir wasn¡¯t sure if she should call out now. What if it wasn¡¯t her cousin?
Her eyes scanned the room for something to defend herself with¡ just in case. Her gazended on herte father¡¯s baseball bat, which she always kept near the front door when she was home alone at night. It made her feel safer.
She grabbed the bat, weighting it in her hand for a moment. Before she set foot on the stairs, she paused, wondering if any of them creaked. She couldn¡¯t remember. Taking a deep breath to steady her racing heart, ir ascended the stairs slowly, step by step.
When she reached thending, she stopped, straining to listen.
¡°Please be Laura. Please be Laura, and not some masked man waiting to jump out at me,¡± she muttered under her breath.
The hallway stretched ahead, with four doors. Three led to the bedrooms, and one opened to the shared bathroom. The only door ajar was the one to
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Chapter 1
her and Dan¡¯s bedroom. The others were shut. But to get to her bedroom, she¡¯d have to pass the other doors.
That¡¯s when she heard it, the unmistakable sound of a giggle from Laura, followed by a low, male groan. Relief flooded her chest. It wasn¡¯t a burr, Laura had brought someone home.
Just as ir was about to turn away and leave, she heard the voice of the man Laura was with.
¡°God, yes,¡± the voice groaned.
ir froze, her heart pounding. No. It couldn¡¯t be.
¡°Laura, you¡¯re so fucking hot,¡± Dan¡¯s voice came from their bedroom.
Her eyes widened. Dan. In their bed. With Laura. ir¡¯s stomach lurched.
This couldn¡¯t be happening. She moved quietly down the hall until she stood outside her bedroom door, praying this was all some kind of terrible misunderstanding.
With a trembling hand, she pushed the door open.
The sight that greeted her was like a punch to the gut. She staggered backward, her mind unable to process what she was seeing.
There, in the middle of the bed, was Dan, t on his back, with Laura straddling him, , guiding her movements.
¡°Err, yes, fuck me harder,¡± Laura moaned.
ir lifted a hand to her mouth to stop herself from crying out. No, no, no, no.
Dan¡¯s grip tightened on Laura¡¯s ass, spreading her cheeks wider.
ir had never seen Laura naked before, not that it mattered when she was currently riding ir¡¯s fianc¨¦.
How could she do this? They had both watched Laura¡¯s father, Peter, cheat repeatedly on Laura¡¯s mother, creating a toxic home life. ir had lived with them after losing her parents in a ne crash ten years ago. She had thought if anyone would understand the devastation of betrayal, it would be Laura.
This had to be a nightmare. ir pinched herself, hard, as the sting registered immediately. Not a nightmare.
Dan had always hated Laura. He¡¯d called her a slut. Mocked her outfits. Said she was shallow, incapable of real conversation.
Was it all a lie? Had he been jealous of the men in her life? Was that why?
One thing was certain, Dan¡¯s mother, Pa, would never ept Laura as a suitable wife for her son.
But none of that mattered now. What was she supposed to do? How did someone handle this? It was like a scene from a B¨Cgrade movie.
She couldn¡¯t pretend she hadn¡¯t seen it. She didn¡¯t want Dan anymore¡ not now, not after this. Taking him back would be disgusting.
How long had this been going on?
They had been living together for five months. Dan had moved in with her and Laura to save money before the wedding. Had he been fucking Laura the
whole time?
¡°Laura, you are so goddamn tight,¡± Dan groaned, arching his back.
¡°Is my pussy better than ir¡¯s?¡± Laura asked, riding him harder.
11:51. Wed 18 Jun G??
Chapter 1
ir¡¯s heart stopped. Did she know ir was standing here? Had she asked that on purpose?
ir bit into her hand to keep from making a sound. She had given Dan her virginity. He had known what that meant to her. Knowing that he had done
this.
She hadn¡¯t even nned to be home today. She had wanted to surprise him.
The surprise had been on her.
She felt sick. A cold sweat broke over her skin.
Her other hand came up, gripping the doorframe for bnce. Something solid pressed against her palm. The bat.
For a fleeting second, she thought about using it. Smashing the bed, the nightstand, the both of them. But she wasn¡¯t that person. She rested the bat against the doorframe just in case she changed her mind and used it on them.
So instead, she straightened her spine. Let the rage steel her so when she finally spoke, her voice was calm. Icy, emotionless.
¡°While you two finish up, should I cook dinner?¡±
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Room Mate 2
Chapter 2
¡°Fuck me.¡± Dan¡¯s head came up off the bed as he pushed Laura off his body. ir could see the horror on his face when he saw her standing at the door. He¡¯d been caught with his pants down, or off, as it was in this case. Laura scrambled across the bed, pulling a nket over her naked body. Her face was filled with shock, showing her cousin hadn¡¯t known of ir¡¯s presence. The expression she wore was incredibly real and impossible to fake.
¡°No thanks. Looks like Laura has taken care of that for you.¡± ir was surprised how calm she sounded. When all she truly wanted to do was scream and shout and throw things. What would it aplish? She would still have a broken rtionship.
¡°ir! What are you doing home today?¡± Dan¡¯s cock was wet andying limp against his leg. Having his fiance walk in on him mustn¡¯t be a turn on, it would seem.
ir lifted an eyebrow at him. ¡°That¡¯s what you are worried about? Might be an idea to cover up.¡±
ir was watching Dan with narrowed eyes. She had loved him, but the person she saw now was ugly to her. It didn¡¯t matter anymore that he was very attractive. To her, he was ugly. No one should cheat on someone they imed to love. Even if someone had held a gun to her head, she would have refused. It was a shame Dan hadn¡¯t felt the same. As far as she could see, Laura hadn¡¯t needed to force him. Hearing them talk during the act had told her that.
ir put the bat down, resting it against the wall near the door. Just in case. She told herself that she wouldn¡¯t use it, but who knew? Crimes of passion that had to havee from somewhere. Normal everyday peoplemitting a crime in the heat of the moment. So it was safer if she put it down. ir then crossed her arms across her chest. Looking back to see Dan had gotten off the bed and was pulling on his work pants.
She flicked her eyes to Laura. The bitch now had a smug look on her face. It had reced the look of shock. Why?
Blood was roaring in her ears as she came to terms with the total destruction of her personal life. She never wanted to see him again, but she and Dan both worked for Kingston. She had applied first. Dan hadn¡¯t joined thepany until a yearter.
ir decided then and there she would not be leaving her job. It was her only concrete thing she could hang onto, then she was keeping it. It wasn¡¯t like they work directly together.
Dan took a step towards her, reaching out his hand. ¡°Baby..¡±
ir took a step back. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare touch me?¡± Not only could she not stomach it, but who knows where that hand had been?
The venom in ir¡¯s voice brought him up short. He turned to look at Laura before returning his eyes to her face. ir knew she was pale. Who wouldn¡¯t be?
¡°You have to believe me. This was a one time thing. It will never happen again. It meant nothing.¡± Dan pleaded with her.
ir could see the look on Laura¡¯s face. Even before seeing it, she knew he was lying. Dan had a tell. When he lied, his right eyebrow would go up. Before today, the lies had never been a big deal, just little things. Had she noticed it when he had talked about Laura in the past? ir wasn¡¯t sure. Because sometimes the sub¨Cconscious mind could even fool ourselves.
¡°Do you know Dan? It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± ir angled her chin up as her nails dug into her palm. ¡°This one time was all it took.¡±
¡°What.. No, ir baby please, I love you.¡± Dan tried to take her in his arms.
ir moved quickly, picked up the bat, and swung it so the end pressed up against his chest, pushing him back and holding him at bay. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it.¡±
Dan looked down at the bat, raising his hands back at his shoulder level. ¡°Please, she seduced me. You know what a slut she is. I was missing you.¡±
They both heard the gasp from the bed. Before Laura responded. ¡°He¡¯s lying ir. This has been going on for months. Soon after, he moved in.¡±
¡°Shut up, you dumb bitch.¡± Dan turned to yell at her. Before saying to ir. ¡°She is lying.¡±
ir shrugged. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. It only took the one time Dan.¡± She nudged him with the baseball bat. ¡°Don¡¯t call Laura a dumb bitch. I may never forgive her for this, but you were the one in a rtionship, Dan, not her.¡± ir could see Laura sliding out of the bed, scrambling around for her clothing,
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Chapter 2
still holding the sheet to her breasts. ¡°If you think she is a slut, what the fuck does that make you?¡± ir knew she would not feel clean even if she had ten showers. This was going to take time.
ir knew she couldn¡¯t deal with anymore right now. She needed to leave before they were both dressed. She needed to think, to process. Turning on her heel, she ran down the stairs. Quickly grabbing the suitcase, handbag. ir only just remembered the briefcase as she was about to leave through
the front door.
¡°You stupid slut, why did you have to say anything?¡± Dan¡¯s angry voice came from upstairs
ir rushed to her desk, picked up the briefcase and stood at the front door, ready to leave. Knowing once she walked through it, she wasn¡¯ting back. She had no idea where she was going, but anywhere was better than here.
Following Dan¡¯s insult came Laura¡¯s high¨Cpitched squeal. ¡°I¡¯m not a slut Dan.¡±
¡°You and your big mouth. You wanted this to happen, didn¡¯t you?¡± Dan used.
ir could hear the tears in Laura¡¯s voice. ¡°You didn¡¯t mind my mouth when it was sucking your cock.¡±
¡°Shh.¡± Dan was worried she was hearing their argument. ¡°You set me up, didn¡¯t you? You knew she wasing home.¡±
¡°Dan I didn¡¯t know.¡± Laura cried.
If she stayed any longer, both of them would have gotten dressed and then they woulde down here, and she didn¡¯t want another confrontation.
Taking a deep breath, ir stepped through the front door, not looking back even as she heard Dan calling her name from inside the house.
Room Mate 3
Chapter 3
Chapter 3
ir waved down a taxi. She shoved open the taxi door and climbed into the backseat as quickly as she could, intent on getting out of here as fast as possible. She felt like getting drunk. But if she went to a bar alone during the day, that would be inviting trouble. She could feel the tears as they slid unchecked down her face. She had held herself together while she had confronted Dan and Laura.
*Where to?¡± the driver asked, his voice cutting through the fog in her brain.
Where to? Good question.
Home wasn¡¯t an option. Sutton and Keira were at work, and she didn¡¯t want to sit in their empty apartment, reying the image of Dan tangled in her cousin¡¯s sheets. She needed a drink. But sitting alone in a bar in the middle of the afternoon? That felt like waving a white g.
She hesitated, then rattled off the address of her office. At least there, she could pretend to be productive. Maybe even figure out what the hell to do next.
The taxi pulled away from the kerb and she exhaled, trying to steady herself.
The driver looked at her in the rearview mirror. ¡°There are tissues in the centerpartment if you need them, hon.¡±
The driver¡¯s voice was gentle, like he¡¯d seen enough women cry in his backseat to know when to speak and when to keep quiet.
ir grabbed a handful. ¡°Thanks.¡± She said before cleaning her face as best she could. It wasn¡¯t like she wore a lot of makeup. So she might as well clean her face.
Her phone began to ring. Dan.
She still pulled it out of her to check. Her stomach clenched as she stared at the screen, his name glowing in bright white letters.
She could just imagine the first words he would say.
¡°It¡¯s not what it looks like, ir.¡±
¡°I can exin.¡±
¡°Please, just let me talk to you.¡±
Lies. Excuses. The same bullshit men always spewed when they got caught.
She set the phone to silent and shoved it back into her bag.
By the time the taxi pulled up in front of the towering ss and steel structure of Kingston Industries, her makeup was beyond saving. She reached into her purse, dug out a crumpled twenty, and handed it to the driver.
¡°Be honest,¡± she said, forcing a smile. ¡°Do I look like a woman who just found out her fianc¨¦ is screwing her cousin?¡±
F
The driver hesitated, giving her a careful once¨Cover. ¡°Your eyes are a little red, honey, but it¡¯s hardly noticeable.¡± He paused. ¡°Are you going to be okay?¡±
The unexpected kindness nearly undid her.
She swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded. ¡°Yeah. Better to find out now, right? Just a little dump on the road of life.¡± She wasn¡¯t sure who she was trying to convince the taxi driver or herself.
After paying the driver in cash, she climbed out of the taxi, hoisted her suitcase onto the curb and took a deep breath. ir checked her phone screen to see Dan had called her six times and left six messages on her voicemail. Uninterested in what he had to say for himself, she slid the phone away in her handbag.
ir turned toward the towering ss and steel structure of Kingston Industries. Roman had bought the building five years ago. The top eight floors belonged to Kingston, the lower three rented out to smaller businesses. With the way thepany was expanding, she wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they
took over the whole thing eventually.
She walked inside, adjusting her bag on her shoulder.
¡°Miss Warner, Can I help you?¡± ir blinked. Maggie, one of the receptionists, had stepped out from behind the lobby front desk, her gaze flicking over ir.
Maggie stepped forward, taking the suitcase from her. In the same hand, she was still holding the bat. ir hadpletely forgotten that she was even holding it in her hand.
ir had walked into the office looking like she was about tomit a felony. She was relieved, though. It was something she wouldn¡¯t need to retrieveter.
ir exhaled, relieved. ¡°Thanks, Maggie. Can I leave everything here while I freshen up?¡± She was surprised her voice sounded so¡ normal.
¡°Of course, Miss Warner.¡± Maggie¡¯s eyes darted to the bat again.
¡°ir, please. How many times do I have to tell you?¡± Roman preferred first names, but some staff¨Cespecially the newer ones¨Cstruggled with that.
More with Roman than with her.
Maggie smiled, taking the suitcase, briefcase, and bat.
ir headed across the foyer to the restroom.
Inside, she went straight to the mirrors. The cab driver hadn¡¯t just been kind. She really didn¡¯t look that bad She pulled a makeup wipe from her bag and cleaned off thest remnants of mascara. A quick dusting of powder, some lip gloss, a little eyeliner.
She pinched her cheeks. People always said that added color, but she didn¡¯t see a difference.
Her blue eyes were still a little red, but there wasn¡¯t much she could do about that. She pulled out a brush, freed her long, wavy blonde hair from its bun, and redid it neatly. Good enough.
She left the restroom, retrieved her belongings from Maggie, and headed to the elevators. As she waited, she tried to recall Roman¡¯s schedule. Did he have any meetings this afternoon?
Then it hit her. He shouldn¡¯t have been home today. So no meetings,were scheduled in his calendar.
She sighed. Her brain was fried. But walking in on your fianc¨¦ shagging your cousin would do that to anyone.
The thought made her frown.
How often had they been doing this? Dan had been at home during a workday. She traveled asionally for work, but not that often. If their affair had been going on for months, they had to have been meeting up onpany time.
The elevator arrived. A woman she didn¡¯t recognize stepped in with her.
ir offered a polite, strained smile. When the woman got off at the second floor, ir leaned back against the wall, staring at nothing.
Should she tell Roman about Dan? It would feel like sour grapes¨Ctattling just because he cheated. But he was also ripping off thepany. No way could he get home, have sex with Laura, and get back to the office during a lunch break.
The elevator dinged open. ir inhaled deeply before stepping onto the executive floor.
Kara, the receptionist on the executive floor, looked up. ¡°Hey, ir. I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be in today.¡±
ir smiled. ¡°Wasn¡¯t nning to be, but I figured I¡¯d get a jump on the meeting notes for Roman. Is he in?¡±
Kara shook her head. ¡°No, he left a little while ago. Called to have his calls held.¡±
ir almost sagged in relief. She wouldn¡¯t have to face him just yet.
Thanks, Kara.¡±
She went to her office, shut the door, and sank into her chair.
ir rested her head on the desk. Shit. She felt like a wrecking ball had just split her world in two.
How could he? But even worse than that, how could Laura?
The childish problems they had all had as kids, ir had thought, they had grown out of that. Laura had always been a spoiled brat. Taking what wasn¡¯t hers.
The problem was her parents, ir¡¯s aunt and uncle, doted on her and gave her everything she wanted. But when they had moved to the city two years ago, Laura hadn¡¯t been that bad or by now ir would have moved in with her sisters. She hadn¡¯t when Sutton hade back from Europe because her sister Keira had just finished university. Keira had moved in with Sutton. She would have felt guilty leaving Laura on her own to move in with her sisters. What was the point, anyway? She and Dan had nned on getting a ce of their own once they were married.
Lifting her head, ir looked down at the ring on her finger. The engagement ring Dan had given her.
It wasn¡¯t big. She hadn¡¯t wanted big. She would make sure he got it back. He could sell it. Because she was sure Laura would want a big shy ring. She had made fun of ir¡¯s ring.
Taking it off, ir was about to throw it across the room. No, just in case it went missing. Opening the top drawer of her desk, ir dropped it in, mming it shut. She needed a drink. Standing, ir went into Roman¡¯s office, where she knew he kept a bottle of scotch. She wasn¡¯t much of a spirit drinker, but anything would do.
Roman office was a statement of the man himself. Everything was big, strong, and masculine. ¡°Don¡¯t forget intimidating.¡± ir said to the empty room.
Going to his desk, she opened the bottom drawer and pulled out the bottle of scotch that Roman kept there. Taking it, she sat down on his Chestfield lounge near the window. She opened the bottle and took a drink. Almost coughing it back up. ¡°Holy shit, this shit burns.¡± ir knew it was an expensive bottle Roman only liked the best.
The problem was, it was straight. Why did he like this shit straight? This time, when she put the bottle to her mouth, ir made sure to sip it this time. Nope, that didn¡¯t help. But it wasn¡¯t as bad as the first drink. So she had another. Laying her head back against the lounge. She hade here to think. What was her next move?
Lifting her hand so she could see the dial on her watch, ir saw it was 3:15pm. She couldn¡¯t call Sutton or Keira. Not yet. Let them get home from work. ir nned to ask Sutton and Keira to assist her in organizing getting her stuff from the apartment. Although she didn¡¯t want to put too much pressure on her older sister, Sutton. She was six months pregnant, and it hadn¡¯t been an easy pregnancy.
Men. Why were they assholes? First, her boss for being so arrogant and intimidating and sometimes rude. Then Dan, who had been cheating on her with her cousin Laura for months. How low was that? Then there was Luca, the father of Sutton¡¯s baby. Who had left her high and dry and pregnant?
Then she would see about crashing at their ce until she could find somewhere. Their ce wasn¡¯t big enough for three adults and a baby. When it arrived. But it would be great to spend some time with her sisters. Eat ice cream and talk shit about men.
Although Sutton didn¡¯t even talk about the man that had gotten her pregnant. It was a topic she refused to discuss. Even when their aunt Viv and uncle
Peter had demanded answers. ir lifted the bottle again to her mouth. Only she and Keira knew his first name.
The phone started ringing on Roman¡¯s desk, ir tried to ignore it, but as soon as it stop ringing it started again. ir shifted to the edge of the lounge, rising to her feet. The room seemed to tilt ever so slightly, prompting a quick ¡°Oops.¡± to escape her lips.
After regaining her bnce, she made her way over to the phone and lifted the receiver.
¡°Hello?¡± she greeted into the handset. Not very professional, she thought.
¡°Roman please.¡± ir knew the voice. It was ire Robertson. Roman¡¯s little piece of fluff. It was the best way to describe ire. She had this stupid girly voice that set ir¡¯s teeth on edge.
3/5
¡°Roman isn¡¯t here. ir put a hand on Roman¡¯s desk to help stop the swaying of the room.
Where is he?? ire asked.
¡°How the hell should I know?¡± ire was surprised by her answer. Shit, where had thate from?
¡°You are his secretary.¡± ir could hear the anger in the other woman¡¯s voice.
¡°Yes, but I¡¯m not his keeper and I sure as hell don¡¯t own a crystal ball. Call or message his mobile.¡± ir was over this conversation,
¡°He isn¡¯t answering his mobile hasn¡¯t for days.¡± ire whined.
ir¡¯s lips parted slightly. Oh.
That was Roman¡¯s move. He didn¡¯t argue, didn¡¯t make dramatic exits. He just started to avoid before making a clean break. If ire hadn¡¯t heard from him in days, it was over. She just didn¡¯t know it yet.
The little devil on her shoulder made her do it. But ir couldn¡¯t help the next words. ¡°Well, one of two things has happened. Either you¡¯re about to get dumped, or he¡¯s dead. Either way, flowers will be involved.¡±
ir sighed when she heard the shocked gasp from the other end of the phone, the scotch warming her veins, and loosening her tongue. ¡°Look, ire, let¡¯s be honest. He¡¯s not marriage material. Find someone new.¡± She didn¡¯t wait for a reply, just hung up and dropped the receiver back into ce.
She copsed back onto the Chesterfield, lifting the bottle to her lips again.
Her own problems resurfaced to haunt her. How was she so blind? How did she not pick up on the signs? She wasn¡¯t an idiot. Dan was a salesman. He had sold her the dream of happily ever after. She had just been blind to the cracks in their rtionship.
Not only that, it looked like she had been missing something in her sex life. If what she had witnessed between Dan and Laura was any indication of how the act should be. She enjoyed it well enough, but it wasn¡¯t something that made her cry out like Laura had been doing. Was that to stroke his ego? Should she have been doing that? The thing was, she didn¡¯t know.
Dan had been her only lover. It had been his job to teach her.
ir sighed, lifting the bottle again¨Conly to pause when she noticed two tall, blurry figures standing in front of her.
Wait. No. Not two. Just one.
ir squinted. ¡°Hi.¡±
She tried to sit up, bringing the bottle to her mouth, but before she could take another sip, it was plucked from her hand.
¡°Hey,¡± she protested. ¡°That¡¯s mine. If you want one, go find your own.¡±
She blinked, trying to focus.
The man standing in front of her¨Cthe one holding the bottle¨Ccame into view.
¡°Roman?¡±
¡°ir,¡± he said, his voice unreadable. ¡°What have you done to yourself?¡±
¡°Well,¡± she said, slurring slightly, ¡°I think that¡¯s¡ pretty obvious. As you can see, I¡¯m getting shit¨Cfaced.¡± She reached for the bottle. ¡°Now give it back so i can finish the job.¡±
Roman stepped away, cing the bottle on his desk. ¡°I think you¡¯ve had enough.¡±
ir frowned. ¡°You know¡ sometimes you can be an asshole. No¨Cmost of the time.¡±
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Chapter 3
I do believe you¡¯re going to regret this tomorrow.¡±
Then, to her surprise, he sat down beside her.
Room Mate 4
Chapter 4
¡°You¡¯re not just an asshole, but a shithead too¡ always thought so,¡± ir slurred, her tongue feeling too heavy in her mouth. She knew she shouldn¡¯t be saying this, but she couldn¡¯t stop herself.
Roman chuckled, leaning back. ¡°I think I should get you some coffee.¡±
¡°Don¡® want it.¡± ir waved a hand dismissively, nearly hitting herself in the face. ¡°I want¡ a man that ain¡¯t a cheatin¡® rat.¡± Her eyes drifted over him, and despite her best efforts, she noticed¨Creally noticed¨Chow attractive he was. ¡°Did you¡ did you ever cheat on your ex¨Cwife?¡±
She¡¯d met Jessica once. It hadn¡¯t been a pleasant experience.
Roman¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change, but his voice softened. ¡°Not all men cheat, ir.¡±
¡°W¨Cwhy¡¯d she teave you then?¡± Her head tilted as if she were trying to piece together a puzzle.
¡°There are a lot of reasons marriages fall apart,¡± Roman said, dragging a hand down his face. ¡°Not all of them have to do with cheating on the man¡¯s part.¡±
It took ir a moment to process that. Then her eyes widened. ¡°She cheated on you?¡± she whispered, as if it were some great secret. ¡°Was she an idiot?¡± Her boss was gorgeous¨Cthick dark hair, intense gray eyes, chiseled cheekbones. And his body¡ well, from what she could see, it was fine. Not that she¡¯d ever been interested before. She¡¯d always been with Dan. Had been with Dan.
Roman reached over, gently lifting her chin with two fingers when her mouth fell open. ¡°I worked a lot. Some would say I drove her to it.¡±
ir blinked at him, then shook her head, making herself dizzy. ¡°Thass not an excuse¡ nope¡ no, no, no.¡± She dropped her head back onto the couch, exhaling loudly. ¡°Should get a divorce before that¡ cheaters¡ all of ¡®em¡¡±
Roman studied her with an amused expression. ¡°You know, this is the most I¡¯ve ever seen you rx around me.¡±
ir lifted a handzily. ¡°Thass ¡®cause you¡¯re¡ you¡¯re normally soooo difficult to deal wit¡± she muttered, barely able to get the words out.
¡°I won¡¯t apologize for that.¡± His lips twitched. ¡°I expect the best. That¡¯s why thispany is where it is today.¡±
ir made a sound that was half a grunt, half augh. ¡°Suppose so. Her head felt heavy, her thoughts sluggish.
Roman let her sit in silence for a moment before asking, ¡°What happened, ir?¡±
She turned her head to look at him, her vision slightly unfocused. ¡°I was an idiot.¡±
¡°Why? Because you trusted the wrong person?¡±
ir let out a shaky breath. ¡°Dan an¡® I grew up together, y¡¯know?¡±
¡°No, I didn¡¯t,¡±
She nodded. ¡°I¡ I was always going home¡ back home, all the time, when I moved to th¡® city for this job. He¡ he got a job at Kingston¡¯s, and I was happy ¡®bout it. Now I wish he wasn¡¯t here.¡± Her voice wobbled, but she refused to cry. Not again. Not for Dan.
¡°So, the wedding¡¯s off?¡± Roman gestured to her bare finger.
ir lifted her hand, staring at it for a second before letting it flop back onto herp. ¡°Yep. We didn¡¯t even have a date set.¡±
¡°Who was holding it up?¡±
She blinked at him. Why was he askin¡® so many questions? Why was he bein¡® so¡ nice? ¡°Me. He wanted to get marriedst year. I wasn¡¯t ready.¡±
1161 Wed 18 Jan & @@
Chapter 4
Roman¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. ¡°Why? If you loved him, why did you want to wait?¡±
ir shrugged, though it was a little sloppy. ¡°If what I saw t¡¯day was anythin¡® to go by¡¡± She trailed off, frowning. Maybe¡ maybe she¡¯d always known somethin¡® was off. There was no passion. No fire. She¡¯d loved Dan, but maybe not the way she was supposed to love the man she was gonna marry.
Right now, she wasn¡¯t even sad. Just¡ angry.
¡°What happened?¡± Roman pressed, his voice gentler now.
ir¡¯s face scrunched up as she remembered. ¡°Saw him,¡± she slurred. ¡°H¨Chavin¡® sex with¡ ugh.¡± She waved a hand, unable to finish the sentence.
Roman¡¯s jaw tensed. ¡°I see.¡±
ir stared at him for a long moment, her head swimming with thoughts she couldn¡¯t quite hold on to. Then, suddenly, she reached out, grabbing his tie between her fingers.
Roman froze.
ir stared at the fabric, tracing the pattern with unfocused eyes. She didn¡¯t know why she did it. Maybe ¡®cause she needed to know. Needed to feel something different.
Without another thought, she pulled at the tie, closing the space between them, and pressed her lips to his.
For a moment, he didn¡¯t move. But then¡ Heat. Raw, consuming heat.
ir gasped into his mouth, the shock of it searing through her. Her hands flew to his shoulders, gripping the fabric of his shirt, desperate to hold on to something solid.
This was different. So different.
Roman pulled back, breathing hard, his gray eyes dark with something unreadable. ¡°ir,¡± he murmured, voice rough. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t-¡°
She cut him off with another kiss, moving closer, pressing against him.
¡°Please,¡± she whispered, her voice trembling.
She needed to forget.
And she wanted¡ to feel.
Room Mate 5
Chapter 5
Her heart pounded in her chest. Just by his kiss was enough to tell her there had been something wrong with her rtionship, Dan had been the problem all along. She didn¡¯t even love Roman. Found him to be all too arrogant. But what she was feeling from just his kiss was more than she had felt with heavy petting when Dan touched her. ir pulled back to stare at him.
Her boss raised an eyebrow. His expression¡ ir was trying to put a word to it. ¡°ir, is everything alright?¡± His voice was calm, but there was a flicker of something else in his eyes¡ something that made her stomach twist. Was it amusement? Hunger? She wasn¡¯t sure, but she didn¡¯t care. Not right now. Her mind was whirling with her own emotions. She could feel the heat between her legs and how wet she had be from one kiss.
ir wasn¡¯t sure if she should be ashamed. She had been with Dan and only Dan. Now she was getting all hot and heavy with her boss.
She leaned in closer. She still held his tie, her grip on it tightening. ¡°¡¡ need to know,¡± she whispered, her voice trembling slightly. ¡°If¡ if this is normal.¡±
His lips quirked into a half¨Csmile, and he tilted his head, studying her with those piercing gray eyes. ¡°Normal for what?¡± he asked softly, his tone almost teasing. He reached forward to run his fingers down her face. His eyes followed their movement.
ir bit her lip, her mind racing. How could she exin this? She couldn¡¯t just blurt out that she¡¯d seen her fianc¨¦ fucking someone else¡ that she didn¡¯t even feel jealous about it now or overly heartbroken. She was angry, mad and shocked that she hadn¡¯t picked up on the affair. No, she couldn¡¯t say it, but she didn¡¯t want toe across¡. What? Something that wouldn¡¯t make her sound like a of pulling away, he wrapped his fingers around hers, holding them tightly.
¡°Show you what, ir?¡± he asked, his voice low and smooth, like silk. It caused goosebumps to appear on her arms.
She swallowed hard, her breath catching in her throat. Every nerve in her body was on fire, her pulse racing as she stared into his eyes. ¡°Everything,¡± she said finally, her voice firm despite the way her hands were shaking. ¡°I need to know if I¡¯m normal. If¡ if I feel the way I should.¡±
He studied her for a long moment, his thumb brushing lightly over the back of her hand.
¡°ir, I¡¯m not sure this would be a good idea. You have been drinking. Tomorrow you could regret this and with the amount you have drunk. It might seem like I took advantage of you.¡±
ir wanted to know, and Roman was a skilled lover. She got up from the lounge and walked over to his desk, heart pounding in her chest, which echoed with the same throbbing of her core. Picking up his gold pen and the notepad on his desk. Quickly she wrote a statement before signing it, then went back to where he was, standing in front of him between his legs. She looked down at him as she Kanded him the notepad.
Silently, he took the pad from her, not taking his eyes from her face. Turning the notepad around. He watched her with an intent gaze before he dropped his eyes. He read aloud what she had scribbled down. ¡°I, ir Warner of sound mind, give permission for Roman Kingston to fuck me, ir Warner, in any which way he so chooses. Signed ir Warner. At least you know what day it is.¡±
Roman dropped the pad beside him on the lounge, then lifted his eyes to her face again. ¡°In any which way I choose, ir. You could be ying a very dangerous game here.¡± Roman settled back on the lounge, putting his hands on his knees. She saw his fingers clench and turn white as if he was stopping himself from reaching for her. The sight of him and the deepening sound of his voice only increased her need. Sending shivers down her spine. ir pressed her thighs together. She felt like moaning.
¡°Are you sure about this, ir?¡± he asked, his voice soft but serious. ¡°Once we start, there¡¯s no going back.¡±
She hesitated for a moment, her mind reeling with doubts. What was she doing? This was insane. She was about to throw herself at her boss, a man who had always been professional, always kept his distance. And yet¡ there was something he made her feel¡ even in this madness.
¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± she said finally, her voice steady despite the tremor in her chest.
He nodded, his expression darkening before lifting a hand to touch her, ¡°Kneel in front of me,¡± Not giving her time to question him, he guided her onto
1161 Wed 18 Jun. G??.
Chapter 5
the floor,
Before he leaned forward, putting his hands behind her head, and removed the pins and hair band from her hair. He ran his fingers through the long blonde length that reached her bottom: ¡°Fuck, I knew you had long hair, but this is a wet dream.¡± ir never wore her hair out at work. He yed with her hair for a moment longer as he spread it out over her shoulders. ¡°Take your jacket off.¡±
ir bit her lip. She enly had on a camisole under the jacket that had a built in shelf, so she wasn¡¯t wearing a bra.
*ir, however I choose, remember? Do it.¡± There was a growl in his voice that did things to her insides.
ir undid the two buttons of her light jacket, pulling it off her shoulders and down her arms, then off. Letting it drop behind her, uncaring.
He sucked in his breath when he saw her nipples were hard and pressed against the thin fabric of the cami. Lifting a hand from his knee, he rubbed a finger over one beaded nipple. ¡°Pretty. Do you normallye to the office without a bra?¡±
ir shook her head. Saying in a shaky, breathy voice. ¡°No, only when we fly.¡± Because she wanto
to be
obvious that she was braless. ir groaned as Roman brought his thumb into y and pinche
¡°Tell me what you¡¯re feeling,¡± he instructed, his voice low andmanding. ¡°Be honest.¡±
ir opened her eyes, meeting his gaze. Dan had never been a talker in bed with her, and she hadn¡¯t eve Laura. Maybe it added ayer of excitement that she had been missing.
thought of it. But Dan had been talking dirty to
¡°It¡¯s¡ it¡¯s hot,¡± she admitted, her voice barely audible. ¡°And tingly. Like my whole body is alive¡. almost on fire and my skin feels too tight.¡±
He smiled faintly, his thumb brushing lightly across the swell of her breast. ¡°Good,¡± he said simply. ¡°That¡¯s good, ir. Now, tell me you are going to do everything I tell you to do.¡±
She blinked, her mind momentarily nk. Did she want that? All she knew was that she needed more from him than just him touching her breast.
¡°I¡ I Yes,¡± she said, her voice shaky. Not one hundred percent sure what she was letting herself in for.
He nodded. Without another word, he leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to her lips. It was soft at first, barely more than a brush of skin against skin, but it quickly deepened, his tongue slipping between her lips to explore her mouth.
ir¡¯s hands flew to his shoulders, gripping him tightly as she surrendered to the kiss. His taste was intoxicating, something warm and masculine that was making her hotter. If she hadn¡¯t been kneeling on the floor, she would have found herself there. She moaned softly, her body melting against his as the kiss grew more passionate, more demanding.
¡°Beautiful,¡± he murmured against her lips, his hands cupping her breasts and kneading them gently through her cami.
ir gasped, her head tilting back as a surge of pleasure shot through her. His touch was exquisite, every stroke of his thumbs waves of heat cascading through her body.
¡°More,¡± she begged, her voice raw with need. ¡°Please.¡±
He pulled back. ir rolled her head round to meet his gaze.
Rom
for a
Room Mate 6
Chapter 6
ir blinked at him, her surprise clear. She had never been the one to undress Dan when she had been with him, he had always taken the lead in their sex life. Then sexual encounters were usually prearranged, urring once or twice a week when they were already in bed. Furthermore, she had never experienced being on top.
ir, do as I say now.¡± There was a note to Roman¡¯s voice she hadn¡¯t heard before. She had to bite her lip to stop herself from moaning.
ir took a deep breath before straightening up on her knees and reaching for his belt buckle. Her harids trembled as she carefully threaded the belt through the buckle. Romanid his hands over hers. ir lifted her eyes to his face, lips slightly parted as her breath came outbored.
¡°ir, this is yourst chance to change your mind. Because once you unbuckle that belt, there will be no putting the horse back in the barn.¡± Roman removed his hands from hers, sliding both of his arms along the back of the lounge. ¡°So, think long and hard before you take the next step.¡±
ir licked her lips. Roman followed the movement, his jaw clenching, a vein throbbing on his forehead, and she saw his hands digging into the back of the lounge. It was a surprise that he wanted her that much that he was trying to hold himself back from tugging her into his arms. The control he had over himself not just now, but all the time. Sometimes drove her nuts.
Looking back down at her hands resting on his buckle. She wanted to experience this. So, without another word, ir went to work on his belt. Once it was undone, she worked at the button, then moved straight to the zipper. The teeth separating seemed loud to her ears.
¡°ir, lock the door. This is going to take some time and I don¡¯t want anyoneing in seeing,
you naked,¡± Roman ordered once she was done.
ir gasped. She hadn¡¯t even thought about their location and the fact that anyone could walk in at any moment. Quickly, she got up on shaky legs and walked across the room to the door, before locking the office door.
Turning around, she leaned back on the door to look at him. He was in the same position she had left him. His eyes intent on her. Her eyes dropped to his opened pants. The throbbing between her legs was almost too much. She pressed her legs together, trying to stop the ache.
His eyes narrowed as he watched her. ¡°Stay where you are and spread your legs.¡±
¡°What?¡± She was unsure why he wanted her to stay where she was. Had he changed his mind?
¡°Don¡¯t question me, just do it,¡± Roman told her.
ir did as she was told, parting her thighs, so her feet were shoulder width apart.
¡°Touch yourself. Lift your skirt up to you waist and pull your panties down and touch yourself. I want to watch you,¡± Roman instructed her.
Was he trying to see how far he could push her? The very thought. She had never touched herself before, let alone in front of someone. It wasn¡¯t a case of lifting her skirt and touching herself in an automatic way. This was a seduction. That required some finesse that she wasn¡¯t sure she even possessed. One thing she was sure of, she would not back down now.
Bending forward, ir ced her hands on each leg just below her skirt. Never taking her eyes from Roman. She knew if it wasn¡¯t for the scotch she had consumed, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to.
As she straightened, she glided her hands up her thighs, taking her skirt up with them. Until her hand slid over her panties. Hooking her thumbs into the band of herce panties, she pushed them down over her hips. Her spread legs prevented the panties from falling past her mid¨Cthighs. Thinking it shouldn¡¯t be a problem, she bought her legs together so they would drop to the floor. Lifting one foot out so she could spread her legs again.
Roman watched her, saying nothing. She wasn¡¯t sure if she was pleasing him. But ir was sure he would voice it if he wasn¡¯t happy. Taking a deep breath to prepare herself for what was toe next.
¡°ir, I¡¯m waiting. You know I don¡¯t like waiting,¡± Roman said. His voice was like a warm nket over her skin, heating it.
ir held her breath while delicately maneuvering her right hand, gently sliding her fingers between her legs, carefully parting her lower lips.
¡°Good girl. Now, imagine that it¡¯s me touching you.¡±
ir gasped when he said that. Because the very thought of him touching her like this shot her blood pressure sky high. She could feel how wet she was Circling her opening. ir gathered the wetness before using two fingers to pinch her clit and tug at it until the nub was hard and erect, so sensitive to
the touch.
ir closed her eyes, letting her head fall back against the door. Who knew having someone watching her while she was touching herself would be a turn on. But it was. She had never felt so worked up. ir groaned as she felt the pulsing intensify.
It wasn¡¯t long before she needed something more. She needed him. If she couldn¡¯t have that now, then she would do the next best thing. So she sunk two fingers into her channel, working them in and out of herself. Imagining it was Roman¡¯s cock. Crying out, she clutched hold of the doorknob with her
free hand.
¡°ir, don¡¯t make yourselfe.¡± Roman was talking, but she was so focused on the fantasy she could barely hear him.
¡°Fuck, ir, stop. Now.¡± The demand was so forceful the words prated her brain. ir stopped. Crying out one more time as her walls pulsed along her fingers.
Opening her eyes, it took her a moment to gather herself. When she did, her eyes widened at the sight of him. He was in the same spot on the lounge, but his cock was in his hand as he worked it up and down. It was the size of him that shocked ir. She didn¡¯t realize that they could be so big.
¡°Come here,¡±
In a haz¨¨, she removed her fingers from inside of her before she stepped out of her panties, leaving them by the door, and walked to him. Her skirt worked itself over her privates. ir stepped between his raised knees, close but not touching, not taking her eyes from him.
Taking her right hand in his, he brought her hand to his mouth and sucked the two fingers she had used to pleasure herself. Roman groaned at her taste. It was enough to almost buckle her knees. He only released her after he had licked them clean. By then, she was ready to selfbust.
¡°Drop down on your knees again.¡± He told her, his gaze intense. Reaching up, he took her other hand in his own. Helping her into position. When she was where he wanted her.
¡°Now baby, you are going to suck my cock.¡±
Her eyes looked at his huge cock before lifting to his. ¡°But?¡± She was going to ask how it would fit.
He smiled at her. ¡°ir, however I choose, remember? You will suck my cock. If you are really good. I¡¯m then going to fuck you so hard.¡±
Chapter 6
ir blinked at him, her surprise clear. She had never been the one to undress Dan when she had been with him, he had always taken the lead in their sex life. Then sexual encounters were usually prearranged, urring once or twice a week when they were already in bed. Furthermore, she had never experienced being on top.
ir, do as I say now.¡± There was a note to Roman¡¯s voice she hadn¡¯t heard before. She had to bite her lip to stop herself from moaning.
ir took a deep breath before straightening up on her knees and reaching for his belt buckle. Her harids trembled as she carefully threaded the belt through the buckle. Romanid his hands over hers. ir lifted her eyes to his face, lips slightly parted as her breath came outbored.
¡°ir, this is yourst chance to change your mind. Because once you unbuckle that belt, there will be no putting the horse back in the barn.¡± Roman removed his hands from hers, sliding both of his arms along the back of the lounge. ¡°So, think long and hard before you take the next step.¡±
ir licked her lips. Roman followed the movement, his jaw clenching, a vein throbbing on his forehead, and she saw his hands digging into the back of the lounge. It was a surprise that he wanted her that much that he was trying to hold himself back from tugging her into his arms. The control he had over himself not just now, but all the time. Sometimes drove her nuts.
Looking back down at her hands resting on his buckle. She wanted to experience this. So, without another word, ir went to work on his belt. Once it was undone, she worked at the button, then moved straight to the zipper. The teeth separating seemed loud to her ears.
¡°ir, lock the door. This is going to take some time and I don¡¯t want anyoneing in seeing,
you naked,¡± Roman ordered once she was done.
ir gasped. She hadn¡¯t even thought about their location and the fact that anyone could walk in at any moment. Quickly, she got up on shaky legs and walked across the room to the door, before locking the office door.
Turning around, she leaned back on the door to look at him. He was in the same position she had left him. His eyes intent on her. Her eyes dropped to his opened pants. The throbbing between her legs was almost too much. She pressed her legs together, trying to stop the ache.
His eyes narrowed as he watched her. ¡°Stay where you are and spread your legs.¡±
¡°What?¡± She was unsure why he wanted her to stay where she was. Had he changed his mind?
¡°Don¡¯t question me, just do it,¡± Roman told her.
ir did as she was told, parting her thighs, so her feet were shoulder width apart.
¡°Touch yourself. Lift your skirt up to you waist and pull your panties down and touch yourself. I want to watch you,¡± Roman instructed her.
Was he trying to see how far he could push her? The very thought. She had never touched herself before, let alone in front of someone. It wasn¡¯t a case of lifting her skirt and touching herself in an automatic way. This was a seduction. That required some finesse that she wasn¡¯t sure she even possessed. One thing she was sure of, she would not back down now.
Bending forward, ir ced her hands on each leg just below her skirt. Never taking her eyes from Roman. She knew if it wasn¡¯t for the scotch she had consumed, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to.
As she straightened, she glided her hands up her thighs, taking her skirt up with them. Until her hand slid over her panties. Hooking her thumbs into the band of herce panties, she pushed them down over her hips. Her spread legs prevented the panties from falling past her mid¨Cthighs. Thinking it shouldn¡¯t be a problem, she bought her legs together so they would drop to the floor. Lifting one foot out so she could spread her legs again.
Roman watched her, saying nothing. She wasn¡¯t sure if she was pleasing him. But ir was sure he would voice it if he wasn¡¯t happy. Taking a deep breath to prepare herself for what was toe next.
¡°ir, I¡¯m waiting. You know I don¡¯t like waiting,¡± Roman said. His voice was like a warm nket over her skin, heating it.
ir held her breath while delicately maneuvering her right hand, gently sliding her fingers between her legs, carefully parting her lower lips.
¡°Good girl. Now, imagine that it¡¯s me touching you.¡±
ir gasped when he said that. Because the very thought of him touching her like this shot her blood pressure sky high. She could feel how wet she was Circling her opening. ir gathered the wetness before using two fingers to pinch her clit and tug at it until the nub was hard and erect, so sensitive to
the touch.
ir closed her eyes, letting her head fall back against the door. Who knew having someone watching her while she was touching herself would be a turn on. But it was. She had never felt so worked up. ir groaned as she felt the pulsing intensify.
It wasn¡¯t long before she needed something more. She needed him. If she couldn¡¯t have that now, then she would do the next best thing. So she sunk two fingers into her channel, working them in and out of herself. Imagining it was Roman¡¯s cock. Crying out, she clutched hold of the doorknob with her
free hand.
¡°ir, don¡¯t make yourselfe.¡± Roman was talking, but she was so focused on the fantasy she could barely hear him.
¡°Fuck, ir, stop. Now.¡± The demand was so forceful the words prated her brain. ir stopped. Crying out one more time as her walls pulsed along her fingers.
Opening her eyes, it took her a moment to gather herself. When she did, her eyes widened at the sight of him. He was in the same spot on the lounge, but his cock was in his hand as he worked it up and down. It was the size of him that shocked ir. She didn¡¯t realize that they could be so big.
¡°Come here,¡±
In a haz¨¨, she removed her fingers from inside of her before she stepped out of her panties, leaving them by the door, and walked to him. Her skirt worked itself over her privates. ir stepped between his raised knees, close but not touching, not taking her eyes from him.
Taking her right hand in his, he brought her hand to his mouth and sucked the two fingers she had used to pleasure herself. Roman groaned at her taste. It was enough to almost buckle her knees. He only released her after he had licked them clean. By then, she was ready to selfbust.
¡°Drop down on your knees again.¡± He told her, his gaze intense. Reaching up, he took her other hand in his own. Helping her into position. When she was where he wanted her.
¡°Now baby, you are going to suck my cock.¡±
Her eyes looked at his huge cock before lifting to his. ¡°But?¡± She was going to ask how it would fit.
He smiled at her. ¡°ir, however I choose, remember? You will suck my cock. If you are really good. I¡¯m then going to fuck you so hard.¡±
Room Mate 7
hapter 7
At Roman¡¯s words, ir¡¯s breath caught. She already knew just from the little she had experienced with him that he meant every word,
Her gaze flicked to his cock. Thick. Hard. Waiting.
Dan had never wanted her to do this. But he hadn¡¯t minded when Laura had.
She¡¯d overheard their arguments enough to know that. Would Roman expect her to be good at it? What if he realized she had never done it before?
Roman ran a hand over her head, his touch warm, possessive. ¡°Take me in your mouth. I want to put that smart mouth to work.¡±
His voice was low,manding, sending a shiver down her spine. ir swallowed hard, her heart pounding. The scent of him¨Cmasculine, dark, intoxicating¨Cwrapped around her, making her mouth water.
He leaned back against the chesterfield, stroking himselfzily as he watched her. His cock twitched, glistening at the tip, thick veins pulsing under his firm grip. The sight sent heat rushing through her, but she hesitated.
Roman¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°Don¡¯t think, ir. Just do as you¡¯re told.¡±
Her pulse spiked. He made it sound so simple, so inevitable. As if she was always meant to be right here, on her knees in front of him.
He gave himself another slow stroke, his jaw tight. ¡°You¡¯re stalling,¡± he muttered.
ir swallowed. Was she? Or was she just afraid of doing it wrong?
Still, her body betrayed her. A deep ache coiled low in her stomach, pulsing between her thighs. The way he looked at her like she was his to .¡±
ir obeyed, taking him deeper. The stretch burned slightly, unfamiliar yet thrilling. She barely got halfway before she gagged, her throat tightening
1/3
involuntarily.
Roman groaned, his hips jerking. ¡°Rx,
ir swallowed hard, trying again. This time, she adjusted her angle, breathing through her nose. Slowly, she took more, inch by inch, feeling the wai of him on her tongue.
¡°Fuck, Roman growled. ¡°Just like that.¡±
The praise sent a spark of heat through her. She wrapped her lips tighter around him, sucking gently as she pulled back. Then she licked across the sensitive slit, tasting him fully.
Roman¡¯s hand fisted in her hair. ¡°Shit, ir.¡±
The sound of his pleasure made her bolder. She swirled her tongue around the swollen head before sinking down again, taking him deeper. His cock pulsed against her tongue, hot and heavy.
¡°Goddamn,¡± he rasped, his other hand gripping the armrest. ¡°You feel so fucking good.¡±
ir hummed in response, the vibration making him curse. She bobbed her head, increasing the rhythm, sucking harder. His thighs tensed beneath her fingers, his muscles flexing as he fought for control.
¡°More,¡± he demanded. ¡°Take it all.¡±
She tried. She really did. But he was too thick. She gagged again, her throat convulsing around him.
Roman let out a ragged moan. ¡°Jesus, ir.¡±
ÈÝ
His grip on her hair tightened, guiding her movements as she sucked, licked, swallowed. Every time she pulled back, she made sure to swirl her tongue over the tip, teasing the sensitive slit before sinking down again.
His hips started to move, thrusting shallowly into her mouth. The muscles in his abdomen.clenched, his breathing growing ragged.
¡°Fuck,¡± he gritted out. ¡°I¡¯m gonnae.¡±
ir sucked harder, desperate to push him over the edge.
¡°Don¡¯t stop,¡± he growled, his body going rigid.
A secondter, he groaned her name, his cock pulsing as hot spurts of cum hit the back of her throat. ir swallowed instinctively, taking every drop as he held her still.
Roman exhaled harshly, his body sagging onto the couch. He released her hair, his fingers brushingzily against her scalp.
¡°Good girl,¡± he murmured. His voice was hoarse, wrecked, ¡°Now lift your skirt and get up here.¡±
ir¡¯s heart pounded as she stood. Her hands trembled as she reached for the hem of her skirt, lifting it slowly. Roman¡¯s eyes never left her, his gaze darkening with approval.
¡°Come here,¡± he ordered, patting hisp.
She straddled him carefully, her knees pressing into the couch. His hands gripped her waist, guiding her into position. She could feel the heat of him, the way his muscles tensed beneath her.
Roman reached into his wallet, pulled out a condom, and rolled it over his length. ¡°Ready?¡±
ir nodded.
He positioned her over him, the thick head of his cock pressing against her entrance. Slowly, he pulled her down.
ir gasped, her head falling back. He was big, stretching her inch by inch, filling herpletely.
That¡¯s it, Roman groaned. ¡°Feel me.¡±
She moaned as he bottomed out; her nails digging into his shoulders. He was everywhere, surrounding her, possessing her.
¡°Fuck, you¡¯re tight.¡± he growled, his hands gripping her hips.
She whimpered, adjusting to his size. When she finally started to move, a shockwave of pleasure shot through her.
¡°God, ir,¡± he groaned. ¡°You feel so fucking good.¡±
His grip tightened, guiding her as she rocked against him. The thick length of him pressed against her g¨Cspot, making her cry
Roman chuckled darkly. ¡°You like that?¡±
ir whimpered, her breath hitching.
¡°Say it,¡± he demanded. ¡°Tell me how much you love having my cock inside you.¡±
¡°1- love it,¡± she stammered.
His hips lifted, meeting her movements. The force of it made her gasp, pleasure spiking through her veins. ¡°Move faster.¡±
She obeyed, bouncing faster, chasing the delicious friction. His hands roamed her body, gripping, guiding, owning.
¡°Fuck, yes,¡± he snarled, his thrusts bing rougher.
Her orgasm built, the coil in her belly tightening with each stroke. His fingers found her clit, rubbing in tight circles.
¡°Oh, God, Roman!¡± she cried.
¡°Come for me, ir,¡± he ordered, his voice raw.
out.
The words sent her over the edge. Her body clenched around him as the pleasure exploded, white¨Chot and consuming. She screamed his name, her
entire body trembling.
Roman groaned, thrusting up into her onest time before he came with a low, guttural curse.
For a long moment, they stayed there, breathing heavily, their bodies slick with sweat.
Room Mate 8
Chapter 8
ir opened her eyes to the sunlight filtering through the curtains. She blinked slowly, her mind fuzzy with sleep, and for a moment, she was disoriented.
Then, memory flooded back¡ the office, getting drunk and having sex with her boss, the way Roman had taken control of her body and left her trembling in his arms. Her cheeks flushed at the thought, but beneath the embarrassment lingered a deep, aching satisfaction, Holy shit, What the hell has she got herself into?
She shifted ever so slightly, prompting Roman¡¯s arm, which was draped over her waist, to tighten on her. He was lying behind her, his breath steady against the nape of her neck, sending shivers down her arms and filling her body with a rush of excitement.
ir felt his length pressing against her ass, already semi¨Chard and twitching with awareness. Her heart skipped a beat as she realized he wasn¡¯t fully asleep. He was awake, just waiting for her to wake up.
¡°Morning,¡± he murmured, his voice gravelly, roughened with sleep. It sent shivers down her spine. His hand slid upward, cupping her breast gently before tweaking her nipple. ¡°You feel good, soft¡¡±
ir bit her lip, unsure of how to respond. The night before had been an uncharted territory for her, new experiences that she had not fully anticipated. Who would have thought that Roman could be such a demanding lover? How could she look at him and not think of them together? Roman naked, demanding and oh so sexy as he bossed her around.
He had taken her twice more once he had gotten her to his apartment. Not one of those times had been in a bed. The second time had been on the floor just inside the entryway and the third had been in the shower with her legs wrapped around his waist as he pinned her to the stone wall.
Now, with the sunlight breaking through the haze of arousal and she was sober, a flicker of doubt crept in. What next? They worked together. He was her boss. This couldn¡¯t go on forever, could it? Would he want her to resign?
Roman seemed to sense her inner turmoil. His grip on her tightened, and he pressed closer, his morning wood nudging insistently between her thighs. ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it,¡± he said, his tone firm. ¡°Just be here with me.¡±
He didn¡¯t wait for her to agree. With one swift motion, he lifted up her leg over his hip and slid into her from behind. ir cried out in pleasure at the sudden movement and the fullness of him.
His fingers skimmed down her side, tracing the curve of her hip before slipping between her legs from the front. ir gasped as his finger found her clit, rubbing in slow, deliberate circles.
¡°You¡¯re already wet for me,¡± he noted, his voiceced with satisfaction. ¡°Tell me you want this. Tell me you like my cock inside you.¡±
ir swallowed hard, her throat dry. Her brain had short¨Ccircuited when he entered her. ¡°I¡ I like it,¡± she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.
¡°Good girl,¡± he praised, leaning in to kiss her neck briefly before shifting her position. He rolled them so she was on her stomach with him behind her, his cock never leaving her body. He moved his knees onto the bed between her legs.
With one hand, he guided her onto her knees, moving up with her, her ass high in the air. ir tensed, feeling vulnerable. She had only ever been in the missionary position before Roman.
He stroked her lower back, his hand caressing her in a silent promise of reassurance.
¡°Rx,¡± hemanded.
He pulled out almost to the tip. ir held her breath, anticipation building as he teased her with slow, deliberate, shallow strokes. His fingers dug into her hips as he pushed forward, sliding into her body again all the way, balls deep.
¡°Fuck, you feel good,¡± he growled, his voice strained with effort. ¡°So tight, warm and wet for me.¡±
ir moaned softly, her body gripping him tightly as he filled herpletely. Once he was seated deep inside her, he paused, giving her a few seconds. His hands moved to her shoulders, kneading the tension from her muscles as he began to thrust gently.
¡°That¡¯s it,¡± he murmured. ¡°Take me, ir, Take everything I give you.
His rhythm quickened, each stroke deeper and more deliberate than thest. ir¡¯s head fell forward, her long hair cascading around her face as che surrendered to the sensation. Roman¡¯s fingers trailed down her spine, tickling the sensitive skin there before moving around her front, then lower cupping her clit once more.
¡°You like this?¡± he asked, his voice dripping with satisfaction. ¡°You like being fucked like this, on your hands and knees?¡±
ir nodded wordlessly, her voice failing her as wave after wave of pleasure crashed over her. Roman chuckled, his thumb circling her clit in time with his thrusts. ¡°Who knew my uptight little secretary could be so wild?¡±
ir couldn¡¯t talk. Who indeed. She hadn¡¯t known because nobody had shown her.
His pace increased, his thrusts bing harder and faster. His balls pping against the back of her legs. ir cried out, her body tightening around him as her orgasm built. Roman leaned forward, his chest pressing against her back. As he kissed the back of her neck.
¡°Come for me, ir,¡± he demanded, his voicemanding. It was an order. ¡°Let me feel your pussy tighten ardund my cock.¡±
Her body trembled, her walls clenching tightly around him as she approached the edge. Roman¡¯s fingers pinched her nipples roughly, the sharp pain sending her hurtling over the edge. She cried out, her body convulsing around his cock as she came.
Roman groaned deeply, his own release barreling toward him as he continued to pound into her. ¡°Fuck, ir,¡± he growled, his voice strained with effort.
His hands gripped her hips tightly, driving into her one final time as he spilled himself deep inside her. ir copsed against the mattress, her body still quivering with the force of her climax. Roman pulled out slowly, his movements careful as he wrapped his arms around her, holding her close as they both caught their breath. She felt him stiffen behind her. Before he said. ¡°Fuck.¡±
¡°What?¡± ir said, still with her face in the mattress.
¡°I didn¡¯t use anything.¡± Roman¡¯s tone was more astonished than anything.
ir froze, shocked. She had never allowed Dan toe inside of her. Even when the timing was right. They had always used condoms.
¡°Are you on the pill?¡± Roman asked from behind her, stroking her hair back from her face.
¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡± ir had never taken the pill. She didn¡¯t turn to face him, needing to think.
She tried to remember when her period had been. It took her a moment because the thought of being pregnant made her mind go nk.
She could see herself in her sister¡¯s Sutton shoes. Looking down the road at single motherhood. Sutton had been determined to keep the baby. Even after the baby¡¯s father had dumped her. ir was looking forward to being an auntie.
They would support each other, as Sutton had taken care of her and Keira after their parents died and they went to live with their aunt and uncle. Having two pregnant single mothers in the family would make auntie Viv lose her mind.
Bringing up a calender in her mind, ir let out a sigh of relief. ¡°We are safe. I¡¯m due to start my period in a few days.¡±
Roman moved his hand to her chin, turning her head so she would look at him. His gray eyes bored into hers. His expression was unreadable. ¡°I would have
nothing
Comment
Room Mate 9
ir tuined to face him. Lihing her body up on the bed and leaning back against the bredhead, making ture the sheet stayed in ce to enver her breastf
ir was a little surprised she only had a slight headache after drinking what she hadst night.
Roman tilted his head as he studied her. Sighing, he sat up on the bed to face her. ¡°What is it?¡±
He was totally unconcerned about his nakedness. Why would he? Not only was his body impressive, but his equipment was nothing to sneeze at, he also knew how to use it. ir never realized what she was missing while involved with Dan.
ir looked down at her hands resting on herp. Needing to look away from the heat in his eyes for a moment. He had always had a very intense gaze, and she squirmed a little because it was zeroed in on her now, after everything they had done. She felt the need to reach out and touch his chest and right now; they had to talk. Not have sex again. She didn¡¯t think she could, anyway. She was just a little sore. This much sex in a short timeframe had put her muscles to the test.
*¡ I¡¯m not sure if this¡ No, I know this wasn¡¯t a good idea. We work together and I just found out my fianc¨¦ was sleeping around.¡± She couldn¡¯t tell him that Dan wanted her cousin over her. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have gotten drunkst night¡ and¡ and¡¡±
Sweeping a hand to gesture towards the bed. Which was a mess. ir couldn¡¯t see any pillows. Thest time she had seen one was when he had used one under her hips. The very thought made her squirm. ¡°Me sleeping with you makes me no better than Dan.¡±
Roman put a warm finger under her chin, lifting her face up so she was looking at him. ¡°I have no regrets. Was your rtionship with Dan over before you had sex with me? Regardless if you said the words to him or not. In your mind, was it over?¡±
ir nodded. It felt a waste. Not losing Dan, but more the time she had wasted on him.
Roman ran his finger over the almost indent in her chin. ¡°We had some very hot sex. Because I have to tell you, the chemistry between us was red hot. You have nothing to feel guilty over.¡±
ir looked at him. ¡°Roman, you are my boss. How are we to continue to work together?¡°.
Roman grinned at her. ¡°Why? Because I have seen you naked?¡±
ir flushed. It wasn¡¯t just seeing each other naked. But also, what they had done together. ¡°It¡¯s not that. I know you Roman. You don¡¯t fall around with your staff¡¡±
A shadow clouded Roman¡¯s face for a moment, making ir look at him closer. ¡°What? You have?¡±
¡°Only once before.¡± Roman admitted.
ir gasped at him. This was news to her. ¡°What? When?¡± not even sure she had the right to ask. They had just slept together, but that didn¡¯t necessarily give her the right to know his back story. They had only sharedst night.
Roman took his hand away from her chin. When the warmth of his hand was gone, she felt chilled. His eyes still held hers. ¡°It was a long time ago.¡±
¡°But who?¡± ir asked, stunned by the sudden turn of events. Roman had always preferred a first name basis with his staff, but he had always maintained a professional boundary when it came to romantic involvement with them. Roman firmly believed in keeping business and pleasure separate. That was, until now, with her.
¡°You have met her..¡± Roman let her know, which stunned her even more. ¡°The woman was my ex¨Cwife.¡±
ir was taken aback, her mouth hanging open in surprise. She had beenpletely unaware of this information. How had she not known? There had been no office chatter or rumors about it. ¡°How¡ What?¡± ir began, but she struggled to find the right words to express her curiosity to Roman. She didn¡¯t want to give him the impression that she enjoyed participating in office gossip, which was far from the truth. Given her position as Roman¡¯s secretary, she made a conscious effort to avoid gossip. It wouldn¡¯t reflect well on her if the CEO¡¯s secretary got caught up in such matters.
Roman shifted on the bed. It was clear he wasn¡¯t enjoying this line of conversation between them. But he continued anyway after a moment when she couldn¡¯t form a sentence. ¡°I was a lot younger, ir. I was only twenty¨Cfour when I married. The business which I inherited from my father wasn¡¯t
Chapter 9
anywhere near what it is today, I was cocky and arrogant and thought the world owed me something
ir lifted a an eyebrow at the statement of him being cocky and arrogant. He still was. But she didn¡¯t say it.
He smirked at her, fully aware of her thoughts. ¡°Yes, well, I was even worse back then. The business was expanding rapidly, and it started to go to my head. Jessica, she was stunning and full of life, It never urred to me that she was actually my employee.¡±
¡°Did you love her¡. I¡¯m sorry I shouldn¡¯t have asked you that. It¡¯s none of my business.¡± ir said,
know the answer. Not now.
shocked at herself for asking and not really wanting to
Roman shrugged. ¡°I married her. But now she isn¡¯t in my life anymore, we got divorced. Jessica lives with the man she cheated on me with.
That didn¡¯t really answer her question. It was a nonanswer. Did he still love her and that¡¯s why he hadn¡¯t answered the question with a direct answer? Jessica had cheated on him. That didn¡¯t mean his feelings were not still involved. She didn¡¯t want to push for an answer. What right did she have? They had had sex once.
¡°Should I start looking for a new job?¡± ir ask worried about the prospect of leaving the job she loved. ¡°I mean, after what we didst night¡
Roman leaned forward, pressing his lips against the side of her mouth before he trailed down to tenderly kiss her neck. ir¡¯s head tilted back, a low groan escaping her as desire coursed through her veins as his mouth closed over the junction between neck and shoulder.
¡°I want you to know that I have no ns of releasing you from you job. Not only that, you belong to me now. You¡¯re mine to fuck in any way I desire. Remember that,¡± he whispered, his voiceced with desire.
ir had really thought she couldn¡¯t take him again. She soon found out that wasn¡¯t the case.
AD
Room Mate 10
Chapter 10
ir¡¯s stood in front of the bathroom mirror watching Roman shave. She knew by that afternoon he would have a noticeable 3 o¡¯clock shadow she had loved the feel of his stubbled chin as he had kissed her breasts. Her breasts bore a delicate trace of a faint beard burn. Surprisingly, it didn¡¯t cause her any pain. When she first noticed the marks on her body, a wave of pleasurable memories rushed through her, causing her cheeks to blush. Even now, furat fooded her body.
As if sensing her over heated state, Roman looked at her in the mirror. Pulling the razor away from his face. ¡°Are you ok?¡±
¡°Huh¡ Yeah.¡± Looking away. ¡°I was thinking, I need to head home to collect my things.¡± She gave augh and pointed to his bathrobe she was currently wearing. ¡°Unless, of course, you don¡¯t mind meing to the office in your robe.¡±
Roman turned towards her and rested his hip on the vanity. Watching her for a moment before saying. ¡°Are we talking no underwear?¡±
And with that onement went the heat levels in her body again. ¡°Roman, I¡¯m serious. I¡¯m not wearing yesterday¡¯s clothes.¡±
¡°I¡¯m serious about the no underwear.¡± Roman¡¯s voice was filled with a heat she now recognized. Roman turned back to the mirror and started shaving again. ¡°But you are not going to the apartment alone.¡±
¡°Roman, you can¡¯te with me. You have a 9am meeting this morning with the marketing team.¡±
¡°Fuck, I had forgotten about that.¡± Roman picked up a towel and wiped off the left over shaving cream from his face. Picking up his phone from the vanity, Roman turned back to face her. He looked at his phone long enough to find the contact he was looking for before making the call and lifting the phone to his ear. With his free hand, Roman picked up a piece of her hair, rubbing it through his fingers.
¡°Who are you calling?¡± ir asked.
Roman didn¡¯t get a chance to answer before she could hear someone answer the call saying hello.
¡°Peters, I need you to apany ir back to her ce and stay with her while she packs up her things,¡± Roman said into the mobile.
ir couldn¡¯t hear clearly the reply from Peters. But her face showed shock at Roman¡¯s answer. ¡°Take her things to my estate. Then bring her back to the office after.¡±
ir opened her mouth to object to his high handiness. But the asshole put a finger over her lips. ¡°That¡¯s fine. We are at the apartment. See you in twenty minutes.¡± By then, ir had ced her hands on her hips and was ring at him.
Roman ended the call, before caging her in between him and the vanity. He ced a hand on the countertop on each side of her. ir gasped as she lifted her hands to his chest. She wasn¡¯t sure if she had nned to push him away, but the second her hands touched his hot skin of his bare chest. Pushing him away was thest thing she wanted to do. ¡°Roman¡¡± The intense look in his gray eyes stopped her words.
¡°You were saying¡¡± Roman said, stepping closer so his body was flush to her. The only thing separating their naked bodies was his white towel wrapped around his hips and her borrowed robe. They were both very naked underneath.
¡°I¡ I can¡¯t stay with you.¡± ir said. Not sure why he had even suggested it? So much had happened in thest fifteen hours. She wasn¡¯t even sure what to expect next. But moving in with him would be a mistake. What if others at the office found out?
¡°Why not?¡± Roman asked, as if he wasn¡¯t sure why she was arguing.
¡°It wouldn¡¯t be right, Roman¡± ir licked her lips and watched as his hot gaze followed the movement. ¡°I don¡¯t want anyone at the office finding out¡I don¡¯t want to be another notch on your bedpost.¡±
¡°Trust me, baby. That¡¯s thest thing you are.¡± Roman leaned down, taking her earlobe into his mouth and sucking.
¡°What about ire?¡± If she hadn¡¯t thought the rtionship with his piece of fluff was over, she wouldn¡¯t have slept with him, no matter what.
Roman pulled back to look at her face, lifting an eyebrow at her. ¡°What, you didn¡¯t read your crystal ball?¡±
¡°How did¡ She rang you. ir flushed that he had found out what she had said to ire. Granted, she had been half tanked.
Roman shook his head before exining. ¡°I went to see her, she told me.¡±
ire felt a little sick, thinking she was no better than Laura sleeping with another woman¡¯s man. Even worse, she felt unclean. Had he gone from ire s bed to her?
¡°Hey, I went to end it. I had been nning to for weeks. I just haven¡¯t had the time.¡± Roman said.
Bfaire couldn¡¯t believe the relief she experienced. ¡°Oh, thank god. I¡ after she rang. I thought she was history, but this morning with a clear head, I¡
Roman put his arms around her waist, pulling her close. His gray eyes darkening. ¡°But you should have trusted me. When have I ever slept with two women at the same time?¡±
ir looked up into his face. He was right. She had worked for him for two full years and not once had he ever been with two women at the same time. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I should have known.¡±
¡°Where had you nned on staying because you can¡¯t go back to your ce?¡± Roman said, changing the subject, which she was d.
¡°With my sisters at Sutton and Keira¡¯s ce.¡± ir told him, but she knew it wasn¡¯t a long¨Cterm solution because of Sutton¡¯s pregnancy.
¡°ir, you told me they lived in a two¨Cbedroom apartment with a tiny study.¡± Lifting his hand, he pushed her hair out of her face. ¡°Until you sort something out,e and stay at my estate. No one at the office needs to find out.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t want a staff member living with you, even for a short time.¡± ir didn¡¯t know what to say. Roman, wanting her at his ce, was confusing.
¡°Do you remember your signed statement, ir? You are mine to fuck anyway I choose.¡±
¡°That wasst night.¡± ir felt her body heat increase as she remembered how he had taken her not justst night, but into the morning as well.
¡°Was it? Did you state the timeframe in the document?¡± Roman asked. Clearly satisfied with the knowledge that she hadn¡¯t.
Roman had never had any of his women live with him before, other than his wife. Not like she thought she was seriously more than a short¨Cterm thing. Well, that put her in the same category as all his other women.
Did she really care? She was experiencing something with Roman she had never known had existed. Why shouldn¡¯t she enjoy it as long as itsted? Providing she didn¡¯t let her heart get involved. ¡°Ok, I¡¯ll move in. For/now. But the minute either of us wants to call it quits, I¡¯ll move out.¡±
?
Room Mate 11
Chapter 11
Twenty minutester, Peters arrived to collect ir.
¡°You know this isn¡¯t necessary. I could just call down and make sure Dan is working today. Once I know the coast is clear, make a run for the apartment and clear everything out.¡± ir felt ufortable standing in the living area of Roman¡¯s apartment, in yesterday¡¯s clothes and no underwear under the watchful eyes of Roman¡¯s head of security. There was no way she would wear dirty underwear, and she definitely wouldn¡¯t wear wet underwear if she
washed them,
Roman pulled on his suit jacket. ¡°I¡¯m not having you go there alone, ir. End of discussion.¡±
Arrogant ass. But it gave her a secret little thrill that he cared about it, ir thought before saying aloud. ¡°Dan has never hurt me, well physically, at least. I¡¯m perfectly safe.¡±
Roman finished with his jacket and walked over to her. He obviously didn¡¯t care that Peters was watching because he leaned down and took her mouth in a hungry demand. Shocking ir by the intense kiss in front of his man. By the time he pulled away. She was breathless and a little embarrassed.
Peters, though, wasn¡¯t paying any attention, only looking their way when Roman stepped up to him. ¡°Take care of her and don¡¯t let her out of your sight.¡±
¡°No problem, boss,¡± Peters replied.
*Behave and do everything Peters tells you.¡± Was hisstment before leaving the apartment.
¡°What the hell have I gotten myself into?¡± ir said to the room.
¡°Sorry?¡± Peters asked.
ir looked at Roman¡¯s head of security. He wasrge and built with muscles. ¡°Nothing. Just questioning my sanity. Should we go?¡±
A short timeter, ir let them into her ce¡ No, her old ce now. After today, she would nevere back here. ir turned to Peters once they stood in the entry. ¡°You can wait in the sitting room if you like while I go and pack up my room. I shouldn¡¯t be long.¡±
¡°Is there anyone else in the apartment?¡± Peters asked.
ir shrugged. It sounded quiet, but it wasn¡¯t the first time Laura had sleptte. Burning the candle at both ends. ¡°My cousin could still be asleep.¡±
Looking up the stairs, she said to Peters. ¡°My cousin is a drama queen, not a fighter. I¡¯ll be safe if she is here. I¡¯ll need you if my ex, Dan, shows up.¡±
She saw a frown appear on his face, not liking her upstairs alone. ¡°Look, I don¡¯t need you watching me while I pack up my underwear. I¡¯ll scream if I need you, ok.¡± ir didn¡¯t give him time to reply before heading up the stairs.
When she got to the top of the stairs, she didn¡¯t rush to her room, just in case. What if Laura, or worse yet Dan, was still in her bed? ir couldn¡¯t see into Laura¡¯s room. The door was shut.
Shit. Looking towards her own door. ir took a few silent steps to her room. Hers wasn¡¯t closed, only pulled to. Taking a deep breath. ir pushed the door open all the way. Relief flooding her when finding the room empty.
Not wasting anytime ir entered the room, grabbing her two suitcases she hadn¡¯t left at the office. That stopped her in her tracks. She had left her small travel case at the officest night. When Roman had carried her into his private lift, she hadn¡¯t even thought about it. She would have had one extra set of clean clothes because they hade home a day early.
Shrugging, it was toote now. She was here. She might as well get it done.
Opening the cases on the bed, ir pulled open the wardrobe and just took the clothes out in bunches, not even removing them from the hangers. Then folded them straight into the cases. She had been at it for a few minutes when she heard a noise at the door. Looking up, she saw Laura leaning against the doorframe.
¡°So you¡¯re leaving?¡± Laura¡¯s tone was bitter.
Talk about stating the obvious. ir went back to packing, trying to ignore her cousin. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have guessed what i was doing hard you not told mel
¡°ir¡ You have to know we love each other. This wasn¡¯t personal.¡±
That stopped ir packing for a moment to look at Laura. ¡°Then Dan should have ended things with me first, Laura¡±
¡°He didn¡¯t know how. His mum¡¡°.
His mum didn¡¯t like Laura. Had never liked her. Laura even had a reputation that Dan¡¯s mother, Pa, Had been aware of Hard not to when the whole town knew. The problem with growing up in a small town everyone knew your business. ¡°That¡¯s not my problem.¡±
ir wasn¡¯t even sure why they were having this conversation. Laura was an innately selfish person. So she must want something. ¡°What do you want, Laura?¡±
ir saw the calcting look that entered Laura¡¯s eyes before she had a chance to mask it. Her next words proved to ir that Laura was out for herself.
¡°I need you to break it off with Dan. Let mum, dad and Dan¡¯s mum think it was you that ended things.¡± Laura told her.
ir put a hand on her hip. ¡°Why would I do that?¡± But she could guess. If Laura or Dan fessed up to what they had been up to behind ir¡¯s back. It
would put them both in a bad light.
¡°Because we need for you to say you ended it and really, by you packing, you are. Dan didn¡¯t say anything about ending your engagement, and you did say it yesterday. We just need you to tell the families you broke things off, but not why.¡±
No, he hadn¡¯t. if anything, he tried to exin everything away as nothing. ¡°Laura, Dan ended things with me the moment he put his dick inside you. You and he may have loose morals, but I don¡¯t.¡±
¡°You fucking bitch.¡± Laura took a step towards her.
¡°Come on, do it.¡± ir¡¯s tone stopped Laura in her forward movement. ¡°The mood I¡¯m in, I would wipe the floor with you.¡±
Laura went pale. ¡°You can¡¯t I¡¯m pregnant.¡±
AD
Room Mate 12
Chapter 12
Call it shock and madness or even irony. But ir couldn¡¯t help it. She startedughing
¡°Stop it ir, this isn¡¯t funny.¡± Laura pouted. Clearly upset that ir wasughing.
¡°Oh, but it is.¡± ir saw Peterse up behind Laura. ir shook her head at him, wiping the tears from her eyes caused by theughing. Seeing the movement from ir, he stayed silent, just standing there behind her cousin, watching her. ir was sure if Laura made any sudden movements towards her again, Peters would have her pinned to the wall.
¡°Let me guess, the baby is Dan¡¯s or are you going to palm it off as Dan¡¯s?¡± ir went back to packing now. She had Peters watching over her. She left out an outfit and underwear for today.
¡°I¡¯m not a slut. The baby is Dan¡¯s,¡± Laura screamed at her.
She wasn¡¯t Mother Teresa either. Far removed, with the men that had been in Laura¡¯s bed. ¡°Okay, whatever. I really don¡¯t care. It¡¯s your problem now. You¡¯ll have to exin everything to your parents and Dan¡¯s mother. But go ahead and spin it anyway you like.¡± ir gestured towards Laura¡¯s belly. ¡°That baby was conceived before any breakup between Dan and me. How are you going to exin that, Laura?¡±
The other issue was Auntie Viv, Laura¡¯s mother. The way she had humiliated Sutton foring home pregnant from Europe. Going on and on about the embarrassment to their family name. Now she had her own daughter in the same predicament. ir would bet a million dors she didn¡¯t even have, Laura wouldn¡¯t be subject to the same treatment.
¡°I don¡¯t know. I haven¡¯t even told Dan I¡¯m pregnant yet.¡± Laura bit her nail.
ir stared at her wide eyed. ¡°Wow, just wow. I have no words.¡±
She moved towards her bedside table, opening the drawers. ir pulled out her phone charger and the current book she was reading. It made her pause. The book was a drama about a cheating husband. True, Dan hadn¡¯t been her husband, but still someone she hoped would stay faithful to her. After living with Laura¡¯s parents and her uncles with his cheating ways. ir was surprised that Laura didn¡¯t see the pattern. Once a cheater, always a cheater in her book. If Dan had fooled around on ir. Who¡¯s to say he would stay faithful to Laura? No longer interested in the book, she threw it on the bed, packing the charger.
¡°I wish you and Dan all the happiness in the world, Laura, I truly do. I believe I had a lucky escape and to think I have you to thank for that.¡± ir believed what she was saying this wasn¡¯t hurt pride talking. If anything, she wasn¡¯t hurting enough for a man she should have been ready to marry. It was as if a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She hadn¡¯t even realized she was carrying.
¡°But I will not lie to anyone. I will tell the truth. You do remember how important the truth is to auntie Viv, don¡¯t you, Laura?¡± ir looked up with a smirk on her face. Laura had lied so many times as a child. She had loved getting ir and her sisters in trouble, auntie Viv had always believed Laura over the three of them. Her precious daughter could do no wrong. She would not hear gossip about her beautiful model daughter. ir wasn¡¯t jealous of Laura. To her, Sutton had always been more beautiful.
However, auntie Viv was the main reason why Sutton decided to only work in Europe after being offered the modeling job. She made it clear that she didn¡¯t want to work anywhere near Laura. Therefore, auntie Viv couldn¡¯t use Sutton of riding on Laura¡¯s coattails or being jealous of the attention
Laura received.
Laura and their aunt didn¡¯t even know what Sutton had been doing. Only that she was working abroad to support her sisters.
Sutton had worn contacts, changing her eyes from blue to green and dying her hair much lighter. Out of the three sisters, Sutton had the darkest hair. Both she and Keira had light blonde and Sutton was dark blonde. They had all inherited their blue eyes from their mother.
¡°ir, you have to do this for the baby¡¯s sake.¡± Laura begged.
¡°What about Sutton? What about her baby? No one from your side of the family cared about her when she came home. The vile things your mother said about her around town; about her and her morals. Like her not knowing who the father of her baby is.¡±
Laura crossed her arms.over her chest. ¡°Well, she doesn¡¯t though, does she?¡±
irughed. ¡°Yes, she does, Laura, because Sutton has only ever been with one man in her life. Something you will never be able to put a im to.¡±
Chapter 12
I haven¡¯t been with that many men. Laura tried to defend herself.
ir¡¯s eyes widened as a sudden thought came to her. ¡°Not since Dan moved in no. I should have realized that.¡± ir felt like smacking herself in the head with her hand. She was so blind. Laura had been putting on a show for Dan. Or had they been sleeping together that long? ¡°Before that, Laura, it felt like a sushi train going through your bedroom,¡± ir said as she bent down to close her suitcases.
ir moved around the room to make sure she had everything. Picking up the underwear and work clothes she had set aside. ir went into her bathroom and quickly got dressed and pulled her hair into a bun. d now she had had a shower at Roman¡¯s ce. Picking up the few products she needed from the vanity. When she left the bathroom, Laura was still in the same position. She had hoped she would go. ir put yesterday¡¯s dress with the things she had collected from the bathroom into her tote bag.
She walked over to the bed to get the suitcases off the bed, but Peters, noticing that she had finished, swiftly moved past Laura and reached them first. He effortlessly lifted the suitcases off the bed as if they weighed nothing at all.
Laura gasped. ¡°Who the fuck are you?¡±
¡°How about none of your goddamn business?¡± ir said as she followed the silent Peters out of the room.
¡°What did you hook up with some random guyst night? What that makes you no better than¡¡±
ir spun around to face Laura again. ¡°What no better than you? If I had the parade of men in my vagina like you have had, then you could make ament. Peters works for my boss. He is here to insure my safety.¡±
Laura paled. ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything to jeopardize Dan¡¯s job, did you? Like go crying to your boss.¡±
irughed. Her cousin was just too much. ¡°My boss has more to worry about than the personal lives of his employees.¡± There was no way she was going to talk aboutst night. Not because she was embarrassed. Because she had done nothing wrong. What had happened was between her and Roman was no one¡¯s business. ¡°The only one that¡¯s going to affect his job is Dan. Just how many days has hee home to screw you? How long do you think it will be before Roman looks into it? If I were you, I would tell Dan to look for a new job.¡±
Room Mate 13
Chapter 13
As ir arrived back at the office, Peters had offered to take her things to Roman¡¯s estate after dropping her oft By the time she stepped off the lift to their floor, she waspletely emotionally wiped.
Kara came out from behind her desk when she saw ir. ¡°Are youing for drinks tonight?¡±
ir had totally forgotten that today was Friday. Which gave her a little thrill knowing she and Roman would have the weekend together. She was sure there would be so much he had nned for her.
¡°Hm, I had..¡± How was she going to get out of it? ir went at least every two weeks for an hour at least. She and Dan would often go together. Would he take Laura? ¡°I¡¯m not sure I can this week.¡± ir needed to find out about Roman¡¯s ns first.
Kara smiled. ¡°Are you doing something with Dan this weekend?¡±
Everyone knew at the office that ir had been engaged. Now she wasn¡¯t. Surprised that she didn¡¯t care everyone knowing the truth and what a dog Dan was. Some would p him on the back, thinking he was a stud, but most will look down on him. ¡°Dan and I are no longer together.¡±
Kara looked surprised at the news. ¡°What? Why?¡±
ir shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t like cheaters, and Dan isn¡¯t happy with just one woman. I¡¯m not sure about tonight.¡±
Kara gasped at her. ¡°Why that dirty dog.¡±
¡°Now you can understand why I¡¯m not wearing my ring.¡± ir showed her bare hand.
¡°ir, do you need any help? Somewhere to live for a while? Let me know. I would help you out.¡±
ir was touched by the offer. ¡°Thanks Kara, but I¡¯m fine. I have somewhere. I better go. Has Roman finished with the marketing team?¡±
¡°Yes, they filed out of there about 15 minutes ago. I just put through a call from finance.¡± Kara let her know.
ir nodded before heading towards Roman¡¯s office. Opening the door after a soft knock.
ir stepped into the office. He sat behind his desk on the phone, his tie slightly loosened, his suit jacket draped over the back of his chair. His eyes flicked up as she entered, and for a moment, they locked onto hers with an intensity that made her breath catch.
He didn¡¯t stop talking, but his hand moved, gesturing subtly toward the door. His fingers curled once, twice, a silentmand. Lock it.
She hesitated, her heart already pounding, but did it. Closing the door and turning the lock, the click echoed. When she turned back, Roman¡¯s gaze was still on her, heavy lidded. He pointed to the spot between him and his desk, his other hand cradling the phone to his ear as he continued speaking about something she couldn¡¯t quite focus on. Her heart was beating too loudly in her ears.
ir crossed the room slowly, her pulse racing. She stopped where he¡¯d indicated, hands at her sides. He leaned back in his chair, his eyes trailing over her from head to toe.
She stepped back until her thighs touched the edge of his desk. Roman tilted his head regarding her before he reached out with his fingers grazing the hem of her skirt. ir¡¯s breath hitched, but she stayed perfectly still, her eyes locked on his face. His expression gave nothing away. Only the faintest ring of his nostrils as his hand slipped beneath her skirt told her she was effecting him.
Her underwear was gone in one smooth motion, his fingers brushing against her bare skin as he pulled them down and off before he set them aside on the desk. She felt vulnerable, but with the door locked, she felt safe enough for this.
Roman murmured into the phone. The sound of his deeper voice registered to her more than his words. He was turned on just like her.
With his free hand, he guided her gently but firmly until she was sitting on the edge of his desk, facing him. The cool wood pressing against her thighs as she bnced herself. He then spread her legs apart. Holy hell.
Her eyes never left his, his voice steady on the phone. His fingers ran along her skin then trailed higher, teasingly light along her inner thigh.
ir bit her lip to stifle a sound, her hands gripping the edge of the desk. His touch was deliberate, unhurried, as though he had all the time in the world. She couldn¡¯t believe this was happening.
His fingers found their target, brushing against her wetness, and she nearly gasped aloud. Her hips twitched and his grip tightened on the phone.
¡°Yes, I understand,¡± Roman said into the phone, his tone businesslike. ¡°We¡¯ll have the numbers by the end of the day.¡± His fingers circled slowly around her clit, drawing a soft whimper from her lips. He raised an eyebrow, a smirk appearing on his lips as he continued his call. He was enjoying this.
ir closed her eyes, trying to steady her breathing, but every movement of his hand sent heat shooting through her. His thumb pressed against her clit, rubbing in tight, controlled circles as his fingers slid inside her. He scissored his fingers in her just enough, making her gasp.
She bit down on her lip, her nails digging into the desk as she fought to stay quiet. Anything to stop herself from crying out.
Roman¡¯s voice remained calm. His conversation continued, but his fingers worked her ruthlessly. He knew exactly how to touch her, how to draw out every sensation until she was trembling, her thighs squeezing around his hand. She could feel herself on the edge of losing control, her body coiled tighter, desperate for release.
And then, abruptly, he just stopped.
ir¡¯s eyes flew open, her chest heaving as she stared at him in shock. Roman held her gaze, his expression unreadable as he finished his call. ¡°I want the numbers by 5pm in my email,¡± he said smoothly.
He set the phone down, the silence of the office suddenly deafening. For a long moment, they didn¡¯t move, just watched each other. Then, without a word, Roman stood, his hands moving to her hips as he pulled her closer to the edge of the desk. ir¡¯s breath caught as he dropped to his knees in front of her, his eyes never leaving hers.
The position shocked ir. His face was level to her core. She had never experienced this before and wasn¡¯t sure how she felt about it. In some ways, having a man go down on her was more intimate than having intercourse.
His hands slid up her thighs, spreading them wider, and then his mouth was on her, scorching hot.
¡°Ro-¡± ir cried out, her hands flying to his shoulders as pleasure crashed over her in waves. His tongue was relentless, swirling and stroking, driving her higher and higher until she was gasping, her body arching off the desk.
¡°Roman,¡± she whimpered, her voice breaking as his hands gripped her hips, holding her steady. She could feel the tension building again until she was
certain she would shatter.
¡°Let go,¡± hemanded, his voice muffled but firm against her skin. And when she did, it was unlike anything she¡¯d ever experienced.
The moment ir¡¯s climax subsided, Roman stood, his lips wet with her desire. He didn¡¯t say a word, His eyes locked onto hers as he unzipped his pants. Once he was free, he wasted no time rolling on a condom. ir¡¯s breath hitched, her body still trembling from the aftershocks, but she couldn¡¯t look
away.
Roman stepped closer, his hands gripping her thighs and pulling her to the edge of the desk. She gasped as the cool wood pressed into her heated skin. His voice was low, as he ordered. ¡°Legs around me, ir.¡±
Her ankles hooking behind his back as he positioned himself. He rubbed his sex through her lower lips for a moment, his gaze burning into hers, before he thrusted into her hard, so deep she felt his balls touch her bottom.
ir cried out, her fingers squeezing onto the edge of the desk, trying to stop herself from moving across the desk with the force of his thrust.
Roman didn¡¯t give her time to catch her breath/His rhythm was almost pagan. Each stroke pushed her closer to the edge again.
¡°You feel so good, so hot,¡± he growled, his voice rough with desire.
Her moans grew louder, her body arching into his with every thrust. Roman¡¯s hands slid up her sides, tugging at her blouse until her breasts were free. He bent his head, his mouth closing over one peak, sucking and nipping until she was moving uncontrobly beneath him.
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Chapter 13-
¡°Please,¡± she begged.
Roman pulled back slightly, his grip tightening on her hips as he smiled darkly. ¡°You want more? Harder.¡± He then did the unthinkable, pulling out of her but not for long.
The world spun as he lifted her off the desk, spinning her around in one smooth motion until she was facing the polished surface. ir braced herself on her elbows. Her feet just touched the floor, her breathing in tagged gasps as Roman positioned himself behind her. His hands reamed over her curves, squeezing and caressing before they settled on her hips again.
When he entered her this time, it was deeper than before.
ir gasped as he drove into her with unrelenting force. Each thrust sent waves of pleasure crashing through her, and she could feel the slickness between her thighs growing with every movement.
¡°Fuck,¡± Roman muttered under his breath, his pace increasing. ¡°I love the way your pussy feels.¡±
She whimpered. Her core clenched around him instinctively, drawing a guttural groan from Roman.
¡°That¡¯s it,¡± he praised, his voice harsh with desire. ¡°Take everything I give you. Squeeze my cock.¡±
His hands moved to her shoulders, pressing her down harder against the desk. ir¡¯s cheek ttened against the cool surface, as Roman gripped her hips and pulled her back to meet his pounding. The room was filled with the sounds of their breathing and the rhythmic p of skin against skin.
Every nerve in her body was alive with pleasure. She could feel herself almost falling over the edge, her muscles tensing as the pressure coiled tighter. Roman leaned over her, his chest pressing against her back as he whispered in her ear, his voice a low growl.
¡°Come for me, ir.¡±
The order broke the dam on her control. Her body convulsed, her cries muffled by the desk as pleasure exploded through her in waves. Roman¡¯s pace faltered for a moment, his own release hitting him as he buried himself deep inside her. His grip on her hips tightened almost painfully as he groaned her name, his voice unrestrained.
For a long moment, they stayed like that, their bodies intertwined and their breathing loud. Finally, Roman straightened, gently pulling out of her and helping her up until she was standing on shaky legs. He turned her to face him, his hands cupping her face as he kissed her deeply, his tongue tracing the seam of her lips. She could taste herself on his lips.
When he pulled back, his expression was softer, though no less intense. ¡°Good girl,¡± he murmured, brushing a strand of hair from her face, making her realize her hair hade down. Not surprising.
It took the ringing of the phone on Roman¡¯s desk for her to remember where they were.
AD
Room Mate 14
Chapter 14
ir stared at him wide eyed. There was no way she could answer the phone right now. Her mind was mush, and she wasn¡¯t sure if she could even string. two words together.
Roman gave her another smirk and reached across the desk to lift the phone. ¡°Roman.¡± That one word sounded normal as he rested the phone between his head and shoulder. She watched him deal with the used condom and pulled up his pants, tucking his shirt back in.
¡°No, she isn¡¯t at her desk right now. I have her tied up doing something else for me.¡± A sparkle entered his eyes as he said, tied up. Just how kinky was Roman. The idea wasn¡¯t frightening to her, not if Roman was in charge. She was sure she would never let Dan do anything like that to her. That realization just showed her subconscious level of trust for both men.
ir left him to manage the call. As she grabbed her underwear from his desk, she raced across the room to his private bathroom.
¡°Oh, my god,¡± she couldn¡¯t believe what had just happened again in his office. ir was so grateful that she knew Roman¡¯s windows on this level and the penthouse level were tinted ss. So they could see out, but no one could see in during the day. The buildings around Kingston¡¯s had a bird¡¯s eye view into his office. ir paused in putting her hair up. Would she have cared? Sex with Roman was all¨Cconsuming. The moment he touched her, her mind went nk, not caring of time and ce.
Quickly, she cleaned herself up, then stepped into her underwear. All before looking at herself in the mirror. She looked like she had just had sex. No surprise there. Taking the time to fix her hair and makeup. Only when she felt satisfied she didn¡¯t look like someone who had just had sex with¡. what was he? Boss, sexual partner, booty call? ir didn¡¯t know and at the moment didn¡¯t care. She was finally living an experience she couldn¡¯t turn her back on. The fact Roman was moving her in with him must say something? He had not lived with anyone since his ex wife,
ir wouldn¡¯t let herself get too involved emotionally. She couldn¡¯t, not yet. She had just broken up with Dan and Roman didn¡¯t do long term.
Taking a deep breath, she walked out of the bathroom straight into Roman. Her handsnded against his chest, making her gasp, as his arms went around her waist, holding her flush to his body.
¡°You ok?¡± His voice still held a warmth of promise.
ir lifted one hand from his chest and ran it over her hair before looking him in the eye. Seeing the wicked look in his eyes. He was enjoying her difort. She gave him a yful p on the shoulder. It didn¡¯t have a lot of bite because he was holding her so close.
¡°Ro, I¡¡± she faltered, not sure what to say.
¡°I like it when you call me Ro.¡± He said, pushing the lock of hair that had already escaped her bun behind her ear.
¡°Do I look normal?¡± ir asked.
¡°Hmm, define normal.¡± Roman said. There was a tone to his voice that made her feel very sexy, before he brought his head down to suck her ear. ¡°Because you look beautiful, and you always do. But now there is a sparkle in your eye.¡±
ir felt the heat spread through her anew. But they had work to do. ¡°We can¡¯t do this at work, Ro.¡±
¡°Why? I found it very pleasurable.¡± He cocked his head, but she could see Roman understood her meaning.
¡°You know exactly what I¡¯m talking about. If other staff find the door locked, often, what will they think?¡±
Roman smirk grew bigger. ¡°Often, what are you suggesting? That I¡¯m a sexed, crazed boss praying on his staff.¡±
¡°Stop it.¡± She said, but couldn¡¯t help the smile on her lips. She liked this yful Roman.
¡°Me? You wanted it just as much.¡± He used/
Because he wasn¡¯t wrong, ir blushed, making himugh.
ir changed the subject. ¡°You have a meeting in twenty minutes. We better get to work. Do you have notes for me to type up for the marketing team?¡±
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He kissed her lips before saying, ¡°Let¡¯s get to it. I have the recordings of my desk. I want you in the next meeting. So you won¡¯t have time to type it is.
Vet
ir really needed to talk to Roman about not doing this at the office anymore. It was just too dangerous, exciting yes, but still dangerous, the pushed against his chest. He released her, but watched her with an intense gaze.
ir avoided his look and said. ¡°I¡¯ll go get the recorder and then get the boardroom ready for your next meeting.¡± ir moved around him, grabbed the recorder off his desk, and left his office to head straight to her desk. Her phone was ringing, and she lifted it, needing the distraction. ¡°Roman Kingston office. ir speaking. How can I help you?¡±
She then heard the one voice that turned her heated body ice cold. Dan. ¡°ir, can we talk? I really need to exin¡±
¡°Exin what, Dan?¡± ir¡¯s tone was sharp. Her brows furrowed, really not understanding how he thought he could talk himself out of this. She wasn¡¯t that gullible. No, she wasn¡¯t gullible at all. Blind maybe, but not stupid to want to even think of forgiving him.
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone. ¡°You haven¡¯t been taking my calls?¡± Dan said,
ir let out a bitterugh. ¡°Why would I take your call, Dan?¡± She felt a presence behind her, turning she saw Roman was leaning against the doorframe of their offices, watching her. She could see from his face that he knew who she was talking to.
¡°Can we meet for lunch? So we can sort this out.¡± Dan pleaded.
She didn¡¯t turn away from Roman; she had nothing to hide. ¡°For me, there is nothing to sort out, Dan. You made your choice. You now have to live with it.¡±
¡°The wedding?¡± She could hear the frustration in Dan¡¯s voice.
¡°We hadn¡¯t set a date, Dan. We are not losing any money or embarrassing any family members with a cancetion.¡±
¡°What do I say to Mum?¡± Dan asked.
E
Now they were getting down to the nitty gritty of Dan¡¯s problem. He was worried about what she might tell everyone. ¡°That¡¯s your problem. Because the truth wille out. So it¡¯s better if you tell the truth right from the start.¡±
¡°What are you going to say?¡±
ir gave anotherugh. With Laura¡¯s pregnancy, she wouldn¡¯t need to say a thing. ¡°I don¡¯t need to say anything, Dan.¡± Because there was no way to exin away Laura¡¯s pregnancy, they couldn¡¯t brush it under the rug. ¡°I would suggest dealing with your choices. I have to go now.¡± Not waiting for an answer, she hung up the phone.
Roman walked over to her, touching her arm. ¡°Everything alright.¡±
¡°Nothing I can¡¯t handle.¡± ir reassured him. She couldn¡¯t believe Dan still had the guts to reach out to her, as if he could smooth things over with a simple conversation. But ir knew better. She had made her decision, and there was no going back.
¡°You don¡¯t know how close I came to taking that phone from you then. It took all my willpower.¡± Roman confessed.
ir felt a surge of warmth in her chest. He respected her independence and trusted her judgment when it came to Dan. She reached up and brushed her fingers lightly against his cheek, a silent thank you passing between them.
¡°Thank you for allowing me to deal with it.¡± She really did like the fact he thought she was capable enough to handle it herself. Not needing a man to stand up for her. She wasn¡¯t willing to allow him to fight her battles until she could work out what they were, exactly.
With a quick nce at the clock, ir realized they only had a few minutes left before their meeting. She needed to focus and push aside the lingering thoughts of Dan. ¡°Now we only have eight minutes until our meeting,¡± she said, her tone determined. ¡°I better get cracking. Thank you again.¡±
Roman grabbed hold of her hand as she moved away, holding her to him, his gaze unwavering. ¡°If he bes a problem, let me know, ir,¡± he said firmly. ¡°I will not have him harassing you.¡±
Chapter 14.
ir gave him a small smile, ¡°I will.¡±
Roman let go of her hand, reassured.
Room Mate 15
Chapter 15
ir sat at her desk, worried about how she was going to exin to her family about her broken engagement. Her sisters would standby her no matter what she did. She wasn¡¯t sure how Sutton would feel about her moving in with Roman after what she went through with Luca in Europe. If only she had his full name, she would ring that asshole and give him a piece of her mind. But other than his first name, Sutton had shared very little. She and Keira didn¡¯t push for details. She saw the shadows in Sutton¡¯s eyes every time someone mentioned the father of her baby.
Her mobile on her desk started to ring. She looked down to see it was auntie Viv. Shit..
Taking a deep breath, ir picked it up before pressing the answer button. ¡°Hi auntie Viv.¡± She waited for her aunt to speak first. ir didn¡¯t know if Laura or Dan had said anything yet and would wait until her aunt spoke first. It was a good tactic Roman used, say little until you had all the information.
¡°Oh ir, I¡¯m so d you answered the phone. I was just talking to Father Johnson at church and they have an opening for Saturday in four months time, I have asked him to hold it for you, all you need to do is ring him to confirm and pay the deposit because the next avable date isn¡¯t for seven months.¡±
So her aunt hadn¡¯t been told yet about the change in ns. ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t be silly girl, this is perfect. True, extra time would be better, but you have dyed this wedding long enough.¡± Auntie Viv was more excited about her marrying into Dan¡¯s family than she was. Her aunt had been pushing for them to set a date for ages. Dan¡¯s family was one of the founding fathers and had a lot of pull within the town. Granted, they didn¡¯t have the millions they once did, but they were not poor either.
Viv and Peter Warner had money by the bucket load but no influence or standing within the town, much to auntie Viy¡¯s disgust. Her aunt wanted the connection to Dan¡¯s family through marriage. Bloody old fashion thinking, but some towns still worked on that social standing.
¡°The wedding is off, auntie Viv.¡± ir went for the direct approach, even though she still hadn¡¯t told her sisters. Deciding she needed to do that asap.
¡°What?¡± There was a shriek from the older woman.
¡°The wedding is off.¡± ir repeated. ¡°It¡¯s no longer going to happen.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t be silly. Have you got some silly ideas in your head again? You need to sort it out.¡± The older woman demanded. Like she had the right to tell ir who she had to marry. This wasn¡¯t the middle ages.
¡°Auntie Viv, I will not be sorting anything out with Dan. There will be no wedding.¡±
¡°But you can¡¯t. No, no, that isn¡¯t good enough, ir. You¡¯re as bad as your slut of a sister¡.¡±
¡°Now you hold it right there. I promise you, if you keep going with that line of insult, you will regret it soon.¡± She was thinking of Laura being pregnant. Not only that, but she refused to hear another bad word about her beautiful, loving sister Sutton.
¡°Don¡¯t you dare talk to me like that? You ungrateful girl. I raised you all, taking you in after your parents died. You owe me and you will fix things between you and Dan. The wedding will happen in four months¡® time.¡±
¡°Then you better find someone else for the job, Viv, because I will not be marrying him.¡± ir was sick of hearing about how if it wasn¡¯t for her aunt and uncle, she and her sisters would have ended up in the system and they should be grateful. It had been a broken record for thest ten years. ir rolled
her eyes.
They had been put out to work as soon as thew allowed. Laura had never been made to do the same. ir had worked at the town diner after school and weekends, Sutton at the post office and Keira had worked at the town chicken farm and still couldn¡¯t eat chicken to this day. Their aunt and uncle had taken half their wages for board and lodgings. The girls still had to pay for their own school uniforms or anything else needed at school.
That didn¡¯t include the household chores they had done, while Laura had every expense paid for and never lifted a duster.
Things had only be easier for her and Keira after Sutton had started working as a model in Europe. Sutton had set up bank ounts for them both, for them alone that their aunt and uncle hadn¡¯t known about.
¡°I will call Dan. Get this all smoothed over in no time. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s just some silly misunderstanding.¡± Auntie Viv said.
Chapter 15
ir rubbed a hand over her forehead. She wasn¡¯t getting through to her aunt. ¡°Listen auntie Viv, I¡¯m at work. I really need to go.
I will see you this weekend for Sunday dinner.¡± She said before she could ring off.
They were expected to travel to their hometown once a month for church and lunch afterwards. Where they would often listen to their shorings by their aunt and uncle. ir had had an easier time of it since she had be engaged to the town¡¯s most eligible bachelor. Now that was over, so was the reprieve.
¡°We will talk about this face to face,¡± Auntie Viv said.
ir felt like telling her aunt what she had walked in on only yesterday. Wow, so much had happened in thest 24 hours. It felt like weeks ago.
She had two days before she had to face her aunt. ¡°Fine.¡± She really hoped that Dan and Laura came cleart before Sunday, she thought as she hung up
the phone.
ir wondered about the spin her aunt was going to put on it when the truth came out. But it wouldn¡¯t be her delivering the message to her aunt. She wasn¡¯t even sure that Dan knew Laura was pregnant yet. It was a mess she wanted no part of.
Room Mate 16
Chapter 16
275%0
ir nced at the clock on her wall and was a little surprised to see that it was 5:45 pm. She hadn¡¯t even realized. She had been busy catching up on all the meeting notes for Roman¡¯s files and sending off any actioning emails from the meetings. ir sat back in her chair and stretched out her back with! her arms raised in the air. Before rxing again. She needed to call her sisters and with the door connecting her and Roman¡¯s office closed, now seemed the best time.
Picking up her phone, she dialed Sutton¡¯s number.
¡°Hi hon,¡± Came Sutton¡¯s soft voice in her ear.
¡°Hey, how is my niece or nephew doing today?¡± Was the first question out of her mouth. Sutton¡¯s pregnancy hadn¡¯t been easy. She had had morning sickness nonstop for the first four months. Whoever had called it morning sickness had lied. Sutton had thrown up at anytime and often. She and Keira both believed part of it had been the stress of her ex leaving her pregnant and alone. God, she hoped so, because there was a chance she was pregnant as well. Not something she was ready to even truly think about.
¡°Moving like crazy.¡± Sutton said. ¡°It was so hard to sit still at reception today.¡±
Sutton had been able to get a job as a receptionist in apany managing cyber security, about a five minutes¡® drive from Kingston¡¯s. It was only temp work, but they had been unable to find someone to fill the role because of an employment freeze. Cyber10 had just been bought out, was the rumor. But until that was made public, it was all spection. Cyber10 was thepany Kingston used.
It was good for Sutton because she could stay in one job for longer. Temp work was all over the ce and only for short periods, normally. The employment freeze had helped Sutton, at least.
Because Sutton was pregnant, no one wanted to hire a pregnant woman on a full¨Ctime basis, when they would likely take some time off after the baby was born. Sutton hadn¡¯t let her ask Roman for a job. ir couldn¡¯t, not now that she was sleeping with him. It just felt wrong asking her boss she was now shagging to help her pregnant sister for a job. The silly thing was Sutton was very good withputers and working in reception just seemed a waste of her talents.
¡°How was thest checkup?¡± ir asked. She had been unable to make Sutton¡¯sst appointment. Keira had gone with their sister.
¡°Everything it fine. I¡¯m to be careful of my blood sugar levels and stress over the next few months. But other than that, everything is fine. You know Keira. She would have called you straight away if there were any concerns.¡±
Sutton was right about that, so she decided to change the subject.
¡°Damn Straight.¡± ir heard Keira pipe in from the background.
ir was relieved she would only have to tell her news once to her sisters because they were together. ¡°Can you put me on speaker?¡±
¡°Sure, give me a sec¡¡± there was a pause, then Sutton said. ¡°Ok, Keira can hear now.¡±
¡°Are you guys going home this weekend?¡± She asked first. She had said home, but none of the sisters felt like it was. Their home had been sold to pay off debts after their parents¡® deaths. Who would have guessed their father had bankrupted thepany? Leaving them broke and at the mercy of their aunt and uncle.
ir crossed her fingers that they would go for moral support. Aunt Viv wasn¡¯t easy to deal with alone and having uncle Peter there would only make it
worse.
¡°Unfortunately, why?¡± Sutton said.
¡°I broke it off with Dan.¡± ir got straight to the point.
There was a silence on the other end of the phone before Sutton asked. ¡°What happened?¡±
¡°I found him in bed with¡. someone else, ir didn¡¯t say Laura because that woulde out soon enough and knowing Sutton, she would ring Laura, giving her a piece of her mind. They would know the truth soon enough without her gossiping about it with her sisters. Sutton didn¡¯t need the stress. ir just hoped Sutton had a front¨Crow seat after everything she had put up with from their aunt and uncle.
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11:54 Wed, 18 Jun G @A
¡°That¡ that cheating piece of shit. I¡¯ll kill him.¡± Sutton said angrily. ir could also hear Keira¡¯s angry words ovepping their older sisters: it was a little hard to follow.
ir cut them off before they name more ways they would curse and maim Dan. ¡°Sutton, Keira, it¡¯s ok honestly, I think¡ I¡¯m upset, but I think it¡¯s better I found out now before we married.¡± ir took a deep breath, trying to steady her racing thoughts. She knew she couldn¡¯t reveal the truth about Roman just yet; it was all too fresh, too uncertain. She nced at the rain¨Csoaked sky outside. She didn¡¯t even know if it was more than him just helping her out or an easy booty call.
¡°Did you have any problems kicking him out?¡± Sutton asked after she had calmed down enough to think clearly.
¡°I left.¡± She confessed. Now this was where it was going to get hard to keep Laura out of the exnation of why she was the one to leave, not Dan.
¡°What? Why?¡± she asked, her concern evident in her voice.
It was then ir thought of the perfect reason why she would leave. ¡°I found them in our bed,¡± she revealed, her voice tinged with disgust. ¡°Every time I would walk into our bedroom, I would have seen them.¡±
¡°Where did you stayst night? Why didn¡¯t youe here? Why didn¡¯t you call us?¡± came questions from both her sisters.
¡°I¡¯m ok, I have somewhere to stay¡¡±
Sutton cut her off this time. ¡°Where? With whom?¡±
ir rolled her eyes, feeling like a teenager again with all the questions, but she knew it was out of love. ¡°With a friend.¡± She couldn¡¯t say her boss, who she had slept withst night, had offered her a bed with him in it. Just the memory of what they had done together yesterday, and this morning, sent white hot fire through her blood. ¡°I¡¯m safe, I promise.¡±
¡°You could havee here.¡± Keira said.
¡°You don¡¯t have the room with the babying.¡± ir said, feeling the need to remind them, because there wouldn¡¯t be room soon.
¡°ir, we would find room no matter what. The baby could sleep in my room for the first few months. Then we could look for a bigger ce for us all. Familyes first.¡± Sutton offered. They had nned on fixing up the tiny study for the baby.
ir knew she wouldn¡¯t take Sutton up on the offer. She was right where she wanted to be right now. Roman was showing her a side of herself she hadn¡¯t known had existed. She intended to experience every second of it until he grew bored and asked her to leave. One thing she needed to keep safe was her heart because Roman hadn¡¯t involved his own, not since his divorce.
¡°I¡¯m ok for now. Will let you know if anything changes.¡± d Sutton hadn¡¯t pushed for more details on which friend she was staying with, because ir wouldn¡¯t have lied to her sisters.
¡°So, have you told Auntie Viv about the broken engagement?¡± Sutton now knew why she needed them there on Sunday.
¡°Yes, and she thinks it¡¯s just a lover¡¯s tiff and we need to sort it out.¡± ir confirmed.
¡°I think Aunt Viv needs to divorce uncle Peter and marriage into Dan¡¯s family herself if she wants it so bad or ask Laura.¡± Keira said.
ir almost choked because the second option might very likely happen with a baby on the way. ir knew Dan¡¯s mother Pa was going to be pissed with Laura as her daughter¨Cinw. She really liked Dan¡¯s mother, but she wouldn¡¯t marry Dan just for that reason. She would still be friendly with her. That wouldn¡¯t change. It wasn¡¯t Pa¡¯s fault that Dan couldn¡¯t keep his pants zipped. ir could see her being quite embarrassed by all this mess.
¡°I just need you both there. I have a feeling it¡¯s going to be a firing squad on Sunday.¡± Where auntie Viv and uncle Peter will try to force her into marrying Dan again. But that would never happen. She would do her best to keep silent about Laura, but if she had no other choice, she would rat her cousin out. Why should she suffer to protect Laura when she hadn¡¯t cared about her feelings?
Room Mate 17
Chapter 17
Roman knew it was gettingte and they should call it a day, but he sat at his desk after ir had just delivered him a coffee and the typed up meeting notes had been sent to hisputer already. It was the one thing that had stopped him from making a move on her sooner. Well, two really. He hadn¡¯t wanted to lose her as a secretary. She had been the best one he had ever had. Also, there had been the problem of her fiance. Roman leaned down and pulled out the file he had hidden in his bottom drawer. The investigation he had run into Dan¡¯s department had given him more information that he had
nned.
It had all startedst month when a discrepancy had appeared in the ounts of the sales department. When he had started the investigation, it hadn¡¯t been to catch out Dan but to find out if they had a thief who was embezzling money. That little mystery was still a work in progress. They had set up a trap, so the next time money was taken, they would discover the thief.
While conducting their personnel sweep, the security team stumbled upon Dan, being unfaithful to ir. Roman had chosen not to disclose the truth to her. He pondered how he could justify his knowledge, considering that only he and the security team were aware of the embezzlement until the culprit was caught. Although he trusted ir, he believed it would be for the best if fewer people knew about the trap and the stolen money.
So on theirst business trip, he had worked everyone to the bone so they could arrive home a day early. Even going as far to hint to ir about surprising Dan. Just to stop her from calling him and warning him she would be home early, hoping that ir would catch Dan cheating.
He had almost fist pumped the air when the message hade through that Dan had left the office to meet up with Laura, ir¡¯s cousin. Maybe he was the shithead ir had called him. He was a ruthless bastard when it came to something he wanted and he had wanted ir. The need to have her had only grown the longer she had worked side by side with him. The times he had to hide his hard¨Con from her had be increasingly more frequent. Until he was never taking off his suit jackets around her. It made him feel like an untried randy teenager.
He wasn¡¯t a monk and with ir in a rtionship he had dated, but nothing serious for over three months because he found himselfparing ir to the women he dated. Roman hadn¡¯t known what he was thinking when it came to ire. He had needed a date for some uing events and she had put herself in his path. He hadn¡¯t slept with her, no matter how much she had pushed for it. She had left him cold.
He remembered his final meeting with her. After dropping off ir at her ce, knowing what she would find. Stilling the temptation to stick around in case she needed him. Roman had driven to the office, dropped off his briefcase and left again to face ire.
It was after ire had rung the office and spoken to ir. It was the reason he had known where to find her after.
Roman hadughed in ire¡¯s face when she had told him what ir had said to her. Not just the part about not having a crystal ball, but mostly the part about him not being marriage material. ir was the reason he didn¡¯t have staying power with any woman.
ire had cried and begged him to stay, again trying to get him into her bed. But he had left her as soon as he had broken it off and headed to the office to find ir drunk. It had snowballed from there.
Everything with ir had moved faster than he had hoped or nned for. Roman didn¡¯t want her on the rebound, but right now he would take her anyway he could get her. He would just need to work on her feelings for him slowly. He didn¡¯t want to scare her with the intense way he felt about her.
He had been living with a nonstop hard¨Con for months and dreaming about her. If he could only have her naked for a week, he could take her as often as he liked. He would be a very happy man. The type of chemistry they shared didn¡¯t happen very often.
He truly hadn¡¯t nned on taking her without a condom this morning. He hadn¡¯t wanted to trap her, but if she was pregnant, he would use it to his advantage.
The ringing of his mobile stopped his thoughts for now, seeing his friend Luca¡¯s name on the screen. Picking up the phone, he answered the call. ¡°Hey mate, how are you?¡± Roman said into the phone.
¡°Roman, I¡¯m good. How is business?¡± Luca said.
¡°Busy.¡± Roman leaned back against his chair, bringing his feet up on the desk. He and Luca had gone to Berkeley together, both studying business management. They had firstpeted against each other before bing best friends and even sharing a house near campus. Luca¡¯s businesses were in gotten into their mainframe. It was only the quick thinking of his head of security Peters, who had shut the power down to the building, turning off allputers. It had saved them from
11:54 Wed, 18 Jun G @Q
the cyber attack. Yes, they had lost work, but it was better than what could have happened. Roman had spent the afternoon tearing strips off Cyber10 CEO¡¯s ass. They hadn¡¯t gone back on line for 24 hours while Cyber10 updated the protection.
¡°I¡¯m arriving in town tomorrow and was hoping we could catch up. I want to talk to you about something,¡± Luca said.
That sounds interesting. Do you want to give me a heads up on what we shall be discussing?¡± Roman knew his friend would give nothing away until he was ready.
¡°I¡¯lle to your ce around 5pm tomorrow. We can have dinner and talk.¡± Luca said. Luca gave no hints about the subject of the talk. But Roman had a feeling he knew, and he really hoped his hunch was correct. ¡°I¡¯ll get my secretary to book a restaurant. Are you staying at the apartment or your estate?¡±
¡°The Estate, I¡¯ll see you tomorrow. But not ate one, my friend. I have ns for the weekend.¡± Th
¡°And what is the ¡®ns¡® name, may I ask?¡± Lucaughed.
¡°None of your business yet,¡± Roman replied.
ns included ir, naked and a hell of a lot more.
After hanging up from his friend, Roman stood, taking the file on Dan¡¯s activities over to the shredder and turned it into confetti. He was lucky ir hadn¡¯t found the file when she had gotten out his bottle of scotch yesterday. He couldn¡¯t chance her finding out he had set the trap for her to catch Dan out. Shoot, the messenger came to mind if she did.
Room Mate 18
€375.0
ir bit her lip. She was feeling anxious about going home with Roman and concerned about the logistics of getting to his ce without anyone from thepany finding out. It waste, so there wouldn¡¯t be many people around, but the possibility of being seen was still a major risk. She had researched public transport options online and discovered that there was no direct bus service in that direction.
Keeping her rtionship with Roman a secret was important to her, and she definitely didn¡¯t want anyone knowing that she was staying at his ce. In hindsight, she realized she should have discussed the n with him before now.
The office phone buzzed on her desk. Lifting it, ir put it to her ear.
¡°ir, I was about to leave for the day, but Jessica Kingston is here to see Roman.¡± Kara let her know straight away.
That shocked her. In the two years she had worked here, she had only met Jessica once. ¡°Hold one second, Kara.¡± ir said before putting her on hold and ringing through to Roman.
¡°Roman speaking.¡± Came Roman¡¯s voice.
¡°Your ex wife is here to see you.¡± ir let him know without emotion.
¡°Fuck, I wonder¡ Never mind, have her wait in your office for a few moments.¡± Roman wondered what the hell Jessica was doing here. He hadn¡¯t even seen her in almost a year.
Theirwyers handled allmunication, and he faithfully paid her alimony every month. It was odd how he had just been discussing her with ir, and now she was suddenly here. Almost like a bad omen. What he hadn¡¯t mentioned to ir was the fact that Jessica had cheated on him with a man who
was once his friend.
Roman picked up his mobile to call hiswyer. Maybe she would have some insight to why Jesica was here now.
ir rolled her eyes at Roman¡¯s request that Jessica stay in her office for a few moments. ¡°Kara, send Jessica to my office, please. Roman will see her
when he is free.¡±
¡°Ok, and ir, see you Monday.¡±
¡°Have a drink for me tonight.¡± ir had forgotten to talk to Roman about that, and it wasn¡¯t important.
¡°I will. I hope you have a great weekend, ir.¡± Kara said before hanging up.
ir was hoping for a great weekend once Jessica left. She wondered if Roman¡¯s ex turning up like this would ruin it.
The smell of her perfume told ir she wasn¡¯t alone anymore, so she turned her head to find Jessica posed in the doorway. It was the only way to describe it. ¡°Jessica, Roman will be with you in a moment. You are wee to take a seat and wait.¡±
¡°That¡¯s Mrs. Kingston to you,¡± Jessica said in an affronted tone.
ir was taken aback. Not only did they not usest names around here unless talking to a client or business partner, which Jessica would have known working here. But she was no longer Roman¡¯s wife. Why had she kept hisst name? Did it offend her current partner that she hadn¡¯t gone back to her..
maiden name?
¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mrs. Kingston. Please take a seat,¡± ir offered. What else could she say?
¡°I would think that would be unnecessary. Roman has never kept me waiting long.¡± Jessica said with an oversized ego, in her opinion. But she kept that
to herself.
ir didn¡¯t bother to offer a tea or coffee, feeling it would be rejected as well. ir offered instead a small smile that she didn¡¯t feel and went back to shutting down for the night. There was nothing urgent left in her tray.
¡°I don¡¯t remember your name.¡± Jessica said then.
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¡°ir.¡± She said, not looking up.
¡°That¡¯s right. I remember it being a man¡¯s name.¡± Jessica replied rudely.
ir curled her fist and bit the inside of her mouth to stop herself from saying anything. ir was an unisex name, and no one had ever said that before to her. She knew Jessica¡¯s type, though. They liked to run other women down for the smallest things and damage their confidence. It made them feel better about themselves.
She didn¡¯t know why this woman felt the need. Her name was fitting. It looked like she had just stepped out of the movie ¡®Who Shot Roger Rabbit¡® Roman¡¯s ex was a ringer for Jessica Rabbit, tiny waist, big boobs and gorgeous red hair andrge blue eyes. The only things missing were the smoky voice and red evening dress. She would give her sister Sutton a run for her money in the height department as well. Sutton was tall at 5.10. ir would say Jessica was close. Roman was around 6.2 at a guess, so Jessica would be eye level with him in her heels.
¡°I heard ire Robertson is no longer in the picture?¡± Jessicamented. ir hadn¡¯t even realized the woman had moved towards her desk.
ir looked up at this, eyeing the other woman. How did she know? God, I hope ire hadn¡¯t gone to the media with a tell all story. Roman would be seriously pissed. It had happened about a year ago, after he had dumped one of his girlfriends. ir had, out of curiosity, read the article in the gossip column. It hadn¡¯t all been lies. He was very good in the bedroom department. Just remembering some of the information in that column made her blush. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t gossip about Roman¡¯s personal business.¡± ir hoped that sounded impersonal enough.
Jessicaughed. ¡°What a good little s¨¦cretary you are. Toeing thepany line.¡± Jessica waved a hand in an impatient manner clearly not impressed. ¡°You don¡¯t have to say anything. ire has been crying to everyone that would listen that Roman dumped her.¡± Jessica leaned a hip against her desk. ¡°Not really surprising. No onests with Roman when he is still in love with me.¡±
ir looked away from Jessica so she wouldn¡¯t see the hurt in her eyes. Was that true? She had wondered about it herself. Did he still love this woman?
¡°I want to know. Is there someone else? Because ir was so suddenly given the boot.¡± Jessica watched her intently.
What was it with this woman she didn¡¯t want Roman, had in fact cheated on him? But ir had seen this before, so she shouldn¡¯t be so surprised. Some women couldn¡¯t quite take the ws out of their exes, needing to interfere in their lives or find out what they were up to.
Why now, though, for Jessica? In the two years she had worked here, this was only the second time she had met Jessica. Thest time had been brief because Roman had only left her waiting in her office for a few minutes. She hadn¡¯t been interested in the reason for her visitst time. But then she hadn¡¯t been sleeping with Roman then.
ir was saved by the bell, so to speak, when Roman¡¯s door opened.
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Room Mate 19
Roman look first at ir to see that she had a frosty look in her eyes. Just what had been going on here. Maybe he shouldn¡¯t have left Jessica in herpany for so long. But he wanted to talk to hiswyer first before speaking to Jessica. Better to have all the facts in front of him beforehand, But Ashley, hiswyer, had been as surprised as him by the visit. But she had warned him to not promise anything until speaking to her first.
¡°Jessica? Please.¡± Roman used a hand gesture to invite her into his office. Not missing the smirk, Jessica gave ir as she moved away from her desk. She brushed against his body as she walked by him to enter his office. It took everything in him not to move away. He would not show her any emotion, but she left him cold, when once she had been able to set his body ame.
Roman mouthed to ir. ¡°Wait for me.¡± Realizing toote they hadn¡¯t spoken about traveling home together and now wasn¡¯t the right time. She gave him a small nod. Satisfied, Roman closed the door to his office and faced his ex wife.
¡°Jessica.¡± was all he said. Nothing more. He would let her speak first. It was the best way when it came to his ex wife.
He eyed her while he waited. She was dressed to impress in a stylish blue dress that showcased her centerfold figure, which didn¡¯t even move him. What he had felt for her was a young man¡¯s lust, not love. The desire he had for ir was so much more. It had nearly killed him knowing she was going home every night to Dan. She wasn¡¯t ready to hear about his feelings yet.
¡°You really need to find a new secretary, Roman. This one has a tendency to gossip. She was just telling me you had broken up with ire Robertson.¡±
Jessica started with an attack.
Interesting, thought Roman. He couldn¡¯t help theugh that escaped. ¡°Really, or was it because she wouldn¡¯t give you any information? You are now trying to undermine her.¡± Roman knew ir wasn¡¯t a gossip. She kept a very closed mouth about his business and personal life. It¡¯s what made her the perfect secretary.
¡°Believe what you want. Don¡¯t take my word for it.¡± Jessica shot back, pouting. Obviously upset, Roman didn¡¯t buy her story.
Roman remained unmoved. ¡°Let¡¯s be honest here, Jessica. You are not one I would trust. You lost that right the day you started cheating on me.¡± Roman walked by her to lean on the front of his desk facing her, crossing his arms over his chest. ¡°ir, on the other hand, has been an honest and loyal
employee for two years.¡±
¡°Is that all she is?¡± Jessica asked.
That was a little close forfort. Knowing ir wanted to keep it quiet for now, he schooled his features to give nothing away. ¡°All my employees are more than just staff, Jessica, you know that.¡± He made sure his staff likeding to work. He knew everyone¡¯s name at this office and made it his business to ask after their families. The only one he had stopped asking was ir, because he didn¡¯t want to know about her life with Dan.
¡°Now, if you are here to only cause trouble, you know where the door is,¡± Roman added, hoping she would go.
Jessica sighed before saying, ¡°Troy cheated on me.¡±
Roman couldn¡¯t help it. He burst outughing.
This didn¡¯t amuse Jessica because she got a stony look on her face before saying. ¡°This isn¡¯t funny Roman.¡±
Roman held up a finger to let her know to give him a second. Which he took to control his amusement. Before saying two words, he didn¡¯t mean. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Only because it was the polite thing to do.
¡°Listen, can we have dinner? 1 really need someone to talk to.¡±
¡°Fuck no,¡± Was Roman¡¯s instant reply. Plus, he had ns tonight with ir. He was nowhere near satisfying his lust for her. Every minute Jessica stayed here, the longer he had to wait.
¡°What?¡± His refusal clearly shocked her.
¡°Look Jessica, we are divorced, although feel for you right now because, as you know, I have been in your shoes.¡± He left unsaid that she had put him there. ¡°But the less time I spend with you, the better.¡±
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11:54 Wed, 18 Jun 00
She then got a calcting look in her eyes, and her demeanor changed. Her next words told him she had gotten the wrong idea. ¡°Because you still love me.¡± Jessica took a step towards him,ying a hand on his chest.
Roman quickly pushed her hand away. ¡°Again fuck no, the very thought makes my skin crawl.¡±
¡°You¡¯re a cruel bastard Roman.¡±
Roman lifted an eyebrow at her. ¡°Why? Because I¡¯m not falling for your bullshit.¡±
¡°Well, I thought because you are single right now and it looks like I¡¯m no longer with Troy, we could, you know¡¡± Jessica left the rest just hanging there
unsaid.
Roman smirked at her. She was not subtle at all. It was very obvious what she wanted from him. ¡°What? Get back together? I would rather use my own hand than ever touch you again, Jessica.¡±
Jessica waved that away. ¡°That¡¯s hurt pride talking Roman. We had some very good times together.¡±
¡°Jessica, let¡¯s get one thing straight. This isn¡¯t hurt pride. I don¡¯t want you. The only reason you are here now is money. You left me at the time for a richer man. It¡¯s bad luck for you that after years of hard work, I could buy out Troy one hundred times over.¡±
¡°That isn¡¯t true. I was lonely Roman. I really do love you. It took Troy¡¯s cheating for me to realize it. What I gave up.¡± Jessica looked suitably annoyed by his usation.
Roman gave her a scornful look. ¡°Cut the bullshit. You wanted a super rich husband. But poor you he never married you, did he Jessica? Instead, you got stuck getting your cheques from me every month and unfortunately for me, you kept myst name, hoping it would give you connections when Troy didn¡¯t marry you.¡±
¡°Roman, please, I just want another chance to show you how much I love you. Please.¡± Jessica tried touching him again.
But he moved away, looking at the chesterfield he had made love to ir on. After being with ir, why would he ever feel the need to go back to Jessica? His ex didn¡¯t hold a candle to ir. Maybe remembering making love to ir while he was in the same room as his ex wife was in poor taste. But
Fuck it.
He turned to face her again. ¡°That boat has sailed and to be honest with you, I don¡¯t think we would have made it, anyway. Even without your cheating? 1 would have given our marriage an expiry date, anyway.¡± God, he sounded like a heartless prick, but everything he said was true.
¡°How can you say that?¡± Fake tears filling her eyes.
¡°I told you one day you would regret your choice. I wasn¡¯t wrong.¡± It was as close to a ¡®I told you so,¡® as he was willing to get. Completely unmoved by her acting.
¡°Well, I need somewhere to stay. Can you lend me the estate until I sort out a new ce?¡± Jessica asked.
Roman stared at her in disbelief. ¡°Hell no.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not like you use it much. It¡¯s no hardship on you. You mostly stay in the apartment above us.¡± She tried to reason.
¡°Jessica, you are no longer my wife or friend, for that matter. I pay you every month as per our divorce agreement. So use that money and figure it out for yourself. I¡¯m not lending you anything.¡± He still had nightmares about the way she had decorated the ce when she was married to him. Jessica didn¡¯t have very good taste. He hadpletely remodeled the ce since their divorce.
He thanked god every day that his father had insisted on a prenup. Because Jessica had tried everything to get her hands on more during the divorce. She hadn¡¯t even realized how much the business had grown during their marriage, then exponentially after.
¡°Roman, I was your wife.¡±
¡°Was¡® being the operative word. As in, no longer my wife,¡± Roman pointed out. ¡°I have ns this weekend. I think you should leave. I have ns tonight and they don¡¯t include you.¡±
Chapter 19
She then got a calcting took in her eyes, and her demeanor changed. Her next words told him she had gotten the wrong idea. ¡°Because you still love me. Jessica took a step towards him,ying a hand on his chest.
Roman quickly pushed her hand away. ¡°Again fuck no, the very thought makes my skin crawl.¡±
¡°You¡¯re a cruel bastard Roman.¡±
Roman lifted an eyebrow at her. ¡°Why? Because I¡¯m not falling for your bullshit.¡±
Well, I thought because you are single right now and it looks like I¡¯m no longer with Troy, we could, you know¡¡± Jessica left the rest just hanging there
unsaid.
Roman smirked at her. She was not subtle at all. It was very obvious what she wanted from him. ¡°What? Get hand than ever touch you again, Jessica.¡±
Jessica waved that away. ¡°That¡¯s hurt pride talking Roman. We had some very good times together.¡±
back together? I would rather use my own
¡°Jessica, let¡¯s get one thing straight. This isn¡¯t hurt pride. I don¡¯t want you: The only reason you are here now is money. You left me at the time for a richer man. It¡¯s bad luck for you that after years of hard work, I could buy out Troy one hundred times over.¡±
¡°That isn¡¯t true. I was lonely Roman. I really do love you. It took Troy¡¯s cheating for me to realize it. What I gave up.¡± Jessica looked suitably annoyed by his usation.
Roman gave her a scornful look. ¡°Cut the bullshit. You wanted a super rich husband, But poor you he never married you, did he Jessica? Instead, you got stuck getting your cheques from me every month and unfortunately for me, you kept myst name, hoping it would give you connections when Troy didn¡¯t marry you.¡±
¡°Roman, please, I just want another chance to show you how much I love you. Please.¡± Jessica tried touching him again.
But he moved away, looking at the chesterfield he had made love to ir on. After being with ir, why would he ever feel the need to go back to Jessica? His ex didn¡¯t hold a candle to ir. Maybe remembering making love to ir while he was in the same room as his ex wife was in poor taste. But
Fuck it.
He turned to face her again. ¡°That boat has sailed and to be honest with you, I don¡¯t think we would have made it, anyway. Even without your cheating? I would have given our marriage an expiry date, anyway.¡± God, he sounded like a heartless prick, but everything he said was true.
¡°How can you say that?¡± Fake tears filling her eyes.
¡°I told you one day you would regret your choice. I wasn¡¯t wrong.¡± It was as close to a ¡®I told you so,¡® as he was willing to get. Completely unmoved by her acting.
¡°Well, I need somewhere to stay. Can you lend me the estate until I sort out a new ce?¡± Jessica asked.
Roman stared at her in disbelief. ¡°Hell no.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not like you use it much. It¡¯s no hardship on you. You mostly stay in the apartment above us.¡± She tried to reason.
¡°Jessica, you are no longer my wife or friend, for that matter. I pay you every month as per our divorce agreement. So use that money and figure it out for yourself. I¡¯m not lending you anything.¡± He still had nightmares about the way she had decorated the ce when she was married to him. Jessica didn¡¯t have very good taste. He hadpletely remodeled the ce since their divorce.
He thanked god every day that his father had insisted on a prenup. Because Jessica had tried everything to get her hands on more during the divorce. She hadn¡¯t even realized how much the business had grown during their marriage, then exponentially after.
¡°Roman, I was your wife,¡±
¡°Was¡® being the operative word. As in, no longer my wife,¡± Roman pointed out. ¡°I have ns this weekend. I think you should leave. I have ns tonight
they don¡¯t include you.¡±
11:55 Wed, 18 Jun & Q Q
Chapter 19
Why are you being like this?¡± Jessica asked.
Because, ex wife, I don¡¯t care what you do anymore. It wasn¡¯t nice seeing you again. Please don¡¯t do this often, if at all.¡± He then lifted hand and pointed to the door. ¡°The way out is that way.¡±
Jessica red at him for a full minute. She had trulye here thinking he was going to take her back or lend her his estate. He could see she couldn¡¯t understand why he wasn¡¯t falling all over himself to help her.
¡°You will regret this Roman.¡± Jessica said as she marched to the door, swinging it open.
Room Mate 20
Chapter 20
ir watched Roman¡¯s door, wondering what was going on inside between them. She heard Roman¡¯sugh and then nothing for a long time. Suddenly, the door was swung open to reveal a clearly upset Jessica. She didn¡¯t say anything, just stomped across the room towards the exit.
¡°Goodnight Mrs. Kingston.¡± ir thought it polite to say to the woman.
She was shocked by Roman¡¯s next words. ¡°The only Mrs. Kingston is my mother. If Jessica insists on keeping my name, it¡¯s Ms. Kingston if she really is to up herself to be called by her first name.¡±
This only seemed to ignite Jessica¡¯s temper, and she gave a small squeal and left the offices.
Roman was on his mobile within seconds. ¡°Peters, make sure one of your team sees Jessica leaves the building with zero fuss, please.¡± Roman put his
phone back in his pocket. ¡°Well now, that¡¯s dealt with. Shall we go home?¡±
ir had so many questions but kept them to herself. She didn¡¯t have the right to question him about his ex wife. Not now, maybe not ever. ¡°I¡¯m ready to leave but Roman¡. I should have brought this up before. We can¡¯t be seen leaving together, not if we want to keep it quiet.¡±
¡°Everyone has left for the day,¡± Roman said.
¡°Not everyone, and only one person needs to see us together for the rumors to start.¡± ir expressed her concern. ¡°I have an idea. Why don¡¯t I walk to the bus stop and you leave in five minutes and pick me up from there? We can figure it out over the weekend.¡±
She could see Roman wasn¡¯t happy with her idea. But he knew how she felt about people finding out about them. Not yet.
¡°Fine, whatever. But you will have one of the security team follow you to make sure you¡¯re safe,¡± Roman conceded ungracefully, but added his own
conditions.
ir grinned at him and pointed to the window. ¡°It¡¯s perfectly safe in daylight, Roman. I would agree if it was dark out, but it¡¯s not. I will walk to the bus stop on my own.¡± She walked over, leaned in to give him a quick kiss. Well, that had been her intention, but he groaned at the first touch of her lips to his and grabbed her around the waist, pulling her into his hard body and took her mouth in a hungry kiss.
When he finally let her go, ir had to grip his arms to hold herself upright. She was breathless and her knees felt like jelly. She was also so turned on she felt like breaking her resolve about having sex at the office. It really surprised her how good his kisses were.
One kiss could fire her blood where it would have taken Dan some heavy forey to evene close. She wondered if Roman got the same result with every woman. Maybe this was normal for him and she had just been missing out in her rtionship with Dan. Who had more experience than her? Why hadn¡¯t he picked up on something being wrong with their sex life? Maybe that¡¯s why he had cheated. Sex with Dan had been ok, but she had always thought there was something not quite right. The earth shattering climaxes she had experienced with Roman had shown her. She wasn¡¯t wrong. There had been something definitely major missing between her and Dan.
She looked into Roman¡¯s face to find him watching her intently. His next words proved to her how affected he was by the kiss. ¡°You better go because if you are standing in front of me in the next ten seconds, I will strip you naked and take you to the floor.¡±
ir¡¯s eyes widened before she grabbed her handbag off her desk and all but ran from her office. She made it to the lifts on their floor in record time. She wasn¡¯t against having sex with Roman, the opposite, but just not at the office. ir hit the lift call button as someone grabbed her arm and spun her around. Thinking it was Roman, ir wasn¡¯t overly rmed until she saw it wasn¡¯t Roman, but Dan instead. What was he doing on the executive floor? Had he been waiting for her? ir shook her arm free, not having time for this. Roman wouldn¡¯t being out this way, so wouldn¡¯t know she had been held up. He would leave in his private lift.
¡°Don¡¯t you dare touch me.¡± ir red at Dan. Rubbing her arm where he hadid his hand on her. She never wanted him to touch her ever again.
¡°ir please. Can we talk?¡± Dan pleaded.
¡°No, there is no point.¡± ir said, crossing her arms across her chest in a defensive gesture. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be with you if you were the man on earth.
¡°I made a mistake and I love you.¡± Dan confessed.
¡°Well, you killed any feelings I had for you when you slept with Laura.¡±
112
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Chapter 20
¡°It was a mistake.¡±
irughed, ¡°Mistakes happen once, Dan. Just how many times did you mistakenly slip your dick inside of her? Because I¡¯m going to take Laura¡¯s word for it that it¡¯s being happening for a while.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t believe that, bitch. She is lying.¡± Dan was trying to bullshit her. She watched his right eyebrow go up. His tell. Looking at him now, she saw the weak jaw and signs that his hairline was receding. Comparing his body to Roman, it was severelycking.
The lift doors opened behind her. She didn¡¯t get on, instead; she focused all her attention on Dan. Before she left, she had something to say. So the doors closed again.
ir poked her finger into his chest, which she would be sure to disinfect itter. ¡°You are the liar here and don¡¯t give me any story about loving me. You don¡¯t cheat on someone you love. Do you know how dirty you made me feel?¡± She was going to go for a checkup tomorrow, just in case. Because when a partner cheated, you were sleeping with all their partners and she wouldn¡¯t feel clean until she knew for sure this scumbag hadn¡¯t given her anything. ir wiped her finger she had touched him with on her skirt to show him her disgust.
Dan saw the movement, and a look crossed his face she couldn¡¯t quite read. Anger, disbelief, maybe a mixture of both. But she didn¡¯t see guilt and that more than anything proved to her she was making the right choice. Dan didn¡¯t feel guilt over cheating, meaning he would do it again. Well, he wouldn¡¯t do it to her, but if he and Laura got together, then she was in for a bumpy ride. It made her question if Laura had been the first. That very thought made her feel really dirty.
¡°We have nothing more to say to one another, and I have somewhere to be.¡± ir pushed the lift call button again. Because nearly everyone would have already left for the day, the lift was still stationed on their floor. The doors opened straight away. ir turned her back on her ex and stepped into the lift.
ir let out a sigh when Dan followed her. She wasn¡¯t scared of him. The office had security and cameras everywhere. It¡¯s the fact he was fighting their breakup and thought he could talk her out of it. She pressed the close door button, hoping to hurry along this ride in the lift with Dan. Wanting nothing more than to be away from him.
She couldn¡¯t believe he was fighting their break up. Thought he could change her mind. Fat chance. If the cheating hadn¡¯t been enough, knowing she had been missing out in the bedroom department would be. Roman had some impressive equipment, and he knew how to use it. He knew her body better than she did. The things he did to her were¡ well, hot.
¡°I miss you. I miss us. I was feeling lonely, and I made a huge mistake.¡± Dan tried again. ¡°Please, just give me another chance.¡±
ir watched the numbers on the lift descend. ¡°Ugh, Dan, totally not going to happen.¡± Thinking Laura still hadn¡¯t told him about the baby. ¡°Have you spoken to Laura since this all blew up?¡±
Dan¡¯s face twisted with anger. ¡°Why would I talk to her? She is the reason for all this¡¡±
The lift stopped on the ground floor. She quickly moved off the lift. Swinging around to face him at his words, ir cut him off. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare me this solely on her. You are the one who couldn¡¯t keep their pants zipped, Dan.¡±
He tried to reach for her arm again, and she stepped away from him. ¡°Don¡¯t. I think you should call Laura and have a word with her, Dan. Because you have your day of reckoning about to fall on your head.¡±
There were other people in the lobby. A few co¨Cworkers and people from other offices from the first three floors, but she didn¡¯t care they were watching. She had nothing to be ashamed of.
ir could see Peters by the security desk off to the side. He was watching the exchange. He straightened, pulling his phone out of his pocket and made a call, never taking his eyes from the scene in front of him. ir didn¡¯t need to guess who he was calling. There was only one person. Roman. She held up a hand to let him know she was ok. Hoping he would get the hint to let Roman know that. Thest thing she needed was Roman toe chasing in here to deal with Dan.
Dan noticed the people around and colored red. They had just washed their dirtyundry in public and everyone would know by tomorrow the reason they had broken up. ¡°ir please.¡±
¡°You can beg. You can plead, but I don¡¯t forgive cheating, Dan.¡± She turned on her heels and walked away from him, holding her head up high as she called over her shoulder. ¡°Call your girlfriend Dan. Tthink she has some news you might need to hear.¡± At the front doors of the building, she turned to face him across the foyer. ¡°Oh and Dan, if you don¡¯t stop harassing me, I will put in aint to HR.¡± Before pushing the door open and walking out into the fresh air.
2/3
1201 Wed, 18 Jun
Dan couldn¡¯t do much else with people watching, so he let her go.
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Her phone started ringing as soon as she left the building. Pulling it out of her bag, she saw Roman¡¯s name on the screen. She answered straight away.
¡°Hey. I¡¯m ok.¡± She continued to walk towards the bus stop she had arranged for Roman to pick her up from.
¡°Stay where you are. I¡¯ming to get you,¡± Roman said in a demanding tone.
¡°No, you are not. You will meet me at the bus stop like we arranged.¡± She would not back down.
¡°ir¡¡± She could hear he was upset by her stubbornness. ¡°He followed you out of the building.¡±
¡°Knowing you, Roman, you have Peters following him right now to make sure he isn¡¯t following me. So I¡¯m safe. If it makes you feel better, you can stay on the line with me while I walk.¡±
When he didn¡¯t deny her charge about Peters following Dan, she knew she was right.
¡°Fine, but I don¡¯t like it,¡± came his frustrated voice over the phone.
ir changed the subject of the conversation as she continued to walk, her heels clicking on the sidewalk. ¡°I have to go home on Sunday in the morning. I will be back in the afternoon.¡±
¡°Have you told your family about your broken engagement?¡±
¡°Yes, but my aunt hasn¡¯t taken it well. I have been ordered home. I¡¯m sure to try to talk me around to their way of thinking. Which is so not going to happen. I think I need to tell you the full story. I think I need an enormous ss of wine in front of me before I start.¡±
¡°That sounds like an epic drama.¡± Came his warm, chocty voice. He sounded rxed now. She would bet the farm that he had just received a message from Peters that Dan wasn¡¯t following her. ¡°Red or White?¡±
¡°Red, Oh it¡¯s epic all right. Are you sure you want to know about it? I¡¯m happy to give you the cut¨Cdown version, if you prefer.¡± Not so sure it was a good idea sharing her family details with Roman. it wasn¡¯t like they were a couple.
¡°I want to know everything,¡± Roman told her.
¡°I will remind you that you said that once your ears start bleeding.¡± ir said as she reached the bus stop. ¡°I¡¯m at the bus stop.?
¡°I¡¯m pulling up now.¡±
Making her turn to see his car doing just that. The passenger door was right in front of her. She opened it and slid into the car. Quickly doing up her seatbelt so he could go and wouldn¡¯t get a ticket. As soon as she was buckled in, he merged into the traffic.
¡°I want to kiss you, but if I do, I won¡¯t stop.¡± Roman confessed. ir reached over and put her hand on his thigh.
Leaning in, she breathed in his ear. ¡°I have never done it in a car before.¡± She was shocked at herself. Where the hell had the sex kitten acte from? But when Roman jumped in his seat saying. ¡°Fuck.¡± she really didn¡¯t care and like the effect she had on him and it was only fair he had the same effect on her. ¡°Yeah, kinda what I was just saying.¡±
She ran her fingers along the seam of his inside leg, making him groan aloud.
When they pulled up at a red light. Roman turned hisser intense gaze on her. Grabbing her chin in his fingers, holding her head so she couldn¡¯t turn away. ¡°Let¡¯s get one thing straight. What we do isn¡¯t fucking.¡±
ir lost her breath. She hadn¡¯t expected the force of his statement. He seemed almost angry. Licking her lips before daring
16:08 Wed, 18 Jun
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to ask. ¡°What would you call it, then?¡±
Roman watched her the way her breath had increased and her flushed cheeks. He leaned in, saying a hair breath away from her mouth. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you when I think you¡¯re ready.¡±
ir squeezed her legs together to stop the ache that had started a tempo down there the minute he had moved in closer.
The spell was broken when a horn sounded behind them. Roman looked around to the light, seeing it was green. ¡°Shit.¡± He set the car back in motion. ir watched as he adjusted himself a few times in his seat. Realizing he was hard. She couldn¡¯t help but grin. They affected each other the same way. Her pussy was pulsing, so it was only fair he should be hard. He flicked his eyes in her direction, catching her grin.
His eyes darkened. ¡°You think it¡¯s funny, do you?¡± Looking back to the road.
ir tried to school her features to hide her smile. But she burst outughing. Laying her hand back on his thigh again. ¡°I feel the same. But having sex in view of other drivers isn¡¯t on my agenda and I¡¯m sure not yours.¡± Knowing if anyone snapped a photo of them, it would have ended up in the media. Roman was that well known. Any titbits about him always ended up in some gossip column. It was part of the reason she wanted to keep quiet about their affair.
Roman captured her hand from hisp, bringing it up to his mouth for a kiss before settling it back in ce on his thigh,ying his hand over hers in between changing gears. ¡°If only you knew what you do to me.¡±
She had a pretty good idea if it was anything like what he could do to her with just a look. All the time she had worked for him, she hadn¡¯t realized. It was like she had walked around with blinders on and when they had been lifted, the only person she saw was Roman. It had shown the level ofmitment she had given Dan, never looking at another man. Which hadn¡¯t stopped him from looking at other women.
All she could think now was thank god this hade out now. She hadn¡¯t gone through a marriage or had children with him. The way he had brushed it off as nothing showed her he could never be trusted. Maybe she should feel sorry for Laura because she was going to have a hard time of it.
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Roman arrived at the three¨Ccar garage and pressed the remote button to open the door. He slid his car into an avable spot. Besides the vehicles he kept at the office garage in his private section, Roman stored two other cars here. She didn¡¯t understand why some men felt the need to own so many cars. When she had done very well without one.
Depending on how long she stayed here, that would have to change. She had a license but hadn¡¯t needed to use it while living in the city. Roman¡¯s estate was on the outskirts of the city. She had been here before when Roman had hosted a party here for his business partners.
Dan had attended with her that weekend. It had been a horrible weekend for her. Dan had been upset about the time she had to spend in Roman¡¯spany. She had been expected to stand beside Roman when people had arrived. She didn¡¯t understand it now any more than she had then.
Roman turned off the car. Unclipping his seatbelt, then hers. ¡°Lets go inside. I had the housekeeper arrange a meal for us both.¡±
Housekeeper. She had forgotten he had live¨Cin staff. She flushed, not sure how the housekeeper would take her turning up like this and staying.
They entered the house through the kitchen entrance, finding an older woman with gray hair adding finishing touches to a sd. The smell of whatever was cooking in the oven was heavenly.
ir soon realized she had nothing to fear. The older woman had gentle eyes and a weing smile, which she turned on them both.
Roman introduced her as Jenny, the trusted housekeeper who had been with him for years.
In short order, Jenny had them settled in the dining room with a te of delicious slow cookedmb shoulder that melted in your mouth and baked potatoes and the sd Jenny had been making. Roman had found a full¨Cbodied bottle of wine and gave her a ss. They were more than halfway through their meal when Roman bought up the subject they had touched on in the car.
¡°So, are you going to share your epic family drama?¡±
Sighing, ir realized that she probably knew more about Roman¡¯s background than he knew about hers. His life was stered all over the gossip columns and social media. His life was an open book which, for someone like her to get involved with him, was a little daunting if the media found out.
She knew Roman had inherited a much smaller business from his father after he retired five years ago, growing it into the globally renowned enterprise it was now. They had their fingers in so many pies, including manufacturing, marketing, PR, and advertising and publishing. But Roman refused to use his power to control the narrative.
¡°I¡ I have two sisters. We lost our parents ten years ago when I was fourteen.¡± ir picked up her ss of wine, taking a sip.
¡°I¡¯m sorry. I could not imagine how hard that was on you when you were so young and to lose both at the same time as well.¡± Roman said empathetically.
It still hurt, but ir could talk about it now without crying. She had loved her parents very much. ¡°I was lucky. I had my older sister Sutton and my younger sister Keira. We had each other. We looked out for each other.¡±
¡°What happened?¡± Roman put his elbow on the table, resting his head on his hand.
She could see he really wanted to know this wasn¡¯t just him being polite. ¡°They were flying home from Texas where Dad and Mum had business, their¡ their light ne suffered a malfunction over a mountain range. There was nowhere safe tond. They crashed, it killed them instantly. The ck box was never recovered. Leading to uncertainty in what happened in thest moments before the ne crashed.¡±
Roman reached over the table, taking her hand in his. He said nothing. Holding her hand wasforting enough.
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¡°Things fell apart after that. Even though we had lived a veryfortable life, it had been all smoke and mirrors. We were bankrupt. There wasn¡¯t even any insurance. So we were at the mercy of Dad¡¯s brother and his wife. Peter and Vivian Warner.¡±
That information brought a shocked look into his eyes. ¡°Your parents owned Warner Industries?¡±
¡°Yes, uncle Peter was just able to save it from going under. He put in a lot of his own money. From what I understand, it¡¯s doing really well now.¡± Warner Industries was a supporter of clothing suppliers around the world. Using local and overseas manufacturing to insure quality. While protecting the safety and well being of all workers around the world.
¡°Mum was one of the designers and Dad ran the business. Who knew it was all about to go under?¡± ir still couldn¡¯t quite understand how they hadn¡¯t known. Money had never been an issue. But thewyer and Peter had told them everything had been on credit with no way of paying it back.
Roman was frowning. ¡°Who handled the estate after their deaths?¡±
ir wondered why that was important. ¡°My uncle and Dad¡¯swyer. I don¡¯t remember his name. Sutton might. Why?¡±
Roman shook his head. ¡°I was just interested. Part of your past. What happened after that?¡±
ir watched him for a moment longer, thinking there was more to his question than he was letting on. But she didn¡¯t understand why. What difference did it make now? ¡°Our aunt and uncle took us in. But we didn¡¯t have a free ride. We got jobs and paid our own way. Later Sutton got a job in Europe modeling.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t believe I know a Sutton Warner.¡± Roman admitted.
ir grinned. ¡°She had a fake name. My cousin Laura, Peter, and Viv¡¯s daughter had been making a name for herself. To stop any family drama, Sutton decided she would just model in Europe. She isn¡¯t as well known here. But she hates it. She only did it for us.¡± ir didn¡¯t share her sister¡¯s modeling name because it was a life she wanted to leave behind.
¡°Laura Warner I know.¡± Roman said.
ir looked at him in surprise. ¡°What? How?¡±
¡°She has been at some events I have been at. We have been introduced.¡± But there was a look in his eyes she couldn¡¯t read. Not sure she wanted to know. ir went on.
¡°Sutton came home a few months ago, heartbroken and pregnant. The man she loved had been using her. He had gotten engaged to someone else. Leaving Sutton literally carrying the baby.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry your sister had to go through that. I can help if she needs a job.¡±
¡°Sutton is very proud and wouldn¡¯t let me ask. She has a job at the moment. She¡¯s working as a receptionist at Cyber10. It¡¯s surprises me how small this world is. I think she is happy there, even though it¡¯s a ¡± Clearly shocked that their wealthy family hadn¡¯t helped them.
ir gave a short, bitterugh. ¡°Huh. No, you have got to be joking. The only people they support are themselves and, of course, Laura. We had to pay our own way.¡±
This made Roman frown. ¡°But you are family?¡±
¡°In their eyes, they took us in. That should be enough¡± ir exined the bitter truth
Roman lent back, confused. ¡°Can you tell me why you think you need to even go home to these people? They sound awful.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know¡± ir looked down at her bare hand that had held her engagement ring 1. We could have ended up in the system and separated. So in one way, we do owe them something. Plus I need to go home because of my broken engagement with Dun. I told auntie Vic, but she thinks she can still push me to marry him.¡±
¡°Do you want to?¡± Roman asked. Clearly not liking the prospect
ir looked at him with shocked eyes. ¡°Hell no. I would rather roast his testicles if he tried to evene near me.¡±
¡°Ok, that sounds painfull Roman said.
ir looked at the look on Roman¡¯s face andughed. The thing that I find the hardest to get over is Dan was cheating on me with my cousin Laura¡±
Ar the look of disgust on Roman¡¯s face, she realized she hadn¡¯t told him who she had caught Dan sleeping with. ¡°Why would be scoop so low? Never mind. Sounds Be you got out in time.¡±
ir nodded. ¡°I can¡¯t be with a cheater. Peter, my uncle, cheated all the time. The fights that went on between auntie Viv and Him were horrible. The thing I don¡¯t understand is Laura, she went through the same thing.¡±
Women like Laura often want what isn¡¯t theirs.¡± Roman hit the nail on the head.
¡°Well now she is pregnant. I don¡¯t think Dan knows yet,¡± ir admitted the whole truth.
Is it his?¡± Roman asked. It was a valid question because Laura had entered into a sexual rtionship with Dan, knowing he was already taken.
¡°At a guess, yes. But I wouldn¡¯t put money on it. Another reason for wanting to go home is to talk to Dan¡¯s mother. I liked her. This is going to be hard on her. When the restes out.¡±
¡°Do you want support? I¡¯m happy toe with you¡±
ir was touched that he offered. ¡°My sisters are going to be there. I think it¡¯s better I handle this alone. But thank you.¡±
¡°Do you need a ride down there?¡± Roman offered.
ir honestly didn¡¯t know what to say. He was being so nice. ¡°Keira has apany car. We are going to drive down together?
¡°If you change your mind. I will be happy to do it. Now talking about going out over the weekend. I have a university buddying tomorrow night. We will be going out to dinner.¡± He picked up her hand and brought it to his lips. ¡°It will not be ate one.¡±
¡°Roman, you don¡¯t have toe home early because of me. I can entertain myself.¡±
¡°Oh, but this isn¡¯t about that. This is to make sure I¡¯m home early enough to enjoy you for the night.¡±
The hot look in his eyes set her blood pulsing, t
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Roman arrived at the three¨Ccar garage and pressed the remote button to open the door. He slid his car into an avable spot. Besides the vehicles he kept at the office garage in his private section, Roman stored two other cars here. She didn¡¯t understand why some men felt the need to own so many cars. When she had done very well without one.
Depending on how long she stayed here, that would have to change. She had a license but hadn¡¯t needed to use it while living in the city. Roman¡¯s estate was on the outskirts of the city. She had been here before when Roman had hosted a party here for his business partners.
Dan had attended with her that weekend. It had been a horrible weekend for her. Dan had been upset about the time she had to spend in Roman¡¯spany. She had been expected to stand beside Roman when people had arrived. She didn¡¯t understand it now any more than she had then.
Roman turned off the car. Unclipping his seatbelt, then hers. ¡°Lets go inside. I had the housekeeper arrange a meal for us both.¡±
Housekeeper. She had forgotten he had live¨Cin staff. She flushed, not sure how the housekeeper would take her turning up like this and staying.
They entered the house through the kitchen entrance, finding an older woman with gray hair adding finishing touches to a sd. The smell of whatever was cooking in the oven was heavenly.
ir soon realized she had nothing to fear. The older woman had gentle eyes and a weing smile, which she turned on them both.
Roman introduced her as Jenny, the trusted housekeeper who had been with him for years.
In short order, Jenny had them settled in the dining room with a te of delicious slow cookedmb shoulder that melted in your mouth and baked potatoes and the sd Jenny had been making. Roman had found a full¨Cbodied bottle of wine and gave her a ss. They were more than halfway through their meal when Roman bought up the subject they had touched on in the car.
¡°So, are you going to share your epic family drama?¡±
Sighing, ir realized that she probably knew more about Roman¡¯s background than he knew about hers. His life was stered all over the gossip columns and social media. His life was an open book which, for someone like her to get involved with him, was a little daunting if the media found out.
She knew Roman had inherited a much smaller business from his father after he retired five years ago, growing it into the globally renowned enterprise it was now. They had their fingers in so many pies, including manufacturing, marketing, PR, and advertising and publishing. But Roman refused to use his power to control the narrative.
¡°I¡ I have two sisters. We lost our parents ten years ago when I was fourteen.¡± ir picked up her ss of wine, taking a sip.
¡°I¡¯m sorry. I could not imagine how hard that was on you when you were so young and to lose both at the same time as well.¡± Roman said empathetically.
It still hurt, but ir could talk about it now without crying. She had loved her parents very much. ¡°I was lucky. I had my older sister Sutton and my younger sister Keira. We had each other. We looked out for each other.¡±
¡°What happened?¡± Roman put his elbow on the table, resting his head on his hand.
She could see he really wanted to know this wasn¡¯t just him being polite. ¡°They were flying home from Texas where Dad and Mum had business, their¡ their light ne suffered a malfunction over a mountain range. There was nowhere safe tond. They crashed, it killed them instantly. The ck box was never recovered. Leading to uncertainty in what happened in thest moments before the ne crashed.¡±
Roman reached over the table, taking her hand in his. He said nothing. Holding her hand wasforting enough.
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¡°Things fell apart after that. Even though we had lived a veryfortable life, it had been all smoke and mirrors. We were bankrupt. There wasn¡¯t even any insurance. So we were at the mercy of Dad¡¯s brother and his wife. Peter and Vivian Warner.¡±
That information brought a shocked look into his eyes. ¡°Your parents owned Warner Industries?¡±
¡°Yes, uncle Peter was just able to save it from going under. He put in a lot of his own money. From what I understand, it¡¯s doing really well now.¡± Warner Industries was a supporter of clothing suppliers around the world. Using local and overseas manufacturing to insure quality. While protecting the safety and well being of all workers around the world.
¡°Mum was one of the designers and Dad ran the business. Who knew it was all about to go under?¡± ir still couldn¡¯t quite understand how they hadn¡¯t known. Money had never been an issue. But thewyer and Peter had told them everything had been on credit with no way of paying it back.
Roman was frowning. ¡°Who handled the estate after their deaths?¡±
ir wondered why that was important. ¡°My uncle and Dad¡¯swyer. I don¡¯t remember his name. Sutton might. Why?¡±
Roman shook his head. ¡°I was just interested. Part of your past. What happened after that?¡±
ir watched him for a moment longer, thinking there was more to his question than he was letting on. But she didn¡¯t understand why. What difference did it make now? ¡°Our aunt and uncle took us in. But we didn¡¯t have a free ride. We got jobs and paid our own way. Later Sutton got a job in Europe modeling.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t believe I know a Sutton Warner.¡± Roman admitted.
ir grinned. ¡°She had a fake name. My cousin Laura, Peter, and Viv¡¯s daughter had been making a name for herself. To stop any family drama, Sutton decided she would just model in Europe. She isn¡¯t as well known here. But she hates it. She only did it for us.¡± ir didn¡¯t share her sister¡¯s modeling name because it was a life she wanted to leave behind.
¡°Laura Warner I know.¡± Roman said.
ir looked at him in surprise. ¡°What? How?¡±
¡°She has been at some events I have been at. We have been introduced.¡± But there was a look in his eyes she couldn¡¯t read. Not sure she wanted to know. ir went on.
¡°Sutton came home a few months ago, heartbroken and pregnant. The man she loved had been using her. He had gotten engaged to someone else. Leaving Sutton literally carrying the baby.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry your sister had to go through that. I can help if she needs a job.¡±
¡°Sutton is very proud and wouldn¡¯t let me ask. She has a job at the moment. She¡¯s working as a receptionist at Cyber10. It¡¯s surprises me how small this world is. I think she is happy there, even though it¡¯s a ¡± Clearly shocked that their wealthy family hadn¡¯t helped them.
ir gave a short, bitterugh. ¡°Huh. No, you have got to be joking. The only people they support are themselves and, of course, Laura. We had to pay our own way.¡±
This made Roman frown. ¡°But you are family?¡±
¡°In their eyes, they took us in. That should be enough¡± ir exined the bitter truth
Roman lent back, confused. ¡°Can you tell me why you think you need to even go home to these people? They sound awful.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know¡± ir looked down at her bare hand that had held her engagement ring 1. We could have ended up in the system and separated. So in one way, we do owe them something. Plus I need to go home because of my broken engagement with Dun. I told auntie Vic, but she thinks she can still push me to marry him.¡±
¡°Do you want to?¡± Roman asked. Clearly not liking the prospect
ir looked at him with shocked eyes. ¡°Hell no. I would rather roast his testicles if he tried to evene near me.¡±
¡°Ok, that sounds painfull Roman said.
ir looked at the look on Roman¡¯s face andughed. The thing that I find the hardest to get over is Dan was cheating on me with my cousin Laura¡±
Ar the look of disgust on Roman¡¯s face, she realized she hadn¡¯t told him who she had caught Dan sleeping with. ¡°Why would be scoop so low? Never mind. Sounds Be you got out in time.¡±
ir nodded. ¡°I can¡¯t be with a cheater. Peter, my uncle, cheated all the time. The fights that went on between auntie Viv and Him were horrible. The thing I don¡¯t understand is Laura, she went through the same thing.¡±
Women like Laura often want what isn¡¯t theirs.¡± Roman hit the nail on the head.
¡°Well now she is pregnant. I don¡¯t think Dan knows yet,¡± ir admitted the whole truth.
Is it his?¡± Roman asked. It was a valid question because Laura had entered into a sexual rtionship with Dan, knowing he was already taken.
¡°At a guess, yes. But I wouldn¡¯t put money on it. Another reason for wanting to go home is to talk to Dan¡¯s mother. I liked her. This is going to be hard on her. When the restes out.¡±
¡°Do you want support? I¡¯m happy toe with you¡±
ir was touched that he offered. ¡°My sisters are going to be there. I think it¡¯s better I handle this alone. But thank you.¡±
¡°Do you need a ride down there?¡± Roman offered.
ir honestly didn¡¯t know what to say. He was being so nice. ¡°Keira has apany car. We are going to drive down together?
¡°If you change your mind. I will be happy to do it. Now talking about going out over the weekend. I have a university buddying tomorrow night. We will be going out to dinner.¡± He picked up her hand and brought it to his lips. ¡°It will not be ate one.¡±
¡°Roman, you don¡¯t have toe home early because of me. I can entertain myself.¡±
¡°Oh, but this isn¡¯t about that. This is to make sure I¡¯m home early enough to enjoy you for the night.¡±
The hot look in his eyes set her blood pulsing, turning her on.
¡°Let¡¯s go to bed.¡± Roman stood, bringing her to her feet.
¡°But¡ but the dishes.¡± ir felt very ufortable leaving them.
¡°Jenny will be in here any minute to clear it. I have ns tonight and they don¡¯t include doing the dishes¡±
16:08 Wed, 18 Jun
urning her on.
¡°Let¡¯s go to bed.¡± Roman stood, bringing her to her feet.
¡°But¡ but the dishes.¡± ir felt very ufortable leaving them.
¡°Jenny will be in here any minute to clear it. I have ns tonight and they don¡¯t include doing the dishes¡±
16:08 Wed, 18 Jun
Room Mate 23
Roman took ir¡¯s hand before leading her to the master bedroom.
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¡°Maybe I should unpack before going to bed.¡± She had never been to this side of the house before. The times she had been here, there had been no need to enter the master bedroom.
Roman shook his head answering ¡°Jenny had one of the day staff do that for you already. Everything has been pressed and hung up before we got home.¡± Pulling her into the room and up against the wall where he pinned her in ce with his body. His grip was firm. The movement made her heart race.
Her eyes darting around the dimly lit room. It wasrge like the rest of the house, and the only light was burning on the bedside table. The bed was a super king, which was understandable when Roman was over six feet tall. ir was d to see he didn¡¯t have satin sheets on the bed. She didn¡¯t know how she felt about satin sheets.
Roman released her wrist, lifting his hands to undo her hair, letting the mass fall over her shoulders. ¡°I love your hair. Don¡¯t ever cut it. I want to see it spread around you or as a curtain when you suck my cock.¡± His voice was turning husky with arousal.
¡°Press your hands against the wall and don¡¯t move.¡±
ir¡¯s mouth snapped shut, her body instinctively obeying even as her mind raced.
Roman¡¯s eyes never left her as he traced his hands down her front, cupping her breasts and shaping them.
¡°You like me touching you, don¡¯t you,¡± he murmured, his voice a low rumble that made her shiver. ¡°Do you like my mouth on you?¡±
¡°Yes,¡± she whispered, her voice trembling. She was excited by everything he said and did.
Roman¡¯s lips curved into a slow, satisfied smile.
Without another word, he reached for the hem of her shirt, his fingers brushing against her skin as he lifted it over her head. ir¡¯s breath caught as he tossed it aside, his hands moving to the zipper of her skirt. She could feel the heat of his body as it radiated around her.
¡°Step out of it,¡± hemanded, as he brought the skirt down her legs to her feet.
ir obeyed, lifting her legs to let him remove her skirt. Roman¡¯s eyes watched her as he tossed it aside, his hands moving to the sp of her bra.
¡°You¡¯re beautiful,¡± he murmured, his voice low as he unhooked it and let it fall to the floor. ¡°So beautiful.¡±
ir¡¯s cheeks flushed as she stood there in her panties. The only thing stopping her from trying to cover herself up was the hunger in Roman¡¯s eyes.
¡°Now me,¡± he said, stepping back. ¡°Undress me.¡±
7
ir¡¯s hands lifted from the wall, trembling slightly as she reached for his tie first, pulling it free before moving to his buttons of his shirt, her fingers brushing against the firm muscles of his chest as she worked them open. She could feel the steel of his chest through the fabric. His scent was intoxicating
Once the shirt was off, she moved to his belt, her fingers fumbling slightly as she unbuckled it and slid it from the loops. Roman¡¯s breath was steady, but the way his muscles tightened as she reached for the button of his pants told her she was getting to him.
His hands cupped her face as she slid his pants down his legs. She looked up at him. He ran the thump of his right hand over her lips.
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She went one step further than he had while undressing her, quickly taking his underwear down his legs as well. He stepped out of his clothing without her saying anything.
He then moved closer, his body pressing against hers as his hands slid down to her hips. ir¡¯s breath hitched as he pulled her flush against him, his hardness pressing into her stomach, her pebbled breasts flush against his hard chest.
¡°You¡¯re mine, ir,¡± he whispered, his lips brushing against her ear.
ir¡¯s hands came up to grip his shoulders, her nails digging into his skin as he began to kiss her, his tongue exploring her mouth with a control that left her weak in the knees.
Roman¡¯s hands roamed over her body as he kissed her, his touch leaving a trail of heat. He cupped her breasts, his thumbs brushing over her nipples until they hardened under his touch. He pinched the nipples, then tugged on the hardened peaks, which made her groan.
¡°Do you like that?¡± he murmured against her lips, his voice low and husky.
¡°Yes,¡± ir gasped, her head falling back as he continued to tease her.
Roman¡¯s lips moved to her neck, his teeth grazing her skin as he nipped her skin. His hands slid down her sides, over her hips, and down to her thighs, where he gripped her firmly and lifted her off the ground.
ir¡¯s legs lifted and wrapped around his waist as he carried her to the bed, his lips never leaving her skin. Heid her down gently, his body hovering over hers as he kissed her again, his hands moving to her wrists and pinning them above her head.
¡°Stay still¡± hemanded.
er eyes wide with anticipation as he began to explore her breasts with his mouth. Sucking and biting, which
rch her body off the bed. ¡°Please.¡± She cried, needing more, needing him¡ inside her.
y pulled off her underwear. He left her, grabbing his tie from where it had dropped on the floor.
ir¡¯s breath hitched as she watched him, her wrists still pinned above her head. His eyes locked onto hers, they darkened as he brought the tie to her wrists.
¡°Do you trust me?¡± he murmured.
ir was unable to speak, only nodded.
The silk was ced around her wrists, tight enough to hold her but not enough to hurt. He tied it with a firm knot, securing her to the bedpost. ir tugged instinctively, testing the restraint. Excitement ripple through her.
Roman leaned back, his gaze raking over her naked form. His hands trailed down her arms, over her corbone, and came to rest on her breasts again. He cupped them gently, thumbing her nipples until they hardened beneath his touch.
ir¡¯s breath came in shallow gasps, her body arching into his hands. ¡°Roman¡¡± she whispered, her voice trembling.
He smirked, his fingers pinching her nipples just to hear her whimper.
His hands moved lower, skimming over her stomach, his fingertips brushing the sensitive skin just above her hipbones. ir squirmed, her legs moving, trying to get closer to his touch.
Roman¡¯s fingers moved her thighs apart before they dipped between, finding her already wet. ¡°You¡¯re so ready for me,¡± he said, his voice thick with desire.
ir whimpered, her hips lifting off the bed as his fingers teased her entrance. He circled her clit slowly, watching her face as she moved with his fingers, trying to chase them.
¡°Please,¡± she begged, her voice barely a whisper.
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¡°Please what?¡± he asked, his tone teasing. He dipped a finger inside her, just enough to make her gasp, but not enough to give
her relief.
¡°Please, Roman,¡± she moaned, her hands tugging at the bindings. ¡°I need you.¡±
He leaned down, his lips brushing her ear. ¡°I need you what?¡±
ir¡¯s breath hitched as she turned her head to look at him. She knew what he was asking. It only turned her on more. ¡°I need you¡ Sir.¡±
Roman¡¯s smirk widened, and he pressed a kiss to her lips, his fingers finally sliding into her. He moved them slowly, curling them just enough to make her cry out. ¡°You are so tight,¡± he murmured against her mouth.
ir¡¯s hips bucked against his hand, her body desperate for more. Roman¡¯s free hand came down to hold her still, his grip firm. ¡°Stay,¡± hemanded, his voice low and rough.
ir whimpered but did as she was told, her body trembling as he continued to tease her. His fingers moved in and out of her, his thumb circling her clit with just the right amount of pressure. ir¡¯s moans grew louder, her body tightening as she edged closer to climax. He was driving her mad.
Roman watched her intently, his own desire written inly on his face. ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± he encouraged, his voice thick. He scissored his fingers inside her, stretching her.
ck arching off the bed as pleasure crashed over her. Roman¡¯s fingers worked her through it, prolonging her climax she was trembling and breathless.
He kissed her deeply as she came down, his lips iming hers with possessiveness. When he pulled back, his eyes were dark with need. ¡°You¡¯re so beautiful like this,¡± he murmured, his voice rough.
Roman moved between her legs, using his knees to push her thighs wider. His hands gripping her hips as he positioned himself. ir lifted her legs high on his hips. Bringing his sex against her. Her eyes widened as she felt the tip of him press against her entrance. He paused, his gaze locking onto hers. ¡°Look at me,¡± hemanded.
ir did as she was told, her eyes meeting his as he thrust into her in one smooth motion. She gasped, her body stretching ¡¤ to amodate him, her nails digging into her palms. Roman groaned, his head falling back as he savored the feel of her tight heat around him.
¡°Fuck, you feel amazing,¡± he growled, his hips already moving. He set a hard, fast pace, each thrust driving deep inside her.
ir cried out, her body rocking on the bed with the force of his movements.
Roman¡¯s hands moved to her thighs, spreading her wider as he leaned over her, his face inches from hers. ¡°Tell me you¡¯re mine,¡± he demanded, his voice rough with need.
¡°I¡¯m yours,¡± ir gasped, her voice breaking on a moan as he hit her G spot.
Roman¡¯s lips crashed over hers, his kiss fierce, hungry. His hips never slowed, driving into her with a rhythm that had her crying out with every thrust. ir¡¯s body was already winding tight again, the friction and intensity pushing her toward another climax.
¡°Roman,¡± she moaned, her hands curling into fists as her body began to tremble. ¡°I¡¯m close¡ Roman, oh please.¡± Her skin felt tight, heated beyond belief.
He growled, his voice thick with desire. ¡°You feel so good.¡±
Her body couldn¡¯t take anymore, her walls clenching around him as she came with a cry. Roman groaned, his thrusts bing almost pagan as he chased his own release. With a final, deep thrust, he came, his body shuddering.
He copsed on top of her, his breathing in harsh pants. ir¡¯s body was limp, her mind fried with pleasure. Roman
kin her forehead
o frown ey wriers When breet hands were free the brewught thion to his lips pressing liaoh
Room Mate 24
Saturday afternoon ir was silting in the lounge room reading when the doorbell rang. She looked around for Roman He had taken a call and walked away so he could leave her in pesice while she was involved in her book. She spied him through the ss doors leading outside. He was still on the phone, Shrugging, she could answer the door. Putting her book aside, ir got up and cross to the door. Looking through the side ss panel, to see a gorgeous man standing there. He was tall, taller than Roman, with thick midnight ck hair and dark eyes.
This must be Roman¡¯s friend from university. ir turned the lock and opened the door. ¡°Hi¡±
The man gave her a once over. She didn¡¯t feel he was checking her out in a sexual way. If she had felt that way, she would have put him in his ce. ir wasn¡¯t sure if Roman had said anything about her to him.
¡°I see Roman still has impable taste, I don¡¯t mean to be rude, but Roman told me he couldn¡¯t bete tonight because he had ns. Now I understand¡±
ir blushed, ¡°Come in, please, Roman is just on the phone¡± She stepped back, allowing him in. Realizing she didn¡¯t knowW his name.
Roman¡¯s friend moved into the house straight into the open n entry, lounge and library, which opened onto a terrace and pool area.
¡°I¡¯m sorry, Roman never told me your name¡±
He saw Roman outside, and they gave a wave of acknowledgement to each other. Then Koman gave a signal to say he was wrapping up the call.
The friend then turned back to her. ¡°It¡¯s ok he didn¡¯t give me your name either. I¡¯m not sure he nned on even introducing us yet.¡± He stepped forward, holding out his hand. ¡°I¡¯m Luca¡±
ir had a few misgivings about anyone with that name due to the heartache her sister was going through. But it couldn¡¯t be the same man, surely. For one thing, he wasn¡¯t wearing a wedding ring. Sutton had said he was to get married straight away to the other woman. Some men didn¡¯t wear wedding rings, she knew. Realizing he was waiting for her name, ir spoke. ¡°My name is ir. It¡¯s nice to meet you Luca. Roman did tell me you were in university together. Berkeley¡±
¡°Yes, I have heaps of embarrassing stories, if you like.¡±
ir could see he was joking, Roman being who he was and she couldn¡¯t see that being, any different now that he was then. ¡°That I don¡¯t believe,¡± Showing Luca she was wise to him. ¡°Can I get you something to drink?¡±
Luca shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m fine, thank you¡± Frowning at her. ¡°I don¡¯t want to sound corny and I¡¯m not trying to hit on you, I promise, but¡ have we met before?¡±
ir tilted her head and looked at him. She couldn¡¯t see this wasn¡¯t anything more than casual interest. ¡°No, we haven¡¯t been introduced.¡± That didn¡¯t mean he hadn¡¯t seen her in passing at the office. ir didn¡¯t say she worked for Roman because she wasn¡¯t sure he wanted that known after what happened with Jessica. ¡°Are you married Luca¡± ir decided to ask a question that had been bugging her.
He shook his head, ¡°Unfortunately not.¡± There was a look of sadness that crossed his face.
¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to upset you¡± ir felt almostpelled to reach out andfort him. But she didn¡¯t. She didn¡¯t know this man. And what would Roman think?
¡°No, it¡¯s ok. The old saying, applies to me. I didn¡¯t know what I had until it was gone! I let the one slip through my fingers¡± Luca said.
¡°I¡¯m so sorry¡± ir said sincerely. She wondered if he had done the same thing as Roman, Worked so hard and neglected their other half. Jessica had ended up cheating, But was Roman still grieving the loss of Jessica as Luca seemed to be with his lost woman?
16:08 Wed, 18 Jun O
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She didn¡¯t ask any more questions, even if she wanted to. She didn¡¯t know him well enough. Luckily, she was saved from even thinking of how to change the subject because Roman walked back into the room. ir let out a breath.
¡°I see you have already introduced yourselves.¡±
Luca walked over, giving Roman a man hug and a pat on the back. Roman returned the greeting warmly. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you.¡±
¡°It¡¯s been too long,¡± Roman agreed.
¡°Well, you might be seeing me more often for a while. I have moved my operations here. I will exin more at dinner,¡± Roman asked. ¡°The information you have been so secretive about over the phone?¡±
Luca shrugged. ¡°Yes, and no.¡± He looked at ir. ¡°Will you be joining us tonight?¡±
ir shook her head. She could see both men were open to her going. This wasn¡¯t just being polite. ir looked down at herself wearing well¨Cwashed jeans and a t¨Cshirt. ¡°I¡¯m not dressed, not only that, but you haven¡¯t seen each other in a while. Go out and enjoy catching up with each other. I¡¯m fine here.¡± Thest thing she wanted was to be spotted with Roman yet.
Romanughed. ¡°What she isn¡¯t telling you is she is reading a book.¡± He pointed to the bookying on the lounge. ¡°It¡¯s thetest thriller, and she has had her nose in it for thest hour. I think that holds more appeal than two friends catching up and talking business.¡±
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ir couldn¡¯t help grin at him because he wasn¡¯t wrong. The thing he didn¡¯t know was the book also had some spicy sex scenes at after experiencing a new side of herself with Roman. She was enjoying so much more. Realizing that sex could be that good. Thest 48 hours had been a real eye opener for her.
¡°Shall we go? If Cindere is to be home early.¡± Luca said.
Romanughed. ¡°Hrious. You should do stand up.¡± Roman walked over to ir, uncaring that Luca was in the room and pulled her into his arms. Taking her mouth in a hungry, open¨Cmouthed kiss.
ir had to grab his arms to stay upright when he released her. Roman touched the side of her face, saying so only she could hear. ¡°I¡¯ll wake you up when I get home.¡± The look on his face told her why he would be waking her up if she was asleep. It sent sparks shooting through her bloodstream.
¡°You had better.¡±
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Room Mate 25
Roman rested back against his chair, taking a sip of his scotch. Their meal had been excellent. They had turned down dessert. They had both requested a vintage scotch on ice. He looked at his friend. There was something definitely going on with him. Lines were etched into his forehead and around his mouth, and he had lost weight. ¡°Luca, what¡¯s going on with you? You seem distracted and you look tired.¡±
Luca rubbed his hand across his face. ¡°I¡¯m not in the US just for business. I¡¯m here hunting for a woman.¡±
Roman leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. ¡°Why? I thought you were marrying the Bruno heiress.¡±
¡°That¡¯s not happening now. I¡ I was involved with a woman before my father made me promise to marry Elena Bruno. I didn¡¯t want to. She is just a child, only turning eighteenst month.¡±
¡°Why did you promise to marry her then?¡± Roman set his drink down on the table. No one made Luca do something he didn¡¯t want to do.
Luca looked down into his own ss, staring at the amber liquid. ¡°My father was on his deathbed and about to have a triple heart bypass. He made me promise I would marry her before the operation.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry about your dad but you said in yourst email he is fine and recovering now. But I thought you married Elena Bruno. I was very disappointed I didn¡¯t get an invitation.¡±
¡°There won¡¯t be a wedding, not to Elena, anyway. I really fucked up.¡± Luca took a big sip of his drink.
Roman frowned at this. It wasn¡¯t like Luca to admit he had made a mistake. ¡°What happened?¡±
Luca frowned, clearly upset over it even now. ¡°After agreeing to marry Elena to make my father happy and have his operation. I flew home to break it off with Audrey, my girlfriend. She told me she was pregnant. Let¡¯s just say I didn¡¯t believe her. I called her a liar and left.¡± Roman could see there was a lot Luca wasn¡¯t telling him. ¡°It wasn¡¯t until a weekter I found out something that put her pregnancy in a different light and I realized she was carrying my child.¡±
¡°So she is here in the US?¡± Roman asked. He would do anything to help his friend. ¡°Do you want my head of security to help with the search?¡±
¡°That¡¯s just it. I have hired the best in the business. It¡¯s like she has just disappeared. Audrey packed up her apartment in London and vanished.¡±
This made Roman frown. It was hard for anyone to vanish. ¡°Then how do you know she is in the US?¡±
¡°She sent her things to a holdingpany here. Why would she send her things here if she didn¡¯t n on moving to this
state?¡±
¡°I¡¯m happy to help Luca.¡± Roman thought about how he would feel if ir were pregnant and then vanished with his child. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine what you are going through.¡±
¡°The worst thing is, I don¡¯t know if she kept the baby or not. If she is ok. I have nothing, and it¡¯s my fault.¡± Luca looked like his heart had been ripped out of his chest. ¡°I think she called me once, but I¡¯m notpletely sure. She didn¡¯t talk. The number traced back here.¡±
¡°Is that why you are staying in the states to hunt for her?¡± Roman asked.
Luca nodded. ¡°It¡¯s part of the reason I asked to talk to you. I¡¯m buying uppanies in the US to expand. It gives me a reason to be here and to keep me busy. Until I find Aubrey and my child.¡±
Roman nodded. ¡°You bought Cyber10, didn¡¯t you?¡±
Luca wasn¡¯t surprised he had guessed. ¡°Yes, and it¡¯s still embargo until Monday week, where I will officially take over.¡±
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¡°Well, thank fuck,¡± Roman said, relieved. ¡°I¡¯ll be straight with you, Luca. Thatpany needs an overhaul. They don¡¯t update their systems enough to stop thetest cyber attacks. We almost got caught not long ago.¡±
¡°I know the current CEO told me. I¡¯m hoping you haven¡¯t looked at going else where. I would really like it if you stay with Cyber10.¡±
¡°I will, because I trust you. ir¡¯s sister works there.¡± Roman let him know. ¡°Sutton is on reception. But from what ir tells me, her talents arepletely wasted. She went to MIT and only dropped out to work to support her younger sisters. But answering the phones seems a waste of her time for someone that went to MIT.¡±
¡°Does not surprise me, honestly. The word is the culture in Cyber10 has been an issue. The women get treaded like glorified secretaries, regardless of their education. That will be the first thing to change.¡±
Roman scoffed at the challenges women still faced. ¡°I can¡¯t believe some men still live in the dark ages.¡±
¡°I agree. My right¨Chand man is a woman. Nicole, you have met her.¡± Luca held up his hand to get the server¡¯s attention. He requested two more sses of scotch.
Roman didn¡¯t say anything about Nicole. He personally didn¡¯t like her. She reminded him too much of Jessica with her calcting looks. It was like she was assessing the angle of everything. Plus, Roman thought she had her eye on Luca. His friend was a big boy and needed to see it for himself. ¡°Well, I think you have your work cut out for you and I¡¯ll stay with Cyber10 because you bought it.¡±
¡°Thank you. That means a lot. If the biggest customer that Cyber10 managed was to leave, it wouldn¡¯t reflect well on thepany. It means a lot the faith you have in me. I have a team that has been working there for a week already. Plus a team working non stop to upgrade their systems. We are nning to have everything worked out over theing weeks. The culture and staffing issues could take longer.¡±
¡°That¡¯s great news. It would be good having you in the country.¡± Roman dly took his ss from the waitress as she brought the drinks back to their table.
¡°Now tell me all about ir.¡± Luca settled back.
¡°Let¡¯s just say it¡¯s serious. I need to convince her that she belongs with me.¡±
¡°What? She isn¡¯t won over by your
charm.¡±
Roman snorted. ¡°Anything but. She called me a few choice names, even on the first night. ir will need some convincing that I want her. I want to ask her to marry me, but I¡¯m worried she will run for the hills. She just got out of a rtionship with a cheater.¡± ir was wary of anything serious. She was finding her feet sexually and he would do everything and anything to keep her with him without doing her harm or getting creepy.
¡°Marriage wow. Well, congrattions man. She seems really nice.¡± He left unsaid a far cry from the bitch Jessica. ¡°I¡¯m nning on the same as soon as I find Audrey. If she kept the child, he will carry my name if it¡¯s thest thing I do.¡±
Roman felt his friend was going to have a hard road ahead. His ex¨Cgirlfriend must really hate him right now. The fact he had thrown her aside to marry a family friend¡¯s daughter. Choosing that over his child. He really hoped it worked out for him. Because Roman could see the toll it had taken on his friend not knowing.
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Room Mate 26
O
ir allowed Roman to drop her off near her sister¡¯s ce on Sunday morning.
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When he pulled up to the curb, he switched the car off. He turned to face her, saying, ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t need me toe?¡±
ir answered truthfully. ¡°No, that will only make matters worse.¡±
¡°Well, to say honest and transparent with you. I¡¯m letting you know I¡¯m driving down there, anyway. There is a property I¡¯m going to be looking at as a weekender. If you need me, call.¡± Roman shocked her with this. A weekender. Had this been nned before, or was it because they had hooked up? She believed him that he had every intention of looking at a ce. Roman didn¡¯t lie or make up stories.
¡°What property?¡± ir hadn¡¯t even known he wanted a weekender. She wondered if she would know the ce.
Roman smiled. ¡°My realtor sent the details through. When I know more, I will tell you. I¡¯m just looking.¡±
She knew he wasn¡¯t going to tell her anymore. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t need you. My sisters will be there, so I will not be alone.¡±
Roman leaned forward, cing his lips on hers. ¡°Promise me.¡±
ir¡¯s breath caught in her throat. ¡°I promise.¡±
¡°Good girl.¡± He said in a guttural growl before taking her mouth.
Pulling back, he groaned, ¡°We don¡¯t have time for this. You better go before we get seen. Because I¡¯m a hair¡¯s breath from not caring who sees us.¡±
Every time he spoke like that, it gave her a secret thrill. That this man wanted her so deeply. ¡°I¡¯ll see you tonight.¡±
¡°Do you want me to pick you up tonight from here?¡± Roman asked.
¡°Yes please. I¡¯ll message you when I¡¯m heading back.¡± ir promised.
Roman leaned in to kiss her before saying. ¡°I can¡¯t even say have a great time. The only part I think you will enjoy is being with your sisters.¡±
ir pulled back. ¡°I will not let anything happen and my sisters will be there. I don¡¯t want Dan. They can¡¯t change my mind about that. After knowing he cheated, my sisters will support me.¡±
She gave him onest quick kiss, smiling she got out of the car. ir walked down the few street numbers until she got to the building that housed Sutton and Keira¡¯s ce. She turned and waved at Roman, still sitting in his car watching her. She entered the building, knowing instinctively that he wouldn¡¯t leave until she was safely inside.
ir had an extra spring in her step as she went up the stairs to the first floor. There were only two apartments on this floor. ir¡¯s sisters and a married couple in their 40s.
ir knocked on their door and it opened almost straight away, telling her that her sisters had been waiting for her arrival. ¡°Hey.¡±
Then she was pulled into both their arms for a hug. ir breathed them in. This felt like home. The sad thing was the reason they were hugging her was because of Dan, and she honestly didn¡¯t care. She was well shot of him.
¡°Sutton, Keira, I promise I¡¯m ok. Yes, Dan is a two¨Ctiming scumbag, but at least I found out now.¡± ir felt guilty that they didn¡¯t know yet about Roman. She should hurt more about Dan, but she didn¡¯t. The intense passion she felt with Roman was ten times better than what she had ever experienced with Dan.
16:08 Wed, 18 Jun
Keira pulled away first, giving ir a once over as if seeing if she was telling the truth. Sutton then did the same. Her sisters then looked at each other. Sutton said to Keira. ¡°She does look ok.¡±
¡°She is right here and I¡¯m telling you I¡¯m in a good ce.¡± ir grinned at her sisters.
Sutton gave her another hug before releasing her. ir touched Sutton¡¯s round belly. She was super excited about the baby. Her older sister put her hand over ir¡¯s. ¡°I¡¯m d. I was really worried.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not as upset as I should be for someone that was about to set a wedding date¡± ir admitted. Should she have been worried about that? Had her feelings for Dan been so superficial? Or was it she was blinded by the fact it had been her first sexual rtionship? Women put more weight behind their first experience than men did.
¡°Are you sure you want to face auntie Viv and uncle Peter now?¡± Keira asked, ¡°I mean, what have they ever done for us? We owe them nothing.¡±
¡°No, we don¡¯t, but I owe it to talk to Dan¡¯s mother. Pa is going to be very upset.¡± ir was sad about losing Pa as a mother¨Cinw more than losing Dan as her partner. With that thought, she knew she truly hadn¡¯t loved Dan, and he had just been easy to be with because she had thought she knew him. How wrong she had been. She had honestly thought he wouldn¡¯t cheat on her.
Sutton gave adylike snort. ¡°Knowing Dan, he has already run home and med you. Do you know who the other woman was?¡±
ir didn¡¯t want to answer that question, not yet, but she would not lie to her sisters, looking at the time on her phone. She brought the time to their attention. ¡°Come on, we better get going. We have an hour¡¯s drive and church starts at 9am sharp. Aunt Viv will be pissed if we arete.¡±
Room Mate 27
3
They arrived on time¡ well, almost. They just had time to lock the car and get into the church. The warner sisters didn¡¯t bother to look for their aunt and uncle just taking thest pew in the church. Several people turned around to watch them and father Johnson had a frown on his face and his eyes locked on Sutton¡¯s belly.
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The service had been going only a few minutes before ir realized it was directed at Sutton. Small town churches were really out of step with the modern world. ir got ready to stand and leave the church in disgust. Sutton grabbed her hand, stilling her from making a scene.
¡°Don¡¯t it¡¯s ok. We always knew this town was stuck in the dark ages.¡± Sutton whispered beside her.
¡°It really makes me angry.¡± ir whispered back, but not as softly as Sutton. The family in front turned to look at her. It was the Turner family, the biggest gossips in town. ir gave them a what are you looking at smile before ignoring them again. ir blocked out what father Johnson was saying. It became a buzzing noise in the background as ir zoned out.
But father Johnson droned on and on. It felt like forever before the service was finally over. They didn¡¯t wait for father Johnson to move to the door to talk to the congregation as they left. They got up and walked out into the courtyard and gardens outside.
4:
ir turned her face up to the sunlight as it warmed her face. For all its small town views, she loved it here. It was their hometown. Within driving distance to the city. The only street they didn¡¯t drive down was their old street where their family home was. It was sad really that their parents had always loved it here and uncle Peter couldn¡¯t wait to move away. But here they were, living in thergest mansion in town and running their parents¡® business. If only she and her sisters had known there were money issues. But they had been too young. She knew that they wouldn¡¯t have cared if they had been broke, if only they had their parents back.
¡°Herees the evil witch of the west.¡± Keira mumbled beside her. She and Sutton turned to face their aunt Viv as she came barreling down on them. She was a slim woman in her early fifties. Her blonde straight hair was cut in a stylish bob the fell to her shoulders and her brown eyes held no warmth when she looked at the Warner sisters.
She gave Sutton¡¯s stomach a scandalized look. There was no hiding it now. In ir¡¯s opinion, Aunt Viv was too worried about what other people thought. Once she found out about Laura¡¯s pregnancy, what then?
ir stered a smile on her face that didn¡¯t reach her eyes. This woman might be her aunt, but she didn¡¯t like her very much.
Sutton spoke first. ¡°Morning auntie Viv.¡±
¡°Yes, well. You could have at least turned up on time.¡± Was the first words out of her mouth. Not, how are you or so good to see you? Oh no, not auntie Viv, always quick to criticize first.
Keira said beside ir in a low tone. ¡°Easy for someone to say when they live only five minutes away.¡±
¡°What was that Keira? I really wish you wouldn¡¯t mumble. Speak up, girl.¡±
ir jumped in because Keira would have no issues repeating what she had said, but louder this time, so everyone could hear. Of the three sisters, Keiracked tact when speaking to their aunt and uncle. ¡°Sorry auntie Viv, that was my fault. They had to wait until I arrived before we could leave.¡±
Auntie Viv turned sharp eyes on her. ¡°Where are you staying then if not with your sisters? Laura rang to say she was very upset you moved out.¡±
ir just held back the udylike snort. Laura didn¡¯t give two hoots about her. If she had, she wouldn¡¯t have slept with Dan.
¡°With a friend,¡± was all ir was willing to admit to.
Auntie Viv shrugged, clearly not concerned. ¡°We really need to talk about getting the wedding back on track.¡±
16:08 Wed, 18 Jun
Keira said for all to hear. ¡°Yeah, that will not happen.¡±
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Sutton, ever the peacemaker of the sisters. Looked around them. ¡°Maybe this isn¡¯t the ce to have this conversation. Shall we head back to your ce, auntie Viv?¡± Your ce, not our home, because it had never felt like theirs even though they had been taken in as teenagers.
Vivian looked around them, then eyed Keira, knowing she was the most likely one to make a scene. ¡°Alright, give me thirty minutes to talk to a few people and I¡¯ll see you there. I will round up your uncle Peter.¡±
¡°Fine.¡± ir said in answer, spying Dan¡¯s mother Pa across the courtyard. She had nned ongoing around to Pa¡¯s ce after lunch. ir waited for auntie Viv to move away before saying to her sisters. ¡°Pa is just over there. I¡¯m going to talk to her now.¡±
Sutton followed ir¡¯s line of sight, spotting Dan¡¯s mother. ¡°Do you need backup?¡±
ir shook her head. ¡°The only ones I will need backup with are auntie Viv and uncle Peter. Pa is only going to be sad. She wanted Dan settled.¡±
Keiraughed. ¡°Good luck with that. Sounds like he can¡¯t settle for one but likes variety. Scumbag that he is.¡±
ir grinned at them and made her way across the courtyard to Pa.
Dan¡¯s mother saw hering, excusing herself from the conversation she was engaged in, and made her way across to join ir. ¡°What did my son do, ir?¡±
Tears stung her eyes when she realized Pa wasn¡¯t ming her and was in fact sure her own son had done something to
ad their rtionship. ¡°It¡¯s not important now.¡± The truth wille out, but Dan and Laura needed to be the ones to face it.
¡°It is important. Is there anyway to fix it?¡±
ir shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Pa there isn¡¯t. I wanted to tell you that the thing I¡¯m most upset about is not having you as a mother¨Cinw.¡±
Pa grabbed hold of ir¡¯s hands, saying sincerely, ¡°I wish I had another son. I could marry you off to ir. It makes me. sad it didn¡¯t work out. Can you tell me what he did, please?¡±
ir gave Pa a small, teary smile. ¡°Pa, you will find out soon enough. I just don¡¯t think I should be the one to tell you.¡±
¡°Its bad isn¡¯t it?¡± Pa guessed.
ir said only. ¡°Dan doesn¡¯t think so. But it¡¯s a point of no return for me.¡±
¡°Have you told your aunt this?¡± Pa asked.
¡°Yes.¡± ir frowned. There was something in Pa¡¯s tone.
Pa sighed. ¡°Then why has she invited Dan and me to lunch today? Thinking she can fix your rtionship.¡±
Blo
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Room Mate 28
ir had prepared for a battle, but not for war. She couldn¡¯t believe aunt Viv had invited Dan without telling her.
As she stepped into her aunt and uncle¡¯s grand dining room, the scent of roastedmb and fresh bread filled the air, but it did nothing to soften the tension in the room. Aunt Viv and Uncle Peter sat at opposite ends of the long mahogany table, their expressions carefully neutral. Pa stood near the firece, quiet, her hands sped tightly in front of her.
Dan was already seated, one arm drapedzily over the back of his chair like he had every right to be here. The look on his face said it all. He believed he was about to get his way. Fat fucking chance. ir hated him.
Then the door creaked open behind them. She knew before she even turned. Laura. Just great.
So all the key yers were here. This was going to be explosive.
ir¡¯s breath caught for half a second before she forced herself to exhale, slow and controlled. Laura stepped inside, scanning the room before settling on Dan. She didn¡¯t say a word. Just moved to the table and sat down.
Had she told Dan she was pregnant yet?
Keira stiffened beside ir. ¡°Didn¡¯t realize this was a full¨Con intervention,¡± she muttered.
ir¡¯s fingers curled into fists. Aunt Viv sped her hands together like she had just solved some grand dilemma. ¡°We¡¯re all adults here. It¡¯s time to sit down and work this out.¡±
Work this out? ir nearlyughed. There was no working this out. Not after being with Roman and Dan¡¯s cheating.
Sutton must have sensed the storm brewing, because she stepped in smoothly. ¡°Why don¡¯t we sit? Because being on my feet is killing me.¡±
ir didn¡¯t move right away. She wasn¡¯t sure she could without saying something she¡¯d regret. But then Pa caught her eye. She gave the smallest nod, a quiet show of support.
ir took a seat next to Sutton. Keira didn¡¯t sit. She stood behind them both, arms crossed.
The moment they were settled, Aunt Vivunched into her well¨Crehearsed speech.
¡°ir, I know things have been strained between you and Dan, but you¡¯ve been together for years. It would be foolish to throw that away over a misunderstanding.¡±
ir scoffed. ¡°Misunderstanding?¡±
Dan leaned forward, shing the charming smile that had once made her heart race. Now it made her sick. ¡°Babe¡¡±
Keira held up a hand. ¡°Nope. Absolutely not. You don¡¯t get to ¡®babe¡® her. That ship sank, hit the ocean floor, and was eaten by
sharks.¡±
Aunt Viv shot Keira a sharp look before refocusing on ir. ¡°You love each other. You can work through anything.¡±
ir held her gaze, steady and unyielding. ¡°No, Aunt Viv. My life is no longer aligned with Dan¡¯s. He made his choice.¡±
Uncle Peter, who had been silent until now, finally spoke. ¡°You¡¯re being stubborn. Marriage is about forgiveness. About building a life together even when things aren¡¯t perfect. Whatever is going on here, sort it out.¡±
ir barked out a humorlessugh. ¡°Is that what you told yourself every time you did the unthinkable?¡±
The room went deadly silent.
16:08 Wed, 18 Jun
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Uncle Peter¡¯s face darkened, red creeping up his neck. He would hate her for confronting him like this.
Aunt Viv stiffened. ¡°ir, this is not the time.¡± She nced at Pa.
ir let out a short breath. ¡°No? I think it¡¯s very apt.¡± She turned her attention back to Dan. Would hee clean, or was she going to have to do it for him? Uncle Peter would have no issue with Dan sleeping around. How could he when he¡¯d done the same? But Aunt Viv? Would she be okay with it? Just to keep this marriage on track?
Dan cleared his throat. ¡°I made a mistake, okay? But I love you.¡±
Keira made a disgusted noise. ¡°That¡¯s a lie.¡±
Dan ignored her. ¡°We¡¯re meant to be together. To get married. Start a family. I still want that. Don¡¯t you?¡±
ir looked at Laura as she felt Sutton squeeze her hand under the table. She took a slow breath.
¡°Dan,¡± she said carefully, ¡°what you want stopped mattering the second you chose to betray me.¡±
She flicked her eyes toward Laura, but her cousin looked
away.
She watched them both closely. Dan didn¡¯t even look at Laura.
Laura shifted in her chair. This was the first time she had moved since entering the room. She still didn¡¯t speak. Just listened.
Dan¡¯s jaw tightened. ¡°It wasn¡¯t like that.¡±
Keira tilted her head. ¡°Oh? Then what was it like?¡± Her voice dripped with sarcasm.
Aunt Viv let out a long¨Csuffering sigh, like this entire conversation exhausted her. ¡°ir, if you don¡®
create such an unnecessary mess.¡±
4
ir blinked, her pulse spiking. ¡°A mess for who? You? You mean you don¡¯t get what you want?¡±
They hadn¡¯t asked what Dan had done. Because they didn¡¯t care.
get back together, it will
Uncle Peter exhaled through his nose. ¡°For all of us. Your wedding was nned. The whole town knows. This could be embarrassing. Your life was set. You¡¯re not thinking rationally.¡±
ir¡¯s control snapped.
¡°Not thinking rationally?¡± She pushed back her chair and stood. ¡°I walked in on my fiance with someone else doing the nasty, and you¡¯re telling me I should marry him, anyway?¡± But to uncle Peter, that would be no big deal.
Pa gasped, turning stunned eyes towards Dan. Clearly upset by his behavior. ¡°Dan¡ how could you?¡±
Sutton rose beside her. ¡°ir doesn¡¯t owe anyone an exnation. And she definitely doesn¡¯t owe Dan another chance.¡±
Keira nodded. ¡°If this is an ambush, you should¡¯ve at least put in more effort. This is pathetic. Maybe have all the facts first.¡±
Aunt Viv pursed her lips. ¡°This is about them, Keira. About them creating a family.¡±
Family¡ ir almost snorted. Dan had already started on that. Just not with her.
Keira let out a sharpugh. ¡°Family? Since when do you care about that? This is about you getting a leg up in town.¡±
Aunt Viv¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°This is ridiculous. Dan made a mistake, ir. Forgive him.¡±
ir¡¯s eyes shed. ¡°After everything you went through, you¡¯re going to side with him?¡±
16:08 Wed, 18 Jun
Disgust curled in her
stomach.
Before
Aunt Viv could respond, the front door mmed open SO hard it rattled the chandelier.
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Room Mate 29
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¨Cshouldered and furious, his dark eyes sweeping across the room looking for a target. His jaw 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 fianc¨¦? 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 fianc¨¦.¡±
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.
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¡°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.
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¡°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.
¡°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.
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?¡±
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.¡±
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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 to her chest.
Dan choked out augh, though it was weaker now. ¡°I¡¯ll sue you for this.¡±
Room Mate 30
Chapter 30
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Roman didn¡¯t let up. If anything, he pressed harder. ¡°You¡¯re going to leave her the fuck alone,¡± he said, voice deadly. ¡°Or I swear to God, I won¡¯t be so civilized next time. And please, try to sue me. Because, dickhead, I have a lot more on you. So please, give me a reason.¡±
Dan¡¯s smirk faltered. Just a little.
Roman¡¯s next word was short and sharp, leaving no doubts in the room how he felt about Dan. ¡°Pussy.¡±
Keira, delighted, looked at ir. ¡°Are we sure we can¡¯t let him punch Dan? Just one time?¡±
ir looked at her younger sister.
¡°Just a little, pretty please.¡± Keira put her hands together like she was praying ir would say yes.
Sutton sighed, ever the voice of reason. ¡°ir, you should probably say something before this¡¡± she waved a hand between Roman and Dan. ¡°Turns into a crime scene.¡±
ir knew she should. Really, she should.
But God help her¡ she kind of enjoyed seeing Dan squirm. Roman deserved to get a hit in.
Still, she moved towards them carefully. ¡°Roman,¡± she whispered, cing a hand on his arm.
His muscles tensed under her touch.
¡°Let him go,¡± she murmured. ¡°He¡¯s not worth it. He¡¯s just a piece of shit who thinks he has everyone fooled.¡±
Roman¡¯s jaw ticked. For a second, ir wasn¡¯t sure he was going to listen.
But then, slowly, he stepped back. She could see he didn¡¯t want to.
Dan coughed, rubbing his throat like he was the victim here. ¡°Fucking psycho,¡± he muttered.
ir rolled her eyes. ¡°Oh, shut up, Dan. We both know you deserved that.¡±
Keira snorted. ¡°Understatement of the century.¡±
Aunt Viv smoothed out her skirt, trying to salvage whatever shreds of control she had left. ¡°This is ridiculous. Roman, you are not a part of this discussion. This is a family matter.¡±
Roman¡¯s gaze flicked to her, cold and unbothered. ¡°Then why is he still here?¡±
Dan bristled. ¡°Because, unlike you, I actually belong here.¡±
Roman exhaled slowly, like he was physically restraining himself from snapping Dan in half. ¡°ir,¡± he said, not even bothering to look at anyone else, ¡°I know you wanted to let the partiese clean about why you don¡¯t want to marry Dan, not just because he was sleeping around. But I think it¡¯s time.¡±
ir let out a breath. Looked around the room.
Her aunt and uncle, who cared more about their reputation than her happiness.
Dan, who genuinely believed he could manipte her into taking him back.
Laura, who had sat there in silence, hoping this would all blow over without hering clean.
16:08 Wed, 18 Jun
Yeah. She was done.
¡°Go for it.¡±
Roman nodded once.
Then he took her hand,cing their fingers together before turning with her to face Laura.
ir swore she saw Laura shrink, her shoulders curling inward.
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Roman¡¯s voice was deadly quiet when he finally spoke. ¡°You told Dan yet, Laura? Or were you waiting for a more dramatic moment?¡±
Aunt Viv¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Told him what?¡±
Silence.
Dan frowned. ¡°Laura?¡±
Pa stepped forward, her eyes narrowed, clearly upset that Laura¡¯s name had been linked to Dan¡¯s.
Laura¡¯s eyes darted around the room like a cornered animal. ir saw the exact second she realized she had no way out. Roman wasn¡¯t going to let her get away with staying silent.
She swallowed hard. But she still said nothing.
¡°Well, if you¡¯re having issuesing clean, I¡¯m happy to help you out.¡± Roman looked at everyone in the room. ¡°Laura is pregnant, and Dan is the father.¡±
The words dropped like a bomb.
For a second, no one moved. No one spoke.
Then Aunt Viv gasped, pping a hand over her mouth. Uncle Peter muttered a curse under his breath. Pa let out a soft, horrified sound.
Both her sisters looked angry. But they stayed quiet.
Dan rocked on his feet. ¡°What?¡±
Laura flinched. ¡°I¡±
But she didn¡¯t get the chance to finish.
Pa looked horrified before turning an using re on Laura. ¡°You slut¡ Dan, you know I have never liked Laura. She has the morals of a gutter rat¡¡±
Dan rounded on Laura, his expression shifting from shock to rage. ¡°What the hell does he mean? You¡¯re pregnant?¡±
The next instant, Laura fainted. She just fell from her seat onto the floor. Which stopped Pa¡¯s rant and Dan¡¯s outrage.
Keira snorted. ¡°Well, that was gracefully done.¡± Then, tly: ¡°Don¡¯t believe that shit for a second.¡±
ir agreed with Keira. Laura¡¯s faint had been artfully done.
Aunt Viv stumbled back like the weight of reality had finally mmed into her. ¡°Dan, tell me this isn¡¯t true.¡±
ir expected her aunt to be relieved, happy even, that her own daughter could now marry Dan. But it wouldn¡¯t align with what Pa wanted. And Viv had gone on and on about Sutton being unwed and pregnant. Now, her own daughter was also
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pregnant.
What surprised her even more? No one rushed to Laura¡¯s aid. Everyone just left her lying there. The little boy who cried wolf came to mind.
Whenever the heat was on her, Laura found a way to shift the spotlight.
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Dan exhaled sharply, raking a hand through his hair. ¡°This is fucking ridiculous.¡± His voice was tight, controlled just barely. ¡°I¡¯m not the father.¡± His eyes flicked to his mother.
¡°Famousst words,¡± Keira mumbled.
Patched onto that like a lifeline. ¡°Of course you¡¯re not.¡± She turned to Laura, who was still on the floor, eyes closed. ¡°She¡¯s just trying to ruin his life.¡±
Laura¡¯s head snapped up, defiant. ¡°I¡¯m not lying. Dan is the father.¡±
So much for being out cold.
Dan let out a bitterugh. ¡°You expect me to believe that? You¡¯re just trying to pin this on me, so I¡¯ll¨Cwhat? Marry you?¡±
Aunt Viv was still frozen in shock. Uncle Peter looked like he needed a drink.
ir, on the other hand, felt lighter.
Roman had told everyone the truth. She was still going to kill him, but maybe not as painful as she had first nned.
She turned to her aunt, offering a sweet smile. ¡°So, I guess now you¡¯ll be happy the wedding is off?¡±
Aunt Viv opened and closed her mouth, but no words came out.
ir patted her arm. ¡°That¡¯s what I thought. Wouldn¡¯t do to have your own daughter running around town pregnant without a husband in tow, now, would it?¡±
Take that. For everything Sutton had put up with from this woman. Karma was a gorgeous thing.
Then she looked at Dan. ¡°And you? Still want to stand here and pretend like I was the problem?¡±
Dan didn¡¯t respond and ir didn¡¯t wait for him to say anymore.
She turned to Roman. ¡°I¡¯m ready to get out of here.¡± And walked away.
Sutton and Keira fell in behind them as they moved towards the door.
They hadn¡¯t even closed it before the shouting started inside.
Not her problem.
Not
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Room Mate 31
The second ir stepped outside, she felt lighter. Or maybe that was just the reality of what had just happened.
It was done. Laura and Dan had just been exposed.
The cold air hit her, but she barely felt it. Roman had moved her out of that house quickly, his grip protective. Possessive
even.
It didn¡¯t make her feel controlled, just safe and wanted, so she let him.
Now they stood for a moment on the front porch, the sexual tension still thick between them. She wanted to jump into his arms and she was so focused on him she hadn¡¯t even realized her sisters had moved past them down the three front steps.
¡°You okay?¡± Roman asked, scanning her face like he was looking for signs of damage.
ir let out a breath. ¡°Yeah. Just¡¡± She gestured vaguely toward the house. ¡°That was a lot.¡±
¡°You¡¯re telling me.¡± Keira¡¯s smug and amused voice came from the circr driveway. ¡°Best family dinner I¡¯ve ever been to. Although we didn¡¯t get to actually eat anything.¡±
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ir turned to find Keira and Sutton standing by Keira¡¯spany car, watching them with varying degrees of amusement and concern. Sutton had her arms crossed, eyes flicking between ir and Roman like she was assessing the situation. Keira, on the other hand, looked thrilled.
Roman and ir made their way down the stairs and over to her sisters.
¡°I mean,¡± Keira continued, grinning, ¡°I was hoping for some drama, but that exceeded all my expectations. Can you make sure that I¡¯m present every time you let off C4 like that? Talk about impressive.¡± She made an explosion gesture with her hands. ¡°Poof.¡±
¡°Keira,¡± Sutton muttered, giving her a look.
¡°What?¡± Keira gestured at ir. ¡°She knows I¡¯m right. It was so satisfying watching Dan sink like a lead balloon.¡±
ir pinched the bridge of her nose. Her head was still spinning. ¡°Can we not talk about Dan right now? I need, like¡ five minutes before I process any of that.¡±
Keira rolled her eyes but let it go. Instead, she turned to Roman. ¡°I¡¯m Keira, by the way, and this is our older sister, Sutton. It¡¯s nice to meet you.¡±
They all shook hands. It felt weird. Formal. Like this wasn¡¯t the same guy who had nearlymitted a felony in her honor five minutes ago.
When that was over, Sutton sighed, turning back to ir. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell us about Dan and Laura?¡±
Keira nodded. ¡°Sutton had to physically restrain me when that came out. Selfish bitch. Laura, I mean. Not Sutton.¡±
¡°I wanted to. I wanted to rub everyone¡¯s face in it. I just¡¡± ir exhaled. ¡°I just wanted Laura toe clean first. For once in her life.¡±
Keira snorted. ¡°Dream on, ir. There¡¯s more chance of a seconding.¡±
ir shrugged. ¡°At least the truth is out now, and Aunt Viy can¡¯t make any more snidements about Sutton.¡±
She felt Roman¡¯s arm slide around her waist. Steady. Warm. Like he knew she needed it, even if she didn¡¯t say a word.
Keira smirked. ¡°Like they matter. Let¡¯s talk about how you and Roman are clearly sleeping together instead.¡± She put her
16:09 Wed, 18 Jun
15%
+28)
thumb and index finger together, making a circle with one hand, then sliding the index finger of her other hand in and out of the circle she had created.
ir choked on the air. ¡°Excuse me?¡±
Sutton sighed. ¡°Keira.¡±
¡°What?¡± Keira raised a brow. ¡°It¡¯s obvious. The tension, the eye contact, the hand¨Cholding. Oh, and let¡¯s not forget the way Roman nearly murdered someone in there.¡±
Roman, to his credit, didn¡¯t deny anything. He just slipped his free hand into his pocket and watched ir, waiting for her to respond.
ir exhaled. ¡°Okay, fine.¡± She crossed her arms. ¡°Yes. Roman and I are-¡± She struggled for the right word. ¡°-involved.¡±
Keira¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Oh, this is my favorite plot twist yet.¡± pping her hands together and jumping up and down.
Sutton rubbed her temple. ¡°Are you sure this is wise?¡±
ir hesitated. ¡°It sort of just¡ happened. It¡¯s my fault, not Roman¡¯s. I threw myself at him. I¡ we just need time to sort ourselves out.¡±
Keira let out an impressed whistle. ¡°Damn, and you didn¡¯t tell us? I feel betrayed.¡±
ir shot her a look. ¡°Because I knew you¡¯d start asking a hundred questions. I wasn¡¯t ready to answer.¡±
hean, yeah. This is amazing.¡±
ÈÕ
the responsible one, sighed. ¡°ir, are you sure about this?¡± ir nced at Roman, who was still watching her that unreadable expression.
Was she sure?
The sane answer was no. This was messy. Complicated. And Roman wasn¡¯t exactly the
type of man
who made things simple.
But she knew how she felt. He made her feel¡. special. She didn¡¯t know how long it wouldst and right now; she didn¡¯t care. All she knew was she wanted him as long as he wanted her.
¡°Yes,¡± she said, steady. ¡°I am.¡±
Keira wiggled her brows. ¡°So, how¡¯s the-¡±
ir cut her off. ¡°Don¡¯t. I¡¯m not talking about that.¡±
Keira held up her hands. ¡°Fine, fine. I won¡¯t ask for details. Even though I desperately want to.¡±
Sutton gave Keira a warning look before turning back to ir. ¡°I just want to make sure you¡¯re not going to get hurt.¡±
ir softened. ¡°I know. And I appreciate it.¡±
Keira pped her hands together. ¡°Okay, now that we¡¯ve established that ir and Roman are getting it on, can we please go get food? Because I am starving.¡±
ir rolled her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re always starving.¡±
Keira shrugged. ¡°Yeah, but watching Roman almost kill Dan really worked up my appetite.¡±
Roman finally spoke. ¡°Are you three always like this?¡±
?
16:09 Wed, 18 Jun
Keira smirked. ¡°Oh, Roman. This is just the beginning.¡±
ir groaned. ¡°God help me.¡±
Keira and Sutton got into one car, and ir automatically got into Roman¡¯s, all of them ready to leave that disaster of a Sunday lunch behind.
Room Mate 32
¡°Where are we going?¡± Roman asked, his tone casual, but his grip on the wheel was anything but.
ir barely looked at him. ¡°The diner in town.¡±
94%
Silence settled between them, thick with unspoken tension. Roman followed Keira¡¯s car as the town blurred past with old storefronts, familiar streets to her, but she didn¡¯t pay them any attention.
Her fingers tapped restlessly against her thigh. Roman drove with one hand on the wheel, the other resting on his leg. exuding that infuriating calmness that only made her feel more unsettled.
Because he was the reason, she was still buzzing. She was angry with him, but she wasn¡¯t at the same time.
She hated it.
She hated that even now, after everything, he could still make her feel safe and wanted andpletely out of control.
Roman finally nced at her. ¡°You¡¯re quiet.¡±
ir huffed. ¡°Maybe because I don¡¯t know where to start.¡±
¡°Then just start.¡± His voice was steady. Unapologetic.
Her head whipped toward him. ¡°Fine. What the hell was that Roman?¡±
His grip on the wheel tightened. ¡°What part?¡±
She shot him a look. ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know. The part where you nearly strangled Dan? Or the part where you dropped a nuclear bomb on my family when I told you I would handle it?¡±
His jaw ticked. ¡°I was done listening to them speak to you like that. Done with Dan, thinking he could manipte you. He needed to be put in his ce.¡±
ir¡¯s chest clenched. ¡°That wasn¡¯t your decision to make.¡±
¡°The hell it wasn¡¯t.¡± His voice was rough, clipped. ¡°He deserved worse, and you know it.¡±
She did. God, she did. But that wasn¡¯t the point.
¡°I didn¡¯t need you to fight my battles, Roman.¡±
His eyes flicked toward hers, sharp and unreadable. ¡°Maybe not. But I¡¯m never going to stand there and watch people try to tear you down.¡±
ir swallowed hard.
Damn him.
Damn him for saying things like that. For making it impossible to stay mad when she wanted to be.
She exhaled, looking away. ¡°You blindsided me. I hadn¡¯t told my sisters about us. I would have handled it¡±
Roman scoffed. ¡°Laura wasn¡¯t going to confess. You know that.¡±
Yeah. She did.
Still, that wasn¡¯t the only thing bothering her.
(29)
She crossed her arms, her voice quieter now. ¡°You made a decision without me, Roman. And that¡¯s not-¡± She hesitated. ¡°That¡¯s not okay. Was this the real reason you came down here? Because of me?¡±
Roman was quiet for a beat, then murmured, ¡°No, I really did go look at a house. Then I started to worry about you.¡±
Something in his tone made her nce at him.
His fingers drummed against the wheel like he was holding something back.
ir sighed, some of the tension in her chest unraveling.
She hated fighting with him. And the truth was, she wasn¡¯t really mad.
Just¡ overwhelmed.
She leaned back, watching him out of the corner of her eye. ¡°You know, Keira was right. It was pretty hot watching you m Dan against the wall.¡±
Roman¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°That so?¡±
ir rolled her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t make me regret saying that.¡±
His smirk deepened, but then his expression shifted, eyes darkening as he really looked at her. ¡°Say it again.¡±
Her breath caught. ¡°What?¡±
¡°That you think I¡¯m hot.¡±
The air between them changed. Just like that. The frustration, the irritation twisted into something else entirely.
Roman must have felt it too because, without warning, he pulled the car onto the side of the road, put it in park.
ir barely had a second to react before his hand was in her hair, pulling her toward him, his mouth crashing against hers.
It wasn¡¯t soft. It wasn¡¯t gentle.
It was desperate.
The kind of kiss that erased the rest of the world.
She whimpered as he angled her back, fingers tangling in her hair like he had no intention of letting her go.
And God help her, she didn¡¯t want him to.
When they finally pulled apart, breathless, Roman rested his forehead against hers.
¡°Feel better?¡± he murmured.
ir huffed out augh. ¡°I¡¯m not sure sitting with my sisters feeling like this is a good idea.¡±
His lips quirked. ¡°That¡¯s a yes?¡±
She rolled her eyes, but she couldn¡¯t stop the smile from pulling at her lips.
¡°Drive, Roman.¡±
He smirked, shifting the car into gear.
ir exhaled, feeling something close to peace settle over her.
*94%
Damn him.
Damn him for being impossible to resist.
The diner hadn¡¯t changed at all.
Same checkered floors. Same booths. Same damn smell..
ir barely had time to take it all in before her sisters waved them over from a booth in the back.
Keira grinned. ¡°Oh good, you¡¯re not fighting anymore. I assume you made up?¡±
ir slid into the booth. ¡°Shut up, Keira.¡±
(28)
11)
Keira just smirked, but before she could make anotherment, Sutton changed the subject. ¡°So, now that we¡¯ve all had time to process¡ can we talk about Laura¡¯s acting skills?¡±
Keira cackled. ¡°God, that was the worst faint I¡¯ve ever seen. I mean,e on. At least try to make it believable.¡±
ir shook her head. ¡°ssic Laura.¡±
Keira grinned. ¡°The way she popped up the second someone said something she didn¡¯t like? That was Oscar¨Cworthy.¡±
They allughed, and for the first time in what felt like forever, ir felt¡ lighter. When in truth it had only been four days. So much had happened.
Maybe it was because the truth was out. She no longer felt the need to make the trip down here every month. Their aunt and uncle had shown their true colors.
And now, she had somewhere else to be.
Roman stretched an arm over the booth behind her. ¡°So, is this where you charmed the locals with your waitressing skills?¡±
ir smirked. ¡°I spilled a lot of coffee.¡±
Keira snorted. ¡°And somehow, they still let you work here for three years.¡±
ir shook her head, ncing around, memories flickering back. ¡°The owners are still the same. I used to close with Mrs. Wilson every Friday night.¡±
Sutton smiled. ¡°She loved you.¡±
ir shrugged. ¡°She was nice.¡±
The conversation drifted to old stories about Keira¡¯s many failed attempts at sneaking into bars with a fake ID, Sutton always having to y the responsible one. The kind of memories that made ir¡¯s chest ache, but not in a bad way. They had been each other¡¯s family. Not their aunt and uncle and not Laura.
Eventually, they finished eating, and the check came. Keira and Sutton stood first, stretching.
Keira gave ir a sly look. ¡°Well, we¡¯ll leave you two lovebirds to it. Try not to make out in the parking lot.¡±
ir groaned. ¡°Go away, Keira.¡±
Keira grinned, walking backward. ¡°Going.¡± She blew a kiss at them both. ¡°Love you, middle child.¡±
Sutton rolled her eyes, mouthing ¡°Be careful¡± before following.
When they were gone, ir sighed, shaking her head.
16:12 Wed, 18 Jun
Roman leaned in, wiggling his eyebrows at her. ¡°So¡ parking lot?¡±
irughed, nudging his arm. ¡°Shut up and take me home.¡±
Room Mate 33
94%
(28)
ir sat in the passenger seat of Roman¡¯s car, arms resting on her thighs, her gaze fixed out the window, though her mind was miles away. The night before was still fresh in her mind, lingering in her bones.
Every breath felt like a reminder. A reminder of him, of the heat between them. Every little movement of her body felt like a trace of his touch on her skin. She could still feel him, his lips, the weight of his body, the way he¡¯d imed her. The way his hands had been everywhere, firm and sure. She was still ever so slightly sore. But in a good way. He had taken her as soon as they walked through the door yesterday and then again in the early morning hours.
It had been unreal. Not just the way they¡¯d fit together physically, though, that had been perfect, but the way they seemed to understand each other without saying a word. It felt like something deeper than she¡¯d ever had with Dan. How had she missed that before?
Her fingers curled into her palms, the heat from their time together still sparking in her chest. It wasn¡¯t just about the physical, though. That was only part of it. There was something more here. Something she wasn¡¯t sure Roman would feel, too. He¡¯d never been the type for anything long term, and she wasn¡¯t sure if that would ever change. But damn, she wanted him.
Wanted more than just a fling? Had her feelings for Roman been there before?
Roman¡¯s voice broke into her thoughts, low and steady. ¡°You¡¯re quiet this morning.¡±
ir forced her eyes away from the passing scenery to look at him, even though her heart was still pounding. Trying to piece her feelings together. To understand them. ¡°I¡¯m fine¡ Just thinking.¡±
Was that a lie? Maybe to him, but definitely to herself.
Roman nced at her, his brow furrowing slightly, but then he turned his eyes back to the road. ¡°About?¡±
She paused, trying to gather her thoughts. ¡°You know¡ everything.¡±
A long silence followed, thick and stretching between them. She could feel the tension, the way it coiled tighter with every. second. She wanted him. She was sure of that now. But she wanted more than just a short¨Cterm thing.
Roman¡¯s calm exterior was a sharp contrast to what was going on inside her head. His hands were steady on the wheel, his jaw clenched, but there was nothing to read on his face. It was like he¡¯d learned to guard his emotions. He hadn¡¯t given her anything, at least not anything she could hold on to. Not yet.
ir took a deep breath and turned her gaze to the window again. Just another Monday. Don¡¯t think too much. Focus on getting through the day, because it¡¯s too soon for anything serious. It had only been a few days, and she was thinking too much.
When they neared the office building, she felt the familiar pull in her gut.
She wasn¡¯t ready for the office gossip. Not yet.
¡°Drop me off a block away,¡± she said, voice tight, eyes still ahead. She was already reaching for her bag, avoiding his gaze.
She could still see Roman¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°What?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t need the whole office knowing¡ our business,¡± she said, avoiding his eyes still. She didn¡¯t want anyone seeing her with him, not yet. It was too much, too soon.
There was a beat of silence, and then a low sigh slipped from his lips. His fingers tightened on the wheel, but he didn¡¯t argue. ¡°Fine.¡± As he pulled the car over to the curb.
ir didn¡¯t look back as she got out of the car and walked away, the morning air biting into her skin. She didn¡¯t need to exin herself to him.
16:12 Wed, 18 Jun
Not now. Her mind was already on the next task at hand: making it through the day without anyone finding out. She couldn¡¯t deal with thatplication. What if Roman broke it off in a few weeks? She didn¡¯t want everyone knowing she was another castoff.
She passed Maggie at reception, offering a quick wave before stepping into the elevator. She could¡¯ve sworn she saw the sh of Dan¡¯s head from the corner of her eye, but by the time the doors closed, he was nowhere in sight. Thank God for that.
The elevator ride up would have been interesting. How would he have handled himself in front of others, but at least she didn¡¯t have to see him? Thest thing she needed was a confrontation with Dan. A thought suddenly crossed her mind. Shit, Dan. He could tell everyone about her and Roman. A cold sweat broke out on her skin, but then she remembered Dan¡¯s ego. He wouldn¡¯t tell anyone. It would mean admitting that ir had chosen another man over him. A small smile spread across her face. God, how true that was. She wanted to be with Roman. She smiled as the lift stopped at her floor, stepping off with the weight of her thoughts settling in.
Kara looked up from her work almost immediately, a mischievous grin spreading across her face. ¡°Well, well, well,¡± she said, studying ir carefully. ¡°Somebody had a good weekend.¡±
ir froze for a second, her heart skipping. Shit. She tried to mask her reaction, but the flush creeping up her neck was a dead giveaway.
¡°What do you mean?¡± she asked, her voice a little too high, a little too innocent.
Kara¡¯s grin widened. ¡°Come on, you can¡¯t hide it. That glow, the way you¡¯re walking today¡ it¡¯s clear. You got some action, didn¡¯t you? Please don¡¯t tell me it was Dan.¡±
ir¡¯s stomach churned at the mere mention of his name. She shook her head, the disgust clear on her face. ¡°No. God, no. Dan¡¯s a no.¡±
Kara raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. But before she could pry further, the door to Roman¡¯s office opened, and the man himself walked over to them, holding a stack of mail. ¡°Kara, can you please make sure these get sent today?¡±
ir¡¯s stomach twisted at the sight of him. Her eyes met his, and for a split second, the room seemed to shift. There was something in the air between them now, a kind of unspoken tension. A secret. She could feel Kara watching. ir watched as Kara¡¯s mouth formed a circle. Before she breathed out an ¡°O.¡± in acknowledgement of what she had picked up.
Oh my god, Roman didn¡¯t say good morning to her, like this was the first time he had seen her today. ir felt like smacking herself in the forehead or smacking him. He didn¡¯t say a word. His eyes flicked to ir, just briefly, before he handed the mail to Kara. Roman left them and went back to his office. The door clicked shut behind him.
Kara leaned back in her chair, watching ir closely, the sly smile never leaving her face. ¡°So¡ you and him?¡± she asked, her voice dropping to a teasing whisper. ¡°What¡¯s going on? There¡¯s definitely something between you two. Did Roman have anything to do with that bounce in your step?¡±
ir¡¯s heart skipped, her breath catching in her throat. She hadn¡¯t nned on talking about it, but Kara wasn¡¯t going to let it slide. She had seen something. The way the air shifted when Roman entered. The tension. Kara was sharp, way too sharp.
ir hesitated for a moment, then let out a soft breath. ¡°It¡¯s¡plicated.¡±
Kara raised an eyebrow but smiled, clearly understanding more than ir wanted her to. ¡°I get it. I¡¯m happy for you though, ir. He¡¯s a good guy.¡±
ir didn¡¯t say anything at first. Her throat tightened, and for a second, she thought she might choke on the words she couldn¡¯t say. ¡°Thanks, Kara. But it¡¯s still¡ not that simple.¡±
Kara replied. ¡°Whatever it is, you deserve to be happy. I can keep a secret. It¡¯s nobody¡¯s business but yours.¡±
ir exhaled, the tension lifting just a little. She was grateful for Kara¡¯s understanding, for her willingness to keep things quiet.
94%
+28)
C
Room Mate 34
apter 34
ir stored her handbag and ced her phone on her desk before pushing open Roman¡¯s office door, shutting it behind her with more force than necessary.
She barely gave him a second to react before stepping forward, arms crossed, her gaze sharp. ¡°You gave us away.¡±
Roman didn¡¯t look up right away. He just leaned back in his chair, exhaling through his nose like he¡¯d expected this. Maybe he had.
His voice was calm, unreadable. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡±
ir narrowed her eyes, stepping closer. ¡°Kara noticed. She saw it, Roman. The tension.¡± She¡¯d admit it was partly her fault. ¡°The way you acted. You walked in, handed over the mail, and didn¡¯t even say good morning to me. No hello, nothing. And she knew. It was that obvious.¡±
Roman sighed, rubbing his jaw, finally looking at her. ¡°I wasn¡¯t thinking about it like that. I¡¯m not used to hiding my rtionships.¡±
¡°Exactly,¡± ir shot back. ¡°You weren¡¯t thinking. And now she knows about us. She won¡¯t say anything, but it¡¯s only a matter of time before other people pick up on it, too. If we couldn¡¯t even hide¡¡± she waved a hand between them, ¡°this in just one morning.¡±
Roman tilted his head, studying her. ¡°This?¡±
ir faltered. ¡°You know what we¡are doing together.¡±
¡°What is that?¡± There was a look in his eye she couldn¡¯t quite read.
She sucked in a sharp breath, pulse hammering. He was so frustrating when he did this. The shithead.
Her fists clenched. ¡°The point is, I don¡¯t want everyone to know.¡± If things didn¡¯tst between them, she wanted to hold her head up high. She certainly didn¡¯t want to be some dirty little secret that Roman had dumped. ¡°About us sleeping together.¡°.
Silence. Thick. Heavy. Charged.
ir could feel the tension rolling off him, his whole body tight, restrained.
¡°Is that all it is?¡±
What did he want from her? ir didn¡¯t know. All she knew was that she wanted something she wasn¡¯t sure he would ever give. And because she was so unsure of herself, she wanted to push him. Wanted him to react.
She wasn¡¯t sure why she was pressing his buttons. It was like he was holding back from saying something, from doing something.
Her voice dropped, dangerous now. ¡°We¡¯re scratching an itch.¡±
It wasn¡¯t true. Not for her.
But if Roman only saw this as physical, then maybe she needed to convince herself of the same.
Roman¡¯s nostrils red. His chair scraped across the floor as he stood abruptly. The chair hit the windows behind him.
He didn¡¯t hesitate. He closed the space between them. ¡°Careful, ir.¡±
She let out a breathlessugh. ¡°Or what?¡±
Wed, 18 Jun
94%
Heat bloomed inside her. Excitement over what could happen by pushing him. Even though they shouldn¡¯t be doing this here.
Even though this was the worst possible time.
+28)
His fingers curled into fists at his sides, his chest rising and falling. He was so close she could feel the heat radiating off him, see the tight pull of his jaw.
ir lifted her chin. ¡°What are you trying to do? I¡¯m not afraid of you, Roman.¡±
That did it.
Roman grabbed her, his hands firm but controlled, pulling her flush against him. His lips crashed onto hers, all control snapping in a single moment.
ir barely had time to react before she was kissing him back, her fingers threading into his hair, her body pressing into his like she couldn¡¯t get close enough.
It was wild, consuming her with a rush of heat and need.
He kissed her like he was trying to shut her up. But also like he couldn¡¯t stop himself.
And she let him. She wanted him to. She wanted to rip his clothes off.
She knew they shouldn¡¯t. She knew she wasn¡¯t making sense. But so much had happened in just a few days, and she didn¡¯t even know what she wanted anymore.
Roman¡¯s mouth moved down her throat, and she tilted her head back, giving him better ess.
The door rattled.
They ripped apart like they had been caughtmitting a crime. It was like someone had poured ice water over her body.
ir wiped her lips quickly, trying to catch her breath just as the door swung open.
Jessica. Standing in the doorway, her expression perfectlyposed, except for the sharp amusement dancing in her eyes.
Behind her, Kara looked horrified, mouthing ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡± as she hovered in the background.
But Jessica had already stepped inside like she owned the ce.
¡°Roman,¡± she said smoothly, tilting her head. ¡°Hope I¡¯m not interrupting.¡±
ir¡¯s stomach twisted. Oh god. Her lips were still tingling from Roman¡¯s kiss, her whole body still buzzing. But now she was ice cold. The bitch was back. And she still didn¡¯t have a handle on how Roman felt about her.
Roman took a step back, shaking his head, clearly trying to collect himself. His voice was sharp. ¡°What the hell are you doing here?¡±
Jessica smiled, that slow, knowing smile that made ir want to p it right off her face. ¡°Oh,e on. You know me. I never needed an invitation.¡±
Roman exhaled, clearly restraining himself. ¡°Jessica, I hadn¡¯t seen you in a year, and now you think you cane and go from my office as you please? We havewyers use them. We have nothing to say to each other.¡±
ir so wanted to know if he meant that or was it hurt talking.
Jessica¡¯s gaze flicked to ir, like she had just now decided to acknowledge her presence. ¡°I think we do.¡±
16:12 Wed, 18 Jun
ir stayed perfectly still.
Refusing to react. Refusing to give her the satisfaction.
Jessica smiled wider, her eyes glinting. ¡°It¡¯s cute. Really. This whole¡ thing.¡± She gestured vaguely between them. ¡°But let¡¯s be honest, Roman. It¡¯s history repeating
nothSelf. We have unfinished business.¡±
ir¡¯s pulse spiked, but she said nothing. This wasn¡¯t her fight. Not yet.
Roman¡¯s voice dropped loquun
Jessica arched a brow,
talk.¡±
¡°We¡¯re done, Jessica.¡±
Aged
by his tone. Before saying to Roman. ¡°Tell your little secretary to leave so the adults can
ir¡¯s fingers curled into fists. She wanted to hit the woman. Just who the hell was she calling a child? Jessica wasn¡¯t here to reminisce. She was here to reim Roman or cause trouble. ir wasn¡¯t about to let that happen.
+28)
Room Mate 35
Roman didn¡¯t expect ir to barge into his office. Well, that wasn¡¯t entirely true.
The second he left her and Kara, he knew she¡¯d be pissed. Knew by the way her eyes had red. After Kara looked at them too long meant she¡¯d put the pieces together. He should have been more careful. He should have walked in like he always did, like she wasn¡¯t the only thing upying his mind, like he hadn¡¯t spent thest few nights tangled up with her, tasting
her.
But he couldn¡¯t, not now. He wanted to shout it from the rooftops, but she wanted to hide the fact they were together. It wasn¡¯t sex to him. Roman wanted more than an affair. He had been nning this too long for this to be anything but serious. He just needed to convince ir of that.
So, no, he wasn¡¯t surprised when she shoved the door shut behind her, arms crossed, eyes sharp and full of fire. He wasn¡¯t surprised when she cut straight to the point. ¡°You gave us away.¡± (
Roman leaned back in his chair, exhaling through his nose, schooling his expression into something calm, unreadable.
¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± A lie. Because he knew he had seen her reaction and Kara¡¯s.
She narrowed her eyes. Stepping closer, he could see the frustration rolling off her in waves.
¡°Kara noticed. She saw it, Roman. The tension.¡±
She was right. Of course she was. But he didn¡¯t give a fuck. He was still pissed that she had wanted to be dropped off a block from the office.
¡°The way you acted. You walked in, handed over the mail, and didn¡¯t even say good morning to me. No hello, nothing. And she knew. It was that obvious.¡±
He wasn¡¯t a great actor. If he had been he would have been on fucking broadway. Roman sighed, rubbing his jaw, finally looking at her. ¡°I wasn¡¯t thinking about it like that. I¡¯m not used to hiding my rtionships.¡± Or my feelings. But in some ways, he was doing that with her. Not telling her how he felt. Yes, theymunicated, but not about their¡ his feelings. Would she run? Did she feel more? He wasn¡¯t being fair. She wasn¡¯t ready. He had a lot longer to know how he felt.
That made her bristle. ¡°Exactly. You weren¡¯t thinking. And now she knows about us. She won¡¯t say anything, but it¡¯s only a matter of time before other people pick up on it, too. If we couldn¡¯t even hide¡¡± she waved a hand between them, ¡°this in just one morning.¡±
This.
His jaw tightened. ¡°This?¡±
ir faltered. ¡°You know what we¡ are doing together.¡±
He did. More than she realized. He wanted her to see it as more than just casual.
Roman tilted his head. ¡°What is that?¡±
There was something unreadable in her expression. A hesitation she was trying to mask.
She sucked in a sharp breath, pulse hammering. ¡°We¡¯re scratching an itch.¡±
It wasn¡¯t true. Not for him.
And he hoped to god not to her.
His chair scraped across the floor, hitting the window as he stood abruptly, closing the space between them. ¡°Careful, ir.¡±
16:12 Wed, 18 Jun
She let out a breathlessugh. ¡°Or what?¡±
94%
(28)
He could see the increase of her breathing, her heightened excitement, see the tight pull of her jaw as she lifted her chin in defiance.
¡°I¡¯m not afraid of you, Roman.¡±
That did it.
Roman grabbed her, his hands firm but controlled, pulling her flush against him. His lips crashed onto hers, all control snapping in a single moment. He didn¡¯t want her scared of him. He wanted¡ needed her to want him as much as he wanted her.
She kissed him back without hesitation, fingers threading into his hair, her body pressing into his like she couldn¡¯t get close enough.
It was wild, consuming. He was about to break her rule about having sex at the office.
She wanted him. He knew that. But she had no idea how much worse it was for him. How much she hadpletely undone him.
He deepened the kiss before dragging his mouth down her throat.
The door rattled.
They ripped apart. Roman was well aware ir didn¡¯t want to be caught out.
ir wiped her lips quickly, trying to catch her breath just as the door swung open.
Jessica. Standing in the doorway, her expression perfectlyposed, except for the sharp amusement dancing in her eyes.
Behind her, Kara looked horrified, mouthing, ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡± as he waved her away. This wasn¡¯t her fault. He knew how Jessica could be.
But Jessica had already stepped inside like she owned the ce.
¡°Roman,¡± she said smoothly, tilting her head. ¡°Hope I¡¯m not interrupting.¡±
ir stiffened beside him.
Roman took a step back, forcing himself to breathe, to shake off the haze of ir. His voice was sharp. ¡°What the hell are you doing here?¡±
Jessica smiled, that slow, knowing smile that made his blood boil. ¡°Oh, to acknowledge her presence. ¡°I think we do.¡±
ir stayed perfectly still.
Jessica¡¯s smile widened, her eyes glinting. ¡°It¡¯s cute. Really. This whole¡ thing.¡± She gestured vaguely between them. ¡°But let¡¯s be honest, Roman. It¡¯s history repeating itself. We have unfinished business.¡±
Roman¡¯s voice dropped lower, sharper. ¡°We¡¯re done, Jessica.¡±
16:12 Wed, 18 Jun
Jessica arched a brow,pletely unbothered by his tone.
¡°Tell your little secretary to leave so the adults can talk.¡±
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Roman watched ir¡¯s fingers curled into fists. Jessica wasn¡¯t here to reminisce. She was here to cause trouble if she couldn¡¯t get him back. He wouldn¡¯t touch her ever again.
ir turned to him, expression tight. ¡°I¡¯ll be at my desk.¡±
She left without another word, and Roman was already regretting letting her go. But he needed to deal with the bitch in front of him before he set ir straight on a few things. He had everything he needed to do, just that.
The moment the door shut, Jessica stepped closer, her perfume thick, almost sickly.
¡°God, Roman. I forgot how intense you get when you¡¯re obsessed with someone.¡± She ran a manicured nail down his tie. ¡°Is she the reason you won¡¯t consider giving me another chance and the reason ire was given the flick? Hm? I mean, I can¡¯t me you. She¡¯s a cute little thing. Probably makes you feel like a man again. But don¡¯t you think she is a little young Roman for your appetites?¡±
Roman clenched his jaw, stepping out of her reach. ¡°If you came here to y games, you can leave.¡±
Jessica tilted her head. ¡°You always were so fun when you were angry. We had some very enjoyable times.¡±
¡°Just tell me why you are here, Jessica. Then get the fuck out of my office.¡±
Then her voice dipped, turning calcted. ¡°I need money, Roman.¡±
He let out a sharpugh. ¡°That¡¯s what this is about?¡±
She smiled slowly andpletely fake. ¡°I could make things very difficult for you. For ir.¡±
His muscles coiled. ¡°Don¡¯t finish that¡¡±
¡°Oh, rx. I won¡¯t tell the whole world you¡¯re screwing your employee and it¡¯s not the first time.¡±
Roman¡¯s blood went ice cold. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare.¡±
ssica shrugged. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t I?¡±
hat was it.
Roman stepped forward, his voice dangerously low. ¡°Listen to me, Jessica. I don¡¯t give a damn what me. If you try to ckmail me, I will bury you. Do you understand?¡±
you think you
have over
She stilled.
He didn¡¯t blink. Didn¡¯t move.
Jessica¡¯s lips pressed together, her bravado slipping.
She smoothed a hand down her dress, regaining herposure. ¡°Don¡¯t think you¡¯re safe, Roman. We are not done.¡±
She turned, her heels clicking against the floor as she walked out, leaving nothing but her perfume and the rage in his chest.
Roman exhaled, running a hand through his hair.
He needed to see ir.
Now.
Room Mate 36
Roman stepped out of his office, his mind still spinning from the encounter with Jessica. He clenched his jaw as he spotted ir and Kara talking over ir¡¯s desk. ir¡¯s arms were crossed, her expression unreadable, but there was an edge to the way she stood. He could see she was tense. Kara, on the other hand, looked apologetic, shifting awkwardly on her feet.
The moment Kara noticed him, she straightened, opening her mouth, but Roman shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± he said firmly.
¡°I¡¯m really sorry-¡±
¡°It¡¯s not your fault,¡± he cut her off. ¡°Jessica is maniptive and has no boundaries. You don¡¯t have to apologize for her.¡±
Kara looked relieved, nodding quickly. ir, however, kept her gaze steady on him, like she was trying to figure out what was going on in his head. Roman didn¡¯t give her the chance.
¡°ir. My office. Now.¡±
He didn¡¯t wait for a response, just turned and walked back inside, knowing she would follow. And she did. A momentter, she was shutting the door behind her, arms still crossed as she watched him.
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Her next words shocked him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about this morning. I was being a bitch. I¡¯m not sure where my head is at, wanting to keep it quiet one moment to not to the next. So much has happened in a few days and I feel like everything is spinning out of control.¡±
Roman ran a hand through his hair. d she was feeling as mixed up as he was. But he had a feeling he was about to increase her feeling of not being in control. ¡°We have bigger issues right now.¡±
¡°What?¡± she prompted.
Roman exhaled sharply, rubbing his jaw. ¡°Jessica tried to pull her usual tricks. She came here to cause problems, not to talk. When she tried to seduce me and that didn¡¯t work, she then tried her hand at ckmail. To get money out of me.¡±
ir¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°ckmail?¡±
¡°She thinks she can use the fact that there is obviously something going on between us to squeeze money out of me. Or worse, damage me.¡± He paused, eyes locking onto hers. ¡°And you.¡±
ir stiffened. ¡°What? But she saw nothing.¡±
¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. She knows me. We were both obviously involved in a passionate embrace before she walked in. She is sharp, a bitch, but still sharp.¡± Roman took a step closer, lowering his voice. ¡°She has also brought up my sexual preferences and the fact¡ I like it often and I like to be in charge.¡±
ir¡¯s cheeks turned pink. She said nothing, waiting for him to continue. He watched as her breathing increased. He knew she was remembering just how he liked it. His cock jumped when he remembered her calling him sir. She may be an innocentpared to him, but she had liked it a little kinky. Roman wondered just how far he could go with her. She had already allowed him to tie her up.
Roman could feel his sex spring to life. Fuck, now wasn¡¯t the time. Later. He needed to focus on getting her to agree to his n.
¡°She wants to create a scandal. If I don¡¯t pay up. She will sell the idea that I¡¯m involved with my secretary, make it something dirty. Like I make a habit of it. First her, then you. She also pointed out how much younger you are.¡±
ir¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°That¡¯s disgusting. Plus, you are only ten years older than me. That¡¯s nothing.¡±
¡°She¡¯s desperate. Jessica likes a man to pay her bills. She wants money. I have it and she wants it anyway. She can get it.¡± Roman shrugged like it didn¡¯t faze him, but inside, it enraged him. Jessica had always been conniving, but this was a new low. It wasn¡¯t like she was broke, but in her eyes it wasn¡¯t enough what he was paying her for alimony. Knowing her tastes,
16:12 Wed, 18 Jun
(28)
she wouldn¡¯t be happy with it. He was richer than she ever thought he would be and she had backed the wrong horse. ¡°She could go to the media and create a scandal. I still have a board to answer to and investors that this could influence.¡±
ir bit her lip. He could see she was thinking about the best way to handle this. She shook her head, anger shing in her expression. ¡°So what do we do?¡±
Roman studied her for a long moment, feeling the weight of everything between them. The way she challenged him, refusing to let him get away with anything. The way she wasn¡¯t afraid of him. And the way he felt about her, how much deeper it ran than anything he¡¯d ever felt before.
¡°We get ahead of her,¡± he said simply. He could see she was as worried as he was about the damage Jessica could do. But he hadn¡¯t lied. If she went public, he would destroy her.
She gave him a wary look. ¡°What does that mean?¡±
Roman exhaled, then met her gaze head on. ¡°Marry me.¡±
ir blinked. Then blinked again. ¡°Excuse me?¡±
¡°Marry me.¡± He watched every flicker of emotion that crossed her face. ¡°Jessica can¡¯t touch us if we¡¯re legally together. She will have no leverage. Anything she says bes meaningless. No one will care and believe it¡¯s anything more than sour grapes on her part.¡±
ir let out a breathlessugh. ¡°That¡¯s insane. We can¡¯t just get married.¡±
¡°Is it?¡± Roman tilted his head. ¡°We get along. We work well together. You don¡¯t take my bullshit, and I respect you for that. I¡¯m done with shallow rtionships. I want more.¡±
ir stared at him, her expression unreadable.
Roman took a step closer, his voice husky. ¡°I¡¯m ready to settle down, ir. Start a family. I want that. And I want you. We get along better than any of the women I have dated in the past.¡±
ir¡¯s breath hitched. He could see her pulse hammering at the base of her throat.
Roman held out his hand to touch the side of her face. ¡°Say yes.¡±
ir¡¯s lips parted slightly. ¡°Roman¡¡±
¡°Marry me. Say yes.¡±
Room Mate 37
ir stared at Roman, her heart pounding so hard she was sure he could hear it. Marry him? The words echoed in her head, loud and disorienting. It was insane. Reckless. Completely out of control.
And yet, a small, undeniable part of her wanted to say yes.
She had just ended her engagement with Danst week. It felt like whish to go from that to standing here, listening to Roman ask her to marry him. But it was different with Roman. Everything about him, the way he touched her, looked at her, challenged her, made her feel something she had never had before.
Something intense. Something dangerous.
It wasn¡¯t love. Not yet. She wasn¡¯t willing to say that word, not when she¡¯d thought she had loved Dan and look where that had gotten her. But this¡ what she felt for Roman was more than lust, more than attraction. It was raw, consuming, andpletely outside her control.
She swallowed hard, trying to focus. ¡°This is crazy.¡±
Roman¡¯s lips curled slightly, but there was no humor in his expression. ¡°Is it?¡±
She exhaled sharply. ¡°You want to get married to protect yourself from Jessica¡¯s threats?¡±
¡°To protect us both,¡± he corrected smoothly. ¡°She won¡¯t be able to spin this into something ugly if we¡¯re married. It¡¯ll look like she¡¯s bitter and grasping at straws.¡±
ir hesitated. That made sense. But it wasn¡¯t just about Jessica, was it? She searched his face, trying to see past the cool confidence to what was underneath. Was this just about damage control? Or was there something more?
Roman wanted a family. She knew that. He had told her just minutes ago. And she wanted the same thing. That was part of why she had said yes to Dan in the first ce, because she had thought they wanted the same things. It had all been a lie.
But Roman was not Dan. Roman was intense, passionate,pletely overwhelming at times. And unlike Dan, he could give her everything she hadn¡¯t known she was missing. In every way.
Her cheeks warmed as memories shed through her mind. The way he touched her, the way he took control, the way he knew exactly how to unravel her. Dan had never made her feel like that. Dan had been¡ well, safe. Predictable even. Comfortable. The asshole had then cheated on her. But Roman? Roman set her on fire.
Could she really do this? Could she marry him?
ir bit her lip. ¡°How do I know you won¡¯t cheat?¡± That had hurt her more than she had admitted to anyone, not even herself.
Roman¡¯s gaze darkened. ¡°Because I know what it feels like to be cheated on.¡± His voice was cold, controlled, but she could see the hint of old pain in his eyes. Jessica had done a number on him. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do that to you.¡±
She believed him. Roman had his faults, but he wasn¡¯t a liar. And he sure as hell wouldn¡¯t make a promise like that if he didn¡¯t mean it.
But still¡ marriage?
She let out a breath. ¡°This isn¡¯t real.¡± There was no way Roman, her boss and recent lover, was asking her to marry him.
Roman took a step closer, his presence overwhelming. ¡°It¡¯s as real as we make it.¡±
Her stomach fluttered. God, he was impossible. She knew he was probably looking at this like a business deal. A way to secure what he wanted while eliminating a threat. But even if it wasn¡¯t love, it was more than he had offered any woman since Jessica. That had to mean something. Didn¡¯t it?
16:12 Wed, 18 Jun
She could say no. She could walk away. But if she did, what then? Jessica would still be a threat.
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ir would still be here, standing on the edge of something with Roman, pretending like her feelings weren¡¯t getting stronger every second she spent with him. If he wanted to settle down, if he didn¡¯t do that with her, was she willing to watch him do it with someone else?
ir took a slow breath and met his gaze. ¡°Okay.¡±
Roman¡¯s eyes flickered, a sh of something dark and satisfaction crossing his face. ¡°Okay?¡±
She nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll marry you.¡±
A slow, wicked smile spread across his lips. He lifted his hand, his fingers brushing against her cheek, his touch possessive. ¡°Good.¡±
ir shivered, and she wasn¡¯t sure if it was from anticipation or fear. Because now that she had said it, now that it was real¡ she wasn¡¯t sure there was any way of going back.
¡°When is my first meeting this morning?¡± Roman asked, his voice husky.
ir could guess why he was asking, but she said. ¡°Why?¡±
He moved forward to press his body against hers. ¡°Because, my soon to be wife. I think we need to seal our agreement with a kiss, don¡¯t you?¡±
ir barely had time to register what was happening before Roman¡¯s mouth was taking hers in a demanding kiss. She knew this was going to be more than just a kiss. His hands were on her, his touch firm, demanding. His fingers skimmed up her arms before tangling in her hair, tilting her head back so she had no choice but to meet his gaze. She felt the pins give way.
¡°You don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve just agreed to,¡± he murmured, his voice thick with something dark and heady.
Her breath hitched. She licked her lips. ¡°Show me.¡±
A low growl rumbled from his chest before his lips crashed against hers again. The kiss was possessive, unlike anything she had ever experienced before. Roman kissed like a man who wanted to own her. And God, she let him. She opened for him, letting him devour her, her body melting against his like she had no control over it.
¡°Say it again,¡± he ordered against her lips.
ir¡¯s head spun. ¡°Say what?¡±
¡°That you¡¯ll marry me.¡± His fingers dug into her hips, his control slipping just enough that she could feel the raw edge of his need.
She swallowed hard, her heart hammering. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll marry you.¡± she whispered.
Roman let out a shuddering breath before dragging his lips down her neck, his teeth scraping over her pulse. She gasped, her fingers clutching his shoulders. He was already unraveling her. She was losing the ability to think clearly. This was more inte
barely h
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16:12 Wed, 18 Jun
Room Mate 38
Roman¡¯s grip tightened on ir¡¯s hips as he set her down stepping away from her to lock the door before picking her up in his arms again, she clutched at his shoulders as he took measured steps across the room, pressing her back against the cool ss of the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling windows. The city stretched out behind her, glittering with sunlight, but all she could focus on was the way his body caged hers in, his presence overpowering. The knowledge that it was reflective ss, so anyone looking up or in couldn¡¯t see them, only made the moment more intense. Because they could do anything.
His fingers trailed up her thighs, slow and deliberate, igniting every nerve along the way. He wasn¡¯t gentle. Roman¡¯s need was too extreme, but she loved that about him. He didn¡¯t pretend. He took what he wanted, and tonight, she was the only thing he wanted.
¡°Take off your dress,¡± he ordered, his voice dark, edged with impatience. He stepped away to watch her follow his order.
ir¡¯s breath hitched, but she obeyed, her fingers trembling as she reached for the zipper. Roman watched her, his expression unreadable, but the heat in his gaze burned through her. The moment the fabric pooled at her feet, he exhaled harshly, his hands immediately spanning her waist, pulling her almost bare body flush against his.
¡°You are so fucking beautiful,¡± he growled, his lips finding the sensitive spot just beneath her ear. ¡°And you¡¯re mine.¡±
A shiver ran down her spine at the possessiveness in his voice. She should have pushed back, argued. Now wasn¡¯t the time for this, but she didn¡¯t want to. Not with him. Instead, she tilted her head, giving him better ess as his mouth moved lower, his tongue tracing the column of her throat before descending to her breasts.
He sucked one nipple through thece bra into his mouth, his tongue flicking over the hardened peak before biting down. just enough to make her gasp. Her fingers tangled in his hair, pulling, but he only groaned in response, his hand sliding between her legs under the matching panties, finding her already drenched.
¡°Sir,¡± she breathed, her voice barely more than a whimper.
Roman¡¯s body jerked at the word, his grip tightening. ¡°Again.¡±
Her cheeks burned, but she didn¡¯t hesitate this time. ¡°Sir.¡±
He rewarded her with a deep, lingering kiss, his fingers pressing against her in slow, teasing circles. ir writhed against. him, her hands wing at his shirt as she undid it, desperate to feel his skin. He let her push it off his shoulders, his muscles. tense beneath her touch. She reached for his belt, but before she could undo it, he grabbed her wrists, pinning them against the ss above her head.
¡°You don¡¯t get to rush this.¡± His voice was a warning, his lips brushing over hers. ¡°I¡¯m going to take my time with you, and you¡¯re going to take everything I give you.¡±
She swallowed hard, nodding.
¡°Words, ir.¡±
¡°Yes, sir.¡±
His eyes darkened, his control barely leashed as he let go of her hands. He undid his belt slowly, deliberately, and the anticipation nearly drove her insane. When he finally freed himself, pressing his length against her stomach, she moaned, already desperate to have him inside her.
But Roman wasn¡¯t in a hurry. He spun her again, pressing her chest to the ss, his hand fisting in her hair as he tilted her head to the side, his lips brushing against her ear.
¡°Look outside,¡± hemanded. ¡°If they could see you, they¡¯d know exactly who you belong to.¡±
The sheer filth of his words sent heat pooling between her legs. He nudged her legs apart with his knee, his fingers trailing down her spine before gripping her hips. Then, without warning, he moved her underwear to the side as he thrust into her,
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filling herpletely in one deep, punishing stroke.
ir cried out, her palms t against the ss as he set a relentless pace, his hands gripping her hips so tightly she was sure she¡¯d bruise. The stretch, the burn¡ it was almost too much, but she didn¡¯t want him to stop. She needed this. Needed him.
Roman¡¯s hand slid up her stomach, palming her breast as he buried himself deeper. ¡°You take me so fucking well,¡± he murmured, his teeth scraping along her shoulder. ¡°Like you were made for me.¡±
She whimpered, pushing back against him, meeting every thrust, her body tightening with every delicious movement. The ss was cool against her heated skin; the contrast making her dizzy. Roman¡¯s grip on her was unrelenting, his body overwhelming, and she loved every second of it.
His free hand slid between her thighs, his fingers circling her clit in perfect rhythm with his thrusts. ir¡¯s legs shook, the pleasure was building so fast she could barely breathe.
¡°Sir, I-¡±
¡°I know,¡± he growled. ¡°Come for me, ir. Now.¡±
His fingers pressed harder, his thrusts rougher, and she shattered, her entire body locking up as the pleasure crashed over her. Roman didn¡¯t stop¨Che pushed her through it, dragging everyst ounce of sensation from her until she was trembling against the ss, utterly spent.
Only then did he let go, his control snapping as he mmed into her one final time, groaning her name as he spilled inside her.
For a long moment, they stayed like that¨Chim pressed against her back, both of them panting, bodies still connected. Then Roman turned her in his arms, his hands cradling her face as he kissed her slowly, deep, like he never wanted to let go.
¡°You¡¯re mine,¡± he murmured against her lips. ¡°And I don¡¯t share.¡±
ir¡¯s heart pounded. This wasn¡¯t just about sex. It never had been. And as much as she wanted to tell herself this was just a deal, just a way to protect them both¡ she knew better.
She was already in too deep. And she wasn¡¯t sure she wanted to find a way out.
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Room Mate 39
Roman leaned against the cool marble sink, watching ir through the mirror as she fixed her hair. Her fingers moved quickly, twisting strands back into the sleek style she¡¯d worn before he had thoroughly undone her. He smirked to himself, proud of the disheveled state he had left her in. The way she had clung to him, the way she had moaned, sir. He could still hear it echoing in his head.
¡°You¡¯re staring.¡± ir muttered, adjusting thest few pins and smoothing down a stray curl.
¡°Am I?¡± he asked, arching a brow. ¡°I thought I was merely appreciating my secretary¡¯s dedication to maintaining a professional appearance.¡±
ir shot him a re through the mirror. ¡°Well, you sure do like messy me up.¡± Then she shed Roman would bet she was remembering just how he liked to mess her up.
Roman grinned, stepping closer and resting his hands on her hips. ¡°Semantics. Either way, you look stunning¨Cthough I personally prefer the thoroughly ruined version of you. I love your hair down and wild.¡±
Her cheeks flushed again as she reached for herpact, dabbing at the remnants of their heated encounter. ¡°I have work to do, Roman, and so do you.¡±
¡°I know,¡± he murmured, pressing a kiss to her shoulder. ¡°But watching you try to pretend nothing just happened is my new favorite pastime.¡±
She rolled her eyes but didn¡¯t push him away. Instead, she focused on fixing her lipstick. Roman watched as she reapplied the soft pink shade, his mind shing back to how those lips had looked wrapped around his¡ shit. His cock jumped in his pants. If he wasn¡¯t careful, he would have her on her knees. But she was right. They had work to do.
¡°Stop that,¡± ir scolded, catching his expression.
¡°Stop what?¡± he asked innocently.
¡°Thinking whatever it is you¡¯re thinking.¡±
Roman chuckled, stepping back and adjusting his tie. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll behave. For now.¡±
ir let out a small sigh, as if she didn¡¯t believe him for a second, then squared her shoulders. ¡°I¡¯m going back to work.¡±
He smirked. ¡°Try not to think about me too much while you¡¯re typing up those reports.¡±
ir huffed before she smoothed down her dress as she stepped out of the bathroom, her heels clicking softly against the polished floor. She had taken her time fixing her makeup, ensuring there wasn¡¯t a single trace of what had just happened between her and Roman. Not that she regretted a second of it. Her body still hummed from his touch, her lips tingling from his demanding kisses. His ego was inted enough with hearing that.
But now, it was back to reality. Back to being his secretary, not the woman who had just moaned his sir against the ss windows of his office.
She was almost at her desk when her phone vibrated in her hand. ir nced at the screen and immediately regretted it. Her aunt Viv.
Sighing, she answered, tucking the phone between her ear and shoulder as she settled into her chair.
¡°Aunt Viv,¡± she said, already bracing herself. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±
¡°Well, hello to you too, ir,¡± Viv responded, her voice clipped. ¡°I was hoping you¡¯d sound a little happier to hear from me.¡±
ir bit back a groan. ¡°It¡¯s been a long morning.¡±
16:13 Wed, 18 Jun
¡°Well, it¡¯s about to get longer.¡± Viv said. ¡°I¡¯m calling about Dan and Laura¡¯s engagement party¡±
ir¡¯s stomach dropped. ¡°What engagement party?¡±
There was a pause, then a sigh. ¡°I assumed you already knew. It¡¯s this weekend. They wanted to wait, but now that Laura¡¯s pregnant, they can¡¯t dy any longer. It would look bad.¡±
ir barely kept herself from cursing. Of course, they couldn¡¯t wait. That would ruin the perfect little narrative they were spinning.
And why are you telling me this?¡± she asked, gripping her phone tighter.
*Because you¡¯re expected to be there,¡± Viv said simply. ¡°You know how this works. It¡¯ll look bad if you don¡¯te and wish them well.¡±
ir let out a dryugh. ¡°Wish them well? You mean my ex¨Cfianc¨¦ and the woman he cheated on me with?¡±
Viv¡¯s voice hardened. ¡°I know this isn¡¯t easy, ir, but you don¡¯t have a choice. People will talk if you don¡¯t show up.¡±
¡°People will talk either way,¡± ir muttered. ¡°Why does it matter what they think?¡±
Viv exhaled sharply. ¡°Because, like it or not, this isn¡¯t just about you. Your absence would make a statement, and not a good
one.¡±
ir pressed her fingers against her temple. This is ridiculous.¡±
¡°It¡¯s necessary,¡± Viv corrected. Then her tone softened slightly. ¡°Listen, I know you¡¯re upset. I wouldn¡¯t be thrilled, either. But you need to be there and you need to be civil.¡±
ir clenched her jaw. Civil. Right.
¡°And one more thing,¡± Viv added, her voice carrying an edge of warning. ¡°Keep an eye on Keira.¡±
ir frowned. ¡°Why?¡±
¡°You know how she is,¡± Viv said. ¡°She has no filter, she hates Laura, and now Dan, too. She¡¯s bound to stir up trouble if you don¡¯t keep her in line. This party is going to be a delicate situation, and thest thing we need is Keira making it worse.¡±
ir rubbed her forehead. Keira was smart¨Cmouthed, reckless, and didn¡¯t believe in ying nice when she didn¡¯t have to. And when it came to Laura and Dan, she definitely didn¡¯t have to. Why should she have to?
us.¡±
talk to her,¡± ir said, though she wasn¡¯t sure how.
ke sure you do,¡± Viv warned. ¡°Because if she causes a scene, it won¡¯t just reflect badly on her¨Cit¡¯ll reflect badly on all of
ir didn¡¯t bother responding. She knew how this worked. Knew what was expected of her.
¡°Fine,¡± she finally said. ¡°I¡¯ll be there.¡±
¡°Good,¡± Viv said, satisfaction in her tone. ¡°See you this weekend.¡±
The line went dead, and ir let out a breath, staring at her phone.
This weekend was going to be hell.
16:13 Wed, 18 Jun
Room Mate 40
ir sighed, staring at her phone as if it had personally wronged her. This weekend was going to be hell, and she knew Sutton and Keira wouldn¡¯t take the news well.
She blew out a breath before pulling up her sister Sutton¡¯s contact and pressing call. It rang twice before Sutton picked up.
¡°ir?¡± she answered, her voice immediately suspicious. ¡°Are you okay?¡±
ir rolled her eyes. ¡°Nice to talk to you, too.¡±
¡°Uh¨Chuh. Sorry, but it¡¯s unlike you to call during a workday unless it¡¯s important. What¡¯s wrong?¡±
¡°Can you talk?¡± ir pinched the bridge of her nose.
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¡°Yes, just give me a moment. I¡¯ll head to thedies¡® bathroom.¡± ir heard Sutton exin to the person she was on reception with, that she needed to take a call and wouldn¡¯t be long. Not long after, Sutton said, ¡°Okay, what¡¯s up?¡±
¡°Just hold on. I¡¯m adding Keira,¡± ir let Sutton know.
She switched to a conference call and dialed their youngest sister. It took longer for Keira to pick up, and when she did, she sounded distracted.
¡°Give me a sec,¡± Keira said. ¡°I just need to get away from the Prince of Arrogant Asshole Land.¡± Keira was the social secretary to a second¨Cson prince from some small, wealthy country in Europe.
ir really hoped she hadn¡¯t said that loud enough for him to hear, but she wouldn¡¯t put it past her sister. Subtle, she wasn¡¯t.
¡°Okay, shoot.¡±
¡°Sutton is on the line as well. I have something to tell you both. Well, several some things.¡± ir didn¡¯t even try to ease into it. ¡°Dan and Laura¡¯s engagement party is this weekend. We¡¯re expected to go.¡±
Silence. Then¡
¡°Oh, hell no,¡± Sutton said, her voice sharp. ¡°You¡¯re joking.¡±
¡°Please tell me you¡¯re joking,¡± Keira added. ¡°Because I will riot.¡±
ir groaned. ¡°I wish I were. But Aunt Viv just called and made it very clear that we don¡¯t have a choice. In her words, it wouldn¡¯t look good if I wasn¡¯t there wishing them well.¡±
¡°That woman is delusional if she thinks we¡¯re going to stand around smiling while your ex¨Cfianc¨¦ y happy families with that snake,¡± Sutton said, her tone heated.
¡°Like people don¡¯t remember, Dan was engaged to ir onlyst week. Sometimes people have short memories, but not that bloody short,¡± Keira snorted. ¡°I think it¡¯s hrious. We should go just to watch them squirm.¡±
Sutton let out an exasperated noise. ¡°Keira.¡±
¡°What? If we have to be there, we might as well get some entertainment out of it.¡± ir could almost see Keira rubbing her hands together in glee.
ir sighed. ¡°Well, it¡¯s happening whether we like it or not. Not like I would want him back.¡± Not sure how they would take her next bit of news. ¡°There¡¯s something else I need to tell you.¡±
Keira perked up. ¡°Oh, I love a dramatic reveal.¡±
16:13 Wed, 18 Jun
ir hesitated for only a second before taking a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯m engaged.¡±
Dead silence.
¡°Excuse me?¡± Sutton said, voice tight.
Keira, on the other hand, burst outughing. ¡°Holy shit, I knew it! Roman does move fast!¡±
ir frowned. ¡°What do you mean, ¡®I knew it¡®?¡±
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¡°Oh,e on. That man almostmitted murder for you,¡± Keira said,pletely unbothered. ¡°I¡¯m just sorry I wasn¡¯t there to witness it. Did you cry with happiness?¡±
ir scoffed. ¡°Absolutely not.¡± She wasn¡¯t going to tell her sisters why she was marrying Roman. That was between her and Roman. It wasn¡¯t like she was unhappy with her choice. He did respect her and treat her well.
¡°Damn,¡± Keira muttered. ¡°Missed opportunity.¡±
Sutton still hadn¡¯t spoken, which worried ir. ¡°Sutton?¡±
¡°I¡¯m processing.¡±
ir winced. ¡°Look, I know this is sudden¡¡±
¡°Sutton, don¡¯t be a buzzkill,¡± Keira interrupted. ¡°Dan was the appetizer, Roman is the main course. Laura got stuck with the bread basket.¡±
ir choked on augh, while Sutton groaned. ¡°Keira, I swear to-¡±
¡°What? I¡¯m happy for her! Unlike some people.¡±
¡°I never said I wasn¡¯t happy,¡± Sutton snapped. ¡°I just¡ ir, this is a huge decision. Are you sure about this?¡±
ir¡¯s stomach twisted. ¡°Yes,¡± she said firmly. ¡°I am.¡±
Sutton sighed. ¡°Then that¡¯s all that matters. But you know Roman isn¡¯t just some rebound, right? You shouldn¡¯t do that to him.¡±
ristled. ¡°Of course I know that. Trust me, Roman is no rebound guy. Keira was right.¡±
Sutton was still skeptical, but she wouldn¡¯t push¨Cat least not now. ¡°Well, I suppose this means you¡¯ll be bringing he engagement party?¡±
ir hadn¡¯t even thought about that. But now that Sutton mentioned it¡
¡°Absolutely,¡± Keira said before ir could respond. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see Dan¡¯s face when he realizes how much you upgraded.¡±
¡°Honestly, I can¡¯t believe Aunt Viv is okay with Dan and Laura getting married after everything,¡± Sutton muttered. ¡°Dan cheated on you. Shouldn¡¯t that be some sort of social faux pas in her perfect world?¡±
¡°Oh, please,¡± Keira scoffed. ¡°She put up with Uncle Peter walking around town with his pants down, being unfaithful to her for years. As long as no one talks about it at Sunday brunch, it never happened.¡±
Sutton let out a dryugh. ¡°Good point. The only reason this wedding is happening so fast is because Laura¡¯s pregnant. And that wouldn¡¯t do for Aunt Viv¡¯s social standing.¡±
¡°No, it wouldn¡¯t,¡± ir agreed. ¡°Which is why she¡¯s insisting I show up and act like I¡¯m thrilled.¡±
Keira made a disgusted noise. ¡°We should make a toast. ¡®To Dan and Laura¨Cmay your marriagest slightly longer than the
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time Dan spent cheating on ir!¡±
¡°Keira,¡± Sutton warned.
¡°What? Too soon?¡±
ir shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ll think about bringing Roman,¡±
¡°You do that,¡± Keira said smugly. ¡°And let me know what color dress you¡¯re wearing so I can coordinate, We¡¯re making, a statement,dies.¡±
Sutton sighed heavily. ¡°I can already feel the headacheing.¡±
ir smiled despite herself. ¡°Alright, I need to get back to work. We¡¯ll talkter¡±
They ended the call, and ir set her phone down, exhaling. Before she could fully collect herself, there was a knock at the door.
¡°Come in,¡± she called, straightening in her chair.
The door opened, and Roman¡¯s head of security stepped inside, He was a tall, imposing man with a no¨Cnonsense demeanor
Room Mate 41
¡°ir,¡± Peters said in greeting before turning to Roman¡¯s office. ¡°Is he ready for me?¡±
She nodded, pressing the inte. ¡°Roman, Peters is here,¡±
¡°Send him in,¡± Roman¡¯s voice came through.
ir waved him through, watching as he disappeared into Roman¡¯s office. Something was going on. Peters had been in Roman¡¯s office a lottely. Curiosity itched at her, but she pushed it aside and turned back to her work. She was not going to think about thising weekend.
Roman leaned back in his chair, eyes sharp as he regarded his head of security. ¡°Is there any update on the missing money?¡±
Peters shook his head. ¡°There hasn¡¯t been another transaction, but when that happens, we have everything in ce to catch whoever it is.¡±
Roman¡¯s jaw tightened. ¡°I hate that someone is stealing from me.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll keep digging. It could be some time before they try again,¡± his head of security assured him. ¡°We will look for any other financial discrepancies in the sales department¡¯s invoices. I have one of my team on the inside. She will go over everything.¡±
Roman¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Excellent.¡±
¡°Our inside person has noticed that Dan is very interested in what she is doing.¡±
Roman smirked coldly. ¡°I wonder if he is stupid enough to steal from me. Just tell her to be careful.¡±
¡°He could be involved, or he could be covering for someone else. Either way, he¡¯s a problem. He hasn¡¯t said anything to anyone yet about you and ir, but he is a piece of shit.¡±
Roman exhaled slowly. ¡°Keep following the money. I want undeniable proof of who it is before I make my move. Keep an eye on Dan. I don¡¯t want him anywhere near ir.¡±
¡°Understood. Do you want someone on her if she leaves this office?¡±
Roman nodded. ¡°And one more thing, keep this quiet. Especially from ir. I don¡¯t want her to know we have someone keeping her safe. She is very independent.¡± Roman grinned. She would have his balls for this. But it was for her safety and he took that very seriously.
His security lead didn¡¯t question him, only gave a firm nod before standing. ¡°I¡¯ll update you as soon as I have more.¡±
Roman leaned forward, his gaze steely. ¡°Good. I¡¯m done letting people get away with things they shouldn¡¯t.¡±
Peters hesitated for a moment before speaking again. ¡°There¡¯s one more thing. I started digging into the history of Warner Industries.¡±
Roman¡¯s expression shifted, his interest piqued. ¡°And?¡±
¡°I haven¡¯t found anything concrete yet, but from what I can tell, thepany wasn¡¯t in financial distress six months before ir¡¯s parents¡® ident. In fact, they were about to expand internationally.¡±
Roman¡¯s fingers drummed against his desk. ¡°Which means someone made sure that it didn¡¯t look that way when the estate was going through probate.¡±
¡°Exactly.¡± Peters nodded. ¡°It could be coincidence, but the timing is too perfect. Shortly after their deaths, all financial records became convoluted. Thewyer overseeing the estate handled everything. He didn¡¯t include any otherwyers from his firm. Then, your gut feeling about her uncle and aunt? It fits. I¡¯m having my people do a deeper dive into every
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transaction, every signature, and any discrepancies in the legal documents from that time. I¡¯m looking into thewyer because someone had to pay him off. Or maybe he was offered a cut. I have someone looking for the original will.¡±
Roman¡¯s smirk was lethal. ¡°Good. I want the full picture. If they stole from ir and her sisters, I¡¯ll burn them to the ground.¡±
Peters nodded once. ¡°I¡¯ll be in touch as soon as I have more.¡±
As Peters exited, Roman exhaled slowly, his mind racing. If this turned out to be true, ir and her sisters had been robbed of more than just apany. They had been stripped of their rightful legacy. And he wasn¡¯t going to let that stand.
He picked up his phone and dialed hiswyer, who answered within a few rings. ¡°It¡¯s Roman. I want another set of eyes on the Warner estate dealings. Someone independent. I don¡¯t trust a single document that was signed after their deaths. Find me a forensic ountant who can tear through the books and uncover every single inconsistency. And keep this under wraps. ir can¡¯t know until we have something solid.¡±
Hanging up, Roman sat back in his chair, jaw set. He wasn¡¯t just doing this for ir; he was doing it because he despised the idea of powerful people abusing their influence to strip away someone¡¯s future. The way ir¡¯s family had treated the girls growing up¨Cthey needed to pay for that.
And if her aunt and uncle were behind anything criminal, they were about to learn firsthand what it meant to deal with him.
Roman stared at hisputer screen, pulling up the archived financial reports of Warner Industries that Peters had sent this morning. If Peters¡® suspicions were right, then there had to be a trail. Even if it was buried underyers of falsified documents, somewhere, the truth existed.
He clicked through old financial statements, scanning the numbers with a practiced eye. His business acumen had allowed him to build an empire, and now he would use that same skill to dismantle the lies woven around ir¡¯s family legacy.
After a few minutes, something caught his attention, a sharp dip in reported earnings just months before the ident. But it didn¡¯t make sense. From what he recalled, Warner Industries had been thriving. Then, as if overnight, they had plummeted. into financial instability?
He rang Peters. ¡°I found something. Go back five months before the ident. There¡¯s a discrepancy in the earnings report.. Someone fudged the numbers.¡±
Peters replied without hesitation. ¡°I¡¯ll cross¨Creference the bank transactions from that period.¡±
Roman¡¯s brows drew together. ¡°If they faked the financial distress, it means thepany was taken from them intentionally.¡±
¡°And if that¡¯s the case,¡± Peters added, ¡°then her aunt and uncle could be looking at jail time.¡±
Roman¡¯s pulse thrummed. If someone had orchestrated this, then the deaths of ir¡¯s parents might not have been an ident at all.
He had to be sure before he told ir. But once he had proof?
He ¡ª¡ª¨C
¡°Th
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Room Mate 42
Later that day, Roman sat in his office, fingers tapping against his desk in a steady rhythm. The weight of everything he¡¯d just uncovered sat heavy in his chest, but he wasn¡¯t done yet. Not by a long shot.
If ir¡¯s parents had been set up¡if their deaths were more than just a tragic ident, then the people responsible had no idea what kind of war they had just stepped into.
A knock at the door broke through his thoughts. ¡°Come in.¡±
Peters walked in, holding a file thick enough to signal bad news. ¡°ir just went to the restroom. She mentioned you didn¡¯t have anyone in here with you.¡±
Roman gave a nod, granting him permission to proceed.
¡°I wanted to let you know. We¡¯ve gathered more information since this morning.¡±
Roman straightened. ¡°Talk to me.¡±
Peters shut the door behind him and ced the file on Roman¡¯s desk before pulling out a chair. ¡°We went back through Warner Industries¡® financials with the team you arranged today. We alsobed through the estate filings and legal transactions following their deaths.¡±
¡°And?¡± Roman¡¯s voice was razor sharp, his patience thinning.
¡°It was a setup,¡± Peters said grimly. ¡°Whoever orchestrated this wanted control of Warner Industries. They falsified losses, shifted assets, and created enough evidence to make thepany look like it was in trouble. Forcing Peter to step in and ¡®Save it?¡±
Roman clenched his jaw. ¡°Who?¡± He asked, but he already knew.
Peters opened the file, flipping through highlighted bank statements and transaction records. ¡°It all circles back to Peter Warner. He¡¯s the one who benefited the most.¡±
Roman¡¯s fists tightened. ¡°That son of a bitch. Low¨Clife scum.¡±
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Peters nodded. ¡°Vivian Warner benefited too. The is no way to know if she was in on it or not. But Peter was the one pulling the strings. He used a dummy corporation to ¡®buy out¡® Warner shares a few months before the ne crash.¡± Peters turned a page, tapping on apany name. ¡°And that corporation dissolved a yearter, and the assets were quietly transferred back to him. Before ir¡¯s parents died, Peter didn¡¯t have the financial capability to save a strugglingpany like he now ims.¡±
Roman exhaled slowly, his fury cold and calcted. ¡°ir and her sisters have no idea.¡±
¡°No. They were kids at the time. They only knew what they were told. And there¡¯s more.¡±
Roman stilled.
Peters hesitated before flipping to the final section of the file. ¡°The ne crash.¡±
Roman¡¯s blood ran ice cold. ¡°What did you find?¡±
Peters¡® voice was level, but the weight behind it was deadly. ¡°The ne had undergone full mechanical service a week before the crash. The issue that supposedly caused the ident? It would have been caught during that service. I spoke to a mechanic¨Cit¡¯s on every checklist.¡±
Silence. Roman¡¯s vision darkened at the edges.
16:13 Wed, 18 Jun
Peters continued, his voice grave. ¡°There was a fault in the fuel line, like the crash investigators im. Routine service includes checking the fuel lines.¡±
Roman¡¯s knuckles turned white against the desk. ¡°Who handled the maintenance?¡±
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Peters flipped another page. ¡°That¡¯s the real kicker. Thepany that performed the final inspection was owned by one of Peter¡¯s business associates.¡±
Roman let out a slow, controlled breath. This wasn¡¯t just financial fraud. ir¡¯s parents had been murdered. And Roman was going to make sure every single person involved paid for it.
ir stepped out of the office bathroom, her head still buzzing from everything that had happened today. Finding out about Dan and Laura¡¯s engagement, let alone the engagement party, was a nightmare.
But it was nothingpared to Roman¡¯s insane proposal.
She still couldn¡¯t wrap her head around it. Marrying Roman. Her boss. Her lover.
The most dominant, intense, and powerful man she had ever known.
She should¡¯ve said no. Should¡¯ve told him this was reckless, impulsive,pletely insane.
They could figure out a way to handle Jessica without getting married.
But she hadn¡¯t.
Because deep down, she wanted it. She wanted him.
ir¡¯s heels clicked against the office floor as she walked toward her desk¨Conly to pause when she saw Dan lingering near the break room.
To get to her office, she¡¯d have to pass him.
Her stomach twisted in annoyance. Not today.
Dan caught sight of her and smirked, pushing off the wall. ¡°ir.¡±
She stiffened. ¡°What do you want, Dan?¡± As if she didn¡¯t already know why he was waiting for her.
He exhaled dramatically. ¡°Can we not be civil for two seconds?¡±
ir crossed her arms. ¡°You lost the right to ¡®civil¡® when you cheated on me with my cousin.¡±
Dan¡¯s smirk faltered¨Cbut only for a second. Then he grinned. ¡°You really should let that go. It¡¯s in the past. You¡¯re thest person who should be talking. Just how long has your affair been going on with Roman?¡±
ir saw red.
¡°How dare you?¡± she seethed.
Dan scoffed. ¡°Come on, ir. You think you¡¯re special? Roman¡¯s just ying with you.¡± He stepped closer, lowering his voice. ¡°I bet he¡¯s already moving on to the next one. Men like Roman don¡¯t settle. You¡¯re nothing special to him.¡±
ir¡¯s fingers twitched at her side. She was seconds away from pping him.
But before she could move, a shadow loomed behind Dan.
Roman.
The air in the hallway turned frigid.
Dan must have semed it too, because he turned¨Conly to go pale as death when he saw who was standing behind him.
Roman¡¯s gaze was lethal. ¡°Say that again.¡±
Dan swallowed hard. ¡°L¡±
FF
¡°I dare you¡± Roman¡¯s voice was quiet. Deadly. ¡°Say another fucking word about her or to her, and let¡¯s see if you¡¯re still employed tomorrow¡±
Dan took a step back, trying to y it off with augh. ¡°Rx, man. I was just messing around.¡±
Roman didn¡¯t blink. ¡°Get out of my sight.¡±
Dan hesitated. Then, without another word, he turned and left.
ir let out a breath, still fuming. ¡°I hate him.¡±
Roman¡¯s eyes flicked to her, his expression softening just a fraction. ¡°I know.¡±
She studied him, something unreadable in his gaze. He looked¡ tense. Darker than usual.
¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± she asked.
Roman hesitated. Then he shook his head. ¡°Nothing you need to worry about.¡±
ir frowned. ¡°Roman¡¡± She could see the tension in his eyes.
¡°Not now, ir.¡± His voice was firm, but not unkind. He exhaled, running a hand through his hair. ¡°I just need you to trust me.¡±
ir¡¯s stomach twisted. Something was wrong. Really wrong.
But she knew better than to push him when he was like this.
So she swallowed her questions and nodded. ¡°I do.¡±
Roman¡¯s eyes darkened, something shing in them. ¡°Good.¡±
He stepped closer, cupping her face, his thumb brushing over her cheek. ¡°I will also take care of you.¡±
AD
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Room Mate 43
Roman sat at his desk. It was gettingte, but he stared at his phone, knowing he needed to make a few more calls before he could take ir home and make love to her. The first call was the one he worried about the most.
He had made plenty of difficult calls in his life, high¨Cstakes business negotiations, shutting down enemies before they even became a threat, but this? This felt different. It wasn¡¯t about business; it was about ir.
With a deep breath, he scrolled through ir¡¯s employment file to find the number he needed. Once he had located it; he dialed Sutton.
She answered on the second ring. ¡°Sutton speaking¡¡± He could hear the wariness in her tone. She wouldn¡¯t recognize the number.
¡°Sutton, it¡¯s Roman Kingston,¡± he said smoothly
¡°Roman?¡± She sounded surprised by his call. ¡°What is it?¡±
He smirked at her directness. ¡°I need a moment of your time.¡±
¡°You sound serious,¡± she said. ¡°That¡¯s rarely a good thing.¡±
Roman leaned back, his voice steady. ¡°I¡¯m calling because I want your blessing to marry ir.¡±
There was a pause, then a knowingugh. ¡°Why are you asking me now when you¡¯ve already asked her?¡±
Roman grinned, shaking his head. He should have known ir would have already told her sisters. They were that close. ¡°Because you¡¯re the head of the family, and I respect that I know how much she values you and your opinion. I wanted to do this right.¡±
Sutton was quiet for a beat, then her voice softened. ¡°ir deserves someone who puts her first, who won¡¯t let her down. Someone who doesn¡¯t cheat.¡±
¡°She¡¯s my priority. Will always be.¡±
Another pause, then Sutton spoke, her words firm. ¡°Then you have my blessing. But if you ever hurt her, Roman, I don¡¯t care how powerful you are¡ I wille after you.¡±
His smirk returned. ¡°I¡¯d expect nothing less¡± He really did like how protective Sutton and Keira were of ir. But he believed the one who would harm him more was Keira.
¡°Good and congrattions, Roman. She deserves happiness. I hope you do, too.¡±
Ending the call, Roman sat back for a moment, letting it sink in. It wasn¡¯t just about marrying ir; it was about building a life with her and he¡¯d make damn sure she had everything she deserved.
Next, he called his parents. His mother answered, her voice lighting up the moment she heard him. ¡°Roman! To what do I owe this surprise?¡±
¡°I wanted you and Dad to be the first to know I asked ir to marry me.¡±
There was a gasp, followed by his mother yelling, ¡°John, get in here! Your son finally did something romantic!¡±
Roman sighed ¡°Mom¡¡± He had told his parents months ago how he felt about ir. He hadn¡¯t wanted it to be a big surprise once he got her to agree to marry him.
His father¡¯s deep voice came through the line, ¡°Marrying ir?¡±
Wed,
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°Smart decision. She¡¯s good for you, Keeps you in line.¡±
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Roman had told them how she never took his crap in the office. His parents had known about his feelings and wishes before ir had He often talked about her.
His mother¡¯s voice ovepped, ¡°Roman, I am so happy for you both! Tell me you nned something special when you proposed. Don¡¯t tell me you did it in the office like some business deal.¡±
His sister¡¯s voice suddenly came over the line. ¡°Hold on¨Cdid you actually get down on one knee?¡±
Roman pinched the bridge of his nose. ¡°Do I seem like the type to get down on one knee?¡±
¡°So no¡± His sister Roseughed ¡°Poor ir.¡±
¡°She said yes, didn¡¯t she?¡± Roman countered. He could not tell them that he had wanted her so much that he had used the problem with Jessica to get ir to marry him.
Yes, he was a ruthless bastard, but his family didn¡¯t need to know that His intentions had been good¨Che just wasn¡¯t willing to wait and had taken the opportunity to secure her hand
¡°Miracles happen every day,¡± Rose teased
His mother shushed them both. ¡°Roman, we will celebrate properly. Just make sure you bring her down to meet us as soon as possible.¡±
¡°I will¡± He promised
Ending the call, Roman exhaled Onest call to make
He dialed his media contact, who picked up almost instantly. ¡°Roman, I was just about to call you. There¡¯s some noise about your ex¨Cwife trying to sell a story.¡±
Roman¡¯s jaw tightened ¡°I figured as much I want you to shut it down before it even makes it to print Make sure every outlet knows that if they so much as run a headline with her name and mine in it, they¡¯ll regret it.¡±
¡°Understood. We¡¯ll make sure she¡¯s cklisted No one will touch her story,¡±
Roman¡¯s voice was cold. ¡°Good, and make sure she understands one thing if she tries anything. If she so much as breathes ir¡¯s name to the press, I will sue her into oblivion.¡±
His contact chuckled. ¡°Consider it handled.¡±
Hanging up, Roman leaned back, satisfaction settling in his chest. ir was his and no one, no past, no scandal, no bitter ex, was going to touch what they had.
But he wasn¡¯t done yet
Roman stood and walked to the window, looking out over the city skyline His mind was already moving ahead ir would be his wife, and that meant ensuring she was protected¨Cnot just from the past, but from anyone who might try to interfere
in their future
He picked up his phone again and made another call, this time to his private investigator ¡°I want you to keep a closer eye on Jessica If she makes any moves beyond selling a story, I want to know about it immediately And if she meets with anyone, I want their name.¡±
¡°Understood. I¡¯ll keep you updated.¡±
16:13 Wed, 18 Jun
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Roman ended the call and sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. He knew ir wouldn¡¯t love him going to these lengths, but he didn¡¯t care. Keeping her safe wasn¡¯t optional.
He sat back down at his desk, a rare smile crossing his face He could already picture the look on ir¡¯s face if she knew about his calls She would be frustrated at him being overprotective, the inevitable eye¨Croll, but underneath it all, the warmth that said she liked it
For the first time in his life, Roman felt like everything was exactly where it should be
Now, all he had to do was make sure nothing, and no one, messed with what they were building together
And when the time was right, he would tell her exactly how he felt about her
Room Mate 44
Roman found ir at her desk, her fingers moving rapidly over her keyboard, eyes focused on the screen. She barely looked up as he leaned against the edge of her desk, watching her. She was so beautiful and so graceful.
¡°Are you ready to leave?¡± His voice was calm, but there was an underlying authority that always apanied his words. He wanted to take her home. He wondered if she realized he had taken her thatst time without protection. Just the thought of it made his sex jump, and he wanted to do it again. The thought of her round with his child was a huge turn¨Con.
ir nced up briefly before looking back at her screen. ¡°I need a few more minutes. You don¡¯t have to wait. I¡¯ll meet you at the bus stop.¡±
Roman¡¯s jaw tightened. This argument again. ¡°ir, we¡¯ve been over this. I don¡¯t like you walking to the bus stop when you can juste with me.¡±
She sighed, sitting back in her chair. ¡°Roman, I¡¯m not ready for people to know yet. I just got out of a rtionship with Dan, and jumping straight to you makes me look-¡±
¡°Like what?¡± he cut in, his voice sharp. ¡°Like a woman who realized she deserves better? Like someone who made the right choice? We are getting married, remember?¡±
¡°Like I¡¯m ky,¡± she muttered. ¡°Like I don¡¯t know what I want. We don¡¯t need to let everyone know straight away that we are getting married. It¡¯s only if Jessica creates problems.¡±
Roman exhaled slowly, forcing himself to be patient. ¡°You do know what you want, ir. And it¡¯s not your fault people will talk no matter what.¡±
She shook her head. ¡°I just need a little more time. Please.¡±
Roman clenched his jaw but ultimately relented. ¡°Fine. But I don¡¯t like it.¡±
¡°Thank you.¡± She gave him a small smile, trying to ease the tension.
¡°I¡¯ll give you a few minutes head start,¡± Roman said, standing upright. ¡°But only a few minutes.¡±
ir nodded and returned to her work. She had no idea Roman had already ensured her safety. The moment she walked out of the building, her personal security, someone she didn¡¯t even know existed, would be following her. So it should give him some reassurance, but he still didn¡¯t like it.
ir pulled her coat tighter around her as she stepped onto the sidewalk, making her way toward the bus stop. The air was crisp, the streets buzzing with people finishing their workday. She didn¡¯t know why Roman was so worried. It wasn¡¯t like it was the middle of the night and no one was around. She kept her pace steady, her mind upied with thoughts of Roman and everything that had changed so quickly. She hadn¡¯t even asked when he wanted them to get married.
She didn¡¯t notice the car with a dark figure inside that was watching her from across the street.
As she approached the intersection, something felt¡ off. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up. She nced around, but everything seemed normal. She still hesitated from stepping into the street. Then, out of nowhere, a car sped toward
her.
Time slowed, Screech of tires as the car turned towards her too fast. The sh of headlights. The sheer force of somethinging straight at her. She looked towards the windscreen, thinking the driver might have lost control, but she couldn¡¯t see anything as the high beam headlights blinded her.
Before she could react, someone mmed into her, knocking her hard onto the pavement just as the car sped past, missing her by inches as it jumped the curb. Her breath left her in a sharp gasp as she hit the ground, disoriented.
¡°Are you alright?¡± a deep voice asked urgently.
16:13 Wed, 18
O
ir looked up, dazed, into the face of a man she didn¡¯t recognize. He was built like a wall, his expression tense as he crouched beside her.
¡°Who-¡± she started, still trying to catch her breath.
¡°Your personal security,¡± he said, helping her sit up. ¡°Stay still for a second.¡±
ir blinked at him, the words barely registering. Personal security? What the hell?
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¡°ir!¡± Roman¡¯s voice cut through the pounding in her head. He was there within seconds, his expression thunderous as he crouched beside her, his hands running over her, checking for injuries. ¡°Are you hurt?¡±
¡°I¡ I don¡¯t think so,¡± she stammered, still trying to make sense of what had just happened. ¡°The car-¡±
Roman¡¯s gaze snapped to the man who had saved her. ¡°Report.¡±
¡°Came out of nowhere,¡± the security guard said. ¡°No tes, no hesitation. This wasn¡¯t an ident. The driver aimed for Miss Warner. It jumped the curb when she didn¡¯t step into the street.¡±
ir¡¯s stomach twisted. ¡°You don¡¯t know that. I thought they just lost control.¡±
Roman¡¯s expression darkened.
She looked between them, her pulse still racing. ¡°And who the hell are you?¡± she demanded, turning to the man who had tackled her. Then she red at Roman, telling him with her eyes she was pissed.
¡°Ethan Cole,¡± he said, his tone calm but firm. ¡°I¡¯m your personal security. I followed you as soon as you left the building.¡±
ir¡¯s eyes widened, her shock turning to something sharper. ¡°You put a bodyguard on me?¡±
Roman met her re head¨Con. ¡°Yes. And considering what just happened, I¡¯d say it was a damn good idea.¡±
ir opened her mouth, but the words caught. As much as she wanted to be furious with Roman for making that decision without telling her¡. he wasn¡¯t wrong. If Ethan hadn¡¯t been there, she wouldn¡¯t be standing right now.
She exhaled shakily. ¡°So what now?¡±
¡°Did you see who was driving the car?¡±
Ethan shook his head before saying, ¡°My aim was to get Miss Warner out of harm¡¯s way, and I was at the wrong angle when I realized the car was heading straight for her.¡±
¡°They had high beams on. I couldn¡¯t see past them,¡± ir said.
Roman¡¯s jaw tightened, his protective instincts ring. ¡°Now, we find out who did this.¡±
Ethan¡¯s expression was grim. ¡°I checked the street cameras¡. whoever was behind the wheel was careful. The car was most likely stolen. But I will contact a friend of mine at the police department. You do know you are going to have to report this and give a statement.¡±
Roman¡¯s fists clenched. ¡°They cane to my ceter. I want to get ir home. I just don¡¯t understand who would do
this.¡±
Ethan shook his head. ¡°If they use a car, then they mean business. Someone wanted to hurt or kill her.¡±
ir swallowed hard. ¡°Or scare me.¡±
Roman turned to her, his expression hard. ¡°Either way, it¡¯s not happening again.¡±
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ir wanted to argue, wanted to tell him he was overreacting, but she couldn¡¯t. Because for the first time, she felt it, someone out there wanted her gone. Jessica? Dan? She was a nice person. She had no reason for someone to try to kill her.
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And she had no idea who. But one thing she was sure about, she wanted off the sidewalk. Just the thought of what could have happened was going to give her nightmares. ¡°Can someone please help me up?¡± The other thing that worried her she was sitting on a dirty sidewalk. Yuk.
Room Mate 45
Roman helped ir up, his powerful arms steadying her as she wobbled slightly. The adrenaline was wearing off, leaving her legs weak and her hands trembling. Without hesitation, he scooped her up, ignoring her protests, and carried her to his car. Ethan opened the door, ensuring a smooth transition as Roman settled her inside. Roman shut her door. She watched as he thanked Ethan before moving around the car.
She sat in silence as Roman drove, her mind reying the near ident. If it had even been an ident? It yed over and over again in her mind. What if she had stepped off the curb? Would Ethan have been there in time? Would she beying in the hospital or the morgue? The thought was frightening. >
Her pulse was still erratic, her body unable to shake the lingering fear. Roman¡¯s grip on the steering wheel was tight, his jaw clenched, his entire body radiating controlled fury. ir could see he was thinking of what had happened, or nearly happened. She was lucky, except for some sore muscles and a small scrape on her hand where Ethan had pushed her out of the way. She wasn¡¯t hurt.
When they arrived at his house, Roman wasted no time. He led her inside, his hand firmly on her lower back, guiding her toward the master bathroom. Therge tub was already filling with warm water.
¡°Let¡¯s get you out of these clothes,¡± he murmured, his fingers already at the buttons of her coat.
ir swallowed but didn¡¯t argue. Her body felt cold, her nerves frayed. She allowed him to help her undress, his touch careful, not lingering, though his gaze never left her face, as if making sure she was truly okay. Once she was bare, his eyes scanned her body to make sure she waspletely unharmed. Then he guided her into the warm bath, settling her gently into the water.
She let out a slow breath, her body sinking into theforting heat, her muscles slowly beginning to unwind.
Roman didn¡¯t leave. Instead, he perched on the edge of the tub, his fingers skimming the surface of the water as he watched her for a moment or two.
Then he pulled out his phone and dialed. ¡°Peters,¡± he said the moment the call connected.
¡°Sir. We found the car.¡± ir could just hear Roman¡¯s head of security voice.
Roman¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°And?¡±
¡°It was torched. Whoever did this made sure there was nothing left to trace. No fingerprints, no tes, no identifying marks. The VIN number was removed.¡±
Roman exhaled slowly, his free hand flexing over his thigh. ¡°Figures. What about the police?¡±
¡°They¡¯ve been alerted. A detective will being by the house to take ir¡¯s statement. Ethan will go to the station to give his.¡±
Roman nced at ir. He saw the way her fingers gripped the edge of the tub, the tension still evident in her body. He put the phone on speaker. ¡°ir needs to hear this.¡±
Peters didn¡¯t miss a beat. ¡°Miss Warner, I understand this is a lot, but the detective will just ask a few questions. It¡¯s standard procedure.¡±
ir exhaled shakily. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to tell them. I didn¡¯t see anything. The headlights blinded me.¡±
¡°That¡¯s alright,¡± Peters reassured her. ¡°Just answer what you can. The footage we¡¯re pulling might give us more. We¡¯ll handle the rest.¡±
As Roman hung up, he turned his attention fully to ir. His expression shifted, no longer just controlled fury but something deeper, rawer. His hand moved to her face, fingers tracing lightly over her damp cheek.
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¡°You could have died tonight,¡± he murmured, his voice rough with emotion. ¡°Do you get that, ir? If Ethan hadn¡¯t been there, if you had taken one step further¡¡± He stopped himself, inhaling sharply, his grip on her tightening just slightly. ¡°So please don¡¯t fight having someone watch over you.¡±
ir¡¯s breath caught, her heart hammering at the intensity in his eyes. This wasn¡¯t just about control or protection. Roman was scared. The realization hit her harder than she expected. Was it more than just concern for another human being?
Before she could respond, he kissed her.
It wasn¡¯t gentle. It was deep, consuming, filled with all the things he couldn¡¯t say. ir gasped into his mouth, her fingers gripping his wrist as he tilted her head back, deepening the kiss. Heat curled low in her stomach, chasing away the chill that had settled in her bones since the attack.
She arched toward him, craving the safety of his touch, but just as his hand slipped to the nape of her neck, the sharp chime of the doorbell cut through the moment.
Roman tore away with a curse, his breathing heavy. He pressed his forehead to hers for a brief second before standing. ¡°That¡¯ll be the police.¡±
ir blinked, still dazed, but the words grounded her. The police. Right. She needed to give her statement.
As Roman left to answer the door, she forced herself to move, pulling herself out of the bath on unsteady legs. Now not just from the ident, but from Roman¡¯s kiss. She grabbed a towel, drying off quickly before reaching for clean underwear and a bra. No way was she going to face the police, practically naked under her robe.
She slipped on the fresh set, wrapping herself in her robe and pulling it tightly around her before stepping out of the bedroom. She found Roman standing near the entryway, speaking with two officers. His back was straight, his posturemanding as always, but there was a tension in his shoulders that hadn¡¯t left since the attack.
ir inhaled deeply and walked toward them.
One of the officers, a detective, gave her a nod as she approached. ¡°Miss Warner, I understand you¡¯ve been through a traumatic event tonight, but we need to ask you a few questions about what happened.¡±
ir nodded, sping her hands together. ¡°Of course.¡± She then led them into the house. They sat down in the lounge room. Roman sat close to her, taking her hand in his.
Roman¡¯s gaze flicked to her, his expression unreadable, but she could see the protectiveness simmering beneath the surface.
Taking a breath, she began to recount the events, hoping that somewhere in the details, they¡¯d find the answers they needed.
The detective listened attentively, asionally taking notes. ¡°And you¡¯re sure you didn¡¯t see anything? You have no idea who was driving the car?¡±
ir shook her head. ¡°No. The headlights were too bright. I couldn¡¯t even see the driver. Let alone know who they were.¡±
Roman¡¯s fists clenched at his sides, his frustration palpable. ¡°And the security footage?¡±
The detective sighed. ¡°We¡¯ll have to wait for the analysis. But given how fast this was executed, whoever did this knew what they were doing. It wasn¡¯t random.¡±
ir wrapped her arms around herself, the weight of it settling deeper into her chest. Roman stepped beside her, his presence solid, grounding.
¡°Miss Warner, do you know of any reason why someone would want to harm you?¡± She wanted to say Dan or Jessica¡¯s name or both, but she really didn¡¯t think it was in them to kill her.
ir shook her head.
16:13 Wed, 18 Jun
¡°We¡¯ll assign an officer to patrol near the house for the next few nights,¡± the detective continued. ¡°But I¡¯d advise extra
caution.¡±
Roman nodded. ¡°She won¡¯t be alone.¡±
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ir exhaled slowly, exhaustion beginning to creep in. The officers took their leave soon after, promising to update them as soon as they had anything concrete.
The moment the door shut behind them, ir turned to Roman. ¡°Why would someone try to harm me?¡±
Roman looked at her, his jaw set, his gaze dark. ¡°I don¡¯t know, ir, but we will be ready if they try anything like that again.¡±
Room Mate 46
+28)
11)
The fear of nearly losing her had wrapped around him like a vice, choking him. But now, with the danger momentarily at bay, something darker, deeper wed its way to the surface, a need so raw it made his fingers flex involuntarily at his sides.
ir looked up at him, her eyes wide, searching his face. ¡°Roman¡ Sir-¡±
He was on her before she could finish, his mouth crushing hers, swallowing whatever words she had been about to say. His kiss was not gentle. It was desperate, punishing, a silent im that bordered on possession. She gasped against his lips, her fingers clenching in his shirt as he backed her against the wall.
¡°Tell me you¡¯re okay,¡± he demanded, his breath hot against her skin as he trailed his lips down her jaw, nipping at the delicate flesh of her throat. ¡°Tell me you can take this.¡±
ir¡¯s pulse hammered, but it wasn¡¯t fear. It was anticipation. The raw hunger in his voice, the way his hands gripped her hips like he was barely restraining himself, sent liquid heat pooling low in her stomach, wetting her clean panties.
¡°Yes,¡± she whispered, her voice breathless. ¡°I want this. I want you.¡±
A growl rumbled in his chest, primal and possessive. Without another word, he lifted her, her legs wrapping instinctively around his waist as he carried her toward the bedroom. He kicked the door shut behind them, setting her down only to rip open his shirt, buttons flying. His gaze burned into hers, his need stark and unrelenting.
¡°You have no idea what you do to me, ir,¡± he murmured, his voice thick with desire. His fingers traced up her arms, his touch both reverent and possessive. ¡°I need to fucking mark you. To remind you who you belong to. Today was too close.¡±
Her breath hitched at his words, the heat between them crackling like a live wire. ¡°Then do it.¡±
A muscle in his jaw ticked. ¡°Be careful what you ask for.¡±
She held his gaze, unwavering. ¡°I know exactly what I¡¯m asking for.¡± And she did. This uncontrolled side of him was a turn-- on.
That was all it took. Roman spun her around, pressing her against the bed as his hands slid up her thighs, gripping the fabric of her robe before yanking it open before removing it from her body. He ran a possessive hand down her spine before gripping her wrists, bringing them behind her back. ir gasped into the cover. Shocked but thrilled at the same time.
¡°Don¡¯t move,¡± he ordered, his voice dark andmanding. ¡°Stay just like this.¡±
ir trembled but obeyed, her breathing in quick, shallow gasps. He traced a finger down the length of her spine, his touch soft in contrast to the brutal need in his movements.
¡°So beautiful,¡± he murmured, leaning in to bite the curve of her shoulder, just hard enough to make her gasp. ¡°Mine.¡±
¡°Yes, Sir.¡± She felt the heat of his bare skin behind her, the way his breath fanned against the nape of her neck before his hands slid down, gripping her hips in a bruising hold. She heard the zippere down, the noise loud in the silent room. Then he was ripping her panties off her. Holy hell. She wasn¡¯t scared, but still, this Roman was almost¡ desperate in his need. Which only helped to fuel her own.
Then, without warning, he drove into her, a guttural groan ripping from his throat.
ir cried out, her body arching at the force of it, the sheer intensity stealing her breath. Roman didn¡¯t hold back. His thrusts were punishing, raw, a desperate need to im and possess.
His hands gripped her harder, his fingers digging into her skin as if he needed to brand himself into her. Each movement was deliberate, merciless, his control hanging by a thread.
¡°Fuck, ir,¡± he rasped, his voice ragged. ¡°You take me so damn well. I love the feel of you around my bare cock.¡±
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He wasn¡¯t using a condom, and she didn¡¯t care. Hadn¡¯t cared thatst time. She trusted him in a way she, deep down, never trusted Dan.
He mmed into her again. She whimpered, pleasure crashing over her in relentless waves. He was everywhere, his scent, his heat, the overwhelming force of him consuming her.
¡°Ro¡.Sir¡± she gasped, her voice breaking as he thrust deeper, hitting that perfect spot that had her toes curling.
¡°That¡¯s it, sweetheart,¡± he growled, one hand sliding up to wrap around her throat, not squeezing, just holding her there, tethering her to him. ¡°Let them hear you. Let them know who you belong to.¡± The house didn¡¯t have any neighbors close, but he did have staff. Her cheeks heated, but it didn¡¯t cool her blood.
The tension coiled tighter, burning hotter, until it finally shattered. ir cried out, her body locking as pleasure tore through her, white¨Chot and blinding. Roman followed secondster, his grip tightening as he thrust deep one final time, his groan reverberating through her as he found his own release.
For a long moment, neither of them moved. Their bodies were slick with sweat, their breathing uneven. Roman pressed a kiss to the back of her neck, softer now, his hands tracing soothing circles over her skin.
Slowly, he turned her in his arms, cupping her face as he looked into her dazed, sated eyes. ¡°Are you okay?¡±
ir gave a soft, breathlessugh. ¡°More than okay.¡±
His lips curled into a smirk, satisfaction gleaming in his eyes. ¡°Good. Because I¡¯m nowhere near finished with you yet.¡±
He flipped her onto her back, pinning her wrists above her head as he kissed her deeply, his tongue stroking into her mouth with a new kind of hunger. His fingers traced down her body, over every mark he had left, every bruise from his grip.
¡°I want to see youe undone for me again,¡± he murmured against her lips, his hand slipping between her thighs. ¡°I want you fucking ruined for anyone else.¡±
ir gasped as his fingers worked her in¨Cbetween her legs, finding her overstimted clit. ir bowed under him as he circled it, drawing pleasure from her with ruthless precision. The tension was already coiling inside her again, faster this time, her body still hypersensitive from their first round.
Roman watched her with dark satisfaction, his free hand tightening around her wrists. ¡°Say my name.¡±
¡°Sir¡¡± she moaned, her body arching under him again.
¡°Louder.¡± Working her clit faster, harder, he lowered his mouth, used his free hand to push the bra cup out of his way, and bit down on her nipple.
Her cry shattered as he pushed her over the edge again, ¡°Yes, Sir¡¡± tumbling from her lips in a desperate, breathless plea. He grinned, pressing a lingering kiss to her throat before moving lower and lower still as he moved between her legs.
With ir¡¯s head falling back, pleasure overtook her once more as Roman set out topletely ruin her for anyone but him.
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Room Mate 47
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ir stirred, her body heavy with sleep, warmth cocooning her from all sides. She stretched slightly, only to pause when she felt eyes on her. Slowly, she blinked her way awake, turning her head to find Roman watching her from his ce beside her.
¡°You¡¯re staring,¡± she murmured, her voice husky from sleep.
Roman¡¯s lips curved slightly. ¡°You¡¯re beautiful when you sleep.¡±
ir felt a flush creep up her neck as she buried her face into the pillow. ¡°That¡¯s unfair. I probably look a mess.¡± Thinking her long hair would be all over the ce.
¡°You look like mine,¡± he said simply, reaching out to brush his fingers over her cheek.
She exhaled softly, leaning into his touch. ¡°I am yours. Sir¡¡±
His eyes darkened at her words, and for a moment, she thought he might roll over and im her all over again. He leaned in, brushing his lips against hers in a slow,zy kiss that sent warmth spiraling through her.
Then he groaned, pressing his forehead against hers. ¡°Fuck. I have a meeting at nine. We need to get moving, or do you want to stay home today?¡±
¡°I¡¯m fine working today. I¡¯m only sore. Nothing is broken.¡± ir reminded him.
irughed softly when he leaned down to kiss her again, slipping out of bed before he could trap her beneath him. ¡°If you need to get to work, stop kissing me.¡±
Roman smirked. ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡±
As she stood, a small wince crossed her face. The moment she stretched, the stiffness in her body from yesterday¡¯s events made itself known. Every muscle ached, a deep soreness settling into her limbs. She rolled her shoulders, stretching. carefully, but Roman caught the subtle tension in her movements.
His gaze sharpened as he sat up. ¡°You¡¯re sore.¡±
ir turned toward him, lifting a brow. ¡°I was always going to be sore after yesterday, Roman. Whether it was from the ident or what happened between usst night, my body was in for it.¡±
A muscle in his jaw ticked. ¡°I should¡¯ve been more careful.¡±
She crossed back to the bed, cing her hands on his chest. ¡°Don¡¯t do that. I wantedst night just as much as you did.¡±
His hands slid to her waist, his thumb rubbing circles against her skin. ¡°Still, I¡¯m taking you into the shower with me. The heat will help. I can give you a back rub.¡±
ir liked the sound of the back rub but arched a brow at him, anyway. ¡°So this is for my benefit, not yours?¡±
His smirk returned. ¡°It can be both.¡±
With that, he pulled her toward the bathroom. The moment they stepped under the hot spray, ir sighed in relief, the warmth working over her sore muscles. Roman stood behind her, his hands massaging her shoulders before trailing down her back.
¡°Better?¡± he murmured against her ear.
She hummed in response, leaning back against him. ¡°Much.¡±
His hands roamed lower, his touch deliberate yet teasing. ¡°And how are you feeling? About yesterday?¡±
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ir inhaled deeply, tilting her head against his shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s a lot to take in. But I don¡¯t feel unsafe, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re asking. I know you have Ethan watching me. It just doesn¡¯t make sense who would want to hurt me.¡±
Roman¡¯s grip tightened slightly. ¡°We will find out, ir. I need to know that you feel protected. That you know I won¡¯t let anything happen to you.¡±
She turned in his arms, looking up at him. ¡°I do, Roman. I trust you.¡±
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His eyes darkened as his fingers trailed lower, his touch lingering over her hips. ¡°Good.¡± He pressed a lingering kiss to her corbone, his lips brushing over wet skin. ¡°Because I¡¯m never letting you go. You agreed to marry me and carry my babies. We might have to get married soon. I have been taking you without protection.¡±
¡°I had noticed.¡± ir shivered, though it had nothing to do with the temperature of the water. Roman¡¯s hands moved over her slowly, deliberately, worshipping her without rushing. They didn¡¯t take things further, but the heat simmering between them promised that they would have no trouble making up for itter.
After a while, he pulled away reluctantly. ¡°Come on. If we stay in here much longer, I¡¯ll bete.¡±
ir smirked. ¡°Like that¡¯s ever stopped you before. You are the boss.¡±
Roman chuckled, handing her a towel before wrapping one around his waist. ¡°Fair point. But this time, I have to behave. For now.¡±
ir stepped out of the shower, watching him with amused affection. ¡°We¡¯ll see how long thatsts.¡±
Roman¡¯s smirk was sinful. ¡°Not long at all.¡±
In the car, ir sat quietly for a few minutes before turning to Roman. ¡°I should call my sisters today. Let them know what happened yesterday before they hear it from someone else. If they find out I didn¡¯t tell them first, they¡¯ll kill me themselves.¡±
Roman kept his eyes on the road but nodded. ¡°That¡¯s smart. You don¡¯t want them worried or caught off guard. Call them
hen you get a chance this morning.¡±
ir sighed. ¡°Keira is going to freak out. Sutton will be furious. I didn¡¯t tell her immediately.¡±
Roman¡¯s fingers flexed on the wheel. ¡°They should know what¡¯s going on, but make sure you tell them that I have someone watching you. No one is touching you, ir.¡±
She reached over, cing a hand on his thigh. ¡°I know.¡±
A few blocks from the office, ir nced out the window before turning to Roman. ¡°Let me out a block from the office.¡±
Roman¡¯s jaw ticked, his grip tightening on the steering wheel. ¡°Not a fucking chance.¡±
ir sighed. ¡°Roman, please. We talked about this.¡±
His voice was firm, unyielding. ¡°No. It¡¯s not up for debate. After what happened yesterday, there is no way in hell I¡¯m letting you walk alone, even for a block.¡±
She exhaled heavily, knowing she wasn¡¯t going to win this argument. He was being his normal shithead self. A concerned one, but a shithead still. ¡°Fine.¡±
Roman smirked. ¡°See? That wasn¡¯t so hard.¡±
ir shot him a re but didn¡¯t push it. Momentster, he pulled into the underground parking garage of their building, cutting the engine. He turned to her, his eyes scanning her face. ¡°This is where you belong. With me. Safe.¡±
She rolled her eyes but couldn¡¯t help the small smile tugging at her lips. ¡°You¡¯re impossible,¡±
16:14 Wed,
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Roman leaned in, pressing a kiss to the corner of her mouth. ¡°You like me bossy.¡±
ir sighed dramatically. ¡°Unfortunately, I do.¡± Heat flooded her body. Oh, she did.
Room Mate 48
ir spent most of the morning at her desk, Roman locked away in back¨Cto¨Cback meetings. Her body still ached from yesterday, but the heat from the shower had helped, along with Roman¡¯s skilled hands. She nced at her phone, debating whether she should call her sisters now or wait until lunch.
She decided to wait until lunch and sent them both a message in their group chat:
ir: Can you both talk during lunch? Something happened yesterday. I want to tell you myself before you hear it
elsewhere.
Keira responded first.
Keira: You can¡¯t just say that and expect me to wait. I already feel a strokeing on.
Sutton: Is it Roman? Because if he¡¯s being a dick, I¡¯lle down there myself.
ir rolled her eyes, a smile tugging at her lips.
ir: It¡¯s not Roman. I¡¯ll call you at lunch. Is noon okay?
Sutton replied with a simple: Fine. That meant she wasn¡¯t happy about waiting, but she would tolerate it¡ barely.
Keira: Okay, but my brain has gone into overdrive.
The day moved slowly, tension thrumming beneath ir¡¯s skin. Between checking emails, reviewing documents, and forcing herself to focus on work, she kept ncing at the clock, counting down the minutes. Finally, lunch arrived.
ir grabbed her phone, took a deep breath, and dialed Sutton first. As soon as Sutton answered, she linked in Keira, putting the call on speaker.
¡°Alright,¡± Keira said the moment she was connected. ¡°Talk before I lose my
mind.¡±
ir exhaled, gripping the edge of her desk. ¡°Something happened yesterday. I wasn¡¯t going to say anything until I knew more, but if you heard it from someone else, you¡¯d kill me.¡±
¡°Damn right we would,¡± Sutton muttered. ¡°Spill.¡±
ir recounted the near miss, how she had been walking to the bus stop, how Ethan had shoved her out of the way just in time, how the car had jumped the curb.
Silence.
Then, ¡°Someone tried to run you over?¡± Sutton¡¯s voice was sharp, dangerously low.
Keira, however, let out a nervousugh. ¡°Okay, so we¡¯re just casually living in a crime thriller now?¡±
¡°It might have been an ident,¡± ir reasoned. They still didn¡¯t know, but the creeping unease in her gut told her it was wishful thinking.
¡°Might?¡± Sutton snapped. ¡°Are you serious? Do you think cars just lose control and jump curbs where you¡¯re standing?¡± It had happened, but in Sutton¡¯s eyes, things like this didn¡¯t happen to them. They had already had their tragedy of fluke idents when their parents died.
¡°Ethan was there. He got me out of the way. Roman is handling everything.¡± Now they knew she had a personal bodyguard.
Keira groaned. ¡°Oh, sure. That makes me feel better. Let me guess, you didn¡¯t tell us immediately because you didn¡¯t want us to freak out?¡±
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ir winced. ¡°That may have been part of it.¡±
¡°Newssh, we¡¯re freaking out,¡± Sutton deadpanned. ¡°Are you safe right now?¡±
¡°Yes, I¡¯m at work. Roman had security escort me if I leave the building. But I only leave when I go home. There will always be a guard on the top floor now.¡± They normally ordered lunch in. When she had been with Dan, they would sometimes go out to the cafe down the road.
Keira let out an exaggerated sigh. ¡°Well, that¡¯s something. Still, B, you have to be careful. You¡¯re not invincible.¡±
¡°I know.¡± ir¡¯s voice softened. ¡°I promise, I¡¯m taking it seriously.¡±
¡°Good.¡± Sutton¡¯s voice was still tight with frustration. ¡°Because if something happens to you, we will personally hunt down whoever is responsible before Roman even gets the chance. Do you have any idea who it might be?¡±
ir had no doubt they would hunt them down. ¡°No idea. It could still be an ident. Let¡¯s wait and see.¡±
Just as she ended the call, the office door opened, and Kara walked in. She took one look at ir¡¯s expression and crossed her arms. ¡°That bad?¡±
ir sighed, rubbing her temples. ¡°My sisters, I just told them some news. And they are pissed I didn¡¯t tell them sooner.¡±
Kara smirked. ¡°Sounds about right. Family is like that. So, are you interested in lunch? Or do you have ns with Roman?¡±
ir hesitated, ncing at his door. Roman was still in meetings, and she had already let her sisters know what happened. What could possibly go wrong in the middle of the day? She wanted to get some fresh air.
¡°Yeah, let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll send Roman an email so he doesn¡¯t freak out.¡±
Kara grinned. ¡°Good call. He¡¯d probably send a SWAT team otherwise.¡±
Kara didn¡¯t know that right now he might just do that after what had happened yesterday if she left without letting him. know.
ir pulled up her email and quickly typed:
To: Roman KingstonFrom: ir WarnerSubject: Lunch
Hey, I¡¯m heading out to lunch with Kara. I¡¯ll pick you up something to eat. Don¡¯t work too hard. ¨C B
Hitting send, she grabbed her coat and followed Kara out of the office, Ethan trailing at a discreet distance.
As they walked, Kara nced at her. ¡°So, is it official yet? You and Roman?¡±
ir gave her a look. ¡°You already know.¡±
Kara smirked. ¡°Yeah, but am I the only one that knows?¡±
ir sighed. ¡°You and Dan. But that¡¯s it. I¡¯m not ready yet to tell everyone. I would look ky.¡± A small smile yed on her lips. ¡°We¡¯re getting married.¡±
Kara nearly tripped over her own feet. ¡°Holy shit. When were you going to tell me that?¡±
irughed. ¡°Now, apparently.¡±
¡°Damn, girl. You don¡¯t waste time,¡± Kara grinned.
ir smirked. ¡°Neither does Roman.¡± She just hoped it was for the right reasons.
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Kara snorted. ¡°I bet. I wouldn¡¯t worry about Dan. Since that little scene you had in the foyer the other day, it¡¯s going around the office what a low¨Clife dog he is.¡±
¡°That¡¯s because he is a low¨Clife dog.¡±
They ate at a small caf¨¦, chatting about everything from when the wedding would be something ir still couldn¡¯t answer to the current work dramas.
ir told Kara what had happened yesterday after she left work. Kara went a little pale because she walked to the bus as well, but in the opposite direction.
¡°Holy shit, do you have any idea who it could have been?¡± Kara asked.¡±
ir shook her head. ¡°No, it could have just been an ident.¡±
On their walk back, ir was mid¨Csentence when Ethan gave a sharpmand from behind her. ¡°Move!¡± before his hands shoved her hard.
ir barely had time to react before something massive crashed down mere feet from where she had been standing. The impact sent dust and debris flying, people screaming as they scrambled away. Kara stumbled, clutching her knee, blood trickling from a cut.
Her phone buzzed, but she was too shaken to answer it. It soon went quiet. Next, Ethan¡¯s phone started ringing. She watched as he answered on the third ring. ¡°Mr. Kingston, we have a problem.¡±
Her hands trembled as she realized someone was trying to kill her.
Well, that sucked.
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Room Mate 49
Ethan barely had time to move ir into a sitting position before the sound of screeching tires tore through the air. She almost flinched after what had happened yesterday. But it was Roman¡¯s car that came to a halt so fast it nearly skidded, the driver¨Cside door flinging open before the vehicle had fully stopped. Roman was out in an instant, his eyes locking on ir where she sat on the pavement with Ethan crouched beside her. She could see that Peters was with him.
His face was thunderous as he strode toward them, looking around at the broken concrete shattered around the ground. ¡°What the fuck happened?¡±
Ethan straightened. ¡°That,¡± he pointed to the pieces of concrete, ¡°fell from the building. Miss Warner was almost hit. I pushed them both out of the way. Unfortunately, they both hit the sidewalk and the side of the building pretty hard.¡±
But at least she hadn¡¯t got her head crashed in by a fulling building. There was no way of surviving that.
Roman¡¯s jaw clenched, his gaze flicking over ir¡¯s body, scanning for injuries. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± He came straight to her while she saw Peter¡¯s disappeared into the building.
¡°I¡± ir started, but the adrenaline was still coursing through her, making her hands tremble. Her ankle throbbed, her body sore from being shoved out of the way yet again. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± She really didn¡¯t. There hadn¡¯t been time to take stock of her injuries. She had been in mental shock. Someone was trying to kill her. It wasn¡¯t like she was a witness to some murder. Dan was too much of a coward. None of this made sense. Jessica wanted money, so killing her would have no benefit to her, surely.
Roman crouched down, his hands moving to her face, tilting it slightly to examine her properly. ¡°There¡¯s blood,¡± he muttered, his fingers brushing a small cut near her hairline. ¡°Damn it, ir.¡± He felt sick. Someone had tried to hurt her, again.
Kara groaned from beside her. ¡°Well, my knee is definitely fucked.¡±
Roman barely spared her a nce before turning to Ethan. ¡°Get her checked out. Now.¡± He could see the blood on Kara¡¯s knee. Ethan nodded, moving towards Kara as sirens wailed in the distance. The police and ambnce finally arriving.
Shit, the noise level was deafening looking around. It looked like a war zone. There was another older man down ahead. He must have been hit with some of the flying concrete as it hit the sidewalk and broke into pieces. There were people helping him as well.
It worried him the most. This person didn¡¯t seem to care if they hurt other people to get a ir. That alone made him or her very dangerous.
Roman stood just as Peters emerged from the building, his expression grim. ¡°The piece that fell wasn¡¯t an ident. Someone loosened it. There are scape marks where it was pushed off the side.¡±
ir¡¯s stomach dropped.
Roman turned fully toward Peters, his voice low, dangerous. ¡°Do we have security footage? Witnesses? Anything?¡±
Peters shook his head. ¡°Not yet, but we¡¯re working on it. I will work closely with the police on this Roman.¡±
The EMTs rushed toward them, and Roman stepped back just enough to allow them to assess ir and Kara. One of them shone a light into ir¡¯s eyes, his tone calm but firm. ¡°Miss, do you feel dizzy? Any nausea?¡±
ir swallowed, realizing her head was pounding. ¡°A little dizzy.¡±
¡°We need to take her to the hospital for a CT scan, just to be safe.¡± The older EMT said.
Roman¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°She¡¯s not going alone.¡±
Kara, still sitting on the ground, let out a bitterugh. ¡°What, am I just chopped liver?¡±
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One of the EMTs helped her up carefully. ¡°You¡¯ll need stitches for that knee. We¡¯ll take you in, too,¡±
Roman¡¯s phone was already in his hand as they loaded ir onto the stretcher. His voice was sharp, urgent. ¡°Sutton, it¡¯s Roman. ir¡¯s been hurt. We¡¯re on the way to the hospital.¡±
ir groaned. ¡°Really?¡± Not even thinking it was strange that he had Sutton¡¯s number. She had other things to worry about.
Roman¡¯s re shut her up instantly. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell them about yesterday soon enough. I have a feeling they would be even more upset if you left telling them about this.¡±
By the time they reached the hospital, ir had barely been taken to have a CT scan before her sisters were barreling down on him.
¡°Where is she?¡± Sutton¡¯s face was marked with worry and it wouldn¡¯t go away until she saw for herself that ir was ok.
Roman¡¯s jaw ticked. He could understand he had felt the same. Finding ir¡¯s email to say she had gone to lunch. When he couldn¡¯t get hold of her, he had panicked. Only to get hold of Ethan to find out ir had been hurt. ¡°They¡¯re taking her for
scans.¡±
Keira crossed her arms, her voice deceptively calm. ¡°So, to recap, in less than twenty¨Cfour hours, someone tried to run her over and then drop a fucking building on her?¡±
Roman¡¯s silence was answer enough.
Sutton let out a sharp breath. ¡°If you don¡¯t find out who¡¯s behind this, Roman, we will. Even if I have to hack into every database in the city and when we find out who did this, we won¡¯t be as civilized about it.¡±
Keira smirked. ¡°Oh, I n on making it hurt.¡±
Roman¡¯s fists clenched at his sides. ¡°You think I¡¯m not doing everything in my power to figure this out?¡± His voice was lethal. ¡°Whoever is responsible for this will regret the day they were born. Thest thing you want, Sutton, is to be used of hacking. Serving jail time while pregnant wouldn¡¯t be enjoyable.¡±
you have any ideas?¡± Sutton asked.
ould reply, a nurse approached, breaking the tense standoff. ¡°Mr. Kingston?¡±
med to her immediately. ¡°How is she?¡±
hey¡¯re finishing up her scans now. Once she¡¯s settled in a room, you can see her.¡±
Roman exhaled, forcing himself to stay calm. ¡°Thank you.¡±
The nurse left, and Keira turned to him, tilting her head. ¡°So, you¡¯re staying with her, huh?¡±
Roman met her gaze evenly. ¡°She¡¯s mine. Where else would I be?¡±
Keira and Sutton exchanged a look before Sutton nodded. ¡°Good Because if she gets hurt again, I don¡¯t care how powerful you are, Roman You will answer to us¡±
Roman smirked, but there was no humor in it. ¡°Trust me. Anyone whoes for ir won¡¯t live to make a second attempt.¡±
Silence stretched between them, an unspoken agreement passing through the air.
Minutester, a nurse directed them to ir¡¯s room. She was lying on the hospital bed, looking exhausted but alert. The moment she saw them, she groaned ¡°Oh God You got them toe to here. Why? There is nothing you can do.¡±
Sutton stormed toward her bed. ¡°Damn right he did.¡±
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Keira plopped into the chair beside her, crossing her legs. ¡°So, when exactly were you going to tell us someone put a target on your back?¡±
ir sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t know that for sure.¡±
Sutton shot Roman a look. ¡°Does she have a concussion?¡±
ir rolled her eyes. ¡°No concussion. Just a headache and a twisted ankle.¡±
Roman sat beside her, taking her hand. ¡°No concussion yet. If you keep getting attacked, we¡¯re going to have a problem.¡±
Keira raised a brow. ¡°So, what¡¯s the n, big guy?¡±
Roman¡¯s grip on ir¡¯s hand tightened. ¡°The n?¡± His voice was ice. ¡°Find whoever did this and make sure they never try again.¡±
Room Mate 50
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ir stirred as she slowly became aware of the steady beeping of a heart monitor and the faint murmur of voices around her. The antiseptic scent of the hospital filled her nose, and the stiffness in her body reminded her that she was definitely. not in her own bed. Her head ached, a dull, persistent throb, and her ankle was elevated, wrapped tightly.
Before she could fully open her eyes, she felt the warm, firm grip of a familiar hand holding hers.
¡°ir,¡± Roman¡¯s voice was quiet but filled with intensity. ¡°Are you awake?¡±
She forced her eyes open, blinking against the brightness of the room. Roman was seated beside her, his expression unreadable but the tension in his posture evident. His other hand rested on her thigh over the hospital nket, his grip grounding her. He looked¡ well, rumpled. Not his normal self.
¡°Hey,¡± she murmured, her voice raspy. ¡°You look like hell.¡±
Roman let out a breath, something between augh and a scoff. ¡°You¡¯re the one in the hospital bed, sweetheart.¡±
Before she could respond, Sutton appeared on the other side of the bed, her expression soft but filled with concern. She reached for ir¡¯s other hand. ¡°You scared the hell out of us. Twice now.¡±
ir sighed, already exhausted. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t know how to make this any easier.¡±
Keira, standing at the foot of the bed with her arms crossed, smirked. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m impressed. It takes real skill to nearly die twice in twenty¨Cfour hours. Most people settle for once.¡±
¡°Keira,¡± Roman warned, his voice dangerously low, but she only raised an eyebrow. She knew he would never truly be angry with Keira, she was the smartass out of the three sisters. He had seen them in action before.
Keira proved his point by adding, ¡°Rx, big guy, I¡¯m just saying if she keeps this up, we¡¯re going to have to bubble¨Cwrap her. Maybe get her a helmet.¡±
ir groaned. ¡°Please don¡¯t. I can¡¯t take all of you hovering. I¡¯m fine.¡±
Sutton squeezed her hand. ¡°Too bad. That¡¯s exactly what¡¯s going to happen. Do you have any idea who¡¯s behind this? Why would someone try and hurt you? Did you witness something?¡±
ir winced, shifting slightly. ¡°No clue yet. Could still be an ident.¡± She knew that was wishful thinking. There was no way this was an ident.
Roman¡¯s jaw clenched, his grip tightening on her hand. ¡°It wasn¡¯t an ident.¡±
Sutton¡¯s gaze snapped to Roman. ¡°Then who?¡±
¡°No idea yet,¡± Roman said darkly. ¡°Peters is already pulling security footage, and Ethan is speaking with the police. We will find out who is behind this.¡±
Keira let out a slow whistle. ¡°Oof, someone¡¯s about to have a very bad day.¡±
Sutton nodded. ¡°And what¡¯s your n for ir¡¯s safety? Because so far, having Ethan tail her hasn¡¯t exactly stopped whoever this is. First they try a car, then part of a building. What¡¯s next?¡±
¡°I¡¯m handling it,¡± Roman ground out. ¡°She won¡¯t be left alone until this person is found. You have my word.¡±
¡°Oh, so now I have a permanent shadow?¡± ir muttered.
Roman¡¯s dark eyes locked onto hers. ¡°Yes.¡±
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ir sighed. ¡°Great. Everyone at the office is going to think that¡¯s strange.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t give a fuck what people think. Your safety is more important.¡±
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The door opened, and a doctor stepped in, ncing at the crowd around ir¡¯s bed. ¡°Miss Warner, how are you feeling?¡±
¡°Like I got hit by a truck,¡± ir admitted. ¡°Or, you know, almost crushed.¡±
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The doctor gave a sympathetic smile. ¡°Your scans came back clear, no major head trauma, just a mild concussion. Your ankle is sprained, but not broken. You¡¯ll need to take it easy for the next week and avoid any strenuous activity.¡±
Sutton exhaled in relief. ¡°Good.¡±
Keira smirked. ¡°Guess that means no boss¨Crted activities.¡±
ir¡¯s face burned. ¡°Keira!¡±
Keira shrugged. ¡°What? If you think Sutton and I don¡¯t know you¡¯ve been busy, you must have an even bigger concussion than they thought.¡±
Roman, to his credit, didn¡¯t react, though ir swore she felt his grip tighten slightly under the sheets.
The doctor continued, ¡°We¡¯ll monitor you for a few more hours, but we¡¯d like to keep you overnight just to be safe.¡±
¡°Thank you, doctor,¡± Roman said firmly, already shifting as if preparing to take over the situation entirely.
Once the doctor left, Sutton folded her arms. ¡°So. Who¡¯s staying with her?¡±
¡°Me. I¡¯ll stay all night,¡± Roman said instantly.
Sutton gave him a long, measured look. ¡°Good. I know you¡¯ll take care of her. But if anything else happens, I expect a call immediately.¡±
Roman nodded. ¡°Of course.¡±
Keira pped her hands together. ¡°Alright, now that we¡¯ve established that ir has a personal security detail, should we talk about wedding ns?¡±
ir groaned. ¡°Not now.¡±
Keira winked. ¡°Oh, definitely now. I need something fun to bnce out all this attempted murder.¡±
Sutton smirked. ¡°She¡¯s got a point. You are technically engaged, ir. Have you even thought about the wedding yet?¡±
ir exhaled. ¡°I¡¯ve been a little preupied with not getting killed.¡± She knew what they were doing they wanted to take her mind off her worries and she was worried. This didn¡¯t happen to normal people.
Roman¡¯s grip tightened around her hand. ¡°That¡¯s not happening.¡±
Keira shrugged. ¡°Obviously. But since you¡¯re stuck in bed, we might as well discuss the fun stuff. Venue? Dress? Huge fancy event or something small?¡±
ir stared at her sisters, knowing there was no escaping the conversation now. ¡°I haven¡¯t thought about it. We haven¡¯t set a date.¡± Everything had happened so fast.
Sutton smirked. ¡°Then let¡¯s start thinking¡±
ir sighed, sinking back into the pillows, knowing she was in for a long conversation whether she liked it or not. And despite everything, a small smile tugged at her lips.
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Because no matter what happened, she had people crazy, overbearing people, who would do anything to keep her safe.
Room Mate 51
Roman stood by ir¡¯s bedside, watching as she spoke quietly with her sisters. She was still pale, exhaustion clear in the soft lines of her face, but there was a fire in her eyes that reassured him. She was strong, but even the strongest needed protection. And he would make damn sure she had it.
He needed to make some calls, so with onest nce at her, he squeezed her hand and murmured, ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon. I just need to make a few calls. Try to get some rest.¡±
ir gave him a small smile. ¡°You don¡¯t have to hover, you know. My sisters are here to do enough of that for you.¡±
Keira smirked from her chair. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry. We¡¯ll keep her entertained. You go do your brooding billionaire thing.¡±
Roman rolled his eyes but smirked. He actually liked ir¡¯s sisters, even Keira, who had a sharp tongue and a wicked sense of humor. She was the kind of woman who would be a handful for any man. Sutton, on the other hand, had a quiet intensity that reminded him of himself. She took responsibility seriously, and he respected that.
With a nod toward Ethan, who was stationed by the door, Roman stepped out into the hallway. He needed answers. Now.
Pulling out his phone, he dialed Peters. His head of security answered on the second ring. ¡°Sir.¡±
Roman didn¡¯t waste time. ¡°Could these attacks have anything to do with looking into ir¡¯s parents¡® deaths? Could someone have found out we were digging? Did a trail lead back to her?¡±
Peters was silent for a moment before responding, ¡°Highly unlikely. We¡¯ve been extremely discreet. There¡¯s no way anyone would know we¡¯re looking into it yet. The records we essed were all private. If someone is targeting her, it¡¯s not because of that.¡±
Roman exhaled slowly, his hand tightening around his phone. That was both a relief and a frustration. If it wasn¡¯t connected to her parents¡® deaths, then who the hell was behind this?
¡°I want every possibility considered,¡± he said, his voice low and controlled. ¡°Look into Jessica. And Dan.¡±
Peters didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°You think one of them could be involved?¡±
Roman paced a few steps down the hallway, his mind racing. ¡°I don¡¯t know. But we need to rule them out. Jessica¡¯s desperate and unpredictable. She¡¯s trying to sell a story about me, but what if she¡¯s decided to take things further? What if she sees ir as an obstacle? It¡¯s insane¡there¡¯s no way I would ever want her back in my life. But Jessica believes that no man can resist her. She has an ego as big as Mount Everest.¡±
¡°And Dan?¡± Peters prompted.
Roman¡¯s jaw clenched. ¡°He hates that ir moved on. That she chose me. He¡¯s the type to let that fester. Maybe he thinks if he scares her enough, she¡¯ll run back to him. Or maybe he just doesn¡¯t want her to be happy. I don¡¯t know. The fact that he got Laura, ir¡¯s cousin, pregnant¡ I don¡¯t think he would be stupid enough to think ir would go back to him.¡±
Peters was quiet for a beat before saying, ¡°I¡¯ll start digging. If either of them has anything to do with this, we¡¯ll find out.¡±
¡°Good,¡± Roman said. ¡°I want answers. Fast.¡±
Ending the call, he leaned against the wall, running a hand through his hair. This wasn¡¯t just about protecting ir¨Cit was about stopping whoever the hell thought they coulde after her. Because Roman would make damn sure, they regretted- it.
Needing a distraction, he dialed another number. His mother answered on the first ring, her voice warm. ¡°Roman! It¡¯ste. Is everything alright?¡±
Roman exhaled. ¡°There was another incident. ir¡¯s fine, but she¡¯s in the hospital overnight for observation.¡±
Wed, 18 Jur
His mother gasped. ¡°Oh my God. What happened?¡±
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His sister, Rose, must have been nearby because he heard her voice in the background. ¡°Wait¡ ir¡¯s in the hospital? What happened?¡±
Roman kept his voice even. ¡°Someone¡¯s targeting her. We don¡¯t know who yet, but we will.¡±
¡°Do you want us toe to the hospital?¡± his mother asked immediately. ¡°We can be there¡¡±
¡°No,¡± Roman cut in. ¡°She¡¯ll be released tomorrow. She just needs rest.¡±
His mother hesitated before saying, ¡°Then bring her to dinner soon.¡±
Roman smirked slightly. ¡°I will. I promise.¡±
¡°Make sure you do,¡± his mother said, as if it were obvious. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry this is happening, Roman. It must be terrifying for you both.¡±
¡°It is.¡± Roman sighed because his mom wasn¡¯t wrong. He was really scared for ir¡¯s safety. He couldn¡¯t lose her, not now, not when he finally had her. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to ir about dinner soon.¡±
Roseughed. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯d like to see this in person. Big, scary Roman,pletely smitten? I need to witness it for myself.¡±
Roman rolled his eyes. ¡°Like I said, I¡¯ll talk to ir and get back to you.¡±
¡°You do that,¡± his mother said. ¡°And Roman¡ keep her safe.¡±
His grip tightened on the phone. ¡°I will.¡±
Ending the call, Roman stood in the quiet hallway, his mind racing. He had a target to find, a woman to protect, and feelings he still hadn¡¯t put into words.
The thought of losing her was something he couldn¡¯t stomach. Roman had always been able to control things, his business, his life, his emotions. But ir? She was truly the one thing that could bring him down, make his world fall apart. Beautiful; stubborn. And he was falling for her harder than he had ever fallen for anything in his life.
And yet, he hadn¡¯t told her. Not yet. Not when her world had been turned upside down so suddenly. She¡¯d just gotten out of a mess with Dan. He didn¡¯t want her to feel like she was just jumping from one man to another. No, when he told her how he felt, it would be because she was ready to hear it. And he had no doubt in his mind he would tell her. Soon.
Roman straightened, his expression hardening as his thoughts returned to the present. First, he had to handle this threat. Whoever wasing after ir had made a serious mistake.
Because Roman Kingston never let his enemies walk away
unscathed.
He turned to head back to ir¡¯s room to find Sutton standing in the hallway, arms folded across her chest, watching him.
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Seeing Sutton standing here waiting for him hadn¡¯t surprised him. If it had been his sister Rose, he would be demanding answers as well. He had expected this conversation. He exhaled slowly, bracing himself.
¡°What is it?¡± he asked, keeping his voice even.
Sutton studied him for a moment before speaking. ¡°I need to know something, and I need you to be honest with me, Roman. Is there any reason, any at all, that ir would be in danger because of you?¡±
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Roman¡¯s jaw tightened. ¡°No. Well¡ I¡¯m not one hundred percent sure, but it wouldn¡¯t be business. Everything I do within business is legitimate. I have my men on it. They will not leave one stone unturned, and neither will I, Sutton. You have my word.¡±
Sutton didn¡¯t back down. ¡°Are you sure you didn¡¯t make an enemy in business? Someone with a grudge? Someone that lost out in a deal? Something from your past? Because I swear to God, if you have knowingly put her in danger¡ª¡±
Roman cut her off, his voice firm but calm. ¡°I would never put ir in harm¡¯s way. And if I had any suspicion that this was because of me, I would have told you. Sutton. All I care about is that someone is targeting her. I don¡¯t know who yet, but I will find out.¡±
Sutton watched him carefully, as if trying to detect a lie. When she found none, she exhaled sharply, rubbing her temples. ¡°I had to ask. You know that.¡±
¡°I get it,¡± Roman said, his voice softer now. ¡°You¡¯re protecting her. I respect that. But I need you to understand something¡ I am, too.¡±
Sutton nodded slowly. ¡°Then you better figure this out. Fast.¡±
Roman¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°I will.¡±
Satisfied, Sutton turned, leading the way back toward ir¡¯s room. When they entered, Keira was sitting beside the bed, scrolling through her phone. ir was asleep, her breathing even, her body rxed for the first time in hours.
Keira nced up at them. ¡°We good? Or did you two have a dramatic hallway standoff?¡±
Telling Roman, Keira had been very aware of what had been going on in the hallway.
Sutton shot her a look before sighing. ¡°We¡¯re good. For now.¡±
Keira smirked. ¡°Good. Because I need sleep, and I doubt the nurses will appreciate me snoring in this chair, waking up their whole ward.¡±
Sutton leaned down, pressing a gentle kiss to ir¡¯s forehead. ¡°We¡¯ll be back tomorrow,¡± she whispered.
ir didn¡¯t stir, lost in a deep sleep. Keira followed Sutton to the door, pausing to nce at Roman. ¡°You staying?¡±
Roman nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡±
Keira tilted her head, as if considering something, then simply said, ¡°Good.¡± With that, she and Sutton disappeared down the hallway.
Roman exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck before moving to the chair beside ir¡¯s bed. He sat down slowly, his eyes tracing her peaceful face. Even in sleep, she was beautiful.
Without thinking, he reached for her hand, threading his fingers through hers. The warmth of her skin grounded him, easing the tight coil of tension in his chest. He didn¡¯t know how long he sat there, just holding her hand, watching over her.
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Eventually, exhaustion crept in. He leaned forward, resting his head against the edge of her bed, still holding onto her.
Sleep found him before he even realized he was tired, his grip on her hand never loosening.
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ir woke slowly, the dim lighting in the hospital room casting soft shadows across the ceiling. The steady beeping of the monitors was a reassuring hum in the background. She shifted slightly, feeling the warmth of something solid and heavy against her hand.
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Turning her head, she found Roman asleep beside her bed, his head resting on the mattress, his fingers wrapped around hers. Her heart softened at the sight of him, his usually sharp features rxed in sleep. He looked exhausted, as if he hadn¡¯t rested properly in days.
Carefully, she brought her free hand up, running her fingers through his dark hair. He stirred slightly but didn¡¯t wake, his grip instinctively tightening around her hand.
A small smile yed on her lips. ¡°Roman,¡± she whispered softly, her voice hoarse from sleep.
He inhaled deeply, his eyes slowly fluttering open. For a moment, he looked disoriented, then his gaze locked onto her face, and relief flooded his expression.
¡°ir,¡± he murmured, sitting up straight, rubbing a hand over his face. ¡°How are you feeling?¡±
She squeezed his fingers lightly. ¡°I¡¯m okay. Still sore, but better.¡±
Roman studied her intently, as if trying to convince himself she was truly fine. ¡°You scared the hell out of me,¡± he admitted quietly.
ir¡¯s chest tightened at the raw emotion in his voice. ¡°I know. I¡¯m sorry.¡±
His lips pressed into a thin line. ¡°Don¡¯t apologize. Just¡ I don¡¯t want anything to happen to you again. Thest few days have been hell.¡±
She gave him a weak smile. ¡°I¡¯ll try my best to live a very boring life from now on.¡±
For a moment, they sat in silence, their hands still intertwined. ir could feel the tension radiating from him, the weight of everything pressing down on his shoulders.
¡°Did you get any sleep?¡± she asked softly. She had been lucky because her concussion had only been mild. There had been no need to wake her up every two hours to check her vitals. They had been left alonest night by the nurses.
Roman smirked tiredly. ¡°I think I passed out at some point.¡±
ir squeezed his hand again. ¡°You should go home, get some real sleep.¡±
His grip tightened. ¡°Not a chance. I¡¯m staying right here.¡±
ir let out a smallugh. ¡°Stubborn.¡±
Roman smirked. ¡°Just the way you like it.¡±
ir sighed dramatically. ¡°Unfortunately, I do.¡± His strong, stubborn, and arrogant character was one of the things that turned her on. Not forgetting his demanding personality. Just thinking about it made her nipples bead.
A knock at the door interrupted them before Roman could respond. A doctor stepped in, ncing at the monitors before offering a professional but warm smile. ¡°Miss Warner, how are you feeling this morning?¡±
ir sat up slightly. ¡°Better. Sore, but definitely better.¡±
The doctor nodded, stepping closer to check her vitals. ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. Your scans looked fine, and there¡¯s no sign of
16:14 Wed, 18 Jun
internal injuries. Your ankle will need rest, but with care, you should be back to normal soon.¡±
Roman didn¡¯t release her hand as he asked, ¡°So she can go home?¡±
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The doctor smiled. ¡°Yes. We¡¯ll discharge her this morning. Just take it easy for the next few days, avoid unnecessary stress, no sex for a few days, and keep the ankle elevated when possible. I¡¯ll have the nurse bring your release papers shortly.¡±
ir sighed in relief. ¡°Finally.¡± Her cheeks heated at thement about sex.
Roman smirked, seeing the color on her face. ¡°You act like you were here for weeks.¡±
She rolled her eyes. ¡°Hospitals are not exactly fun, Roman.¡±
The doctor chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ll leave you two to get ready. A nurse will be in soon with some paperwork for you to sign. Then you can go home. Oh, and no driving for a few days as well.¡±
As soon as the door closed behind the doctor, Roman turned to her. ¡°You should have seen your face when he said no sex.¡±
ir arched an eyebrow. ¡°I didn¡¯t think it needed to be said.¡±
His lips curled slightly. ¡°I will make sure you rest.¡±
She sighed but didn¡¯t argue. ¡°Fine. But I want real food when I get home. None of that hospital garbage.¡±
Roman smirked. ¡°Whatever you want.¡±
ir smiled as she eased back against the pillows. Despite everything, she felt safe with him and exposed in the hospital. Once she was home with him, she would feel safer.
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Room Mate 53
ir exhaled in relief as she stepped outside the hospital doors, the cool breeze brushing against her skin. Roman was beside her, his hand resting possessively on the small of her back, guiding her toward the waiting car. She was exhausted, her body still sore, but at least she was going home.
It amazed her really that she was so tired. She had slept, but she was still tired. But during the time it had taken the nurses toe around with the paperwork for her to sign, all she had done was think. About why someone would want to kill her? And who had so much hatred toward her that they would go to such extremes?
Ethan opened the back door of the sleek ck SUV, nodding to Roman before stepping back into position. Roman helped her inside, making sure she was settled before joining her. As soon as the door shut, sealing them inside the quietfort of the car, she leaned her head back against the seat with a sigh.
¡°God, I hate the smell of hospitals,¡± she murmured.
Roman smirked, reaching over to take her hand. ¡°At least it was only for the one night.¡±
She rolled her eyes. ¡°Agreed. Their beds are neverfortable. Hospitals are the worst.¡±
The car pulled away from the hospital, smoothly gliding onto the road. Roman kept his grip on her hand, his thumbzily brushing over her skin. She knew he was still on edge, still tense from the attacks, but for now, she just wanted to focus on something else.
¡°I need to tell you something,¡± she said, turning her head to look at him.
Roman¡¯s gaze flickered to her, instantly alert. ¡°What is it?¡±
ir hesitated, but there was no avoiding it. ¡°My sisters and I have to go to an engagement party. It¡¯s this weekend.¡±
Roman frowned. ¡°What engagement party?¡±
¡°Laura and Dan¡¯s.¡± ir¡¯s voice was t, her stomach twisting at the thought.
Roman¡¯s grip on her hand tightened. ¡°Excuse me? You¡¯re going to their engagement party? The same Dan who cheated on you and got your cousin pregnant?¡±
ir sighed. ¡°It¡¯s not like I want to go, Roman. But my family expects it. My aunt and uncle, everyone is acting like nothing happened. Sutton, Keira, and I are supposed to just show up and pretend like it¡¯s normal.¡±
Roman¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°That¡¯s insane. Your family is terrible. Excluding your sisters, of course. Why the hell would you go?¡±
She let out a humorlessugh. ¡°You think I don¡¯t know that? But if we don¡¯t go, it¡¯ll be a whole thing. My aunt Viv will make our lives miserable, and Sutton, Keira, and I don¡¯t want to deal with that fight right now. They did take us in when they didn¡¯t have to after Mum and Dad died. They want to show everyone that the whole family supports Dan and Laura and that there are no hard feelings. Keira wants to go for the entertainment value.¡±
Roman shook his head. ¡°No. Absolutely not. You¡¯re not walking into that circus alone.¡±
ir blinked. ¡°What? I will not be alone. I¡¯ll have my sisters.¡±
Roman¡¯s grip tightened. ¡°I¡¯ming with you.¡±
ir¡¯s mouth parted slightly in shock. ¡°Roman, I don¡¯t want you to feel like you have toe. And my family hates you, excluding my sisters, of course.¡±
His smirk was cold. ¡°They already hate me. Might as well give them a real reason.¡±
16:14 Wed, 18
ir let out a slow breath. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that. I can handle them.¡±
93%1
Roman leaned in, his voice low, dangerous. ¡°I know you can handle them, ir. But you don¡¯t have to. Not alone. If they want you there, they¡¯re getting me too. End of discussion. Ethan will be there for protection as well.¡±
ir studied him, her heart swelling despite the ridiculousness of it all. Roman Kingston, the man who didn¡¯t do social niceties, the man who avoided unnecessary events like the gue, was willingly stepping into the viper¡¯s nest that was her family.
¡°Alright,¡± she said softly. ¡°You cane.¡±
Roman smirked. ¡°Good. Because I was to face them after everything that had happened, and she was- on. Not only that, she was marrying him.
ink I¡¯m just another woman chasing after your money?¡± she asked.
ssion hardened. ¡°Then they don¡¯t know me very well. Because if they did, they¡¯d know I wouldn¡¯t waste my woman like that ever again.¡±
d that mean he was no longer in love with his ex¨Cwife? ir wasn¡¯t sure, but something about the way he said it made her wonder just how much resentment he held toward his past marriage.
The car rolled to a stop, and before ir could mentally prepare herself, the front door opened, and Roman¡¯s mother stepped outside, her eyes immediately locking onto them.
ir took a deep breath. Here we go.
Ìï
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18
Room Mate 54
ir barely had time to prepare herself before Roman¡¯s mother, Eleanor, enveloped her in a warm embrace the moment she got within reaching distance. The embrace was warm and weing, and it surprised the hell out of ir.
¡°ir, darling.¡± Eleanor said as she pulled back, keeping ir¡¯s hands in hers as she scanned her over with a keen eye. ¡°It¡¯s so good to finally meet you face to face, though I wish it were under better circumstances.¡± Curving an arm behind ir¡¯s back.
Before ir could respond, James Kingston stepped forward, his presence just as is, well that¡¯s what she tells me, anyway. You¡¯ve done what you can for now. Get back to the office.¡±
Roman looked like he wanted to argue, but thought better of it. With onest lingering nce at ir, he leaned down, brushing a soft kiss against her lips. ¡°I¡¯ll be back as soon as I can.¡±
ir smiled, warmth spreading through her at the gesture. ¡°I know.¡± It had to be more than just warm regard. He had been so caring and worried about her.
With onest wary nce at his family, Roman finally turned and made his way toward the door. ir could see the tension in his shoulders as he walked out, as though leaving her behind was thest thing he wanted to do.
Eleanor linked her arm through ir¡¯s as she led her further inside. ¡°Now, let¡¯s get you settled, dear. You need proper rest, and I suspect my son has been hovering over you since the moment this happened.¡±
irughed softly. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be wrong.¡± She felt that he med himself. Everything had been fine until they had started seeing each other¡ sleeping together. What had changed?
Rose appeared at the foot of the staircase, grinning. ¡°Oh, we know. And now that he¡¯s gone, we can have some fun. Wee to the family, ir.¡±
ir gave a tentative smile. She had spoken to Rose a few times on the phone, usually when she called the office looking for Roman, but this was their first face¨Cto¨Cface meeting. And now, standing in Roman¡¯s home with the Kingston family, of the man she was sleeping with, engaged to¡ even, ir felt a wave of nervous energy ripple through her.
Rose, however, didn¡¯t give her time to overthink it. She strode forward and pulled ir into a quick, gentle hug. ¡°I¡¯m so d you¡¯re okay. Roman¡¯s been acting like a lunatic, and when that man starts pacing, be warned if you see him do that there is going to be murder.¡±
irughed, easing a little. That sounds about right.¡± She had seen Roman pacing at the office normally when someone had messed up.
Rose pulled back, her eyes sparkling with mischief. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, though. You¡¯re officially under my protection now. And I fully n to take advantage of your presence here to get all the dirt on my big brother.¡±
ir raised a brow. ¡°That sounds like something my sister Keira would say.¡±
Rose grinned. Then she and I are going to get along just fine.¡±
Something in Rose¡¯s tone, the lightness, the unfiltered wit, it put ir at ease. She could already imagine Keira and Rose teaming up, full of sarcasm and yfulness. It was weird how easy this felt.
Eleanor returned with a soft throw nket and motioned to the cozy sitting room off the main hallway. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get you off your feet. I¡¯ll make tea, and Rose will entertain you with embarrassing Roman stories.¡±
¡°Oh, I¡¯ve got an arsenal,¡± Rose said with a dramatic wink. ¡°Then you can tell us what you know.¡±
ir followed them, her steps slower than usual, but steadier with each passing moment. Maybe being surrounded by Roman¡¯s family wasn¡¯t going to be as overwhelming as she¡¯d feared.
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Room Mate 55
Chapter 55
93%
+28)
Roman sat behind his desk at the office, the lighting in from the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling windows behind him cast him in shadow to anyone entering the office. His phone was on silent, though his gaze kept flicking toward it every few minutes. He¡¯d told himself that leaving ir with his family was the smart move. Eleanor and Rose were both fiercely capable, but it didn¡¯t make being away from her any easier. He was constantly worrying about her..
He should be focused. Peters had sent over a folder of updates that morning, and Roman had already skimmed the contents twice. No obvious threats. No strange activity gged with her family. No signs of who might be targeting ir. And yet, the pit in his stomach hadn¡¯t gone away. So who the hell was doing this?
He scrubbed a hand over his face, frustrated. Whoever was behind this was careful. Too careful.
A knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts. Kara poked her head in. ¡°Roman? The catering team confirmed they have arrived at the estate to begin prep for tonight.¡±
¡°Thank you,¡± Roman said with a nod. ¡°By the way Kara, are you ok?¡±
Kara smiled at him. ¡°Yes, I was a little sore this morning. But I¡¯m ok. Thank you for asking.¡±
¡°Thanks for finding the cateringpany.¡±
She nodded and left.
He had called his dad once he got to the office, inviting them to stay the night and have dinner with them. He wasn¡¯t sure a crowbar would get his mother away from ir right now. So he had arranged a catering service toe in and handle the meal.
He was taking no chances with ir still recovering. He had also invited Sutton and Keira because they needed to know their sister was okay. Thest thing anyone needed was to worry about cooking. He had arranged for a full¨Cservice team to handle everything. ir deserved to enjoy the night and not lift a finger.
His mind shifted to her sisters. Roman had already spoken to Sutton earlier and formally invited her and Keira to dinner at. the estate. Keira had roasted him with an update on the investigation into who was targeting her sister.
Roman checked the time again, then stood. Screw it. He¡¯d done enough for today. His team would continue the investigation. He was too worried about ir to be concerned about work. Right now, he needed to be home with ir. He couldn¡¯t see anything useful in the file on his desk.
By the time he pulled into the driveway, the sun was beginning to dip. As he stepped inside, he was immediately hit with the sound ofughter: two voices, one familiar and the other distinctly Keira¡¯s.
He followed the sound into the sitting room and found Rose and Keira on the couch, drinks in hand, deep in conversation.
Rose spotted him first. ¡°Roman! You didn¡¯t tell me ir¡¯s sister was this much fun.¡±
Keira raised her ss with a smirk. ¡°Your sister¡¯s a riot. We¡¯ve already decided we¡¯re adopting each other.¡±
Roman arched a brow. ¡°Should I be worried?¡±
¡°Absolutely,¡± Rose said at the same time Keira winked.
He shook his head, amused despite himself, then turned as ir entered the room. She looked well¡ better than she had that morning, her cheeks flushed slightly from rest andughter.
Roman crossed to her, brushing a kiss to her temple. ¡°You look better.¡± He so wanted to tell her how he felt, but needed to give her time. He didn¡¯t want to rush her. But her close calls with death had brought home to him just how much he loved
her.
16:14 Wed, 18 Jun
¡°I feel better,¡± she said softly. ¡°Thanks to your mum, dad and Rose. And now Sutton and Keira joined the circus.¡±
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He smiled and threaded their fingers together. ¡°I thought you would like your family here. I didn¡¯t want you to worry about feeding anyone.¡±
ir smiled. ¡°Thank you. It was very thoughtful of you. Dinner¡¯s almost ready. The catering team just finished setting up.¡±
Later, as they all gathered around the dining table, the wine flowed freely, and the tension that had hovered over thest few days seemed to have lifted, even if the threat wasn¡¯t gone.
Stories were exchanged,ughter echoed off the walls, and Roman found himself watching ir as she glowed under the attention of both families blending together. From what she had experienced living under her aunt and uncle¡¯s roof, this must be a wee change.
Roman was looking forward to this weekend in some ways. It was him that had gotten the better deal, not Dan.
At a lull in the conversation, Roman cleared his throat. His gaze locked on ir¡¯s. ¡°So,¡± he said, voice casual but firm, ¡°when¡¯s the wedding?¡±
ir choked on her wine, and Keira immediately burst outughing. ¡°Can¡¯t wait to buy the cow?¡±
ir shot her sister a look. ¡°Hey¡¡±
ir then looked at Roman. ¡°You couldn¡¯t wait until after dessert?¡±
Roman only smirked. ¡°I figured the sooner we start nning, the sooner I can make it official.¡± Thinking if they were not very careful, she could be pregnant, walking down the aisle. Not like he cared. He wanted her to carry his baby. The timing was up to her.
Sutton arched a brow from across the table. ¡°Let her breath, Roman. She¡¯s still recovering.¡±
Exactly,¡± Keira chimed in. ¡°Let the woman finish her meal before you throw flower arrangements at her.¡±- d.
an raised his hands in mock surrender, grinning. ¡°Fine. But I want it on the calendar.¡± The sooner the better in his
ir shook her head,ughing despite herself. For the first time in what felt like days, she felt light. Surrounded by people who loved her, even if some of them were only starting to show it. Roman¡¯s family was more than she could have hoped for.
And Roman, as usual, was right in the center of it, unapologetically iming her as his.
Room Mate 56
ir stood in front of the vanity mirror, the soft hum of activity echoing faintly from downstairs as preparations for their departure continued. She adjusted her earring, watching her reflection with a mix of dread and determination. The engagement party was being held today. Dan and Laura¡¯s. And somehow, she had to get through it with her head held high.
Behind her, Roman moved about the room, buttoning the crisp white shirt that clung to his chest and arms in all the ways that made her thoughts stray from anything remotely appropriate for public.
ir bit her lip as her eyes lingered on him. He was effortlessly gorgeous, confident, powerful, every inch of him a distraction she didn¡¯t need right now. But God, did she want him? Since the ident, since the moment Ethan had pulled her out of the way of that falling concrete, they hadn¡¯t touched each other sexually. The mild concussion had taken precedence, and Roman hadn¡¯t pushed. He had been gentle. Thoughtful. Patient.
But this morning, for the first time, her head was clear. No lingering ache. No dizziness. She felt good. Her body ached for him in a way that told her just how long it had been.
She swallowed, trying to redirect her focus as she applied a finalyer of gloss to her lips. From the mirror, she watched Roman slide his belt through the loops of his tailored trousers. Every movement he made was efficient and controlled, but she could see the tension in his shoulders, the way his jaw flexed when he thought she wasn¡¯t looking.
He was frustrated. Not with her, never with her, but with theck of answers. She¡¯d seen the way he pored over the files Peters had sent, how his expression darkened every time he came up empty. He hated not being able to protect her fully. And while ir appreciated every step he¡¯d taken to keep her safe, part of her wanted to tell him it was okay to let go for just one day. But maybe it was taking his mind off where they were going today.
He caught her watching him in the mirror. ¡°You ready?¡±
ir turned and nodded, smoothing the front of her dress. ¡°As ready as I¡¯ll ever be.¡±
Roman crossed the room to her, his hand settling lightly on her hip as he studied her face. ¡°If you¡¯re not up for this, we don¡¯t have to go.¡±
ir gave a small smile. ¡°I have to go. We have to go. If I back out now, it¡¯ll be like giving them the power. And I¡¯m not doing that. It was my hometown. I don¡¯t want anyone to pity me.¡±
He nodded once, but his eyes searched hers. ¡°You feel okay?¡±
¡°Yeah,¡± she said softly. ¡°No headache. I¡¯m good. Really.¡±
Roman¡¯s eyes dropped to her lips, then lower still, as if he was thinking the same thing she had been earlier. That tonight, once this party was behind them, things between them were going to get back to normal.
He kissed her temple. ¡°I¡¯ll be right there with you the whole time.¡±
ir exhaled and nodded. ¡°I know.¡±
Just then, the doorbell sounded, telling them her sisters had arrived. They were all going together.
Roman reached for his jacket as ir stepped into the hallway. She opened the door to find Keira in a sleek navy dress, her hair twisted up in a way that screamed effort disguised as effortless. Sutton stood beside her, elegant andposed as always.
¡°Wow,¡± Keira said, eyeing ir. ¡°You look super¨Chot for someone that is about to walk into the lion¡¯s den.¡±
¡°Thanks,¡± ir deadpanned. ¡°You know how much I love public humiliation.¡±
Keira grinned. ¡°That¡¯s the spirit. If we¡¯re going to walk into a room full of traitors and gossips, might as well do it looking like queens.¡±
(+28)
Sutton shook her head. ¡°ir, this isn¡¯t your public humiliation. It¡¯s theirs. They can¡¯t hide Laura¡¯s due date. This isn¡¯t going to reflect well on them.¡±
Roman stepped beside ir, slipping his hand into hers. Keira¡¯s gaze moved to him, and she raised a brow. ¡°Nice suit. Trying to outshine Dan? I mean, it wouldn¡¯t take much.¡±
¡°Not trying,¡± Roman replied dryly. ¡°It¡¯s just natural.¡±
Keira barked augh. ¡°God, you¡¯re growing on me. Like a fungus,¡±
¡°Charming,¡± Roman muttered, grinning. Roman did feel sorry for any man that ended up with Keira. He was going to need balls of steel.
ir sighed. ¡°Can we all try not to cause a scene today?¡±
Sutton smiled faintly. ¡°No promises.¡±
ir gave them both a look, then stepped into her heels, steadying herself as Roman grabbed the keys.
¡°Let¡¯s get this over with,¡± ir muttered under her breath.
Keira slung her purse over her shoulder. ¡°Oh,e on. Could be worse. We could be going to a tax audit. At least at this party, we get wine.¡±
ir looked over her shoulder as they all walked toward the car. ¡°You¡¯re not helping, Keira.¡±
Keira winked. ¡°I know. But you love me anyway.¡±
Roman held the car door open for her, cing a hand on the small of her back as she climbed in. He waited until everyone was settled before slipping into the driver¡¯s seat. The interior of the SUV was quiet for a moment, tension hanging in the air like a held breath.
¡°You sure you¡¯re ready for this?¡± Sutton asked gently, her tonecking its usual edge.
ir looked at her reflection in the rearview mirror and nodded. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ve got you guys. And Roman.¡±
Roman reached for her hand again, giving it a squeeze. ¡°Damn right you do.¡±
ir nced out the window as the SUV merged onto the road. Familiar streets rolled by, each turn bringing them closer to the event she had been dreading. But even as her stomach churned, she felt something steadier take root beneath the anxiety. She wasn¡¯t alone this time. And that made all the difference.
With Ethan following close behind in a second car, they pulled out of the driveway, their small convoy heading toward the party from hell.
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Room Mate 57
The SUV cruised smoothly down the highway, thete morning sun casting warm streaks of light across the seats.
Roman kept one hand on the wheel, the other curled around ir¡¯s fingers resting on the center console. Keira and Sutton sat in the back, thetter scrolling through her phone while Keira hummed along to whatever pop track was ying softly through the speakers.
She was so d that her sisters liked Roman. It made everything so much easier. She wasn¡¯t looking forward to today, but with Roman and her sisters by her side, she would get through it. But when this was over, she wouldn¡¯t be helping her aunt and uncle out anymore. They could only take gratitude so far, and she was all out.
After the way they had treated Sutton when she hade home pregnant, but their total eptance of Laura¡¯s pregnancy and the fact that they had said Laura couldn¡¯t help falling in love with ir¡¯s fianc¨¦¡ The lies people told themselves to make it okay. Her cousin was a slut.
ir nced at Sutton through the mirror again. She was still on her phone. ¡°You okay back there? You¡¯ve been frowning at your screen for ten minutes straight.¡±
Sutton exhaled sharply and locked her phone. ¡°Yeah, just work stuff. Or rather, work stupidity. I know it¡¯s Saturday and I should just let it go, but there is so much happening.¡±
¡°Wanna borate?¡± Keira asked, shifting to face her sister with interest.
¡°Mypany got bought out,¡± Sutton said, rubbing her temple. ¡°New owner is . It¡¯s all very mysterious CEO¨Clevel cloak and dagger. If he walks in wearing aviators and calls everyone ¡®kid,¡¯ I¡¯m walking out. But if Nicole is any indication of what the CEO is like, then I¡¯m not impressed¡±
Keira snorted. ¡°So, every man in upper management, basically¡±
¡°Hey,¡± Roman said from behind the wheel.
Theyughed. ¡°Presentpany excluded, of course,¡± Keira said.
¡°Exactly,¡± Sutton muttered. ¡°Still, I¡¯m hoping he¡¯s different. Maybe he¡¯ll shake things up for real. Because right now? It¡¯s a joke.¡±
??93?
Chapter 57
Roman said nothing, but his jaw tightened slightly. ir felt his thumb twitch against hers.
¡°Isn¡¯t that thepany Roman uses for software security?¡± Keira asked suddenly, leaning forward.
Sutton perked up. ¡°Wait, that¡¯s right¡you do. I¡¯m sorry for speaking out of school.¡±
¡°We had our own issues with Cyber10, remember,¡± Roman replied carefully. ¡°I¡¯m hoping the new owner improves things as well.¡±
Sutton frowned. ¡°Well, let¡¯s hope their leadership overhaul extends to the wholepany. I¡¯ll find out who the new guy is next week. Should be interesting.¡±
ir nced at Roman again, noting the subtle tension in his shoulders. He knew something, she could feel it, but now wasn¡¯t the time to press.
Keira stretched her legs out. ¡°Speaking of annoying men, my boss is back from Monaco.¡±
¡°The prince?¡± ir asked, grinning.
¡°The very same. Prince Asshole. Still looks like he walked out of a cologne ad. Still terrifyingly efficient and cold. Wanker. Has me running after him like I¡¯m his personal ve. I don¡¯t think he remembers we have no very in this country. ¡®Keira, coffee!¡® I¡¯m not sure the man knows what ¡®please¡® is.¡±
Sutton raised an eyebrow. ¡°So, what you¡¯re saying is, you¡¯re secretly his royal barista?¡±
¡°Exactly. With a side of diplomacy and billion¨Ceuro mergers.¡±
ir chuckled. ¡°Honestly, it sounds like a Netflix drama.¡±
Keira smirked. ¡°If only. Then maybe I¡¯d be paid what I¡¯m worth.¡±
The mood in the car lightened withughter. For a moment, the party they were heading to felt like a distant problem.
But ir still had a knot in her stomach, and she wasn¡¯t sure if it was from seeing Dan and Laura¡ But she had Roman and her family.
She looked out the window, watching the countryside blur past, the nerves in her gut twisting a little tighter with each mile. ¡°Just think,¡± she muttered under her breath, ¡°we could¡¯ve been doing something fun today. Like taxes. Or dental surgery.¡±
Keira leaned forward between the seats. ¡°Hey, at least there¡¯ll be free booze. And I n to drink my body weight in champagne while smiling sweetly at every fake bitch in that room.¡±
Sutton gave a softugh. ¡°As long as nobody ends up arrested, I¡¯ll consider the day a sess.¡±
ir smiled faintly, grateful for thepany, for the shared sarcasm that made everything seem just a little more bearable. Whatever the day held, she knew one thing for certain: she wouldn¡¯t be facing it alone.
Room Mate 58
The estate was exactly what ir hated the most:vish, cold, and painfully perfect. It wasn¡¯t a home¡it was a showpiece. A ce meant to showcase Peter and Viv¡¯s wealth and status. The kind of ce that screamed old money, even if it was only surface¨Cdeep. Because none of their family could im that.
As the SUV rolled up the long circr driveway, ir¡¯s stomach twisted into tighter knots. She really didn¡¯t want to be here. The only benefit to her was that everyone would know she wasn¡¯t crying about losing cheating asshole Dan.
Roman reached across the console, his fingers curling around hers. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡±
She swallowed hand. ¡°Joy¡±
Keira leaned between the seats again, her voice low andced with sarcasm. ¡°Let¡¯s go grace the peasants with our beautiful presence. I mean, there are heaps of people here that will be waiting with bated breath to see if you would turn up.¡±
ir couldn¡¯t help theugh that bubbled up, tension releasing for just a moment.
Sutton gave her hand a squeeze as they exited the car, the three sisters nking one another like a united front. Roman stepped around and offered his arm, which ir took without hesitation.
There were already guests mingling on the manicuredwn, drinks in hand, fakeughter bubbling in the breeze. A string quarter yed something soft and ssical that grated on ir¡¯s nerves. The whole thing felt like a stage set, and she hated being cast in a role she never asked for.
A hush fell over a small cluster of people as they noticed ir. Eyes widened; whispers began. ir held her head high.
¡°Ignore them.¡± Roman murmured.
¡°I n to.¡± Knowing she had got the better man in the end. No, he didn¡¯t love her yet, but the intense feelings she had for him were already stronger than what she¡¯d ever felt for Dan. And she was going to marry him. So why not Roman?
They were halfway across thewn when a woman in pink silk intercepted them. ¡°ir, darling! You made it.¡±
Aunt Viv. So bright and fake. Acting like her slut of a daughter hadn¡¯t been sleeping with ir¡¯s fianc¨¦. No, it was all about keeping up appearances for the wealthy families in the area and their business connections.
ir pasted on a smile. ¡°Of course. Wouldn¡¯t miss it.¡± Waiting for lightning to strike her from the heavens for the big whopper that one was. She would love shoveling shit in a paddock than be here.
Keira snorted from beside her, but controlled herself and said nothing. For now.
¡°And Roman! What a surprise.¡± The look Viv gave Roman made it clear she now understood just how much Roman was worth. Therefore, beneficial to know and use. But she was also ufortable that he was here now.
He smiled coolly ¡°Pleasure, I¡¯m sure, Vivienne.¡± He didn¡¯t move to kiss her cheek or shake her hand.
Her aunt¡¯s eyes flicked to their linked hands, but said nothing. Instead, she turned toward the house. ¡°Laura will be so happy to see you. Everyone¡¯s in the garden.¡±
Keira coughed.
Before they could move anywhere, a second car pulled in behind them. Two members of Roman¡¯s security detail stepped out, scanning the perimeter with discreet professionalism. Roman had told them the team would stop at the end of the estate to make sure no one was following them. When they were sure it was safe, they would meet them at the house. One of the men got into Roman¡¯s car to move it. While Ethan moved to stand behind them.
¡°Security,¡± he murmured quietly to Viv, so she was aware of who was at her party
Aunt Viv turned with a pinched expression ¡°Is that really necessary, Romant Bodyguards? This is a party, not a war zone¡±
Roman didn¡¯t miss a beat. His tone was calm but firm. ¡°Considering ir¡¯s been nearly killed twice in one week, yes, it is absolutely necessary¡±
Vivienne¡¯s lips parted slightly, caught off guard. She hadn¡¯t been expecting that. Because ir hadn¡¯t told her, ¡°1¡ I see, Well, I suppose a little extra caution never hurt anyone¡± Aunt wouldn¡¯t ask question now because she didn¡¯t want her guest overhearing
Koman was watching her aunt very closely. Did he think her aunt had something to do with the attacks?
¡°Exactly,¡± Koman said smoothly, guiding ir forward before Vivienne could press the issue further.
As they were led around the side, ir felt the weight of every nce, every unspoken judgment. She spotted Laura near the flower arch, glowing in white, her hand resting possessively on Dan¡¯s arm. ir felt Roman¡¯s hand tighten slightly.
¡°White? Are you kidding me? That woman should be wearing ck, at least then the color would match her heart. She has never been pure¡± Keira whispered,
ir was worried that it wouldn¡¯t be long before everyone would hear just what Keira thought of Laura,
Dan saw her first. His eyes widened before his features settled into a smirk that made ir¡¯s blood boil. What did he have to smirk about?
Laura turned and gave a little wave, all fake sweetness and practiced poise.
¡°Smile,¡± Keira muttered from behind her. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t want to ruin their Instagram moment.¡±
ir exhaled and stepped forward, Roman keeping pace beside her.
Let the games begin.
As they walked closer to the flower arch, ir could feel her heart pounding louder than the music. Her fingers squeezed Roman¡¯s reflexively. She felt like she was walking into a lion¡¯s den like Keira had said, except the lions were dressed in designer suits and wore practiced smiles,
Sutton drifted a step closer, her voice low in ir¡¯s ear. ¡°We¡¯ll keep things civil. Until we don¡¯t have to.¡±
ir gave a tight nod. She didn¡¯t want a scene, but she would not let them walk over her, either.
Just behind them, Keiraughed lightly. ¡°At least if there¡¯s drama, there¡¯s wine we can get smashed after.¡± Looking at Sutton¡¯s belly. ¡°Well, some of us, at least¡±
Sutton rubbed her belly, grinning
Roman¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡°And I made sure our security brought the car around back. If we need to leave fast, we can.¡±
That, somehow, brought ir morefort than anything else. They weren¡¯t just walking into battle. They were prepared to 9¡±
ugly i
Room Mate 59
The champagne was t.
Not literally. The bubbles still fizzed cheerfully in the crystal ss she held, but the taste on her tongue was sour. t. No matter how expensive the vintage, it couldn¡¯t cover the bitterness lining her throat. It matched the way this entire party felt -polished on the outside, but dead beneath the surface.
This whole event was a lie.
Did they know Laura was a lowlife whore? That she was pregnant? That the soon to be groom was a cheating asshole with a little dick that wasn¡¯t even that good in bed? ir hadn¡¯t known that back when she was with Dan. She¡¯d spent too long thinking something was wrong with her.
Until Roman.
ir scanned the garden, the pristine hedges and fake smiles. Why was she here? She didn¡¯t need to be. Not really, She had nothing to prove.
Roman leaned in, whispering in her car. ¡°We can leave at any time.¡±
He was picking up on her inner turmoil as always.
She hadsted longer than she thought she would. Smiled for the right people. Nodded at shallowpliments. Let the whispers roll off her like it didn¡¯t matter. And really, it didn¡¯t. Not after experiencing Roman. What she had with Dan had been surface¨Clevel bullshit. Shallow. Certainly not love. Because let¡¯s be honest if she had truly loved Dan deeply, she never would¡¯ve slept with Roman.
A fakeugh from Laura sliced under her skin like a splinter. Five more minutes, she told herself. Five more minutes and they¡¯d make their excuses and leave. She could already see Keira barely holding it together.
They stood near one of the floral disys, ir nursing her drink like it was a lifeline. Roman was at her side, his hand resting lightly on the small of her back, thumb moving in slow, grounding circles. She didn¡¯t even need to look at him to know he was ready to get her out the second she gave the word.
¨C
She was so damn d he was here.
¡°Herees trouble,¡± Keira muttered, her tone deceptively cheerful.
ir turned just in time to see Laura strutting toward them, that painfully pleasant smile stered across her face. Dan followed close behind, like a trophy she hadn¡¯t carned but loved to unt, anyway.
Keira was right¨CRoman was an upgraded. But ir could see it now, with fresh eyes. Dan¡¯s weak jaw. His sloped shoulders. Age wasn¡¯t going to look good on him.
¡°ir! I¡¯m so d you came,¡± Laura said sweetly, clutching Dan¡¯s arm like she¡¯d invented romance. ¡°It really means a lot.¡±
Liar. This was about saving face. ir didn¡¯t say it aloud she didn¡¯t have to. Their little group already knew. And so did Laura. But she had to say the right things to sell the illusion, to make it sound good to the crowd that was absolutely listening waiting for fireworks.
¨C
ir smiled tightly. ¡°Would¡¯ve hated to miss such a touching celebration of integrity andmitment between two truly deserving people. So perfectly suited to each other.¡±
Roman hid a smirk behind his ss.
Laura either didn¡¯t catch the venom- or chose to ignore it. ¡°And you look amazing. I always wondered what you¡¯d wear to something like this. I was afraid you¡¯d show up in something¡ bitter.¡±
16.10
Keira actually choked on her drink.
Sutton took a step closer.
Roman didn¡¯t say a word ¡ª only because ir ced a hand on his chest, silently telling him she had this.
ir kept her expression smooth. ¡°Thank you, Laura. And I see you went with bridal white. Bold choice.¡±
(28)
11
Lauraughed lightly, brushing her hand across Dan¡¯s chest like she was iming territory. ¡°Well, Dan always said he saw me as the one in white, didn¡¯t you, babe?¡±
Dan grinned. That cocky, smug grin ir used to hate seeing on his face. They stood there like they¡¯d done nothing wrong. Like this was all perfectly normal.
¡°Like I said ¡ª bold,¡± ir replied, her tone syrupy. ¡°Considering your history. It¡¯s like believing in unicorns.¡±
Laura gasped.
Dan, in typical form, turned to Roman, clearly looking for onest dig. ¡°Hope you¡¯re enjoying the¡ leftovers.¡±
Fucking asshole.
Roman didn¡¯t move, but ir felt the shift in his body. The way his muscles bunched. It would only take a look
and Roman would handle it.
But ir didn¡¯t need him to. Not for this. She¡¯d put up with enough.
Screw Aunt Viv and Uncle Peter and their obsession with appearances. They could choke on their reputation.
¨C
¨C
one word
ir stepped forward, her ss still in hand, her voice calm ¨C almost too calm. ¡°You know, Dan, I always wondered how you managed to walk upright with balls that small. But now I realize¡¡± she tilted her head, eyes glittering, ¡°you¡¯ve just got Laura to carry them for you.¡±
Laura¡¯s smile shattered.
The silence was instant. A few guests nearby turned openly to stare.
Keiraughed, loud enough to carry. ¡°About damn time.¡±
But ir wasn¡¯t done.
¡°See,¡± she continued, ¡°I spent years thinking something was wrong with me. That I wasn¡¯t enough. That I needed to try harder, be sweeter, be less¡ me. All while you were screwing my cousin and lying to my face. And I believed it was my fault. But it wasn¡¯t. It was you. You, and yourplete inability to keep a woman satisfied.¡±
Dan¡¯s face flushed beet red. His mouth opened ¨C then closed again. Noeback.
ir turned to Laura next, her tone going arctic. ¡°And you. You knew. You knew exactly what you were doing and what it would cost. But you didn¡¯t care, because this was never about love. It was about what you could take. And let me be clear ¨C you didn¡¯t win anything. You settled. You got a man who cheats. And trust me, if he did it with me, he¡¯ll do it to you.¡±
Then she looked back to Dan, a tight smile sizing him up and finding him wanting. ¡°Oh, and you get to live with that little dick and those sad little balls. Enjoy.¡±
¡°ir-¡± Laura tried to cut in, voice rising.
¡°No,¡± ir snapped, her voice sharp. ¡°You pushed. And now I¡¯m pushing back.¡±
Roman still didn¡¯t interrupt. Keira looked smug as hell. Sutton crossed her arms, unmoved.
16176 Wed 18 Jun
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ir took one final step toward Dan, voice low and lethal. ¡°I don¡¯t want you. I never want you back. And for the record? Our sex life sucked ¨C and that was all you. I didn¡¯t know men like Roman even existed. Men who don¡¯t need to lie or manipte just to feel powerful.¡±
She turned, her ss still full. She hadn¡¯t taken a single sip.
¡°Enjoy your party¡±
And with that, she walked away, Roman falling into step beside her without hesitation. His hand slid into hers, like it belonged there.
The whispering exploded behind them.
And for once, ir didn¡¯t give a single damn.
Room Mate 60
They didn¡¯t say another word until they reached the car. Not a single one.
The second the doors closed and the tinted ss sealed them inside, ir finally exhaled, slumping back in her seat like the tension had been the only thing holding her upright the entire time.
Roman slid in beside her and didn¡¯t speak right away. He just looked at her, his expression unreadable. Half awe. Half¡ something else. Something darker, heavier, and far more dangerous.
¡°That was¡¡± he finally said, voice low, ¡°¡unexpectedly savage.¡±
ir let out a breathyugh, rubbing a hand over her face. ¡°I think I cked out somewhere between the unicorns and the dick size.¡±
Keira, from the back seat, hooted. ¡°You murdered him. Like, socially. He might never get hard again. ir, I feel like kneeling at your feet. It took everything in me not to start cheering.¡±
¡°I¡¯m proud of you,¡± Sutton added. ¡°Also slightly afraid.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t even know what came over me,¡± ir muttered. Normally, it would¡¯ve been Keira who couldn¡¯t control her tongue, not her. That had always been Keira¡¯s role¨Cuntil ir got drunk in Roman¡¯s office. That had seemed to change everything.
Roman leaned in, brushing a kiss against her temple, his voice like velvet. ¡°Whatever it was¡ I liked it.¡±
He made sure the second SUV was ready to follow before finally buckling his seatbelt and pulling away from the house.
Which reminded ir of something she¡¯d meant to ask. ¡°I forgot to askst time we were here, you looked at a house. Did you end up buying it?¡±
Roman shot her a nce before returning his attention to the road. ¡°I¡¯m still thinking about it.¡±
ir stared out the window, her hand stillced tightly with his. Her pulse hadn¡¯t quite settled. How would she feel about living here¨Cso close to all this history¨Cafter everything that had happened? Dan and Laura. The confrontation. The entire town now buzzing with her name.
But what did she have to be embarrassed about?
Roman was the better man in every way that mattered. So if this ce became their home one day¨Cso be it.
Aunt Viv would be absolutely fuming by now. And for once, ir realized she didn¡¯t care. Sutton and Keira probably didn¡¯t either.
She wasn¡¯t trembling anymore. Not exactly. But the buzz under her skin hadn¡¯t stopped.
Keira radiated smug energy from the backseat, like she¡¯d just witnessed a live¨Caction revenge fantasye to life. Sutton sat in silence, quiet but thoughtful. They had just burned whatever was left of the bridges with their extended family¨Cbut they still had each other. That was all that mattered now.
Roman drove one¨Chanded, the other wrapped firmly around ir¡¯s fingers. His thumb stroked hers in slow, grounding movements, anchoring her in a way that nothing else could. He hadn¡¯t said a word the entire ride while she silently reyed everything in her mind.
Finally, ten minutes out from the estate, he broke the silence.
¡°You all good now? Thought everything through?¡±
ir turned toward him slightly, blinking. He knew her so well. Knew she needed to mentally sort things out before she
Åd
16:16 Wed, 18 Jun
could let go. ¡°I didn¡¯t¡ Yeah. I am.¡±
His mouth twitched. ¡°I have to say again, that was the most satisfying public execution I¡¯ve ever witnessed.¡±
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Keira snorted from the back. ¡°I mean, you told him his balls were so small Laura had to carry them for him. That was art. Like¡ gallery¨Cworthy art. You deserve a goddamn medal.¡±
Sutton muttered, ¡°Honestly? I think Mum and Dad just rolled graves and slow¨Cpped.¡±
Com folled
Scr in their
NEW MEETOWN actually say all that?¡±
ir exhaled¨Cpartugh, part breathless disbelief. ¡°God.
¡°All of it,¡± Roman confirmed, ncing over at her. His eyes softened. ¡°And you meant it.¡±
She nodded, but a strange tightness still sat in her chest. none of it mattered. Like I was the one who should
¡°You weren¡¯t,¡± Roman said simply. ¡°You¡¯re the
+28
I couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore. She acted like she¡¯d won. Like
¡±
walked away.¡±
Keira leaned forward, voice bright. ¡°And seriously? The way Laura looked when you said she settled for a cheater? I nearly pissed myself. Her face? Peak horror show.¡±
¡°She¡¯ll spin it,¡± ir muttered. ¡°They all will. Probably already posting some bullshit about ungrateful cousins and dramatic exits.¡±
Roman¡¯s grip around her hand tightened. ¡°Let them.¡±
They didn¡¯t speak again until they pulled up to the estate. Ethan was already stepping out of the second SUV, doing a sweep of the area. The moment Roman climbed out, he was at ir¡¯s door, helping her down.
Sutton and Keira didn¡¯t linger¨Cthey each kissed ir goodbye before heading off, giving her space.
Inside, ir kicked off her heels a
dropped her bag onto the entry table. All she wanted was to disappear upstairs and
melt under the hottest shower she could handle. Melt the leftover rage out of her bones.
But Roman¡¯s voice stopped her.
¡°ir.¡±
She turned. Caught the sharpness in his eyes.
¡°Yeah?¡±
He stepped in closer, gaze locked to hers. ¡°Are you okay? It¡¯s just us now.¡±
That simple question cracked something wide open inside her. Not a break¨Cjust a clean, sharp splinter. Her throat tightened and she nodded too fast.
¡°I¡¯m fine. I just need-¡± Her voice wavered. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I just need a minute.¡±
Roman didn¡¯t press. He just held out his hand. ¡°Come on.¡±
She followed him upstairs in silence, into the master bedroom. They passed the bed and continued on until he pushed open the door to the bathroom. She blinked at him, startled.
Roman stepped forward, turned on the taps, and tested the water. Steam curled instantly from the spout.
¡°You¡¯re getting in the bath,¡± he said firmly. ¡°I¡¯m not arguing.¡±
ir didn¡¯t have the energy to push back. Not when the heat was already seeping into her skin just from being near it.
He moved behind her, hands gentle as he slid her zipper down. ¡°Let me do this for you,¡± he murmured, pressing a kiss to the side of her neck.
She didn¡¯t protest. She let him.
And when she slipped into the water, the warmth wrapped around her body like silk. Her muscles released, her breathing steadied, and the weight that had settled on her since the moment she saw Laura at that party¡ finally started to ease.
Roman knelt beside the tub, his sleeves rolled up, one hand resting lightly on the edge as he watched her.
¡°I meant what I said,¡± he murmured after a long pause. ¡°Everything you said out there¡ that took guts.¡±
¡°It didn¡¯t feel like guts,¡± she whispered. ¡°It felt like rage.¡±
¡°Sometimes,¡± he said, ¡°they¡¯re the same thing.¡±
Her eyes burned. Hot. Sharp. ¡°I let him make me feel like I was the problem for so long.¡±
Roman leaned in and brushed a kiss against her temple. ¡°Not anymore.¡±
She turned her face into his, breathing him in.
¡°Join me,¡± she said, the words leaving her mouth before she could second¨Cguess them.
He stilled for only a beat, then stood¨Chis hands already going to the buttons of his shirt.
Room Mate 61
The soft rustle of fabric was the only sound in the bathroom as Roman unbuttoned his shirt, cach slow movement drawing ir¡¯s eyes upward like a ma.
Steam clung to the air, curling around her skin, already warm and damp from the bath. But it was nothingpared to the heat building behind her ribs.
Roman¡¯s eyes stayed locked on hers. Not rushed. Not greedy. Just that same, unrelenting focus that made her feel like the only thing that existed.
He let the shirt fall. Then the belt. Then the pants. Every piece of him revealed in silence, no need for theatrics. His body was all lines and tension¨Cshoulders broad, chest carved from discipline, not vanity. He was a work of art.
¡°Move forward.¡±
ir¡¯s breath caught as he stepped into the water behind her. The heat shifted with him, the waterpping softly against the porcin.
He didn¡¯t grab. He didn¡¯t demand. He just settled in, legs parting as she leaned back into him, her spine against his chest, his arms curling around her like armor.
¡°I¡¯ve got you,¡± he murmured, pressing a kiss to her damp shoulder. ¡°Whatever you need.¡±
She closed her eyes, breathing him in. This was what safety felt like. ¡°I need you.¡±
His hands began to move. Not hurried. Not hungry. Just deliberate. Exploring.
He started with her arms, fingers tracing slow lines from shoulder to wrist, back up again, down to her waist, then circling her ribs with featherlight touches. His thumbs skimmed just under the waterline, making her stomach tighten. She let out a breath she hadn¡¯t realized she was holding.
¡°You¡¯re still tense,¡± Roman said quietly, his mouth brushing her ear.
¡°I¡¯m trying,¡± she whispered. ¡°You calm me.¡±
He smiled into her skin. ¡°Let me take the rest.¡±
One hand slid up, cupping her breast under the water, thumb dragging lightly over her nipple until it tightened beneath his touch. She gasped softly, arching just a little, and that was all the encouragement he needed. His other hand moved lower, slipping between her thighs, spreading her legs slowly until her knees pressed against the slick porcin edge.
He circled her clit with a maddening softness, teasing her with slow, precise movements that made her thighs twitch.
¡°Roman¡¡± she breathed, the heat under her skin no longer rage¨Cjust need. Pure, hungry need.
¡°I know, baby.¡± His voice was thick now, hoarse. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about this. About you. You looked so fucking good today, standing up for yourself like that. You don¡¯t even know how hard that made me.¡±
Her hand slid down to his thigh behind her, nails biting into muscle.
¡°I wanted to get you home, rip that dress off, and bend you over in the best way,¡± he said against her neck, kissing his way down to her shoulder again. ¡°But now¡ I just want to feel you melt for me.¡±
He pushed two fingers inside her, slow and steady. ir gasped, hips rolling involuntarily. The water sloshed softly as his fingers moved with agonizing control. He curled them just right, just enough to make her moan.
¡°Roman, please¡¡±
?
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(+28)
His other hand worked her breast, rolling her nipple between his fingers, while he whispered, ¡°Let me feel youe on my fingers first.¡±
He started scissoring his fingers in and out of her, stretching her.
Her orgasm built slow, relentless, drawn from her with expert patience. He didn¡¯t rush. He just coaxed, watching every twitch of her muscles, every gasp from her lips. When she finally cried out, her body locking in his arms, he held her through it, whispering how beautiful she was. How strong. How his.
ir had barely caught her breath before she turned in the water, straddling hisp. The bath sloshed, threatening to spill over the edge, but she didn¡¯t care. Roman¡¯s cock was hard against her thigh, hot and heavy beneath the surface.
She looked him dead in the eyes. ¡°I want you inside me.¡±
Roman gripped her hips. ¡°Are you sure? After everything today¡ I would understand¡¡±
¡°I need it,¡± she said. ¡°I need you.¡±
That was all it took.
He shifted, lifting her just enough to position himself. She braced herself on his shoulders as he sank into her, slow, thick, and deep. They both gasped.
¡°Fuck, ir¡¡± he growled, head falling back against the bath edge. ¡°You feel so good. So tight.¡±
She moved against him, slow at first, rolling her hips until they found that rhythm that made her breath catch. The water rippled around them, every movement sending heat curling low in her belly again.
His hands never left her. One gripped her waist, guiding her pace. The other came up to tangle in her hair, tugging gently as she rode him, her breasts brushing his chest with every thrust.
Their mouths met¨Chot, wet, desperate. Not just kissing, but consuming. His tongue matched the tempo of his thrusts, relentless, demanding, until she broke away with a whimper.
¡°Roman¡¡±
¡°Tell me.¡±
¡°I¡¯m close.¡±
¡°Thene. Fuckinge, ir.¡±
She did, again, her body locking around him, her nails digging into his back. She didn¡¯t even care that the water sloshed violently over the tub¡¯s edge.
ir didn¡¯t care that her voice echoed in the marble bathroom.
Roman rose from the water in one fluid motion, water cascading down his chest in rivulets that caught the low light. His eyes never left hers. Hunger. Possession. Every inch of him was carved from tension, his control held together by the thinnest thread.
¡°Up,¡± he ordered, voice low but firm.
ir¡¯s breath hitched. She moved, shaky legs rising out of the bath. The air hit her skin, cool and sharp against the heat burning beneath her flesh. Roman stepped toward her, not bothering with a towel. He grabbed one and roughly ran it down her body¨Cefficient, fast. Not gentle.
¡°Hands on the vanity.¡± Her pulse stuttered. She didn¡¯t hesitate.
16:17 Wed, 18
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+28)
The moment her palms hit the cool marble surface, Roman pressed up behind her. He grabbed her hips, spreading her legs with a knee, then reached up to twist her wet hair in his fist and yank her head back enough to see her eyes in the mirror.
He murmured. ¡°You don¡¯t get to ask. You just take. You understand?¡±
ir¡¯s voice trembled. ¡°Yes, Sir.¡±
¡°Good.¡±
His hand slid down the length of her spine, slow and heavy, before trailing lower to cup her ass and squeeze hard. She gasped. Then he spanked her once¨Csharp, sudden. Her breath caught.
His hand wrapped around her waist, yanking her hips back as he bent her slightly over the counter. ¡°None of your smart mouth now.¡±
She whimpered.
He bent lower, biting the back of her shoulder¨Cnot too hard, just enough to make her shiver¨Cbefore straightening and lining himself up.
Then he thrust into her in one hard, brutal stroke.
ir cried out, her fingers scrabbling against the vanity. She was still swollen for her two climaxes. Roman¡¯s hands mped down on her hips, holding her steady as he pulled back and mmed in again, harder. Rougher.
¡°You like it rough, don¡¯t you?¡± he growled against her ear.
¡°Yes, Sir-¡±
Another hard thrust stole her breath.
His hand came down on her ass again, the sting sharp and electric. He thrust again, and again, punishing and relentless. She could barely breathe, her body locking around him, every nerve ending on fire.
¡°Look at yourself,¡± Romanmanded.
Her eyes met his in the mirror¨Cwild, ssy, needy.
¡°Look what I do to you.¡±
He fucked her deeper then, grabbing her wrists and dragging her arms behind her back, pinning them there with one hand while the other fisted in her hair. She waspletely open to him, bent and exposed, her body jerking with every brutal
stroke.
¡°Roman-¡±
He didn¡¯t stop. Didn¡¯t let up. His body was fire behind her, muscles taut, jaw clenched, his own breath ragged now.
¡°You take me so well,¡± he groaned. ¡°You¡¯re dripping for me, fucking soaked.¡±
She could feel it, slick and obscene between her thighs, the sound of skin on skin echoing off the tiles. Her orgasm was building again, fast and vicious, her legs trembling from the force of it.
¡°Please-¡± she gasped, desperate, shaking. ¡°Please, Sir-¡±
Roman mmed into her harder, deeper, until she shattered¨Cher cry half¨Cmuffled by the cold marble under her cheek as she came, body clenching tight around him.
He kept going, fucking her through it, drawing it out until she was shaking, sobbing, raw.
Only then did he let go. With a groan that sounded more like a growl, Roman thrust once, twice more, then came with a deep, shuddering breath, burying himself to the hilt as he pulsed inside her.
For a moment, they both stayed there. ir slumped over the vanity, him slumped over her back, their breaths the only sound in the
ir didn¡¯t know how she got to bed. Because she was pretty sure she cked out.
AD
Room Mate 62
Sunlight filtered gently through the sheer curtains, spilling golden patterns across the tangled sheets. ir shifted slightly, muscles protesting in a way that vividly reminded her of the night before. Warmth bloomed low in her belly, cheeks flushing at the memories that immediately surfaced.
Roman¡¯s steady heartbeat thudded softly beneath her cheek, his chest rising and falling in a slow, peaceful rhythm. His arm curved possessively around her waist, anchoring her to his side even in sleep.
She smiled faintly, brushing azy fingertip along the defined lines of his abdomen, her mind drifting over everything that had happened¨Cnot justst night, but the week behind them. Her life had turned into a whirlwind of danger and passion. But it was so much more that what she had shared with Dan. Here, tucked against Roman, it felt like the most natural ce to be.
His hand tightened slightly at her waist, signaling he was awake.
ir lifted her head, chin resting lightly on his chest as she met his gaze. Roman watched her quietly, eyes dark and thoughtful in the hazy morning light.
¡°Morning,¡± she murmured, voice still heavy with sleep.
Roman reached up to stroke a thumb over her cheek, the gentle touch sending warmth spiraling through her chest. ¡°Sleep well?¡±
Her lips curved slowly. ¡°Eventually.¡±
His answering smirk was faintly wicked. ¡°Good. That means I did my job properly.¡±
irughed softly, dropping her forehead against his chest with an exasperated sigh. ¡°You¡¯re impossible.¡±
He brushed his knuckles along the curve of her spine, voice dipping lower. ¡°And yet, you like me anyway.¡±
¡°Unfortunately,¡± she teased, nuzzling his shoulder. ¡°I do.¡±
For a long moment, neither moved, simply absorbing the quiet intimacy of the morning. ir closed her eyes, soaking in his warmth and the steady beat of his heart beneath her ear. But Roman broke the silence first, his tone casual, yet carrying a hint of seriousness she couldn¡¯t ignore.
¡°We should talk about the wedding.¡±
ir stilled, lifting her head again, brows pulling together. ¡°The wedding?¡±
¡°Yes,¡± Roman said evenly, watching her reaction closely. ¡°We¡¯ve avoided setting a date. It¡¯s time we fixed that.¡±
Her heartbeat quickened slightly, a strange mixture of anticipation and nerves twisting in her chest. ¡°I thought we had more time.¡±
His expression softened slightly, thumb tracingforting circles on her hip. ¡°We do, but there¡¯s no reason to dy it. I want you as my wife sooner rather thanter.¡±
ir studied him carefully, searching for the hidden meaning behind his words. ¡°Is this because of Jessica?¡±
Roman¡¯s jaw tightened briefly, eyes darkening. ¡°It¡¯s because of us. Jessica might have been the reason I proposed when I did, but she¡¯s not why I want to marry you now. I want it because I want you to belong to me, legally, officially¨Cmine, in every way.¡±
The possessive edge in his voice sent a pleasant shiver down her spine. ¡°Roman Kingston, are you trying to stake a im?¡±
He smrded fumy. No Dealrady done tut more than once. But I want the world to know it. I want you wearing my ring and my name, permanente. I want it tinahred¡±
Sur exhaled secy heart funering in her chest. She couldn¡¯t deny how deeply his word afbered her. Roman Kingston, Scammunt, ansogant sometimes rutes¨Cand yet right now, in this bed, he was just a man making his intentions clear. mentions thut funtly muhed her own more than she was ready to admit.
She chewed gently at her lower in Howsonwere you thinking¡±
His thumb paused is morements eyes holding hers firmly. Within the next few weeks¡±
Stair¡¯s eyes widened ¡°Weeks Are you shitting me
Be dragged in expression entirely polyett. Why wat Were adults. We both know what we want. I want a wife. You want sorty nd subility. There¡¯s no point dragging it out.¡±
She narrowed her eyes though the smile ying at her lips betrayed her feigned annoyance. ¡°Romantic as always, Roman.¡±
He leaned in closer bis listing sofly against hers. If romance is what you want, sweetheart, I¡¯ll give it to you. But let¡¯s set a dire first¡±
ir let out a softugh against his lips Fine. Let¡¯s talk dates. But if we¡¯re doing this fast, we¡¯re keeping it small
¡°Agreed¡± he murmured deepening the kiss briefly before pulling back to meet her gaze again. ¡°Family, close friends. Quiet
but meaningful
Warmth blossomed inside her, making her heart feel light. ¡°That sounds perfect.¡±
He stroked her cheek once more, voice softer now. ¡°Then it¡¯s settled. You pick the date; I¡¯ll handle everything else.¡±
Sheughed softly, shaking her head slightly. ¡°That sounds suspiciously like you¡¯re just going to tell someone else to n our wedding.
He arched a brow, lips twitching. ¡°Oh, trust me, ir. For this, I¡¯m handling every detail personally.¡±
She blinked, touched despite herself. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that.¡±
His fingers brushed along her jaw, tipping her chin up slightly. ¡°I want to. It¡¯s our wedding. And I¡¯m only nning to do this
once.¡±
The certainty in his voice sent warmth rushing through her chest. ¡°Only once?¡±
Roman nodded firmly, expression serious. ¡°Only once. You¡¯re it for me, ir.¡±
She sucked in a soft breath, eyes stinging unexpectedly. ¡°Roman..¡±
He silenced her with another lingering kiss, slow and tender, erasing any hesitation or doubt. By the time he finally pulled back, ir¡¯s heart raced wildly.
¡°You¡¯re it for me, too,¡± she whispered softly, pressing her forehead gently against his.
His hand moved slowly over her belly, the touch deliberate. ¡°Good. Because there¡¯s a very real possibility you could already be carrying my baby after everything we¡¯ve done without protection.¡±
ir¡¯s breath caught, eyes widening. They¡¯d discussed children vaguely, but to hear it said out loud¨Cto realize it might already be happening¨Cmade her pulse quicken. ¡°I.. I know. I thought about it. How do you feel about that?¡±
Roman¡¯s eyes darkened with unmistakable desire and possessiveness. ¡°It makes me want you even more. I want to see you pregnant, ir¨Cmy baby inside you. Our family starting now, sooner rather thanter.¡±
16:17 Wed, 18 Jun
Her heart raced, nerves fluttering alongside a sense of rightness. ¡°You¡¯re serious?¡±
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¡°Completely.¡± His voice was low,manding, brooking, no doubt. ¡°I want it all. You, marriage, babies. And I want it now.¡±
She smiled softly, brushing her fingers gently through his hair, letting the reality sink in. ¡°Then maybe we really shouldn¡¯t wait.¡±
His mouth imed hers again, deeper, more possessive, sealing her words with an intensity that stole her breath. He kissed her like a promise¨Cof forever, of always, of every single tomorrow stretching out ahead of them.
By the time he finally released her, his expression had shifted, quiet intensity reced by something softer. ¡°Good. Because now there¡¯s definitely no chance of me letting you wait.¡±
irughed lightly, tracing the curve of his jaw. ¡°Well, I suppose there are worse fates.¡±
Roman grinned slightly, pulling her back down to him. ¡°Exactly.¡±
And in that moment, with his heartbeat steady beneath her ear and their fingers tangled together, ir finally felt ready. Ready for him, ready for their future, ready for motherhood¨Cready for whatever came next, as long as it included Roman Kingston.
Room Mate 63
Roman looked about ready to take her again when his phone buzzed on the nightstand.
Looking over to see who was calling. His jaw ticked. ¡°It¡¯s Peters.¡±
And just like that, the softness of the morning evaporated.
Roman grabbed the phone, rolling out of bed with a muttered curse. ¡°Peters.¡±
ir sat up slowly, clutching the sheet to her chest, the chill of the room suddenly more noticeable. Her skin prickled. Roman didn¡¯t say anything right away, but she could tell from the stillness in his shoulders that it wasn¡¯t good.
¡°Are you sure?¡± Roman¡¯s tone had sharpened. ¡°Yeah. Email it to me. ir and I will watch it.¡±
He ended the call with a short swipe and just stood there for a second, his jaw locked so tight she could see the tension radiating off him.
ir leaned forward, her stomach twisting. ¡°What is it?¡±
Roman didn¡¯t answer immediately. He crossed the room, grabbed the sweatpants draped over the armchair, and tugged. them on like he needed something¨Canything¨Cto keep his hands busy.
¡°Roman,¡± she pressed, voice tighter now. ¡°Tell me.¡±
He looked at her then. Really looked at her. ¡°Peters pulled something from the second attempt. The one with the falling debris.¡±
stone. ¡°What kind of something?¡±
ar¨Cunmarked¨Cparked across the street from the building twenty minutes before you were almost led away right after the incident. No tes. But we¡¯ve enhanced the image and ran a facial.¡±
chilled. Her hands clenched around the nket. ¡°And?¡±
e exhaled, slow and controlled. ¡°We don¡¯t know the driver. But the guy¡¯s connected to someone. We just need to find out who.¡±
She blinked hard. ¡°Someone like who? Jessica?¡±
Roman hesitated. ¡°No¡ I don¡¯t know. It could be anyone. If they¡¯re not doing it themselves, maybe they hired someone. I need to get my hands on him.¡±
Her pulse thumped in her ears. Her vision went a little blurry. ¡°Are you saying this could be a hitman?¡±
Roman crossed to her, crouched in front of her, his hands gripping her knees. ¡°This could be the kind of dangerous that doesn¡¯t leave loose ends. Someone who will keeping unless we find them¨Cor whoever¡¯s paying them.¡±
She sat frozen. That pressure in her chest was back. That tight, wing feeling she¡¯d been trying to ignore since the party. Since the hospital. Since this all started. ¡°But why me?¡± she whispered, like the words were choking her on the way out. ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything to anyone.¡±
¡°I know,¡± Roman said. ¡°And we¡¯re going to figure it out. I promise you.¡±
She stared at him, heart thudding wildly. ¡°What do we do now?¡±
Roman¡¯s voice turned cold. Measured. ¡°We go on the defensive. I¡¯m going to draw this
guy out.¡±
¡°You¡¯re using yourself as bait?¡± Her voice cracked.
¡±
¡°I¡¯ll protect you.¡± he said, eyes hard, unwavering. ¡°And when we find out who sent him, I¡¯ll make damn sure they regret it.¡±
ir reached for his hand, grounding herself. But even his warmth couldn¡¯t chase the cold settling in her chest. ¡°Roman¡ we¡¯re getting married. I don¡¯t want to n a wedding with a target on my back.¡±
¡°I¡¯m nning the wedding, remember you just need to worry about the dress. This is one of the reasons I want to move fast,¡± he said, brushing his thumb over hers. ¡°So if anything happens, we have the power to make decisions for each other. No red tape. No waiting. No loopholes. No family stopping us.¡±
ir frowned, her chest tightening. ¡°Okay,¡± she said after a moment. ¡°Let¡¯s set a date.¡±
Roman¡¯s expression shifted just slightly. The relief in his eyes was quiet, but unmistakable. He leaned in, kissed her once, gentle and sure. ¡°Soon,¡± he whispered. ¡°Very soon. How about two weeks from today?¡±
¡°Ok.¡±
Roman didn¡¯t say much as they came downstairs, and ir didn¡¯t push. She didn¡¯t have the energy.
After they¡¯d sorted breakfast, she perched on a stool at the ind while Roman opened hisptop and pulled up the email from Peters. The smell of coffee filled the kitchen, but neither of them touched their mugs. Their tes sat barely touched. They hadn¡¯t felt like eating.
Roman clicked on the attachment, his jaw tight. Grainy footage filled the screen¨Ca quiet side street, the shadow of a car. A man stepping out, checking his phone. Cool. Calm. Mechanical. Then getting back in, driving off just after the debris had fallen.
He paused the video and zoomed in.
¡°Peters pulled this off a secondary camera two blocks away,¡± he said quietly. ¡°It¡¯s not clean, but the angle was decent enough for a partial facial enhancement.¡±
ir leaned in as he turned theptop toward her. She squinted at the image. The guy¡¯s face was a blur, but the structure was there¨Csharp jaw, tight mouth, nose that looked like it had been broken before.
Her throat was dry. She tried to focus, tried to breathe. ¡°Do you recognize him?¡± Roman asked.
She stared. Tilted her head and bit the inside of her cheek so hard she tasted blood. She wanted to say yes. Wanted to be useful.
But she shook her head. ¡°No,¡± she said hoarsely. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen him before.¡±
Roman just stared at her for a beat. Then turned the screen back toward himself and tapped at the keys.
ir cupped her mug with both hands, letting the heat bleed into her palms even though her stomach was roiling. ¡°What happens if we can¡¯t ID him?¡±
Roman didn¡¯t look up. ¡°We keep going until we do. But you don¡¯t go anywhere without protection.¡±
She nodded, because what else was there to do? But in her chest, the fear wed a little deeper. Whoever this man was¨Che¡¯d watched her. Followed her. Tried to kill her. And she didn¡¯t even know his name.
She¡¯d never felt so vulnerable in her life.
Room Mate 64
Roman took his promise to handle things personally very seriously.
93%
Byte Tuesday afternoon, ir found herself curled into the oversized leather chair in his home office, watching him argue with a florist like it was a hostile corporate takeover.
¡°How many fucking times?¡± Roman snapped, pinching the bridge of his nose, the phone pressed to his car. ¡°No pink. She doesn¡¯t like pink. I don¡¯t like pink. Nobody here likes pink. Stick to whites, cream, greens¨Canything but fucking pink.¡±
ir tried to smother her grin behind her hand. There was something deeply satisfying about watching Roman Kingston, this powerful, put¨Ctogether man¡ losing his mind over flower arrangements. And for her.
She sat quietly, letting that realization settle. Roman knew she didn¡¯t like pink. It was such a small thing. But he¡¯d remembered. She wasn¡¯t sure she¡¯d ever said it out loud, not directly. Not to him.
Dan, on herst birthday, had bought her a blush pink satin robe and told her it ¡°matched her skin tone.¡± It didn¡¯t matter if it match her skin tone when she didn¡¯t like pink.
Roman, who¡¯d barely known her, had picked up on something Dan never did. The difference cut sharper than she expected.
He ended the call with a sharp ¡°Just fix it,¡± then tossed the phone down with a frustrated sigh. He looked exhausted. Tense.
¡°Remind me again why we¡¯re doing this instead of eloping?¡± he muttered, scrubbing a hand over his face.
ir raised an eyebrow. ¡°Because you insisted on doing it properly,¡± she said, stretching her legs out, bare feet tucked beneath her. ¡°If I had my way, we¡¯d already be married barefoot on a beach somewhere far away from everyone. Like a Pacific Ind, drinking cocktails.¡±
Roman shot her a look. ¡°Now you tell me.¡±
Sheughed, a real one this time, and it settled deep in her chest. Despite everything, she felt good. Whole. For the first time. in weeks, the anxiety wasn¡¯t screaming in her ears. It was still there, but quieter. Manageable. How could it not still be there?. Someone was trying to kill her.
He leaned back in his chair, studying her. ¡°I like that you¡¯re here. Even if you are mocking me.¡±
¡°I like that you¡¯re doing this.¡± She said it softly, fingers tracing along the armrest of the chair. ¡°Not that you¡¯re torturing florists, but¡ that you care. That this matters to you. That you know what colors I dislike.¡±
He blinked like she¡¯d surprised him. ¡°Of course I care,¡± he said, like it should¡¯ve been obvious. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t marry someone I didn¡¯t.¡±
The way he said it¨Clow, unadorned, unshakeable¨Cit hit her harder than any love letter ever could have. He didn¡¯t say pretty things. He just told the truth. She¡¯d take that every time.
¡°You nervous?¡± he asked.
¡°About marrying you?¡±
¡°No,¡± he said, dryly. ¡°About the wedding.¡±
She took a beat, genuinely thinking it through. ¡°A little, maybe. But it¡¯s not the wedding that scares me.¡±
His brow furrowed.
¡°It¡¯s everything else. The threat still hanging over our heads. The fact that we haven¡¯t figured it out. I hate that feeling of waiting for something to blow up again. The other shoe to drop.¡±
16:17 Wed, 18 Jun
+28)
Roman stood and came around the desk. He perched on the edge right in front of her, knees brushing hers. ¡°I¡¯ll handle it. I will protect you.¡±
She looked up, her throat tightening. ¡°I know. I do. I just want it finished. I want to n a life with you without looking over my shoulder.¡±
He cupped her chin, lifting her face. ¡°Soon. I swear to you, ir. We¡¯ll get there.¡±
She exhaled slowly. ¡°Good.¡±
They sat like that for a while, quiet, the silence not ufortable¨Cjust heavy with everything unsaid. Her fingers brushed along his wrist, grounding herself in the feel of him. The reality of him.
Then Roman shifted slightly. ¡°Have you thought more about what we discussed?¡±
She looked up. ¡°What?¡±
¡°You carrying my baby?¡±
The question didn¡¯t shock her. It warmed her. Not soft and romantic. It was heavier than that. Real.
She flushed but didn¡¯t look away. ¡°It was a subject of conversation. Not exactly a n.¡±
Roman¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡°We haven¡¯t exactly been careful.¡±
ir let out a shaky breath. ¡°I noticed.¡±
¡°Does that scare you?¡±
hesitated. Not because she didn¡¯t know¨Cbut because she didn¡¯t want to get it wrong. ¡°No. Not really. Maybe a little. But in a bad way.¡±
He touched her cheek, brushing his thumb softly across it. ¡°You want it?¡±
ir nodded slowly. ¡°Not this second. But¡ yes. Soon. With you.¡±
His face softened. The Roman most people didn¡¯t get to see¨Chers. ¡°Good,¡± he said quietly. ¡°Because I want that too. Not just because I like taking you bare. Though, to be fair, that¡¯s definitely a bonus.¡±
Sheughed, dropping her forehead to his chest. ¡°You are such a shithead.¡±
He smirked, wrapping his arms around her. ¡°You keep forgetting that¡¯s part of my charm.¡±
¡°Keep telling yourself that.¡±
He held her a moment longer, the tension in his frame easing. ¡°Dinner tomorrow night with my parents. They¡¯ll want updates.¡±
ir groaned. ¡°They¡¯re going to think we¡¯re rushing because I¡¯m already pregnant.¡±
Roman snorted. ¡°My mum would be thrilled. I think she¡¯s already got names picked out.¡±
¡°Oh God.¡± ir leaned back. ¡°Should I be scared?¡±
¡°Terrified,¡± Roman said solemnly.
She chuckled, and the weight in her chest lifted again. It didn¡¯tst forever, but right now, in this moment, it was enough.
Roman stood and kissed her temple. ¡°Do you want me to order something for dinner?¡±
Wed, 18
¡°No,¡± she said, Bracing her fingers along his jaw. ¡°I want to cook¡±
He tilted his head, amused. ¡°If you keep looking at me like that, I¡¯m not sure you¡¯ll make it to the kitchen¡±
She got to her feet, checks flushed. ¡°Then I¡¯d better start walking¡±
He caught her wrist before she passed him, pulling her in close. ¡°Later tonight.¡± His voice dropped an octave. ¡°I¡¯m gang, to pick up right where we left off.¡±
Her stomach fluttered. ¡°Good¡±
He let her go, and she turned for the kitchen, barefoot and happy, her heart beating steady, She really was happy
The fear hadn¡¯t gone. The questions hadn¡¯t vanished. But for the first time in days, she wasn¡¯t being ruled by either.
She had Roman. She had the future she wanted, even if it still scared her a little. They no, he had a wedding, to n¨Cand maybe just maybe¡ a baby on the way. She touched her stomach.
501
And for the first time, that didn¡¯t terrify her.
It felt like hope,
Room Mate 65
93%
11
They were having dinner with Roman¡¯s family at a very expensive restaurant. ir was worried about being seen or photographed by the media. They hadn¡¯t gone public yet.
Peters stood discreetly near their table, scanning the room with practiced ease. The other diners paid him no attention, but ir noticed how his gaze lingered on each new arrival.
She smoothed her navy dress, hyperaware of Roman¡¯s mother studying her from across the table. It was friendly¨Cand Roman¡¯s mother wasn¡¯t sizing her up, thank God. She just wanted details.
¡°So, dear, have you thought about colors yet?¡± Eleanor leaned forward. She had already told ir how happy she was that she and Roman were getting married so quickly.
ir nced at Roman, who was deep in conversation with his father about something work¨Crted. ¡°We¡¯re keeping it simple. Small ceremony. But Roman is managing everything. I only need to find a dress.¡±
Roman¡¯s mother looked at him in surprise. ¡°Really? His marriage to Jessica¨Che didn¡¯t do a thing.¡± ir could see this pleased Eleanor no end, that her son was so invested.
¡°Mother,¡± Roman said, showing that even though he had been in conversation with his father, he was still listening in on their exchange. ¡°Can we not discuss my first marriage with my soon¨Cto¨Cbe wife?¡±
¡°I¡¯m merely stating fact-¡±
¡°How¡¯s the salmon here?¡± ir cut in, opening her menu wider than necessary.
Roman¡¯s father, James, cleared his throat. ¡°Excellent. Though I rmend the sea bass.¡±
ir caught the slight smile Roman gave her¨Cgrateful for the deflection. His hand found hers under the table, squeezing gently.
¡°Speaking of rmendations,¡± Eleanor started again, ¡°I know the most wonderful wedding nner-¡±
¡°Mum.¡± Roman¡¯s tone brooked no argument. ¡°ir and I will handle the arrangements. Well¡ me mostly. We¡¯re getting married in less than two weeks. There¡¯s no time for anythingvish. Plus, we don¡¯t want it. We only need each other and our families.¡±
The waiter arrived, providing another wee interruption. They ordered, and ir sipped her water, wishing it were wine. But there was a very slight chance she could be pregnant. She hadn¡¯t taken any tests, but Roman was very active in the bedroom.
¡°At least let me host the engagement party this weekend for our families and friends,¡± Eleanor persisted. ¡°Something intimate. Just family and close friends.¡±
Roman opened his mouth to object, not seeing the point when they would be getting married the week after, but ir touched his arm.
¡°That might be nice, actually. As long as it¡¯s small.¡± ir could see Roman¡¯s mother wanted to be involved.
Eleanor practically beamed. ¡°Of course, dear. I¡¯ll keep it tasteful.¡±
¡°And vetted,¡± Roman added firmly. ¡°Every guest¨Cor this could end uprger than we want.¡±
His mother¡¯s smil¨¦ dimmed slightly. ¡°Roman, you take the fun out of everything-¡±
¡°Every guest,¡± he repeated. ¡°No exceptions. There will need to be security.¡±
16.1
Wed, 18
93%
James set down his whiskey. ¡°Your mother and I understand the situation, son. We¡¯ll take all the necessary precautions.¡±
The tension eased somewhat as their food arrived. ir cut into her fish, the conversation shifting to safer topics. But she noticed how Roman¡¯s shoulders never fully rxed, how his eyes regrly scanned the restaurant.
¡°Are you still thinking about buying the house in ir¡¯s hometown?¡± James asked between bites. ¡°Good investment potential.¡±
That made ir look at Roman. He had been keeping the details very close to his chest on this.
Roman nodded. ¡°The location¡¯s ideal. Easymute to work.¡±
¡°I always said that area is so pretty.¡± Eleanor dabbed her lips with her napkin. ¡°The prices have shot through the roof as more people want out of the city.¡±
¡°What house are you looking at again? I don¡¯t think you said?¡± ir wanted to know. She knew most of the homes in her hometown. Very few would meet Roman¡¯s needs.
Roman¡¯s hand found her knee under the tablecloth, squeezing gently. ¡°It may not pan out. Let¡¯s wait and see.¡±
ir nodded, but she wasn¡¯t sure why he wasn¡¯t saying. She knew it wasn¡¯t her family¡¯s childhood home¨Cbecause it wasn¡¯t on the market. She and her sisters always kept watch. Sentimental reasons only. It wasn¡¯t like they could afford to buy it.
She really liked Roman¡¯s parents. They were easy to be around. By the time they stepped outside, ir was so full she was ready for bed.
Peters brought the car around while Roman helped his mother with her coat.
¡°Drive safely,¡± James said, hugging Roman and kissing ir¡¯s cheek. ¡°We¡¯ll talk about the engagement party tomorrow. We don¡¯t have a lot of time.¡±
They waved goodbye as Roman¡¯s parents climbed into their waiting car. ir exhaled slowly.
¡°That wasn¡¯t so bad,¡± Roman murmured, helping her into the back seat.
¡°I love your parents. Makes me miss mine more.¡±
Roman kissed her. ¡°I wish I could give them to you.¡±
Peters pulled away from the curb, merging into light traffic. ir leaned against Roman¡¯s shoulder, suddenly tired.
¡°Thank you.¡±
His expression softened in the passing streetlights. ¡°I want to marry you. This isn¡¯t just about Jessica. I need you to know that.¡±
Before ir could say anything, Peters suddenly tensed. ¡°Sir.¡±
Roman straightened immediately. ¡°What is it?¡±
¡°ck SUV. Three cars back. It¡¯s been following us since we left the restaurant.¡±
ir¡¯s heart rate spiked as Roman shifted to look out the rear window. His arm came around her protectively.
¡°Take the next right,¡± he ordered. ¡°Let¡¯s see if they follow.¡±
Peters turned sharply. The SUV mirrored their movement.
¡°Faster,¡± Roman said quietly. ¡°But don¡¯t make it obvious.¡±
16:17 Wed, 18 Jun
They weaved through side streets, each turn confirmed by the pursuing vehicle. ir¡¯s hands clenched in herp.
93%
¡°Call it in,¡± Roman told Peters. ¡°Get Ethan heading our way.¡± He was angry with himself for not having Ethan follow ther tonight. But thest few days had been so quiet.
Peters was already reaching for his phone when the SUV suddenly elerated, ramming their back bumper. ir jerked forward, Roman¡¯s arm the only thing keeping her in ce.
¡°Hold on,¡± Peters warned, pressing the gas. But the SUV was faster. Heavier. It mmed into them again¨Charder.
(+28)
The third hit sent them spinning. ir screamed as Roman threw himself over her, shielding her body with his own. Metal screamed against metal. ss shattered.
Then everything went ck.
Room Mate 66
ir¡¯s first thought was that everything hurt like hell.
Her second thought was that someone was yelling her name with a kind of desperate panic she¡¯d never heard before.
¡°ir! Jesus Christ, ir, open your fucking eyes!¡±
Roman. That was definitely Roman, and he sounded¡ scared? She¡¯d never heard Roman sound scared. Pissed off, sure. Coldly furious, absolutely. But scared?
She tried to open her eyes, but her eyelids felt like they were glued shut. Everything was spinning, and there was a metallic taste in her mouth that she was pretty sure was blood.
¡°ir, sweetheart, I need you to look at me.¡±
There was something in his voice¡ a softness. It¡¯s what made her force her eyes open. The world swam in and out of focus, but Roman¡¯s face gradually came into view above her. There was blood trickling down from a cut on his forehead and there was a lot of blood on the top of his shoulder.
¡°There you are,¡± he said, and she could hear the relief in his voice even through the ringing in her ears. ¡°Stay with me, baby.¡±
¡°What¡¡± Her voice came out as a croak. ¡°What happened?¡±
¡°That fucking SUV. They rammed us.¡± Roman¡¯s hand was on her face, his thumb gently stroking her cheek. ¡°Don¡¯t try to move yet. The paramedics are on their way.¡±
ir blinked, trying to piece together her scattered memories. Dinner with Roman¡¯s parents. The long drive home. The ck SUV following them. Then the impact¨CGod, the impact. She remembered Roman throwing himself over her as the world exploded into spinning metal and shattering ss.
¡°Peters?¡± she managed to ask.
¡°Alive. Pissed as hell and bleeding from his nose, but still with thend of the living.¡± Roman¡¯s jaw was clenched tight. ¡°He¡¯s get backup to meet us at the hospital so here can stay here and work with the police.¡±
ir tried to sit up and immediately regretted it as pain shot through her ribs. ¡°Ouch¡ That hurts.¡±
¡°I told you not to move.¡± Roman¡¯s voice carried that edge she knew meant he was barely holding onto his control. ¡°You hit your head pretty hard.¡±
¡°No, you told me to try not to move.¡±
She could hear sirens now, getting louder. The shing lights were reflecting off what was left of their windshield in red and blue re that made her headache worse.
¡°Did they get away?¡± she asked. ¡°The people who hit us?¡±
Roman¡¯s expression darkened, and she saw that familiar cold fury settle over his features. ¡°For now. But not for long. Peters got a partial te, and there¡¯s a traffic cam on the corner. We¡¯ll find these fuckers.¡±
¡°Sir.¡± Peters appeared at what used to be the driver¡¯s side window, blood streaming from his nose but looking remarkablyposed for someone who¡¯d just been in a car wreck. ¡°Ambnce is here. They want to get Miss Warner out first.¡±
¡°No,¡± ir said immediately. ¡°Roman¡¯s bleeding more than I am.¡±
¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Roman said, though the way he was holding his left arm suggested otherwise.
16:17 Wed, 18 Jun
¡°You¡¯re not fine, you stubborn shithead. Your shoulder¡ that¡¯s a lot of blood.¡±
¡°My shoulder can fucking wait.¡± His voice brooked no argument. ¡°You have a head injury. They need to check for a
concussion.¡±
¡°Again.¡±
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28
Before ir could argue further, paramedics and firefighters were swarming around them, cutting through twisted metal to get to her. Her door was smashed in and couldn¡¯t be opened. She caught a glimpse of their car as they extracted her from the wreckage. The back end was crushed like an ordion, the rear windowpletely gone. It could have been a lot worse.
She pushed that thought away as the paramedics loaded her onto a stretcher.
¡°Roman,¡± she called out as they wheeled her toward the waiting ambnce.
¡°Right behind you,¡± he said. She could see he was being helped onto a second stretcher despite his loud protests that he could walk just fine. ¡°Peters, call my parents. And call Sutton and Keira. Don¡¯t sugarcoat it, but don¡¯t make them panic, either.¡± Roman said.
¡°Already on it, sir.¡±
The ambnce doors closed, sealing them inside. The lights were dimmed, which helped ir. Roman¡¯s stretcher was positioned so they could see each other, and ir immediately reached for his hand.
His fingers intertwined with hers instantly, his grip strong and reassuring.
¡°This is getting really old,¡± she said, trying to inject some humor into the situation. ¡°I hope they are right and it onlyes in threes.¡±
Roman¡¯sugh was strained. ¡°Tell me about it. But we¡¯re alive, and that¡¯s what matters.¡±
ir squeezed his hand tighter. ¡°Do you think this was him? The same asshole who¡¯s been trying to kill me?¡±
¡°Has to be. The timing, the coordination¨Cthis wasn¡¯t some random road rage incident.¡± Roman¡¯s voice was ice cold with controlled fury. ¡°But they fucked up this time. They left evidence. And now they¡¯ve really pissed me off.¡±
ir studied his profile in the low light of the ambnce. She¡¯d seen Roman angry before at ipetent employees, at business rivals, at Dan for being a cheating piece of shit. But this was different. This was deadly.
¡°How bad is the pain?¡± the paramedic asked, shining a light in her eyes.
¡°Like someone took a baseball bat to my skull,¡± ir admitted. ¡°And my ribs feel like they¡¯re on fire.¡±
¡°Scale of one to ten?¡±
¡°Seven. Maybe eight.¡±
Roman¡¯s grip on her hand tightened. She looked over to see him watching her with an expression of barely controlled
worry.
¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± she said softly, meant just for him.
¡°You¡¯re not okay. You¡¯re hurt because¡¡± He didn¡¯t finish the sentence. His voice was quiet but deadly. ¡°That ends now.¡±
¡°Roman-¡±
¡°No, ir. I¡¯m done with this reactive bullshit. We¡¯re going on the offensive.¡± His gray eyes were hard as steel. ¡°Whoever¡¯s behind this is about to learn what happens when theye after what¡¯s mine.¡±
16:17 Wed, 18 Jun
(+28)
The possessiveness in his voice should have annoyed her. A week ago, it might have. But now, lying on a stretcher with her head pounding and her ribs screaming, she found it oddlyforting.
Roman was hers, and she was his, and anyone who tried to change that was going to regret it. They may not be toward for the right reasons and marrying for them either, but she was more happy with him than she had ever been with Dan.
Some things were just meant to happen. Maybe not someone trying to kill her, but the other stuff was good.
By the time they reached the hospital, ir¡¯s headache had settled into a steady throb, and she was feeling more alert and less shaky.
The paramedics wheeled them through the sliding automatic doors of the ER area of the hospital, and ir caught sight of the waiting room, which was packed with the usualte night mayhem of drunk college students and ident victims. She was getting very sick of the sight of hospitals and this time it had been someone else hurt again. First Kara and now Roman.
The paramedic started to push them towards separate rooms for examination.
¡°Separate rooms? Hell no,¡± Roman asked the paramedic handling his stretcher.
¡°Standard protocol,¡± the woman replied. ¡°But you¡¯ll both be next to each.¡±
¡°Like hell,¡± Roman said. ¡°Where she goes, I go.¡±
¡°Sir, I understand your concern, but¡ª¡±
understand shit,¡± Roman cut her off, his voice carrying that tone that made CEOs of Fortune 500panies lo his bidding. ¡°That woman is my fianc¨¦e, and someone just tried to murder both of us. We¡¯re not getting
edic looked like she was going to argue, but something in Roman¡¯s expression made her think better of it. ¡°I¡¯ll see can do.¡±
ir would haveughed if her ribs didn¡¯t hurt so much. Even injured and bleeding, Roman could intimidate medical professionals into submission. It was actually kind of impressive.
¡°You don¡¯t have to order people around on my behalf,¡± she said as they wheeled her down the hallway.
Roman looked at her like she¡¯d lost her mind. ¡°ir, someone just tried to kill you. Again. You think I¡¯m letting you out of my sight for even a second?¡±
Put like that, she supposed, his protectiveness made sense. And honestly? She didn¡¯t want to be away from him, either. The thought of being alone in some hospital room away from him while doctors poked and prodded her made her stomach. clench with anxiety. It could also have something to do with someone trying to kill her.
¡°Okay,¡± she said simply. ¡°But try not to traumatize too many nurses.¡±
Roman¡¯s smile was sharp. ¡°No promises.¡±
Room Mate 67
93%
+28)
The emergency room was absolutely manic, and ir¡¯s headache wasn¡¯t improving with all the noise. Crying babies, drunk college kids arguing with nurses, and some guy who¡¯d apparently super¨Cglued his hand to a beer bottle. Just another night in the city.
She was lying on a gurney in what was the hospital examination room, but was really just a space sectioned off by curtains that did nothing to block out the noise. Roman was right next to her, much to his disgust, arguing with a doctor about why he didn¡¯t need X¨Crays on his shoulder.
¡°My shoulder¡¯s fine,¡± Roman was saying for the third time.
¡°Sir, you have a visible dislocation and you¡¯re bleeding,¡± the young man doctor replied patiently. ¡°We need to-¡±
But the young doctor was no match for Roman in a bad mood. ¡°What I need is to stay with my fianc¨¦e until we know she doesn¡¯t have a serious head injury. You are not wheeling me anywhere.¡±
ir would have rolled her eyes if it didn¡¯t make her dizzy. ¡°Roman, just let them fix your damn shoulder.¡±
¡°After they clear you for a concussion.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t have a concussion.¡±
¡°You don¡¯t know that.¡±
The doctor looking after her, she couldn¡¯t see her name tag. Bent down to check her pupils with that annoying little shlight, cleared her throat. ¡°Actually, she¡¯s right. Mild concussion at worst. Her pupils are responsive, she¡¯s coherent, and her neurological responses are normal.¡± She clicked off the light, which was a relief. ¡°You¡¯ll have a headache for a day or two, but you should be fine.¡±
No one needed to tell her about having a headache.
Roman visibly rxed. ¡°Thank you.¡±
¡°Now, will you please let us look at your shoulder?¡± The male doctor asked.
¡°Fine. But I¡¯m not going anywhere. Just set it back in ce.¡±
ir squeezed Roman¡¯s hand before the doctors pulled a curtain across in between their beds. She could hear himining about hospital gowns. ir couldn¡¯t help smirking. He really was a terrible patient. He wasn¡¯t in control and ir knew Roman liked control.
¡°Is he always this¡¡± The doctor, still with her, paused and looked around at the curtain where Roman was, searching for the right word.
¡°Controlling? Overprotective? Generally annoying when he¡¯s worried?¡± ir supplied. ¡°Pretty much, yeah.¡±
¡°I heard that.¡± Came Roman voice.
¡°He cares about you.¡±
¡°I know.¡± ir touched the bandage on her forehead. The doctor had been cleaning up the small cut before covering it. ¡°Someone¡¯s been trying to kill me. He¡¯s taking it personally.¡±
The other woman¡¯s eyebrows shot up. ¡°Seriously?¡±
¡°Yeah. This is the third attempt.¡± ir realized how insane that sounded. ¡°It¡¯s been a really weird week.¡±
16:17 Wed, 18 Jun
Before the doctor could respond, she heard familiar voices in the hallway, one worried, one loud and argumentative, both definitely approaching fast.
¡°Excuse me, we¡¯re looking for ir Warner-¡±
¡°I don¡¯t give a shit. We want to see her now. Our sister was in a car ident-
¡°Ma¡¯am, you need to calm down-¡±
¡°Don¡¯t tell me to calm down! And why is this ce so fucking confusing?¡±
Sutton and Keira. Of course, they were already here.
¡±
¡°ir!¡± Keira¡¯s voice was getting closer. ¡°ir, where are you? This ce is like a maze designed by sadists!¡±
¡°In here!¡± ir called out, then immediately regretted it as her head pounded.
The curtain was yanked back. It was a good thing she wasn¡¯t naked. Keira appeared, looking like she¡¯d thrown on the first clothes she could find. Her hair was in a messy bun, and she had what looked like chocte on her shirt.
¡°Jesus, you look terrible,¡± was the first thing out of her mouth.
¡°Thanks. You¡¯ve got chocte on your shirt.¡±
¡°I was stress¨Ceating Ben and Jerry¡¯s in the car. While Sutton drove.¡± Keira looked her up and down. ¡°On a scale of one to ten, how dead are you?¡±
¡°About a three. Maybe four when Iugh.¡±
Sutton appeared behind Keira, moreposed but with that look of barely controlled worry that ir recognized from their teenage years. ¡°How¡¯s your head? Any dizziness? Nausea? Double vision?¡±
¡°I¡¯m fine, Doctor Sutton. The doctor already checked everything.¡± ir tried to sit up straighter and winced. ¡°Roman¡¯s the one who dislocated his shoulder and came worse off than me this time. He shielded me with his body. I still managed to hit my head, though.¡±
¡°Because he¡¯s an idiot who threw himself over you,¡± Sutton said, but there was approval in her voice. ¡°Which, for the record, was the right thing to do as far as we are
concerned.¡±
From behind the other curtain, Roman¡¯s voice carried over: ¡°I can hear you talking about me.¡±
¡°We¡¯re saying nice things!¡± Keira called back. Then, quieter, ¡°Mostly.¡±
¡°How bad was the car?¡± Sutton asked, settling into the stic chair beside ir¡¯s gurney.
¡°Toast. The whole back end was crushed. I think my side hit a tree, but it¡¯s all pretty fuzzy.¡± ir touched the bandage on her forehead again. ¡°If Roman hadn¡¯t¡¡± She didn¡¯t finish the sentence.
¡°But he did,¡± Sutton said firmly. ¡°And you¡¯re both okay. That¡¯s what matters.¡±
¡°Speak for yourself,¡± Keira said, flopping into the other chair. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I took ten years off my life when Peters called. Do you know how terrifying it is to get a phone call that starts with ¡°There¡¯s been an ident, but everyone¡¯s alive? Alive doesn¡¯t mean ok.¡±
¡°Sorry. I didn¡¯t exactly n this.¡± ir felt guilty that what was going on was stressing out her sister. With Sutton being pregnant, it was thest thing she needed.
¡°I know that. I¡¯m just saying, my heart can¡¯t take much more of this.¡± Keira paused.
16:17 Wed, 18 Jun
¡°Tell me about it. It¡¯s happening to me.¡±
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¡°I know.¡± Keira grinned. ¡°So, was this the same asshole who¡¯s been trying to turn you into roadkill, or do you have multiple enemies now?¡±
¡°Same asshole, we think. God, I hope so or my life really has turned to shit.¡± ir sighed. ¡°Roman says Peters knows the make and model of car and he also got part of the te number. Before the other car took off.¡±
¡°Good,¡± Sutton said, and there was steel in her voice. ¡°Because I¡¯m getting really tired of people trying to hurt my sister.¡±
The curtain was pushed aside, and Roman appeared with his left arm in a sling and a grim expression. ¡°Peters just messaged.¡±
¡°And?¡± ir asked, though she could tell by his face it wasn¡¯t great news.
¡°They found the SUV. Abandoned and torched about ten miles from here.¡± Roman¡¯s jaw was tight. ¡°Nothing left to trace, even the VIN number was gone.¡±
¡°So we¡¯re back to square one?¡± Sutton asked.
¡°Not exactly.¡± Roman pulled out his phone. ¡°But they did get something from the traffic cameras before the car was destroyed. A clear shot of the driver.¡±
ir felt her stomach drop. ¡°Did you recognize him?¡±
¡°No.¡± Roman turned to phone for her to look at the screen. ¡°Do you?¡±
ir looked at the graining photo before shaking her head.
¡°Peters is getting a friend of his to run it through the FBI database. We should know something soon.¡±
Keira threw up her hands, clearly upset. ¡°So basically, we¡¯re ying the world¡¯s most dangerous game of waiting.¡±
¡°Pretty much,¡± Roman said. ¡°But I¡¯m working on something that could lead me to who is doing this.¡±
¡°What?¡± Sutton asked.
¡°I think this..¡± Pointing the the image on his phone. ¡°is a professional job. So I¡¯m going to follow the money.¡±
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Room Mate 68
ir was discharged two hourster with a bottle of painkillers and strict instructions to take it easy for the next few days. Roman had managed to charm, intimidate, or bribe someone into letting them leave at the same time, despite the doxor wanting him to stay the night.
Roman¡¯s parents had called to talk to Roman, but he told them to stay home. They would be going home soon, anyway,
¡°I¡¯m driving,¡± Sutton announced as they walked toward the hospital parking area.
¡°Thank Sutton, but,¡± Roman said. ¡°Ethan¡¯s meeting us with a car
¡°I hope you are letting him drive because you have one good arm and you¡¯re on pain meds¡±
¡°I¡¯m not on pain meds. I refused them?
ir looked at him. ¡°You refused pain medication for a dislocated shoulder?¡±
¡°Pain meds make you slow, Can¡¯t afford to be slow right now¡±
¡°Jesus Christ, you¡¯re stubborn. That¡¯s why you have security, right?¡± Keira muttered,
Just as Keira stopped say that, Ethan appeared with a ck SUV, nked by two other security vehicles, ir was getting used to the convoy thing, but it still felt weird. But there was more security than before. Had Peters or Roman got more
men?
¡°Shit, anyone would think you were royalty or something like that,¡± Keira said before kissing ir on the cheek.
Sutton kissed her as well before turningser eyes on Roman. ¡°Look after her.¡±
Roman nodded, exhausted, but he would protect ir with his life. He hadn¡¯t worked so hard to get her to lose her now. ¡°I need you both toe back to the estate. I need it¡¯ste, but I need to share some information with you.¡±
Sutton tilted her head. ¡°What?¡±
¡°It¡¯s better youe back to the estate. I have all the information there, and you need to see it.¡±
Twenty minutester, they were back at Roman¡¯s estate, sitting in his office while Petersid out everything they¡¯d found so far. ir¡¯s head was still pounding, but she needed to hear this.
¡°The driver¡¯s name is Marcus Kellner,¡± Peters said, pulling up a file on hisptop. ¡°Ex¨Cmilitary, dishonorably discharged five years ago for excessive violence. Since then, he¡¯s been frencing.¡±
¡°Frencing what?¡± Sutton asked,
¡°The kind of work that doesn¡¯t appear on tax returns,¡± Roman said grimly.
¡°A hitman,¡± ir said tly. ¡°Someone hired a fucking hitman to kill me.¡±
It was one thing to suspect it. It was another thing to have it confirmed.
¡°Professional grade,¡± Peters confirmed. ¡°Kellner doesn¡¯te cheap. We¡¯re talking significant money¨Cthe kind that leaves a paper trail if you know where to look.¡±
Roman leaned forward. ¡°How significant?¡±
¡°Based on his previous jobs? Probably fifty thousand, minimum. Maybe more, given the multiple attempts and the high- profile nature of the target.¡±
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ir felt sick. ¡°High¨Cprofile? I¡¯m a secretary.¡±
¡°You¡¯re a secretary engaged to one of the most powerful men in the city,¡± Peters pointed out. ¡°That makes you high¨Cprofile by association.¡±
¡°So someone paid fifty grand to have me killed because I¡¯m marrying Roman?¡± ir looked at her fianc¨¦. ¡°Jessica?¡±
Roman shook his head. ¡°Jessica¡¯s crazy, but she¡¯s not murderous crazy. And she doesn¡¯t have that kind of cash. That¡¯s why she wants me back.¡±
Keira whistled. ¡°Nice to be wanted for your wallet.¡±
¡°Then who?¡± ir needed to know this was her life on the line.
¡°That¡¯s what we¡¯re going to find out,¡± Peters said. ¡°I¡¯ve got people tracking Kellner¡¯s finances, looking for the source of his payment. Professional killers usually get paid through intermediaries, but there¡¯s always a trail.¡±
¡°How long will that take?¡± Keira asked.
¡°Could be days. Could be weeks. Depends on how careful they were,¡± Peters told them all.
¡°We don¡¯t have weeks,¡± Roman said. ¡°This bastard¡¯s escting. Tonight proves that.¡±
ir rubbed her temples. Between the concussion and the stress, her head felt like it was going to explode. ¡°What about motive? Who benefits if I¡¯m dead?¡±
went quiet for a moment.
tually a good question,¡± Sutton said slowly. ¡°I mean, who does benefit?¡±
couldn¡¯t be Dan or Laura. Dan is a coward, and Laura has what she wants.¡± ir was thinking out loud. ¡°My death doesn¡¯t really change anything for them.¡±
¡°Yeah, the bread basket.¡± Keira mumbled.
¡°What about your family¡¯s money?¡± Roman asked. ¡°The trust funds, the inheritance from your parents?¡±
¡°What inheritance? Uncle Peter said Warner Industries was basically broke when my parents died. Everything went to keeping thepany afloat. Plus a whole heap of his money. Thewyer told us that was the only thing that stop thepany from bankruptcy and everyone losing their jobs.¡± Sutton exined. She was older when their parents died and remembered more.
Roman and Peters exchanged a look that ir didn¡¯t like.
¡°What?¡± she demanded.
¡°ir,¡± Roman said carefully, ¡°I¡¯ve been looking into Warner Industries¡® finances. Something you said didn¡¯t make sense to me,¡±
¡°And?¡±
¡°Warner Industries wasn¡¯t broke when your parents died. Its worth was at least fifty million dors, probably more.¡±
ir stared at him. ¡°That¡¯s impossible. Uncle Peter said-¡±
¡°Uncle Peter lied,¡± Roman said bluntly. ¡°Thepany¡¯s had been profitable for years. Very profitable. We believe thewyer was paid off to somehow faked the finances of thepany, because now he is living it up on a tropical ind. A very wealthy man.¡±
16:18 Wed, 18 Jun
¡°How could he?¡± ir¡¯s voice was barely a whisper.
¡°Because if Warner Industries is worth fifty million dors, and your parents died while you guys were still very young. It was like taking candy from a baby.¡±
ir felt like the floor had dropped out from under her. The room was spinning, and it wasn¡¯t just from the concussion.
¡°But we saw the paperwork,¡± Sutton said slowly. ¡°Thewyer showed us everything. The debts, the bankruptcy proceedings¡¡±
¡°All fake,¡± Peters said, pulling up another file on hisptop. We tracked down thewyer who handled your parents¡® estate. Harold Brennan. Turns out he¡¯s been living in the Cayman Inds for the past eight years. Veryfortable lifestyle for someone who supposedly helped save a failingpany.¡±
ir¡¯s hands were shaking. ¡°So Uncle Peter¡ he stole everything?¡±
¡°Not just stole,¡± Roman said grimly. ¡°We think your parents¡® deaths¡¡± He didn¡¯t know how he was going to tell them, tell ir what they had found out.
¡°You think he killed them?¡± Keira¡¯s voice was barely above a whisper.
¡°We think your parents¡® ne crash wasn¡¯t an ident,¡± Peters said carefully. ¡°And I think Peter Warner wanted what your parents had before you girls got older.¡±
ir stood up abruptly, then immediately sat back down as dizziness hit her. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to be sick.¡±
Sutton moved to her side immediately. ¡°Breathe, ir. Just breathe.¡±
¡°Our uncle killed our parents,¡± ir said numbly. ¡°And now he¡¯s trying to kill us¡. well me anyway. But why me?¡±
¡°We don¡¯t know that for sure yet. It could be because questions started to get asked and you are now involved with someone as powerful as Roman.¡± Peters said. ¡°We¡¯re building a case. evidence is stilling in.¡±
Roman¡¯s phone buzzed. He nced at it, and his expression darkened even further. ¡°That was my contact at First National Bank. Peter Warner just tried to make arge cash withdrawal. Fifty thousand dors.¡±
¡°For another payment to Kellner,¡± ir said.
¡°That¡¯s what we think. But here¡¯s the interesting part¨Cthe bank gged it as suspicious and put a hold on the transaction.¡±
¡°Why?¡± Sutton asked.
¡°Because fifty thousand in cash raises red gs, especially from a business ount. They have to report anything over ten thousand to the government.¡± Roman¡¯s smile was cold. ¡°Peter¡¯s getting sloppy. The hitman isn¡¯t a business, so it was for a personal ount.
Peters closed hisptop. ¡°He¡¯s probably calling the bank right now, trying to figure out why his money¡¯s tied up.¡±
¡°How long before he realizes it¡¯s not just a temporary hold?¡± ir asked.
¡°Not long,¡± Roman said. ¡°Which means he¡¯s going to panic. And when people panic, they make mistakes.¡±
ir looked around the room at her sisters, Roman, and Peters. Her family¡ what was left of it and the people trying to keep her alive.
¡°So what do we do now?¡± she asked.
¡°Now we wait for him to make that mistake,¡± Roman said. ¡°And when he does, we¡¯ll be ready.¡±
16:18 Wed
¡°I want to confront him.¡± ir said suddenly, ¡°I want to look him in the eye and ask him why he killed our parents.¡±
Absolutely not. Roman said immediately
¡°ir, that¡¯s¨CSutton started.
¡°Suicide.¡± Keira finished. ¡°Complete suicide.
¡°He¡¯s our uncle. He raised us after our parents died. True, they did a shit job,¡± ir¡¯s voice was getting stronger. ¡°I want to know why I want to hear him say it.
¡°He raised you so you wouldn¡¯t ask questions. It would be odd if they didn¡¯t take you in,¡± Peters pointed out. ¡°And now he¡¯s trying to kill you to keep it all quiet. Family loyalty doesn¡¯t mean shit to him.¡±
Roman was studying ir¡¯s face. ¡°What are you really thinking?¡±
ir met his eyes Tm thinking Uncle Peter believes he¡¯s gotten away with murder for ten years. I¡¯m thinking he¡¯s arrogant enough to believe he can do it again.¡± She paused. ¡°And I¡¯m thinking we can use that against him.¡±
You want to bait him?¡± Roman said slowly.
I want to make him think he¡¯s won. Let him getfortable, let him think his n worked.¡± ir¡¯s voice was steadying as the idea took shape. ¡°Then we record him confessing to everything.¡±
Sutton was shaking her head. ¡°That¡¯s too dangerous.¡±
¡°Everything¡¯s dangerous right now,¡± ir pointed out. ¡°At least this way, we¡¯re in control.¡±
Roman was quiet for a long moment, and ir could practically see the gears turning in his head.
¡°It could work,¡± he said finally. ¡°But we¡¯d need to be very careful about how we set it up. Your safetyes first.¡±
¡°Roman.¡± Sutton said warningly.
¡°No, he¡¯s right,¡± Keira said suddenly. ¡°Uncle Peter thinks he¡¯s smarter than everyone else. He¡¯s been ying this game for ten years, and no one¡¯s caught him. His ego is his weakness. ir isn¡¯t safe until this is over.¡±
ir felt a cold knot of determination settle in her stomach. ¡°Then let¡¯s use it.¡±
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Room Mate 69
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The next morning, ir woke up feeling like she¡¯d been hit by a truck. Which, technically, it may not have been a truck, but the SUV that had hit them was the next best thing. Her ribs ached, her head was pounding.
She stretched out an arm to Roman¡¯s side of the bed, only to find it cold and empty. Looking at the clock on Roman¡¯s side so she didn¡¯t have to turn over to see hers. It was early 6am; she had only slept a few hours. No wonder her eyes felt like sandpaper.
ir got up to hunt Roman down. She found him in his office, still wearing yesterday¡¯s clothes, surrounded by papers. A coffee cup was within easy reach. He looked like he hadn¡¯t slept at all.
¡°Please tell me you didn¡¯t stay up all night,¡± she said, settling carefully into the chair across from his desk.
¡°I couldn¡¯t sleep. Too much to think about.¡± Roman looked up at her, and she could see the exhaustion on his face, but also something else¨Crelief that she was awake and moving around. ¡°How are you feeling?¡±
¡°Like hell. But functional.¡± ir epted his coffee. He handed her gratefully, their fingers brushing as he passed her the mug. The simple touch sent warmth through her that had nothing to do with the coffee. ¡°What have you been working on?¡±
¡°The n. If we¡¯re really going to do this thing with your uncle, we need to be smart about it.¡± Roman stood and moved around the desk, settling on the edge, so he was closer to her. ¡°Peters has been running surveince on your aunt and uncle¡¯s house and office. He¡¯s definitely panicking. Made six calls to the bank yesterday, and he was seen pacing the parking area at the office.¡±
¡°Good. Panicked people are sloppy people.¡±
¡°Exactly. But we still need to be careful. This isn¡¯t some corporate negotiation where the worst thing that happens is you lose money.¡± Roman reached out and brushed a piece of hair behind her ear, his fingers lingering against her cheek. ¡°If we screw this up, I lose you. And that¡¯s not happening.¡±
The way he said it¡ like losing her would destroy him. It made ir¡¯s chest tight with something that wasn¡¯t fear. This had to be more than just convenience and lust. Because she knew she loved him. Loved him in a way she had never felt for Dan.
¡°So what¡¯s the n?¡± she asked, leaning slightly into his touch.
Roman turned hisptop so she could see the screen better, but he stayed close enough that she could smell him. ¡°We make him think you¡¯re dead.¡±
¡°What?¡±
¡°Think about it. The car crashst night was pretty bad, not terrible, but people die from head injuries all the time. What if you didn¡¯t make it? What if you died from your injuries at the hospital? Swelling on the brain.
ir stared at him. ¡°You want to fake my death?¡±
¡°Only temporarily. And only to Peter.¡± Roman¡¯s hand found hers, intertwining their fingers. ¡°If he thinks you¡¯re dead, he¡¯ll rx. He¡¯ll think his problem is solved.¡±
ir looked down at their joined hands¨Chisrger, rougher from years of work, but gentle when they touched her. ¡°But how do we-¡±
¡°We control the information flow. Peters has contacts at the hospital who can help us fake medical records. We put out word that you died fromplications from your head injury.¡±
ir was quiet for a moment, thinking it through. Roman¡¯s thumb was tracing small circles on the back of her hand, and she wasn¡¯t sure if he was doing it tofort her or himself.
¡°What about my sisters? They¡¯ll have to know I¡¯m alive, right? I mean, they saw mest night. I wasn¡¯t that hurt. If anything,
16:18 Wed, 18 Jun
you got hurt more.¡±
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¡°Of course. But we tell them to act devastated. Really sell it.¡± Roman pulled up another file with his free hand, unwilling to let go of her. ¡°The funeral would be in three days. That gives Peter time to getfortable, maybe even start trying to hide his traces. He has to wonder if your sisters know anything as well.¡±
¡°And then? Hey, we are not putting my sisters in danger, are we?¡±
¡°Then youe back from the dead at your own funeral and confront him in front of everyone. Do you really think I would let anything happen to your sisters? Plus, he will need time toe up with a n if he wanted anything to them. It would need to look like an ident, not murder. The spotlight would be on him then.¡±
ir had to admit, it was a good n. Dramatic as hell, but good. ¡°There¡¯s just one problem.¡±
¡°What?¡± Roman¡¯s voice was soft, concerned.
¡°What if he doesn¡¯t confess? What if he just denies everything?¡±
Roman brought their joined hands to his lips and pressed a gentle kiss to her knuckles. The gesture was so tender it made her breath catch. ¡°That¡¯s where the second part of the nes in. While he thinks you¡¯re dead, we¡¯re going to tear his life apart. Bank records, business transactions, everything. By the time you confront him, we¡¯ll have enough evidence to bury him.¡±
¡°And Kellner?¡±
¡°Already taken care of. Peters¡® FBI contact picked him up this morning trying to board a flight to Mexico.¡± Roman¡¯s expression was satisfied, but his grip on her hand tightened protectively. ¡°He¡¯s not going anywhere, and he is ready to sing like a bird.¡±
ir felt some of the tension leave her shoulders. ¡°So, when do we start?¡±
¡°Today. Peters is already spreading word at the hospital that your condition took a turn for the worse during the night.¡± Roman closed theptop and turned to face her fully. ¡°By this afternoon, the official story will be that ir Warner died. fromplications rted to her head injury.¡±
ir looked at him¨Creally looked at him. Dark circles under his eyes, stubble on his jaw, clothes rumpled from being worn too long. He¡¯d been nning this all night, working out every detail to keep her safe.
¡°Roman?¡±
¡°Yeah?¡± His voice was rough with exhaustion and something deeper.
¡°Thank you. For everything. I know this isn¡¯t what you signed up for when you asked me to marry you.¡±
Roman was quiet for a long moment. Then he cupped her face in both hands, his thumbs brushing across her cheekbones.
¡°ir, what I signed up for was you. All of you. The good, the bad, and the apparently homicidal rtives.¡± His eyes were intense, searching her face. ¡°I don¡¯t give up on things I want. And I want you. Forever. No matter what we have to go through to get there.¡±
The words hit her like a punch to the chest, but in the best way. ir leaned forward until their foreheads touched, breathing in the space between them.
¡°Thank you,¡± she whispered. ¡°God, Roman, I lo¡. you mean so much to me more than I thought possible.¡± She just wasn¡¯t ready to tell him yet how she felt. Soon, no matter what soon.
¡°Good,¡± he murmured back, his lips barely brushing hers. ¡°It should scare you. Because I¡¯m never letting you go.¡±
ir¡¯s phone rang, shattering the moment. She nced at the screen and felt her blood go cold.
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¡°It¡¯s Uncle Peter,¡± she said.
O
Roman¡¯s expression immediately sharpened, but his hands stayed gentle on her face. ¡°Don¡¯t answer it.¡±
¡°But what if-¡±
¡°ir.¡± His voice was firm but tender. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to be dead, remember? Let it go to voicemail.¡±
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They sat in tense silence as her phone continued to ring. Roman¡¯s thumbs continued their soothing circles on her cheeks. ¡°it¡¯s going to be ok.¡±
¡°He¡¯s going to leave a message,¡± ir said.
¡°Probably checking to see if you survived the crash.¡± Roman¡¯s jaw was tight. ¡°Which means he already knows about it.¡±
ir¡¯s phone chimed with a voicemail notification. She looked at Roman, who nodded.
She put the phone on speaker and yed the message.
¡°ir, honey, it¡¯s Uncle Peter. I heard about your ident on the news. I¡¯m so worried about you. Please call me back as soon as you get this. I¡¯ming to the hospital right now to check on you.¡±
The fake concern in her uncle¡¯s voice made ir feel sick. Roman¡¯s hands tightened on her face protectively.
¡°Well,¡± ir said finally, ¡°I guess we know he¡¯s keeping tabs on me.¡±
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¡°Too closely,¡± Roman said grimly. He pulled her forward until she was standing between his legs, his arms wrapping around her waist. ¡°Which confirms he¡¯s behind this.¡±
ir leaned into him, resting her forehead against his chest. She could feel his heartbeat¨Csteady, strong, reassuring. ¡°Then let¡¯s give him what he wants. Let¡¯s make sure Uncle Peter gets the news that ir Warner is dead.¡±
Roman¡¯s arms tightened around her. ¡°This is going to work, ir. And when it¡¯s over, we¡¯re going to have the rest of our lives to figure out normal things. Like where to go on our honeymoon.¡±
ir pulled back to look at him, managing a small smile despite everything. ¡°Somewhere far away from here?¡±
¡°Anywhere you want,¡± Roman said, leaning down to kiss her softly. ¡°As long as we¡¯re together.¡±
Room Mate 70
Chapter 70
Two hourster, Sutton and Keira were sitting in Roman¡¯s living room, staring at ir like she¡¯d lost her mind.
¡°Let me get this straight,¡± Sutton said slowly. ¡°You want us to pretend you¡¯re dead? At your fake funeral. So we can catch Uncle Peter confessing to murder.¡±
¡°That¡¯s the n,¡± ir confirmed, curled up on the couch next to Roman. Her head was still pounding, but the painkillers were finally kicking in.
¡°That¡¯s the dumbest n I¡¯ve ever heard,¡± Keira said tly. ¡°And I once watched you try to dye your hair with Kool¨CAid.¡±
¡°It worked, didn¡¯t it?¡±
¡°You looked like a traffic cone for three months! And that was just regr stupidity, not fake¨Cdeath stupidity.¡±
Roman cleared his throat. ¡°The n has merit. Peter thinks he¡¯s untouchable right now. If he believes ir is dead, he¡¯ll let his guard down. It¡¯s the safest n because it will be a neutral location out of his control. She will not be facing Peter in their home.¡±
¡°And if he doesn¡¯t confess what, then?¡± Sutton asked.
¡°Then we still have the financial evidence Peters is gathering,¡± ir said. ¡°plus the hitman is talking to the FBI. They will be there as well. We need a full confession about our parents¡® deaths and his involvement. Was Aunt Viv involved? We can get him on the attempt on my life, but what about our parents?¡±
Keira was pacing now, which was never a good sign. ¡°So we have to act like we¡¯re grieving. Like our sister is actually dead.¡±
¡°I know it¡¯s asking a lot¡ª¡±
¡°ir.¡± Sutton¡¯s voice was sharp. ¡°We buried our parents. We know what real grief looks like. You want us to fake that?¡±
The room went quiet. ir felt like she¡¯d been pped. She hadn¡¯t thought about how this would affect her sisters, having to relive that kind of loss.
¡°Shit,¡± she said quietly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t think-¡±
¡°Of course you didn¡¯t,¡± Keira said, but her tone was softer now. ¡°You¡¯re too busy trying not to actually die to think about the emotional trauma you¡¯re putting us through. Plus, let¡¯s be honest, thinking isn¡¯t exactly your strong suittely.¡±
¡°Hey-¡±
¡°Am I wrong? In the past two weeks, you¡¯ve gotten engaged to your boss, moved in with said boss, been attacked multiple times, and now you¡¯re faking your own death. I¡¯m starting to think you have some kind of death wish, or you¡¯re secretly an adrenaline junkie.¡±
Roman¡¯s arm tightened around ir. ¡°We can find another way¡ª¡±
¡°No,¡± Sutton interrupted. ¡°ir¡¯s right. This bastard has been stealing from us and trying to kill our sister. If faking some tears at a funeral is what it takes to stop him¡¡± She shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡±
¡°Sutton, you don¡¯t have to-¡±
¡°Yes, I do. Because you¡¯re my sister, and I¡¯ve already lost too many people I love.¡± Sutton¡¯s eyes were fierce. ¡°I¡¯m not losing you too. Not to him.¡±
Keira stopped pacing and flopped into a chair. ¡°Fine. But I have conditions. And they¡¯re non¨Cnegotiable, unlike your engagement timeline, apparently.¡±
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¡°Such as?¡± Roman asked, ignoring the dig.
¡°First, ir has to be safe during the funeral. Like Fort Knox safe. Because knowing her luck, she¡¯ll somehow manage to actually die at her own fake funeral.¡±
¡°Already nned,¡± Roman said. ¡°She will have a full security detail, plus the FBI will have a snipper ready.¡±
¡°Second, the moment this goes sideways¨Cand I mean the very moment¨Cwe pull the plug. I don¡¯t care if we don¡¯t get a confession.¡±
¡°Agreed,¡± ir said quickly.
¡°Third, I get to punch Uncle Peter in the face when this is all over. Hard. Like, really hard.¡±
Roman actually smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll hold him down for you.¡±
¡°Excellent. And fourth¨CI want hazard pay for having to pretend to be devastated while wearing ck. You know how washed out I look in ck.¡±
¡°Keira,¡± Sutton said, exasperated.
¡°What? I¡¯m just saying, if I¡¯m going to fake cry over my sister¡¯s fake corpse, I should at least look good doing it. It¡¯s going to be on the news and everything.¡±
¡°You¡¯re ridiculous,¡± ir said, but she was smiling.
¡°I¡¯m practical. There¡¯s a difference.¡± Keira looked at ir seriously. ¡°So, when exactly do you die? Please tell me it¡¯s not during my favorite TV show tonight.¡±
¡°Peters is spreading the word now that I took a turn for the worse around noon. Officially, I¡¯ll be dead by this evening.¡±
¡°Jesus,¡± Sutton muttered. ¡°This is so morbid.¡±
¡°Think of it as performance art,¡± Keira said helpfully. ¡°Very expensive, very dangerous performance art.¡±
ir¡¯s phone buzzed with a text. She nced at it and felt her stomach clench. ¡°It¡¯s Aunt Viv.¡±
¡°What does it say?¡± Roman asked.
ir read the message out loud. ¡°Sweetie, Peter told me about your ident. We¡¯reing to the hospital right now.¡±
¡°They¡¯reing to the hospital,¡± Keira said. ¡°To see your dead body. Should we start practicing our grief faces now? I¡¯ve been working on mine.¡± She demonstrated an exaggerated expression of sorrow. ¡°Too much? Not enough? I want to hit the right note of ¡®devastated but still photogenic.¡°¡±
¡°Keira,¡± Sutton warned.
¡°Peters has that covered,¡± Roman said, trying not to smile. ¡°Hospital staff will tell them that ir¡¯s body has already been taken to the morgue, and that visiting hours are over.¡±
¡°This is gettingplicated,¡± Sutton observed.
¡°It¡¯s getting ridiculous is what it¡¯s getting,¡± Keira corrected. ¡°We¡¯re like a really twisted version of Romeo and Juliet, except hopefully with less actual dying and morepetent nning.¡±
¡°Are you guys sure you want to do this?¡± ir asked.
Sutton and Keira exchanged a look¨Cone of those sister conversations that happened without words.
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¡°We¡¯re sure,¡± Keira said finally, ¡°But I have one more condition that I absolutely insist on.¡±
¡°What now?¡± ir asked warily.
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¡°When youe back from the dead at your own funeral, you better have something dramatic to say. None of this ¡®surprise, I¡¯m alive¡® bullshit. I want a full dramatic speech about justice and betrayal and family. I¡¯m talking Shakespeare- level drama here.¡±
Despite everything, irughed. ¡°I¡¯ll work on it.¡±
¡°Good. Maybe throw in some biblical references. ¡®I have risen¡® or something like that. Really milk the resurrection angle.¡± Keira grinned. ¡°And ir? When this is over, we¡¯re having a long talk about your tendency to turn our family drama into
actual action movies.¡±
¡°Deal. But remember, it¡¯s our family drama, not just mine.¡±
Roman¡¯s phone rang. He answered it quickly. ¡°Peters¡ Yeah¡ How long ago?¡ Okay, thanks.¡±
He hung up and turned to them. ¡°Peter just left the hospital. Trying to get information about ir¡¯s condition, then made at scene when they didn¡¯t get information straight away. They were informed that ir had died. They didn¡¯t even ask to see her body.¡±
¡°So he bought it?¡± ir asked.
¡°Seems like it. Peters said he didn¡¯t look particrly devastated.¡± Roman¡¯s expression was grim. ¡°Which tells us everything we need to know about his feelings toward his niece.¡±
¡°What a loving uncle,¡± Keira said sarcastically. ¡°Really broken up about his niece¡¯s tragic death. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s crying all the
to the bank. Literally.¡±
leaned back against the couch, suddenly feeling exhausted. ¡°So it¡¯s really happening. I¡¯m really going to be dead.¡±
¡°Only temporarily,¡± Sutton said firmly. ¡°And only so we can nail this bastard.¡±
¡°Think of it as a really extreme spa day,¡± Keira added helpfully. ¡°You get to rest and rx while we do all the hard work of pretending to be sad.¡±
¡°Any regrets?¡± Roman asked quietly.
ir looked around the room at the people who were here for her. ¡°No,¡± she said. ¡°No regrets. Let¡¯s kill ir Warner.¡±
¡°That¡¯s the spirit,¡± Keira said cheerfully. ¡°Nothing like nning your own fake death to bring a family together. We should make this an annual tradition.¡±
¡°Absolutely not,¡± Roman and Sutton said in unison.
¡°You guys have no sense of adventure,¡± Keirained.
Roman squeezed ir¡¯s hand. ¡°Peters will call when the official death certificate is filed. After that, there¡¯s no going back.¡±
ir squeezed back. ¡°Then let¡¯s do this.¡±
Roman¡¯s phone buzzed, looking. ¡°Peters sent me a link to the media release.¡± Opening it, he showed her.
It was a news alert: ¡°Local Woman Dies from Injuries Sustained in Car Crash.¡±
¡°Well,¡± she said, staring at her own obituary. ¡°I guess I¡¯m officially dead now.¡±
The room fell silent as they all processed the reality of what they¡¯d just set in motion.
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¡°This is so weird,¡± Sutton said finally.
¡°Tell me about it,¡± ir replied. ¡°I¡¯m reading my own death notice in the news.¡±
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¡°Ooh, let me see,¡± Keira said, leaning over to read ir¡¯s phone. ¡°Hmm. ¡®ir Warner died fromplications following at car ident. That¡¯s it? That¡¯s your entire life reduced to one sentence? I¡¯m definitely writing my own media release ahead of time. I want at least three paragraphs and a ttering photo.¡±
Sutton¡¯s phone rang again. She looked at the caller ID and her expression hardened. ¡°It¡¯s Peter,¡± she said.
They all stared at the phone.
¡°Answer it,¡± ir said. ¡°Let¡¯s see what our grieving uncle has to say,¡±
¡°Put it on speaker,¡± Keira said, settling back in her chair. ¡°I want to hear his Oscar¨Cworthy performance of fake grief.¡±
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16:18 Wed, 18 Jun
Room Mate 71
Sutton stared at her phone for another ring before answering, putting it on speaker as Keira had requested.
¡°Uncle Peter?¡± Sutton¡¯s voice was perfectly pitched. It was shaky, like she¡¯d been crying.
¡°Sutton.¡± Peter¡¯s voice came through the speaker, and ir felt her skin crawl at the fake concern in his tone. ¡°I just heard about ir. I¡¯m so sorry, honey. How are you and Keira holding up?¡±
ir watched her sisters¡® faces. Sutton had gone pale, and Keira was gripping the arms of her chair so tight her knuckles were white,
¡°We only found out a little while ago ourselves and didn¡¯t get a chance to call¡ we¡¯re not doing well,¡± Sutton managed. ¡°I can¡¯t believe she¡¯s gone. It happened so fast.¡±
¡°I know, sweetheart. I know. Your aunt and I tried to get to the hospital, but they said¡¡± Peter¡¯s voice trailed off. ¡°They said she¡¯d already been moved to the morgue.¡±
¡°The doctors said her brain started swelling during the night,¡± Keira jumped in, her voice thick with manufactured grief. ¡°They couldn¡¯t stop it.¡±
¡°Oh, girls. I¡¯m so sorry. ir was so young, so full of life.¡± There was a pause. ¡°Have you talked to Roman? How is he handling this? We didn¡¯t have his number to call ourselves.¡±
ir looked at Roman, who was studying the phone with cold eyes.
¡°He¡¯s devastated,¡± Sutton said. ¡°He loved her so much. We headed to his ce the moment we heard. We are here now. He didn¡¯t want to be alone, and neither did we.¡±
¡°Of course, of course. You girls shouldn¡¯t be alone at a time like this.¡± Peter¡¯s voice was getting smoother now, more confident. ¡°What about arrangements? The funeral?¡±
¡°We haven¡¯t¡ we don¡¯t know what to do,¡± Keira said, and ir was impressed by how broken she sounded. ¡°We¡¯ve never had to n anything like this before.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. Your aunt and I will help with everything. ir deserves a beautiful service.¡± Peter paused. ¡°I hope you girls aren¡¯t worrying about money right now. I want to let you know we will cover everything.¡±
ir felt Roman¡¯s hand tighten on hers.
¡°No, it¡¯s ok Peter,¡± Sutton said quietly. ¡°Roman wants to pay for everything.¡±
¡°Of course, yes, I should have thought. You girls are strong, just like your parents were.¡± His voice was gentle, paternal. ¡°And remember, your aunt and I are here to help however we can. Within reason, of course.¡±
¡°What do you mean, within reason?¡± Keira asked.
¡°Well, it¡¯s just a saying, of course. I didn¡¯t mean anything by it. The business is doing well because of my investments.¡±
ir wanted to throw something. How dear he. This man stole from them and most likely killed their parents to get hold of their money. As far as ir was concerned, he could keep the money if only they could have their parents back.
Sutton said, her voice hollow, ¡°We¡¯re lucky Roman will cover everything. We can¡¯t afford much these days.¡±
¡°I know. But that¡¯s all behind us now. The important thing is giving ir the send¨Coff she deserves.¡± Peter¡¯s voice was casual now, almost cheerful. ¡°She may not have had much in the end, but she had love.¡±
¡°Uncle Peter,¡± Keira said suddenly, ¡°can I ask you something?¡±
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¡°Of course, sweetheart. Anything.¡±
¡°Do you really think ir¡¯s ident was just an ident? I mean, she said some weird thingstely about feeling like someone was following her, plus the two near misses.¡±
The line went quiet for several seconds. ir could practically hear Peter thinking.
¡°What kind of things?¡± he asked finally, and his voice was different now. Sharper.
¡°Just paranoid stuff, probably. But she said she thought someone was watching her. And there was that thing with that car almost running her over and then that thing with the concrete almost falling on her head.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sure it was just coincidence. ir was probably just stressed with the end of her engagement to Dan and then getting engaged to Roman.¡± Peter¡¯s voice was smooth again, but ir caught the undertone of something else. Relief? ¡°These things happen in the city. Random, you know.¡±
¡°Yeah, you¡¯re probably right,¡± Keira said, backing off. ¡°It¡¯s just hard to ept that it was all so random, you know? First our parents, now ir¡¡±
Another pause. Longer this time.
¡°Life is unpredictable, girls. Sometimes terrible things just happen to good people.¡± Peter¡¯s voice was almost philosophical. ¡°Your parents¡® ne crash, ir¡¯s ident¨Cthere¡¯s no rhyme or reason to it sometimes.¡±
ir felt sick. The casual way he mentioned their parents¡® deaths, like they were just another example of bad luck instead of murder.
¡°I suppose you¡¯re right,¡± Sutton said quietly. ¡°It¡¯s just so hard. We have lost so much.¡±
w it is. But you girls still have each other, and you have your aunt and me. We¡¯re family.¡± Peter¡¯s voice was warm again,
ive. ¡°We¡¯ll get through this together, just like we did after your parents died.¡±
felt like snorting. They hadn¡¯t helped, they had not supported them at all. They had been the reason why she and her sisters were where they were today. It was because of greed.
ir saw Roman¡¯s jaw clenched so tight ir thought it might break.
¡°Uncle Peter,¡± Sutton said carefully, ¡°sometimes I wonder¡ do you think our parents would be proud of how we¡¯ve all managed? After losing everything?¡±
¡°Oh, sweetheart, of course they would. Your parents always knew that money wasn¡¯t everything. They¡¯d be proud that you girls have stayed strong, even after¡ well, even after all the financial troubles came to light.¡±
¡°You mean the debts?¡± Keira asked. ¡°The ones that took everything?¡±
¡°Exactly. It was hard on all of us when we discovered how bad things really were. But we got through it.¡± Peter¡¯s voice held a note of satisfaction that made ir¡¯s skin crawl. ¡°Sometimes these things are blessings in disguise. Builds character.¡±
ir looked around the room. Roman¡¯s face was murderous. Sutton looked like she was going to be sick. And Keira was staring at the phone like it was a snake.
¡°I guess you¡¯re right,¡± Sutton managed. ¡°We¡¯ve learned to live without much.¡±
¡°And look how well you¡¯ve done! ir found love with Roman. You girls are making your own way in the world¡¡± Peter¡¯s voice was filled with fake pride. ¡°Your parents would be so proud.¡±
¡°They would have loved to see ir get married,¡± Keira said softly. There really were tears in Keira¡¯s eyes.
¡°I¡¯m sure they would have. Though I suppose now¡¡± Peter trailed off. ¡°Well, no point in dwelling on what might have been.¡±
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ir wanted to scream at his casual dismissal of her ¡®life.
¡°Uncle Peter,¡± Sutton said, ¡°will you speak at the funeral? About our family?¡±
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¡°Of course, sweetheart. It would be an honor.¡± Peter¡¯s voice was confident now, in control. ¡°I¡¯ll share some memories about ir, and your parents, too. About how much they loved you girls.¡±
¡°That would mean everything to us,¡± Keira said. ¡°We don¡¯t have much family left.¡±
¡°You have your aunt and me and Laura. That¡¯s not nothing.¡± Peter¡¯s tone was almost condescending. ¡°We¡¯re here for emotional support.¡±
¡°Thank you. Uncle Peter,¡± Sutton said. ¡°We love you.¡± She pulled a face, finding it hard to say.
*I love you too. Both of you. I know things haven¡¯t also been easy. Try to get some rest tonight. We¡¯ll talk tomorrow about the arrangements.¡±
The line went dead.
For a moment, nobody spoke. Then Keira exploded.
¡°What a fucking psychopath!¡± she snarled, jumping up from her chair. ¡°Did you hear that? ¡®Money isn¡¯t everything¡® and ¡®builds character? The bastard stole our inheritance and then gives us life lessons about it!¡±
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iked about our parents,¡± Sutton said, her voice shaking. ¡°Like their deaths were just bad luck, and their ¡®debts¡® l of moral failing.¡±
ill staring at his phone. ¡°Peters got all of it. That conversation,bined with the financial evidence we¡¯re should be enough to get a warrant. We will get the prove we need. The FBI is going to raid his house during the
¡°But not enough to convict him of murder, only fraud and embezzlement and attempted murder.¡± ir said quietly. ¡°We still need him to confess to killing our parents.¡±
¡°And he will,¡± Roman said, looking up at her with deadly certainty. ¡°Because his arrogance is going to be his downfall. Did you hear howfortable he got? How he couldn¡¯t resist reminding you guys that you have nothing?¡±
¡°He thinks we¡¯re broken,¡± Keira said, still pacing angrily. ¡°Poor little rich girls who lost everything and can barely survive. God, I can¡¯t wait to show him how wrong he is.¡±
¡°It will work,¡± he said. ¡°He¡¯s taking the bait. He now isn¡¯t stressed about Sutton and Keira because he thinks they don¡¯t know anything.¡±
¡°So what happens now?¡± Sutton asked.
¡°Now we let him think he¡¯s wonpletely,¡± ir said. ¡°And we n the most dramatic resurrection in history.¡±
¡°I can¡¯t wait,¡± Keira said, her anger shifting into something colder, more focused. ¡°Uncle Peter is about to learn what happens when you steal from the Warner sisters.¡±
ir looked around at their faces¨CRoman¡¯s protective fury, Sutton¡¯s quiet determination, Keira¡¯s righteous anger and felt something settle in her chest. They were going down. It may not bring their parents back, but at least they can rest in peace.
They were going to get him. All of them working together.
Peter Warner had no idea what wasing for him and maybe auntie Viv.
16:18
Room Mate 72
ree dayster, ir sat in the back of an unmarked FBI surveince van two blocks away from St. Matthew¡¯s Cathedral, watching her own funeral on a small monitor.
The irony wasn¡¯t lost on her. If wasn¡¯t so important what they were doing, she might have enjoyed it more.
She could see the Gothic spires of the cathedral through the van¡¯s tinted windows, and part of her wanted to be there. Not for the morbid thrill of watching people mourn her fake death, but because she wanted to support her sisters. Even through the grainy surveince feed, she could see how pale Sutton looked in her ck dress, how tightly Keira was gripping the flowers she was supposed to ce on ir¡¯s empty casket. Even though they knew this was staged, it had to be hard on
them.
¡°Visual on all targets, agents are following Peter Warner. He is almost here.¡± Agent Rogers said from the front of the van, adjusting the surveince equipment. ¡°Roman¡¯s in position in the front pew with your sisters.¡±
ir¡¯s phone buzzed with a text from Roman: This is the hardest thing I¡¯ve ever had to do. Your sisters are incredible actors.
She texted back quickly: Almost over. You¡¯re doing great.
His response was immediate: Can¡¯t wait until this is all over and I know you are safe.
On screen, mourners were filing into the cathedral. ir recognized faces from her job, some college friends, neighbors. Then her stomach dropped as she spotted two familiar figures walking in together.
¡°Oh, you¡¯ve got to be kidding me,¡± ir muttered.
¡°What?¡± Agent Rogers asked.
¡°Dan, my ex just showed up with Laura, my cousin. Long story short, he is a cheating rat, and she is a bitch.¡± ir watched her ex¨Cfianc¨¦ and cousin enter the cathedral. Laura¡¯s pregnancy was clearly visible now, her ck dress stretched over her growing belly. ¡°The hide of some people.¡±
Peters, who was monitoringmunications from a separate device, looked up. ¡°That¡¯s not necessarily bad for us. More family drama might make Peter morefortable, less guarded.¡±
ir¡¯s phone buzzed: Dan and Laura are here. Sutton looks like she¡¯s going to be sick. Keira looks like she wants to set them on fire.
She texted back: Keep them focused on Peter. That¡¯s what matters today.
¡°This is harder than I thought it would be,¡± ir admitted to Agent Rogers, watching Roman on the screen console with her sisters while Dan and Laura took seats toward the back. Good thing too. Keira might have found it too hard to have them closer. ¡°Watching them have to act like they¡¯re grieving me.¡±
¡°After this is over, you can make it up to them,¡± Rogers said. ¡°But right now, this is the only way to keep you safe and get Peter to confess. The agents are raiding his ce as we speak.¡±
¡°Target has arrived. Peter Warner just pulled up with his wife.¡±
ir leaned forward, watching the screen as Peter and Vivian got out of their ck sedan. Peter was wearing an expensive suit and what ir supposed was meant to be a grieving expression. Vivian looked genuinely upset, which made ir wonder again how much her aunt actually knew about her husband¡¯s activities.
¡°He looks upset,¡± ir observed.
¡°Wants to make sure he¡¯s seen as the devoted uncle,¡± Rogers replied. ¡°We¡¯ve got agents positioned throughout the cathedral.¡±
ir watched Peter greet mourners with the perfect bnce of sadness and dignity. He hugged Sutton and Keira¨Cher
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sisters ying their parts perfectly, even though ir could see the stiffness in their postures. Then Peter approached Roman, cing a hand on his shoulder in what looked likefort.
Her phone buzzed: He¡¯s asking if I¡¯m ¡°holding up okay¡± and offering to help with ¡°practical matters.¡± Your sisters are doing great, but I can see how much this is costing them.
ir typed back: Almost over.
The service began. ir had to listen to Father Martinez, who had baptized her as a baby, deliver a eulogy about her life. About her kindness, her determination, her love for her family. It was surreal and heartbreaking at the same time. She didn¡¯t go to church as much as she should after losing her parents.
¡°This feels so wrong,¡± she whispered.
¡°I know,¡± Rogers said quietly. ¡°But remember why we¡¯re doing this.¡±
Roman stood up to speak. ir watched her fianc¨¦ deliver a speech about their love story, about how she¡¯d changed his life, about the future they¡¯d never have. Even knowing it was all for show, even watching through a surveince monitor, ir felt tears prick her eyes. Because some of it felt so real. The part about changing his life, about loving her¡ was he speaking the truth because it felt like he had been speaking directly to her. The people they worked with didn¡¯t know about Roman and her being involved, except for Kara, that was. Surprise, surprise.
Her phone buzzed a few moments after Roman sat down: Every word is true. All of it.
Had the shithead just told her he loved her during her own funeral? It was fake, but still. She felt likeughing, but also she wanted to cry. Just like Roman.
Then it was Peter¡¯s turn.
ir watched her uncle walk to the podium with practiced solemnity. He adjusted the microphone, looked out over the gathered mourners, and began to speak.
¡°ir was a light in our family,¡± he said, his voice carrying perfectly through the cathedral¡¯s sound system and into their surveince van. ¡°After we lost her parents, she became like a daughter to Vivian and me.¡±
ir snorted. ¡°A daughter he tried to have killed.¡±
¡°My brother- and sister¨Cinw would be so proud of the woman ir became. Even after¡¡± Peter paused, as if ovee with emotion. ¡°Even after the financial difficulties that followed their deaths, even after losing so much, ir never lost her spirit.¡±
¡°He¡¯s really doubling down on the ¡®poor but noble¡® narrative, but do you notice he couldn¡¯t even say my parents¡® names.¡± ir said grimly.
Peter continued. ¡°ir faced every challenge with grace. The loss of her inheritance. She worked hard to prove herself to the world. None of it broke her spirit.¡±
ir watched Sutton and Keira in the front pew. Keira¡¯s hands were clenched in herp. Sutton was staring at Peter with what ir hoped looked like grief rather than hatred. In the background, she could see Dan whispering something to Laura, who was dabbing at her eyes with a tissue. It wasn¡¯t real.
¡°She found love with Roman.¡± Peter¡¯s voice grew stronger, more confident. ¡°Some might say she was lucky to find someone willing to be there for her.¡±
ir¡¯s phone immediately buzzed with an angry text from Roman: What does he think marriage is about?
She texted back: Even at my fake funeral, he can¡¯t resist being condescending,
But Peter wasn¡¯t done. ¡°ir¡¯s death reminds us that life is fragile. That we can¡¯t take anything for granted.¡± His eyes swept
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the congregation. ¡°Just like her parents, she was taken too soon, too suddenly.¡±
ir leaned forward, watching intently.
¡°Many will know her parents¡® ne crash seemed so random, so senseless. Now ir¡¯s car ident¡¡± Peter shook his head. sadly. ¡°Sometimes I wonder if some families are just cursed with tragedy.¡±
¡°Or someone in the family killing others off that gets in the way.¡± ir whispered.
He finished his speech with more titudes about family and love and moving forward, then returned to his seat looking like the picture of a grieving uncle.
The service concluded with a final blessing. ir watched the mourners file out, offering condolences to Roman and her sisters. Peter was right there, ying his part perfectly, epting sympathy and offeringfort. She noticed Dan and Laura approaching the family, and even through the grainy feed, she could see the tension.
Her phone buzzed. It was Keira: Dan tried to hug Sutton. She turned away. Laura¡¯s crying, saying she ¡°can¡¯t believe ir is really gone.¡± Peter just suggested we all ride together to the cemetery. Says the family should stick together today.
ir texted back: What a lovely family.
¡°He¡¯s not going to confess in public,¡± ir said to Rogers. ¡°Too many witnesses. But at the cemetery¡¡±
¡°That¡¯s where youe in,¡± Rogers confirmed. ¡°We just need to catch him when he isn¡¯t ready. Surprised.¡±
¡°And if he doesn¡¯t?¡±
Then we hope the financial evidence is enough.¡± Rogers met her eyes. ¡°But something tells me a man who¡¯s been ying This game for years won¡¯t be able to resist gloating when he thinks he¡¯s finally won. You do realize there is still a danger
an started moving, following the funeral procession to Roswn cemetery, where ir¡¯s empty casket would be ed. This was theirst chance. If Peter didn¡¯t confess today, they¡¯d have to rely on fraud charges alone. But she wanted him in jail for the death of her parents.
ir touched the small recording device pinned inside her jacket. In less than an hour, she¡¯d be walking into that cemetery very much alive, ready to confront the man who¡¯d destroyed her family.
Her phone buzzed again: Almost time for the resurrection.
ir looked at the monitor showing her own funeral procession and felt a cold determination settle in her chest.
She texted back: Uncle Peter¡¯s about to get the shock of his life.
And hopefully, in that shock, he¡¯d finally tell the truth about what he¡¯d done to her parents.
¡°Let¡¯s go catch a killer,¡± she said to Rogers.
¡°Le
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Room Mate 73
At the cemetery, she stood behind arge oak tree about fifty yards from the gravesite, watching through binocrs as the small group gathered around her empty casket. Thete afternoon sun cast long shadows across the manicuredwn, and she could hear the priest¡¯s voice carrying on the wind.
Agent Rogers spoke quietly into his earpiece from his position near the cemetery gates. ¡°All units in position. Target is with the family group. We have eyes on you.¡±
ir adjusted the small recording device pinned inside her ck coat and took a deep breath. This was it. After days of nning, after faking her own death, after watching her sisters grieve a lie, this was the moment everything would eithere together or fall apart. Would it be for nothing, or would they have justice for their parents?
Through the binocrs, she could see Roman standing with his arm around Sutton¡¯s shoulders while Keira clutched a single white rose. Peter and Vivian stood slightly apart from the group, and ir noticed her uncle kept checking his watch. Dan and Laura lingered at the back, Laura¡¯s hand resting on her small pregnant belly as she dabbed at her eyes with a tissue.
The priest finished his final blessing and stepped back. ir watched as people began to approach the casket, cing flowers and saying their final goodbyes. She waited as the crowd began to thin, people heading back to their cars.
Peters¡® voice crackled in her earpiece: ¡°Most mourners are leaving. Wait to see if Peter separates from the group. If he doesn¡¯t confront him at his car before he gets in ir.¡±
ir watched as Roman, Sutton, and Keira began walking slowly toward the parking area, heads down in apparent grief. Dan and Laura had already left. Vivian was talking to the priest near his car.
was standing alone by the grave, staring down at the casket with an unreadable expression.
binocrs into her coat pocket and then walked to where her uncle stood. Her heart was pounding so hard everyone could hear it, but she kept her stride steady.
was about twenty yards away when Peter sensed her presence and looked up. The reaction was everything she¡¯d hoped for and more. Her grave was protected from the car park by a tall hedge. So auntie Viv hadn¡¯t couldn¡¯t see her unless she walked through the gate back into the cemetery.
His face wentpletely white, then flushed red, then white again. His mouth dropped open, and for a moment, he looked like he might copse.
¡°Hello, Uncle Peter, you like you have seen a ghost.¡± ir said pleasantly, continuing her approach. ¡°Lovely service, wasn¡¯t it?¡±
¡°You¡¯re supposed to be dead,¡± Peter whispered, his voice hoarse with shock.
¡°Yes, I was supposed to die,¡± ir agreed, stopping just a few feet from him. ¡°But unlike my parents, I saw youing.¡±
Peter¡¯s eyes darted around the cemetery, taking in their rtive istion. Most of the mourners had left, and the few remaining were too far away to hear their conversation or even see them. He didn¡¯t know about the FBI agents or Peters so close.
¡°You hired someone to kill me,¡± ir said matter¨Cof¨Cfactly. ¡°A hitman. Just like you probably hired someone to sabotage my parents¡® ne.¡±
¡°You can¡¯t prove anything,¡± Peter said automatically, but his voice was shaky.
¡°Actually, I can. See that inquiry into my parents¡® death? The one that had you so worried? It came from my office. I¡¯d been digging into thepany finances, and I found some very interesting discrepancies.¡± ir smiled coldly. She didn¡¯t say anything about Roman doing the digging. If this went south, she wanted him safe. Although she didn¡¯t think he would rest until uncle Peter was died or arrested. ¡°I know exactly what you did, Peter. And I¡¯m going to make sure everyone else knows,
too.¡±
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ir watched as Peter¡¯s face showed different emotions: first fear, anger, andstly, calction. ¡°You don¡¯t understand the situation you¡¯re in right now, ir.¡±
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¡°Oh, I understand perfectly. You murdered my parents for money, stole our inheritance by bribing thewyer, and when I got too close to the truth, you tried to have me killed.¡± ir¡¯s voice was perfectly calm. ¡°What I¡¯m going to do now is destroy you piece by piece. The police, the press, the courts¨CI¡¯m going to use every resource at my disposal to make sure you pay for what you did.¡±
¡°The police will find nothing,¡± Peter snarled, but ir could see sweat beading on his forehead despite the cool air.
¡°They have financial records showing you¡¯ve been lying for years about the state of the business when they died. It takes money to hire a hitman. They can follow the money.¡±
Peterughed, a harsh sound. ¡°They will have to know there was a hitman first. Who is going to tell them?¡±
¡°Me,¡± ir said sweetly.
narrowed dangerously. ¡°You were very stupid to face me alone, ir.¡±
¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Like she didn¡¯t know.
¡°You should have died in that car crash,¡± Peter said, his voice dropping to a menacing whisper. ¡°It would have been so much cleaner.¡±
¡°But I didn¡¯t. And now you¡¯re going to prison for the rest of your life.¡±
Peter took a step closer to her, his hands clenching into fists. ¡°You know what, ir? I normally like people to do my dirty work. Your parents¡ I had to pay good money to have their ne sabotaged. The hitman I sent after you¡ more money down the drain when he failed each and every time. It was like you had nine fucking lives.¡±
ir¡¯s heart was racing, but she kept her expression neutral. ¡°So you did kill them.¡±
¡°Of course I killed them!¡± Peter exploded. ¡°Your father and mother did so well in that business and they would help me out. I had some debts he wouldn¡¯t pay! He wanted to leave everything to you three spoiled brats instead of anyway, and you were all so young. Thewyer was so easy to convince a few million dors more money than he would ever earn.¡±
¡°So you murdered them.¡±
¡°I did what I had to do! And you know what? Since everyone already thinks you¡¯re dead, since you even had a funeral¡¡± Peter¡¯s smile was vicious. ¡°This will be child¡¯s y. I might as well finish this myself, since I can¡¯t seem to findpetent help.¡±
ir saw him take a step towards her. ¡°Peter¡¡± She took a step back, hoping it would be convincing.
¡°Why not? You¡¯re already dead, remember?¡±
¡°Except I¡¯m not alone and you just confessed.¡± ir said.
¡°What?¡±
¡°FBI! DON¡¯T MOVE.¡±
The shouts came from multiple directions as agents emerged from behind headstones and trees around the cemetery. At the same time, Roman, Peters, Sutton, and Keira appeared from where they¡¯d been hiding near the entrance.
Peter spun around wildly. ¡°You set me up!¡±
¡°Peter Warner, hands on you head and get on the ground!¡± Agent Rogers shouted, moving closer with his gun drawn.
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¡°I¡¯m not going to prison,¡± Peter snarled, swinging around wildly. Where the hell did he think he was going?
He never got the chance to make a ran for it.
Keira came out of nowhere, sprinting across the cemeterywn faster than ir had ever seen her move. Before Peter could react, before the FBI agents could intervene, Keira drew back her fist and delivered a devastating punch directly to Peter¡¯s
nose.
The sound of cartge breaking was audible across the entire cemetery. Peter screamed and fell backward onto the ground, blood streaming from his nose.
¡°That¡¯s for our parents, you murdering bastard!¡± Keira shouted, standing over him with her fist still raised.
¡°Keira!¡± Agent Rogers called out, but he was fighting back a smile as he moved to secure Peter in handcuffs.
¡°He was threatening to kill my sister,¡± Keira said innocently. ¡°I was defending her. Plus, Roman promised I would get a chance to do that.¡±
¡°Keira Warner,¡± Rogers said as he handcuffed the groaning, bleeding Peter. ¡°Remind me never to get on your bad side.¡±
Roman reached ir first, pulling her into his arms. ¡°Are you okay? When I heard him¡¡±
¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± ir assured him, but she was shaking. ¡°It¡¯s over. It¡¯s really over.¡±
Sutton joined them, wrapping her arms around both ir and Roman. ¡°Please tell me we never have to do anything this insane again.¡±
¡°Never again,¡± ir promised. ¡°I¡¯m going to live a very boring life from now on.¡±
Peter into a police car, Vivian approached them hesitantly. ¡°What the hell is going on? Why are you taking
ir¡± Before she fainted at the sight of her death niece.
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ir sat in the passenger seat of Roman¡¯s car, staring out at the city lights as they drove back. Her throat was raw from giving her statement, and she felt emotionally drained in a way she hadn¡¯t expected. They had told Roman¡¯s family that she was ok but they had been kept away from the funeral for safety reasons.
It was over. They had let their friends and work colleagues know she wasn¡¯t dead. Even the media had been informed that due to a mixup, ir had been dered dead.
But she was very much alive. Roman had made a huge donation to the hospital for all the trouble. But it was finally over.
They would find out within a few days if aunt Viv had been involved. Laura had been too young at the time.
¡°You¡¯re quiet,¡± Roman observed, reaching over to take her hand.
¡°I keep thinking I should feel more¡ victorious, I guess?¡± ir said softly. ¡°We got him. He confessed to everything. But I just feel empty.¡±
¡°It doesn¡¯t bring them back,¡± Roman said gently.
¡°No, it doesn¡¯t.¡± ir squeezed his hand. ¡°But at least now we know the truth. And he can¡¯t hurt anyone else.¡±
Her phone buzzed with a text from Sutton: Aunt Viv is awake. Doctor says she¡¯s okay, just shock. She wants to see you when you¡¯re ready. I don¡¯t think she had any idea. The FBI are here now talking to her.
Aunt Viv had fainted, but then when she came to, she had needed to be sedated when the events of the day had be
MTs had been called, and she had been taken to the hospital.
Roman the message. ¡°I should probably go to the hospital.¡±
sure you¡¯re up for that tonight? It¡¯s been a hell of a day.¡±
¡°I need to face this. All of it.¡± ir looked at him seriously. ¡°But first, there¡¯s something else I need to deal with.¡±
¡°Laura?¡±
¡°Laura.¡± ir pulled out her phone and scrolled through her contacts. ¡°I think it¡¯s time she heard from the dead.¡±
She hit call and put the phone on speaker. Laura answered on the second ring.
¡°Hello?¡± Laura¡¯s voice didn¡¯t sound that upset.
¡°Hi, Laura. It¡¯s ir. You know, the allegedly dead woman whose funeral you attended today?¡±
There was a long pause. ¡°ir, what the hell is going on? How are you¡ I mean, we saw you¡¡±
¡°Die? Yes, well, reports of my death were greatly exaggerated.¡± ir¡¯s voice was ice cold.
¡°I don¡¯t understand-¡±
¡°I was never dead.¡± ir¡¯s tone brooked no argument. ¡°And Laura, I hate to tell you this, but your father has been arrested, your mother has been taken to hospital and the real kicker is you¡¯re broke. Everything you have enjoyed for years, the money, the easy life. Well, it¡¯s not yours. It will be seized. I really hoped you saved your modeling money cousin because it¡¯s the only thing you will be allowed to keep.¡±
She hung up without waiting for a response.
Roman raised an eyebrow. ¡°Subtle,¡±
16:18 Wed, 18 Jun
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¡°I¡¯m done being subtle.¡± ir leaned back in her seat. ¡°I¡¯ve spent years being careful, being grateful, being the bigger person. Today I watched my uncle confess to murdering my parents. I¡¯m officially out of patience for people who¡¯ve wronged me, and Laura is a prize bitch¨Cshe made our lives miserable.¡± She grinned at him. ¡°Better me than Keira. Trust me.¡± Now they would see if Dan really loved Laura.
Twenty minutester, they arrived at the Hospital that aunt Viv had been taken to. ir found Sutton and Keira in the waiting area, both looking exhausted.
¡°How is she?¡± ir asked, settling into a chair beside them.
¡°Physically fine.¡± Keira said. ¡°Emotionally¡ well, finding out your husband is a murderer tends to mess with your head.¡±
¡°The FBI finished questioning her an hour ago,¡± Sutton added. ¡°Agent Rogers said they¡¯re confident she wasn¡¯t involved with the murders. All the financial records show Peter had control over the money. So she could still be involved with stealing our inheritance. We¡¯ll know in a few days, I¡¯m sure, but I honestly don¡¯t know. She¡¯s saying she didn¡¯t know.¡±
ir sighed. ¡°I should see her.¡±
¡°Room 314,¡± Sutton said. ¡°Fair warning. She¡¯s pretty fragile right now.¡±
ir found Aunt Vivian staring out the hospital window, looking far older than her fifty¨Ceight years. When she heard ir enter, she turned with red¨Crimmed eyes.
¡°ir,¡± she whispered. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I had no idea. All these years¡¡±
¡°I know,¡± ir said gently, taking the chair beside the bed. ¡°The FBI confirmed you weren¡¯t involved in the murders. But Vivian, how could you not know about the money? From what we understand, you and Peter didn¡¯t have the money back then to save our family business had it truly been in trouble.¡± *She couldn¡¯t even bring herself to say ¡°auntie.¡±*
dn¡¯t want to see it, but I should have seen it. Should have questioned why we always had money troubles before of a sudden we pulled your parents¡® business from the brink and then we were swimming in money, why Peter
secretive about finances.¡± Vivian¡¯s voice broke. ¡°It all wouldn¡¯t be so bad had I not married a killer. Money a small thingpared to that.¡±
Yes, you should have asked questions. The thing I can¡¯t get over is how you treated us. We were children. You didn¡¯t support us emotionally or financially growing up. But your daughter got the best of everything.¡±
¡°I know, I know¡ I¡¯m so sorry. I listened to Peter when he said it would build character.¡±
irughed. ¡°Then it might have helped with Laura.¡± Because Laura was the bitch, she called her.
¡°You¡¯re right¡± Vivian looked at her with haunted eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. We all have things to be remorseful over.¡±
ir didn¡¯t want to kick Vivian while she was down. Not anymore. This was going to be tough on her going forward. A very public murder trial.
¡°What happens now?¡± Vivian asked. ¡°To me, I mean. I know the money will go back to you girls, as it should. But where does that leave me?¡±
¡°That¡¯s up to you,¡± ir said honestly. ¡°You can start over. I¡¯m sure my sisters will agree to giving you some money to help set you up. If it doese back that you were not involved. But the house will be sold and everything you bought using our money.¡±
¡°Blood money,¡± Vivian said bitterly. ¡°Everything we had was built on your parents¡® deaths.¡±
ir nodded.
Vivian was quiet for a long moment. ¡°Laura called me crying about twenty minutes ago. Said you¡¯d told her she was broke?¡±
16:18 Wed, 18 Jun
¡°She is. Everything Peter had will be seized as proceeds of crime. The FBI was very clear about that.¡±
¡°She¡¯s pregnant, ir. And scared.¡±
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¡°She¡¯s also an adult who made her own choices. Laura is young enough. She has Dan.¡± Not like Dan was a prize in her eyes. ¡°We can¡¯t be responsible for everyone¡¯s problems anymore.¡±
¡°No,¡± Vivian said quietly. ¡°I suppose you can¡¯t.¡± She reached over and squeezed ir¡¯s hand. ¡°Your parents would be so proud of you. All three of you. It could have turned out so different.¡±
ir felt tears prick her eyes. ¡°I hope so.¡±
¡°I know so.¡± Vivian¡¯s grip tightened. ¡°And ir? I know I have no right to ask this, but¡ could you find it in your heart to forgive a foolish old woman who should have protected you better? I should have loved you.¡±
ir looked at her, really looked at her. Vivian had lost everything, too. Her husband, her sense of reality. But she couldn¡¯t see her as a victim. She would lose the name she had made for herself. When status had been so important.
¡°I will forgive you, but I¡¯ll never forget,¡± ir said softly.
Vivian broke down then, sobbing. ir held her hand until the tears subsided.
¡°What will you do now?¡± Vivian asked when she could speak again.
ir thought about it. ¡°Live my life. Marry Roman. Work out what is going to happen to our parents¡® business. Mom and Dad would have wanted us to hold on to it.¡± She paused. ¡°What about you?¡±
¡°I think I¡¯ll go stay with my sister in Pornd for a while. Try to figure out who I am when I¡¯m not Peter Warner¡¯s wife.¡± Vivian managed a small smile. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be around for Peter¡¯s trial.¡±
¡°That sounds like a good n.¡±
As ir prepared to leave, Vivian called out, ¡°ir? What should I tell Laura when she calls again? Because she will call again.¡±
ir paused at the doorway. ¡°Tell her the truth. That actions have consequences, and she¡¯s about to learn what hers are. Tell her to get a job. Tell her it builds character.¡±
And with that, ir walked out of the hospital room, ready to start the next chapter of her life.
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Room Mate 75
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By the time they finally made it home, ir felt like she was running on fumes. The adrenaline that had carried her through the day hadpletely worn off, leaving her feeling hollow and shaky.
Roman unlocked the front door, and they stepped inside. The events of today would change their lives forever. She needed to talk to Sutton and Keira about their parents¡® business. That mess was going to take weeks to sort out. But for now, she was just d to be home.
¡°I need a shower,¡± ir said quietly, her voice soft, too tired to use energy to talk more than that.
¡°Me too,¡± Roman agreed. He looked as exhausted as she felt, dark circles under his eyes and tension still evident in his shoulders. He really hadn¡¯t liked hering face to face with Peter on her own like that. But they had little choice. If they hadn¡¯t caught Peter when they had, he would have sent someone else after her.
They moved through, getting ready for bed, shower, brushing teeth. ir¡¯s mind felt foggy, too overwhelmed to process everything that had happened. Peter¡¯s arrest, his confession, the confrontation with Vivian¡ it all felt surreal to think her own uncle had tried to kill her and had killed her parents. For money. Greed. Because her family had the life he had wanted for himself.
When they finally crawled into bed. ir curled up against Roman¡¯s good side, being careful of the small bandage still covering the cut on his arm from their car ident. It felt like a lifetime ago, though it had only been days.
¡°It¡¯s really over,¡± she whispered against his chest.
¡°It¡¯s really over,¡± he confirmed, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.
ir wanted to say more, to process everything they¡¯d been through, but exhaustion won out. Within minutes, they were both fast asleep, holding each other close after days of stress and fear that something could happen to her.
ir woke slowly, awareness creeping back gradually. Sunlight was streaming through their bedroom windows, and she could hear morning noises from outside. For a moment, she felt disoriented, then everything came rushing back. Peter¡¯s arrest. The confrontations. The relief of finally having answers.
She was wrapped in Roman¡¯s arms, her head on his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. He was still asleep, his face peaceful in the morning light. The small bandage on his arm was the only visible reminder of what they¡¯d endured.
The bandage from the small cut on her head was gone. Her hair hid the tiny red line that was only an inch long. There had been a lot of blood the night of the ident, but she hadn¡¯t needed stitches, just some butterfly sters. But any cut to the head always bled a lot, making it look worse than it was.
As she watched him sleep, fragments of yesterday began filtering back through her mind. There was something¡ something he¡¯d said during the funeral. Her eulogy. When he had spoken at her fake funeral. Words she¡¯d been too emotionally drained to focus onst night.
Roman¡¯s eyes opened then as he stretched, and he smiled when he saw her watching him.
¡°Morning,¡± he said softly, his voice still rough with sleep.
¡°Morning.¡± ir shifted slightly to look at him better. ¡°Roman, yesterday at the funeral¡ what you said during my eulogy¡¡±
His expression grew more alert. ¡°What about it?¡±
ir felt her heart skip a beat. ¡°You said you loved me.¡±
Roman went very still beneath her. ¡°Yes. I did.¡±
¡°Did you mean it? Or was it just¡ part of the act?¡±
16:18 Wed, 18 Jun
For a moment, Roman didn¡¯t respond. Then he reached up to cup her face gently.
¡°ir, I¡¯ve been in love with you for a very long time. The funeral just gave me an excuse to finally say it out loud. I have been struggling with how to tell you. So much has happened.¡±
Her breath caught. ¡°A very long time?¡±
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¡°Yeah, I¡¯m not sure of the exact time frame. But I can tell you it¡¯s not a sudden feeling.¡± His thumb stroked across her cheek. ¡°I know the timing isplicated with everything that¡¯s happened-¡±
ir silenced him by pressing her lips to his. The kiss was soft at first, tentative, then deeper. When they broke apart, both were breathing harder.
¡°I love you too,¡± ir whispered against his lips. ¡°I don¡¯t believe I even thought I had feelings for Dan because what I feel for you is so much stronger.¡±
¡°I want you to know that I didn¡¯t just ask you to marry me because of Jessica. It just moved the timeline up a little,¡± Roman said firmly. ¡°I had always nned on asking you to marry me.¡±
This time when they kissed, it was with a desperate hunger born from fear, relief, and finally being able to express what they¡¯d both been holding back. ir¡¯s hands tangled in his hair as Roman rolled them over, careful of both their lingering injuries.
¡°I do have something to confess,¡± he said suddenly, his eyes searching hers. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how you¡¯re going to feel about it. But I want there to be no secrets between us.¡±
¡°Well, providing you¡¯re not going to tell me you¡¯re a killer, I think we¡¯re good,¡± she said, trying to keep her voice light even as anxiety crept in.
Roman¡¯s lent down to kiss her softly. It was a few moments before he pulled back. ¡°ir, I had Dan investigated.¡±
She pulled back, surprised. What? ¡°Wait. You what?¡±
¡°We have an issue at the office I¡¯m still working on. Someone in the sales department is stealing money. I had the whole team investigated. During that investigation, I found out about Dan¡¯s affair with your cousin.¡±
ir wasn¡¯t sure how she felt about the fact he knew. The words hit her like a physical blow. He knew about Dan and Laura before she had. ¡°What? Why didn¡¯t you say something?¡± ir wasn¡¯t sure how she felt about this. Her mind was spinning, trying to process what this meant.
¡°Shoot the messenger? I did make sure you found out. I made sure you would catch them together.¡±
ir¡¯s eyes widened as the pieces clicked into ce. She remembered Roman driving them all really hard to get home one day early from theirst work trip. Had that been so she would find Laura and Dan in bed together?
Roman had manipted the situation. He knew Dan was cheating and instead of telling her; he orchestrated it so I would walk in on them. The realization hit her like a truck.
Her chest felt tight. How long had he known? How many times had he looked at her, knowing what Dan was doing behind her back, and said nothing?
¡°You¡¡± ir started, then stopped. She could feel her heart pounding, but she couldn¡¯t tell if it was from anger, hurt, or something else entirely.
But then another thought crept in: He saved her from marrying Dan. If he hadn¡¯t done that, she might have married a cheater. She might not have found out until after the wedding.
ir stared at Roman¡¯s face, searching for something, maybe remorse or guilt, even justification. She could see he was waiting for her reaction. There was tension radiating from him. She didn¡¯t know if she wanted to thank him or p him.
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Her emotions were all over the ce. Part of her was grateful¡ grateful she hadn¡¯t married Dan, grateful she¡¯d found out the truth, grateful it had led her to Roman.
But another part felt manipted, like a puppet whose strings had been pulled without her knowledge.
The silence stretched between them as she ran everything through her mind.
¡°ir?¡± Roman¡¯s voice was soft, uncertain. ¡°Say something.¡±
But ir couldn¡¯t speak. Her mind was reeling, her heart was racing, and she honestly had no idea how she felt about this revtion.
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ir stared at Roman, her mind racing through a dozen different emotions. The silence stretched between them until finally she spoke.
¡°You manipted me,¡± she said quietly, her voice neither angry nor grateful¨Cjust stating a fact. ¡°You let me walk in on them having sex.¡±
¡°Yes,¡± Roman admitted without hesitation. ¡°I did.¡±
His honesty, his refusal to make excuses or justify it, somehow made it both worse but also better at the same time. ir studied his face, looking again for signs he was sorry for what he had done. But still nothing.
¡°Do you regret it?¡± she asked because even though she couldn¡¯t read his face, it didn¡¯t mean he wasn¡¯t feeling something.
¡°I regret that you¡¯re hurt by it. I don¡¯t regret saving you from marrying him. I don¡¯t regret that now you are mine.¡±
ir felt something shift inside her chest. The brutal honesty, the way he wasn¡¯t trying to charm his way out of this or make her feel better, it was sopletely¡ well, him. No games, no maniption in this moment. Just the truth. Not tied up in a pretty bow.
¡°How long?¡± she asked. ¡°How long did you know?¡±
¡°Three weeks before, I arranged for us toe home a day early.¡±
Three weeks.
¡°That must have been torture,¡± ir said softly, surprising herself. ¡°Wanting to say something but holding back.¡±
Roman¡¯s eyes widened slightly, as if he hadn¡¯t expected her to consider that angle. ¡°It was,¡± he admitted. ¡°Every time you had lunch with Dan or he came to your office for some reason. I wanted to¡ punch his teeth in for cheating on you. I even thought about sacking him.¡±
ir felt thest of her anger dissolve. He could have kept this from her. Never telling her he already knew about the affair. But in the end, he had chosen to be honest and tell her.
¡°You could have just told me,¡± she pointed out.
¡°And have you hate the messenger? Have you think I was trying to break you up because I wanted you for myself?¡± Roman shook his head. ¡°You had to see it with your own eyes to believe it. Sometimes you can forgive someone if you didn¡¯t see the crime. But seeing there was no going back.¡±
ir realized he was right. If Roman hade to her with usations about Dan, she would have defended her fianc¨¦. She would have told Roman it was none of his business. She wasn¡¯t sure she would have forgiven Dan. ir hated cheaters. But the break was cleaner somehow. More final.
¡°You know what the twisted thing is?¡± ir said, a small smile ying at her lips. ¡°I¡¯m not even angry.¡±
Roman looked surprised. ¡°You¡¯re not?¡±
¡°You saved me from the biggest mistake of my life. Yes, you manipted the situation, but you did it to protect me from something that would have destroyed me, eventually.¡± ir shifted, moving to straddle hisp. ¡°And if I¡¯m beingpletely honest? The fact that you¡¯re controlling enough to orchestrate something like that¡¡± She leaned down to whisper in his ear.
¡°It¡¯s kind of hot.¡±
Roman¡¯s breath hitched. ¡°ir¡¡±
¡°Tell me,¡± she said, her voice dropping to a husky whisper. ¡°In those three weeks when you were watching me, nning your little intervention¨Cwere you thinking about having me for yourself?¡±
;
16:19 Wed, 18 Jun
¡°Every damn day,¡± Roman groaned, his hands sliding up her thighs.
¡°Were you imagining what you¡¯d do to me once Dan was out of the picture?¡±
¡°ir, you¡¯re ying with fire.¡±
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She could feel him hardening beneath her. ¡°Maybe I want to get burned.¡± She pulled back to look at him, her eyes dark with desire. ¡°Show me how controlling you can be when it¡¯s not about protecting me from Dan.¡±
Something shifted in Roman¡¯s expression¨Ca darker, more possessive look that made ir¡¯s pulse race.
¡°Are you sure about this? I understand if you want time to think.¡± His voice had dropped an octave, taking on amanding edge that sent shivers down her spine.
¡°Yes, sir,¡± ir whispered, the word slipping out instinctively.
Roman¡¯s eyes shed, and suddenly his hands were in her hair, tilting her head back to expose her throat. ¡°Say that again.¡±
¡°Yes, sir,¡± ir repeated, her voice breathier this time.
Roman¡¯s control snapped. He flipped them over, pinning her beneath him with an intensity that made her gasp. ¡°You have no idea what you just started,¡± he growled against her ear.
¡°Then show me,¡± ir challenged, and Roman¡¯s smile was absolutely predatory.
¡°Oh, I intend to.¡±
rumbled with dark promise, his eyes burning into hers, glittering with possessive intent. ir¡¯s breath
on surging through her veins as he moved her swiftly over her on the bed, pinning her beneath his strong,
rasped her wrists in onerge hand, lifting them above her head, holding them firmly against the soft mattress. His er hand explored her body slowly, deliberately, every touch designed to tease.
He took his time, his fingertips trailing down her neck, across her corbone, and down the soft swell of her breast. ir shivered, arching her back instinctively, seeking more.
¡°Stay still,¡± hemanded softly, and ir stilled immediately, her body trembling inpliance. Roman lowered his head, capturing one taut nipple through thece, teasing it with a flick of his tongue. ir whimpered, heat spiraling low in her belly.
Roman released her wrists momentarily, his gaze never leaving hers as he began lifting her nightie, revealing her flushed skin inch by inch, until shey beneath him,pletely bare and vulnerable.
¡°You¡¯re perfect,¡± he murmured, tracing slow,zy circles over her sensitive skin, watching her writhe beneath him. ¡°Mine.¡±
¡°Yes,¡± ir whispered breathlessly, the word slipping effortlessly from her lips, her entire being focused on him. ¡°Yours.¡±
Roman shed his pj bottoms with deliberate slowness, letting her eyes roam freely over every inch of his muscr, defined body. ir¡¯s heart raced, her breath quickening as he settled between her thighs, his hardness pressing against her, teasing her without entering.
¡°Please,¡± she begged, barely above a whisper.
Roman chuckled darkly. ¡°You want it, ir?¡± His voice was a silky threat, a promise of pleasure mingled with dominance.
¡°Yes. Please, Roman¡ Sir,¡±
His hands tangled into her hair, gripping firmly, forcing her to look up at him as he slid inside her with agonizing slowness.
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ir gasped sharply, her body arching to meet him, but he held her steady, controlling, the depth and pacepletely,
¡°You don¡¯t move until I say you can,¡± he growled softly against her lips.
She nodded breathlessly, eyes locked onto his, fully surrendering control to him.
Roman began moving in a slow, torturous rhythm, each deep, controlled thrust designed to drive her wild. His mouth captured hers fiercely, dominating herpletely, swallowing each breathy moan she gave him.
¡°Tell me who you belong to,¡± he demanded, his voice rough with possessiveness,
¡°You,¡± ir gasped. ¡°I belong to you.¡±
He rewarded her answer by increasing his pace slightly, his thrusts growing deeper, more insistent, building her pleasure higher and higher.
¡°Good girl,¡± Roman murmured approvingly, his mouth trailing, heated kisses along, her jaw, down her neck. He bit gently at her shoulder, leaving a mark of ownership that sent a thrill racing through her.
¡°But you belong to me. So we are even¡±
ir¡¯s body tightened, sensations coiling deep within her as she felt herself teetering on the edge.
¡°Roman, 1-¡± she whimpered,
¡°Come for me,¡± hemanded.
body obeyed instantly, exploding in waves of overwhelming pleasure that stole her breath and sent her spiraling, crying his name helplessly.
Roman groaned deeply, his own release following swiftly, his body shuddering as he buried himself deep inside her, iming herpletely.
Theyy entwined for several long moments, breathing heavily, hearts racing in unison. Roman brushed his lips softly against hers, a gentle contrast to his earlier intensity,
¡°Now, let¡¯s get you cleaned up,¡± he said, his voice gentle but firm, lifting her easily and carrying her to the bathroom, setting the water temperature.
Roman set her down carefully beneath the steaming water, letting it wash over her trembling form. ir smiled up at him, her eyes heavy¨Clidded but bright with satisfaction.
Her hands trailing slowly down his chest and abdomen until she reached his already hardening cock.
Roman¡¯s jaw clenched, his breath hitching sharply.
ir sank slowly to her knees, looking up at him as the water cascaded over them both. Taking him in hand, she stroked him gently, savoring his groan of pleasure. Then, slowly, deliberately, she took him into her mouth, her tongue teasing and swirling over him, eliciting, deep groans from Roman as his fingers tangled tightly into her wet hair.
¡°Yes, ir,¡± he growled, guiding her rhythm gently but firmly, losing himself in the pleasure she was giving him.
After several heated, passionate moments, Roman pulled her gently but urgently to her feet, turning her to face the tiled wall of the shower. He pressed himself against her, the cool tiles a stark contrast to the heat radiating from his body.
¡°Hands on the wall,¡± hemanded softly, guiding her into position.
ir obeyed, feeling Roman¡¯s powerful body pressed tightly against her back, his cock sliding easily into her wetness from behind. She gasped sharply, her fingers curling against the slick tiles. Her core still sensitive from her climax.
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He moved slowly at first, teasing her, stretching the moment until her entire body ached with need, craving his dominance,
his im.
¡°Please, Roman,¡± she whimpered, desperate now.
His hand slid down her body, fingers circling her sensitive clit firmly as he began moving faster, harder, thrusting deeply into her. ¡°I want to feel you squeezing my cock as you cum.¡±
ir shattered around him, her body shaking, breath stolen, her cries echoing in the enclosed space. Roman¡¯s release followed swiftly, his grip tightening on her hips, his breathing harsh and uneven.
He held her tightly against him for several long moments, the water soothing their overheated bodies as their breathing slowly calmed.
¡°Mine,¡± Roman lips brushing tenderly against her shoulder.
¡°Yours,¡± ir echoed, leaning back against him. ¡°No more secrets,¡±
¡°No more secrets,¡± Roman agreed, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. ¡°I love you, ir.¡±
¡°I love you too,¡± she whispered back. ¡°Even when you¡¯re a maniptive control freak. Shithead.¡±
Roman chuckled. ¡°Especially when I¡¯m a maniptive control freak, apparently.¡±
ir grinned.
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After their shower, ir wrapped herself in a towel and padded back to the bedroom, her body still humming from their morning activities. She was reaching for her clothes when she heard Roman clear his throat behind her.
She turned around and her breath caught. Roman was on one knee, wearing nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist, holding a small velvet box.
¡°What are you-¡± she started, but the words died in her throat.
Roman opened the box, revealing a stunning diamond ring that caught the morning light streaming through their windows. It was perfect. ssic but not boring. Elegant, but not ostentatious. Exactly what she would have chosen for herself.
¡°I bought this weeks ago,¡± Roman said, his voice rough with emotion. ¡°Before Peter, before the investigation, before everything went to hell. I¡¯ve been carrying it around, waiting for the right moment.¡±
ir¡¯s hands flew to her mouth. ¡°Roman¡¡± Her heart swelled not just at the proposal, but at how romantic he was being, getting down on one knee properly.
¡°I know we¡¯re already engaged because of the Jessica situation, but that¡¯s not how I wanted to do this. I wanted to ask you properly. Because I love you, not because we needed to fool anyone.¡±
Tears were sliding down her cheeks now, and she didn¡¯t even care.
¡°ir,¡± Roman continued, his eyes never leaving hers. ¡°will you marry me? Not because of fake death schemes or crazy rtives or office politics. But because I¡¯mpletely, desperately, stupidly in love with you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you? I want us to grow old together.¡±
¡°Yes,¡± ir whispered, then louder, ¡°Yes, of course yes, you maniptive, controlling, wonderful man.¡±
Roman¡¯s grin was blinding as he slipped the ring onto her finger. It fit perfectly, because of course it did. He¡¯d probably measured her finger while she was sleeping or something equally sneaky.
As he stood up, ir threw her arms around his neck, kissing him hard. ¡°I love you,¡± she mumbled against his lips. ¡°Even when you¡¯re being all secretive and orchestrating my life.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll try to keep the life orchestration to a minimum,¡± Roman promised, holding her tight.
¡°Liar,¡± irughed, but she was looking at the ring, watching it sparkle. ¡°God, it¡¯s gorgeous. How long have you really been nning this?¡±
¡°Honestly? Months. Maybe longer. I just¡ I knew. Almost from the start, really. You were the one for me. The only problem? You had that awful cheating fianc¨¦. I had to deal with him first.¡±
Before ir could respond, the doorbell rang.
¡°Ignore it,¡± Roman murmured, nuzzling her neck.
The bell rang again. Then again.
¡°Whoever it is, they¡¯re persistent,¡± ir sighed, reluctantly pulling away from him. She looked down at herself and at him. Grinning. ¡°Can you get it? You¡¯ll be faster, unless you don¡¯t mind me opening the door like this.¡±
Roman groaned, dropping the towel he pulled on sweats and nothing else before heading downstairs while ir quickly pulled on jeans and ran her fingers through her hair. She was still grinning like an idiot and couldn¡¯t seem to stop looking at
her ring.
She heard voices downstairs¨CRoman and¡ were those her sisters?
16:19 Wed, 18
¡°ir!¡± Sutton¡¯s voice carried up the stairs. ¡°We brought coffee and bagels!¡±
ir¡¯s stomach growled immediately. When was thest time they¡¯d eaten a real meal? Yesterday had been such chaos¡
Once she was fully dressed in jeans and one of Roman¡¯s t¨Cshirts, she headed downstairs to find Sutton and Keira in the kitchen with Roman, who was pouring coffee. Sutton looked tired but determined, her hand resting protectively over her baby bump.
Keira looked young and overwhelmed, dark circles under her eyes that matched ir¡¯s own. None of them had slept very well.
Roman still only had on his sweatpants and she knew no underwear.
¡°How are you guys holding up?¡± ir asked, epting the coffee Roman handed her.
¡°Better now that Peter¡¯s locked up and you¡¯re now safe,¡± Keira said quietly. ¡°But ir, we need to talk about¡ everything. Mom and Dad¡¯s business. What happens now? We know it¡¯s going to take some time, but we need to figure out what to do.¡±
Sutton nodded, looking ufortable. ¡°Thewyers want to meet with us this week. There¡¯s so much to figure out. We need to think long and hard about what¡¯s best for the business and the staff.¡±
ir felt the heavy weight of other people¡¯s lives on her shoulders. They couldn¡¯t worry about thister. The staff would want answers and know their jobs would be safe.
¡°What are you thinking?¡± she asked carefully, settling at the kitchen table with her sisters.
Sutton and Keira exchanged a look.
¡°Well,¡± Sutton said slowly, ¡°technically, as the oldest, I suppose our parents, if alive, might have groomed me to take over. But ir¡ I¡¯m pregnant, and honestly? I¡¯m aputer programmer, not a CEO. I don¡¯t know the first thing about running apany like that.¡±
Keira jumped in. ¡°And I¡¯m only twenty¨Cfour. I just graduated from college. I¡¯m nowhere near ready for that kind of responsibility. I can barely manage my own life, let alone a multi¨Cmillion dor business.¡±
They were both looking at her now. ir could see where this was going.
¡°What¡ me?¡± ir asked, even though she already knew the answer.
¡°Why not?¡± Roman said quietly from where he was leaning against the counter. ¡°You¡¯ve been essentially running Kingston by my side. You¡¯re smart, you¡¯re tough, and you know business.¡±
¡°But it¡¯s not just any business,¡± ir protested. ¡°It¡¯s Mom and Dad¡¯spany. Their legacy. I can¡¯t just¡ª¡±
¡°You can¡¯t just what?¡± Sutton interrupted gently. ¡°Keira and I talked about it, out of the three of us¡. You are the best suited to look after their business. With Roman by your side, you have his help as well. It couldn¡¯t be in better hands.¡±
¡°Please ir,¡± Keira added softly.
ir stared at her sisters, feeling overwhelmed. ¡°I¡ I don¡¯t know. This is huge. Life¨Cchanging huge.¡±
¡°Sleep on it,¡± Roman suggested. ¡°You don¡¯t have to decide anything today. Just know I will be there to help you every step of the way.¡±
But even as he said it, ir could feel something like pride settle on her heart. Not only did her sisters trust her to look after the business, but Roman believed she could do it¡ maybe. Her parents had built something beautiful, something important to them. Peter had tried to destroy it out of greed and jealousy.
Maybe it was time for their daughter to reim it.
16:19 Wed, 18 Jun
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¡°Okay,¡± she said finally. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡±
But looking at her sisters¡® relieved faces, at Roman¡¯s proud smile, at the ring glittering on her finger¨Cir was pretty sure she already knew what her answer would be.
Some legacies were worth fighting for.
¡°There is one thing I¡¯m pissed about with all this,¡± ir said after a moment.
¡°What?¡± Sutton asked.
¡°Only one? With what you have been through over thest few weeks?¡± Keira lifted an eyebrow in surprise.
¡°Our house¡ If what Roman has found out is all true, why did they need to sell our house?¡± The girls had loved their family home.
Roman was the one to answer. ¡°The illusion they needed to show the world. If they had kept the too many questions. So they sold it off.¡±
Tate, it would have raised
¡°And legally we can¡¯t kick the people out,¡± ir said, very sad that they couldn¡¯t get their family home back.
Keira shrugged. ¡°Maybe if we offered them enough money, they¡¯d sell it back to us.¡±
Roman rubbed the back of his neck. ¡°Huh¡ You know, the day I stormed house in the area?¡±
o your family drama and I
was
looking at a
ir narrowed her eyes at him. ¡°You bought it.¡±
Roman nodded. ¡°It was only finalized two days ago.¡±
¡°Really?¡± ir was so excited¨Cnot only would they have their family home, but Roman had thought to do this.
¡°The deeds are in all your names,¡± he informed them, leaving each sister speechless.
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Keira¡¯s face transformed from confusion to pure rage in the span of a heartbeat. Her hands clenched into fists, and she took a step toward the bar where Luca stood,pletely oblivious to the storm brewing across the room.
¡°That bastard,¡± Keira hissed under her breath, her voice deadly quiet. ¡°I¡¯m going to-¡±
¡°No!¡± ir grabbed Keira¡¯s arm, pulling her back before she could take another step. ¡°Not here. Not now.¡±
¡°Why not?¡± Keira¡¯s eyes were zing as she strained against ir¡¯s grip.
Rose looked between them, clearly confused but fascinated by the sudden drama. ¡°Wait, what¡¯s going on?¡±
ir¡¯s mind raced. She couldn¡¯t let Rose know the truth¨Cnot here, not like this. Rose was Roman¡¯s sister, and whatever this situation was with Luca and Sutton, it would create a mess that Sutton didn¡¯t want right now.
¡°It¡¯splicated,¡± ir said to Rose, trying to keep her voice casual while still holding onto Keira¡¯s arm. ¡°Just some history.¡±
Sutton was still staring at Luca, her face pale and her breathing shallow. ¡°I need to leave. Now.¡± Before turning her back on Luca.
¡°Of course,¡± ir said immediately. ¡°We¡¯re going outside for some air.¡±
Rose looked between them with growing concern. ¡°Is everything okay? Should I get Mum? Or Roman?¡±
¡°No,¡± ir said quickly. ¡°Don¡¯t get anyone. Sutton¡¯s just feeling a bit overwhelmed. The pregnancy, you know.¡±
It wasn¡¯t entirely a lie, and pregnancy was something Rose would understand without asking too many questions.
¡°Come on,¡± ir said, wrapping an arm around Sutton¡¯s waist while keeping a firm grip on Keira. ¡°Let¡¯s go outside.¡±
As they started to move toward the terrace doors, Keira kept shooting dark looks back at Luca, her jaw clenched tight. ir. could practically feel the rage radiating off her.
Rose followed them to the terrace doors, still looking worried. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want me to get someone? Mum¡¯s really good with pregnant women. I mean, she has done it twice.¡±
¡°We¡¯re fine,¡± ir assured her, though her heart was racing. ¡°Just give us a few minutes, okay? Maybe let Roman know we stepped out for air if he asks.¡±
Rose nodded reluctantly. ¡°Of course. Take your time.¡±
ir guided Sutton and Keira out onto the terrace, grateful for the cool evening air. The sounds of the party became muffled as she closed the doors behind them, making sure they were well out of Rose¡¯s earshot.
Only then did she let go of Keira¡¯s arm.
¡°What the hell is he doing here?¡± Keira exploded the moment she was sure they couldn¡¯t be overheard. ¡°I want to rip his¡¡±
ir wasn¡¯t sure what she wanted to rip off because she stopped as soon as Sutton sank into one of the chairs, putting her head in her hands. ¡°I can¡¯t believe this. Of all the ces¡¡±
¡°He¡¯s Roman¡¯s friend from university,¡± ir said, her own mind reeling. ¡°I met him once before at Roman¡¯s house, but I had no idea¡ You never talk about him.¡±
¡°That he was the piece of shit who abandoned our sister?¡± Keira finished, already pacing the terrace like a caged animal. ¡°I want to go back in there and-¡±
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¡°Keira, no,¡± Sutton said without lifting her head. ¡°Please.¡±
¡°But he hurt you,¡± Keira said, her voice breaking slightly. ¡°He made you cry for months. He called you-¡±
¡°I know what he called me,¡± Sutton said quietly. ¡°But I can¡¯t deal with this right now. Not here. Not at ir¡¯s engagement party. This isn¡¯t the night for my drama.¡±
ir crouched down beside her sister¡¯s chair. ¡°Sutton, this isn¡¯t your fault. And this party doesn¡¯t matterpared to you.¡±
¡°Of course it matters,¡± Sutton protested. ¡°This is your celebration. I can¡¯t ruin this for you.¡±
¡°You¡¯re not ruining anything,¡± ir said firmly. ¡°You¡¯re more important than any party.¡±
Through the terrace doors, they could see the party continuing inside. Laughter and conversation drifted out to them, and ir could see Roman talking to his uncle near the firece. He hadn¡¯t noticed they were missing yet, but he would soon.
¡°What do you want to do?¡± ir asked gently. ¡°We can leave right now. I¡¯ll make some excuse to Roman.¡±
Sutton was quiet for a long moment, staring at her hands. When she finally looked up, her eyes were bright with unshed
tears.
¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she whispered. ¡°I wasn¡¯t prepared for this. Seeing him brought back everything. The way he looked at me when I told him. The things he said. How hurtful¡¡±
Keira stopped pacing and came to kneel beside Sutton¡¯s other side. ¡°We don¡¯t have to stay. We can go home right now.¡±
ir pulled out her phone. ¡°I¡¯ll text Roman and tell him you¡¯re not feeling well. Which isn¡¯t a lie.¡±
But what about you?¡± Sutton asked.
Il stay for a bit longer so it doesn¡¯t look suspicious, then Roman and I will leave too. We were probably only going to stay another hour anyway.¡±
Keira looked through the doors at Luca, who was nowughing at something Roman¡¯s cousin had said. ¡°I hate that he gets to be here, having a good time. So where¡¯s the good little wife?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know and honestly don¡¯t care,¡± Sutton said, though she didn¡¯t sound like she meant it. ¡°I just need to go home.¡±
ir stood up and typed out a quick message to Roman, exining that Sutton wasn¡¯t feeling well and they¡¯d stepped outside for air.
¡°Do you want me toe with you?¡± ir asked, handing her keys to Keira. ¡°Roman can pick me up from your ceter.¡±
As Keira helped Sutton to her feet, ir hugged both of her sisters tightly.
¡°I¡¯m fine. Go,¡± Sutton said softly. ¡°This party is for you¨Cplease don¡¯t leave. We can talk more tomorrow. I just¡ I just can¡¯t let him see me.¡±
ir watched as Sutton and Keira made their way around the side of the house toward the cars, making sure they werepletely out of sight before she turned back to the party.
Taking a deep breath, ir smoothed down her dress and prepared to go back inside. She needed to act normal, deflect any questions from Rose, and get through the rest of the evening without anyone figuring out what had just happened¨Cnamely
Luca or Roman.
But as she reached for the door handle, she found herself looking through the ss at Luca again. He was still talking andughing,pletely unaware that the woman carrying his child had been in the same room just minutes ago.
This was definitely going to getplicated.
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Keira¡¯s face transformed from confusion to pure rage in the span of a heartbeat. Her hands clenched into fists, and she took a step toward the bar where Luca stood,pletely oblivious to the storm brewing across the room.
¡°That bastard,¡± Keira hissed under her breath, her voice deadly quiet. ¡°I¡¯m going to-¡±
¡°No!¡± ir grabbed Keira¡¯s arm, pulling her back before she could take another step. ¡°Not here. Not now.¡±
¡°Why not?¡± Keira¡¯s eyes were zing as she strained against ir¡¯s grip.
Rose looked between them, clearly confused but fascinated by the sudden drama. ¡°Wait, what¡¯s going on?¡±
ir¡¯s mind raced. She couldn¡¯t let Rose know the truth¨Cnot here, not like this. Rose was Roman¡¯s sister, and whatever this situation was with Luca and Sutton, it would create a mess that Sutton didn¡¯t want right now.
¡°It¡¯splicated,¡± ir said to Rose, trying to keep her voice casual while still holding onto Keira¡¯s arm. ¡°Just some history.¡±
Sutton was still staring at Luca, her face pale and her breathing shallow. ¡°I need to leave. Now.¡± Before turning her back on Luca.
¡°Of course,¡± ir said immediately. ¡°We¡¯re going outside for some air.¡±
Rose looked between them with growing concern. ¡°Is everything okay? Should I get Mum? Or Roman?¡±
¡°No,¡± ir said quickly. ¡°Don¡¯t get anyone. Sutton¡¯s just feeling a bit overwhelmed. The pregnancy, you know.¡±
It wasn¡¯t entirely a lie, and pregnancy was something Rose would understand without asking too many questions.
¡°Come on,¡± ir said, wrapping an arm around Sutton¡¯s waist while keeping a firm grip on Keira. ¡°Let¡¯s go outside.¡±
As they started to move toward the terrace doors, Keira kept shooting dark looks back at Luca, her jaw clenched tight. ir. could practically feel the rage radiating off her.
Rose followed them to the terrace doors, still looking worried. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want me to get someone? Mum¡¯s really good with pregnant women. I mean, she has done it twice.¡±
¡°We¡¯re fine,¡± ir assured her, though her heart was racing. ¡°Just give us a few minutes, okay? Maybe let Roman know we stepped out for air if he asks.¡±
Rose nodded reluctantly. ¡°Of course. Take your time.¡±
ir guided Sutton and Keira out onto the terrace, grateful for the cool evening air. The sounds of the party became muffled as she closed the doors behind them, making sure they were well out of Rose¡¯s earshot.
Only then did she let go of Keira¡¯s arm.
¡°What the hell is he doing here?¡± Keira exploded the moment she was sure they couldn¡¯t be overheard. ¡°I want to rip his¡¡±
ir wasn¡¯t sure what she wanted to rip off because she stopped as soon as Sutton sank into one of the chairs, putting her head in her hands. ¡°I can¡¯t believe this. Of all the ces¡¡±
¡°He¡¯s Roman¡¯s friend from university,¡± ir said, her own mind reeling. ¡°I met him once before at Roman¡¯s house, but I had no idea¡ You never talk about him.¡±
¡°That he was the piece of shit who abandoned our sister?¡± Keira finished, already pacing the terrace like a caged animal. ¡°I want to go back in there and-¡±
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¡°Keira, no,¡± Sutton said without lifting her head. ¡°Please.¡±
¡°But he hurt you,¡± Keira said, her voice breaking slightly. ¡°He made you cry for months. He called you-¡±
¡°I know what he called me,¡± Sutton said quietly. ¡°But I can¡¯t deal with this right now. Not here. Not at ir¡¯s engagement party. This isn¡¯t the night for my drama.¡±
ir crouched down beside her sister¡¯s chair. ¡°Sutton, this isn¡¯t your fault. And this party doesn¡¯t matterpared to you.¡±
¡°Of course it matters,¡± Sutton protested. ¡°This is your celebration. I can¡¯t ruin this for you.¡±
¡°You¡¯re not ruining anything,¡± ir said firmly. ¡°You¡¯re more important than any party.¡±
Through the terrace doors, they could see the party continuing inside. Laughter and conversation drifted out to them, and ir could see Roman talking to his uncle near the firece. He hadn¡¯t noticed they were missing yet, but he would soon.
¡°What do you want to do?¡± ir asked gently. ¡°We can leave right now. I¡¯ll make some excuse to Roman.¡±
Sutton was quiet for a long moment, staring at her hands. When she finally looked up, her eyes were bright with unshed
tears.
¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she whispered. ¡°I wasn¡¯t prepared for this. Seeing him brought back everything. The way he looked at me when I told him. The things he said. How hurtful¡¡±
Keira stopped pacing and came to kneel beside Sutton¡¯s other side. ¡°We don¡¯t have to stay. We can go home right now.¡±
ir pulled out her phone. ¡°I¡¯ll text Roman and tell him you¡¯re not feeling well. Which isn¡¯t a lie.¡±
But what about you?¡± Sutton asked.
Il stay for a bit longer so it doesn¡¯t look suspicious, then Roman and I will leave too. We were probably only going to stay another hour anyway.¡±
Keira looked through the doors at Luca, who was nowughing at something Roman¡¯s cousin had said. ¡°I hate that he gets to be here, having a good time. So where¡¯s the good little wife?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know and honestly don¡¯t care,¡± Sutton said, though she didn¡¯t sound like she meant it. ¡°I just need to go home.¡±
ir stood up and typed out a quick message to Roman, exining that Sutton wasn¡¯t feeling well and they¡¯d stepped outside for air.
¡°Do you want me toe with you?¡± ir asked, handing her keys to Keira. ¡°Roman can pick me up from your ceter.¡±
As Keira helped Sutton to her feet, ir hugged both of her sisters tightly.
¡°I¡¯m fine. Go,¡± Sutton said softly. ¡°This party is for you¨Cplease don¡¯t leave. We can talk more tomorrow. I just¡ I just can¡¯t let him see me.¡±
ir watched as Sutton and Keira made their way around the side of the house toward the cars, making sure they werepletely out of sight before she turned back to the party.
Taking a deep breath, ir smoothed down her dress and prepared to go back inside. She needed to act normal, deflect any questions from Rose, and get through the rest of the evening without anyone figuring out what had just happened¨Cnamely
Luca or Roman.
But as she reached for the door handle, she found herself looking through the ss at Luca again. He was still talking andughing,pletely unaware that the woman carrying his child had been in the same room just minutes ago.
This was definitely going to getplicated.
16:21 Wed, 18 Jun
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ir took onest steadying breath before opening the terrace doors and stepping back into the house. She stered a smile on her face and made her way back into the room. She didn¡¯t look in Luca¡¯s direction.
She felt a little like Keira¨Cshe wanted to hurt him for what he had done to their sister.
¡°There you are.¡± Roman appeared at her side almost immediately, concern creasing his features. ¡°I got your text. Is Sutton okay?¡±
¡°Just feeling a bit nauseous,¡± ir said, the lieing easier than she¡¯d expected. ¡°Pregnancy stuff. Keira took her home so she could rest.¡±
¡°Should we leave too? Go check on her? Everyone will understand that you¡¯re worried about your sister. We can-¡±
¡°No, it¡¯s fine,¡± ir interrupted quickly. ¡°She insisted we stay. Said she¡¯d never forgive herself if she ruined our celebration.¡±
Roman studied her face for a moment, and ir forced herself to maintain eye contact. No more secrets, they¡¯d promised
each other.
But this wasn¡¯t her secret to tell. This was Sutton¡¯s business, and she had every right to decide when and if she told anyone that Roman¡¯s friend Luca was the father of her baby.
Luca didn¡¯t have any rights as far as she was concerned. Not after the way he had treated Sutton. Used her, then gone off to marry his little Italian bride his father had picked out for him.
She was justified in keeping this to herself. She had to be.
¡°If you¡¯re sure,¡± Roman said, though he still looked worried.
¡°I¡¯m sure. Besides, your dad will never forgive us if we leave before he¡¯s finished embarrassing you.¡±
That earned her a smile. ¡°True. He¡¯s just getting started.¡±
They rejoined the main group, and ir tried to focus on the conversations around her. Roman¡¯s aunt was telling a story about his childhood obsession with dinosaurs, and everyone wasughing at the mental image of eight¨Cyear¨Cold Roman correcting museum tour guides.
¡°He was insufferable,¡± Rose chimed in. ¡°He¡¯d stand there with his little clipboard, making notes about everything they got wrong.¡±
¡°I was thorough,¡± Roman protested. ¡°There¡¯s a difference.¡±
¡°You made a museum tour guide question his career choice,¡± James added helpfully.
ir found herself genuinely smiling for the first time since they¡¯de back inside. Roman¡¯s family was exactly what she¡¯d always remembered a true family should be. Their family had been like this until Peter had killed her parents. It made what had just happened with Sutton feel even more unfair. She had been through so much. The only reason she had been modeling in Europe was to put Keira and her through university. Then Luca had used her and left her pregnant and alone. Without even a backwards nce.
¡°Roman! ir!¡±
ir turned to see Luca approaching them. Talk about the devil himself. He had two champagne flutes in one hand and a third in the other. He was wearing a broad smile. Her stomach immediately clenched. She wanted to take that champagne from him and throw it in his face.
¡°Congrattions,¡± he said warmly, handing them each a ss. ¡°I¡¯m really happy for you both.¡±
16:21 Wed, 18 Jun
¡°Thanks, Luca,¡± Roman said, pping his friend on the shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m d you could make it.¡±
28)
¡°Wouldn¡¯t have missed it. Though I have to say, I never thought I¡¯d see the day Roman Kingston would willingly give up his bachelor status.¡±
ir forced augh, but it sounded hollow to her own ears. Looking at Luca now¨Creally looking at him¨Cshe could see why Sutton had been attracted to him. He was undeniably handsome, with an easy charm that probably made women feel like they were the only person in the room.
Right up until he called them liars and used them of trying to trap him. ir was sure there was more to the story that was just too painful for Sutton to share.
¡°ir¡¯s a very persuasive woman,¡± Roman said, his arm tightening around her waist.
¡°I can see that,¡± Luca said, raising his ss. ¡°To Roman and ir¨Cmay you be as happy as you deserve.¡±
¡°Thank you,¡± she said stiffly, barely touching the champagne to her lips.
Luca seemed to notice her cool response. His brow furrowed slightly, and he nced between her and Roman. ¡°ir, is everything okay?¡±
¡°Yes¡ fine,¡± ir said. But it sounded off and not her normal friendly self. She just couldn¡¯t help it.
An awkward silence stretched between them. ir could feel Roman¡¯s questioning gaze, but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to be weing to Luca. Every time she looked at him, she thought about Sutton crying herself to sleep, facing pregnancy alone because this man couldn¡¯t be bothered to take responsibility. And now here he was, acting like he was such a good friend, such a wonderful person.
¡°Well,¡± Luca said finally, clearly sensing the tension. ¡°I should let you get back to your other guests. Again, congrattions.¡±
As he started to move away, Roman caught his arm. ¡°Hey, before you go. Any luck with that thing we talked about?¡±
ir looked between them. What thing?
Luca¡¯s expression shifted, bing more serious. ¡°Still looking. It¡¯s harder than I expected to find exactly what I¡¯m looking for. The right one, you know?¡±
¡°Good. You shouldn¡¯t settle. You know I¡¯m here if you need anything.¡±
¡°I appreciate that. Really. Your support means the world. I will find it if it¡¯s thest thing I do.¡±
They exchanged a look that seemed loaded with meaning ir couldn¡¯t understand. Then Luca nodded to both of them and walked back into the crowd.
¡°What was that about?¡± ir asked once he was gone.
¡°Nothing important,¡± Roman said. ¡°Just something he¡¯s working on.¡±
ir wanted to press, but she was keeping her own secrets. She couldn¡¯t exactly demand honesty when she was lying to his face about why Sutton had really left.
But as the evening went on, she found herself watching Luca. He seemed so rxed, so charming with everyone. There was no sign that he was carrying guilt about a woman he¡¯d abandoned. No hint that he ever thought about the consequences of his actions. He was just having a good time at a party while somewhere across town, the mother of his child was probably crying.
She should have asked him where his wife was. ir had noticed he didn¡¯t wear a ring, but some men didn¡¯t. Maybe it allowed him to cheat on his good little wife. She hated him.
16:21 Wed, 18 JunD
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The worst part was that Roman clearly liked him. They¡¯d been friends for years. Roman trusted him enough to offer help with whatever he was looking for.
How was she supposed to tell Roman that his friend was the kind of man who used women and threw them away? How could she exin that without betraying Sutton¡¯s trust?
She felt sick thinking about it.
¡°You¡¯re quiet,¡± Roman said, pulling her aside near the firece. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay? You¡¯ve seemed off since you came back inside.¡±
¡°I¡¯m fine. Just worried about Sutton.¡±
Roman studied her face. ¡°ir, what¡¯s really going on? And don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s just pregnancy nausea. I know you better than
that.¡±
ir¡¯s heart raced. He could read her so easily. Too easily.
¡°It¡¯s nothing I can talk about,¡± she said carefully. ¡°Not without breaking a confidence.¡±
¡°Whose confidence?¡±
¡°Roman, please. Can we just enjoy the rest of the evening?¡±
He looked like he wanted to argue, but Eleanor chose that moment to announce that dinner was being served. The moment passed, but ir could feel Roman¡¯s eyes on her for the rest of the night.
She was going to have to figure out what to tell him. Because keeping this secret was already eating her alive. But she needed to keep Sutton¡¯s secret. Because it truly wasn¡¯t up to her who knew about the father of the baby. If she went against that, it would hurt her sister.
Sutton¡¯s pain was real. Her fear was real. And until her sister was ready to deal with Luca, ir would protect her secret.
Even if it meant lying to the man she loved.
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Room Mate 81
The car ride home felt like she was suffocating slowly.
Every red light stretched out what she knew wasing. Roman was like a dog with a bone.
ir could feel his eyes on her. It made her hands clenched in herp. She felt the need to fill the silence.
¡°That was a nice evening,¡± she said, tight and way too casual.
¡°Was it?¡± Roman didn¡¯t turn and look at her but kept his eyes on the road. He sounded chill, but she knew that voice. ¡°Because you looked like you wanted to kill someone thest two hours.¡±
Her stomach twisted. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t you?¡±
It wasn¡¯t the words¨Cit was how he said them. It made her skin crawl in a way she hated, like he already knew the answer and was just waiting for her to admit it.
Roman pulled into the driveway and shut the car off, but neither of them moved. The silence was thick, stretching long enough to feel like it might snap.
¡°ir.¡± His voice was quiet, low, but not soft. It carried that dangerous calm he got when he was just barely holding it together. ¡°Look at me.¡±
She didn¡¯t want to. But she did. Slowly.
His eyes were dark and steady, and she felt that look straight in her chest.
¡°We¡¯re going inside,¡± he said, like it was a decision he¡¯d already made for both of them. ¡°And you¡¯re going to tell me what the hell happened tonight?¡±
¡°Nothing happened-¡±
¡°Don¡¯t.¡± That one word was sharp. Final. ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me. Not now. Not after everything.¡±
ir opened the door and got out before she could think twice. Her legs felt shaky, and she didn¡¯t need to look behind her to know he was following. He always followed.
Her hands fumbled with the keys at the front door.
¡°Having trouble?¡± His breath was warm against her neck.
¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±
¡°No, you¡¯re not.¡± His hands closed over hers, steady and grounding in a way that just made it worse. ¡°You¡¯re wound so tight I can feel it from here. The question is why.¡±
She didn¡¯t answer. Just pushed the door open and walked inside, kicking off her heels like that would somehow help her feel normal again.
Roman shut the door behind them with a quiet click. The sound felt way too loud in the silence.
¡°Talk to me.¡±
¡°There¡¯s nothing to talk about.¡±
Wed,
29)
¡°Bullshit.¡± He was already pulling his tie loose with rough hands. ¡°You changed after you came back inside. Cold. Pulled back. Like someone flipped a damn switch.¡±
She stared at him. At his hands, mostly¨Chow they moved, how tense he looked even doing something simple. Even angry, he was still stupidly beautiful.
¡°Maybe I¡¯m just tired.¡±
Romanughed once, no humor in it. ¡°Try again.¡±
¡°Roman-¡±
¡°You want to know what I think?¡± He stepped in close, way too close, backing her against the wall. ¡°I think something happened tonight. And now you¡¯re shutting me out. Did someone say something? Did something happen?¡±
His hands went to the wall, one on either side of her head. She was trapped, even though she could¡¯ve walked away. But she didn¡¯t want to. Not really.
¡°I¡¯m not shutting you out. No one said anything,¡± she whispered.
¡°No?¡± His face was inches from hers now. ¡°Then tell me why you haven¡¯t been yourself since Sutton left.¡±
Her stomach dropped. ¡°What?¡±
¡°You heard me. Something happened. Did someone say something to Sutton and you won¡¯t tell me? Then there was the way you acted around Luca. You were cold. Tense. Was it him?¡±
She felt the panic start to rise. Of course he noticed. He always noticed. Roman missed nothing.
¡°That¡¯s ridiculous,¡± she said, but her voice cracked.
His jaw clenched. His thumb brushed her jaw, gentle and careful even now. ¡°From where I¡¯m standing, it looks like you¡¯re hiding something.¡±
Her pulse was so fast it hurt. She had to end this. Had to distract him. Had to stop him from seeing more than she could handle him knowing.
So she kissed him.
It wasn¡¯t soft. It wasn¡¯t romantic. It was desperate and rough, meant to shut him up and shut everything down. Her hands. gripped his shirt, pulling him in like it was the only way to breathe.
He froze for half a second. Then he gave in.
His hands buried in her hair, and his mouth was on hers like he was starving. Like he was furious. Like kissing her might fix whatever this was or tear it apart entirely.
¡°This isn¡¯t going to work,¡± he said against her lips.
¡°What isn¡¯t?¡±
¡°Using sex to distract me.¡±
But his hands were already on her body, sliding down over silk like he couldn¡¯t stop himself.
¡°I¡¯m not-¡± she started, but he found that spot at her neck that turned her brain to mush.
¡°Yes, you are,¡± he said, voice low, teeth grazing her skin. ¡°You¡¯re trying to make me forget. Trying to scramble my head.¡±
Wed,
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Her breath hitched as his fingers found the zipper on her dress.
¡°Maybe,¡± she admitted.
¡°Well, congrattions,¡± he said, sliding it down achingly slow. ¡°It¡¯s working.¡±
The dress hit the floor. She was left in ckce and heels. Roman looked at her like he might lose it, like if he touched her, he wasn¡¯t stopping.
¡°Christ, ir. You¡¯re going to be the death of me.¡±
¡°At least you¡¯ll die happy,¡± she whispered, reaching for his belt.
He caught her wrists and pinned them above her head, hard enough to make her gasp..
¡°Not here,¡± he growled. ¡°Upstairs. Now.¡±
He scooped her up without warning, carried her up like she weighed nothing. Her arms looped around his neck, her heart hammering.
¡°I love you,¡± she whispered.
His arms tightened. ¡°I love you too. But ir?¡±
¡°Yeah?¡±
¡°This conversation isn¡¯t over. You didn¡¯t win. This is halftime.¡±
Her heart sank, but she shoved it aside. Morning could wait. Right now, she had him.
He set her down at the edge of the bed and stepped back.
¡°Don¡¯t move,¡± he said. Low. Rough. Serious.
She stood still, breath shallow, as he unbuttoned his shirt one button at a time. The air between them thickened with every second. Her wrists still tingled from where he¡¯d held her.
Then the belt came undone with that sharp sound that made her thighs clench.
He didn¡¯t smile. Didn¡¯t say anything stupid or sexy. Just looked at her like she was his whole focus.
¡°You want to distract me?¡± he said, walking back toward her. ¡°Then you¡¯d better be ready tomit.¡±
Before she could say anything, he had her on the bed, hands braced beside her, mouth crushing hers..
He kissed her like he was angry. Like she owed him answers and he was going to drag them out of her one gasp at a time. One hand slid up her thigh, pushing thece aside.
She moaned when his fingers touched her. She was already soaked.
¡°Of course you are,¡± he muttered. ¡°You love this. The way I take over. The way I see you.¡±
He pushed two fingers inside her, working her until she was shaking.
¡°Roman¨Cplease¨CSir.¡±
He stopped cold. ¡°No. You don¡¯t get to beg. Not yet.¡±
He moved down, kissing her stomach, her hips, her thighs. He pulled her underwear all the way off. She was shaking when
16:21 Wed, 18 Jun
his mouth reced his fingers. It didn¡¯t take long.
She came hard and fast, barely aware of what she was saying.
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¡°Naughty girl. You didn¡¯t have permission toe,¡± he said, but he didn¡¯t stop. Just kept going until she was nothing but gasps and broken words.
Then he moved back up. ¡°Turn over.¡±
She didn¡¯t argue. She couldn¡¯t. Once she was on her knees, his chest pressed to her back, his hand heavy at her neck.
¡°You¡¯re mine,¡± he said, positioning himself. ¡°Every time you lie. Every time you try to shut me out. I¡¯ll remind you.¡±
He drove into her, hard and deep. She cried out, but not from pain. From everything.
He kept going, relentless, pushing her higher and higher.
¡°You think I won¡¯t know when something¡¯s wrong?¡± he growled, tugging her head back by her hair. ¡°You think I won¡¯t feel it?¡±
ir cried out, surrendering.
¡°You¡¯re mine, ir. There¡¯s nowhere to hide. I¡¯ll always know. Nowe.¡±
She shattered again, body clenching around him, and he followed with a groan, holding her tight as he came.
They copsed together, bodies tangled, breaths uneven.
For a long time, they didn¡¯t move.
Then Roman whispered, lips against her shoulder, ¡°You can distract me all you want, baby. But I¡¯m still getting the truth.¡±
ir didn¡¯t say anything.
She just closed her eyes and went to sleep.
Room Mate 82
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ir woke up to Roman¡¯s fingers drawingzy circles on her bare shoulder. For about three seconds, she let herself sink into the warmth of his body against hers, the way his breath tickled her neck. Then reality crashed back down like a brick. Shit, she couldn¡¯t just stay here.
Last night. The dinner. Luca. Sutton¡¯s secret burning a hole in her chest.
¡°Morning,¡± Roman murmured, his voice still deep with sleep.
¡°Hey.¡± She tried to slip out of bed, but his arm tightened around her waist.
¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡±
¡°Shower. We have work.¡±
¡°We also have that conversation I promised you.¡± His voice had lost that sleepy edge. Now it was all business. Dangerous business.
ir¡¯s stomach twisted. She¡¯d been hoping, stupidly she knew, that maybe he¡¯d forgotten. Or at least decided to let it slide. But Roman didn¡¯t forget anything, and he sure as hell didn¡¯t let things slide.
¡°Roman, I really don¡¯t¡ª¡±
¡°Nope.¡± He sat up, running a hand through his hair, watching her. ¡°You used sex to distract mest night. Which, don¡¯t get me wrong, worked like a fucking charm. But now it¡¯s morning, and I still want answers. Something happenedst night to upset Sutton and got you spitting mad.¡±
ir finally managed to wiggle free and padded over to their dresser. Her reflection in the mirror was telling¨Cshe was wearing a deer¨Cin¨Cheadlights expression that screamed ¡®I¡¯m hiding something massive.
¡°There¡¯s nothing to tell you,¡± she said, pulling out clothes at random.
Roman red at her. ¡°Right. And I¡¯m the Pope.¡±
Really? Because I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a sin about the way you make love.¡± With that, she headed into the bathroom. She could
his eyes on her all the way. It made her feel like she was under a microscope. Shit, she hated keeping things from him.
enty minutester, they were in the kitchen. Roman moved around, making breakfast. Jenny, his housekeeper, was off siting her daughter, so for the next week or so, they had the ce to themselves. Roman had cleanerse in during the day. Shame really, because the buffer of another person would have been nice. She watched him, waiting for him to start interrogating her because she knew it was going toe.
He only waited until they had finished their meal before bringing it up again while they cleaned the kitchen.
¡°So,¡± he said, not looking at her. ¡°Sutton seemed pretty upset when she leftst night.¡±
ir should have known he wouldn¡¯t let it go. ¡°She wasn¡¯t feeling well.¡±
¡°Uh¨Chuh. Please, ir, I¡¯m asking because I care.¡±
¡°She¡¯s fine. I¡¯m fine.¡±
Roman finally turned around, leaning against the counter with his arms crossed. ¡°Really?¡±
¡°She got sick. People get sick.¡± Shit, he looked hot¨Cand angry. But that didn¡¯t stop her from heating under his gaze.
¡°Do they?¡± His eyes narrowed. ¡°Or did someone say something to her?¡±
16:21 Wed, 18 Jun
ir¡¯s heart was beating so fast she was pretty sure he could hear it. She wasn¡¯t very good at hiding things or how she was feeling. ¡°Nobody said anything to anyone.¡± No one had said anything. So she wasn¡¯t lying about that. ¡°You¡¯re worrying about. nothing.¡±
¡°Am I?¡± He pushed off the counter and moved closer to her. ¡°Then exin to me why you¡¯ve been lying to my face for the past twelve hours.¡±
¡°I haven¡¯t been lying¡ If someone said something, I would tell you.¡±
¡°ir.¡± Her name was a warning. Low and quiet and absolutely not fucking around. ¡°Don¡¯t make this worse than it already is.¡±
She put her tea towel down on the counter. ¡°We need to leave for work.¡±
¡°We need to finish this conversation.¡±
¡°You have meetings today, a lot of meetings.¡± ir hoped that would get them moving and off this conversation.
¡°I don¡¯t give a shit about my meetings.¡±
¡°Well, I do. We have responsibilities.¡±
Romanughed, but it was sharp and bitter. ¡°Responsibilities. Right. Like the responsibility to be honest with the person you¡¯re supposed to be building a life with?¡±
That hit like a p. ir grabbed her purse and keys, suddenly desperate to get out of this kitchen, out of this conversation.
¡°It¡¯s Friday,¡± she said. ¡°We have the weekend to talk.¡± Shit, she hoped she came up with something by then.
¡°When then? I want the truth. Because one of the things we promised each other was no more secrets. I feel like you¡¯re keeping secrets.¡±
But she couldn¡¯t tell him. Not yet. Not until she talked to Sutton and figured out what the hell they were going to do.
The car ride was tense. Roman¡¯s jaw was set in that stubborn line that meant he was pissed but trying to control it. His hands gripped the steering wheel. The silence felt like a living thing, pressing down on her from all sides.
ir was staring out the window, trying to think of literally anything that might get her out of this mess, when her phone
rang.
Sutton.
¡°Hey,¡± ir answered, probably a little too eagerly.
¡°ir.¡± Sutton¡¯s voice was high and shaky. Panicked, ¡°Oh my God, ir, I think I might actually throw up.¡±
¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you okay?¡± ir sat up straighter, immediately worried about her sister.
¡°No, I¡¯m not okay, I¡¯m at work and¡ fuck, what am I going to do? He¡¯s here.¡±
¡°Who¡¯s here¡ I mean there?¡°¡±
¡°The new owner. Remember, I told you he was supposed toe by this week? Well, he did. Early, Like, eight AM early, and ir¡¡± Sutton¡¯s voice cracked. ¡°It¡¯s him.¡±
ir could hear the panic in her sister¡¯s voice. It made her blood turn to ice. ¡°Him? Who¡¯s him?¡±
¡°Luca¡¡±
16:22 Wed, 18
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The words hit ir like a freight train. Her entire body felt the shock of it, her hand tightening on the phone.
Next to her, Roman nced over, clearly picking up on her sudden panic.
¡°What?¡± ir whispered, still not sure if she had heard right.
¡°The new owner of Cyber10,¡± Sutton said, and ir could hear her pacing and the sound of her voice echoing. ¡°It¡¯s Luca. He¡¯s here right now. I can¡¯t fucking breathe. I literally cannot breathe. Why is this happening to me?¡±
ir¡¯s mind was racing. Luca owned thepany where Sutton worked¨CCyber10. Had Roman known?
¡°Oh shit,¡± ir breathed.
¡°Yeah. Oh shit, is right. He doesn¡¯t know it¡¯s me yet¨CI mean, I was able to get away. Go to the restroom.¡±
That exined the echo. ¡°Do you need me?¡± ir interrupted. ¡°I cane. I can be there in twenty minutes.¡±
¡°No.¡± Sutton¡¯s voice was firm despite the panic. ¡°No, this is my mess. I have to deal with it. I just¡ I needed to tell someone. I needed you to know in case this all goes to hell. It¡¯s just a lot, ir. I can¡¯t see him and his wife together¡ It would-¡± She broke off.
¡°Sutton-¡±
¡°I have to go. I¡¯ll call youter.¡±
The line went dead.
ir stared at her phone, her heart pounding so hard she could feel it in her throat. What should she do?
Roman was watching her now, not even pretending to focus on driving.
¡°ir?¡± His voice seemed toe from somewhere far away. ¡°What the hell was that about?¡±
She looked at him. Really looked at him. At the concern in his dark eyes, the way his forehead was creased with worry. He loved her. He deserved to know the truth. There was no secret to keep now¨Cthe cat was well and truly out of the bag.
And Sutton¡ Sutton was about to face the father of her baby, whether she was ready or not.
¡°Pull over,¡± ir said quietly.
¡°What?¡±
¡°Pull over: Now¡ Please.¡±
Roman immediately signaled and pulled into a parking lot, putting the car in park before turning to face her fully. ¡°ir, you¡¯re scaring me. What¡¯s going on? Is Sutton okay?¡±
She took a shaky breath. ¡°You know Sutton¡¯s baby¡¯s father isn¡¯t in her life, right?¡±
¡°Yeah.¡±
¡°Well, he¡¡± She stopped, not sure how to say it, and worried about Sutton.
¡°Where are you going with this?¡± Roman asked when she didn¡¯t continue right away.
¡°Sutton works at Cyber10.¡±
¡°I know that.¡± Roman¡¯s face waspletely nk, but she could see the wheels turning. He was connecting the dots. Recognition dawned slowly in his eyes. ¡°No.¡± Like he couldn¡¯t quite believe it.
Chaps RP
Een you bough Cybery high
¡°No fucking way
Lace is the father of Stay¡± wed the woh talling aid in a rati
Roman wereplowly will for a bog hepe wared at her, his face cycbng through confusion, shock, and understanding
¡°Are you telling ver.¡± he had wholly. That uron was kown as Alzey??
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Jesus Fucking Chee
¡°Because my Froude mil you hast night, ce want yously before he could ask why she hadn¡¯t said anything
Room Mate 83
¡°Wait, how do you know about Audrey?¡± ir asked, the question hitting her suddenly.
¡°Luca told me when we went to dinner that night.¡±
ir frowned. Why would Luca tell Roman when he was married to some good little virgin bride? But she asked instead, ¡°Why would he do that?¡±
¡°Because Audrey¡ Sutton disappeared, and she was pregnant with his baby. He was looking for her.¡±
¡°But he said she was a liar and called her so many names. Why does he care now?¡± ir felt her anger rising, upset that Roman seemed to be defending his friend.
Roman ran a hand through his hair, looking conflicted. ¡°Look, I¡¯m not defending what he said or what he did. That was fucked up. But ir, he¡¯s been eating himself alive over this for months. He thinks he made the biggest mistake of his life, letting her walk away.¡±
¡°He didn¡¯t let her walk away. He came back from a trip home engaged to another woman when he was involved with her and then he drove her away.¡±
¡°I know that and so does he, now.¡± Roman¡¯s voice was quiet. ¡°We don¡¯t know the ins and outs of their rtionship, but he is here now, trying to make it right.¡±
ir stared at him. ¡°Make it right? Roman, he is married. What exactly is he nning to make right?¡±
Roman frowned, looking at her. ¡°He isn¡¯t married.¡±
irughed. ¡°Then he lied to you because he ended things with Sutton while she was pregnant to marry some eighteen- year¨Cold girl his father had picked out for him.¡±
¡°ir, I promise you he didn¡¯t marry her.¡±
¡°What¡ why?¡±
¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s a lot moreplicated than we know.¡±
¡°Everything¡¯s alwaysplicated with you guys, isn¡¯t it?¡± ir snapped. ¡°Simple answer, Roman. Is your best friend married, getting married or not?¡±
Roman met her eyes. ¡°It was an arrangement. Business. It was never¡ real. But Luca tells me it didn¡¯t happen and will not be happening.¡±
ir felt like she might throw up. ¡°Are you telling me Sutton has been torturing herself, thinking he¡¯s with someone else when he¡¯s not?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know what Sutton¡¯s been thinking because you didn¡¯t tell me any of this was happening,¡± Roman said, and there was an edge to his voice now. ¡°Which, by the way, I understand why you couldn¡¯t tell mest night. But ir, you should have trusted me. We could have figured this out together.¡±
¡°We only found outst night that your Luca was her Luca.¡± ir looked down at her hands. He was right, and she knew it. ¡°It was her secret, Roman¡ him being there and your friend was a shock.¡± ir shrugged.
¡°I know. I get it. Familyes first. I understand that better than most people.¡± His voice softened. ¡°But we¡¯re supposed to be building something here. Us. And that means trusting each other with the hard stuff. She is going to be my sister¨Cinw. I will protect her. We are all going to be a family.¡±
ir nodded, feeling tears prick at her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I hated not telling you.¡±
10.22
92%
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Roman reached over and took her hand. ¡°What do we do now?¡±
ir took a shaky breath. ¡°We stay out of it. This is Sutton and Luca¡¯s mess to figure out.¡± She hated that. ¡°We just¡ we be there if Sutton needs us. She asked me to let her deal with it.¡±
¡°Agreed.¡± Roman squeezed her hand. ¡°But ir, if she needs a job¡ I mean, if she can¡¯t stay at Cyber10 now. I can find her something, or your parents¡®pany, once that legal mess is dealt with. She has options. She isn¡¯t alone.¡±
ir felt a surge of gratitude. This was why she loved him. Even when he was pissed at her, even when everything was messy, he still wanted to take care of her family.
¡°Thank you,¡± she whispered.
Roman leaned over to kiss her before starting the car. ¡°We should probably get to work. As my soon¨Cto¨Cbe wife told me, I have meetings.¡±
ir almostughed. ¡°Good idea.¡± But she was still worried about Sutton.
The drive to the office was quiet, both of them lost in their own thoughts. ir kept checking her phone, expecting another call from Sutton, but nothing came. The silence was almost worse than the panic.
When they arrived at Kingston¡¯s, ir fell into step beside Roman as they walked through the lobby. Her brain still hadn¡¯t stopped working and worrying.
¡°Your nine AM with the sales team is still on,¡± ir said as they stepped into the elevator. ¡°And don¡¯t forget you have a lunch meeting today as well.¡±
Roman nodded, but she could see his mind was elsewhere. ¡°ir, try calling her again. If she doesn¡¯t answer, we¡¯ll figure out if we need to go to her.¡±
ir appreciated that he said ¡®we. Even after everything, even when he was clearly still processing the bombshell she¡¯d dropped on him, he was thinking about Sutton.
As soon as they reached Roman¡¯s office, ir tried calling her sister again from her desk.
Straight to voicemail. She tried again five minutester. Same thing. ir tried to work while she waited, watching the clock.
By ten AM, she was starting to panic. This wasn¡¯t like Sutton.
Finally, she got a message. ¡°ir, I¡¯m ok. Talkter.¡±
ir would like to say she was relieved, but she wasn¡¯t. ir needed to know if Keira had talked to Sutton. Her youngest sister answered on the second ring.
¡°ir? Oh God, have you heard from Sutton? I¡¯m literally trapped on a ne with Prince Entitled and his merry band of uptight security guards.¡±
ir couldn¡¯t help but smile despite her worry. ¡°Where are you?¡±
¡°Thirty thousand feet and climbing, living my best life as a glorified babysitter to European royalty. If we hadn¡¯t left already, I wouldn¡¯t be on this flight.¡±
¡°Are you
alone?¡± It always worried ir that her boss would hear her.
¡°Define alone. I¡¯m sitting in what His Royal Smugness calls the ¡®staff section¡®¨Cwhich is basically economy with better snacks -while he holds court at the other end of the cabin with his security detail. They¡¯re probably discussing whether his breakfast croissant posed a national security threat. So rtively alone, yes.¡±
ir took a deep breath. ¡°So you know about Sutton?¡±
Wed, 18
G
¡°About Luca, yes¡ She messaged me and I have been trying to call her since. You talked to her.¡±
¡°She called me this morning in aplete panic, and now she¡¯s not answering her phone. I¡¯ve tried calling six times, Keira. But she just sent me a text. Saying she will talk to meter. She asked that we let her deal with it.¡±
¡°Okay, first of all, breathe before you hyperventte and pass out. Second, this is her battle. Although I would love to kick him in the balls.¡±
¡°I know. I feel the same. I found something out.¡±
¡°What?
¡°Luca isn¡¯t married. I tried to get hold of Sutton because I don¡¯t think she knows.¡±
¡°But there was that piece in the media.¡±
¡°Roman is friends with him and he said there wasn¡¯t a wedding.¡± ir nced toward Roman¡¯s office, where she could see him pacing behind his desk, clearly agitated. Roman had asked her if she had heard from Sutton after his nine AM meeting. ¡°I need to be there for her.¡±
¡°And you will be. But maybe¡ a wild thought here¨Cshe needs five minutes to process having her baby daddy show up at work before she has to manage our anxiety on top of her own existential crisis.¡±
¡°I hate this. I hate not knowing what¡¯s happening.¡±
¡°Wee to having siblings, ir. It¡¯s like signing up for a lifetime subscription to worry and emotional chaos. I wish I could be there to help you stress¨Ceat ice cream ande up with ridiculous ns, but I¡¯m stuck babysitting the Crown Prince of Pretentious for the next few days.¡±
¡°Can your boss hear you?¡± ir asked, suddenly worried.
Keira snorted so loudly ir had to hold the phone away from her ear. ¡°Oh, ir, no. He¡¯s currently in full royal mode, having what I can only assume is a Very Important Discussion about Very Important Things with his security team. Something about threat assessments and protocol adjustments. I could probably start a conga line back here¡ naked, and he wouldn¡¯t notice. The man has the situational awareness of a particrly self¨Cabsorbed goldfish.¡±
Despite everything, ir found herselfughing. ¡°You¡¯re terrible.¡±
¡°It¡¯s part of my charm. Plus, I make his coffee exactly the way he likes it and I don¡¯t want to fall at his feet in lust, so I¡¯m basically irreceable.¡± Keira paused. ¡°Where are you going with this, ir? Because I can hear that I¡¯m about to make a terrible decision¡® tone in your voice.¡±
¡°I¡¯m at work. Roman has meetings most of the day.¡±
¡°Good. Stay there. Do not¡ and I cannot stress this enough. Do not show up at Sutton¡¯s workce with some half¨Cbaked rescue n. She¡¯s a grown woman, and she needs to handle this herself. She knows we are here for her.¡±
ir could hear voices in the background. ¡°Keira-¡±
¡°Shit, His Royal Pain in the Ass is giving me the stink eye about my phone. Look, text me every hour, okay? Even if there¡¯s no news. I need to know you¡¯re notpletely losing your mind.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not going to-¡±
¡°You¡¯re absolutely going to spiral. I know you middle child. Just¡ try to remember that Sutton survived worse than this when she was in Europe and pregnant. She¡¯s tougher than you give her credit for.¡±
The background noise was getting louder. ¡°I have to go before Captain Royal Asshole gives me a lecture about taking a personal call. But ir? Don¡¯t burn down the city while I¡¯m gone, okay? Love you,¡±
16:22 Wed, 18 Jun
¡°Love you too. Be safe.¡±
The line went dead.
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28
ir stared at her phone, feeling both better and worse. Roman appeared in his doorway, clearly having heard part of her
conversation.
¡°Any luck?¡± he asked.
¡°Sutton sent a message.¡± ir looked at him. ¡°Keira thinks I¡¯m overreacting.¡±
¡°Are you?¡±
ir considered this. ¡°Probably. But she¡¯s my sister, and she¡¯s pregnant, and¡¡±
¡°And you love her.¡± Roman¡¯s expression softened. ¡°Try again in an hour. If she still doesn¡¯t answer, we¡¯ll figure out our next
move.¡±
ir nodded, grateful for the ¡®we,¡® again. ¡°Your ten¨Cthirty is waiting in the conference room.¡±
Roman nced at the conference room where his client was waiting. ¡°Right. Work.¡± Roman reached over her desk and kissed her. Before heading to his next meeting. She was so lucky.
Room Mate 84
ir sat at her desk, her attention divided between her work and her phone. Despite Roman¡¯s meeting schedule being packed for the day, she kept finding him watching her through the ss wall that separated their offices. She appreciated his concern, but she wished she could just turn off her brain for a few hours.
¡°ir,e in to my office.¡±
ir got up, smoothed her skirt down, and entered his office. As soon and she closed the door, his hands were around her waist pulling her close.
¡°Any word from Sutton?¡± he asked.
¡°Nothing beyond that text.¡± ir sank into his chest, breathing him in. ¡°I¡¯m trying to respect her space, but it¡¯s killing me.¡±
Roman¡¯s expression was sympathetic. ¡°I know. But sometimes people need to work things out on their own.¡±
¡°You sound like Keira,¡± ir muttered. ¡°She basically told me to stay out of it.¡±
¡°Smart woman, your sister. Scary but smart.¡±
ir started to respond when her phone buzzed with a text. She nearly fumbled it in her haste to check.
Sutton: I¡¯m okay. Had a long talk with Luca. So much to process. Coming over tonight to fill you in. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m fine.
Relief washed over her so intensely it left her lightheaded. ¡°She¡¯s okay,¡± ir said, showing Roman the message. ¡°She wants toe over tonight to talk.¡±
¡°See? She handled it.¡± Roman reached up to run his fingers down her face and over her lip. ¡°Now maybe you can focus on something other than your sister¡¯s troubles.¡±
¡°Like what?¡± ir asked, rxing for the first time that day.
¡°Like your parents¡®pany.¡± Roman¡¯s tone shifted to something more serious. ¡°I had my legal team looking into it. The official transfer should go through next week. You¡¯ll need to make a decision about your involvement soon.¡±
ir felt a familiar weight settle on her shoulders. The weight of responsibility was she really the right person to take over? ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about it. A lot, actually.¡±
¡°And?¡±
¡°And I¡¯m scared,¡± she admitted. ¡°What if I ruin everything they built?¡±
Roman leaned back in his chair, studying her. ¡°ir, you¡¯ve been helping me run Kingston¡¯s. You¡¯re more capable than you give yourself credit for.¡±
¡°That¡¯s different. That¡¯s being your assistant. This would be¡ running a wholepany. Making decisions that affect people¡¯s livelihoods.¡±
¡°People you care about,¡± Roman said, understanding in his eyes. ¡°That¡¯s exactly why you¡¯d be good at it.¡±
ir took a deep breath. ¡°I keep thinking about my dad. How passionate he was about the business. How much my mom loved designing.¡± She looked down at her hands. ¡°Taking it over feels like¡ I don¡¯t know, like closing a circle somehow.¡±
¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be all or nothing,¡± Roman pointed out. ¡°You could bring in management help. Consultants. Hell, I¡¯d help you figure it out. I don¡¯t know fashion, but I know business.¡±
¡°Would you?¡± ir asked, meeting his gaze.
(28)
¡°Of course,¡± Roman looked almost offended. She had to ask. ¡°We¡¯re partners, remember? Your battles are my battles now¡±
ir felt so much love for this man. With Roman by her side, maybe she could do this. Maybe she could reim her family¡¯s legacy and build something her parents would be proud of. Her sisters would be proud of.
¡°I think,¡± she said slowly, ¡°I need to at least try. For them. For us.¡±
Roman smiled, pride evident in his expression. ¡°That¡¯s my girl.¡±
¡°I¡¯d need to talk to Sutton and Keira first, make sure they are still on board.¡±
¡°Of course.¡±
ir¡¯s phone buzzed again with another text from Sutton.
Sutton: Can we meet at your ce around 7? Bringing dinner. No, Luca isn¡¯ting.
ir texted back: Of course. See you then.
She looked up at Roman. ¡°Looks like we¡¯re having dinner with my sister tonight.¡±
¡°Good,¡± Roman said. ¡°I think we need to talk to her about the embezzlement problem at Kingston, anyway.¡±
ir¡¯s eyebrows shot up. ¡°What? Why?¡±
¡°Because she¡¯s a programmer, ir. And if someone¡¯s been stealing from us, they¡¯ve been doing it through our systems. Sutton might be able to help us track it.¡±
¡°But she works at Cyber10¡ well, she works for Luca now. But she doesn¡¯t work in that department.¡± The situation was still bizarre to think about.
¡°Exactly. And Cyber10 handles our cybersecurity. It¡¯s perfect. You¡¯re the one that told me she was wasted in reception and she could have gone to MIT. Let¡¯s show them how smart she it.¡±
ir considered this. ¡°That¡¯s¡ actually, not a bad idea. But let¡¯s not ambush her the moment she walks in. She¡¯s got enough. on her te.¡±
¡°Fair enough,¡± Roman agreed. ¡°We¡¯ll let her tell us whatever she wants to about Luca, then we can bring up embezzlement issue if the moment seems right.¡±
the
ir nodded, feeling a ning together. Between reiming her family¡¯spany and tracking down whoever was stealing from Roman, they had their work cut out for them.
Roman checked his watch. ¡°I¡¯ve got another meeting in five minutes. Will you be okay?¡±
¡°I will now,¡± ir said, feeling genuinely calmer. ¡°Thanks for talking me off the ledge.¡±
¡°Anytime.¡± Roman¡¯s smile turned wicked. ¡°Though I prefer to talk you onto ledges, not off them.¡±
irughed, the tension of the day finally breaking. ¡°Behave. You have a meeting.¡±
¡°Later, then,¡± he promised, his eyes darkening in a way that made her stomach flip.
As ir headed back to her desk. She¡¯d spent so long just surviving, just getting by. Now she had the chance to truly build something¡ not just a rtionship with Roman, but a future that honored her parents¡® memory.
It was terrifying. But for the first time, it also felt right.
By the time they arrived home that evening, ir was still anxious to hear what had happened between Sutton and Luca,
16:22 Wed, 18 Jun
but she¡¯d promised herself she wouldn¡¯t pry more than her sister was willing to share,
¡°Wine?¡± Roman asked as they settled in the kitchen.
¡°God, yes.¡± ir sank onto a barstool. ¡°Today felt like itsted a week.¡±
Roman poured her a generous ss. ¡°You know, whatever Sutton tells us tonight¨Cit¡¯s her life. Her choices.¡±
ir sipped her wine. ¡°I know. I just want her to be happy.¡±
¡°And if that includes Luca?¡±
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ir hesitated. ¡°I don¡¯t know. He hurt her badly. But¡¡± She sighed. ¡°But I also know people make mistakes. And from what you¡¯ve told me, he seems genuinely remorseful.¡±
¡°He is,¡± Roman confirmed. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen him like this before. The man¡¯s been obsessed with finding her for months.¡±
Before ir could respond, the doorbell rang. She set down her ss and went to answer it, finding Sutton on the doorstep with bags of takeout.
¡°Hi,¡± Sutton said, looking tired but steady. There was a calmness about her that hadn¡¯t been there that morning.
¡°Hi yourself.¡± ir pulled her into a hug. ¡°Come in. Roman¡¯s pouring wine¨Cwell, water or juice for you.¡±
Sutton followed her inside, setting the food on the kitchen counter. ¡°I got Thai. I figured we could all use thefort food.¡±
¡°Perfect,¡± Roman said, handing Sutton a ss of sparkling water. ¡°How are you feeling?¡±
Sutton took a deep breath. ¡°Honestly? Like I¡¯ve been through an emotional blender. But¡ okay. Surprisingly okay.¡±
ir couldn¡¯t hold back anymore. ¡°So? What happened? Did you talk to him?¡±
¡°ir,¡± Roman warned.
ne,¡± Sutton said, waving him off. ¡°I came here to talk about it.¡± She took a sip of her water. ¡°Yes, we talked. A lot. And¡
mplicated.¡±
always is,¡± ir muttered.
Sutton smiled faintly. ¡°He didn¡¯t get married.¡±
¡°So Roman said.¡±
¡°He says he¡¯s been looking for me since I left Europe.¡± Sutton¡¯s hand rested protectively on her belly. ¡°ims he realized he made a mistake that¡ that I hadn¡¯t been lying about the baby. But it was toote, and I had already left Europe.¡±
¡°Do you believe him?¡± ir asked carefully.
Sutton was quiet for a moment. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe. He seemed¡ sincere. But he also hurt me badly, ir. I can¡¯t just forget that. I don¡¯t want to be wanted just for my baby.¡±
Roman started unpacking the food, giving the sisters space while still being present.
¡°What did you decide?¡± ir asked.
¡°I don¡¯t know if I can rewind the past and just forget.¡± Sutton said. ¡°So we are going to see how it goes. He wants to be involved with the baby. But beyond that? I need time. It¡¯s hard to trust someone after how he treated me, how he saw me¡¡±
ir nodded, relief washing over her. Sutton seemed clearheaded about this, not rushing into anything. ¡°That sounds¡
92%
+28)
mature.¡±
Suttonughed. ¡°Don¡¯t sound so surprised. I am your big sister, remember?¡±
¡°I¡¯m not surprised,¡± ir protested. ¡°I¡¯m just¡ proud of you. For handling this your way.¡±
¡°Thanks for giving me the space to do that,¡± Sutton said softly. ¡°I know it wasn¡¯t easy for you to stay out of it.¡±
¡°She almostbusted,¡± Roman chimed in, setting tes on the ind. ¡°Had to physically restrain her from storming Cyber10.¡±
¡°I did not!¡± ir protested, then admitted, ¡°Okay, maybe I thought about it. But I stayed put.¡±
¡°Gold star for ir,¡± Sutton teased, bumping her shoulder against her sister¡¯s.
As they sat down to eat, ir felt herself truly rx for the first time all day. Whatever happened next with Sutton and Luca -or with her parents¡®pany, or with the embezzlement issue¨Cthey¡¯d face it together.
Family didn¡¯t mean having all the answers. It meant showing up, even when things got messy. And ir was starting to realize that her family had expanded to include Roman now too.
¡°So,¡± Sutton said, changing the subject. ¡°You mentioned something about your parents¡®panying back to us next week in the text you sent Keira and me. Have you thought about what you want to do?¡±
ir met Roman¡¯s eyes across the table before turning back to her sister. ¡°Actually, yes. I think¡ I think I want to run it.¡±
Sutton¡¯s face broke into a wide smile. ¡°Really? ir, that¡¯s perfect. It¡¯s exactly what they would have wanted.¡±
¡°You think so?¡±
¡°I know so.¡± Sutton reached for her hand. ¡°And Keira and I will help however we can.¡±
¡°Speaking of help,¡± Roman interjected carefully. ¡°We actually have a situation where we could use your expertise, Sutton¡¡±
ir listened as Roman exined the embezzlement problem at Kingston.
n if it involved taking on Jessica, Dan and Laura, and an unknown thief¨Call while nning a wedding. Oh my god, ir
zed she still hadn¡¯t got a dress.
she better do something about that, and soon.
AD
Comment
Room Mate 85
ir stared at the bank of monitors in Roman¡¯s home office, each disying different financial records from Kingston Industries. They had worked from home today so she could review transaction logs and cross¨Creferencing dates as Sutton sent her the information as they searched for any patterns that might reveal who was stealing from thepany.
¡°Find anything?¡± Roman asked, setting a fresh cup of coffee beside her.
¡°Maybe. Sutton sent this over.¡± ir pointed to one of the screens. ¡°There¡¯s a pattern here. Small transfers, all under ten thousand to avoid triggering automatic alerts, all moving through the same series of ounts before ending up offshore.¡±
Roman leaned closer, studying the data. ¡°Clever. But not clever enough.¡± He squeezed her shoulder. ¡°Sutton¡¯sing over this afternoon to help us dig deeper.¡±
ir nodded, grateful for her sister¡¯s programming expertise. Ever since their dinner two days ago, Sutton had been eager to help with the investigation. ir suspected it gave her something to focus on besides herplicated situation with Luca.
¡°What time is the board meeting tomorrow?¡± ir asked, stretching her stiff muscles.
¡°Ten.¡± Roman¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°Once we have concrete evidence, we¡¯ll present it to the board and legal team simultaneously.¡±
ir was about to respond when her phone rang. She nced at the screen and frowned. ¡°Unknown number.¡±
¡°Put it on speaker,¡± Roman suggested.
ir answered, keeping her voice professional. ¡°ir Warner speaking.¡±
¡°ir.¡± The voice on the other end was instantly recognizable, dripping with fake sweetness. ¡°It¡¯s Jessica. Jessica Kingston.¡±
ir¡¯s eyes snapped to Roman¡¯s, watching his jaw tighten. ¡°What can I do for you, Jessica?¡±
¡°I was hoping we could meet for lunch today. Just us girls. To clear the air.¡±
¡°Clear what air, exactly?¡± ir asked carefully.
Jessicaughed lightly. ¡°Oh, you know. All this unpleasantness. I think we got off on the wrong foot, and since you¡¯re sleeping with my ex¨Chusband, we should try to be¡ friendly.¡±
Roman was already shaking his head, mouthing, ¡°Don¡¯t.¡±
¡°That¡¯s an interesting offer,¡± ir replied slowly. ¡°But I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m busy today.¡±
¡°Tomorrow then? Or perhaps dinner tonight? I really think we should talk, ir. Woman to woman.¡±
The sugary tone couldn¡¯t mask the underlying threat. ir knew Jessica was up to something, but she also knew sometimes the best way to handle a threat was to face it head¨Con.
¡°Actually, I¡¯ve changed my mind. Lunch today works. How about Carl¡¯s at one?¡± It was a popr restaurant in the financial district, always crowded with business people. Public enough that Jessica couldn¡¯t cause too much of a scene.
Roman was giving her an incredulous look, but ir held up a hand.
¡°Perfect,¡± Jessica purred. ¡°See you then, ir.¡±
The call ended, and Roman immediately spoke. ¡°What the hell was that? You¡¯re not actually meeting her.¡±
¡°Yes, I am.¡± ir stood up, determination straightening her spine. ¡°Jessica wants a confrontation? Fine. Let¡¯s get it over with.¡±
92%1
¡°ir, she¡¯s trying to provoke you.¡±
¡°I know that,¡± ir said calmly. ¡°But I¡¯m tired of her being a problem, Roman. She¡¯s going to keep trying until she gets what she wants. So let¡¯s give it to her¡ on our terms. If we don¡¯t deal with her now, she will always be a dark cloud over our heads.¡±
Roman ran a hand through his hair, frustrated. ¡°And what exactly are your terms?¡±
¡°I¡¯ll meet her in public, where she can¡¯t make too much of a scene. I¡¯ll hear whatever she has to say, and then I¡¯ll make it absolutely clear that she needs to move on with her life.¡±
¡°And if she doesn¡¯t listen? If she causes a scene, anyway?¡±
ir smiled, a n already forming. ¡°Then we¡¯ll be prepared.¡±
Roman studied her for a long moment before his expression shifted to one of reluctant admiration. ¡°What are you thinking?¡±
¡°I¡¯m thinking it¡¯s time we put Jessica in her ce once and for all.¡± ir reached for her phone. ¡°And I know exactly how to do it.¡±
Two hourster, ir walked into Carl¡¯s, scanning the crowded restaurant until she spotted Jessica sitting at a prime table near the center of the room. Of course, she¡¯d choose the most visible spot¨Cthis was meant to be a performance.
Jessica had dressed for the asion in a tight red dress that screamed for attention. Her hair was perfectly styled, her makeup wless. She looked exactly like what she was: a predator waiting to pounce.
ir smoothed down her own outfit, just a sleek navy pantsuit that made her feel powerful, as she approached the table with her head held up high.
¡°Jessica,¡± she greeted, sliding into the chair across from her. ¡°Thank you for the invitation.¡±
Jessica¡¯s smile was all teeth. ¡°ir. So d you could make it.¡± Her eyes flicked to ir¡¯s engagement ring. ¡°My, that¡¯s certainly¡ substantial. I see congrattions are in order. Roman always did have expensive taste.¡±
¡°In some things,¡± ir agreed pleasantly. ¡°In others, he¡¯s learned to be more discerning.¡±
Jessica¡¯s smile tightened almost imperceptibly. ¡°Let¡¯s order, shall we?¡±
They ced their orders, exchanging meaningless pleasantries until the waiter departed. The moment he was out of earshot, Jessica¡¯s facade dropped.
¡°So,¡± she began, leaning forward. ¡°You and Roman. Quite the whirlwind romance, isn¡¯t it? From secretary to fianc¨¦e.¡±
¡°I guess when it¡¯s right, it¡¯s right,¡± ir replied, keeping her tone light, wanting Jessica to show her hand.
¡°Hmm.¡± Jessica sipped her water. ¡°And is it right, ir? Or is it convenient?¡±
¡°I¡¯m not sure what you mean.¡±
¡°Oh, I think you do.¡± Jessica¡¯s voice dropped. ¡°It¡¯s a tale as old as time. How will the media see it? Because it¡¯s not the first time for Roman, is it? I would hate to think what this type of scandal will do to Kington¡¯s stock prices. How would it read? Young, ambitious secretary catches the eye of her wealthy boss or Boss can¡¯t keep his hands off his staff.¡±
16:22 Wed, 18 Jun
Room Mate 86
ir maintained herposure. ¡°Jessica, like you did, you mean, but then Roman wasn¡¯t the wealthy man he is now. Might I remind you our rtionship isn¡¯t any of your business¡±
¡°But it is,¡± Jessica insisted. ¡°You see, Roman and I have history. Deep,plicated history that doesn¡¯t just disappear with divorce papers. We understand each other in ways you never could.¡±
ir noticed several people at nearby tables ncing their way. Jessica was speaking just loudly enough to attract attention without seeming to shout.
¡°Is that why he divorced you?¡± ir asked mildly. ¡°Because you understood each other so well?¡±
Jessica¡¯s eyes shed. ¡°Our marriage ended because of circumstances beyond our control. We were young. We made mistakes. But the connection is still there¡surely you¡¯ve felt it? I¡¯m the only woman Roman has ever loved.¡±
¡°The only thing I¡¯ve felt is Roman¡¯splete devotion to our rtionship,¡± ir replied. ¡°Jessica, I didn¡¯te here to argue about the PAST. If you have something to say, say it.¡±
Jessica leaned back, studying ir with calcted interest. ¡°You¡¯re not what I expected. Roman usually goes for women who are more¡ sophisticated. Polished.¡±
¡°Like you?¡± ir asked, unable to keep the edge from her voice.
¡°Precisely.¡± Jessica smiled. ¡°I¡¯m just concerned that he¡¯s rushing into something he¡¯ll regret. That both of you will regret.¡±
Their food arrived, providing a momentary reprieve from the tension. ir used the opportunity to send a quick text under the table. Everything was proceeding exactly as she¡¯d anticipated.
¡°You know,¡± Jessica continued after the waiter left, ¡°I spoke with Roman recently. He seemed¡ conflicted.¡±
ir raised an eyebrow. ¡°Did he?¡±
¡°Mmm. He mentioned how quickly everything was happening. How sometimes he wonders if he¡¯s making the right choice.¡±
ir almostughed. Jessica was so transparent, it was almost sad. ¡°That¡¯s interesting, considering Roman hasn¡¯t spoken to you since that day in his office.¡±
Jessica¡¯s smile faltered. ¡°We¡¯ve had our private conversations.¡±
¡°No, you haven¡¯t.¡± ir set down her fork. ¡°Jessica, I know what you¡¯re doing. You¡¯re trying to create doubt, to make me question Roman¡¯smitment. It won¡¯t work.¡±
Jessica¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°You don¡¯t know him like I do. You don¡¯t know what he¡¯s capable of.¡±
¡°I know exactly what he¡¯s capable of,¡± ir countered. ¡°And I know he would never go back to someone who betrayed him the way you did.¡±
¡°Betrayed?¡± Jessica¡¯s voice rose slightly. ¡°Is that what he told you? That I betrayed him?¡±
¡°You cheated on him,¡± ir said simply.
¡°It wasn¡¯t that simple!¡± Jessica was getting louder now, drawing more attention. ¡°Roman was obsessed with work. He was never there. Did he tell you that? I was lonely, and Troy understood me.¡±
Roman had been very honest with her about his marriage to Jessica. ¡°And yet,¡± ir said calmly, ¡°Troy left you too. Interesting pattern.¡±
Wed, 18
? .,92%
+28)
Jessica¡¯s face flushed with anger. ¡°You little bitch. You think you¡¯ve won? You think Roman is going to be faithful to his secretary? He¡¯ll get bored with you before the honeymoon is over.¡±
Several people were openly staring now. Jessica was creating exactly the scene ir had anticipated.
¡°I think we¡¯re done here,¡± ir said, reaching for her purse.
¡°We¡¯re done when I say we¡¯re done,¡± Jessica hissed, grabbing ir¡¯s wrist. ¡°You may have Roman fooled with your innocent act, but I see right through you. You¡¯re nothing but a gold¨Cdigger who got lucky.¡±
ir stood, extracting her wrist from Jessica¡¯s grip. ¡°Jessica, I came here today out of courtesy. I thought perhaps you genuinely wanted to clear the air. I see you only want to create trouble. Did you try to go to the board members, and that didn¡¯t work? So now you havee to me directly.¡±
¡°Sit down,¡± Jessica demanded. ¡°We¡¯re not finished.¡±
¡°Yes, we are.¡± ir¡¯s voice was firm. ¡°And for the record, I don¡¯t need Roman¡¯s money. I have my own now. My sisters and I just regained control of our family¡¯spany¨Capany worth significantly more than whatever settlement you¡¯re still living off from your divorce. But knowing how desperate you are to get back with Roman, I would say there¡¯s nothing left. So who is the gold digger here?¡±
Jessica stood too, her face contorted with fury. ¡°You think you¡¯re better than me? You¡¯re nothing! Roman will see through you, eventually.¡±
The restaurant had gone silent, all pretense of privacy abandoned as diners openly watched the confrontation.
¡°I sincerely hope you find happiness, Jessica,¡± ir said, her voice steady. ¡°But it won¡¯t be with Roman. It¡¯s time to move on.¡±
¡°You don¡¯t get to tell me what to do,¡± Jessica spat. ¡°You have no idea who you¡¯re dealing with.¡±
ir smiled then, a genuine smile that seemed to throw Jessica off bnce. ¡°Actually, I do. And so do they.¡±
She gestured to the entrance of the restaurant, where Peters stood with two other security personnel. Behind them was a woman in a smart business suit¨CAshley, Roman¡¯swyer.
¡°What is this?¡± Jessica demanded, her voice suddenly uncertain.
¡°Insurance,¡± ir said simply. ¡°I knew you¡¯d try to cause a scene, Jessica. I knew you¡¯d try to threaten me or Roman or our rtionship. So I brought witnesses.¡±
Ashley stepped forward, her expression professional but cold. ¡°Ms. Kingston, I have here a cease and desist order. Any further attempts to contact, harass, or defame either Roman Kingston or ir Warner will result in immediate legal action.¡±
Jessica¡¯s face paled. ¡°You can¡¯t do this.¡±
¡°We just did,¡± ir said. ¡°And before you think about selling any stories to the tabloids, you should know that Roman¡¯s legal team has already prepared a defamation suit. The papers will be filed the moment any article appears.¡±
¡°This is ridiculous,¡± Jessica sputtered. ¡°I was just trying to have lunch!¡±
ir shook her head. ¡°No, you were trying to intimidate me. To make me doubt Roman. To create a scene. Well, congrattions¡ªyou got your scene. But not the one you wanted.¡±
Ashley handed Jessica the legal papers. ¡°These include a restraining order. You are to maintain a distance of at least 500 feet from both Mr. Kingston and Ms. Warner at all times.¡±
Jessica looked around wildly, suddenly aware of the audience watching her humiliation. ¡°You¡¯ll regret this,¡± she said to ir, her voice shaking. ¡°Both of you. You fucking bitch.¡±
16:22 W 18
¡°No, Jessica,¡± ir replied softly. ¡°The only person with regrets here is you. And I truly am sorry for that.¡±
¡±
Without waiting for a response, ir turned and walked out of the restaurant, Ashley and Peters nking her. The moment they stepped outside, ir let out a long, shaky breath.
¡°You okay?¡± Peters asked.
¡°Fine,¡± ir assured him. ¡°Just¡ relieved it¡¯s over.¡±
Her phone buzzed with a text from Roman: Well?
It had been Ashley who had convinced Roman to stay away from the restaurant today.
ir smiled, typing back: Done, Jessica has been served. I think we¡¯ve seen thest of her.
His response was immediate: Proud of you. Come home so I can show you how much.
As ir slid into the waiting car, she felt as though a weight had been lifted. Jessica might have been trying to paint her as a gold¨Cdigger, but ir had proven she was something else entirely: a woman who could stand her ground.
And with her parents¡®pany back in their hands and the wedding approaching, ir was more certain than ever that she was exactly where she belonged.
Room Mate 87
ir woke up feeling unusually energetic. Yesterday¡¯s confrontation with Jessica had left her with a sense of closure she hadn¡¯t realized she needed. If anything, she had been more of a problem for Roman than her. ir just hated bitches, and Jessica had been a huge one.
The look on Jessica¡¯s face when she realized she¡¯d been outmaneuvered was something ir would treasure for a long time
toe.
Roman was already up, sitting at the edge of the bed, reading something on his tablet. God, he was sexy and all hers. He looked up when he felt her stirring.
¡°Good morning, warrior princess,¡± he said with a smirk. ¡°Sleep well?¡±
¡°Like a rock.¡± ir stretched, enjoying the pleasant soreness in her muscles¡a sweet reminder of how thoroughly Roman had ¡°shown his pride¡± in her actions the night before. ¡°What time is it?¡±
¡°Just after seven.¡± Roman set his tablet aside. ¡°We should head in early today. The board meeting¡¯s been moved up to nine.¡±
ir sat up, suddenly alert. ¡°Did something happen?¡±
¡°Peters identified our thief.¡± Roman¡¯s expression was grim. ¡°It¡¯s worse than we thought, so I moved the meeting forward.¡±
¡°Who is it?¡± ir asked, slipping out of bed naked before reaching for her robe.
Roman watched her. ¡°Dan.¡±
ir froze. ¡°Dan? Are you sure, Dan?¡± He wasn¡¯t smart enough for this.
Roman nodded. ¡°Sutton found the trail. He¡¯s been siphoning funds through a series of shell ounts for months. Small amounts gradually increasing. The total is over two hundred thousand dors.¡±
¡°I can¡¯t believe it,¡± ir said, though somehow she wasn¡¯t entirely surprised. ¡°Actually, no, I can believe it. He always did live beyond his means, and Laura doesn¡¯te cheap.¡±
¡°There¡¯s more,¡± Roman said, his tone darkening. ¡°He didn¡¯t act alone.¡±
ir¡¯s stomach dropped. ¡°Who?¡± She had known¡ Dan could be charming and talk the talk, but he just wasn¡¯t smart enough to pull something like this off.
¡°No. Someone inside the finance department. A woman named Caroline Mitchell. She¡¯s been helping him hide the transactions.¡±
¡°Caroline?¡± ir knew her a quiet woman in her thirties who¡¯d been with thepany for years. ¡°Why would she help Dan?¡±
Roman¡¯s expression was hard. ¡°From what we can tell, they¡¯ve been having an affair.¡±
ir let out a disbelievingugh. ¡°Are you serious? Dan was cheating on Laura and me¡ unbelievable. I¡¯m surprised that he had the energy to even work.¡± Then ir snorted. No, she wasn¡¯t Dan was nothingpared to Roman in bed.
¡°Apparently so. Peters has evidence¨Cemails, hotel receipts. It¡¯s been going on for months.¡±
ir shook her head, processing this new information. ¡°Does Laura know?¡± ir felt dirty¡ people like Dan they never stopped. If they got away with it once, they did it again.
¡°Not yet. But she will after today¡¯s meeting. This isn¡¯t something we can keep quiet. Dan and Caroline will be charged for their crimes.¡±
16:22 Wed, 18 Jun
ir fell silent, thinking about Laura. As much as her cousin had hurt her, ir wasn¡¯t sure she deserved this public humiliation. Then again, maybe it was karma. ir did feel for their unborn baby.
¡°Let me get dressed,¡± she said finally. ¡°We have a lot to deal with today.¡±
Praying for her boring life to start.
The Kingston Industries boardroom was unusually tense when ir and Roman arrived. The executive team was already assembled, along with Peters and Ashley, Roman¡¯swyer. ir could see the surprise on some faces when she took a seat next to Roman rather than her usual position slightly behind him.
¡°Good morning,¡± Roman began, his voicemanding immediate attention. ¡°Thank you all for adjusting your schedules. We have an urgent matter to address.¡±
He nodded to Peters, who distributed folders to everyone present.
¡°For the past three months, we¡¯ve been investigating discrepancies in our financial reports,¡± Roman continued. ¡°What we discovered was a systematic embezzlement scheme that has cost thispany over two hundred thousand dors.¡±
Murmurs rippled through the room. Roman waited for them to subside before continuing.
¡°The evidence is conclusive. Two employees have been working together to steal from Kingston Industries: Dan Morris from Sales and Caroline Mitchell from Finance.¡±
Several gasps followed this announcement. ir kept her expression neutral, though her heart was racing. Dan and Caroline had been summoned to a separate meeting that would start in thirty minutes. A meeting where they would be confronted with the evidence and fired, then escorted from the building while the police were notified.
Peters had already handed over all the police needed to make their arrests.
¡°This isn¡¯t just a termination issue,¡± Roman said gravely. ¡°This is criminal activity. We will be pressing charges. Ashley has prepared all the necessary documentation.¡±
¡°Do we really need this type of publicity?¡± One of the board members asked.
Roman eyes the man before looking around the table. ¡°We need to show that Kingtons isn¡¯t apany to mess with. We don¡¯t sweep our messy under the carpet.¡±
The meeting continued as Roman outlined the investigation¡¯s findings, the security measures being implemented to prevent future incidents, and the legal ramifications. Throughout it all, ir remainedposed, though she felt the weight of everyone¡¯s eyes on her. They all knew Dan had been her fianc¨¦ not long ago.
When the meeting concluded, Roman asked her to stay behind as the others filed out.
¡°You okay?¡± he asked once they were alone. Pulling her close and kissing her.
¡°Fine, just shellshocked really. When you told me it was Dan, it just so¡ out¨Cthere.¡± ir assured him. ¡°What happens next?¡±
¡°Next, we confront Dan and Caroline. Then we move forward.¡± Roman checked his watch. ¡°They should be waiting in the small conference room by now.¡±
ir took a deep breath. ¡°I want to be there.¡± They had to be worried. Calling just the two of them for a meeting.
Roman studied her face. ¡°Are you sure? You don¡¯t have to be.¡±
¡°Yes, I do.¡± ir¡¯s voice was firm. ¡°I need to see this through. Had I still been with Dan, this would have affected me¡ Now it involves my cousin.¡±
Roman nodded, respecting her decision. Together, they walked to the conference room where Peters was waiting outside
16:23 Wed, 18 Jun
with two security guards.
¡°They¡¯re in there,¡± Peters confirmed. ¡°Caroline¡¯s nervous. Dan doesn¡¯t seem to realize what¡¯s happening yet. Fucking idiot.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s get this over with Roman said, opening the door.
Dan and Caroline sat on opposite sides of the conference table. Caroline looked pale and was fidgeting with her hands. Dan, by contrast, appeared annoyed but not particrly concerned.
¡°What¡¯s this about?¡± he demanded as Roman and ir entered. ¡°I had to reschedule a client meeting for this.¡±
¡°Dan,¡± Roman said coldly, taking a seat at the head of the table. ¡°Caroline. Thank you for joining us.¡±
Dan¡¯s eyes narrowed when he saw ir. ¡°What¡¯s she doing here?¡±
Room Mate 88
¡°Me Warner is part of the executive team, Roman replied smoothly. ¡°She¡¯s here in her official capacity
ir watched Dan¡¯s fare carefully, noting the sh of anger that crossed in His gaze dropped to her engagement ring and his expression hardened further
¡°Who I have with me at any meeting ispletely up to me and not up for debate. Also, not the reason we find ourselves in this meeting. We¡¯re here to discuss the two hundred and seventeen thousand dors that¡¯s been stolen from Kingsto Industries over the past eleven months¡± Roman continued, his voice deadly calm.
Caroline visibly paled. Dan¡¯s expression barely changed, but ir noticed his right hand twitch
¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. What stolen money?¡± Dan said, his voice steady,
Roman opened a folder and slid documents across the table, ¡°Bank statements. Transfer records. Hotel receipts, Kanvast exchanges. It¡¯s all here, Dan. We know everything¡±
Dan nced at the papers but didn¡¯t touch them. ¡°This is ridiculous. I haven¡¯t stolen anything¡±
Caroline made a small noise, something between a gasp and a sob. ¡°Dan=¡±
¡°Shut up, Caroline,¡± he hissed.
¡°It¡¯s over, Dan¡± ir said quietly, ¡°The evidence is overwhelming. The board has already been briefed. The police will be
here within the hour¡±
Dan¡¯sposure finally cracked. ¡°This is bullshit!¡± He turned on ir. ¡°You¡¯re setting me up because you¡¯re bitter. I moved on with Laura!¡±
ir almostughed. ¡°Moved on? Is that what you call sleeping with Caroline while you¡¯re engaged to my cousing¡±
Caroline let out a choked sob. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡± she whispered, ¡°I didn¡¯t¡ I thought he loved me. I didn¡¯t know about the rest until his engagement noticed appeared online¡±
Dan¡¯s face contorted with fury, ¡°You stupid bitch. You think I loved you? You were convenient, Useful?
That was it. Dan didn¡¯t love anyone. There were only two people that she really felt sorry for That was his mother, Pa, and Dan¡¯s unborn child. ir was d for her lucky escape from being caught up in this mess
Roman¡¯s voice cut through the tension like a de, ¡°That¡¯s enough, Dan. You¡¯re fired, effective immediately, Security will escort you from the building after we¡¯ve collected yourpany property. The police will handle the rest?
¡°You can¡¯t do this,¡± Dan sputtered, ¡°I¡¯ll sue for wrongful termination! ir set me up to take the fall after I cheated on her This is all her¡±
¡°By all means, sue?¡± Ashley spoke up from where she had entered silently, ¡°We have more than enough evidence to counter anywsuit and press criminal charges. Embezzlement carries a penalty of up to fifteen years in prison. ir¡¯s fingers are nowhere near any of this, Dan, but your sticky ies are¡±
The color drained from Dan¡¯s face. For the first time, he seemed to realize the gravity of his situation.
¡°This isn¡¯t over,¡± he said, standing, so abruptly his chair toppled backward. ¡°You¡¯ll regret this, Roman. Both of you will¡±
Peters stepped forward, the security guards nking him. ¡°Mr. Morris, pleasee with us. We¡¯ll collect your personal effects from your office and escort you out. The police should be waiting downstairs for you once we are done¡±
Dan looked wildly around the room before his gaze settled on ir. ¡°This is your fault. You did this to punish me¡±
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ir met his gaze steadily. ¡°No, Dan. You did this to yourself. I only found out about the embezzlement recently. Roman had kept it quiet.¡±
As Peters led Dan away, Caroline remained slumped in her chair, tears streaming down her face.
¡°Ms. Mitchell,¡± Roman said, his tone slightly gentler. ¡°You¡¯ll also be terminated and escorted from the building. The extent of your cooperation with the investigation will be noted and may influence how thepany proceeds legally. I would suggest you make a deal with the police first, because I don¡¯t think Dan will protect you¡±
Caroline nodded miserably. ¡°I¡¯ll cooperate. I¡¯ll tell you and them everything.¡± She looked at ir. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I didn¡¯t know he was engaged to your cousin. He told me he was trying to break up with you. Said you were clingy and wouldn¡¯t let him go.¡±
ir felt pity for the woman. ¡°Save it for the police, Caroline. I don¡¯t care about Dan.¡±
As Caroline was led away by the second security team, ir exhaled slowly. ¡°Well, that¡¯s that.¡±
Roman touched her shoulder. ¡°You okay?¡±
¡°Yes.¡± And surprisingly, she meant it. ¡°I just feel bad for his mother. Laura is going to find out Dan was cheating on her too¡ it¡¯s going to be humiliating because it will be very public.¡±
¡°She made her choices,¡± Roman reminded her gently.
¡°I know.¡± ir shook her head. ¡°I guess what goes around really doese around. Karma.¡±
They were interrupted by ir¡¯s phone ringing. She nced at the
¡°Hey,¡± she answered.
¡°Did it happen?¡± Sutton asked immediately. ¡°Did they fire him?¡±
¡°Just now. How did you know?¡±
Screen¨CSutton.
¡°Luca told me. He said Roman called him this morning.¡± There was a pause. ¡°She called me this morning. To apologize, if you can believe it. She said she has been having some kind of crisis of conscience since you confronted them at the engagement party. I think she¡¯s also scared about being broke, now that she¡¯s lost everything with Peter¡¯s arrest. Wait until she founds out that Dan is going to be arrested as well.¡±
ir held the snort. She didn¡¯t believe Laura felt sorry about anything. She was looking for a meal ticket. Thinking because Sutton was pregnant she would be the softer touch.
¡°Did you tell her about Dan and Caroline?¡±
¡°No,¡± Sutton replied. ¡°That¡¯s not my news to deliver. She wanted to catch up¡ talk.¡±
ir sighed. She had no desire to rekindle any rtionship with Laura, but she also couldn¡¯t find it in herself to wish more pain on her cousin. ¡°Tell her¡ tell her she should call Dan. Soon. Before the news breaks.¡±
¡°I will. And ir? You did the right thing. With the embezzlement investigation, I mean. It couldn¡¯t have been easy, knowing it would hurt Laura too.¡±
¡°It wasn¡¯t my decision to make,¡± ir said. ¡°Dan stole from thepany. He has to face the consequences.¡±
After ending the call, ir turned to find Roman watching her.
¡°Laura?¡± he asked.
¡°She called Sutton¡. Apparently trying to make amends. Not that I believe it. Some people are just innately selfish.¡± ir
16:23 Wed, 18 Jun
shook her head. ¡°What a mess.¡±
Roman pulled her into his arms. ¡°It¡¯s over now. Dan¡¯s gone. Jessica¡¯s gone. Peter¡¯s in jail. We can finally move forward.¡±
ir rested her head against his chest, drawing strength from his steady heartbeat. ¡°You¡¯re right. And I¡¯ve made a decision.¡±
¡°About?¡± He ran his hands down her back.
¡°Warner Industries. I¡¯m going to do it¨Crun thepany. With your help, of course. I know I said it, but this time it has more meaning behind it.¡±
Roman pressed a kiss to her forehead. ¡°I never doubted you would.¡±
ir smiled up at him. ¡°You know what this means, don¡¯t you?¡±
¡°What¡¯s that?¡±
¡°We¡¯re going to be the power couple of the year. Two CEOs, one household.¡±
Romanughed. ¡°I like the sound of that. Almost as much as I like the sound of Mrs. Kingston.¡±
¡°ir Kingston,¡± she tested the name. ¡°It has a nice ring to it.¡±
¡°Speaking of rings,¡± Roman said, ¡°we only have a few days before we exchange ours. Have you bought a dress?¡±
Err.. No, but I will. So much has been going on.¡±
¡°ir, take a morning off and go buy a dress. I know we are only having a small get together but I want you to wear a wedding dress.¡±
ir thought about it for a moment. After everything they¡¯d been through, the danger, the drama, the revtions¡ a quiet ceremony sounded appealing.
¡°Right. Back to work, Mr. Kingston.¡±
¡°After you, Ms. Warner¡ soon¨Cto¨Cbe Mrs. Kingston.¡±
Room Mate 89
¡°I still can¡¯t believe we¡¯re doing this,¡± ir said, stepping out of the car in front of Be¡¯s Bridal Boutique. ¡°The wedding is this weekend. Shouldn¡¯t we have done this months ago?¡±
¡°Most people, yes,¡± Sutton agreed, carefully maneuvering her very pregnant form out of the car. ¡°But most people don¡¯t get engaged, catch an embezzler, confront a jealous ex¨Cwife, expose a murderous uncle, and take over a family business all within the span of a few weeks.¡±
Keira jumped out from the back seat, grinning. ¡°Yeah, ir. Stop being such an overachiever. Some of us can barely manage to show up to work on time.¡±
¡°Speaking of which,¡± ir said, eyeing her younger sister, ¡°how did you get time off from His Royal Highness?¡±
Keira¡¯s smile turned smug. ¡°I may have implied there was a family emergency. Technically, not having a wedding dress a few days before your wedding qualifies.¡± She had arrived home this morning and ir could see she was jegged.
¡°You¡¯re terrible,¡± irughed.
¡°I¡¯m pragmatic,¡± Keira corrected. ¡°Also, turns out the prince isn¡¯tpletely heartless. He actually told me to ¡®take as much time as you need.¡® I almost fainted from shock.¡±
¡°Maybe he¡¯s finally recognizing your value,¡± Sutton suggested as they approached the boutique¡¯s elegant ss doors.
¡°Or maybe he¡¯s realized I¡¯m the only person who knows how to work the fancy coffee machine,¡± Keira replied. ¡°Either way, I¡¯m free for as long as he can put up with someone else making it.¡±
ir felt a wave of gratitude wash over her. With everything happening so quickly, there had been precious little time for just the three of them together. This dress shopping expedition, howeverst¨Cminute, was exactly what she needed.
The boutique¡¯s interior was all soft cream and blush tones, with crystal chandeliers casting a warm glow over the intimate space. A slender woman in her fifties approached them, her smile practiced but genuine.
¡°Wee to Be¡¯s. I¡¯m Sophia. You must be ir.¡± She extended her hand. ¡°Roman called ahead. He said something special on short notice.¡±
you
needed
ir shook her hand. ¡°That¡¯s right. Our wedding is Saturday.¡±
Sophia didn¡¯t bat an eye at the tight timeline. ¡°We specialize in miracles. Now, tell me what you¡¯re envisioning.¡±
Keira snorted, saying under her breath¡ ¡°Miracles my ass more like a big cheque from Roman.¡±
Before ir could answer, the boutique¡¯s door chimed. All four women turned to see who had entered.
Luca.
He stood awkwardly in the doorway, looking as surprised to see them as they were to see him.
¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said quickly. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize¡ I was just dropping something off.¡± He held up a small package.
ir nced at Sutton, whose face had gone slightly pink. The tension between them was almost touchable, though ir knew they¡¯d been cautiously building some kind of rtionship. For the baby¡¯s sake, if nothing else.
¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Sutton said, her voice carefully neutral. ¡°We¡¯re just helping ir find a wedding dress.¡±
Luca¡¯s expression softened. ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll be quick.¡± He approached Sutton. ¡°I wanted to see if you were ok?¡± His eyes dropped briefly to her stomach.
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Sutton had told them that no one at Cyber10 knew yet that Sutton was pregnant with Luca¡¯s baby. She wasn¡¯t ready to go public. So ir wasn¡¯t surprised Luca had followed her sister here.
¡°Fine,¡± Sutton replied. ¡°Just tired. The usual.¡±
An awkward silence followed, which Keira broke by clearing her throat loudly. ¡°So! Wedding dresses! Let¡¯s see some options!¡±
Sophia nodded, smoothly guiding them deeper into the boutique while Luca lingered near the door.
¡°I should go,¡± he said, though he made no move to leave.
ir caught the indecision on Sutton¡¯s face. Despite everything, it was clear her sister still had feelings for Luca, it all, Luca sat quietly beside Sutton, offering politements when asked, but mostly watching her with an intensity that was impossible to miss. Sutton, for her part, seemed both ufortable. ir didn¡¯t know if she had done. the right thing, but they needed to work on some sort of rtionship
¡°How are things at work?¡± ir overheard Luca ask Sutton during a moment when she was changing into yet another dress.
¡°Good,¡± Sutton replied. ¡°I¡¯m¡ actually enjoying the new programming role. Thank you for that.¡±
After discovering Sutton¡¯s background inputer science, Luca had immediately moved her from reception to the programming department at Cyber10. ir knew her sister had been hesitant to ept, wary of looking like she was receiving special treatment, but the opportunity was too good to pass up.
¡°You earned it,¡± Luca said simply. ¡°The team says you¡¯re brilliant.¡±
Sutton blushed. ¡°They¡¯re being kind.¡±
¡°No, they¡¯re being honest.¡± Luca¡¯s voice was soft, but insistent. ¡°You have a real talent, Sutton. I¡¯m d you¡¯re finally getting to use it.¡±
Their conversation was interrupted when ir emerged in what felt like the hundredth dress of the day. ir was a little
16-23 Wed, 18
over it by now.
But this one was different, though¨Ca sleek, elegant design with delicatece ovey and a subde vintage feel
¡°Oh,¡± Keira breathed. ¡°That¡¯s it.¡±
Sutton nodded, her eyes suddenly misty. ¡°ir, you look beautiful¡±
ir turned to the mirror and felt her breath catch. The dress was perfect¡ sophisticated without being ostentacions. romantic without being overly fussy. It hugged her curves in all the right ces before falling in a gentle A¨Cline to the floor.
¡°What do you think?¡± Sophia asked, adjusting the train.
¡°I think¡¡± ir swallowed the sudden lump in her throat. ¡°I think this is the one.
¡°Roman¡¯s going to lose his mind,¡± Keira dered. ¡°In the best way possible.¡±
Luca cleared his throat. ¡°It¡¯s perfect, ir. Truly
ir smiled at him through the mirror.
¡°Thank you, all of you,¡± ir said, smoothing the fabric. ¡°I can¡¯t believe we actually found it.¡±
I told you we specialize in miracles,¡± Sophia said with a wink. ¡°Now, we¡¯ll need to work quickly for alterations, but I can have
ady for you on Friday evening.¡±
her change back into her regr clothes, ir could hear Keira chatting animatedly with Luca about the- g. To her surprise, Sutton had joined the conversation too, her initial awkwardness giving way to More rxed.
By the time they were ready to leave, the tension between Sutton and Luca had noticeably eased. They weren¡¯t exactlyfortable with each other yet, but there was progress a willingness to try that hadn¡¯t been there before. Luca must feel a little apprehensive to around them due to the fact that both she and Keira knew their history.
¡°I should get back to work,¡± Luca said as they exited the boutique. ¡°But it was nice seeing all of you.¡±
¡°You too,¡± ir replied sincerely.
Luca hesitated, then turned to Sutton. ¡°Would you¡ would you like to get dinner sometime next week? To discuss the baby? We still have a lot to figure out.¡±
Sutton bit her lip, considering. ¡°Okay. Monday night? There¡¯s a ce near our apartment¨Cnothing fancy, but the food is good.¡±
The smile that broke across Luca¡¯s face was so genuine it made ir¡¯s heart ache a little. ¡°Sounds perfect. I¡¯ll pick you up at seven?¡±
Sutton nodded. ¡°Seven works.¡±
As Luca walked to his car, Keira nudged ir. ¡°What was that about? I thought you hated him for what he did to Sutton.¡±
¡°I did,¡± ir admitted. ¡°But Roman trusts him, and he seems genuinely remorseful. Plus, that¡¯s going to be my niece or nephew. I¡¯d rather they have two parents who can at least be civil to each other.¡±
Sutton was watching Luca¡¯s car pull away. ¡°He¡¯s trying,¡± she said quietly. ¡°And so am I. For the baby¡¯s sake.¡±
¡°Just be careful,¡± Keira warned. ¡°I haven¡¯t forgiven him yet.¡±
Sutton smiled faintly. ¡°Neither have I. Notpletely. But¡¡± She rubbed her belly thoughtfully. ¡°But maybe forgiveness
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isn¡¯t an all¨Cor¨Cnothing thing. Maybe it¡¯s a process.¡±
ir squeezed her sister¡¯s hand. ¡°Whatever happens, Keira and I are here for you. Always.¡±
¡°I know,¡± Sutton said. ¡°That¡¯s never been in doubt.¡±
ir drove back to work, walking into Roman¡¯s office because the door was open.
¡°How was dress shopping?¡± he asked. Standing up, and walked to her, loosening his tie.
¡°Sessful,¡± ir replied with a smile. ¡°I found the perfect one.¡± pulling his head down for a kiss.
¡°And Sutton? How was she with Luca there?¡±
ir raised an eyebrow. ¡°You knew he¡¯d be there?¡±
Roman had the grace to look slightly sheepish. ¡°He mentioned he might drop by the boutique. I might have suggested he do it when you were all there.¡±
u matchmaker, I¡¯m d they are trying to be civil to each other for the baby. But I don¡¯t want Sutton to feel pressured. e doesn¡¯t need to be with Luca for security.¡± ir said, adding. ¡°Next thing I know, you¡¯ll be ying Cupid for Keira and her royal boss. No, don¡¯t do that. I think she¡¯ll kill you.¡±
Romanughed. ¡°God, no. That man wouldn¡¯t know what to do with someone like Keira. Besides, I¡¯m saving my
matchmaking skills for our own love story.¡± He pulled her closer. ¡°Speaking of which, are you ready for this? Marriage, twopanies, possibly children someday?¡±
ir wrapped her arms around his neck. ¡°With you? I¡¯m ready for anything.¡±
And as Roman kissed her deeply, ir knew it was true. She could face anything with him by her side.
This Saturday, she would be Mrs. Kingston.
¡°ir.¡±
¡°Yes?¡±
¡°Lock the door.¡±
Room Mate 90
hapter 90
¡°Breathe, ir. You look like you¡¯re about to pass out,¡± Sutton said, adjusting the delicate veil in ir¡¯s hair.
¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± ir insisted, though her heart was racing. ¡°Just¡ processing.¡±
Keira snorted, carefully touching up ir¡¯s makeup. ¡°Processing that in exactly thirty¨Cseven minutes, you¡¯re going to be Mrs. Roman Kingston?¡±
¡°When you say it like that, it sounds so¡ real,¡± ir whispered.
¡°That¡¯s because it is real,¡± Suttonughed softly. ¡°After everything you¡¯ve been through to get here, I¡¯d hope so.¡±
ir nced at her reflection in the mirror. Her dress was perfect. The hairdresser had styled her hair in loose waves.
Inside, though, she felt anything but calm. Not because she was having doubts¡ she had never been more certain of anything in her life, but because the moment felt so monumental.
¡°Mom and Dad would be so proud,¡± Keira said softly, as if reading her thoughts. ¡°Of all of us, but especially you today.¡±
ir felt tears threatening and blinked rapidly. ¡°Don¡¯t make me cry. My makeup will run.¡±
¡°No, it won¡¯t,¡± Keira assured her. ¡°I used the industrial¨Cstrength waterproof stuff. You could swim the English Channel and still look wless.¡±
A knock at the door interrupted them. Eleanor Kingston peeked in, looking elegant in a pale blue dress. ¡°How¡¯s our bride doing?¡±
¡°Just having a minor existential crisis,¡± Keira replied cheerfully. ¡°Nothing to worry about.¡±
¡°Perfectly normal,¡± Eleanor said, stepping into the room. ¡°I nearly threw up right before walking down the aisle to James.¡±
¡°That¡¯s¡ not as reassuring as you might think,¡± ir said weakly.
Eleanorughed,ing to stand beside her. ¡°What I¡¯m trying to say is that nerves are natural. But ir, I¡¯ve never seen my son happier than he¡¯s been with you. You two belong together.¡±
ir smiled gratefully. ¡°Thank you, Eleanor.¡±
¡°I have something for you,¡± Roman¡¯s mother continued, pulling a small velvet box from her clutch. ¡°A tradition in the Kingston family. Something borrowed.¡±
She opened the box to reveal a stunning sapphire and diamond bracelet. ¡°I wore this on my wedding day, and Roman¡¯s grandmother wore it before me.¡±
¡°It¡¯s beautiful,¡± ir breathed as Eleanor fastened it around her wrist.
¡°And,¡± Eleanor added, ¡°Rose wanted me to give you this.¡± She produced a small blue garter. ¡°Something blue, obviously.¡±
Keira grinned. ¡°I¡¯ve got the something old covered.¡± She handed ir a small locket. ¡°It was Mom¡¯s. Sutton and I thought you should have it today.¡±
ir¡¯s fingers trembled as she took the familiar locket. ¡°I remember this. She wore it all the time.¡±
¡°There¡¯s a new picture inside,¡± Sutton said softly.
ir opened it to find a tiny photograph of her parents on one side and a small picture of her with her sisters on the other. This time, she couldn¡¯t stop the tears.
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¡°Perfect,¡± Keira dered, dabbing at the corner of ir¡¯s eye. ¡°You¡¯re officially a beautiful, crying bride. Very photogenic.¡±
Another knock came at the door, and this time it was James Kingston who entered. ¡°Ladies, it¡¯s almost time.¡± He stopped when he saw ir, his expression softening. ¡°You look absolutely stunning, my dear.¡±
¡°Thank you,¡± ir said, taking a deep breath to steady herself.
¡°Roman¡¯s a nervous wreck,¡± James informed her with a chuckle. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen him so fidgety. He¡¯s asked Peters three times if the rings are secure.¡±
irughed, picturing Roman¨Cnormally soposed¨Cpacing anxiously at the altar. ¡°That¡¯s oddlyforting.¡±
¡°ir,¡± James said, his tone growing more serious. ¡°I know I¡¯m not your father, and I would never presume to take his ce. But if you¡¯d allow me, I¡¯d be honored to walk you down the aisle today.¡±
ir¡¯s heart swelled. ¡°I¡¯d like that very much.¡±
James smiled, offering his arm. ¡°Then let¡¯s not keep my son waiting any longer. He might wear a hole in the floor.¡±
The small church looked like something from a fairy tale, with soft lighting, delicate flowers, and only their closest friends and family in attendance. Just as ir had wanted. As the music began and Sutton and Keira processed ahead of her, ir took one fral deep breath.
had been lucky to get the location, but the church was so small it wasn¡¯t big enough for most weddings.
Ready?¡± James whispered.
¡°Ready,¡± she confirmed.
The moment she stepped into the chapel and saw Roman waiting for her, every nervous thought vanished. He stood tall and handsome in his tuxedo, but it was his expression that caught her heart. The naked adoration in his eyes, the way his breath. visibly caught when he saw her.
ir barely registered the walk down the aisle, James¡¯s steady presence beside her grounding her as she moved toward her. future. When they reached the altar, James kissed her cheek before cing her hand in Roman¡¯s.
¡°Take care of each other,¡± he said softly, then stepped back and taking his ce by his wife.
Roman¡¯s fingers tightened around hers. ¡°You¡¯re breathtaking,¡± he whispered.
¡°So are you,¡± she replied, unable to stop smiling.
The ceremony itself was a blur. ir was vaguely aware of the minister speaking, of exchanging vows that they had written themselves, of the cool slide of the wedding band onto her finger. But mostly, she was aware of Roman¡his voice, his touch, his unwavering gaze. He was so here with her¡ so sure.
¡°I now pronounce you husband and wife,¡± the minister announced. ¡°You may kiss the bride.¡±
Roman didn¡¯t hesitate. His lips met hers in a kiss that was both tender and possessive, a perfect reflection of the man himself. The small gathering erupted in apuse, but ir barely heard it, lost in the reality that this magnificent,plicated, sometimes infuriating man was now her husband.
¡°Mrs. Kingston,¡± he murmured against her lips.
¡°Mr. Kingston,¡± she returned with a smile.
They turned to face their guests, hands sped tightly together, and ir felt a wave of joy so intense it almost overwhelmed her. Her sisters were beaming, Keira openly wiping away tears while trying to pretend she wasn¡¯t. Sutton stood beside Luca, who had his hand ced protectively at the small of her back. Roman¡¯s parents looked proudly on, while Rose
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gave them an enthusiastic thumbs¨Cup.
Peters had held the rings, but they hadn¡¯t had a bride¡¯s maid or best man. ir hadn¡¯t wanted to choose between her sisters. Just having everyone here was enough.
The reception was held at Roman¡¯s parents¡® estate, a small but elegant affair in the beautifullyndscaped gardens. As ir and Roman moved among their guests, epting congrattions and well¨Cwishes, she couldn¡¯t help but marvel at how right it all felt.
¡°You know,¡± Roman said, bringing her a ss of champagne as they stole a moment alone near the fountain, ¡°a year ago, if someone had told me I¡¯d be married to my gorgeous, brilliant secretary, I probably would have fired them for insubordination.¡±
irughed. ¡°And if someone had told me I¡¯d marry my arrogant, demanding boss, I would have checked them for a head injury.¡±
¡°Arrogant?¡± Roman feigned offense. ¡°I prefer ¡®confident.¡±¡±
¡°Shithead,¡± ir corrected with a grin.
Romanughed, pulling her close. ¡°Your shithead, though. Forever now.¡±
¡°Forever,¡± ir agreed, leaning into him. ¡°I love you, Roman Kingston.¡±
¡°I love you, ir Kingston,¡± he replied, his voice deepening with emotion. ¡°More than I ever thought possible.¡±
They were interrupted by Keira, who approached with a mischievous gleam in her eye. ¡°Sorry to break up this disgustingly sweet moment, but your first dance is supposed to start in five minutes, and Rose is threatening to choose the music if you don¡¯t hurry.¡±
¡°God, no,¡± Roman groaned. ¡°Last time she DJ¡¯d, she yed the Macarena six times in a row.¡±
irughed, taking his hand. ¡°We better hurry, then.¡±
As they made their way back to the main reception area, ir spotted Sutton and Luca in quiet conversation. Sutton wasughing at something he said, her hand resting on her very pregnant belly. The sight filled ir with hope. Whatever was happening between those two, they were finding their way forward.
The first dance was perfect¨CRoman holding her close as they swayed to the music, their guests watching with fond smiles. ir rested her head against his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat.
¡°Happy?¡± Roman murmured into her hair.
¡°Beyond words,¡± ir replied.
Later, as the evening wound down and their few guests began to depart, ir found herself standing with her sisters near the garden¡¯s edge.
¡°So,¡± Keira said, sipping her champagne, ¡°Mrs. Kingston. How does it feel?¡±
¡°Surreal,¡± ir admitted. ¡°But right.¡±
Sutton smiled, rubbing her back absently. ¡°You two are perfect together. After seeing you with Roman, I could never see you with someone like Dan.¡±
¡°Who? You mean loser Dan,¡± Keira corrected with a grin.
ir looked across the garden at Roman, who was chatting with his father and Luca. As if sensing her gaze, he looked up, his eyes finding hers instantly. The connection between them was almost tangible, a silent conversation across the space.
16:23 Wed, 18 Jun
¡°You know,¡± ir said softly, ¡°after everything with Peter, after finding out what happened to Mom and Dad¡ I never thought I¡¯d feel this happy.¡±
Sutton squeezed her hand. ¡°They¡¯re here with us today. I can feel it.¡±
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¡°Me too,¡± Keira agreed, her usual sarcasm absent for once. ¡°And they¡¯d be so proud of you, ir. Taking over thepany, building this life for yourself.¡±
¡°For us,¡± ir corrected. ¡°We¡¯re in this together, the three of us. Always have been, always will be.¡±
¡°Damn straight,¡± Keira dered, raising her ss. ¡°To the Warner sisters.¡±
¡°To family,¡± Sutton added.
¡°To new beginnings,¡± ir finished.
As they clinked sses, Roman approached, sliding his arm around ir¡¯s waist. ¡°Sorry to interrupt, but I believe I¡¯m owed
er dance with my wife.¡±
Wife. The word still sent a thrill through ir.
¡°She¡¯s all yours,¡± Keira said magnanimously. ¡°We¡¯ve had her for thest twenty¨Csomething years. Your turn now.¡±
Roman grinned. ¡°I n to make the most of it.¡±
As he led her back to the dance floor, Roman pulled her close under the stars. She was so d they hadn¡¯t waited to get married.
AD
Room Mate 91
Chapter 91
??? 91%E
+28)
ir leaned back in her office chair, rubbing her temples as she tried to focus on the reports in front of her. She¡¯d been at it for hours, and the numbers were starting to blur together. Taking over her parents¡®pany had been challenging but rewarding, and three months into her role as CEO, she was finally finding her feet.
Her phone buzzed with a text from Roman: Dinner tonight at 8. Don¡¯t bete. I have news.
ir smiled, typing back: Intriguing. Should I be worried?
His response came immediately: Only if you¡¯re worried about how much I¡¯m going to make you enjoy yourself afterward.
Heat crept up her neck as she read his message. Three months of marriage, and Roman still had the ability to make her
ush with just a few words.
Grinning.
Promises, promises, she texted back.
Setting her phone aside, ir returned to the reports, but found her concentration slipping again. She¡¯d been feeling off for the past few days¡ tired, slightly, and inexplicably emotional over the smallest things.
Probably just stress, she told herself. Running this business even with Roman¡¯s help and excellent management teams was no small ask.
Her office phone buzzed. ¡°Mrs. Kingston, your 2 o¡¯clock is here,¡± her assistant let her know.
¡°Send them in, Reba,¡± ir replied.
The meeting with potential designers went well, but ir found herself fighting a wave of nausea halfway through. She managed to maintain herposure, impressing the young group of designers with her vision for Warner Industries¡® future, but the moment they left, she slumped in her chair, feeling exhausted.
¡°You okay, boss?¡± Reba asked as she stood in the doorway. ¡°You look a little pale.¡±
¡°Just tired,¡± ir assured her. ¡°I might head out early today.¡±
Reba raised an eyebrow¡ Her had never left early before but nodded. ¡°Your calendar is clear for the rest of the afternoon. Want me to call your car?¡±
¡°That would be great, thanks.¡±
As she packed up her things, ir¡¯s phone buzzed with a text from Sutton: Baby¡¯s officially one week overdue. If this child doesn¡¯t make an appearance soon, I¡¯m not sure if my belly will stretch anymore.
irughed, texting back: Stubborn like its mother. Hang in there. I¡¯m here if you need me.
On the ride home, ir found herself thinking about babies. Sutton was about to be a mother, and though the situation with Luca remainedplicated, they had reached a ce of cautious friendship, bound by their shared excitement for their child.
ir had always wanted children, had always imagined herself as a mother someday. She and Roman hadn¡¯t discussed timing specifically, but they both knew it was part of their future ns. They hadn¡¯t always use a condom. Sometimes Roman used ones for entertainment purposes.
As the car pulled up to their home, ir was hit with another wave of nausea. She barely made it inside before rushing to the nearest bathroom, emptying the contents of her stomach.
16:23 Wed, 18
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(+28)
¡°What the hell?¡± she muttered, rinsing her mouth afterward. Maybe she wasing down with something.
She changed intofortable clothes and curled up on the sofa, intending to rest for just a few minutes. When she next opened her eyes, the room was dark, and Roman was gently shaking her awake.
¡°ir? Sleeping beauty? It¡¯s almost eight.¡±
She blinked groggily, disoriented. ¡°I fell asleep?¡±
Roman¡¯s brow furrowed with concern as he sat beside her. ¡°Reba said you weren¡¯t feeling well. What¡¯s going on?¡±
¡°Just tired,¡± ir said, sitting up slowly. ¡°And a little nauseous. I think I might being down with something.¡±
Roman pressed a hand to her forehead. ¡°No fever. Have you eaten today?¡±
ir thought back. ¡°Breakfast. I skipped lunch¨Cthe young designers¡® meeting ran long.¡±
¡°That could be it,¡± Roman said, though he didn¡¯t look entirely convinced. ¡°Why don¡¯t you freshen up while I order dinner in? I don¡¯t think you¡¯re up for going out tonight.¡±
ir nodded gratefully. ¡°What was your news?¡±
A smile tugged at Roman¡¯s lips. ¡°It can wait until you¡¯re feeling better.¡±
She wanted to press him, but another wave of nausea hit, sending her scrambling to the bathroom again. This time, there was nothing left to throw up, leaving her dry heaving painfully over the toilet.
Roman appeared in the doorway, his expression now openly worried. ¡°That¡¯s it. I¡¯m calling Dr. Meyers.¡±
¡°It¡¯s probably just a bug,¡± ir protested weakly.
¡°Humor me,¡± Roman said, already dialing.
After a brief conversation with his doctor, Roman hung up, looking slightly calmer. ¡°He says it could be a virus, but he wants to see you tomorrow morning. Until then, clear liquids, rest, and call him if your symptoms worsen.¡±
ir nodded, too tired to argue. She brushed her teeth and allowed Roman to help her back to bed, grateful for his steady
presence.
As she sipped the ginger ale he brought her, ir watched Roman move around the bedroom, removing his tie and changing into morefortable clothes. She loved these quiet domestic moments¡ the simple rhythm of life together.
¡°So what was your news?¡± she asked again.
Roman sat on the edge of the bed, taking her hand. ¡°I found out who leaked that story about Peter¡¯s arrest and how ir and her sisters had wrestled control from their uncle.¡±
ir groaned. A week after their wedding, a sensationalized version of the events surrounding Peter¡¯s arrest had appeared in a gossip magazine. While most of the details were wrong, it had caused a stir and led to several unwee paparazzi
encounters.
¡°Who was it?¡± she asked.
¡°Jessica,¡± Roman said, his jaw tightening. ¡°She sold the story for fifty thousand dors.¡±
¡°Of course she did,¡± ir sighed. ¡°What happens now?¡±
¡°Nothing,¡± Roman replied, surprising her. ¡°The story¡¯s already out there, and taking legal action would just drag it all back into the spotlight. Besides, the article made you look like a hero¨Coutwitting a murderer, reuniting with your true love. If
anything, it¡¯s boosted your public image. I don¡¯t think it came out the way she hoped.¡±
irughed weakly. ¡°My public image. God, that¡¯s weird to think about.¡±
Roman smiled, stroking her hair. ¡°Get used to it, Mrs. Kingston. You¡¯re a power yer now.¡±
Despite her nausea, ir felt a rush of pride. She hade so far from the uncertain woman who had walked in on her fianc¨¦ cheating just a few months ago. Now she was CEO of her family¡¯spany, married to the man she loved, building the life she wanted.
¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Roman asked, noticing her pensive expression.
¡°Just¡ how much has changed? How lucky I am, despite everything.¡±
Roman pressed a kiss to her forehead. ¡°I¡¯m the lucky one.¡±
They spent the evening quietly, Roman working on hisptop beside her in bed while ir drifted in and out of sleep. When she woke the next morning, the nausea hit her immediately, sending her rushing to the bathroom once more.
Roman was right behind her, holding her hair back as she retched. ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± he said firmly. ¡°We¡¯re seeing Dr. Meyers first thing.¡±
Too miserable to argue, ir nodded.
Dr. Meyers¡® office was mercifully quiet when they arrived an hourter. The doctor, a kind man in his fifties who had been the Kingston family physician for years, examined ir thoroughly before sitting back with a thoughtful expression.
¡°Well, Mrs. Kingston, your symptoms could certainly be a virus, but there¡¯s another possibility we should consider,¡± he said. carefully. ¡°When was yourst menstrual period?¡±
ir blinked, caught off guard by the question. She tried to remember, then frowned. ¡°I¡ I¡¯m not sure. Things have been so hectic with the wedding and work. Maybe¡ six weeks ago? No, longer.¡±
Dr. Meyers nodded. ¡°I¡¯d like to run a simple test, if you don¡¯t mind.¡±
Twenty minutester, ir sat in stunned silence as Dr. Meyers confirmed what she now realized should have been obvious: she was pregnant.
¡°Based on your symptoms and timing, I¡¯d estimate you¡¯re about eleven to twelve weeks along,¡± he said, smiling warmly. ¡°Congrattions to you both.¡±
Roman¡¯s expression was a mixture of shock and joy, his hand gripping ir¡¯s tightly. ¡°A baby,¡± he whispered. ¡°We¡¯re having a baby.¡±
The reality of it washed over ir in waves. A baby. Their baby. Growing inside her right now.
¡°I¡ we¡. this is¡¡± she stammered, unable to form coherent thoughts.
Dr. Meyers chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s a lot to take in. I¡¯ll give you two a moment.¡± He stepped out of the examination room, leaving them alone.
Roman knelt in front of her, his hands cradling her face. ¡°ir? Talk to me. How are you feeling about this?¡±
¡°Stunned,¡± she admitted. ¡°But¡ happy. So happy.¡± Tears welled in her eyes. ¡°Are you okay with this? It¡¯s happening sooner than we nned.¡±
Roman¡¯sugh was joyous. ¡°Okay with it? ir, I¡¯m ecstatic. You¡¯re carrying our child. There¡¯s nothing in this world that could make me happier. It¡¯s not like we have been careful.¡±
(28)
The certainty in his voice dispelled any lingering doubts. ir threw her arms around his neck,ughing through her tears. ¡°We¡¯re having a baby,¡± she whispered against his neck.
¡°We¡¯re having a baby,¡± he repeated, his voice thick with emotion.
Dr. Meyers returned with prenatal vitamins and information pamphlets, scheduling ir for an ultrasound the following week. As they left the clinic, Roman couldn¡¯t stop smiling, his hand protectively at the small of her back.
¡°I can¡¯t believe we didn¡¯t realize sooner,¡± ir said as they settled into the car. ¡°All the signs were there.¡±
¡°We¡¯ve been a little busy,¡± Roman reminded her, his hand finding hers. ¡°A lot has happened in thest three months.¡± Peter Warner¡¯s trial had startedst week.
irughed. ¡°True enough.¡±
Roman¡¯s expression grew more serious. ¡°How do you want to handle this with work?,¡±
ir considered this. ¡°I want to keep working as long as I can. We¡¯ll figure out a bnce.¡± She smiled. ¡°Between the two of us, I think we can manage a baby and twopanies.¡±
Roman agreed, lifting her hand to his lips. ¡°You¡¯re the most capable woman I¡¯ve ever known.¡±
ir couldn¡¯t stop her hand from drifting to her still¨Ct stomach. A baby. Their baby. The life they er was expanding in the most wonderful way.
We should tell our families,¡± she said suddenly. ¡°Especially Sutton¨Cshe¡¯ll kill me if she finds out I kept this from her.¡±
Roman chuckled. ¡°Agreed. Dinner this weekend? We can invite everyone.¡±
ir nodded, already imagining the reactions. Eleanor would be overjoyed to be a grandmother. Sutton and Keira would be thrilled to be aunts. James would probably break out his most expensive scotch, despite the fact that ir couldn¡¯t drink it.
Roman helped her from the car, his hand lingering on her waist. ¡°I love you,¡± he said simply.
P
Room Mate 92
Sutton stood in front of the mirror, making a fewst¨Cminute touches to her tinum blonde hair and makeup. She still hadn¡¯t taken out the bright green contact lenses from her earlier photo shoot. They masked the true blue of her eyes.
Luca had called from the airport to let her know he was on his way. She hadn¡¯t seen him in five weeks. Five long weeks. She hadn¡¯t realized just how much she¡¯d missed him until she heard his voice. This had been the longest they¡¯d ever been apart.
He¡¯d sounded tired¡ but that had never stopped him froming straight to see her before. Whenever he returned from a trip, he always came to her first. He¡¯d take her in his arms, devour her with a hunger that defied words. They rarely made it to the bedroom.
Sutton nced down at the pregnancy test on the vanity, the two pink lines still boldly visible. She didn¡¯t know why she¡¯d kept it. Her doctor had already confirmed the result, but maybe part of her needed the reminder. Her life was about to change in a major way. There was no thought of getting rid of the baby. It was a part of the man she loved.
They had never talked about a future. Their passion had always burned too hot to leave room for questions. And yet, he¡¯d been with her longer than he¡¯d ever been with anyone else.
Maybe she was crazy for falling for him. Luca De Santis was known across Europe as a billionaire yboy. He didn¡¯t domitment. He didn¡¯t do permanence. What would he say when she told him?
She¡¯d found out she was pregnant just two days after he left for Italy. The timing hadn¡¯t made sense at first¡ she¡¯d had her period before he left, but the doctor had exined that some women still bleed in early pregnancy. Nothing to worry about, he¡¯d said. And now, at three months pregnant, she still hadn¡¯t told Luca.
He had been away for five weeks. She couldn¡¯t do it over the phone. So she¡¯d waited¡ agonizing day after agonizing day for him toe back so she could tell him to his face.
Would he think she¡¯d done it on purpose? After all, he¡¯d left the responsibility of birth control to her. Pregnancy hadn¡¯t been on the cards for either of them. But she¡¯d missed two pills when she was sick with a stomach virus. That¡¯s all it had taken. Some women struggled to fall pregnant. For her, it had taken one stomach bug¡ªand that was it.
Sutton turned sideways, studying her still¨Ct stomach. She ran a hand over it¨Cover where their babyy.
They¡¯d only been together for eleven months. Not long enough to truly know someone. But she loved him. God, she loved him. She¡¯d tried not to show it¨Ckept things light, undemanding, because some part of her knew: ask for too much, and he¡¯d
vanish.
The only thing she¡¯d ever pushed back on was her job. Luca had asked her to travel with him a few times, but she always said no. She had her own career, her ownmitments. Her sisters had needed her to make a good living. But now ir and Keira were both working. They didn¡¯t need her to carry that responsibility anymore.
She¡¯d started modeling in Europe to get as far away as possible from her cousin Laura¡¯s career. Her aunt Viv had always used her of riding Laura¡¯s coattails, of using the family name to get ahead in the fashion industry. So Sutton became Audrey. She dyed her dark blonde hair tinum, wore green contacts, and ghosted her real identity. Back then, before everything was so traceable, it had been possible.
Even Luca didn¡¯t know her real name. He¡¯d fallen in lust with Audrey, the model. Not Sutton Warner, the nerdyputer girl from the USA. She¡¯d meant to tell him eventually, but the right moment never came. He¡¯d never said he loved her. He wanted her, yes¡ but anything deeper? So the longer she had been Audrey to him, the harder it had been to tell the truth.
Maybe she had been crazy to fall for him. They lived entirely in the now. She never would have met him if she hadn¡¯t be a model.
Now she was pregnant, and everything was about to change. Whether their rtionship survived or not would depend on Luca. A rtionship? Who was she kidding?
Their affair had always been low¨Ckey. She hadn¡¯t wanted it to get back to anyone back home, and Luca never pushed to go
16:23 Wed, 18 Jun
public. Maybe that had meant something. Maybe it hadn¡¯t..
The sound of a key turning in the lock pulled her out of her thoughts. Her heart jumped. She snatched the test off the counter and stuffed it in the tampon box in the vanity drawer, then ran to the door.
As Luca stepped inside and dropped his briefcase, sheunched herself into his arms before he could say a word.
She kissed him hard, needing thefort only he could give.
¡°Audrey, wait. We need to talk,¡± Luca said against her mouth.
She didn¡¯t want to talk¨Cshe wanted to feel.
¡°Audrey. Please.¡±
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¡°I don¡¯t want to talk,¡± she whispered. ¡°I need you.¡± If they talked, she¡¯d have to tell him. And she just wanted this moment. One more night before the truth changed everything.
(+28)
Her fingers curled into his shirt as she pulled him closer, silently pleading with him to give her this. Just this. The warmth of his body, the feel of his arms around her, the illusion that nothing had changed. That she wasn¡¯t carrying a secret that could blow everything apart.
¡°I¡¯ve missed you,¡± she whispered, her voice breaking.
He hesitated, but only for a second. Then his hands were on her back, sliding down to her hips, anchoring her to him. Whatever he had to say could wait. Tonight, she just needed to be his.
Room Mate 93
Luca dragged himself out of bed. Shit.
He looked back at Audrey¡¯s naked body, barely covered by the sheet. She was still asleep.
91%
He hadn¡¯t meant to sleep with her. He¡¯de here to end things. Break it off clean. But the second he saw her, touched her -tasted her¨Che caved. As always. It was like trying to quit smoking. Not that he ever had. But she was addictive.
Maybe that¡¯s why this thing between them hadsted eleven months. The longest he¡¯d ever been with anyone.
He should¡¯ve ended it months ago. Luca had known this wasing¨Cknown he had responsibilities he couldn¡¯t outrun forever. He just hadn¡¯t expected them to catch up in the form of his father¡¯s heart attack.
Nick De Santis had pulled through. But it had been close. Too close.
And before the surgery, his father had made him promise. Made him swear that if he survived, Luca would finally fulfill themitment he¡¯d made sixteen years ago.
The promise that still made Luca¡¯s blood boil.
When Luca was sixteen, his father had agreed to a marriage pact with Marco Rossi¨Chis best friend since childhood. Marco¡¯s daughter, Be, had been two. A toddler. In Luca¡¯s eyes, she was still a child at eighteen to his thirty¨Ctwo years.
Luca hadn¡¯t known about the arrangement until yearster, when he¡¯d fallen for someone else. That was when his father told him the truth¨Cthat his future had already been decided. That love didn¡¯t matter. That duty came first.
The girl, Carly¨Chis first real rtionship¨Cdumped him the second she found out. Married another rich fool within months. So much for love.
Audrey would do the same.
She was beautiful. Men would line up for her.
Why did the thought of someone else touching her make him sick?
He wasn¡¯t an idiot. What they had was heat. Chemistry. Not love. She¡¯d move on. Find someone else to scratch the same itch. It wasn¡¯t her fault. They¡¯d only ever been using each other. She¡¯d nevere away with him. Her career had alwayse first. And it¡¯s not like she was out saving lives. She was a fucking model.
Luca rubbed a hand down his face.
This marriage wasn¡¯t his choice, but he¡¯d made a promise. His father wanted him married. Wanted him tied to another powerful Italian family. Rooted in legacy and wealth. Just like theirs.
What choice did he have?
Audrey¡ he liked her. More than he should. But he didn¡¯t love her. Not in the way that counted. She was perfect mistress material. Not wife material.
She was too wild. Too independent. A model, for fuck¡¯s sake. No family. No connections. She¡¯de to Europe seven years ago, worked when she wanted, lived on her own terms. He needed someone who understood duty. Legacy. Family. He couldn¡¯t even imagine her giving up modeling to have children. Not yet. Her career was too important to her. His father wanted grandchildren¨Cand soon.
What would she even do at a formal dinner? A charity g? Could she host diplomats? Entertain politicians? She didn¡¯t understand his life.
16.23
Wed, 18
91%
She was sexy as sin, no denying that. And God, that body¨Che¡¯d seen it on billboards, lingerie campaigns, half¨Cnaked in every city from Mn to Madrid.
But that wasn¡¯t the kind of woman he could marry.
And it sure as hell wasn¡¯t the kind of wife his father would ever ept.
Quickly, he dressed. Once he said what needed to be said, he had to leave.
He stepped closer to the bed. ¡°Audrey, we need to talk.¡±
She stirred, turning toward him, a sleepy smile on her lips. ¡°Come back to bed, Luca. It¡¯s still dark.¡±
¡°No. We need to talk.¡±
¡°Why are you dressed?¡± she asked, sitting up and pulling the sheet around her chest. Her tinum hair fell over her bare shoulders.
She was a temptation. And he wished¨CGod, he wished¨Che could crawl back into bed and pretend none of this mattered. But he¡¯d already crossed a line by sleeping with her again. He wasn¡¯t going to stay long enough tofort her.
He¡¯d never had trouble ending things before. So why was this so hard?
Maybe because she¡¯d been easy to be with. In all the ways that mattered. Who would¡¯ve guessed¡ªa beautiful model who was actually easy to be around. He had dated his fair share before Audrey. Shallow empty rtionships and very short¨Clived.
¡°Audrey¡ it¡¯s over.¡±
She blinked. ¡°What?¡±
¡°You heard me. It¡¯s over.¡±
¡°You can¡¯t be serious.¡± Her voice cracked.
¡°I¡¯m dead serious.¡±
¡°Why now? What did I do?¡±
¡°It¡¯s not about anything you did. This was never permanent. I need to get married.¡±
¡°I¡¯m open to marriage,¡± she said softly.
Heughed, even though his chest felt like it was splintering. ¡°Marry you? I can¡¯t marry you.¡±
¡°But I love you.¡±
¡°Audrey, don¡¯t lie. You don¡¯t love me. And even if you did, it doesn¡¯t matter. I need to marry someone from my background. Someone my father would approve of. You¡¯re a model with no connections. You have nothing to offer.¡±
He hated himself the second he said it. But maybe if she hated him, it would be easier for both of them.
¡°I¡¯m being honest. Cruel, maybe¨Cbut kind in the long run. I¡¯m already engaged.¡±
She stared at him, stunned. Eyes ssy, chest rising and falling like she couldn¡¯t breathe.
¡°What?¡± she whispered, barely audible.
¡°You¡¯re a great fuck,¡± Luca said, biting back the urge to soften the blow. ¡°An incredible mistress. But that¡¯s all you are. I don¡¯t want to marry you.¡±
10.23 ved, 18
Her tears fell, silent and steady.
He felt the cracks in his armor. If he stayed another second, he¡¯d crumble.
He turned toward the door.
¡°I need to tell you something,¡± she said behind him, her voice raw and broken.
Luca stopped. ¡°Audrey.¡±
¡°Please. It might change everything.¡±
¡°It won¡¯t.¡±
¡°Please.¡±
He turned, jaw clenched. ¡°What?¡±
¡°I¡¯m pregnant.¡±
His face drained of color.
91%
(28)
ossible,¡± he snapped. ¡°You had your period five days before I left. I know enough about biology to know you n be far enough along to know that yet.¡±
I haven¡¯t been with anyone else. Only you.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t lie to me.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not lying! The doctor said¡ª¡±
¡°The doctor said what? That you sleep around?¡± His voice rose. ¡°Jesus, Audrey. Just stop. Stop with the lies. You fucking bitch. Who was he?¡±
¡°There was no one else,¡± she said, her voice cracking. ¡°I don¡¯t want to trap you.¡±
¡°You can¡¯t mean what you¡¯re saying.¡±
¡°I mean every fucking word. That thing in your belly proves we were never supposed to be together. You¡¯re just like the rest -a slut. You can lie all you want, but that baby isn¡¯t mine.¡±
He stormed out, mming the door behind him.
Audrey sat frozen in the silence, staring at the empty space where he¡¯d been. Her stomach twisted. Her hand trembled as she pressed it to her belly.
He thought she¡¯d lied. Thought she¡¯d cheated.
He was going to marry someone else. He was already engaged.
She had hoped¨Cstupidly, blindly¨Cthat maybe one day they¡¯d have a future. That he might see her as more than just a body in his bed.
But clearly, he never had.
And now¡ she was carrying his child.
Alone.
16:23 Wed, 18
No¨Cshe wasn¡¯t alone.
She had her sisters.
ir and Keira.
Room Mate 94
Chapter 94
She waited a week
Seven days of silence.
She hadn¡¯t nned to wait that long. She¡¯d told herself she¡¯d give him two days. Three, tops. Enough time to cool down, breathe, process what she¡¯d told him. That¡¯s what people did when they were scared. They pulled away. They panicked. But then they came back.
Luca would realize that she had never cheated on him ande to his senses.
She told herself that every morning. Whispered it like a prayer while she stared at her phone, thumb hovering over his contact. Every time it buzzed, her stomach flipped. Every time it didn¡¯t, something inside her cracked.
She left messages. One voicemail.
¡°Please call me.¡±
He never did. He ignored her calls and voicemail.
By day five, her hope had started rotting. It didn¡¯t crumble¨Cit curdled. Turned bitter. Sour. Something she didn¡¯t recognize. She told herself she wouldn¡¯t call again. That if he wanted to talk, he¡¯d talk. That she had dignity. That she wasn¡¯t going to beg. She couldn¡¯t do that to herself after everything. The names he had called her.
But on day six, at 2:03 a.m., she called anyway.
He still didn¡¯t answer.
The next morning was when the nail went in the coffin for her hope. Not from him. Not from a phone call or an apology or any ounce of human decency.
No.
She found out in a headline.
¡°Heir to the De Santis Empire Set to Marry Italian Royalty.¡±
The photo was sharp. Luxurious. Carefully staged. Luca was in a dark suit, hand resting lightly on the waist of a girl who looked like she belonged in a school uniform, not an engagement announcement. The caption said she was the daughter of some old¨Cmoney family from Rome. Eighteen years old. Barely legal.
A baby.
Sutton stared at the screen like it had punched her.
She read it again.
Then again.
Her stomach didn¡¯t drop so much as it hollowed. Like someone had scooped out her insides with a spoon and left the shell of her behind to figure it out. She felt raw.
Eighteen.
He was marrying someone who probably still lived with her parents. Someone who hadn¡¯t even been alive the year he graduated from college. Someone soft. Moldable. Obedient. The perfect little Italian virgin wife for a man with a legacy to protect.
The image was absurd. And it was real.
1/3
She didn¡¯t know how long she sat there, staring at the screen, but her hand eventually moved on its own¨Cclosed the browser, locked the down gently like it might explode.
Then she stood, walked across the apartment, and threw the phone against the wall with everything she had.
it hit hard. Cracked. The screen shattered.
She sat on the edge of the bed and stared at it like it was bleeding.
Her eyes were dry. She didn¡¯t have time for tears¨Conly action.
She had begged him to listen to her. Only told him the truth. And he¡¯d disappeared. Reced her with a teenager.
A baby.
She needed to leave. And she needed to do it now.
The call to her agent happened hourster.
Her voice didn¡¯t even shake. ¡°I¡¯m done,¡± was all she said.
¡°What?¡±
¡°I¡¯m canceling the contract,¡± Sutton said, more firmly this time.
There was a beat of silence, then the woman exploded. Screaming into the phone so loud Sutton had to put away from her ear.
¡°Are you out of your goddamn mind? Do you know how many campaigns you¡¯re walking away from? We just signed Mn. You¡¯re throwing away your
career!¡±
¡°I don¡¯t care.¡±
¡°You don¡¯t care? Are you drunk? Is this about a man? Jesus, Audrey-¡±
¡°I don¡¯t want to model anymore,¡± she said, voice t. ¡°I¡¯m going home.¡±
Another pause. Then the venom.
¡°If you walk now, you¡¯ll never work in this industry again. You hear me? I will cklist you.¡±
¡°Good. Because Audrey is about to die.¡± Sutton didn¡¯t expand on what she meant.
She hung up before she could be talked out of it. Before the begging started. Before the insults got personal.
She didn¡¯t tell her agent she was pregnant. Didn¡¯t say a word about Luca or the baby or how her entire life had just caved in. No one needed to know. No one deserved to. Audrey would just stop existing.
By midnight, her suitcase was half¨Cpacked.
She moved around the apartment like a ghost, tossing clothes into bags, pulling artwork off walls¨Cbut leaving them. She would only be taking what fit into suitcases. The vanity drawer stuck. She yanked it open and stared down at the test.
Two pink lines. Still clear. Still there.
She picked it up.
Held it.
Then dropped it into her purse. She was going to post it to Luca before she got on her flight home.
Chapter 9.
The next morning, she booked a one¨Cway flight.
No return
No forwarding address.
She left a note for the cleaning service with the keys and paid thest month¡¯s rent in advance. The woman at the front desk tried to chat with her on the way out. Asked if she was okay. Said she looked pale.
¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Sutton lied. ¡°Just tired.¡±
The cab ride to the airport was quiet. She got the cab to stop at a post office on the way and posted the test to Luca¡¯s office.
She didn¡¯t cry.
Not until the ne took off.Not until the ground shrank beneath her.
He never knew her real name.
All this time, she¡¯d been Audrey.Just Audrey.
Now she was going home.
Back to the ce where she had grown up. The name she¡¯d erased. The sisters who didn¡¯t know what the hell she¡¯d been through this week.
She was going home. Tears slid down her face.
Back to the version of herself she thought she¡¯d left behind for a while longer. The only job she¡¯d get back home was a programming job. No modeling. That part of her life was over.
She didn¡¯t know what would happen next.
But she knew this: she wasn¡¯t waiting anymore.
Not for Luca.
So Audrey boarded the ne home.
But she became Sutton Warner the minute her nended. Untraceable. It was herst fuck you to Luca. Not like she believed he would try and find her. He had made his choice. But in her mind that wasn¡¯t the point.
Room Mate 95
Chapter 95
The pregnancy test on Luca¡¯s desk with a soft thud, the small padded envelope looking innocuous enough.
Until he opened it. Normally his secretary would have opened all his mail before he got it, but this package had been marked personal and confidencat Or Sally would hadn¡¯t opened it just leaving it on his desk. He wished she hadn¡¯t.
Two bold pink lines stared back at him, mocking him with their undeniable truth, making his blood run cold.
¡°Fucking bitch,¡± he muttered, tossing the test in the bin like it was contaminated. She¡¯d lied. yed him for a fool. Tried to trap him with some other
Á¦
guy¡¯s kid. She¡¯d probably been screwing this asshole behind his back the whole time. It exined why she¡¯d never left her modeling career. Nevere away with him when he had asked. Now he understood her tears.
Some women were nothing but maniptive whores. He tossed the padded envelope in the bin with the test for good measure. Audrey was clearly another one of them.
He turned back to his work, trying to bury the anger. The hurt. The betrayal. He scrubbed a hand down his face, trying to wipe away the image of her shock. Her fake tears. Because now he understood them perfectly¨Cnot tears of sadness, but of calction. She¡¯d wanted to palm some dickhead¡¯s baby off as his. Was he the richer catch? Was that her game?
It didn¡¯t matter how she had yed it, all innocent and seductive. He¡¯d thought she at least respected him more than to pull that type of crap. But now his world seemed¡ wrong somehow. The trust that had been so easily given to her¨Cnow broken. It would be a very long time before he ever trusted a woman again.
The thing he didn¡¯t get was why she had sent the test to him in the first ce. It didn¡¯t make sense. He had caught her out¨Cso why send him physical proof of her lies? She had to know he wouldn¡¯t be happy for her. Not if the baby wasn¡¯t even his. If anything, it made him sick with the thoughts of her with another man¡ or men. How the hell would he know if this was the first bastard she¡¯d been with?
He hadn¡¯t given her much time to defend herself. He had just needed to get out of the apartment. Get away from her.
He looked at his bin. His gut twisted.
What if¡ what if it actually was his?
But no. That wasn¡¯t right. Because she¡¯d had her period a few days before he¡¯d flown out of the country.
Hadn¡¯t she?
No fucking way. It wasn¡¯t his.
He stared at the door. His gut felt heavy now. That sick, gnawing pressure of needing to be sure. He couldn¡¯t shake the nagging twist in his brain.
The thought of her carrying another man¡¯s child¨Cit was more than his ego could take. It was enough to make his blood boil all over again.
Which was stupid. He had been at her apartment to end things with her.
He retrieved the test from the bin.
What if¡
He grabbed for his phone. He needed an expert.
¡°Hey, Alessandro,¡± he said the moment his cousin picked up. ¡°It¡¯s Luca.¡±
¡°Luca,¡± his cousin, a gynecologist, replied. ¡°What¡¯s up? Is everything okay?¡±
¡°Yeah, fine. I just¡ I have a question. About biology.¡±
Alessandro chuckled. ¡°You calling me to ank about the birds and the bees?
**UNo, asshole, Thin is serious. Can a woman still bleed¡ like, have a period, and he pregnant?¡±
The line went quiet.
¡°Luca,¡± Alessandro said finally, ¡°who is this about?¡±
Just answer the question.¡±
¡°Yes. It¡¯s notmon, but it happens.¡±
Luca swore so violently Alessandro flinched on the other end of the line.
¡°How far along would she be before she¡¯d realize?¡± Luca asked quietly, dreading the answer.
¡°Two, maybe three months¨Csometimester. Luca, is this something I should know?¡±
Luca¡¯s hand tightened around the pregnancy test. ¡°Fuck. Thanks. I need to go.¡± He hung up before Alessandro could ask any more questions.
He stared at the test again. The two pink lines were still very visible.
He had to be sure. One hundred percent bloody sure.
Luca dialed Audrey¡¯s number, heart thudding against his ribs.
It barely rang.
¡°The number you have dialed is no longer in service¡¡±
His stomach dropped.
Why had she done that? She had only called him yesterday on this number. Calls and voicemails he had ignored¨Cnot sure what he would say to her.
But now¡ Luca¡¯s blood turned to ice.
She¡¯d been telling the truth. That he was sure of.
And he¡¯d¡ he¡¯d used her of lying. Of cheating. He¡¯d called her names he couldn¡¯t take back.
She hadn¡¯t been sleeping around on him.
Theirst words to each other kept ying over in his head.
Nicole leaned against the doorframe of Luca¡¯s office, watching him pace back and forth across the carpet. She¡¯d left the door slightly ajar, just enough to hear his phone call without being obvious.
She wasn¡¯t proud of eavesdropping¨Cbut it was part of how she survived at De Santis Enterprises.
She liked to know what was going on. Including what slut he was sleeping with.
Knowledge was power, and she knew exactly how to acquire it. And how to use it.
Luca had been acting strangely since his return from Italy¨Cdistant, agitated, quieter than she had ever seen him. Nicole wasn¡¯t sure if it was the engagement. It shouldn¡¯t have been. That arrangement was about family legacy, not feelings. Not love.
But now?
Now it made sense.
12.24 Sat, 21 Jun G G
So Luca had gotten some little slut pregnant.
That was a problem.
Then when he discarded the test, she thought everything was going to be ok¡ until she saw Luca retrieve the discarded pregnancy test.
Then the phone call. To his doctor cousin.
Biology, he¡¯d said.
Yeah, right.
It was about her. This mystery woman.
That little slut¨CNicole didn¡¯t know her name, and it
matter¨Cwas a problem. A big one.
Nicole had been fine with the engagement. She understood the deal with Be. It was just business. Not like she was jealous. She was good at business. It made sense.
But this woman¨Cthis nobody¨Cthis slut with a baby?
That was something else.
Luca was hers. Always had been. He just didn¡¯t know it yet.
Nicole hadn¡¯t wanted to be the one to get in the way of his business marriage. Luca would never love his child bride.
But a baby? From someone else?
That was a threat.
And if that baby was his¡ well, it was just another little problem she¡¯d have to deal with.
She pressed her lips together.
Hard.
Nicole straightened her skirt, grabbed a stack of files, and walked into his office, all smiles and fake sweetness.
¡°Nicole, I¡¯m leaving. I¡¯ll be back in the morning.¡± His voice was clipped. Angry.
¡°But I have your calendar full for the afternoon. There are also the reports due to be signed at-¡±
¡°I don¡¯t care. Deal with it.¡±
¡°But Lu?a-¡±
¡°You are my second in charge, Nicole. Fucking deal with it,¡± he snapped, before storming past her and out the door.
She didn¡¯t flinch.
She just watched him go.
Room Mate 96
Chapter 96
Chapter 96
Luca jumped out of the car before Edward had even brought it to aplete stop.
He didn¡¯t wait for Edward to get out and open his door. Just moved. Fast. The doorman barely got a word out before Luca stormed past him,ce light
¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he snapped, not stopping.
The elevator couldn¡¯te fast enough. He hit the call button four times before it lit up. Inside, he jabbed the number eight like force could make the lift rise faster. He held his breath. He knew he had a lot to make up for. Just stared at the numbers as they climbed.
The doors finally opened on her floor.
He stepped out, crossed the hall, and started pounding on the door.
¡°Audrey!¡± he called. ¡°It¡¯s Luca. Open the door. We need to talk.¡±
Nothing.
He knocked harder. ¡°Sweetheart. Let me in. I have some news.¡±
He waited. Silence. His chest felt tight. She had called him yesterday. She had left voicemails. She was just angry. Just punishing him. She hadn¡¯t really
left-
¡°Hey!¡± a voice snapped behind him.
Luca turned as a short, stocky man came toward him. Probably building management.
¡°What the hell do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± the man barked.
Luca did his best to reel himself in. ¡°I¡¯m here to see Audrey.¡±
The man crossed his arms. ¡°Sir, you¡¯re disturbing my other tenants-¡±
¡°She¡¯s my girlfriend,¡± Luca said, breath catching. ¡°We had a fight. I¡¯m just trying to fix things.¡±
The man eyed him, unconvinced. ¡°It must¡¯ve been some fight. She packed up and left yesterday.¡±
That hit harder than he was prepared for.
¡°Packed up?¡± Luca echoed. ¡°Where¡¯d she go? Did she leave a forwarding address?¡±
The man shook his head. ¡°Nope. Paid the rent for a month, told me she was going home. That she was tired. That there was nothing left holding her here anymore.¡±
Luca stood there, nk. A cold numbness started to tighten in his chest. Like everything inside him just¡ stopped.
She was gone.
She¡¯d really fucking left. He couldn¡¯t quite believe it.
He muttered something, turned away without saying anymore, and walked out of the building in a daze.
¡°Take me home,¡± he told Edward quietly.
The car pulled away from the curb. Luca didn¡¯t speak again for the entire drive.
He just sat there, staring out the window, watching the city blur. He was numb.
Chapter 96
That night¨Cthe night at her apartment he¡¯d gone to end things¡ªhe¡¯d walked in nning to tell her about the engagement. nning to make it clean Get it over with. Do what was expected of him.
Instead, he¡¯d tom her apart.
He¡¯d called her a liar. A slut. used her of cheating. He hadn¡¯t even let her speak.
And she was pregnant.
With his child.
Fuck.
His jaw clenched so hard it hurt. He wanted to hit something. Wanted to go back in time and rip the words out of his own mouth. Stop himself from saying them. From looking at her like she was nothing.
She¡¯d begged him to listen. And he¡¯d mmed the door in her face.
He scrubbed a hand down his face, leaning forward in his chair like the weight of what he¡¯d done was pressing down on him from the inside out.
He hadn¡¯t even asked where she was from. Never once. All he knew was she was American. But what city? What state? What the hell did he actually know about her beyond the way she looked at him in the dark and the sound of her voice when she came?
Nothing.
He knew nothing.
How the fuck had he let that happen?
But he would find her.
L
Even if it was thest thing he did.
By noon, he was on the phone with her agent. Or ex¨Cagent, as it turned out.
¡°You¡¯re looking for Audrey?¡± the woman practically hissed down the line. ¡°She¡¯s done. Walked away. Told me she was finished with modeling. Threw away the best campaigns of her life. Mn, Paris¨Cgone. And for what? I don¡¯t know. She said she was going home. That was it.¡±
¡°Do you know where home is?¡± he asked.
¡°I don¡¯t even know what caused this, Mr. De Santis,¡± the agent snapped. ¡°She ghosted everyone, even some of her model friends. Said she didn¡¯t need the work anymore. Told me Audrey was dead. Then hung up.¡±
Luca ran a hand through his hair.
¡°Audrey was dead¡°? What the fuck was that supposed to mean?
He ended the call without another word.
Then just sat there.
Still. Jaw tight. Mind racing.
Because she was gone. And it was his fault. Because he hadn¡¯t believed her. Hadn¡¯t trusted her. Hadn¡¯t even known her.
He pulled out his phone again, this time dialing his head of security.
Davies answered on the first ring.
Chapter 96
¡°Sir.¡±
¡°I need you to find someone,¡± Luca said. His voice was steady now. Cold. Lethal. Dangerous.
He told Davies everything he knew about Audrey, which wasn¡¯t nearly enough.
¡°I¡¯m pretty sure she¡¯s American. Her apartment¡¯s been cleared Quietly. As fast as possible.¡±
out. Her number¡¯s disconnected. But she¡¯s pregnant¨Cwith my child. And I need to find her.
¡°Yes, sir,¡± Davies replied immediately. ¡°We¡¯ll start with modeling agency records, immigration history, travel bookings. Airports. CCTV at the if needed. Anything we can pull.¡±
¡°How fast will you know anything?¡±
¡°I¡¯ll report back in twenty¨Cfour hours.¡±
¡°Good.¡± Luca paused. ¡°One more thing¨Cwhen you find her, I don¡¯t want her harassed. No contact. Just let me know where she is.¡±
¡°Yes, sir.¡±
Luca hung up.
He stood in the middle of his home office, staring at the city skyline like it might offer him answers. It didn¡¯t. It never did. It just reflected back a man who¡¯d burned down something good, but he hadn¡¯t known until she was gone. Too scared. Too goddamn stupid to see what was real when it was right in front of him. It was his god damn fault. He was a bastard.
She was carrying his child.
And she was out there somewhere.
Alone.
Because of him.
He had one more call to make.
He sat down slowly, pulled up his father¡¯s number, and hit dial.
The line rang four times.
¡°Luca,¡± his father answered, sharp and clipped, like always. ¡°What is it?¡±
Luca didn¡¯t hesitate.
¡°We need to talk.¡±
Room Mate 97
Chapter 97
The taxi ride from the airport Sutton didn¡¯t remember. It wasn¡¯t jetg, but it hadn¡¯t helped.
The only thing that stuck in her mind was the rain as it hit the windows of the taxi, and she watched the fat raindrops slide down the outside of the ss. Typical. New York had always had a sick sense of timing.
The driver didn¡¯t speak much and thank God for that. Sutton didn¡¯t have it in her to make conversation. She barely had it in her to breathe.
Her head throbbed. Her back ached. Her stomach turned with every bump in the road. Not morning sickness¨Cjust everything sickness. Life sickness. If anything, him speaking to her would¡¯ve only made her cry again.
When the car pulled up in front of ir, Dan, and Laura¡¯s building, Sutton didn¡¯t move for a second. She just stared at the ce. She hadn¡¯t been here before but had the address in her phone.
This ce¡ New York¨Cnot ir¡¯s ce¨Cwas like a different lifetime ago. One where she wasn¡¯t pregnant. One where Luca hadn¡¯t looked her in the eye and called her a slut.
She was hurt more than anything that he had believed she would sleep around on him. He was the one who had been nning to get engaged to this young girl while he had been seeing her. Had he always been engaged to his little wife? Having a woman on the side until his bride came of age?
Who truly was the slut here if that was the case?
She paid the driver, dragging her suitcases up the stairs one at a time, and rang the buzzer.
Keira answered the door.
¡°Holy shit,¡± she breathed, pulling it wide open. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell us you wereing. I was just visiting with ir. Dan¡¯s away for some sales meeting, and Laura had some modeling gig for a few days.¡±
Sutton shrugged, voice dry. ¡°Didn¡¯t know I was until thest minute. I didn¡¯t know I wasing here until I got in the taxi.¡±
Keira stepped aside, letting her in. ¡°You look like hell.¡±
¡°Thanks,¡± Sutton said, pulling her two suitcases through the door.
ir was alreadying down the hallway barefoot, hair up in a messy twist, wearing leggings and an old Columbia sweatshirt. Her eyes widened when she saw her.
¡°Sutton?¡±
¡°Yeah,¡± Sutton said, throat scratchy. ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± Her throat tightened.
ir didn¡¯t hesitate. Just crossed the space and wrapped her arms around her.
And for a second, Sutton let herself sink into it. She may be the older sister and normally the strong one, but right now, she wasn¡¯t feeling it. She felt set
adrift. Afloat from reality.
¡°You okay?¡± ir asked, too quietly.
Sutton pulled away before she could fall apart. ¡°I¡¯m tired.¡±
¡°You want food? Shower? Couch?¡±
¡°Couch,¡± she said. ¡°First¡ I do need a shower, but I don¡¯t think I have the energy to stand upright now, let alone strip.¡±
Keira had already disappeared into the linen closet. ir guided her to the couch, where she copsed like her bones were done trying to hold her up.
1/4
She didn¡¯t cry. Not yet. Honestly, right now, she didn¡¯t believe she could tell her sisters what had happened and cry at the same time. Her brain wasn¡® functioning enough to multitask.
Sutton was d her sisters didn¡¯t jump on her to ask questions. They gave her time, and she was grateful. It surprised her with Keira her younger sister not exactly known for being subtle.
ir handed her tea a few momentster, Sutton hadn¡¯t even noticed her leave the room.
Keira pulled her boots off like she was seven years old or something. cing a light nket over her. Sutton let it happen. She curled up, took small sips, and tried not to throw up. Her stomach was too tight. Everything was too tight.
After a while, Keira sat on the armrest beside her and nudged her shoulder.
¡°Well?¡± was Keira¡¯s one¨Cword question.
Sutton stared at the steam rising from her mug. ¡°I was in a rtionship, as you know.¡± She had told them she was seeing someone, but not all the details -because she hadn¡¯t been sure if he was serious.
Hah. What a joke.
He hadn¡¯t been. No. He had his child bride.
ir sat across from her. ¡°We know.¡±
Her sisters said nothing, waiting for Sutton to fill in the nks.
After a moment, Keira nudged her shoulder again.
¡°So, uh. Are you gonna tell us what happened? Or are we just gonna vibe in awkward silence until one of us snaps and fake cries for attention?¡±
¡°It¡¯s over.¡±
¡°With Luca?¡± ir asked immediately.
Sutton nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡±
¡°What did he do?¡± Keira asked. ¡°Because if this is something forgivable, like bad socks or a questionable haircut, I¡¯m still shing his tires out of
principle.¡±
Sutton swallowed. ¡°He¡¯s getting married.¡±
ir blinked. ¡°To who?¡±
¡°Some eighteen¨Cyear¨Cold Italian heiress.¡±
Keira made a strangled sound. ¡°Wait, wait, wait. Eighteen? Like¡ legal in Italy but barely not doing homework?¡±
¡°Yeah.¡±
ir¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°And he didn¡¯t tell you?¡±
¡°He came over to end things,¡± Sutton said. ¡°Then told him I was pregnant. But he still left.¡±
Thatnded hard.
Dead silence.
ir sat back. ¡°You¡¯re what?¡±
2/4
¡°Pregnant.¡±
Keira blinked. ¡°With his baby?¡±
¡°No, Keira. With a stranger¡¯s. Obviously.¡±
Keira grinned. ¡°Just checking. You¡¯ve always had that mysterious glow about you. Could¡¯ve been immacte conception.¡±
Suttonughed. Just once. It sounded broken. But it was Keira, and that counted for something.
¡°I told him. He didn¡¯t believe me. Said I was lying. Trying to trap him. Called me a slut¡ he said some hurtful things. Doesn¡¯t believe the baby¡¯s his
Keira¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°Oh hell no. No. No no no. Give me his address. I¡¯m serious. I can be on his doorstep by Friday and in jail by Saturday. Vil bring my own shovel.¡±
¡°I mailed him the test,¡± Sutton added, not responding to Keira¡¯sment. ¡°He probably burned it.¡±
ir leaned forward, elbows on her knees. ¡°You came home because of that? I¡¯m d you did, hon.¡±
¡°I came home because I couldn¡¯t stay,¡± Sutton said. ¡°I canceled my contracts. Walked away from the agency. I¡¯m done. I just¡ I can¡¯t live that life right now. I¡¯m pregnant, alone.¡±
ir nodded once, slow. ¡°You¡¯re not alone.¡±
¡°I know, I know. I meant-¡±
ir cut her off. ¡°You said alone. I¡¯m correcting you. Not alone. Not anymore. You have us.¡±
Keira snapped her fingers. ¡°Exactly. And I just signed a lease on a two¨Cbedroom with a study. Was looking for a roommate, but clearly the universe had other ns. You and that nugget in your uterus can move in. Study¡¯s got great light. We¡¯ll make it a nursery.¡±
Sutton blinked. ¡°Keira, you don¡¯t have to-¡±
¡°I know I don¡¯t. But it¡¯s either that or I keep living by myself and start talking to my nts like they¡¯re people. It¡¯s you or the ficus, and honestly, he¡¯s been a judgmental little shittely.¡±
Sutton just stared at her.
ir smirked. ¡°She¡¯s serious.¡±
¡°I am,¡± Keira said. ¡°Rent¡¯s not bad. I¡¯m not messy. And I don¡¯t care if the baby screams all night because I once lived under a guy who yed the drums at 3 a.m. every Tuesday. I¡¯m basically trauma¨Ctrained.¡±
Sutton¡¯s throat tightened. ¡°You guys¡¡±
¡°We¡¯re not going anywhere,¡± ir said simply. ¡°So stop acting like this is some big tragedy where you¡¯re the lone survivor. You made it out. You left. That¡¯s strength, not shame.¡±
¡°I feel like a fucking idiot.¡±
Keira shrugged. ¡°No. He is the idiot.¡±
Sutton smiled through the sting behind her eyes.
¡°I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m doing,¡± she admitted.
ir stood and walked over, resting a hand on her shoulder. ¡°But we¡¯ll figure it out. Together.¡±
Sutton finally let herself exhale.
She had
the best sisters.
Room Mate 98
Chapter 98
Luca already hated himself before he stepped into the room.
The weight in his chest had nothing to do with having to face his father and more to do with not being able to find Audrey.
Nick De Santis was seated behind the desk, a ss of something dark in his hand. Of course. Antonio, his younger brother by eight years, stood off to the side, leaned casually against the wall like he wasn¡¯t waiting for the floor to crack open.
Luca didn¡¯t sit.
¡°You wanted to speak,¡± Nick said, not looking at him.
Not a question. A statement.
¡°Yeah,¡± Luca said, eyeing the whiskey. ¡°Should you be drinking that after heart surgery?¡±
¡°I only have one life, Luca, and I will live it to the fullest. If that means I will join your mamma in heaven a little sooner, then so be it.¡±
Luca let that settle for a moment before saying what needed saying. Before he was done, Luca was sure his father would need that drink.
¡°I¡¯m not marrying her.¡±
There. Said it.
His father blinked slowly, like the words hadn¡¯tnded yet. Then, very deliberately, he set the ss down.
Nick didn¡¯t yell. Didn¡¯t stand. Didn¡¯t do much of anything.
Just said: ¡°You told me you would.¡±
¡°I changed my mind.¡±
¡°No,¡± Nick said. ¡°You don¡¯t get to change your mind. That¡¯s not how this works. You¡¯re not some teenager throwing tantrums. You made amitment. Marco Rossi is expecting our families to merge.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t give a damn what Marco Rossi expects.¡±
That got a twitch in his father¡¯s jaw. ¡°Careful.¡±
¡°I won¡¯t marry someone I don¡¯t want to marry.¡±
¡°For Christ¡¯s sake, since when has want had anything to do with this family? I never loved your mamma when I married her, but she became my world. -The same will happen for you if you give Be a chance.¡±
Luca exhaled hard, like maybe it¡¯d blow the whole house down if he pushed hard enough. ¡°There¡¯s more to it. I just can¡¯t do it, Dad. I won¡¯t.¡±
¡°You won¡¯t,¡± Nick echoed coldly. ¡°After everything I¡¯ve done for you. After all the sacrifices. After building this empire¨Cgiving you every goddamn opportunity¡ªyou repay me by blowing up the only alliance that actually matters?¡±
¡°It matters more to you than it ever did to me. I have my own interests and my ownpanies. That I built on my own.¡±
Nick stood now, slow, deliberate. ¡°Do not make this about your feelings, Luca. This is about family. Have you fallen in love again with some unsuitable girl?¡±
¡°No one said anything about love,¡± Luca muttered.
Nick stared at him. ¡°Then what? Just fuck her and leave? Or have her on the side? You can¡¯t burn it all down for a piece of ass?¡±
Luca shook his head at his father. ¡°Mamma would have roasted your balls for saying something like that.¡±
Their father would not have dared cheat on their mother.
Across the room, Antonio shifted like he couldn¡¯t stay quiet anymore.
¡°If this is really happening,¡± Antonio said, ¡°if you¡¯re actually walking away from this-¡±
¡°I am,¡± Luca said without hesitation. ¡°I¡¯m out.¡±
Antonio nced at Nick. ¡°Then maybe¡ I could step in.¡±
Both men looked at him now.
Nick folded his arms. ¡°You¡¯d marry Be?¡±
Antonio shrugged, but it was too measured. ¡°I¡¯ve known her a long time. I respect her. And I know how much this means to the family. I¡¯m closer to her age.¡±
Luca held back the bitterugh threatening to rise. Of course. Of fucking course. Antonio had always eyed her like she was something delicate he wasn¡¯t supposed to touch. Had his little brother been in love with Be? Why hadn¡¯t he said something? Luca would have stepped aside. Hell, he hadn¡¯t fucking wanted to marry her to start with.
Nick tapped a knuckle on the desk. ¡°It would keep things from going south with Marco.¡±
Luca¡¯s voice dropped an octave. ¡°You¡¯re not even going to ask why I¡¯m saying no.¡±
¡°Because I know,¡± Nick snapped. ¡°It¡¯s about that model. Audrey, or whatever she called herself.¡±
Luca¡¯s body stiffened.
M
His father half¨Csneered. ¡°You think I didn¡¯t keep tabs on you, Luca? You wouldn¡¯t be this spun out if she didn¡¯t mean something. So let¡¯s say she¡¯s more than a fling¨Cmaybe you even convinced yourself it was real. But it wasn¡¯t. If she mattered, you wouldn¡¯t have said yes to the wedding to start with.¡±
Luca looked away, jaw clenched so tight it could¡¯ve shattered. His father had twisted his arm before surgery¨Cwhat was he to do?
Nick shook his head like they were both exhausting him. ¡°You¡¯re not serious about her. You just feel guilty.¡±
And that was the final blow.
Luca¡¯s voice cracked¨Cquiet, but sharp¨Cedged. ¡°She¡¯s pregnant. He hadn¡¯t meant to tell them. He wanted to find her first.
But at his words, everything stopped.
Nick froze mid¨Cmotion.
Antonio stilled, like he hadn¡¯t heard right.
Luca dragged in a breath. ¡°She¡¯s having my child.¡±
Silence.
¤µ
Then Nick rounded the desk slowly. Walked up close. Too close.
¡°What did you say?¡±
¡°I said she¡¯s pregnant
Nick¡¯s mouth opened, then shut it again before asking the question Luca knew was . ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s yours?¡±
Luca didn¡¯t stop.
¡°I didn¡¯t believe her,¡± he said roughly. ¡°Didn¡¯t even hear her out. That night I told her we were done¡ that I was marrying Be¡ I ripped into her. Called her a liar. A whore. I didn¡¯t listen. And she walked.¡±
Nick¡¯s voice was low. ¡°Where is she?¡±
¡°No idea. She left. Cleared out her apartment. Canceled her modeling contract. Disconnected her phone. I have people looking into it.¡±
¡°So you didn¡¯t just let go of the girl, you let go of your own child?¡± Nick roared.
¡°I didn¡¯t fucking mean to!¡±
¡°Jesus Christ, Luca.¡± His father¡¯s voice was shaking now. ¡°You need to fix this, Luca. That is my grandchild.¡±
¡°I¡¯m trying to fix it now,¡± Luca said, voice hard. ¡°You think I¡¯m proud of what I did? That I sleep easy at night? I see her face every time I close my damn eyes. I hear the way her voice cracked when I didn¡¯t believe her.¡±
Nick ran both hands down his face. Then cursed. Loudly. ¡°Goddamn it!¡±
Nick turned away, rubbing the back of his neck.
Antonio nced between them,pletely silent now.
¡°I don¡¯t care about the merger anymore,¡± Luca said. ¡°I don¡¯t care about Be. Or your promises. Or anyone¡¯s expectations. The only thing that matters now is finding her and finding my child.¡±
¡°And when you do?¡±
Luca¡¯s voice went quiet. ¡°I beg for forgiveness. Then I¡¯ll marry her if it¡¯s thest thing I do.¡±
Nick stared at his son for a long moment¨Clike he didn¡¯t recognize him. Or like maybe this was the first time he actually did. ¡°Antonio will stand in your ce for Be.¡±
Luca saw how happy this made his younger brother.
Without another word, Luca turned and left the study.
That done¡ He needed to find Audrey and his child. He hoped he would have answers soon.
Room Mate 99
Chapter 99
Luca was halfway down the steps when he heard the door behind him open.
¡°Luca, wait.¡±
Antonio.
Luca paused but didn¡¯t turn. He wasn¡¯t in the mood for dys. His mind was on finding Sutton.
Antonio caught up, stopping beside him in the drive.
¡°You should¡¯ve told me,¡± Luca said without looking at him.
¡°About Be?¡±
h
Luca turned his head slowly. ¡°Yeah. That you had feelings for her. That you¡¯ve been walking aroundtely like a wounded bear.¡±
Antonio didn¡¯t deny it. Just looked down at his shoes. ¡°It didn¡¯t seem like it mattered. Dad had made up his mind. You were always the one.¡±
¡°The one what?¡±
¡°The one who got everything. The business. The praise. The bride, sure¨Cbut the respect too. I didn¡¯t build a fortune like you, Luca. I didn¡¯t strike out and make my own name. I just followed the path Dadid out.¡±
Luca let out a shortugh, but there was no real humor in it. ¡°You work in the family business. That¡¯s not nothing. You¡¯ve kept it going. I only broke away because I hated shipping and exports. I still hate it.¡±
Antonio looked up. ¡°So you really think I should marry her?¡±
¡°If anyone¡¯s better suited to take over both businesses and keep this whole dynasty alive, it¡¯s you. Not me. I don¡¯t want it. I never did. I think in the long run both families will be happier with this arrangement. God, I think we both are.¡±
????
They stood in silence for a moment before Luca pped his brother on the shoulder. ¡°Just don¡¯t lie to yourself, okay? If you¡¯re gonna, do it¨Cmarry Be -do it because you want to. Not because you think you have to. But if the look on your face is anything to go by, I would say you are very happy.¡±
Antonio nodded. ¡°Good luck finding her.¡±
Luca got into his car, pulled the door closed, started the car, and just sat there for a second. He watched as his brother headed back inside.
His phone rang. He nced at the screen.
¡°Ri,¡± he said, answering.
His head of security didn¡¯t waste time. ¡°We¡¯ve tracked Audrey¡¯s movements.¡±
Luca straightened. ¡°And?¡±
¡°She vanished.¡±
¡°What the hell does that mean? How can she vanish?¡±
¡°It means she boarded a flight out of Mn two days ago. One¨Cway ticket. Destination¨CNew York.¡±
¡°So, she¡¯s in New York?¡± Surely, they can pick her up on the other side. People didn¡¯t just vanish. Not in the modern world.
A pause. ¡°That¡¯s the thing. No one by her name came through immigration at JFK or any of the other major airports. It¡¯s like she disappeared
1642 Wed 25 Jun
Chapter 99
Luca swore under his breath. ¡°How is that even possible?¡±
¡°We¡¯re checking that now. But wherever she is, she didn¡¯t want to be found.¡±
Luca closed his eyes. He had a baby out there¨Cand his woman. And no goddamn idea how to find them.
¡°Keep looking,¡± he said. ¡°Find her. I don¡¯t care what it takes. Just find her.¡±
He ended the call, frustration humming through his veins with if¨Conly¡¯s pounding through his brain. If only he had believed her, If only he didn¡¯t leave it
for over a week.
Audrey was gone. And he had no one to me but himself.
Luca¡¯s fingers drummed on the steering wheel as he stared at the windshield, barely seeing the driveway in front of him. The call with Ri had left him wired, restless, and pissed at the entire world¨Cincluding himself.
He yanked his phone back up and dialed Ri again.
The head of security picked up fast. ¡°Boss?¡±
¡°Hire private investigators,¡± Luca said, no hesitation. ¡°I want the best. Not good. Not decent. The best in the damn country.¡±
A pause. ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll get a shortlist together and vet them personally.¡±
¡°Do it fast. And Ri?¡±
¡°Yeah?¡±
¡°Discreet. I don¡¯t want this leaking. If a single word ends up in the press, you¡¯ll be the one cleaning it up.¡±
¡°You got it.¡±
Luca hung up and tossed the phone onto the passenger seat. His jaw clenched so tight his temples ached. The worst part wasn¡¯t that Audrey had disappeared¨Cit was that she didn¡¯t want to be found. She¡¯d erased herself. And that meant she wasn¡¯t just hiding.
He couldn¡¯t even say Audrey was running¨Cbecause he was the one who pushed her away.
This was all on him.
He swore, pped the steering wheel, then snatched the phone back up and dialed Nicole.
She picked up on the second ring, as always. ¡°Luca?¡±
He didn¡¯t say anything at first.
¡°Luca?¡± Nicole sounded surprised. ¡°Everything okay?¡±
¡°No,¡± he said tly. ¡°But that¡¯s not why I¡¯m calling. I¡¯ve changed my mind about Cyber10.¡±
There was a pause. ¡°You said it wasn¡¯t a priority. That it didn¡¯t interest you. Because the wholepany was awsuit waiting to happen.¡±
¡°Well, it does now. I want it. And I want it yesterday.¡±
¡°What changed?¡±
Luca didn¡¯t answer. Not directly.
¡°Set up a meeting with the owner. I want it on the books for this week. Fly them in or I¡¯ll fly out. I don¡¯t care. Just make it happen.¡±
16.42 Wed 25 Jun | TO
¡°You¡¯re serious?¡±
¡°I wouldn¡¯t be calling if I wasn¡¯t.¡±
Nicole cleared her throat, the sound of her keyboard already cking in the background. ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll get on it right away. Is there a reason for the sudden change in heart?¡±
Luca ended the call without answering and leaned back in his seat, finally putting the car in drive.
Cyber10 wasn¡¯t just a convenient acquisition. It was based in New York. Over the next few months, he was going to move his operations there.
If Audrey was anywhere in the States, then that¡¯s where he needed to be.
He had no proof she was there. She could have taken a flight onto somewhere else. But it was a ce to start.
Still¡ he trusted his gut.
And it told him she was in New York,
He and his team just needed to find her.
His little Audrey wasn¡¯t escaping him again.
Room Mate 100
Chapter 100
Sutton shifted ufortably in her chair, trying to find a position that didn¡¯t make her back ache. Over six months pregnant, and the reception desk at Cyber 10 had be her own personal torture chamber.
The hard chair. The hours of sitting. The condescending smiles from executives who didn¡¯t know she¡¯d been epted into MIT but had turned it down to support her younger sisters. Instead, she¡¯d gone into modeling¨Ca job she¡¯d hated with a fiery passion. But it had paid their tuition. Got them through university.
She still earned herputer science degree, even if she had to do it part time. And she could run circles around half thepany¡¯s coding team with
one hand tied behind her back.
She rubbed her lower back, wincing as the babynded a solid kick to her ribs. The doctor had warned her about desk jobs while pregnant, but warnings didn¡¯t pay rent or build a safety. She was doing this alone. Luca hadn¡¯t wanted her or the baby.
At least she had her sisters. Keira and ir had been there through everything.
It was ir she felt for right now. Yeah, Luca had married his baby bride, but Sutton hadn¡¯t walked in on him mid¨Cbetrayal like ir had¨Cwith their cousin Laura, no less. And to top it all off, Laura was pregnant, too. Like it had been going on for months.
This weekend, they had to attend the engagement party. Family unity and all that crap. What a load of bullshit. It was all about saving face. Sutton was ny¨Cnine percent sure no one would even mention the pregnancy. That wouldn¡¯t fly with Auntie Viv¡¯s pristine standards. It was bad enough Sutton hade home single and pregnant. Oh, the horror.
¡°Could you make copies of these for the morning meeting?¡±
Brad Morris, VP of operations and certified jackass, dropped a thick stack of papers on her desk without even making eye contact. His gaze hovered somewhere around her stomach, like pregnancy was contagious.
¡°Sure,¡± Sutton muttered, forcing a brittle smile.
Her third application for an internal transfer to the programming department had been rejected just yesterday. No exnation. Not that she needed one. No one wanted to invest in a pregnant employee who¡¯d be going on leave soon. And let¡¯s be real¨Cshe didn¡¯t have a penis. That was strike two. This ce was a boys¡® club in business casual. Women were for answering phones, pouring coffee, and smiling politely at people who treated them like furniture.
Sutton hauled herself up with effort, her bnce a daily challenge as her center of gravity shifted. She made her way to the copy room, where two third- floor developers were hunched by the machine.
¡°¡new ownership. Europeanpany. Heard they¡¯re ruthless with cuts,¡± one said under his breath.
¡°Great timing with that baby of yours, huh?¡± The other nced at her with a smirk as she entered. ¡°Better hope they don¡¯t decide new moms are dispensable.¡±
She ignored them. She¡¯d survived worse. Being knocked up and alone wasn¡¯t new territory¨Cit was just quieter. She hadn¡¯t even Googled Luca once. Cutting him outpletely was the only way forward. Sure, she¡¯d fantasized about hacking his ounts and donating every dor to women¡¯s shelters -but she¡¯d restrained herself. Barely.
Back at her desk, she opened her hidden code project. She¡¯d been working on it in the background for months¨Can Al¨Cdriven virus detection system that could track the dark web in real time and rewrite its own code to counter new threats as they developed. Being more proactive than reactive.
More useful than half the crap their actual dev team produced.
The elevator dinged. Sutton sat up straighter automatically.
A woman stepped out¨Ctall, sharp, and tailored within an inch of her life. Charcoal suit, high heels, hair yanked back in a knot so tight it might¡¯ve given her a facelift. Like the kind of woman Sutton had modeled next to and secretly loathed.
Her gaze swept the lobby andnded on Sutton¡¯s bump with obvious distaste.
¡°Nicole Bruno. I have an appointment with Greg Conner, your CEO.¡±
Sutton checked the calendar. ¡°I don¡¯t see you on his schedule, Ms. Bruno.¡± Conner was a glorified frat boy in a zer.
¡°Call him. He¡¯ll see me.¡±
The tone was pure power y. Sutton dialed his extension.
¡°Mr. Conner, there¡¯s a Nicole Bruno here to see you.¡± She paused. ¡°Yes, sir.¡±
She hung up. ¡°He¡¯s sending his assistant down to escort you up.¡±
Nicole¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°How long have you worked here?¡±
¡°A few months.¡±
¡°Really? They hired you pregnant?¡±
¡°My pregnancy doesn¡¯t affect my ability to answer phones,¡± Sutton replied, deadpan. ¡°It¡¯s not exactly rocket science.¡±
Nicole leaned in slightly. ¡°In my experience,panies don¡¯t need the burden of maternity leave and the unreliability of new mothers. I¡¯d be updating my r¨¦sum¨¦ if I were you.¡±
Sutton¡¯s blood ran cold. Before she could tell her to go screw herself with a stapler, the elevator pinged again and Conner¡¯s assistant rushed out.
¡°Ms. Bruno, pleasee with me. Mr. Conner is eager to meet with you.¡±
Nicole straightened, her mask of professionalism sliding back into ce. ¡°We¡¯ll continue this conversation another time.¡±
Sutton waited until the elevator doors closed, then grabbed her phone.
Sutton: Something weird happening at work. Tell you tonight.
She¡¯d felt the shift in thepany weeks ago. After a major coding failure let a vicious virus sneak into clients¡® systems. It had nearly tanked their biggest
contracts.
The rest of the morning crawled by. Sutton took calls, rerouted guests, tried to ignore the stabbing pain in her back. Executives zipped to the conference room one by one, faces tight. Something was definitely up.
Three hourster, the wholepany got the same email.
MANDATORY ALL¨CSTAFF MEETING ¨C CONFERENCE ROOM. IMMEDIATELY.
Sutton squeezed into the packed room, struggling to getfortable. People whispered all around her.
¡°Heard they¡¯re cutting half the staff,¡± someone muttered behind her.
¡°They could be brutal,¡± another voice chimed in. ¡°They¡¯ll gut us for patents and bounce.¡±
Sutton pressed a hand to her belly, willing the baby to calm down. She couldn¡¯t afford to lose this job. Not now. ir and Keira would help, and she had savings¨Cbut it wouldn¡¯tst long.
Greg Conner stepped in, nked by Nicole Bruno and two men in suits who looked like they ate small businesses for breakfast.
¡°Thank you all for has been acquired by another tech firm.¡±
The room exploded with murmurs.
He raised his hands. ¡°The new owner will be arriving next week to meet the team. In the meantime, Ms. Bruno and her team will be assessing aff departments.¡±
Nicole stepped forward, that same tight¨Clipped smile on her face. ¡°We¡¯ll be evaluating all operations. Some positions may be deemed¡ redundant.
Her gaze zeroed in on Sutton. Like aser.
Back at the front desk, Sutton couldn¡¯t sit still. Her heart was racing. Her job¨Ceverything felt like it was hanging by a thread.
Nicole appeared out of nowh¨¨re, lips painted in perfect disapproval.
¡°Let me make something clear,¡± she said, voice cool and sharp. ¡°The new owner has specific expectations for thispany¡¯s image. A visibly pregnant her eyes flicked to Sutton¡¯s bare ring finger, ¡°unmarried receptionist doesn¡¯t exactly fit that.¡±
¡°That¡¯s discrimination,¡± Sutton replied, pulse thudding in her ears. ¡°You can¡¯t¡ª¡±
¡°It¡¯s business. And in business, only the essential survive.¡±
She turned on her heel. ¡°Oh, and I¡¯ll need a list of all client appointments for the next two weeks. And coffee. ck.¡±
As she strutted away, Sutton clenched her fists. She was this close to throwing something at her Botoxed head.
¡°She said that to your face?¡± Keira bellowed, nearly spilling her tea as she mmed the mug on the kitchen counter. ¡°That¡¯s illegal. Illegal. Like, headline- worthy, cancel¨Cworthy illegal!¡±
Sutton sank into the couch with a groan, stretching her legs out and rubbing her swollen feet. ¡°With what money am I going to sue her? Whatwyer? I¡¯ve got savings, but that¡¯s for the baby. Form and diapers, not legal fees.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sure Roman knows people-¡±
¡°No.¡± Sutton cut her off sharply. ¡°I¡¯m not dragging him or anyone else into this.¡±
Keira raised a brow. ¡°Right. Because God forbid anyone tries to help the heavily pregnant woman being low¨Ckey fired for daring to exist.¡±
Sutton sighed. ¡°I just¡ I want to handle this myself.¡±
Keira plopped down beside her, kicking her feet up. ¡°Okay, fine. Handle it. But if that Ice Queenes near you again, I¡¯m showing up with a bloody megaphone and a methrower.¡±
Sutton snorted,ughing despite herself. ¡°You don¡¯t own a methrower.¡±
Keira shrugged. ¡°Give me ten minutes and inte ess.¡±
Room Mate 101
Chapter 101
Monday started with another rejection for a job she had applied for.
Sutton stared at the email on her screen¡ it was short. She wasn¡¯t suitable for the role. What a joke. She could
write code in her sleep. Just because she was a model didn¡¯t make her stupid.
She sat there for a second longer than she should¡¯ve, cursor hovering over the trash icon. Then she hit delete.
Because if she didn¡¯t, she might have replied to their email in a very unprofessional way. She was ready to scream
every version of frustration in her head before she even logged in.
Stacey, sitting beside her, heard her sigh. ¡°You okay?¡±
The younger girl worked on reception with her. Three days a week.
¡°Hmm¡¡± Sutton turned and looked at the woman.
¡°I asked if you were okay¡ You let out a huge sigh? Bad news?¡±
¡°No¡ No bloody news, more like it.¡±
¡°What?¡±
Sutton shook her head. ¡°Nothing. It¡¯s not important.¡± Well, it was, but she wasn¡¯t about to talk about it.
She shifted in her seat and winced. The baby had started pressing down harder. Her OB said it was normal, something about head engagement and pelvic pressure, but it felt like being punched from the inside out.
She rubbed at the ache under the desk and took a sip of lukewarm tea she¡¯d forgotten about. Ethan had brought it this morning, along with a note written on a napkin that just said: ¡°If today sucks, let me be your buffer. If today.
doesn¡¯t suck, it¡¯s a trap.¡±
Jake was one of the men that had arrived with Nicole. He was so different from that bitch. At first Sutton had
thought it was fake, but he was nice. And kind.
She didn¡¯t smile, but she kept the napkin.
The elevator dinged. Sutton didn¡¯t look up.
By the sound of the heels hitting the tiles she know who is was. Nicole.
Out of the corner of her eye Sutton saw her move straight to reception, hair pulled tight, mouth already smirking.
She didn¡¯t even bother pretending anymore.
¡°Morning,¡± she said, too bright.
Sutton braced, Waiting to see how the cow was going to take aim at her today.
1/4
¡°You¡¯ve got ten minutes to make my coffee and have it on my desk. Just remember tick¨Ctock. He¡¯ll be here by next week. I don¡¯t want the first thing he sees to be a human incubator with swollen ankles. Found a new job yet?¡±
Sutton didn¡¯t answer. She¡¯d learned not to give Nicole air.
Nicole tapped the desk. ¡°You should just quit.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not due yet,¡± Sutton said tly. She didn¡¯t know what Nicole¡¯s problem was. Surely she¡¯d worked with
pregnant women before. It just didn¡¯t make sense.
¡°But you are¡ distracting.¡±
She heard Stacey gasp beside her. Nicole didn¡¯t even spare her a nce.
Sutton stood up. ¡°Do you really want coffee, or are you just here for the performance?¡±
Nicole leaned in. Her voice dropped fake sugar. ¡°I¡¯ve already prepped the CEO. He knows who matters here. And
you?¡±
She didn¡¯t finish the sentence. Just turned and walked off, hips swinging like she¡¯d just closed a deal.
As soon as she was out of sight, Sutton headed to the coffee machine and made the wicked witch her poison.
Lunch was crackers and ginger ale. She was feeling a little sick.
She sat in the break room with Jake, both of them pretending they weren¡¯t watching Nicole hold court with two
department heads like she was the new CEO.
¡°She¡¯s treating you like a chess piece,¡± Jake muttered low. ¡°Like she¡¯s waiting for you to snap.¡±
Sutton didn¡¯t answer right away.
¡°She thinks if she makes it hell enough, I¡¯ll leave on my own.¡±
¡°Are you?¡±
Sutton looked down at her belly. ¡°I¡¯ve got two more interviews this week. I¡¯m not dumb, Jake. Cyber10 didn¡¯t hire. me because they liked me. I was a stopgap. A body in a chair. She¡¯s making sure I know it.¡±
He tore a piece of napkin, started folding it. ¡°I¡¯ve seen stopgaps. You¡¯re not one.¡±
¡°That¡¯s sweet,¡± she said, ¡°but it doesn¡¯t change anything.¡±
¡°No. But maybe you should finish your code for the software you¡¯re building and shove it in her face,¡± he said. ¡°Just
in case.¡±
She met his eyes. He was the only one here who knew she was still coding. Quietly. Something she did at her desk in five¨Cminute windows between answering calls and visitors.
She nodded once. ¡°I just hope your boss isn¡¯t like her, because I feel sorry for Cyber10 if he is. It was bad enough with thest management team.¡±
Jake shook his head. ¡°Trust me, he isn¡¯t. If he wasn¡¯t so straight, I¡¯d jump his bones. He¡¯s a nice guy- arrogant at
times, but he knows everyone¡¯s names and about their families.¡±
Jake looked back at Nicole. ¡°Nicole has two faces. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s ever seen the real her.¡±
Sutton raised an eyebrow at him, silently saying, I¡¯ll believe it when I see it. Because the way Nicole was going,
Sutton felt like it would be any day now before she was fired.
Later that afternoon, Nicole had started clearing rooms for ¡°executive use.¡± Some admin intern cried in the bathroom. And when Sutton returned from her ten¨Cminute walk break, the nt on her desk was gone.
No note.
Just¡ gone.
She stared at the empty space where it used to sit a cheap little fern she¡¯d bought with her own money.
Nicole passed behind her desk around 4:17 PM and said, ¡°I thought you¡¯d appreciate a more professional
workspace.¡±
That was it. No furtherment. No apology. God, the woman could suck all the good energy out of a room.
That night, she walked into the apartment she shared with Keira, dead on her feet.
Keira looked up from the couch, paused the show she wasn¡¯t watching, and waited.
Sutton dropped her bag by the door.
¡°They cleared my desk,¡± she said.
Keira blinked. ¡°Like¡ they fired you?¡±
¡°No. Just took my nt. Nicole said it wasn¡¯t professional.¡±
Keira stood slowly. ¡°I swear to God. I will eat this woman.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t eat her,¡± Sutton said. ¡°I need her to see me win. I want to prove to everyone here at Cyber10 that I¡¯m not an
airhead.¡±
Keira stared at her, then nodded. ¡°Okay. So we burn her slowly. Cool.¡±
Sutton walked to the kitchen. Poured herself a ss of water.
¡°I just don¡¯t know what her problem is,¡± she said quietly. ¡°It¡¯s like she¡¯s prepping for battle.¡±
¡°She doesn¡¯t know you¡¯ve already started digging trenches.¡± Keira grinned.
¡°No. But she¡¯s going to find out.¡±
Keira leaned in the doorway, arms crossed, watching her sister drink.
¡°If you need my help, Sutton, I¡¯m here. But I really think you should go out on your own. Stop your ownpany.¡±
¡°Maybe someday after the baby is born.¡±
Room Mate 102
Chapter 102
Luca looked up at the building that housed Cyber10ter that week. The building was impressive, but the work
standards hadn¡¯t been up until now, though that would soon change. Nicole was already here, getting to work on turning the business around.
He had used it as an excuse. Nicole had been differenttely¡ sort of touchy and rubbing him the wrong way. It had been like poking the bear, and that bear being him. So when the opportunity to send her to the States had
He had been in relentless pursuit of Audrey, who had indeed vanished. His security team was still scratching their heads. He worked in the tech industry. Somehow, she had gotten someone to wrap her flight information, or her name had been an alias. Which just didn¡¯t make sense. Why would a model go to those lengths? But that is what
happened.
The gnawing in his chest hadn¡¯t left since Audrey had walked out of his life. But he would find her. And his baby. He hoped she hadn¡¯t aborted the baby. He would only have himself to me if she had, as that was hisst thought before stepping through the front doors of Cyber10 into their lobby.
The ce buzzed with activity as employees scurried past him. All, he was sure, trying to look busy. Nicole would have told everyone he wasing. Luca didn¡¯t care. All he wanted was to find Audrey and set things right. The purchase of thispany was just convenient. Necessary, even if it brought him closer to her. A reason to be here.
¡°Luca!¡± called a voice from off to the side.
He turned to see Nicole approaching; her smile was a little too bright.
¡°I¡¯m so d you made it,¡± she said, before touching his arm. ¡°This ce needs aplete overhaul, starting with
the idiot on reception.¡±
Luca pulled his arm away from her touch. The only woman allowed to touch him was Audrey. He was a highly sexed man, but since Audrey had walked away, he hadn¡¯t had any sex. He needed her. His skin was too tight without her. The chemistry between them had always been red hot. Explosive even. He craved her in a way that made him angry with himself.
¡°Not now, Nicole,¡± he snapped. ¡°I think it¡¯s more important I meet the team at Cyber10.¡±
She raised an eyebrow but didn¡¯t back down. ¡°I¡¯m sure you do, but you might want to hear what I have to say first.¡±
He paused. ¡°What is it?¡±
¡°I have done a full employee analysis regarding your acquisition,¡± she said smoothly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. ¡°It seems some personnel areplete dead wood. Would you like me to arrange their
termination now?¡±
¡°No, I will review all files first.¡± That had been a condition of Nicoleing before him. She wasn¡¯t allowed to get rid of anyone without his say so. Roman¡¯s soon¨Cto¨Cbe sister¨Cinw worked here, and he wanted to make sure she
was safe. Because if she was being underutilized, like Roman said, then he wanted to see if she was any good at coding. It had to be better than some of the staff working in the coding department currently.
Nicole stepped closer, lowering her voice conspiratorially. ¡°But Luca, it¡¯s only a stupid receptionist.¡± She leaned in slightly, almost as if trying to share a secret. ¡°I don¡¯t think you want anyone around who¡¯s¡ unfit for this environment.¡±
Luca narrowed his eyes at her. ¡°That¡¯s for me to decide, Nicole. I will go over everyone¡¯s file and interview everyone myself.¡±
¡°I would understand if they were someone of importance, but the woman is a nobody,¡± she said with a smile that didn¡¯t reach her eyes. ¡°Just keeping you informed, as I have been here longer and now have a good understanding of who is worth keeping and trust me, she isn¡¯t.¡± She took a step back, as if distancing herself from the tension.ing off him.
Luca had no time for her games. He moved past her toward the elevator bank at the end of the hall, and didn¡¯t pause as he heard Nicole call after him. He would not exin himself to her.
The doors opened just in time for him to escape whatever nonsense she intended to talk about next. She could catch up. As the doors closed, he caught sight of a woman disappearing away from the reception desk at a fast pace. She was tall and had dark blonde hair. He could see she was very pregnant. Sutton maybe ir¡¯s sister.
He pulled out his phone and dialed Ri again. The sound of ringing filled his ears until it was finally answered.
¡°Boss?¡±
¡°Have you found anything?¡± Luca demanded without preamble.
§à
¡°We have nothing,¡± Ri replied slowly. ¡°Audrey¡ well, it appears she has gone dark. We can¡¯t even find anyone by that name in the States.¡±
Luca¡¯s stomach sank further into despair at hearing her name again. If only he could find her. He didn¡¯t even know
how pregnant she was. He hadn¡¯t given her time to tell him anything. But he was guessing not has pregnant as
ir¡¯s sister.
The silence stretched between them momentarily under the weight of uncertainty surrounding Audrey¡¯s
whereabouts and his child¡¯s fate.
¡°Continue searching,¡± he said firmly before ending the call abruptly, frustration boiling beneath his skin.
His fingers gripped his phone as thoughts raced through his mind. She was pregnant with his child¡the baby they
never had time to talk about because he hadn¡¯t bothered listening when it mattered most.
His anger resurfaced, a deep wellspring fueled by realization, yet just beneathy an overwhelming sense of urgency mixed with guilt for not believing her¡ not trusting her words when she¡¯d needed him most. He wanted nothing more than redemption now, to fix what he¡¯d broken and make amends for pushing her away.
Suddenly unsure where else to go next. The only thing he had for now was Cyber10.
Room Mate 103
Chapter 103
Sutton looked up when Nicole said his name. Praying that God wouldn¡¯t do this to him. The universe really couldn¡¯t be that heartless. Her Luca wasn¡¯t the only Luca in the world, surely. But she soon found out someone had it in for her out there.
Tall. Dark. There he stood, towering over Nicole. Oh, shit¡ Last night was ir and Roman¡¯s engagement party¡ And he¨CLuca had been there.
Sutton closed her eyes as she remembered seeing him again after months¡
shback tost night:
She was really happy for her sister and Roman¨Cto find happiness after everything. ir had only days ago faked her death to catch their uncle out for murdering their parents for greed. But at least now ir was safe and no more hit¨Cmen would be sent after her.
Sutton looked around the room at Roman¡¯s family and friends. ir would be happy with his family, and Sutton could see they loved her. Her eyesnded on a man by the bar as a strange pressure settled in her chest. He was in profile, but there was no mistaking who he was¡ Luca.
It was.
Luca.
Oh, my God. He must know Roman in some way. How many times was it said the world was a small ce?
Here stood the proof of the statement.
Sutton felt her throat tighten as she tried¡ to what? Scream?
No, that wasn¡¯t good. It would bring his attention, and it was thest thing she needed.
She just needed to get out of here before he saw her.
Thest thing she wanted was to wreck this party for ir.
She tried to move away, get some distance, but found her legs had turned to lead.
The world muted.
No. No. Not here. Not now.
She could be seen.
Then ir was at her side.
ir¡¯s voice barely reached her. Sutton didn¡¯t even hear what she was saying.
Everything inside her turned to static.
She grabbed ir¡¯s arm. ¡°I need to leave. Now.¡±
¡°What? Why? Is something wrong with the baby?¡°,
But even as ir asked, her sister was looking between her and the person she was staring at¡ the pieces clicking into ce.
Sutton didn¡¯t answer. She couldn¡¯t.
Her mouth was dry. Her hands were trembling.
Her legs moved anyway, dragging ir with her across the room toward Keira and Rose.
¡°No, nothing is wrong with the baby, but I need to get out of here,¡± Sutton said through gritted teeth.
Keira frowned, looking down at her food like she¡¯d just been told Christmas was cancelled.
¡°But we just got here. And the food is amazing. Have you tried these little quiche things? Rose says the chef made them specially.¡±
¡°Now, Keira.¡±
Sutton didn¡¯t raise her voice. She didn¡¯t need to.
Something in her tone cut straight through the noise.
Keira and Rose both looked up.
¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Keira asked, setting her te down.
Rose blinked. ¡°Everything okay?¡±
Sutton nced back at Luca, who hadn¡¯t seen them.
¡°That man by the bar. The tall one with dark hair.¡±
ir, Keira, and Rose all looked.
¡°Oh, he¡¯s gorgeous,¡± Keira said.
¡°That¡¯s Luca,¡± Rose added. ¡°Roman¡¯s friend from university. He¡¯s really nice.¡±
ir had already put it together. Rose saying his name made it real.
Luca. The father of her baby.
Keira¡¯s face changed in an instant.
Confusion morphed into pure, simmering rage.
Her fists clenched. She took one step toward him.
¡°That bastard,¡± Keira hissed. ¡°I¡¯m going to¡¡±
¡°No!¡± ir yanked Keira¡¯s arm. ¡°Not here. Not now.¡±
¡°Why not?¡± Keira¡¯s eyes burned.
Rose looked between them, ¡ , staring.
Breathing shallow.
Her heart beat in her throat.
¡°I need to leave,¡± she whispered, turning away from Luca.
¡°Of course,¡± ir said. ¡°We¡¯re going outside for some air.¡±
Rose frowned. ¡°Should I get Mum? Or Roman?¡±
¡°No,¡± ir said. ¡°Sutton¡¯s just a little overwhelmed. The pregnancy, you know.¡±
Pregnancy was a good excuse. One that didn¡¯t need questions.
¡°Come on,¡± ir said, wrapping an arm around Sutton¡¯s waist while pulling Keira along. ¡°Let¡¯s go outside.¡±
As they moved, Keira kept ring back at Luca like she really wanted that methrower right now.
Sutton didn¡¯t look. Couldn¡¯t look.
Rose followed them to the terrace doors. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want me to get someone?¡±
¡°We¡¯re fine,¡± ir said, her smile tight. ¡°Maybe just tell Roman we stepped out if he asks.¡±
Rose nodded, unsure, but let them go.
The doors closed. The muffled sound of celebration stayed behind. The cool night hit Sutton¡¯s skin, but she still felt too hot.
Only then did ir let go of Keira¡¯s arm.
¡°What the hell is he doing here?¡± Keira exploded. ¡°I want to rip his-¡±
Sutton dropped into a chair. Head in hands. ¡°I can¡¯t believe this. Of all the ces¡¡±
¡°He¡¯s Roman¡¯s friend from university,¡± ir said, stunned. ¡°I met him once before, but I had no idea¡ You never talk about him.¡±
¡°That he was the piece of shit who abandoned our sister?¡± Keira snapped, already pacing. ¡°I want to go back in there and¡¡±
¡°Keira, no,¡± Sutton said, her voice quiet but absolute. ¡°Please.¡±
¡°But he hurt you. He made you cry for months. He called you-¡±
¡°I know what he called me,¡± Sutton whispered. ¡°But I can¡¯t deal with this. Not here. Not tonight. This isn¡¯t the night for my drama.¡±
She had finally been able to get out of there without Keira fighting Luca and him seeing her.
She hadn¡¯t seen his little child bride, so maybe he had left her at home¡
her.
Sutton came back to herself as she saw him move. Her body froze before her brain caught up.
Her stomach clenched hard¡ She couldn¡¯t face him¡
He still hadn¡¯t seen her yet. He was too busy talking to Nicole, who was practically vibrating with excitement at his side. Her fake smile dialed up to
eleven.
Sutton turned slowly so her back was to him¡
¡°Be right back,¡± she said quickly to Stacey, her voice too high, too clipped. ¡°Bathroom.¡±
She picked up her phone.
She saw Luca moving towards the lifts, so she kept her face turned away.
¡°You okay?¡± Stacey asked, frowning.
Sutton didn¡¯t answer. She was already walking¡ fast. Her heart hammering. Palms mmy. Knees too loose.
She pushed open the bathroom door, locked herself in the farthest stall, and sat down on the closed lid like the air had been ripped out of the building.
She was shaking.
Full¨Cbody, adrenaline¨Csoaked trembling.
Her hands fumbled with her phone. It almost slipped.
She gripped it too tight.
Found ir¡¯s name and hit call.
¡°ir,¡± she whispered when her sister answered. ¡°Oh my God. I think I might actually throw up.¡±
She let her sister know who her new boss was.
After letting ir know she needed to deal with it, she hung up.
She would deal with it¨Ceven if it meant leaving her job.
She would temp until the baby arrived if necessary.
Sutton hung up. She knew ir would let Keira know.
That made Sutton let out a half¨Csob, halfugh.
She wiped her face.
Took a breath.
This proved the world was indeed too bloody small.
This was like the world¡¯s worst luck.
She couldn¡¯t stay in here any longer, so she washed her hands. Dried them.
Straightened her blouse over her round belly. Smoothed her hair.
And walked back out into the lobby and headed to her desk.
Like the man who broke her heart wasn¡¯t here.
She could do this even if it killed him.
No, that saying wasn¡¯t right. But it felt good.
She walked back out into the lobby and over to her desk.
She sat down, adjusted her keyboard, and tried to focus on work, boring, brain numbing work. She had barely settled back into her chair when Stacey leaned in, whispering just loud enough to be heard.
¡°Hey¡ the new boss asked to see you. His office. Ten minutes.¡±
Sutton blinked at her, her stomach dropping like a stone. Holy shit.
Room Mate 104
Chapter 104
5
Sutton stared at Stacey, mouth suddenly dry. ¡°The new boss wants to see me?¡± She knew her time was up. Should she pack up her desk before going to
see Luca?
¡°Yeah, he specifically asked for you.¡± Stacey gave a little shrug. ¡°Nicole looked smug when she delivered the message. No doubt she¡¯s stuck the knife in.¡±
Sutton¡¯s heart mmed against her ribs. Was this it? He¡¯d recognized her and now wanted to confront her? Fire her? Maybe do some sick power y to punish her for existing? Or had Nicole done what she said she would do?
¡°Did he¨C¡± Sutton swallowed, trying to keep her voice steady. ¡°Did he say why?¡±
¡°Nope. Just that he wanted to see you in ten minutes. In his office.¡± Stacey nced at the clock. ¡°Which is¡ now eight minutes.¡±
Sutton nodded, barely able to breathe. Eight minutes. Eight minutes to figure out how to face the father of her baby. The man who¡¯d called her a slut and walked out. The man she had loved¨Cwho had killed that love when he¡¯d decided she wasn¡¯t worthy, choosing instead some little traditional bride.
She forced herself to stand, smoothing down her blouse over her very obvious pregnancy. There was no hiding this. No pretending. No escaping. She was
over six months pregnant.
¡°You okay?¡± Stacey asked, frowning slightly. ¡°You look really pale.¡±
¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± The lie came easily. She¡¯d been saying it for months. ¡°Just not sure what he would want with me.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sutton¡¡±
¡°Thanks,¡± Sutton managed, gathering her tablet and a notebook. She had no idea why she was bringing them. As if she¡¯d be taking notes during whatever shitstorm was about to happen.
The walk to the elevator felt like walking through hot sand¡feet dragging and ufortable. Every step was harder than thest. She pressed the button for the executive floor, watching the doors close on herst chance to run.
But where would she even go? She was heavily pregnant, with rent due and a baby on the way. She needed this job. Even if it meant facing Luca. But like ir had said, she wasn¡¯t on her own.
So she wasn¡¯tpletely alone. And once the legal stuff was dealt with, she¡¯d have her inheritance back. Roman had told them it would be a few weeks¡ so maybe she didn¡¯t need this job after all.
The elevator climbed, numbers ticking upward like a countdown inside her head, making her head pound. When the doors dinged open, Sutton took a deep breath and stepped out. She felt hot. She couldn¡¯t say she wasn¡¯t nervous because she¡¯d be lying.
The executive floor was all ss and chrome, everything sleek and expensive¨Clooking. Nicole stood outside Luca¡¯s office, arms crossed, lips pursed like she¡¯d tasted something sour.
Arms across her chest. ¡°You¡¯rete,¡± she snapped, even though Sutton knew she was right on time..
¡°No, I¡¯m not. I was told about this meeting only three minutes ago, and I was told you delivered the message five minutes ago, giving me another five minutes. This kind of maths is very early childhood. I¡¯m happy to exin it to you if you can¡¯t read the time. Or is maths the problem?¡±
Oops¡ maybe knowing she was about to lose her job made her bold.
Nicole narrowed her eyes. ¡°He doesn¡¯t like to be kept waiting.¡± Her gaze flicked to Sutton¡¯s belly with open disgust. ¡°And frankly, I don¡¯t understand why he wants to see you at all. I could have dealt with you myself.¡±
Sutton bit back a retort. She knew exactly what Luca did and didn¡¯t like. She¡¯d spent eleven months learning about his body¡how he liked it, his habits. his moods. She knew how he took his coffee, which side of the bed he preferred, how his breathing changed just before he fell asleep¡ and how good at lovemaking. No! it had been fucking¡ how good he was at fucking.
Dat zou
She had been very hornytely. Pregnancy hormones. But she wasn¡¯t going to think about him that way. He was married. And he had thrown her away.
But she knew things about him Nicole could only dream of knowing.
¡°He asked to see me, so I should do that, don¡¯t you think?¡± Sutton s
simply
Nicole stepped closer, voice dropping to a hiss. ¡°Don¡¯t getfortable. Whatever this is about, I can promise you it¡¯s not good news. He¡¯s making changes, and deadweight like you is the first to go.¡± Her eyes flicked meaningfully to Sutton¡¯s belly. ¡°Better polish up that r¨¦sum¨¦.¡±
Sutton stared at her, seeing the woman¡¯s smug satisfaction. Nicole thought she was about to witness Sutton¡¯s humiliation. She had no idea who Sutton really was¡ maybe a week ago that would have meant nothing. But since Sutton had helped prove their uncle was a murdering asshole who had stolen their money¡ªand he¡¯d been arrested¨Cshe and her sisters were heiresses. Once thew sorted it all out.
¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind,¡± Sutton replied evenly.
There would be no other job. Sutton wouldunch her own business and sell her virus protection software, blowing the shit programmed here out of the
water.
Nicole¡¯s false smile returned as she knocked once on the office door, then pushed it open.
¡°Luca? The receptionist. Sutton is here to see you.¡±
Sutton¡¯s legs felt wooden as she walked past Nicole into the office. The door clicked shut behind her, sealing her in.
The office was massive, with floor¨Cto¨Cceiling windows overlooking the city. Sutton had never been in here before.
Luca sat behind arge desk, head bent over some paperwork, not looking up.
Sutton stood frozen, barely breathing. This was surreal. Months of avoiding even thinking about him, and now here he was, less than ten feet away.
He still hadn¡¯t looked up.
¡°Take a seat,¡± he said, gesturing vaguely to a chair without raising his eyes.
Sutton moved slowly, easing herself into the chair across from his desk. Her heart was hammering so hard she was sure he must hear it. He couldn¡¯t even
look at her.
He shuffled a few more papers, then pushed several files Nicole or someone had clearly prepared for him off to the side. Not even looking at them. Her stomach tightened. Whatever this was about, he wasn¡¯t in any rush.
¡°Roman mentioned his fianc¨¦e has a sister working here,¡± he said, still focused on whatever he was reading. ¡°Said you¡¯re a coder stuck on reception because this ce is a how did he put it ¡®a total boys¡® club.¡± His voice was exactly as she remembered. Deep. Slightly ented. Confident.
Sutton could barely process what he was saying. Roman had spoken to him about her? But that meant¡ Luca didn¡¯t realize who she was yet. He hadn¡¯t seen her in the lobby just now. Hadn¡¯t made the connection.
He thought she was just ir¡¯s sister. Some random employee with a connection to his mate¡¯s soon¨Cto¨Cbe wife.
¡°I¡¯m curious why someone with coding skills would be answering phones,¡± Luca continued, finally ncing up.
And then time stopped.
His eyes widened. His mouth opened slightly. The pen he¡¯d been holding ttered to the desk.
¡°Audrey?¡± The word was barely a breath.
Sutton didn¡¯t move. Didn¡¯t speak. Couldn¡¯t
Luca stood so quickly his chair rolled back and hit the wall. ¡°Audrey,¡± he repeated, louder this time, like he couldn¡¯t believe what he was seeing.
2/3
16:06 Sat, 28 Jun
¡°My name is Sutton,¡± she said quietly. ¡°Sutton Warner.¡±
?
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Room Mate 105
Chapter 105
He stared at her, shock was written on his face. ¡°Sutton¡ Wamer?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
Luca came around the desk slowly, like he was afraid she would vanish or bolt like a wild animal. His eyes dropped to her stomach, lingered there, then rose back to her face. The relief in his expression was easy to see..
¡°You kept it,¡± he said, his voice thick with emotion. ¡°The baby. You didn¡¯t¡¡±
¡°Get rid of him?¡± Sutton finished, a sh of anger rising. ¡°Of course not. I told you I was keeping her.¡±
¡°He?¡± Luca¡¯s eyes widened further. ¡°It¡¯s a boy?¡±
Sutton shook her head. ¡°No, just a figure of speech¡ better than ¡®it.¡°¡±
¡°Jesus Christ,¡± he breathed, running a hand through his hair. ¡°All this time¡ I¡¯ve been looking for you. Everywhere. And you¡¯ve been here. Working for my
¡°I didn¡¯t know it was yourpany until this morning. I knew about the new owner, but I didn¡¯t know it was you,¡± Sutton said. ¡°And it¡¯s not like I¡¯ve been hiding. I¡¯ve been right here, using my real name.¡±
¡°Your real name,¡± he echoed, like the words didn¡¯t make sense. ¡°Not Audrey.¡±
¡°Audrey was my modeling name,¡± she exined. ¡°My professional name.¡±
Luca moved closer, close enough that she could smell his cologne. The scent hit her with a wave of memories¡ his skin against hers, his breath on her neck, his hands in her hair as he pushed into her willing body¡ Oh god, she couldn¡¯t start thinking of that now.
¡°I¡¯ve had people searching for you,¡± he said. ¡°For months. Ever since you left.¡± His voice cracked slightly. ¡°I got your test. The pregnancy test. I tried to find you, but you were gone.¡±
Sutton swallowed hard. ¡°I¡¯m not sure why, unless you wanted me to sign an NDA. I think the people you hired owe you a refund.¡±
¡°And your hair¡¡± He gestured vaguely to her head. ¡°It¡¯s different.¡±
¡°This is my natural color,¡± she said. ¡°The tinum blonde was for modeling.¡± The ends still showed a lighter color, the rinse she used often fading.
¡°Your eyes are blue, not green.¡± Luca looked like he was stuck in car headlights frozen unsure about which direction he should take. ¡°So everything about you was¡ not real?¡±
¡°The only thing that wasn¡¯t real was my name, and my hair and eye color,¡± Sutton said sharply. ¡°Everything else was me. I just didn¡¯t tell you about my past. It¡¯s not like you seemed that interested outside my body.¡±
¡°But why not?¡±
¡°Because it never seemed important. You never asked.¡± She hadn¡¯t meant for it to sound like an usation¡ no, that was a lie, it came out the way she
meant it.
Luca flinched slightly. ¡°I should have asked.¡± His eyes dropped to her belly again. ¡°How far along are you? I didn¡¯t realize how pregnant you were.¡±
¡°Just over six and a half months.¡±
His hand twitched, like he wanted to reach out and touch her, but he stopped himself. ¡°And everything¡¯s¡ okay? With the baby?¡±
¡°He¡¯s fine. So I have been told.¡±
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10.00
*Sutton¡¡± he said softly, something naked and vulnerable crossing his face.
For a moment, neither spoke. The silence stretched between them, filled with all the things they hadn¡¯t said. All the hurt. All the misunderstandings.
Then Luca seemed to remember himself. He straightened, his face bing more controlled. ¡°We need to talk.¡±
¡°About what?¡±
¡°About everything.¡± He gestured to her belly. ¡°About the baby. About us.¡±
¡°There is no ¡°us,¡°¡± Sutton said tly. ¡°You made that very clear when you called me a slut and walked out, When you told me I was nothing but a good fuck who had nothing to offer. When you used me of trying to trap you with another man¡¯s baby.¡±
Luca winced. ¡°I was wrong. I know that now. I tried to find you to tell you.¡±
¡°Too little, toote.¡±
¡°Sutton-¡±
¡°I have a job to do,¡± she cut him off, moving to stand. ¡°Unless you¡¯re firing me right now, I should get back to it.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not firing you,¡± he said quickly. ¡°Jesus, I¡¯m not¨Cwhy would you think that?¡±
Sutton gave him a look. ¡°Maybe because your right¨Chand woman has spent thest week making my life hell, telling me I¡¯m deadweight, that I¡¯m ¡®distracting,¡± she made air quotes, ¡°that you don¡¯t want the first thing you see when you arrive to be a ¡®human incubator with swollen ankles.¡±¡±
Luca¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Nicole said that to you?¡±
¡°Among other things. She took my nt.¡± It sounded petty, but it had been the first direct act of hostility.
¡°Your nt,¡± he repeated slowly.
¡°Yes. A little fern I kept on my desk. She said it wasn¡¯t professional.¡±
Luca¡¯s jaw tightened. ¡°I¡¯ll deal with Nicole.¡±
¡°Great, you do that,¡± Sutton said tiredly. ¡°Now if that¡¯s all-¡±
¡°No, it¡¯s not.¡± Luca moved to block her path to the door. ¡°We need to talk about this. About the baby. About what happens next.¡±
¡°What happens next is I keep working here until my maternity leave, then I have my baby, and I raise that baby alone.¡±
¡°Alone,¡± he said, the word sounding like it physically hurt him.
Well, tough shit¡ he wasn¡¯t feeling half what she had felt when he had rejected her and their baby.
¡°It¡¯s what I¡¯ve been preparing for. I have my sisters. I don¡¯t need or want you.¡±
¡°Because I wasn¡¯t there. Because I fucked up.¡± He stepped closer. ¡°But I¡¯m here now. I want to be involved. I want to be in the baby¡¯s life.¡±
Sutton felt a wave of emotion rise in her chest¡ anger, hurt, confusion, a desperate longing she¡¯d been trying to bury for months. She couldn¡¯t want him, not after everything. ¡°And what about your wife? Does she know you got someone else pregnant before your wedding?¡±
Luca blinked. ¡°My wife?¡±
¡°The eighteen¨Cyear¨Cold heiress! You were engaged before we even broke up¡ No sorry, let¡¯s rephrase that, you dumped me,¡± Sutton said, the words bitter on her tongue. ¡°Your child bride, remember? Or have you forgotten about her already?¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t marry her.¡°,
16:06 Sat, 28 Jun
It was Sutton¡¯s turn to be startled. ¡°What?¡±
¡°I called off the engagement. Be married my brother instead. They¡¯re happy. They¡¯re expecting a baby themselves.¡±
Sutton stared at him, trying to process this information. ¡°You¡ didn¡¯t get married? But I saw the media story¡¡±
¡°No.¡±
¡°Why not?¡±
Luca met her gaze directly. ¡°Because I found out that you are carrying my child, and I was too busy looking for you.¡±
The words hung in the air between them. Sutton felt dizzy, like the room was tilting.
¡°I don¡¯t know what you want me to say,¡± she said finally.
¡°You don¡¯t have to say anything,¡± Luca replied. ¡°Just¡ let me be a part of this. Part of the baby¡¯s life.¡± His eyes pleaded with her. ¡°I know I don¡¯t deserve it. I know I hurt you. But that¡¯s my child too.¡±
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Room Mate 106
Chapter 106
Sutton pressed her hands to her face, trying to steady herself. This was too much. Too fast. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I need time to think.¡±
¡°Of course.¡± Luca nodded quickly. ¡°Take all the time you need. But please, don¡¯t shut me out. I know I don¡¯t deserve to ask.¡±
Sutton lowered her hands, meeting his gaze. ¡°If you remember, I didn¡¯t shut you out. You pushed me away. So I came home. There¡¯s a difference.¡±
Before he could respond, a sharp knock came at the door. It opened without waiting for an answer, and Nicole stepped in, her face a mask of professional concern.
¡°Luca, I¡¯m sorry to interrupt, but you have that conference call in five minutes.¡± She nced at Sutton with barely disguised contempt. ¡°I¡¯m sure whatever this is can wait.¡±
Luca¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°Nicole, the call can wait. We¡¯re in the middle of something important.¡±
Nicole looked taken aback. Her eyes flicked between them, clearly trying to figure out what was happening. ¡°But they specifically requested¡ well, you.¡±
¡°Either handle it or it can wait.¡± Luca¡¯s voice was firm. ¡°Reschedule it.¡±
Nicole¡¯s smile tightened. ¡°Of course. Right away.¡± She shot Sutton a look of pure venom that Luca missed before backing out of the office and closing the
door.
When she was gone, Luca sighed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that.¡±
¡°About what? Your guard dog?¡± Sutton couldn¡¯t keep the bitterness from her voice.
¡°I didn¡¯t realize she¡¯d been giving you a hard time,¡± he said. ¡°She can be¡ aggressive in her professional approach. I haven¡¯t had any issues with her before. In regards to work anyway.¡±
Had he had issues in other ways? It wasn¡¯t her business. ¡°That¡¯s one way to put it, but are you sure? Because she hasn¡¯t been pleasant.¡±
Luca moved back to his desk, leaning against it, facing her. ¡°Look, I know this is sudden. And I know you have every reason to hate me. But we need to figure this out. For the baby.¡± He nodded toward her belly.
Sutton rested a hand protectively on her stomach. ¡°I¡¯ve been figuring it out just fine on my own.¡±
¡°I want to be involved and I know you want time to think, but¡¡± Luca said. ¡°I want to support you both. Financially, emotionally, however, you¡¯ll let me.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t need your money.¡±
¡°Maybe not. But the baby deserves to know their father.¡± Luca¡¯s voice softened.
Sutton closed her eyes briefly. This was all too much. Thest time she had spoken to him, he was getting married, and he didn¡¯t want her.
¡°You said¡¡± she trailed off.
¡°I know what I said, and I¡¯m sorry. I made a promise to my father, and I thought it was better to be cruel and have a clean break. So I hurt you.¡±
¡°I never cheated, ever.¡±
Luca wiped a hand over his face as he realized all his words were haunting him now. ¡°I know that, and I know the baby is mine.¡±
¡°How?¡±
¡°What? that you didn¡¯t cheat or the baby?¡± Luca gave a crooked smile. ¡°Honestly, I should have trusted you on both counts when you told me. But a doctor told me pregnant women can have a period or two after falling pregnant.¡±
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16:06 Sat, 28 Jun
Sutton nodded.
¡°I need to get back to work,¡± she said finally, unable to deal with this all at once.
¡°I want to be upfront with you, Sutton. I want us to get married.¡±
That statement made her freeze.
¡°What?¡± If he had asked her before, before everything, she would have said yes. She had loved him. But now she¡ didn¡¯t know if she could trust him. She had cried for weeks when she hade home.
¡°I would like us to get married and before the baby is born.¡±
Sutton looked at him shocked, before saying. ¡°Why? Because you found out I¡¯m not a nobody model now? That I from a wealthy family with a good pedigree?¡±
Luca looked stunned. ¡°No, that has nothing to do with it.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry Luca, but trust for what you say is a little thin on the ground right now.¡± Sutton wasn¡¯t in the mood to fall at his feet in gratitude. He had hurt her and rejected their baby.
Luca looked like he wanted to object but then nodded. ¡°Okay. But we¡¯re not done talking about this.¡±
¡°Well we are for now. I have work to do.¡±
¡°And one more thing,¡± Luca added as she turned to leave. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be answering phones and not with your skills.¡±
Sutton frowned. ¡°What?¡±
¡°Roman said you¡¯re a talented coder. You should be in development, not stuck at reception.¡±
¡°I¡¯ve applied for transfers three times,¡± Sutton said. ¡°They keep rejecting me.¡±
Luca¡¯s jaw tightened. ¡°Well, I¡¯m the boss now. And I say you¡¯re too valuable to waste at the front desk.¡± He grabbed a post¨Cit, scribbled something on it, and handed it to her. ¡°This is Jake¡¯s office number. He¡¯s my head of operations here. Tell him I said to set you up with the development team. Immediately.¡±
Sutton stared at the paper, then back at Luca. ¡°You¡¯re giving me a job in development? Just like that?¡± She had Jake¡¯s number but Luca didn¡¯t know that.
¡°I¡¯m giving you the job you deserve,¡± he corrected. ¡°The one this ce was too sexist to give you before.¡±
¡°Because I¡¯m pregnant with your baby.¡±
Luca shook his head. ¡°No. Because you¡¯re qualified. The baby is¡¡± he paused, searching for words. ¡°The baby is personal. This conversation would have happened regardless once I reviewed your personnel file and noticed the mismatch between your skills and your position.¡±
Sutton wanted to argue, but a coding job was what she¡¯d wanted since she started at Cyber10. And if it got her away from Nicole¡¯s daily torment and allowed her to do what she loved even better, she¡¯d be a fool to turn it down out of pride.
¡°Fine,¡± she said, taking the paper. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Jake.¡±
¡°Good.¡± Luca looked relieved, like he¡¯d expected more resistance. ¡°We can talk moreter. When you¡¯ve had time to process.¡±
Sutton nodded, turning to leave.
¡°Sutton,¡± Luca said just behind her, telling her he had followed her to the door.
She paused, hand on the doorknob. ¡°What?¡±
29
¡°I¡¯m d you kept the baby,¡± he said quietly. ¡°Thank you for that.¡±
Sutton didn¡¯t respond, just pulled the door open and stepped out.
Nicole was waiting in the hallway, not even pretending she hadn¡¯t been hovering by the door. Her eyes narrowed when she saw Sutton.
¡°So,¡± she said, voice dripping with fake sweetness, ¡°what was that all about? Begging to keep your job?¡±
¡°Not exactly,¡± Sutton replied, too emotionally exhausted to y Nicole¡¯s games.
¡°Well, don¡¯t get toofortable,¡± Nicole said, leaning in slightly. ¡°Luca might be indulging you now, but he¡¯ll see what I see eventually. Dead weight.¡±
Sutton gave her a tired look. ¡°I¡¯ve been transferred to development. Effective immediately.¡±
Nicole¡¯s smile froze. ¡°What?¡±
¡°You heard me. I¡¯m coding now, not answering phones.¡± Sutton stepped around her, toward the elevator. ¡°So I guess you¡¯ll need to find someone else to harass. Oh, and I want my nt back or I¡¯ll expense a new one.¡±
¡°This isn¡¯t over,¡± Nicole called after her, voice tight with anger. ¡°Whatever you think you pulled in there, it won¡¯tst.¡±
Sutton didn¡¯t turn around, just kept walking. She had enough to deal with without Nicole¡¯s petty power games.
As she stepped into the elevator and the doors closed on Nicole¡¯s furious face, Sutton finally let out the breath she¡¯d been holding. Her hand moved to her belly, where the baby¨Ctheir child¨Cwas kicking steadily.
¡°Well, kid,¡± she murmured, ¡°your dad¡¯s back. God help us both.¡± He wanted to get married.
Meanwhile, back in his office, Luca stared at the door Sutton had just closed, still reeling from the shock of finding her¡ of finding Audrey after all these months of searching. Except she wasn¡¯t Audrey. She was Sutton Warner. The sister of his best friend¡¯s fianc¨¦e. The woman carrying his child.
He¡¯d been prepared for so many scenarios when he bought Cyber10. Finding her hadn¡¯t even been on the list.
And now that he had, he wasn¡¯t about to let her go again. He would find a way to get his ring on her finger. He had barely stopped himself from grabbing her and kissing her.
Room Mate 107
Chapter 107
Her hands trembled slightly as she pulled out her phone, scrolling to Jake¡¯s number. This was more exciting than getting her degree.
The baby kicked, a sharp jab that made her press a hand to her side. ¡°I know,¡± she murmured. ¡°Everything¡¯s changing again.¡±
Jake answered on the second ring. ¡°Hey, Sutton, what¡¯s up?¡±
¡°It¡¯s happening,¡± she said, keeping her voice level despite the storm inside her. ¡°I¡¯m being transferred to development. Luca just told me to call you.¡±
A beat of silence, then Jake¡¯s voice, bright with excitement: ¡°Finally! Someone with actual sense around here. Come find me as soon as you¡¯re packed up.¡±
The elevator reached the lobby floor. Sutton stepped out, still processing everything. She couldn¡¯t still believe Luca was her new boss. After months of believing he wanted nothing to do with her or their baby, he¡¯d apparently been searching for her all along.
And now he wanted to get married.
Her chest tightened. Too much. It was all too much. She didn¡¯t know if she could do that. His family hadn¡¯t thought her good enough. Now she didn¡¯t know if they were good enough for her and her baby.
¡°I¡¯ll be there in twenty,¡± she told Jake, ending the call as she approached reception.
Stacey looked up, eyes widening at whatever expression Sutton was wearing. ¡°What happened? Did he fire you?¡±
Sutton shook her head, setting her phone down as she lowered herself carefully into her chair. ¡°No. The opposite, actually.¡± She let out a disbelievingugh. ¡°I¡¯ve been transferred to development. Effective immediately.¡±
¡°No way!¡± Stacey¡¯s mouth fell open. ¡°After they rejected you three times? That¡¯s¡ wow. Did you ckmail the new boss or something? What do you have on him? Maybe I need it for a pay raise?¡±
Sutton couldn¡¯t help the bitter smile that crossed her lips. Not secrets she would share with anyone. She didn¡¯t want anyone here to know about their past. Not yet, maybe not ever. ¡°Let¡¯s just say he recognized my qualifications.¡±
¡°Well, it¡¯s about damn time,¡± Stacey said, standing to give Sutton an awkward side¨Chug. ¡°I¡¯m happy for you. Really.¡± She pulled back, studying Sutton¡¯s face. ¡°But you look freaked out. Are you okay?¡±
Sutton reached for the empty box she¡¯d been keeping under her desk for weeks, just in case she got fired or finally found something better. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Just¡ processing.¡±
She wasn¡¯t fine. Her hands still trembled as she began gathering her meager belongings. Her nt was gone, thanks to Nicole. But she had a few personal items which included a framed photo of her sisters, a ceramic mug Keira had painted for her when she had been fourteen, a small stack of programming books she¡¯d kept hidden in her drawer.
The notebook where she¡¯d sketched out her Al virus detection system was already tucked safely in her bag. That wasing with her, no matter what She would show everyone at Cybe10 what she was made of with that program.
¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re actually escaping,¡± Stacey said, watching her pack. ¡°Like, nobody transfers out of reception. Especially not¡¡± she trailed off, eyes flicking to Sutton¡¯s belly.
¡°Especially not pregnant women?¡± Sutton finished for her.
Stacey shrugged. ¡°You know how it is here. The boys¡® club doesn¡¯t exactly wee estrogen into their little yground, Plus, Nicole¡¯s been on your case for weeks.¡±
Sutton nodded, thinking of the three rejections she¡¯d received. Each one was more dismissive than the The first had read¡ We regret to inform you that your qualifications do not align with our current needs..
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The second¡ While we appreciate your interest, we are seeking candidates with more specialized experience¡
The final¡ The position has been filled with a candidate whose skills more closely match our requirements¡
28
All lies. She knew the truth: they didn¡¯t want a woman in their precious development team. She knew she would show them up. Thank god. She wasn¡¯t just good. She could think outside the box and the guys currently on the development hadn¡¯t even seen the box.
It felt too good to be true¡ was this a genuine recognition of her skills, or just Luca¡¯s way of keeping her close? The suspici¨®n burned in her throat.
¡°Will you be okay handling reception alone?¡± Sutton asked, guilt mingling with her conflicted emotions.
Stacey waved a hand. ¡°I¡¯ll survive. They can get a temp in.¡±
The sound of footsteps made them both look up. Jake approached, his tall frame moving with purposeful strides, a genuine smile lighting his face.
¡°I couldn¡¯t wait. Ready for the big leagues, Warner?¡± he asked, stopping at the desk.
Sutton returned his smile, grateful for his familiar presence. Jake and Stacey had been the only ones who¡¯d treated her like a human being since Nicole¡¯s arrival. ¡°As ready as I¡¯ll ever be.¡±
Jake nced at her half¨Cfilled box. ¡°Need help?¡±
¡°I¡¯ve got it,¡± she said, even as the baby decided to lodge a foot firmly under her ribs, making her wince.
Jake raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. ¡°Uh¨Chuh. Sure you do.¡± He reached for the box, anyway. ¡°Let me take this. I may be gay, but I¡¯m still a man and I¡¯m not letting a pregnant woman take a box when I have two free hands. You grab your bag and say your goodbyes.¡±
Sutton didn¡¯t argue. Her back had been aching all morning, and the confrontation with Luca had drained what little energy she had.
She stood, gathering her purse and the tablet she used for scheduling. Stacey gave her another quick hug.
¡°Text me how it goes,¡± she whispered. ¡°And if those dev jerks give you trouble, I¡¯lle up and identally spill coffee on their keyboards, frying their
circuits.¡±
Suttonughed, feeling a rush of affection for the younger woman. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±
She followed Jake to the elevator. Once inside, Jake nced down at her. ¡°You good? You seem¡ worried.¡±
Sutton sighed. ¡°It¡¯s been an interesting morning.¡±
¡°The hyped up bitch Nicole is not happy, I¡¯m sure.¡±
¡°You know Nicole?¡± Sutton asked, surprised.
Jake snorted. ¡°Unfortunately. She¡¯s been with Luca for years. His right hand for all the wrong reasons, if you ask me. She is very good at hiding her bitchy side from him.¡±
The elevator dinged, opening onto the development floor. Sutton took a steadying breath. Here went nothing.
The development floor was everything reception wasn¡¯t: spacious, well¨Clit, with rows of ergonomic chairs and dual¨Cmonitor setups. Whiteboards covered the walls, filled with diagrams and code snippets. The only noise was keyboard clicks and low conversations.
As they walked through, heads turned. Conversations died. Eyes tracked their movement, lingering first on Sutton, Clearly not happy she was in their
space.
Jake led her to an open workstation near the window.. prime real estate in as far as she was concerned. He set her box down on the pristine desk.
¡°Everyone,¡± he called out, his voice carrying across the room. ¡°This is Sutton Warner. She¡¯s joining us from reception, but don¡¯t let that fool you. She¡¯s got a ¨Csci degree, and she¡¯s been working on some serious cool virus detection software. Make her feel wee.
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07:38 Mon, 30 Jun TO
The silence that followed was deafening.
Sutton forced a smile, meeting the stares head¨Con. ¡°Hi,¡± she said simply.
A few mumbled greetings came back. Most just stared.
Jake rolled his eyes. ¡°Right. Well, this is Drew,¡± he said, pointing to anky guy with sses at the nearest desk. ¡°That¡¯s Raj and Kevin by the coffee machine. Mitch and Tyler are over there pretending to code, and the one with the headphones who¡¯s ignoring everyone is Elliott.¡±
The men barely acknowledged the introductions. Tyler, she thought, gave her a quick once¨Cover before turning back to his screen. It was funny that she hadn¡¯t known their names. well, she knew their names, just not who belonged to the names, none of them had ever said boo to her before.
¡°Charming bunch,¡± Sutton muttered.
Jake grinned. ¡°They¡¯ll warm up. Or they won¡¯t, and I¡¯ll make their lives hell. Either way.¡± He gestured to her new workspace. ¡°This is all yours. You¡¯ve got admin ess, build permissions, and that ergonomic chair cost a lot. The rest is up to you.¡±
Sutton set her bag down, taking in the dual monitors, the pristine keyboard, the empty space waiting to be filled with her work. For the first time that morning, a genuine smile tugged at her lips. This was what she¡¯d been fighting for.
¡°Thank you,¡± she said quietly.
Jake patted her shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t thank me. Just prove to everyone you are the gold child.¡±
As he walked away, Sutton settled into her new chair, which was indeed incrediblyfortable, and booted up the system. Her hands moved automatically, logging in, setting up her workspace the way she liked it. She connected her USB drive and pulled up the virus detection project she¡¯d been working on for months.
The code filled the screen, familiar andforting. She¡¯d built this piece by piece, line by line, during stolen moments at reception. Now she could finally work on it properly.
She was so absorbed that she didn¡¯t notice someone approaching until a shadow fell across her keyboard.
¡°So, you¡¯re the receptionist.¡±
Room Mate 108
Sutton looked up to find Tyler standing over her, arms crossed, expression amused.
¡°I was,¡± she corrected, keeping her voice even. ¡°Now I¡¯m a developer.¡±
Tyler raised an eyebrow. ¡°Just like that, huh? Must be nice. What did you do sleep with someone?¡±
The implication wasn¡¯t subtle. Heat rose in Sutton¡¯s cheeks, but she kept her expression neutral. ¡°I have a degree inputer science. I¡¯ve applied for a
transfer three times.¡±
¡°Right.¡± His eyes flicked to her stomach. ¡°And I¡¯m sure your¡ condition¡ had nothing to do with the sudden promotion. Whose is it?¡±
Before Sutton could respond, another developer, Kevin, she remembered, rolled his chair over. ¡°What are you working on, anyway? Something simple, I hope? We¡¯re in the middle of a major system overhaul.¡±
His arrogant know it all tone made her jaw clench. ¡°Al¨Cdriven virus detection self thinking,¡± she said, turning her screen slightly so they could see. ¡°It adapts to new threats in real¨Ctime by analyzing behavior patterns rather than relying on signature updates.¡±
Both men squinted at her code.
¡°That¡¯s pretty ambitious for someone who was answering phones for months,¡± Tyler said, but there was a note of uncertainty in his voice now.
¡°I¡¯ve been working on it for months,¡± Sutton replied. ¡°In between transferring your calls and ordering your lunch. As you lot walk past my desk like I don¡¯t
exist.¡±
Kevin leaned closer, studying the screen. ¡°Your istion protocols look oveplicated.¡±
¡°They¡¯re not,¡± Sutton said firmly. ¡°They¡¯re thorough. There¡¯s a difference.¡±
¡°And what¡¯s the difference between polymorphic and metamorphic code structures?¡± Tyler asked suddenly, like he was quizzing a freshman.
Sutton didn¡¯t even blink. ¡°Polymorphic changes its appearance but keeps the same functions. Metamorphic rewrites its actual engine with each iteration. If you¡¯re trying to catch both, you need behavioral analysis, not just signature detection.¡±
Several other developers had wandered over now, drawn by the impromptu interrogation. She could feel their eyes on her, judging. Well, screw them. She knew she was good.
¡°And how would you handle fragmented payloads across distributedworks?¡± Elliott asked, headphones now hanging around his neck.
¡°Containment first, then trace execution paths to findmon instruction sets,¡± Sutton replied. ¡°You don¡¯t chase fragments; you iste the behavior and work backward.¡±
The questions kepting. Each one was more technical than thest. She answered every one without hesitation. Let them test her.
She was in the middle of exining her approach to zero¨Cday vulnerabilities when the atmosphere in the room suddenly changed. The developers straightened. Conversations died. Eyes shifted toward the entrance.
Luca had arrived.
He stood in the doorway, tall and imposing, dark eyes scanning the room. His gaze found her immediately lingering for a moment before taking in the cluster of developers surrounding her desk.
Nicole stood beside him, tablet in hand, her smile tight and professional. But Sutton didn¡¯t miss the sh of resentment in her eyes when she saw Sutton
at the center of attention.
Luca moved into the room, his presence and the fact Nicole was with him told those in the room exactly who he was. There was no need for anyone to question that. The other developers moved out of his way. Until he was standing close to her.
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¡°I see you¡¯re settling in,¡± he said, his voice carrying easily in the now¨Csilent room.
Sutton nodded, acutely aware of everyone watching them. ¡°Just getting acquainted with the team. They have been so weing Yeah right. But Luca would tell she was lying by her tone. She didn¡¯t need to spell it out.
Luca¡¯s eyes moved to the screen disying her code, then to the developers still hovering nearby. His expression cooled. ¡°Is this the new software Jake just called me about? How¡¯s that going?¡±
Something in his tone made the men exchange nces.
¡°We were just asking some technical questions,¡± Tyler said, his earlier confidence notably diminished.
¡°To ensure she¡¯s¡ qualified,¡± Kevin added.
Luca¡¯s jaw tightened almost imperceptibly. ¡°I see. But I own thispany. It¡¯s not you that needs to be worried about her qualifications? Or should we arrange a formal examination? Perhaps a written test? Or would you prefer to continue this public inquisition?¡±
The sarcasm in his voice was razor¨Csharp. The developers had the grace to look ufortable.
¡°I understand skepticism,¡± Luca continued, his voice quieter but no less intense. ¡°What I don¡¯t understand is disrespect. Ms. Warner was hired for her skills. Skills thispany desperately needs, given the subpar output I¡¯ve seen from this department over thest quarter. If this program works as well as Jake has just been telling me, half your jobs could be in jeopardy, so I would make sure your work is up to scratch.¡±
The tension in the room thickened as a silent shock moved through the development team.
¡°If anyone has concerns about the changes I¡¯m implementing, my door is open,¡± Luca said, addressing the entire room now. ¡°If you¡¯d prefer to seek opportunities elsewhere, I¡¯ll personally write your references. What I won¡¯t tolerate is undermining new team members or wastingpany time with territorial disys.¡±
No one spoke. No one moved.
Luca turned back to Sutton, his expression softening slightly. ¡°Ms. Warner, I¡¯d like to see a demo of your virus detection system when you have a working prototype. Jake mentioned it¡¯s not at that stage yet.¡±
Sutton nodded, caught off guard by his public support. ¡°Of course. I should have something ready in a few weeks.¡±
¡°Excellent.¡± Luca¡¯s gaze held hers for a moment longer than necessary, and Sutton felt a familiar heat rise in her chest. Even now, after everything, her body still responded to him.
He turned to leave, then paused. ¡°One more thing. Ms. Warner, what¡¯s your approach to adaptive Al when dealing with fragmented malware inyered infrastructures?¡±
The question was clearly a test, but not for her benefit. This was for the watching developers.
Sutton straightened. ¡°I¡¯d create a zero¨Ctrust sandbox environment to iste the fragments, track instruction flow to identify payload convergence points, and then train the Al on behavior signatures pulled from real¨Ctime threat analysis. The goal isn¡¯t just to catch the current threat but to predict mutations before they execute.¡±
A ghost of a smile touched Luca¡¯s lips. ¡°She¡¯s exactly who we need,¡± he said, not to her but to everyone listening.
Jake, who had returned to the scene, gave her a subtle thumbs¨Cup behind Luca¡¯s back.
As Luca turned to leave, Nicole at his side, Sutton caught the venomous look the woman shot her way. It was brief, but unmistakable.
The developers dispersed, returning to their desks with considerably less swagger than before. Sutton let out a slow breath, turning back to her code trying to ignore the racing of her heart.
Nicole walked beside Luca down the hallway, rage simmering beneath her carefully expression. She¡¯d never seen him so interested in someone at work so fast before. Certainly not some pregnant nobody who¡¯d appeared out of nowhere.
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¡°That was quite the show of support,¡± she said carefully, testing the waters.
Luca didn¡¯t look at her. ¡°It wasn¡¯t a show. It was necessary.¡±
¡°Still, it¡¯s unusual for you to get personally involved in department dynamics. Especially for a junior hire.¡±
Luca stopped walking, turning to face her. ¡°Sutton isn¡¯t just a junior hire, Nicole. She¡¯s an asset thispany needs.¡±
Nicole noted the use of her first name. The way his expression softened when he said it. ¡°I see. And this has nothing to do with her¡ personal situation?¡±
Luca¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°What are you implying?¡±
¡°Nothing at all,¡± Nicole said smoothly. ¡°I¡¯m just concerned about the message it sends when we prioritize certain employees over others. Especially when those employees have obvious¡ limitations.¡± She nced meaningfully in the direction of the development floor.
¡°Her pregnancy, you mean.¡± Luca¡¯s voice was dangerously quiet.
Nicole shrugged delicately. ¡°It¡¯s a business consideration. Maternity leave, reduced hours, divided attention¨Cthese things impact productivity. I¡¯m just thinking of thepany¡¯s best interests.¡±
¡°And I suppose these concerns prompted you to tell Ms. Warner that I wouldn¡¯t want a ¡®human incubator with swollen ankles¡® to be the first thing I see when I arrive?¡± Luca¡¯s expression had hardened. ¡°Or to remove personal items from her workspace?¡±
Nicole froze. Shit. The receptionist had told him. That little bitch.
¡°I was simply maintaining professional standards,¡± she said, recovering quickly. ¡°First impressions matter in business.¡±
¡°They do,¡± Luca agreed, his tone icy. ¡°Which is why I¡¯m giving you this one warning, Nicole. Whatever personal issue you have with Sutton Warner ends now. She¡¯s a valuable member of this team, and she will be treated with respect. Is that clear?¡±
Nicole swallowed her anger, forcing a neutral expression. ¡°Perfectly clear.¡±
office.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Luca checked his watch. ¡°I have a call in ten minutes. I¡¯ll be in my
He walked away, leaving Nicole standing alone in the hallway, fury burning through her veins.
That woman was a threat. Nicole had known it from the moment she saw her. She was too pretty. Nicole didn¡¯t likepetition. Even if thatpetition was pregnant. It was a worry the way Luca looked at her¡ it wasn¡¯t just professional interest.
Something personal. There was no way she was going to let another woman stand in the way of what she wanted¡ which was Luca in her bed. Something she had been working toward for years. She¡¯d invested too much time, too much effort, in positioning herself as the most important woman in Luca¡¯s life.
Sutton Warner might have won this battle, but Nicole would make damn sure she lost the war.
Room Mate 109
Chapter 109
Sutton stood at the bus stop after her first day in the development team, which had been a whirlwind¡ no, the whole day had been a bloody tsunami of emotions, starting with the confrontation with Luca to proving herself to the skeptical dev team. At least she¡¯d texted ir earlier to confirm she was okay and to let her know she and Keira would still being over tonight.
The sky darkened ominously overhead, gray clouds. Perfect. It looked like rain. Great, this was all she needed to get wet to the skin. Just what she needed to end the day.
She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, ncing at her phone to check the time. Her bus was already five minuteste. Other people waiting for buses huddled under the small shelter, everyone avoiding eye contact. It was the thing she hated most about the city.
The first drops of rain began to fall, spattering the sidewalk with dark circles. Sutton edged closer to the shelter.
A sleek ck car slowed beside the curb, before the passenger side window rolled down. Sutton¡¯s stomach tightened as Luca leaned across the passenger seat, his dark eyes on hers.
¡°Get in,¡± he ordered.
Sutton didn¡¯t move. She was not impressed with his tone. ¡°I¡¯m taking the bus.¡±
¡°Sutton, it¡¯s raining.¡± As if on cue, the rain started to speed up, cold drops sliding down her neck.
¡°Really, I would never have guessed without you pointing that out,¡± she shot back, pulling her jacket tighter. Several people at the bus stop were watching now, the little standoff and the expensive car catching attention. People really could be nosy.
Luca¡¯s jaw tightened. He didn¡¯t like her defying him. Well, tough. ¡°Sutton, the longer you stand there arguing with me, the more likely someone from the office will see us. Or worse, the media could snap a photo. Do you really want that?¡±
Well, shit. Thest thing she needed was to end up in some gossip column connected to Luca De Santis. No one in the USA had figured out yet she was Audrey. She wasn¡¯t as well known as Luca, but if someone made the connection before, she had a chance to prove herself as a programmer¡ no thanks.
That thought had her ncing nervously toward the office building just down the road, where some employees were stilling out the main doors.
¡°Fine, whatever.¡± She huffed, moving toward the car, and yanked the door open. She hauled her pregnant, damp self into the low damn car like it didn¡¯t piss her off every step of the way.
The interior was lovely and warm. It smelled of leather and Luca¡¯s cologne and him, that familiar scent that used to cling to her skin after nights in his
arms.
To stop herself from thinking of that, she fastened her seatbelt, careful not to meet his eyes.
¡°Where to?¡± Luca asked, pulling into traffic.
Sutton nced at him, surprised. ¡°You don¡¯t know where I live?¡±
¡°Listen, Sutton, I may have finally tracked you down, but I haven¡¯t had time to find out everything.¡±
¡°Yet?¡± she replied, one eyebrow raised.
¡°Yet,¡± he agreed, not denying anything.
The word hung between them before Sutton gave him her address reluctantly, watching as he entered it into the car¡¯s navigation system.
They drove in silence for a few blocks, raindrops racing each other across the windows, the wipers creating a hypnotic rhythm. Sutton could feel Luca¡¯s gaze flicking to her every so often.
¡°You¡¯re taking the bus every day?¡± he finally asked, disapproval in his voice.
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Chapter 109
¡°Yes. It¡¯s convenient.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not safe.¡±
Sutton turned to face him. ¡°I¡¯ve been taking public transportation my entire life, Luca. It¡¯s perfectly safe.¡±
¡°You weren¡¯t carrying my child before,¡± he pointed out, his knuckles whitening on the steering wheel.
¡°My child¡ our child,¡± she corrected automatically. ¡°And I¡¯m perfectly capable of managing my own transportation.¡±
¡°But you¡¯re pregnant.¡±
¡°Really? I hadn¡¯t noticed. I thought it was just a food baby,¡± she deadpanned, resting a hand on her rounded belly. ¡°Thanks for pointing out my mistake.
Luca made a frustrated sound. ¡°This is no joking matter, Sutton. You shouldn¡¯t be standing on crowded buses or subway tforms. What if someone bumps into you? What if you fall?¡±
¡°What if a meteor strikes Earth tomorrow? What if aliens invade?¡± She shook her head. ¡°I can¡¯t live my life based on what¨Cifs or maybes¡ the world still
goes around.¡±
¡°This isn¡¯t about hypotheticals. It¡¯s about you taking unnecessary risks with the baby.¡±
The baby kicked just then, a strong movement that made Sutton wince. Luca noticed immediately.
¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked, concern recing irritation.
She should have guessed he would notice. ¡°I¡¯m fine. The baby¡¯s just active today.¡± She rubbed I the spot gently. ¡°Probably all the excitement due to my
emotions.¡±
Luca¡¯s expression softened. ¡°May I?¡± he asked, his voice suddenly uncertain, eyes flicking to her belly.
The request caught her off guard. Her instinct was to refuse, to keep that boundary firm. But something in his expression stopped her. The hunger in his eyes. The longing.
¡°Are you kidding? Not while you¡¯re driving,¡± she said.
He nodded, returning his attention to the road, but the tension in the car had shifted.
The feeling made heat raise to Sutton¡¯s cheeks. She turned her head to look out the window so he wouldn¡¯t see. She couldn¡¯t help her body¡¯s need for
him.
¡°I¡¯ll have a car service pick you up and drop you off,¡± Luca said after a moment. ¡°Every morning and night.¡±
And just like that, the moment was gone. Life was like a balloon but one prick and it was gone. God, she felt like she was channeling Keira right now. The only difference is Keira would have said it, not just thought it.
¡°No.¡±
¡°Sutton¡¡±
¡°I said no, Luca. I don¡¯t need a car service. I don¡¯t need you arranging my life for me.¡±
¡°This isn¡¯t about arranging your life. It¡¯s about taking care of
f you and our child.¡±
¡°I¡¯ve been taking care of myself just fine without you, remember?¡± she said, the words sharper than she¡¯d intended. ¡°For months.¡±
Luca¡¯s jaw locked together. ¡°Because I didn¡¯t know where you were.¡±
¡°Because you didn¡¯t believe me,¡± she countered. ¡°Because you called me a liar and a slut and walked out, You threw me away.
2/4
Chapter 109.
Rain pounded against the windshield now, matching the intensity building between them.
¡°I made a mistake,¡± Luca said, his voice tight with restraint. ¡°One I¡¯ve regretted every day since. But I¡¯m here now, and I¡¯m trying to do the right thing
¡°The right thing would be respecting what I want.¡±
¡°Even when those decisions put you at risk?¡±
¡°I¡¯m not at risk!¡± Sutton exploded. ¡°I¡¯m pregnant, not made of ss. Millions of women take public transportation while pregnant. Every single day
¡°But they¡¯re not carrying my child,¡± Luca insisted.
¡°God, you¡¯re impossible,¡± Sutton muttered, rubbing her temples where a headache was forming. ¡°This is exactly why I should just say no to your proposal, too. You think you can just waltz back into my life and start making demands?¡±
¡°I¡¯m not making demands, I¡¯m offering support.¡°,
¡°Support I didn¡¯t ask for!¡±
¡°Because you¡¯re too stubborn to admit you need it! Plus, you are still making me suffer.¡±
The car jerked to a stop in front of her building. Neither moved.
Rain drummed on the roof, Sutton¡¯s chest rose and fell rapidly, her face flushed with anger and something else, something she didn¡¯t want to acknowledge.
¡°I don¡¯t want to fight with you,¡± Luca said finally, his voice softer. ¡°I just want to help.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t need your help. Like I told you, I have been just fine without you,¡± Sutton replied, but the fire had gone out of her words. She was tired. So tired of fighting, of holding everything together alone.
Luca turned to face her. ¡°Maybe you don¡¯t. But I need to give it. Can you understand that? I¡¯ve missed six months of this pregnancy. Six months I can never get back. Let me do this, Sutton. Not because you need it, but because I have to.¡±
Something in his voice, the raw honesty of it, reached past her defenses. She looked at him, really looked, and saw the regret etched in the lines around his eyes, the tension in his shoulders.
¡°I can¡¯t just forget what happened,¡± she said quietly.
¡°I¡¯m not asking you to,¡± Luca replied. ¡°I¡¯m asking for a chance
make up
for it.¡±
The baby kicked again, harder this time, making Sutton gasp.
With ne
she reached for Luca¡¯s hand and ced it on the spot.
His eyes widened as he felt the movement beneath his palm. Something profound crossed his face, emotions she could understand¡ wonder, awe, vulnerability. The emotions so naked she had to look away.
¡°Our baby,¡± his hand warm through her clothes.
Sutton nodded, unable to speak past the lump in her throat. She¡¯d imagined this moment differently, back when they were together. Back when she thought they might just have a future before thatst day in the apartment.
The baby kicked again, right against Luca¡¯s hand, and a smile broke across his
Ads joy spread across his features.
Sutton unbuckled her seatbelt, suddenly needing to get out of the car and away from him¡ this, them and the past.
But as she reached for the door handle, Luca¡¯s hand caught her wrist, gently turning her back toward him. His eyes were dark, intense, fixed on her face like she was the only thing in the world.
¡°Sutton,¡± he said, her name a caress on his lips.
Before she could respond, he pulled her into his arms, his mouth finding hers urgently. The kiss was desperate, hungry, months of longing, not just ha
but hers.
Sutton¡¯s hands came up to push against his chest, a token resistance that melted as his tongue traced the seam of her lips. She¡¯d missed this, missed him more than she wanted to admit. Her body remembered his, responded to his, even as her mind screamed caution.
His hands tangled in her hair, angling her head to deepen the kiss. She made a small sound in the back of her throat. Part surrender, part protest. Luca growled in response, the vibration sending shivers down her spine.
For one breathless moment, the world outside ceased to exist. There was only this his mouth on hers, his hands in her hair, the baby moving between
them.
Reality crashed back in the form of her phone, buzzing insistently in her pocket. Sutton broke the kiss, panting slightly, her lips tingling.
¡°I can¡¯t do this,¡± she whispered, pulling away. ¡°Not again.¡±
Luca¡¯s eyes were dark with desire, his breathing uneven. ¡°Sutton¡¡±
¡°No.¡± She shook her head. ¡°I need¡ time. This is¡ too much, too fast. There may never be another us, Luca. You have to ept that.¡±
He didn¡¯t try to stop her as she opened the door, the cool rain a shock against her heated skin.
¡°The car service,¡± he said as she stepped out. ¡°Just¡ think about it. Please.¡±
Sutton hesitated, before nodding, saying. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡±
She closed the door and hurried toward her building, feeling his eyes on her back the entire way.
Keira: Where are you?
Sutton leaned against the wall. Lifting her hand to touch her fingers to her lips, where she could still feel the pressure of Luca¡¯s kiss. God.
She texted back: Just got home.
Room Mate 110
Chapter 110
The click ck of Nicole¡¯s heels echoed across the Cyber 10 development floor, drawing Sutton¡¯s attention away from her monitor. She knew that woman¡¯s walk anywhere. It was almost angry. Nicole was heading directly for her workstation, fake smile in ce.
¡°Sutton,¡± Nicole said, voice dripping with forced pleasantness. ¡°Luca wants to see you in his office.¡±
¡°Did he say what about?¡± Sutton asked, already saving her work. Afterst night, was he going to push her into this car service? It wasn¡¯t like she ever
went home superte.
¡°No.¡± Nicole¡¯s eyes turned cold. ¡°He wants you there. You shouldn¡¯t be asking why.¡±
Sutton kept her expression neutral. ¡°I¡¯ll head up now. Thanks.¡± Sutton leaned forward and locked herputer. Her code was on the system for her new
virus software. At this stage, she trusted¡ well, no one.
Nicole lingered. ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to ask¡ just how far along are you? Seven months?¡±
¡°Almost seven months. Why?¡± Sutton replied cautiously.
¡°And the father?¡± Nicole¡¯s smile tightened. ¡°Is he in the picture?¡±
¡°That¡¯s personal, and none of your business,¡± Sutton said, standing and gathering her tablet.
Nicole leaned in slightly. ¡°Everything¡¯s personal in apany this size, Sutton. People talk. They wonder how a receptionist with no programming experience suddenly gets moved to development¡ Is the father someone Luca knows?¡±
The implication hung in the air between them.
¡°I have aputer science degree,¡± Sutton said evenly. ¡°And I¡¯m good at my job. That¡¯s all that matters.¡± Sutton¡¯s cheeks heated, knowing the others would be listening. This woman was a ss¨CA bitch.
¡°Yes, but no real work experience, right?¡±
¡°Nicole, go pull that stick out of your ass.¡±
She walked away before Nicole could respond, but heard the stockughter from the other team members. She could feel the woman¡¯s eyes boring into her back. The confrontation left her unsettled, but she refused to show it. She had every right to her job in the development department to let Nicole¡¯s insinuations affect her.
Luca¡¯s office door was open when she arrived, He was on the phone, but motioned for her toe in when he saw her. Sutton took a seat, trying not to notice how good he looked in his well fitting suit, his strong hands as he jotted notes.
¡°That works. Send over the contracts and I¡¯ll review them tonight,¡± he said before ending the call. His eyes found hers immediately. ¡°How are you feeling
today?¡±
It had be his standard greeting since discovering her pregnancy. The genuine concern in his voice made it hard to maintain her emotional walls.
¡°Fine. The baby¡¯s been active.¡± She rested a hand on her belly. ¡°What did you need to see me about?¡±
Luca leaned back in his chair. ¡°Two things. First, Jake mentioned you¡¯ve been helping Roman with some kind of financial investigation at Kingst Industries?¡± Sutton had been sure to let Jake know straight away. So he would tell Luca if Roman hadn¡¯t already. She had been hoping to avoid mung
with him alone.
Sutton tensed. ¡°Is that a problem?¡±
¡°Not at all. In fact, it might be an opportunity.¡± Luca pulled a folder from his desk. ¡°Kingston is one of our biggest clients and Roman is my friend. Let me know if you need anything.¡±
Sutton rxed slightly. ¡°It¡¯s an embezzlement case. ir asked me to look at some financial data patterns, to find out who has been siphoning funds.
¡°Impressive.¡± He sounded genuinely admiring. ¡°Who¡¯s the culprit? Do you know yet?¡±
Sutton nodded. ¡°I just let Roman know. A guy named Dan in their sales department. ir¡¯s ex, actually.¡± Sutton couldn¡¯t help the hint of satisfaction in her voice. ¡°And a woman in ounting who¡¯s been helping him hide the transactions. I¡hmm hacked their phones. They are having an affair.¡±
¡°Charming,¡± Luca said dryly. ¡°Will Roman press charges?¡± He didn¡¯t say anything about her hacking.
¡°ir says he ns to. They¡¯re confronting Dan and the woman tomorrow.¡±
Luca nodded. ¡°Good. But this raises arger question about their security protocols. I¡¯d like you to prepare a proposal for an enhanced security audit for Kingston. Your insights would be valuable, given your familiarity with their systems.¡±
Sutton blinked in surprise. ¡°You want me to lead a project for Kingston?¡±
¡°Yes. Unless you don¡¯t feel ready?¡±
¡°No, I¨CI can handle it,¡± she said quickly. The opportunity was too good to pass up, even if it meant working more closely with Luca.
¡°Excellent.¡± Luca slid the folder across his desk. ¡°These are the current security parameters we have for them. Review them. Let me know what you think.¡±
Sutton took the folder, fingers brushing his momentarily. The brief contact sent a familiar spark through her that she tried desperately to ignore.
¡°You said there were two things?¡± she prompted, eager to finish this meeting before her traitorous body betrayed her further.
¡°When is your next doctor¡¯s appointment?¡±
Sutton could guess where this was going and wasn¡¯t sure how she felt about him going with her. ¡°Next week. What about it?¡± she asked carefully.
¡°I¡¯d like to be there,¡± he said simply. ¡°If you¡¯ll allow it.¡±
¡°I¡¡± Sutton hesitated. Having him at the appointment would make this all so much more real. More intimate. When she was trying to keep her distance. ¡°It¡¯s on Thursday at two.¡± naming the clinic.
ˇ
Relief washed over his features. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll clear my schedule.¡±
The baby always seemed to know when she was near Luca because it gave a kick to her side. She didn¡¯t know how she was going to put up with this kicking as the baby got bigger. Something must have showed on her face.
Because Luca was immediately alert. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±
¡°Nothing. Just a kick.¡± She smiled despite herself. ¡°This one¡¯s going to be a ser yer.¡±
Without thinking, she rubbed the spot where the baby had kicked. Luca¡¯s eyes tracked the movement, longing evident in his gaze.
Luca rose and came around the desk, kneeling beside her chair. Slowly, giving her every opportunity to tell him to stop, he ced his hand on her belly.
For several seconds, nothing happened. Then the baby kicked again, right against his palm.
¡°That¡¯s some kick.¡±
¡°Yeah,¡± she agreed, her voice a little breathless/ ¡°Happens all the time now. Especially at night when I¡¯m trying to sleep.¡± Or when his daddy was around.
But Sutton didn¡¯t add that.
Luca chuckled, his hand still warm against her belly. ¡°Feisty,¡±
¡°I¡¯m not feisty,¡± she protested. She was, mostly very even¨Ctempered. Keira was the feisty one¡ Roman called her scary. feeling sorry for any man that
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39 Tue, 1 JurGO
ends up with her. Saying the poor man would need a whip and chait
His smile was knowing. ¡°You are feisty, Sutton Warner. It¡¯s one of the things!
He stopped abruptly, but Sutton could fill in the nk. One of the things he loved about her, the unfinished sentiment hung in the air between thent. But
it wasn¡¯t true. He didn¡¯t love her. Because you don¡¯t discard someone you love live he had to her.
Sutton shifted, breaking the moment. Luca withdrew his hand and stood, moving back behind his desk.
¡°I should get back to work,¡± she said, rising awkwardly, with the folder clutched to her chest.
¡°Of course.¡± His professional demeanor slipped back into ce, though his eyes remained warm. ¡°Let me know if you have any questions about the Kingston proposal.¡±
As Sutton headed back to her desk, her phone buzzed with a text from ir.
ir: Need a dress for the wedding. Emergency shopping expedition after work tomorrow. Bringing Keira. No excuses.
Despite her emotional turmoil, Sutton smiled. Leave it to ir to wait until thest possible minute to find a wedding dress.
Sutton: You¡¯re getting married this weekend. How do you not have a dress?
ir: Been busy catching embezzlers and murderous uncles. You know, the usual.
Sutton: Fair point. I¡¯ll be there.
Back at her desk, Sutton tried to focus on the file Luca had given her, but her thoughts kept drifting. Between helping ir with the embezzlement case. preparing for the baby, and navigating herplicated feelings for Luca, she felt pulled in too many directions at once. Hopefully, by next week, things would settle down.
And now she¡¯d agreed to let hime to her doctor¡¯s appointment. To let him touch her belly. The boundaries she¡¯d so carefully maintained were starting to blur, and that terrified her.
Because despite everything, the cruel words he¡¯d spoken, the rejection, the pain she¡¯d endured alone, but her heart still leapt when he looked at her with those dark, intent eyes. Still warmed at his genuine wonder when he felt their baby move.
She couldn¡¯t afford to fall for him again. Not when she had a child to protect. Not when she still wasn¡¯t sure she could trust him.
With everything else going on she had forgotten to let Luca know about Nicole.
Room Mate 111
Chapter 111
Sutton sat in ir¡¯s car on the way to some bridal dress shop with her sisters.
¡°We¡¯re almost there,¡± ir said, ncing over at her. ¡°You okay?¡±
¡°Fine,¡± Sutton assured her, though she was exhausted.
Between helping ir investigate the embezzlement at Kingston Industries, her new programming role at Cyber10, and the project Luca had just thrown at her, she¡¯d barely had time to rest.
But it was still so much better than herst role at Cyber 10. She¡¯d been this close to stabbing herself in the eye¨Cwell, not herself, because that might¡¯ve harmed the baby. Now Nicole? That was a different story. God, one¡¯s imagination was a beautiful thing.
In the backseat, Keira leaned forward. ¡°I still think it¡¯s a girl. She¡¯s going to be brilliant and beautiful like her mother.¡±
Sutton grinned. ¡°What do you want?¡±
The question made Keiraugh. ¡°Nothing yet.¡±
When ir parked in front of Be¡¯s Bridal Boutique, Sutton took a deep breath, preparing for the effort of extracting herself from the car.
¡°I still can¡¯t believe we¡¯re doing this,¡± ir said, stepping out of the car first. ¡°The wedding is this weekend. Shouldn¡¯t we have done this months ago?¡±
Sutton carefully maneuvered herself out of the car. She was finding it more difficult every day to do things like¡ just standing up.
¡°Most people, yes. But most people don¡¯t get engaged, catch an embezzler, confront a jealous ex¨Cwife, expose a murderous uncle, and get ready to take over a family business all within the span of a few weeks.¡± Sutton grinned at ir.
Her sister¡¯s whirlwind romance with Roman Kingston had shocked them, but Sutton had never seen ir happier. After everything they¡¯d been through, learning the truth about their parents¡® deaths and their uncle¡¯s betrayal¡ ir deserved this happiness.
Sutton had taken the day off as leave so she could be with ir today. Luca had sent her a message this morning to see if she was ok. He must¡¯ve gotten her phone number from her file because she hadn¡¯t given it to him.
They followed ir inside. The boutique was elegant, all cream and blush tones with pretty skinny waist dresses, that made Sutton feel suddenly self- conscious in her practical maternity dress. Sophia, the boutique owner, greeted them warmly, unsurprised by theirst¨Cminute request.
¡°We specialize in miracles,¡± Sophia assured them with a professional smile.
That¡¯s when the boutique door chimed. She turned automatically, then froze.
Luca. Standing in the doorway, tall and impossibly handsome in a tailored suit, his dark eyes finding hers immediately.
¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said quickly. ¡°I just wanted¡ I was just dropping something off.¡±
Sutton¡¯s face heated. What was he doing here? Had he followed her? Her hand instinctively moved to her belly.
ir nced at her, clearly sensing her tension, The room had gone awkwardly silent.
¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Sutton managed, keeping her voice neutral. ¡°We¡¯re just helping ir find a wedding dress.¡±
Luca¡¯s expression softened, his eyes dropping briefly to her stomach. ¡°I wanted to see if you were okay¡ you didn¡¯t return my text.¡± Handing her a small box.
That exined his presence. He¡¯d been checking on her when she hadn¡¯t responded to his text. She really didn¡¯t know how she felt about that.
Sutton looked down at the box he¡¯d given her. It was small but surprisingly heavy. She wasn¡¯t opening it with everyone watching.
Keira cleared her throat loudly, breaking the tension. ¡°Sol Wedding dresses! Let¡¯s see some options!¡±
As Sophia guided them deeper into the boutique, Sutton heard Luca saying he should leave, though he made no move toward the door.
¡°Actually,¡± ir surprised her by saying, ¡°why don¡¯t you stay, Luca? Give us a man¡¯s perspective?¡±
Sutton caught the meaningful look Keira shot ir. Her younger sister was still firmly in the anti¨CLuca camp. But when Luca nced at her, clearly seeking permission, Sutton found herself nodding.
¡°It¡¯s fine. Stay if you want.¡±
Why had she agreed? She should want him gone. Instead, some treacherous part of her was d for his presence. This was not good.
Luca hadn¡¯t nned on hunting Sutton and her sisters down today. He just wanted to make sure she was ok. When she hadn¡¯t replied to his text. He had asked Roman what store ir was getting her dress from. Sutton didn¡¯t trust him and he didn¡¯t me her. I needed to be in her orbit to change her mind. She wanted to push him away. He understood.
Something hadpelled Luca to create an excuse to be there. The small package in his hand¡ a small nt pot with an arrangement of sulents for her desk at work. In a pot no bigger than ten centimeters.
Now, standing in the elegant boutique with three pairs of female eyes regarding him with varying degrees of suspicion, he realized how desperate his
action must seem.
¡°I should go,¡± he said, though leaving was thest thing he wanted.
When ir invited him to stay, he couldn¡¯t mask his surprise or his hope. ir had every reason to hate him after what he¡¯d done to her sister. The fact that she was extending this olive branch meant a lot.
But it was Sutton¡¯s quiet ¡°It¡¯s fine¡± that made his heart race. He¡¯d take any opportunity to be near her, even if it meant enduring Keira¡¯s res. They hadn¡¯t been introduced but he know details about her family now.
He couldn¡¯t help but breathe her in. He missed her, and he hadn¡¯t realized how much until she was gone. But if he told her that now¡ she wouldn¡¯t
believe him.
Because of how he had ended things. He had been cruel, believing for them both it was better and then he had thought she had cheated he had seen red. So now she would believe he was saying it for the baby. Somehow, he had to show her he cared for her.
Her dark blonde hair fell in gentle waves past her shoulders, and her blue eyes, though cautious when they met his, still made his chest tighten. Blue or green¨Cdidn¡¯t matter.
¡°How are things going with the project I gave you?¡± he asked while ir was changing dresses.
¡°Good,¡± Sutton replied. ¡°I¡¯m¡ actually enjoying everything about my new role. Thank you for that.¡±
Moving her from reception to the programming department had been an easy decision once he¡¯d learned about herputer science background. The hard part had been doing it in a way that wouldn¡¯t make her feel like she was receiving special treatment.
¡°You earned it,¡± he told her truthfully. ¡°Jake says you¡¯re brilliant.¡±
Sutton blushed, the pink in her cheeks making his fingers itch to touch her. It reminded him of her flushed face as he would drive into h shifted on the lounge, his pants way too tight.
¡°He is just being kind.¡±- y. Luca
¡°No, he is being honest.¡± He couldn¡¯t keep the admiration from his voice. ¡°You have a real talent, Sutton. I¡¯m d you¡¯re finally getting to use it. This new program of yours will change thendscape of virus protection. It¡¯s going to set the bar.¡±
ir emerged then in a dress that silenced the room. Even Luca, who knew little about wedding fashion, could see it was perfect¨Celegant, timeless, and quintessentially ir.
¡°Oh,¡± Keira breathed. ¡°That¡¯s it.¡±
Sutton nodded, her eyes misty. ¡°ir, you look beautiful.¡±
Watching Sutton¡¯s emotional reaction, Luca felt like an intruder witnessing something intimate and precious. These sisters had been through so much together. Their bond was unbreakable, forged through tragedy and triumph. He had only found out how much from Roman¡ Sutton hadn¡¯t told him a thing. Because she didn¡¯t feel close to him and didn¡¯t trust him. But that would change. If it thest thing he did, he would show her.
was
If he hadn¡¯t been so lucky as to find her, at least he know his child would have been taken care of. The Warner sisters really were there for each other.
¡°What do you think?¡± Sophia asked, adjusting the dress¡¯s train.
ir turned to the mirror, visibly moved. ¡°I think¡ I think this is the one.¡±
¡°Roman¡¯s going to lose his mind,¡± Keira dered. ¡°In the best way possible.¡±
Luca cleared his throat. ¡°It¡¯s perfect, ir. Truly.¡± Thinking Roman was a lucky man to have found his happiness.
ir smiled at him through the mirror, a smile. A small one. But it gave him hope.
As Sophia took ir to change, Keira surprisingly ended up talking to him. Up until now, she had been giving him the cold shoulder.
Roman had warned him he was going to struggle to bring Keira around. She was the youngest of the sisters, but the scariest.
They talked about the wedding. Sutton joined in, her initial tension gradually easing.
When it was time to leave, Luca knew he should simply say goodbye. He¡¯d already pushed his luck by staying this long. He really didn¡¯t want to piss Sutton off. But as they stood outside the boutique, Sutton¡¯s profile against the sun made his chest ache with longing. Oh.. he wanted her. But he needed to be around her for her to see things his way.
¡°I should get back to work,¡± he said reluctantly. ¡°But it was nice seeing all of you.¡±
¡±
¡°You too,¡± ir replied.
Before he could lose his nerve, Luca turned to Sutton. ¡°Would you¡ would you like to get dinner sometime next week? To discuss the baby? We still have a lot to figure out.¡± It was an excuse he wanted to be with her but he would use every mean necessary to bring them back together.
He held his breath as she considered, worrying his request was too much, too soon.
Sutton bit her lip, a gesture that sent his heart racing. ¡°Okay. Monday night? There¡¯s a ce near our apartment¡nothing fancy, but the food is good.¡±
Relief and joy surged through him so intensely he couldn¡¯t contain his smile. ¡°Sounds perfect, I¡¯ll pick you up at seven?¡±
¡°Seven works.¡±
As he walked to his car, Luca felt lighter than he had in months. She¡¯d agreed to dinner.
She¡¯d let him stay today when she could¡¯ve sent him packing.
Small steps, but in the right direction.
He nced back to see the sisters talking, Sutton watching his departure.
Monday at seven pm. He had the wedding this weekend to be near her. Sutton didn¡¯t know it yet, but she would be his wife before the baby was born. He
had told her he wanted to marry, but it was more than that. He had to have her, not just the baby.
As he drove away, He would earn his ce in their lives no matter how dirty he had to y.
Room Mate 112
Chapter 112
Sutton stood in the development team¡¯s kitchen on Monday morning, waiting for the kettle to boil. She needed a cup of tea. Saturday had been ir and Roman¡¯s wedding. She had done her best to keep her distance from Luca. He had hurt her so badly the first time around, and the wasn¡¯t sure she could deal with that kind of hurt again.
She had loved¡ No, she needed to be honest with herself. She loved him¡ as in still did. That was the problem with love. Your couldn¡¯t turn it off like a tap. So she needed to protect herself and her baby.
And tonight she had agreed to have dinner with him. He had said to discuss the baby. But there were other questions he was still waiting for answere on¡ One being the car service and the second his proposal of marriage. She was thinking of epting one, but the other¡ his proposal. That wasn¡¯t something she could even think about.
She pressed a hand to her lower back. Her bnce was off. Having a ser ball strapped to your belly all the time had really thrown off her center of gravity. She couldn¡¯t do a model walk if her life depended on it.
The baby had been restless all morning, probably picking up on her tension about ir¡¯s wedding this weekend. Luca hadn¡¯t done anything, but his being there and watching her had increased her internal tension¡ That¡¯s what the baby had picked up on.
¡°Need help with that?¡± Luca¡¯s voice behind her made her jump, nearly knocking over her mug.
¡°Shit.¡± She hadn¡¯t heard him approach.
It felt like her thoughts had manifested him before her. She wondered if she could think about him leaving. Would that work just as well? She didn¡¯t need any gossip at the office.
¡°I¡¯ve got it,¡± she said, not turning around.
He moved beside her anyway, close enough that she could feel his heat, smell him. His arm brushed hers as he reached past her for the coffee. Why was he having coffee here?
¡°How¡¯s the Kingston security proposaling?¡± he asked, his voice low.
Sutton focused on breathing. ¡°Good. I¡¯ve identified several vulnerabilities in their financial systems that made the embezzlement possible.*
¡°Jake says you¡¯re making impressive progress.¡±
¡°Jake talks too much. He is a sweetie.¡±
Luca chuckled, the sound sliding down her spine like warm honey. ¡°He¡¯s impressed. So am I.¡±
She risked a nce up at him. Mistake. His eyes were dark, intense, fixed on her face.
¡°Are we still on for dinner tonight?¡± he asked quietly. ¡°To discuss the baby?¡±
Sutton looked outside the room to make sure no one was listening to them.
¡°Shh¡ Yes,¡± she said, keeping her voice low so no one would hear them. ¡°It¡¯s just about the baby, right?¡±
¡°Of course.¡± His eyes dropped briefly to her lips. ¡°Unless you want to talk about or do something else.¡±
¡°Luca.¡± Sutton cleared her throat. ¡°I can¡¯t¡¡± She trailed off because she could very easily, but that was her body talking, not her brain.
Want to at least focus on the baby¡ yes, I want more, Sutton. I¡¯d be lying if I said otherwise,¡± Luca said.
Before she could respond, her phone chimed with an alert. She checked it, grateful for the interruption.
¡°Shit,¡± she muttered, scanning the notification.
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¡°What is it?¡±
¡°Server anomalies, Multiple instances, Clustered in the financial database at Kingston¡¯s¡± she moved quickly to the door, Luca right behind har
¡°Virus?¡±
¡°Too early to tell. But the pattern¡¯s suspicious.¡±
They hurried out of the kitchen, her tea forgotten, where several team members were already gathered around Elliott¡¯sputer, faces terse
¡°What have we got?¡± Sutton asked, stepping into their circle.
¡°Data requests spiking on the client server,¡± Elliott said. ¡°Memory usage through the roof. Started about two
minutes ago.¡±
¡°Let me see.¡± She leaned forward, scanning the logs scrolling across his screen.
Luca was good at all things tech, but he was the business mind, and he didn¡¯t have their level ofputer skills. So he stood back and watched. ¡°Wha do we have?¡±
Sutton¡¯s focus was on the screen. ¡°This looks like the early stage of a worm. Replicating throughwork protocols, building backdoors, I wonder if they set this up to cover their tracks.¡± Sutton was thinking maybe Dan had done this, so if it went to court, there would be no proof of what he had done. He must have got someone internally to activate the virus by opening a file or following a link. Was it someone else he was sleeping with? The man really was a dog. But he wasn¡¯t smart enough to create a virus he could have paid for one.
¡°From where?¡± Luca asked.
¡°Internal, most likely. Someone opened a malicious file.¡± She straightened, moving to her own workstation with Luca right behind her.
¡°What do we do?¡±
¡°I need to deploy the prototype.¡± She logged in quickly, pulling up her virus detection system. ¡°It¡¯s not fully tested, but it¡¯s the best shot we have. I will not let anything happen to Kingstons.¡± Roman and ir had gone away for a few days. They didn¡¯t need this ruining their honeymoon.
The development team had gathered around now, watching as her fingers flew across the keyboard. Nicole appeared at the edge of the group, eyes narrowed.
¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± she demanded.
¡°Possible security breach at Kingstons,¡± Luca answered without looking at her. ¡°Sutton¡¯s handling it.¡±
Nicole¡¯s face tightened. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t one of the seasoned techs handle it? This seems beyond a junior developer¡¯s expertise.¡±
Sutton ignored her, focusing on deploying her code. Luca stood close. She ignored everyone. She couldn¡¯t be distracted.
¡°There,¡± Sutton said finally, hitting enter. ¡°The system¡¯s scanning now. It¡¯ll iste the malicious code and contain it before it can spread.¡±
They all watched as her program ran, identifying the virus and systematically blocking its replication paths.
¡°It¡¯s working,¡± Elliott said, sounding surprised.
Sutton nodded, still tense. ¡°Notpletely. The virus has already established some backdoors. I need to close them manually.¡±
¡°How long will that take?¡± Luca asked.
Hours, maybe. I need to trace every possible ess point.¡±
¡°Do you need anything?¡± he said immediately..
Their eyes met for a moment as Sutton turned bact
to her station.
2/4
¡°Luca, you don¡¯t have time for this. Let the rest of the team support he?? Nicole cuf in. ¡°You have a meeting in fifteen minutes?
Sulton turned back to look at him¡ waiting.
¡°Reschedule it,¡± he said, without breaking eye contact with Sutton.
Nicole¡¯s mouth tightened into a thin line. ¡°That¡¯s not possible. This isn¡¯t some Teams meeting. They are flying in to meet you.
¡°Then handle it for me,¡± Luca said, his tone making it clear the discussion was over. ¡°Think anypany wanting to use Cyber10 or any of my businesses would like to know that during a crisis, I¡¯m helping to fix it. Not just sitting calmly in a meeting.¡±
Sutton turned back to her screen, trying to ignore the tension crackling in the air. ¡°I can do this alone,¡± Sutton said, hoping to break the tension.
¡°I know you can,¡± Luca said quietly. ¡°I¡¯m not interfering. This is for support. What sort of boss would I be if I just left you all to it?¡±
Hourster, they were still working. The office had emptied, the other developers gone home, leaving them alone in the glow of theputer screens.
Sutton rolled her shoulders, trying to ease the stiffness. ¡°Almost done. Just need to clean up thesest few traces.¡±
Luca stood behind her, watching her work. He¡¯d removed his jacket hours ago, rolled up his sleeves. The sight of his forearms, tanned and muscr, had been distracting her all evening.
¡°You¡¯re incredible,¡± he said softly. ¡°The way your mind works. How you see patterns no one else does.¡±
Heat rose in her cheeks. ¡°It¡¯s just coding.¡±
¡°No, it¡¯s more than that.¡± He moved closer, his handing to rest on the back of her chair. ¡°You saved Kingston¡¯s millions today.¡±
She typed the finalmand, watching as her programpleted its cleanup. ¡°There. That should do it.¡±
When she turned in her chair, he was right there, barely a breath away. The office was silent except for the hum ofputers and their breathing.
¡°Sutton,¡± he said, just her name.
She stood, needing to put distance between them, but her pregnant belly bumped against him in the confined space. His hands came up to steady her, gripping her waist.
Time seemed to stop. His thumbs moved in small circles against her sides, soothing and arousing at once. She should pull away. She knew she should.
Instead, she swayed toward him. ¡°We can¡¯t,¡± she whispered, even as her body betrayed her words.
¡°I know,¡± he replied, but his eyes dropped to her mouth. She saw the desire in his eyes.
The moment shattered as Nicole¡¯s voice came from the doorway. ¡°Luca? Are you still here?¡±
They broke apart as Nicole crossed the floor toward them. Sutton turned back to herputer, face burning.
¡°The virus is contained,¡± Luca said, his voice remarkably steady. ¡°Sutton¡¯s system worked perfectly.¡±
Nicole¡¯s eyes flicked between them, taking in their proximity, the tension in the air. ¡°How¡ fortunate. I was able to reschedule that meeting for 8 a.m. tomorrow morning.¡±
¡°Fine,¡± Luca said. ¡°We¡¯re done here, anyway.¡±
Sutton began gathering her things, avoiding Nicole¡¯s re.
¡°I¡¯ll drive you home,¡± Luca said.
¡°That¡¯s not ¡± Sutton began.
07:32 Fri, 4 Jul 0
Fri, 4 Jul
¡°I insist.¡± His tone left no room for argument. ¡°It¡¯ste.¡±
Nicole¡¯s smile was brittle. ¡°How chivalrous. But I need to brief you on the meeting, Luca. I can call Sutton a car.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll drive her,¡± Luca repeated firmly. ¡°Send anything you have for me to review to my email.¡± Before walking Sutton out.
In the parking garage, the silence between them was heavy. Luca opened the passenger door for her, his hand brushing hers as she got in.
The drive was quiet, tension building with every mile. When they reached her building, Luca parked but didn¡¯t turn off the engine.
¡°Thank you,¡± Sutton said. ¡°For today.¡±
¡°You did all the work.¡±
¡°You stayed. You didn¡¯t have to.¡±
His eyes found hers in the dim light. ¡°So much for dinner tonight.¡±
Suttonughed, ¡°We still ate.¡±
¡°Delivered pizza wasn¡¯t what I had in mind. Let¡¯s try again for tomorrow. I¡¯ll book somewhere public, promise.¡±
She nodded, reaching for the door handle. ¡°Goodnight, Luca.¡±
His hand caught hers. ¡°Sutton, wait.¡±
The warmth of his fingers around hers sent electricity up her arm. She turned back.
¡°I¡¯ll pick you up at seven tomorrow.¡±
Sutton didn¡¯t think that¡¯s what he nned to say, but she nodded, slipping from his grasp and out of the car. As she walked to her building. What was she doing? She¡¯d nearly kissed him tonight. If Nicole hadn¡¯t interrupted¡
If she wasn¡¯t careful, people at the office would get the wrong idea. She wanted to prove herself and her virus software before anyone questioned how she had gotten the job.
Room Mate 113
Chapter 113
¡°You¡¯re seriously going to dinner with him?¡± Keira demanded, sprawled across Sutton¡¯s bed while Sutton tried on her third outfit. ¡°After everything he did to you?¡±
¡°It¡¯s just to discuss the baby,¡± Sutton replied, smoothing the ck wrap dress over her bump. ¡°ns for when he or she arrives. It¡¯s practical.¡±
¡°Bullshit.¡± Keira sat up. ¡°You¡¯re still hot for him.¡±
¡°I am not.¡±
¡°Your face says otherwise.¡± Keira grinned. ¡°Plus, you¡¯ve changed clothes three times for this ¡®practical¡® dinner.¡±
Sutton sighed, turning sideways to examine her reflection. The dress hugged her curves in all the right ces, making her pregnant belly look elegant.
rather than cumbersome.
¡°It¡¯s¡ well,plicated, Keira.¡±
¡°No shit.¡± Keira flopped back on the bed. ¡°He called you terrible names, used you of cheating, pushed you away. But he¡¯s hot, and you still want to
climb him like a tree.¡±
¡°I do not!¡± Sutton protested, but the heat rising in her cheeks betrayed her.
¡°Look,¡± Keira said, her tone softening slightly, ¡°I get it. He¡¯s trying. ir says Roman vouches for him. And at the bridal shopst week, he looked at you like you hung the moon.¡±
¡°He did not,¡± Sutton muttered, though she¡¯d noticed his gaze following her.
¡°Whatever you say. Just be careful, okay? You¡¯re my big sister. I don¡¯t want to see you hurt again.¡±
¡°I know what I¡¯m doing,¡± Sutton insisted, though she wasn¡¯t entirely convinced herself.
The doorbell rang, making Sutton jump. ¡°He¡¯s early.¡±
¡°Of course he is.¡± Keira rolled her eyes.
Sutton opened the front door to find Luca standing there, looking so gorgeous it made it hard to remember why she should keep her distance. His eyes darkened as they swept over her, lingering on the way the dress hugged her curves.
¡°You look beautiful,¡± he said, his voice low.
¡°Thanks.¡± She grabbed her purse, trying to ignore the flutter in her stomach that had nothing to do with the baby. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±
Keira appeared behind her. ¡°Have her home at a reasonable hour. She needs her beauty sleep.¡±
Luca nodded solemnly. ¡°I¡¯ll take good care of her.¡±
¡°You better,¡± Keira replied, the threat implicit. ¡°I know where you work.¡±
Sutton shot her sister a warning look before stepping into the hallway.
He ced his hand at the small of her back as they walked to the elevator, the heat of his palm burning through the thin fabric of her dress. Every nerve in her body was very aware of him.
In the elevator, they stood on opposite sides, the small space suddenly feeling too intimate. Luca¡¯s eyes never left her face.
¡°Where are we going?¡± she asked, needing to break the silence.
1/4
11:27 Sat, 5 Jul G
¡°Osteria. I have a private room reserved.¡±
¡°I thought we agreed on somewhere public,¡± she said, frowning. She worried about her control somewhere private.
¡°It is public. The restaurant will be full. But I thought you might be morefortable somewhere we can talk without being overheard.¡±
The doors opened, and they stepped out into the lobby. Through the ss doors, Sutton could see his car waiting¨Cck, sleek, and expensive. She was
so not a car person, so she had no idea of the model. Now give her aputer¡ that was a different story.
It was only as they stepped outside that she realized there was a driver.
¡°I can send the driver away if you prefer,¡± Luca offered, reading her hesitation. ¡°We could walk. The restaurant is only a few blocks.¡±
The gesture surprised her. ¡°No, the car is fine.¡± Sutton let Luca help her into the car. He closed her door and then got in on the other side¡.
The restaurant was indeed busy, but the ma?tre d¡® led them through to a small private dining room with windows overlooking the main space. Candles flickered on the table, roses arranged in a low centerpiece.
¡°This looks more like a date than a practical dinner,¡± Sutton observed as Luca held her chair.
He sat across from her, his eyes never leaving hers. ¡°Would that be so terrible?¡±
Yes, she wanted to say. Because I don¡¯t trust you yet. Because you broke my heart once already.
Instead, she picked up the menu. ¡°Let¡¯s just keep it simple.¡±
They ordered, the waiter pouring sparkling water for Sutton and wine for Luca. When they were alone again, Luca leaned forward.
¡°I meant what I said the other night. What you did was incredible. The virus you contained could have cost Kingston millions.¡±
¡°I was just doing my job.¡±
¡°No, you went above and beyond. The system you built¡ it¡¯s revolutionary.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not ready yet.¡±
Luca studied her for a moment. ¡°I know, but after it worked so well on the Kingston system¡ at least it¡¯s been tested.¡±
Sutton could see he was struggling with switching between work and the reason they were here tonight. ¡°How good I am at Cyber10 isn¡¯t the reason we¡¯re here tonight.¡±
Luca looked at her for a moment. ¡°I know you don¡¯t trust me.¡±
¡°Can you me me?¡±
¡°No.¡± He looked down at his wine. ¡°But I¡¯m trying to make it right, Sutton.¡±
¡°Some things can¡¯t be fixed with money or job promotions, Luca.¡±
¡°I know that.¡± He reached across the table, his fingers brushing hers. ¡°But I have to start somewhere.¡±
The touch sent electricity racing up her arm. She pulled back, needing distance to think clearly.
¡°Let¡¯s talk about the baby,¡± she said. ¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯re here, right?¡±
Luca nodded, though disappointment flickered in his eyes. ¡°Right. Have you thought about birth ns? Where you want to deliver?¡±
The conversation shifted to practical matters¨Cdoctors, hospitals, preparations for the baby¡¯s arrival, It was safer territory, though still intimate in its own way. He was stilling to her appointment this week.
2/4
Their food arrived, and they ate while Sutton told him about the names she had yed around with for the baby.
¡°I want to be there,¡± Luca said suddenly. ¡°For the birth.¡±
Sutton looked up from her pasta, caught off guard. ¡°I haven¡¯t thought about that.¡±
¡°I understand if you don¡¯t want me in the delivery room,¡± he continued. ¡°But I¡¯d like to be at the hospital. To see the baby as soon as possible.
The raw honesty in his voice made her chest tighten. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡± She was the one pushing
him away now.
As they finished their meal, Luca ordered dessert, though Sutton protested she was full.
¡°The chocte souffl¨¦ here is exceptional,¡± he insisted. ¡°And you¡¯re eating for two.¡±
¡°You know that¡¯s an old wives¡® tale, right?¡± She rolled her eyes but didn¡¯t argue further. When the souffl¨¦ arrived, steam rising from its perfect dome, Luca pushed it toward her.
¡°Try it.¡±
She took a small bite, closing her eyes as the rich chocte melted on her tongue. ¡°Mmm.¡±
When she opened her eyes, Luca was watching her, his gaze heated. ¡°Good?¡±
¡°Very.¡± Her voice came out huskier than she intended.
He reached across the table, his thumb brushing the corner of her mouth. ¡°You had chocte¡¡±
His touch lingered, and Sutton found herself leaning into it slightly. The air between them thickened.
¡°Sutton,¡± he murmured, his voice dropping¡
Her heart rate picked up¡ she wanted him, and just his voice was enough to remember how good it was between them.
¡°I¡ I just can¡¯t make the mistake of loving you again, Luca¡ If it happens, it¡¯s going to take time.¡± She was lying to him and herself.
Luca stood, moving around the table to kneel beside her chair. ¡°May 17¡± gesturing to her belly.
She nodded, not trusting her voice. He ced his hand gently on her belly, waiting. When the baby kicked again, his face lit up with wonder.
¡°That¡¯s incredible,¡± he whispered.
¡°He or she has been extra activetely. They say it¡¯s normal.¡±
¡°Hello in there,¡± Luca said softly to her belly. ¡°It¡¯s your papa.¡±
The simple words, the tenderness in his voice, made tears spring to Sutton¡¯s eyes. This was what she¡¯d imagined when she first learned she was pregnant ¨Cwith Luca beside her, sharing the joy and wonder of their child.
He looked up, catching her expression, the tears in her eyes. ¡°Sutton?¡±
She blinked rapidly. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Hormones.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not nothing.¡± His hand moved from her belly to cup her cheek. ¡°Talk to me.¡±
¡°I just¡¡± She swallowed hard. ¡°This is what I wanted. Before.¡±
Understanding filled his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I wasn¡¯t there.¡±
I wasn¡¯t
He was still kneeling beside her, his face tilted up to hers. It would be so easy to lean down, to close the distance between them.
3/4
QUE
Chapter 113.
As if reading her thoughts, Luca rose slightly, his faceing closer to hers. She could feel his breath on her lips, see the flecks of gold in his dark eyes.
¡°Sutton,¡± he whispered, ¡°I want to kiss you again.¡±
She should say no. She should keep that boundary firm. But her body had other ideas.
¡°Yes,¡± she breathed.
¤¿
His lips brushed hers, gently at first. A question. When she didn¡¯t pull away, he deepened the kiss, his hand sliding into her hair.
Sutton¡¯s mind went nk. There was only sensation¨Chis mouth on hers, his scent surrounding her, the baby moving between them.
She was the first to break away, breathless. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t.¡±
¡°Why not?¡± His voice was rough with desire.
¡°Because I don¡¯t trust you yet. I can¡¯t¡¡± The words hurt to say, but they were true. ¡°And I won¡¯t sleep with someone I don¡¯t trust.¡±
Luca¡¯s jaw tightened, but he nodded. ¡°I understand.¡±
He moved back to his seat, the distance between them suddenly vast.
¡°I should get home,¡± Sutton said, unable to meet his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte.¡±
¡°Of course.¡± He signaled for the check.
The drive back to her apartment was silent, thick with unresolved tension. When they arrived, Luca insisted on walking her to her door.
In the hallway outside her apartment, he stopped. ¡°Thank you foring tonight.¡±
¡°Thank you for dinner.¡±
They stood awkwardly, neither quite ready to say goodnight.
¡°Sutton,¡± Luca began, ¡°I meant what I said. I¡¯m not going anywhere. I¡¯ll wait as long as it takes to earn your trust again.¡±
Before she could respond, her phone rang. She pulled it from her purse, frowning at the screen. ¡°It¡¯s Jake from the office.¡±
¡°At this hour?¡±
She answered, concern rising as she listened. ¡°When? ¡ How bad? ¡ Yes, I¡¯ll be right there.¡±
She hung up, her face pale. ¡°We need to go back to the office. Now.¡±
¡°What happened?¡±
¡°The virus is back. Worse than before. It¡¯s taken down the entire client database.¡±
Luca
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Room Mate 114
Chapter 114
The Cyber10 office was in an uproar barely controlled panic.
When
they arrived. Jake met them at the elevator on the development floor, his usually calm demeanor reced by
¡°It¡¯s worse than I thought,¡± he said, falling into step beside them. ¡°The virus bypassed all our security protocols. It¡¯s like it knew exactly where the vulnerabilities were.¡±
¡°Because it did,¡± Sutton said grimly, moving as quickly as her pregnant body would allow. ¡°I have a feeling the first attack was reconnaissance. This is the real assault.¡±
Luca¡¯s hand remained at the small of her back, steadying and protective as they hurried to her station. ¡°What data has beenpromised?¡±
¡°Everything,¡± Jake replied. ¡°Kingston¡¯s client databases, project files, even our backup systems. It¡¯s spreading faster than we can track it.¡±
The development room was crowded with bleary¨Ceyed staff called in from their homes. Elliott sat hunched over his keyboard, face pale with exhaustion. Nicole stood nearby, arms crossed tightly, watching the activity with barely concealed fury.
¡°About time,¡± she snapped when she spotted them. ¡°This is all your fault, Sutton.¡±
Luca¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°That¡¯s enough, Nicole.¡±
Sutton ignored them both, moving straight to her workstation. She sat down and began typing immediately.
¡°I need ess to the kernel logs,¡± she said to Elliott. ¡°And someone get me thework traffic data from when the attack started.¡±
For the next hour, Sutton worked inplete focus, barely speaking except to request information or issue instructions. Luca stayed close, filtering questions, bringing her water, creating a buffer between her and the increasing tension in the room.
¡°It¡¯s definitely targeted,¡± she said finally, looking up from her screen. ¡°Someone uninstalled my Ai virus detection program from the Kingston system.¡±
¡°Who would do that?¡± Elliott asked.
Sutton nced at Luca, a silentmunication passing between them. ¡°I have an idea, but first we need to contain the virus.¡±
Her fingers flew across the keyboard, building digital walls, creating countermeasures. Luca watched her work, amazed at her skill and intensity. Who would have guessed six months ago she had been a model¡ This was so different from her life with him before.
¡°I need everyone out of the system,¡± she announced. ¡°Log out of everything. Now.¡±
The teamplied, confusion evident on their faces.
¡°What are you going to do?¡± Jake asked.
A
¡°I¡¯m going to set a trap,¡± Sutton replied, not looking up. ¡°The virus is smart, but it has a signature. If I can iste it, I can reverse¨Cengineer it.¡±
¡°That could take days,¡± Nicole objected.
¡°Not with the framework I builtst time,¡± Sutton said. ¡°Luca, I need your authorization codes.¡±
He provided them without hesitation, trusting herpletely.
Three more hours passed, the night deepening outside the windows. Gradually, as the immediate crisis stabilized, Luca sent the staff home in shifts. By 3 AM, only he, Sutton, Jake, Elliott, and Nicole remained.
¡°You should all go,¡± Sutton said, finally leaning back in her chair. ¡°The containment protocol is working. I¡¯ve isted the virus in a sandbox environment where it can¡¯t spread.¡±
¡°What about the damaged files?¡± Elliott asked.
¡°I¡¯ve initiated recovery from our cloud backup. It¡¯s going to take time, but Kingston¡¯s won¡¯t lose much, if anything.¡±
Jake looked at the progress indicators on his screen. ¡°She¡¯s right. The system¡¯s stabilizing.¡±
¡°Then we should all get some rest,¡± Luca said, his tone making it clear it wasn¡¯t a suggestion. ¡°Let the team know they are not needed for the rest of the
night.¡±
Jake nodded.
¡°Someone should stay to monitor the recovery,¡± Nicole argued.
¡°I¡¯ll stay,¡± Sutton said before Luca could speak.
¡°Not alone,¡± he countered immediately. ¡°I¡¯ll stay with you.¡±
Nicole¡¯s mouth tightened. ¡°I don¡¯t think-¡±
¡°Go home, Nicole,¡± Luca cut her off. ¡°All of you. You¡¯ve done enough tonight. We¡¯ll handle it from here.¡±
Reluctantly, they gathered their things. Jake squeezed Sutton¡¯s shoulder as he passed. ¡°That was incredible. I don¡¯t know how you did it.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll walk everyone out and before setting the lock on the lift,¡± Luca said once they were ready to leave.
When he returned to the development room a few minutester, he found Sutton still at her workstation, but her posture had changed. Her shoulders slumped, one hand rubbing her lower back, exhaustion evident in every line of her body.
¡°You should go home too,¡± she said without looking up. ¡°I can finish monitoring this.¡±
¡°Not a chance.¡± Luca pulled a chair beside her. ¡°You look dead on your feet.¡±
She smiled faintly, hand moving to her belly. ¡°I¡¯m ok.¡± She had messaged Keira to let her know what was going on. ¡°I¡¯m tired. My back hurts. But I¡¯ll
live¡¡±
Luca hesitated, then said, ¡°Let me help with your back. Turn a little.¡±
Sutton looked surprised, but shifted in her chair, presenting her back to him. Gently, Luca ced his hands on her shoulders, beginning a careful massage. She stiffened initially, then gradually rxed as his fingers found and released the knots of tension.
¡°That¡¯s¡ really good,¡± she murmured, her head dropping forward.
¡°I used to get terrible tension headaches at university,¡± he said, working his way down her spine. ¡°Learned some techniques.¡±
His hands moved lower, pressing carefully into her lower back, where the baby¡¯s weight created the most strain. Sutton made a small sound of relief.
¡°Right there,¡± she said. ¡°That¡¯s where it hurts most.¡±
Luca continued the massage, careful but firm, conscious of every small reaction from her body. The office was silent except for the hum ofputers and their breathing.
¡°Why did you kiss me tonight?¡± she asked suddenly. Why had she asked that?
His hands paused. ¡°Because I want to every time I¡¯m around you.¡±
She turned in her chair to face him, their knees touching. ¡°And why did you push me away?¡±
The question he¡¯d been dreading. He met her eyes, knowing he owed herplete honesty.
¡°What about the damaged files?¡± Elliott asked.
¡°I¡¯ve initiated recovery from our cloud backup. It¡¯s going to take time, but Kingston¡¯s won¡¯t lose much, if anything.¡±
Jake looked at the progress indicators on his screen. ¡°She¡¯s right. The system¡¯s stabilizing.¡±
¡°Then we should all get some rest,¡± Luca said, his tone making it clear it wasn¡¯t a suggestion. ¡°Let the team know they are not needed for the rest of the
night.¡±
Jake nodded.
¡°Someone should stay to monitor the recovery,¡± Nicole argued.
¡°I¡¯ll stay,¡± Sutton said before Luca could speak.
¡°Not alone,¡± he countered immediately. ¡°I¡¯ll stay with you.¡±
Nicole¡¯s mouth tightened. ¡°I don¡¯t think-¡±
¡°Go home, Nicole,¡± Luca cut her off. ¡°All of you. You¡¯ve done enough tonight. We¡¯ll handle it from here.¡±
Reluctantly, they gathered their things. Jake squeezed Sutton¡¯s shoulder as he passed. ¡°That was incredible. I don¡¯t know how you did it.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll walk everyone out and before setting the lock on the lift,¡± Luca said once they were ready to leave.
When he returned to the development room a few minutester, he found Sutton still at her workstation, but her posture had changed. Her shoulders slumped, one hand rubbing her lower back, exhaustion evident in every line of her body.
¡°You should go home too,¡± she said without looking up. ¡°I can finish monitoring this.¡±
¡°Not a chance.¡± Luca pulled a chair beside her. ¡°You look dead on your feet.¡±
She smiled faintly, hand moving to her belly. ¡°I¡¯m ok.¡± She had messaged Keira to let her know what was going on. ¡°I¡¯m tired. My back hurts. But I¡¯ll
live¡¡±
Luca hesitated, then said, ¡°Let me help with your back. Turn a little.¡±
Sutton looked surprised, but shifted in her chair, presenting her back to him. Gently, Luca ced his hands on her shoulders, beginning a careful massage. She stiffened initially, then gradually rxed as his fingers found and released the knots of tension.
¡°That¡¯s¡ really good,¡± she murmured, her head dropping forward.
¡°I used to get terrible tension headaches at university,¡± he said, working his way down her spine. ¡°Learned some techniques.¡±
His hands moved lower, pressing carefully into her lower back, where the baby¡¯s weight created the most strain. Sutton made a su sound of relief.
¡°Right there,¡± she said. ¡°That¡¯s where it hurts most.¡±
Luca continued the massage, careful but firm, conscious of every small reaction from her body. The office was silent except for the hum ofputers and their breathing.
¡°Why did you kiss me tonight?¡± she asked suddenly. Why had she asked that?
His hands paused. ¡°Because I want to every time I¡¯m around you.¡±
She turned in her chair to face him, their knees touching. ¡°And why did you push me away?¡±
The question he¡¯d been dreading. He met her eyes, knowing he owed herplete honesty.
¡°Because I was a coward,¡± he said simply. ¡°Because I didn¡¯t stand up to my father when I should have.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t believe you would have stayed.¡± Disbelief colored her voice.
¡°You made me feel things I wasn¡¯t prepared for.¡± Luca reached for her hand, relieved when she didn¡¯t pull away. ¡°I told myself it was just a fling, but it wasn¡¯t. Not for me. And I don¡¯t think I was ready to face that, not then.¡±
¡°So you used me of using you for your money? You called me a mistress. Of trying to trap you?¡±
Luca winced. ¡°I said unforgivable things. Things I knew would push you away, because I was too much of a coward to admit how I really felt.¡±
¡°Which was what?¡±
He took a deep breath. ¡°That I was falling in love with you. And it terrified me.¡±
Sutton¡¯s eyes widened. She withdrew her hand. ¡°Don¡¯t say that.¡±
¡°It¡¯s the truth.¡±
Suttonughed. ¡°It sounds pretty now, Luca, but not very believable.¡± Now she was pregnant. ¡°You can¡¯t love me.¡±
¡°Apparently, I can.¡± His smile was sad. ¡°And then spend months trying to convince myself I hadn¡¯t.¡±
Sutton stood abruptly, needing distance. She moved to the window, looking out at the city lights. Luca followed, stopping a few feet behind her.
¡°You hurt me,¡± she said quietly. ¡°More than anyone ever has.¡±
¡°I know.¡±
¡°And now there¡¯s a baby.¡± Her hand cradled her belly. ¡°Everything¡¯s different now.¡±
¡°Nothing about this is different for me¡ I want you both,¡± Luca said. ¡°I was wrong. I hurt you. And I will spend as long as it takes making that up to you.¡±
Sutton turned to face him. ¡°And if I can¡¯t forgive you?¡±
¡°Then I¡¯ll still be here. For you, for the baby. In whatever capacity you¡¯ll allow. But always know I want you first. The baby is just a bonus.¡±
Something shifted in her expression. She took a step toward him. ¡°And if I can forgive you?¡±
Luca¡¯s heart raced. ¡°Then I¡¯ll spend every day proving it wasn¡¯t a mistake.¡±
The monitors behind them chimed, indicating the virus containment wasplete. Neither of them looked away.
¡°I think I know who did this,¡± Sutton said, though her mind was clearly elsewhere.
¡°Who?¡±
Room Mate 115
Chapter 115
¡°Nicole,¡± Sutton said, steady, staring him down like she was daring him to deny i
its
Luca blinked. ¡°Nicole?¡±
¡°She was the only one with high enough ess. She¡¯s the only one who¡¯s been gunning for me since the very second she walked into the building. And let¡¯s not pretend she didn¡¯t know what she was doing when she turned off my software protecting the Kingstons¡® server.¡±
He stepped back like the usation had physically hit him.
¡°You think Nicole¡ Jesus, Sutton, she¡¯s been with me for
ears.
¡°Exactly. She knows your systems. She thinks you won¡¯t suspect her. And she knew that my program would protect Kingston. She wanted it gone. She med me as soon as I walked in¡ This has her written all over it.¡±
¡°She¡¯s my second,¡± he said, quieter this time. ¡°Nicole has handled entire acquisitions. She¡¯s been loyal.¡±
¡°To you,¡± Sutton shot back. ¡°Not to me. Not to Cyber10. She hates me, Luca. She looks at me like I¡¯m gum stuck to her fucking shoes. I don¡¯t know what the problem is with me¡ but she has been a bitch to me since day one. Ask Jake if you don¡¯t believe me. Or Stacey.¡±
He exhaled hard, jaw clenched. ¡°I¡¯ve seen¡ glimpses of that. Her attitude. The looks. But Sutton, a shitty attitude¨Cyes, okay¨Cis still a long way from coordinated sabotage.¡±
Sutton¡¯s voice cracked a little, fury fraying into something sharper. ¡°Do you honestly think I¡¯d bring this up just to start drama? You think I¡¯m imagining it? That I¡¯m just a hormonal pregnant woman with a grudge?¡±
¡°No,¡± he said quickly. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. Or even said.¡±
¡°She¡¯s been trying to push me out of the business from day one,¡± Sutton said, stepping into his space. ¡°And I swear to God, if you let her get away with this, I swear¡¡±
His hand came up, resting against his forehead. ¡°Sutton-¡±
¡°No,¡± she snapped. ¡°No one else would do this, Luca. It¡¯s not even thatplicated. It¡¯s just¡ obvious.¡±
He stepped in then, fast. ¡°I can¡¯t point a finger at anyone until I have proof.¡±
The air crackled between them. Close. Too close.
¡°She had to pay someone to release the virus on Kingston. It¡¯s not the same person asst time. The signature was different.¡± Sutton moved to step out of his space, but he caught her elbow, stopping her from moving anywhere. The feel of his touch made her breath stop for a second.
¡°I¡¯ll look into it,¡± he said, low. ¡°I promise you that.¡±
¡°And if it is her?¡±
¡°I¡¯ll deal with it.¡± His voice was quiet, but there was weight behind it. Regret. Resolve.
She stared at him. He stared back. The silence stretched until her skin started to feel tight; the blood was rushing in her ears, too loud.
Sutton could feel the pull toward him. Everything she had been through would be so easy to forget if he just looked at her the way he used to. And he
was.
¡°You¡¯ll need my help,¡± she said finally. ¡°I¡¯ve sand¨Cboxed the virus. I can trace it back and find out who created it.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t want you in danger. If someone was willing to get paid to create a virus, they could be dangerous enough to hurt you to stop it from out Luca¡¯s voice hardened as he pulled her up against his chest.
Sutton tried to focus on the conversation, not the heat of his body pressed into hers. It took her a moment to get her thoughts together. ¡°I¡¯m hiding behind your firewall and it¡¯s a Cyber 10 station. There¡¯s no way of knowing it¡¯s me.¡±
She shrugged, lips twitching into a crooked grin. ¡°Plus, I¡¯m too good to be caught.¡±
Luca¡¯s nostrils red. ¡°Cocky.¡±
¡°No, I¡¯m just that good, and I know it.¡± She tipped her head, gaze sharpening. ¡°The only one we need to worry about is Nicole. Can you contain her?¡±
¡°Icould send her back to Europe,¡± he said slowly, his tone careful, calcting. ¡°But if you¡¯re right, that could create an even bigger problem. She might panic. Start covering tracks. Or get reckless.¡±
He frowned down at her, like the weight of everything was finally catching up. ¡°I know it makes sense. I just¡ how sure are you it¡¯s Nicole?¡±
Sutton didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°How about ny percent sure? I can¡¯t be one hundred percent, no one can without hard proof. But it¡¯s the only thing that makes sense. The only three people who could have disabled the coding in the Kingston system were you, me, and Nicole.¡±
Luca sighed, long and heavy.
He knew she was right.
And he looked disappointed, not just in Nicole, but in himself. How long would he have ignored the change in Nicole had he not been involved with Sutton? But he trusted Sutton on a level he couldn¡¯t trust anyone else.
¡°She¡¯s not just my second,¡± he said after a beat. ¡°She¡¯s my friend.¡±
Sutton didn¡¯t say anything. She didn¡¯t have to.
And for a long moment, neither did he. Not for a long time.
He just stood there, inches from her, jaw tight, his breath shallow like he was bracing for a punch that still hadn¡¯tnded.
Sutton didn¡¯t move either. Didn¡¯t say anything¡ shocked partly that he trusted her.
It felt like if she did, something would snap. Something already frayed to the point of splitting.
¡°I trusted her,¡± he said, finally. Quiet. Almost like he didn¡¯t mean to say it aloud.
¡°I know,¡± Sutton replied, her voice soft now. Less fire. Just exhaustion.
¡°I just don¡¯t understand why she would do this.¡±
¡°Luca, I really don¡¯t think this is about you¡ well, it is, but it¡¯s more about me. If hurting one of your businesses was the price of getting rid of me, then maybe that was her n. Not to destroy you¡just to get rid of me.¡±
¡°But why?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Sutton¡¯s voice dipped, almost a whisper now. ¡°And you might have toe to terms with the fact that you may never know. Some people¡¯s brains are not wired likeputers.¡±
He didn¡¯t respond. Just stared at her like he was still trying to make sense of everything of Nicole, of himself, of the space between them that kept getting harder to ignore.
Sutton shifted under his gaze, her heart thudding. She wasn¡¯t sure if it was from the fight or the way he was looking at her now, like he saw her. Really
saw her.
¡°I don¡¯t know how I missed it,¡± he murmured, more to himself than her. ¡°I should¡¯ve seen it.¡±
¡°You weren¡¯t looking,¡± she said, gently. ¡°But you are now.¡±
The air between them thickened. He was still holding her elbow, fingers brushing the edge of her sleeve. His touch wasn¡¯t forceful, just¡ tethering. Like if he let go, he might lose something more than just this moment.
Her eyes flicked to his mouth before she could stop herself.
He saw. And that was all it took.
Luca leaned in, slow but certain, like he¡¯d been waiting for permission and finally got it. His hand slid from her arm to the small of her back as his mouth met hers tentatively at first, like testing the weight of something fragile.
Then deeper.
Like he¡¯d been holding it in too long.
Sutton didn¡¯t think. Didn¡¯t breathe. She just kissed him back.
And for the first time in days, maybe longer, everything stopped spinning.
She felt like she hade home.
Room Mate 116
Chapter 116
He pulled her closer. It wasn¡¯t forceful. It was more of a desperate need. He had to
touch her. He needed that connection.
One arm around her waist, the other cupping the back of her head, and then his mouth was on hers.
Hot and fierce. He used his tongue demanding entry to her mouth.
Sutton didn¡¯t resist. She sank into him like a rag doll. Her hands clutched at his shirt, yanking him closer, needing him closer. She didn¡¯t care that this
could be a mistake¡ She needed him, wanted him.
He tasted like heat and hunger. He was the reason for her scars. Right now, that didn¡¯t matter.
His breath caught when her nails scraped up his chest. She could feel him unraveling already. The same way she was. They had been apart for so long. Too long for their bodies.
She gasped as his mouth broke from hers, sliding to her jaw, then down to her neck. He sucked just under her ear, rough enough to sting, just right enough to make her thighs squeeze together.
¡°I can¡¯t-¡± Luca¡¯s voice cracked. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to be good to you. I want, no, I need you. I need to be inside you.¡±
¡°Then don¡¯t,¡± she whispered.
His hands were already under her dress, fingers dragging over the tops of her thighs, thumbs pressing into the soft flesh just above her stockings. She had started wearingce stocking tops as her belly got bigger. Her ck cotton panties¨Cnothing fancy, just practical¨Cand they were damp enough now that they stuck to her.
He groaned low in his throat when he felt them. How wet she was, how ready for him.
¡°I love how wet you get for me,¡± he rasped. ¡°Just for me.¡±
She nodded, breath catching. ¡°Yes¡ Just for you.¡±
His reaction was visceral. His body jerked forward, a sound low in his throat. He kissed her again, more savage this time. His body pressing her against the cold metal server cab behind her, hard enough that she felt the edge bite into her spine.
She didn¡¯t care. She wanted it.
She wanted him however she could get him. She wanted everything they¡¯d left unsaid to pour out of them in touch, not words.
Luca dropped to his knees without another word. She was only slightly shocked by his sudden movement, but then his hands curled around her thighs, lifting one leg over his shoulder.
She wobbled, reached behind her, grabbed the edge of the server cab.
He kissed the inside of her knee. Slowly. Then higher. And higher.
He pulled her panties to the side, didn¡¯t bother taking them off yet, just exposed her. Making her groan.
¡°Holy fuck,¡± he breathed. ¡°Look at you.¡±
Sutton¡¯s head tipped back. The lights overhead were too bright, the air too cold, but his mouth was fire as he caught her clit in his mouth.
Then his tongue licked a slow, deliberate line up the center of her, and her legs nearly gave out.
She made a strangled sound. One of her hands went to the edge of the table for bnce; the other buried itself in his hair.
¡°Luca-¡±
He groaned against her. ¡°You taste better than I remember¡±
He licked her again, long andzy, then again, and again, until her thighs trembled.
Her panties were then in his way, Lifting her leg down to the floor so he could finally push them down her legs, letting them fall to her ankles, he helped her step out of the wet panties. Before he lifted her leg back on his shoulder as his mouth settled back between her legs.
Then he started to eat her properly.
She was so close, watching him on his knees in front of her. So it wasn¡¯t long before she shattered when he took her clit into his mouth and bites softly.
He didn¡¯t stop, just pushed her through the climax. Luca licked her clit in tight, controlled circles, then ttened his tongue and dragged it wide and slow He changed rhythm every time her hips started to rise, teasing, devouring, tasting her like he was trying to make up for every mistake he¡¯d ever made.
His nose pressed into her heat. His stubble scratched the insides of her thighs. Luca¡¯s fingers dug into her ass to keep her from squirming away.
Sutton was gone. It was all too much, and she was shocked when her need overtook her again¡
The room blurred. All she could hear was her own pulse thundering in her ears and the obscene, wet sound of his mouth on her. The air was cold against the sweat forming along her skin¡
She let out a loud moan when he slipped two fingers inside her without warning.
¡°I can¡¯t¨CLuca-¡± she gasped. ¡°I¡¯m gonna-¡±
¡°Come on, my mouth,¡± he said, voice thick, his breath hot against her. ¡°I want you to.¡±
That did it.
She came with a sharp, shuddering cry, her thighs mping down around his head, her hands scrabbling for purchase on the cold, hard table edge behind her. Her body pulsed around his fingers, slick and messy and violent.
She had nevere twice so fast.
S
Her heartbeat hammering in her throat. Sutton was unraveling quickly. She didn¡¯t care if she should feel embarrassed by it. She had read in one of her baby books that being horny was normal.
He held her through it.
And still he didn¡¯t stop.
He licked her through it, soft and slow now, like he was calming her down. Kissing her inner thighs. Pressing his lips to the inside of her knee.
When she sagged forward, trying to breathe, he finally stood.
His mouth was wet with her. His eyes were blown wide, pupils dark. He kissed her like he wanted her to taste what he¡¯d taken.
She did.
Then he turned her around.
Her hands hit the server table hard. The metal was cold. Her breath fogged the shiny surface. Her dress was still hiked up to her waist.
She
Luca was behind her in seconds.
He pulled her hips back toward him, and she felt the hot weight of his cock pressing between her legs. She hadn¡¯t even heard him unzip his pants.
¡°Please,¡± she whispered.
¡°I¡¯ve missed this body,¡± he murmured, running his cock through her wet folds before lining himself up. ¡°Missed this pussy¡±
She moaned at the sound of his voice.
He pushed inside her slowly¡ one thick, stretching inch at a time until he was buried to the hilt.
They both groaned.
¡°Fuck, Sutton,¡± he hissed. ¡°You¡¯re so fucking tight.¡±
Her eyes fluttered shut. The stretch was intense. The pressure was perfect. She felt full. Owned by him¡ She had missed this.
He pulled back and drove into her with a snap of his hips that knocked the air out of her lungs.
Then he did it again.
And again.
He set a brutal rhythm that was deep, fast, unrelenting. The p of skin on skin was loud, the wet, obscene sound of her body weing him over and over again.
Her hands gripped the table so hard her knuckles ached. Her breasts bounced with every thrust, her bra only holding them in because of her dress.
One of his hands found her breast, yanked her dress down, and heard the stitches snap under the pressure. He pushed her bra down, cupped and squeezed her needy breast. The other hand slipped between her legs again, fingers finding her clit like he¡¯d never forgotten where it was.
¡°Fuck¡you make the same sounds,¡± he panted. ¡°It¡¯s driving me insane.¡±
Sutton cried out, the pleasure building too fast.
¡°I can¡¯t¨CLuca¨Cplease.¡±
¡°Yes, you can,¡± he growled. ¡°You¡¯re gonnae again.¡±
He thrust harder, deeper, until she felt like she was breaking.
She came with a scream. It was loud, choking, all¨Cconsuming. Her legs shook. Her body bucked.
Luca didn¡¯t stop. He fucked her through it, his own breath turning ragged, his grip tightening.
¡°I¡¯m close,¡± he groaned. ¡°Where do you want it?¡±
¡°Inside,¡± she gasped. ¡°Please¡e inside me.¡± It¡¯s not like he could get her pregnant again.
He mmed into her one more time and came with a deep, broken sound, hips jerking as he emptied into her.
He stayed pressed against her, panting, his hand spread over her lower belly protectively, his forehead resting on the back of
neck.
They didn¡¯t speak.
They just breathed.
Eventually, Luca pulled out with a low groan. Sutton whimpered at the loss, at the slow, wet slide of him leaving her. She stayed bent over for a moment, chest heaving.
Then he helped her upright. Gently. Like she might fall apart if he let go.
Luca helped her to a chair, thighs still trembling. Her dress was twisted, panties gone. She felt sticky and sore andpletely fucked.
He cleaned her carefully with a wet paper towel he must have grabbed from the kitchen, wiped down her legs, kissed her knees. It wasn¡¯t sexual anymore. It was something else.
He knelt again. He pressed his forehead to her thigh and held her there.
¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he whispered, not even looking at her. ¡°I¡¯m so fucking sorry.¡±
Sutton didn¡¯t answer right away. She was still floating, raw, spent.
Then her hand came down to his hair, fingers threading through it gently.
Room Mate 117
Chapter 117
They stayed like that for a while. Her fingers moving through his hair. His forehead still resting against her thigh. His breath was hot on her skin. It sent a shiver down her spine. There was no way she shouldn¡¯t be turned on. She had nevere so much in her life in one encounter.
Neither of them moved.
She should¡¯ve said something. Anything. But she was exhausted. It fogged her brain a little.
But she didn¡¯t know where to start. She didn¡¯t know if she even wanted to break the silence yet. It wasn¡¯t awkward. It was¡ necessary.
But then he exhaled. A low, ragged breath, like he¡¯d been holding it for a few moments.
¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he whispered again, barely above a whisper.
Her hand stilled.
She looked down at him. Taking in his disheveled state.
His eyes were closed. His body still braced against her like the apology was heavy enough to knock him over. Seeing him at her feet like this was humbling.
¡°Why?¡± she asked. ¡°Why are you sorry?¡± Her voice was just as quiet as his. She needed to know, to understand. This was how forgiveness starts.
Luca didn¡¯t answer right away.
3
And then he did, not with one thing, but everything. ¡°I didn¡¯t believe you,¡± he said. ¡°I should have believed you. Trusted you.¡±
Her chest tightened, but she didn¡¯t speak.
¡°I didn¡¯t believe you when you said the baby was mine,¡± he continued, still not looking up. ¡°I didn¡¯t even let you finish. I just¡ reacted. Like a coward. L caused this pain for the both of us.¡±
She felt the heat creeping into her face, not from shame but from remembering how he had been that day.
Every word he¡¯d thrown at her. The way her world had split open.
¡°I thought you were trying to trap me. I told myself that¡¯s what women like you do.¡±
Sutton flinched.
He lifted his head finally and met her eyes. ¡°That wasn¡¯t fair. And I knew it. Even then. But I couldn¡¯t stop myself. I didn¡¯t want to deal with the idea that I couldn¡¯t follow my father¡¯s wishes if what you said was true. If your pregnancy was real, I could¡¯ve ruined my life.¡±
¡°Ruin?¡± she echoed, voice sharp,
¡°No,¡± he said quickly. ¡°I don¡¯t think that now. I swear to God, I don¡¯t. But then? Then I was scared and angry and¡ looking for someone to me. But honestly, marrying Be would have killed me.¡±
¡°So you hurt me.¡±
¡°I chose to set you free¡ I said some hurtful things because I needed a clean break,¡± he said. ¡°Because I felt I needed to do as my father wanted.¡±
Sutton didn¡¯t say anything.
He sat back on his heels now, still close, still between her legs, but giving her space. ¡°I told myself you were just another model. Pretty but temporary | didn¡¯t need you. I didn¡¯t really know the real you. And that made it easy to throw you away.
She let that sit between them. She needed it, too. ¡°Is it always going to be like that? You following your father¡¯s orders, Luca?¡±
¡°No, I¡¯m my own person and everything I own has no connection to him, I will never let hime between us. I promise you.¡± Luca added, softer now. ¡°I was consumed with jealousy when in that moment I thought you had been with someone else. To think of another man touching what was mine.¡±
Her breath caught. But she said nothing.
¡°I feel now that I don¡¯t deserve to know anything,¡± he said. ¡°How far along you were. What the doctor said. Whether the baby¡¯s healthy. But I want you and I want our baby.¡±
¡°There was never anyone else, Luca. Ever.¡±
He looked at her in shock. ¡°You were a virgin?¡±
There was a pause.
¡°And our first time you never realised.¡±
¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± Luca swallowed hard. Said nothing more. What could he say? He really had fucked things up with her from the very beginning.
¡°And when you said you were pregnant¡ I should¡¯ve stayed. I should¡¯ve asked questions. I should¡¯ve listened. But I didn¡¯t. I said awful things. I pushed you away trying to cut all ties like my father wanted. I was gutted more than I thought I would be.¡± He paused. ¡°I called you a slut.¡±
She flinched again, harder this time.
¡°I told you the baby wasn¡¯t mine. That you were lying. I said you were like the rest of them. But you have never been like other women. You never asked anything of me ever.¡±
Her voice was a whisper. ¡°And then you left.¡±
¡°I left,¡± he said. ¡°Knowing I¡¯d ended it.¡±
Sutton¡¯s throat burned.
She wanted to scream at him. But she couldn¡¯t tell him she didn¡¯t love him because she did. She wasn¡¯t sure she was ready to agree to marry him. But
this talking was a start.
And he wasn¡¯t pretending his emotion was real. She had never seen him like this. Almost begging.
¡°I didn¡¯t deserve to touch you just now,¡± Luca said, voice rough again. ¡°Not after that. Not after everything. Not the way I did.¡±
Sutton blinked, stunned.
¡°What?¡±
¡°I was too rough.¡±
She stared at him. ¡°Luca¡ I wanted it.¡±
¡°I know,¡± he said. ¡°But I didn¡¯t ask. I didn¡¯t check. I just¡ took. I needed you so bad, I forgot everything else. I forgot you¡¯re carrying our baby. I forgot how tired you must be. I just¡ needed to feel something real.¡±
¡°You were real,¡± she said. She had wanted it¡ God she needed it as much as him.
He looked up again.
She held his gaze. ¡°Every inch of that was wanted, trust me. I do have a voice. I would have told you to stop.¡±
He nodded, slowly. But he still looked like he hated himself.
¡°I should¡¯ve believed you,¡± he whispered again.
¡°Yeah,¡± she said. ¡°You should¡¯ve.¡±
Silence again.
But this time, it didn¡¯t sting. It breathed.
Then Sutton leaned forward. Touched his jaw. ¡°You¡¯re here now. Although it¡¯s going to take some tirne for my family to like you.¡±
¡°I can understand why,¡± he said. ¡°But I swear I would never put you through anything like that again.¡±
¡°You might get the third degree from Keira.¡±
Luca¡¯s voice cracked when he asked her again. ¡°Will
you marry
me?¡±
She let her hand fall.
Neither of them moved. Luca watched her waiting.
Then the rm went off at her workstation.
Room Mate 118
Chapter 118
The rm pierced the quiet like a p.
Sutton jolted, blinking hard as the sound cut back to the here and now with brutal rity.
the thick fog in her head. The noise wasn¡¯t deafening, but it was sharp and urgent. It snapped her
Saved by the bell.
She looked over Luca¡¯s shoulder toward her
rworkstati
the red light shing on the security panel.
¡°Shit,¡± she muttered.
Luca stood quickly, already alert, already all business again. But when he turned to look at her, there was something softer lingering in his eyes. Something that she had never seen in him before.
¡°You okay?¡± he asked.
Sutton nodded, even though her body ached and her thighs still felt shaky. ¡°Yeah. Just¡ give me a second.¡±
She pulled her dress down as best she could and stood slowly, ignoring the dull ache that followed. Her underwear was gone. Didn¡¯t matter. Her limbs were jelly, her head still going over everything that had passed between them. She moved toward her desk and silenced the rm.
The screen lit up.
System breach alert.
Her heart stuttered.
¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me,¡± she
breath
¡°What is it?¡± Luca asked, already moving in beside her.
She didn¡¯t answer right away. Her fingers were flying across the keyboard now, checking logs, cross¨Creferencing data, scanning for the entry point.
¡°It¡¯s not a breach,¡± she said finall
¡°It¡¯s an internal trigger I set up without anyone knowing to monitor tampering attempts on the server.¡± Her jaw tightened. ¡°Someone just tried to wipe a backup file connected to Kingston.¡±
Luca¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°From inside the building?¡±
Sutton nodded once. ¡°Yeah.
From a secured login.¡±
His voice dropped. ¡°Nicole?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t k know yet. But it wouldn¡¯t surprise me¡ Like you said, we need proof and I¡¯m going to get that proof. That¡¯s why I set up the trigger.¡± She nced up at him. He didn¡¯t expect her to do it without telling him. ¡°But at a guess, we are going to get answers faster than I thought. Bold.¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t want to keep secrets,¡± she said, ¡°but I couldn¡¯t risk her getting away with it. I also didn¡¯t want anyone to hear I was doing it.¡±
Luca didn¡¯t argue. He didn¡¯t get upset. He just stood there, jaw clenched, staring at the monitor. ¡°If it is Nicole, I have to say this has to be very upsetting. She has been with me for years, but there is no locked out, Nicole won¡¯t get suspicious.¡±
Luca nodded slowly, then looked at her¡ Sutton flushed. She knew how she looked, hair mussed, lips still pink, her skin still glowing from everything that had happened minutes ago.
He hesitated.
¡°Sutton.¡±
She didn¡¯t stop typing.
¡°I meant what I said. About marrying)
She paused, hands hovering over the keyboard. Her chest ached, full and tight.
¡°I heard you,¡± she said quietly. ¡°But right now, we¡¯ve got other things to worry about. Get working, boss.¡±
Luca nodded and moved to one of the other stations.
Sutton¡¯s fingers flew across the keyboard, getting to work.
The world narrowed to code, to backdoors, to the need to solve this puzzle. Soon, there was no trace of emotion left on her face. Just focus.
Luca went to work doing his job. It didn¡¯t take long.
¡°System is locked down,¡± he confirmed behind her, reading over her shoulder. ¡°Only you and me have ess right now.¡±
¡°Good,¡± she muttered, already rerouting the logs.
Lines of code scrolled fast. She bypassed their internal audit tools, tapping straight into the raw feeds. No interfaces. No Ul. Just code.
She was done being subtle.
The trigger she¡¯d embedded had worked¡ someone had tried to delete backup files tied to Kingston¡¯s contract. They¡¯d failed. But that didn¡¯t matter now. What mattered was who.
Sutton cracked open the internal IP logs and copied the identifier. Then she opened a separate terminal.
¡°You¡¯re hacking the cameras?¡± Luca asked. ¡°Fuck, Sutton. I¡¯m d you¡¯re on my team.¡±
She turned to grin at him before turning back to herputer. ¡°I¡¯m cross¨Creferencing badge data with security footage,¡± she said, not looking away. ¡°They logged in from the third floor east end of the building. We¡¯re going to see exactly who was in that room.¡±
She typed fast, tracing the IP addres
s of
terminal used.
It pinged. She rerouted.
And the feed opened.
The footage flickered, then yed. Grainy ck and white, time¨Cstamped, just past 3:12 a.m.
Sutton leaned in. There she was, Nicole. Just as she had thought. But she wasn¡¯t alone.
Sutton couldn¡¯t see who the person was beside her. Sutton could tell the person was a man, but he was wearing a hoodie. His face wasn¡¯t visible, but the security badge he had used to get into the building shed on her second screen.
Sutton froze. Then looked back at the man. No, it wasn¡¯t him. This man wasrger.
¡°Shit,¡± she whispered. ¡°He used Jake¡¯s b
Luca¡¯s jaw tightened. ¡°That¡¯s not Jake.¡±
badge.¡±
¡°I know this man is a lotrger than Jake Sutton agreed. They watched as Nicole handed something to the man¡a drive? A phone? It was quick.
¡°He¡¯s doing the actual deletion,¡± Sutton said. ¡°She¡¯s just¡ standing there. Watching.¡±
Luca was silent for a long beat.
¡°She¡¯s not just trying to sabotage Kingston,¡± Sutton said, her voice low. ¡°She¡¯s trying to burn the wholepany down. Just to get rid of me.¡±
He didn¡¯t argue.
He knew.
¡°Can you trace the keystrokes?¡± he asked finally.
¡°I already did.¡± Sutton pulled up another terminal. ¡°I installed a keylogger in the sandbox after thest attempt. Every keystroke on that terminal is being recorded. Everymand, every deletion, every fucking typo. I¡¯ve got it all.¡±
She copied the keystroke data and matched it to the timestamp.
¡°There,¡± she pointed. ¡°You see that string? That¡¯s the script that wipes the Kingston cloud backups. But I blocked the second stage. So it failed. And now we¡¯ve got the full attempt.¡±
Luca stared at the screen. Then at her.
¡°This is everything we need,¡± she said. ¡°Proof. Intent. Physical ess. Complicity. What they don¡¯t know, I have already copied Kingston files under another file name on our servers, so if this works, it¡¯s only going to take me tomorrow to fix their system.¡±
¡°When did you do that?¡±
Sutton shrugged. ¡°After the first attempt.¡±
She opened a folder on her side panel and dragged the camera footage into it.
¡°I¡¯m saving all of it. On an encrypted drive. If you want to press charges-¡± she nced at him ¡°-we¡¯ll have everything ready.¡±
Luca ran a hand through his hair. He looked like he wanted to punch something. Or someone.
¡°She really thought she could do this,¡± he said. ¡°To me. To thepany. To you.¡±
¡°She still thinks she¡¯s smarter than everyone else,¡± Sutton said. ¡°But she didn¡¯t count on me watching her from the inside.¡±
Silence.
Then Luca said, quietly, ¡°Thank you.¡±
She looked up. Grinning. ¡°It was fun.¡±
Lucaughed. ¡°Your idea of fun is very different to mine.¡±
Sutton swallowed. ¡°I¡¯m not done yet.¡±
She cracked her knuckles. Turned back to the screen.
¡°Now I¡¯m going to find out who he is.¡±
Room Mate 119
Chapter 119
Nicole had never considered herself a viin.
She wasn¡¯t reckless. She wasn¡¯t stupid. Everything she did, she did with purpose. With strategy. With the long game in mind and right now? The long
game was Luca.
He wasn¡¯t in love with her, fine. He didn¡¯t have to be. Men like Luca De Santis didn¡¯t marry for love, anyway. They married for legacy. For business. For alignment. And Nicole had aligned herself with his world for almost six years. She knew his schedule, his temper, his instincts, his needs and wants. She¡¯d bled for his empire while women floated in and out of his life like moths. He had no staying power, that¡¯s why in the end he would marry, not for love.
But then Luca had bought Cyber10 out of the blue, hunting for some pregnant mistress in the USA. How¡ pedestrian and . But from what she could gauge, he hadn¡¯t found her. Nicole was sure that if the woman had been here and couldn¡¯t get money from Luca, she would¡¯ve aborted the baby.
Then there was Sutton. She was beautiful¡ like enough to stop traffic. Nicole hadn¡¯t wanted her around when Luca turned up. He had an eye for pretty
faces.
Nicole didn¡¯t know why she had almost been impossible to get rid of. After some digging into her background, she had a coding education but no work experience. Whatever. She didn¡¯t belong in a development role and a security techpany. She looked like she belonged on a magazine cover, not
around Luca.
Even pregnant, she had this¡ presence. That was the problem. Sutton didn¡¯t try. She didn¡¯t flirt. She didn¡¯t even smile that much. But she walked into a
room and men looked up. Even gay, Jake was impressed by her.
And Luca? He was acting differently since arriving at Cyber10. Nicole was worried he did have a thing for Sutton. Nicole had thought about hunting down the model he had knocked up so his focus would move away from Sutton. Because in the end a model would only bore him.
He was careful about his interest. The way he started lingering too long after meetings. The way his eyes followed her, like she was a puzzle he hadn¡¯t
solved yet.
There was just something about Sutton. It wasn¡¯t just her looks.
And Nicole hated her for all of it. Luca should have been hers by now.
She couldn¡¯t name it. Couldn¡¯t exin it. But she knew it when she felt it¨Cthat quiet, beautiful threat. Sutton didn¡¯t even have to try, and that made her
dangerous.
Nicole didn¡¯t know her story. She didn¡¯t care. Even though she had tried to find out.
Sutton had to go.
Nicole had spent too many years curating this life, this ess, this closeness to Luca. No one knew him better. Not really. Not like she did. She kept his world spinning. She knew what coffee he liked. How to talk to his board. When to push and when to pull back. He had snapped at her a little too often
She wasn¡¯t just another employee. She was his person.
Or she will be.
Until Sutton started fixing problems, Nicole hadn¡¯t even been asked to solve.
It had to stop.
So when Nicole saw the opportunity to hurt Sutton where it would really matter by showing up her work and her ce in thispany, she took it.
She hadn¡¯t even needed to get her hands dirty. The frencer she found had the skills. She had the n. All it took was a cloned badge, a timed ess window, and a little careful nning.
She watched him from the shadows of the server pod, hoodie up, hands on the keyboard. Nicole passed him the drive. He didn¡¯t ask questions. That was the best part. He just took her money and did what she wanted.
She didn¡¯t need his loyalty. Just his fingerprints on the crime. If he was caught, she would take care of it.
If she could corrupt Kingston¡¯s data enough to cause panic, Roman Kingston would question Luca¡¯s leadership. Luca would look for someone to me. And Sutton¡¯s name would be the first one up.
It was perfect.
And Sutton would be kicked to the curb.
Because at the end of the day, Nicole didn¡¯t want a fight, but she yed dirty because Sutton hadn¡¯t left when she had the chance.
Nicole wanted Luca.
And she didn¡¯t wantpetition. Not from someone like her.
Someone who didn¡¯t even try to be wanted and still was.
Nicole smiled to herself as she slipped out of the room, calm and certain.
She wasn¡¯t the viin. She was just making things right.
Before Sutton could take what was hers. She wasn¡¯t going to wait much longer. She had a n to get him into her bed.
Sutton¡¯s fingers froze over the keyboard. It wasn¡¯t just about the Kingston files. Nicole didn¡¯t know what she had just done. This man might have agreed to help Nicole, but he was here for his own reasons. Nicole¡¯s quest was just part of it.
She whispered, ¡°Shit.¡±
¡°What now?¡±
¡°He isn¡¯t just here for Nicole¡¯s dirty work. He is trying to get into your systems at the same time¡ Do you have any cyber enemies I should know about?¡± She didn¡¯t look up, working on keeping the hacker boxed.
Lucaughed. ¡°In my line of work, of course, I have¡® enemies. Should I call the police now?¡±
She gged the hacker¡¯s signature and began isting data packets. ¡°I need to find out who he is first,¡± she muttered, eyes darting through lines of corrupted metadata. ¡°He¡¯s good¡ but not good enough.¡±
¡°We can¡¯t let them get away.¡±
¡°Yes, we can if they think they got away with it. I need to know if this guy is working alone or one of yourpetitors paid for this.¡±
¡°You¡¯re right¡ It just doesn¡¯t feel right not doing anything.¡±
Her fingers moved fast. ¡°Kingston¡¯s server is safe, but you better call Roman and let him know what¡¯s going on. While I protect Cyber10 now.¡±
Luca pulled his phone out and dialed without hesitation. ¡°Roman. Hey mate, sorry to call you like this¡ How is ir¡ Great¡ I need to let you know
what is¡¡±
Sutton blocked him out. She needed to focus on her task, not Luca¡¯s phone call. Her pulse pounded. Whoever had done this, they had needed internal ess. Nicole doesn¡¯t realize, but she was just their pawn.
She exhaled, tension tightening in her chest, ¡°He is good. I give him that. Surgical, a real professional.¡±
Luca narrowed his eyes. ¡°Do you know who yet?¡±
¡°He is bloody good, but every hacker leaves a footprint.¡± Her tone sharpened. ¡°This guy would have cost someone a pretty penny.¡±
He looked at her then, jaw clenched, gaze darker than she¡¯d seen in weeks. ¡°Can you figure it out?¡±
Sutton nodded. ¡°Hell yes¡ This isn¡¯t just about Cyber10, this is about hurting my career.¡±
Luca kissed her temple. ¡°Let me know if I can do anything.¡±
¡°I¡¯m so d you believed in me or they could have got away with it,¡± she said.
He had seen sabotage before, but this? This was internal and by someone he trusted.
And Sutton¡ she wasn¡¯t panicked. She was focused. She was fucking brilliant.
It made his chest tighten in a way that had nothing to do with the breach. He was so lucky. Not only was she gorgeous, but she was smart. Now all he had to do was convince her to share her life with him.
¡°Track him,¡± he said. ¡°Find out who the hell just walked into my building and tried to ruin mypany.¡±
Her fingers flew. ¡°Already on it.¡±
Room Mate 120
Chapter 120
It was 4:53 a.m. by the time they stepped through the front door of his ce, and Sutton was so quiet beside him that Luca kept ncing over, unsure if she was asleep with her eyes open. She wasn¡¯t. Just worn out, shattered, was the best way to describe her.
He could tell by the way she leaned her head against the window, lips parted slightly, breathing slow but not quite even. She hadn¡¯t said much since they¡¯d left the office, but she didn¡¯t need to. Everything that needed to be said had happened in thest few hours at the office, and once the adrenaline had burned out of their systems. They both felt exhausted. She hadn¡¯t even protested when he said he would take her home with him.
By the time he carried her up the stairs, she was deadweight in his arms.
She barely stirred.
Luca took her straight into his bedroom, not the guest room. He couldn¡¯t bear the thought of putting her somewhere separate, not after the night they¡¯d just experienced, and he wasn¡¯t talking about just the betrayal by Nicole.
She didn¡¯t even open her eyes when he sat her on the edge of his bed. She just let her head tip forward slightly, like even holding herself upright took more energy than she had left to give.
¡°Sutton,¡± he said gently, crouching in front of her. ¡°Let me help.¡±
She mumbled something too quiet to catch, but she didn¡¯t resist. He took it as permission and moved slowly, sliding her shoes off one at a time, then working the zipper at the back of her dress. The fabric slid down her arms and pooled around her waist. She lifted her hips for him like a puppet half- asleep. He pulled it off and folded it neatly on the chair by the bed. He would arrange clothes for her tomorrow. It wasn¡¯t like he would let her go to the office.
Her skin was warm, and Luca found the little marks he had left on her earlier¡ He hadn¡¯t meant to be so rough. He found one pink bite mark just visible on the slope of her shoulder. He kissed it.
She didn¡¯t notice; she was all soft limbs and bare skin and exhaustion, too tired to do anything about it now. There was no way he would push her for more tonight. Tomorrow. Heid her back on the pillow after he had removed her bra, breasts fuller and her nipples darker because of his baby growing inside of her.
He found the evidence of him between her legs, the faint trace of semen drying on her skin. Luca dampened a cloth and cleaned her up gently, carefully, trying not to wake her, though she was already drifting. Her head turned on the pillow, her lips parting as she slipped into sleep,
Luca exhaled slowly, tossing the used cloth back in the bathroom before returning and pulling the nkets up over her. For a long moment, he just sat there, one hand over her hand lying on the bed near his leg, the other braced on his thigh, watching her breathe. She looked so small like this in his king- size bed, but she was tall, just at this moment she didn¡¯t look it. He had found her, but she wasn¡¯t the Sutton he remembered¡ Audrey had been easygoing and pretty¡ Sutton had more depth, fight and fire. She had stood up to him¨Ceven defended herself against Nicole and the rest of the development team. He just needed to get her to give him another chance.
He had told his father this had nothing to do with love, but now around her he wasn¡¯t so sure. This wasn¡¯t just about his child; he wanted Sutton with a need he had never known before. He worried about her and her health. He was worried that he might have put her in danger. Maybe that was love. He didn¡¯t know, only that his life was fuller with her in it.
Getting up, he sat down in the armchair beside the bed, elbows on his knees, phone in his hand but screen dark. He should¡¯ve been exhausted, too, but his mind was spinning too fast, reying the night like a surveince loop.
Sutton had saved them tonight. She had figured out who the hacker was after containing the threat.
¡°Miles Miller,¡± she had said earlier, sitting back in/her chair, her voice low and clear despite how tired she looked. ¡°Code name Ghost. He¡¯s the one who took my spot at MIT after I gave it up to model.¡°/
She exined it quickly so that he would understand. She¡¯d recognized bis code. Everyone in themunity knew who the best hackers were. She had only figured out he was Ghost though. Ghost didn¡¯t just hack systems. He erased the fact that he¡¯d ever been there. Most couldn¡¯t even confirm his existence, only the holes he left behind.
But Sutton had caught him.
She¡¯d logged every keystroke.
Sutton grinned before turning on the camera feed from the monitor he was using. Just a single frame. One shot of his face. ¡°Got you.¡±
¡°Nice job.¡±
¡°Have one of your guys follow him,¡± she¡¯d told him, eyes half¨Cclosed, mouth slurring slightly, showing how tired she had been. ¡°We need to know who else paid him. It¡¯s not just Nicole.¡±
Luca had made the call to one of his senior security men still in the building, Leo¡ while Sutton was still packing up the evidence.
Luca opened the text he had gotten on the way home. Leo had followed Ghost¡ Miles to a hotel downtown. Room 714. Paid in cash. Fake name.
Luca messaged Leo back, telling him to watch and follow. Take photos of anyone Miles meets with.
But Luca had people. And now, thanks to Sutton, they had something else too.
They had a face and a name. But they were not done until they knew who paid him. They needed them all in the.
Luca stared down at his phone and pulled up Leo¡¯stest update.
Target still at location. No movement. No suspicion. Watching. But nothing yet, boss.
He put the phone down. They couldn¡¯t do anymore tonight¡ well, this morning. He rubbed his face.
Then he turned to look at her again.
Sutton was breathing slowly and deeply now, her hand unconsciously resting against the curve of her belly. Hershes twitched in sleep, but her face had rxedpletely. She looked so young in sleep.
He had no idea what she would say in the morning. If she¡¯d forgive him. If she¡¯d say yes to the question¡ he would protect them both.
He knew this with absolute certainty: she was stronger now, but perhaps he¡¯d never truly known her before. This Sutton was different; he was only now seeing the side of her hidden by their initialck of trust. He had royally fucked up that trust in the end.
There was no way he wasn¡¯t going to lose her again.
After a few moments, Luca got up, went into the bathroom to shower and get ready for bed. Afterward, he got into bed beside Sutton, pulling her into his
arms.
2/2
Room Mate 121
Chapter 121
Sunlight spilled in through the curtains as Sutton opened her eyes. It was so bright she knew it had to bete in the morning¡ the kind of brightness that pressed behind her eyelids and made the world feel slow and still.
Her body ached in ces she hadn¡¯t felt in months, the kind of delicious soreness that came from being truly imed. She stirred beneath the nket. Her body still ached, and one arm rested over her forehead, the other dragging the sheet up higher as she blinked a few times.
And then she felt him. Her arm brushed his side. She turned her head toward him.
Luca was watching her.
He was sat against the headboard, one leg bent beneath the nket, the other stretched long beside her. He was naked from the waist up likely entirely naked, knowing Luca. Luca never wore anything to bed.
He lifted his hand and traced slow, absent¨Cminded patterns along the curve of her hip beneath the sheets.
¡°Have you been awake for a while?¡± she murmured, voice scratchy with sleep.
He didn¡¯t deny it. ¡°You looked peaceful,¡± he said simply.
She nodded, blinking away thest of the haze. She shifted again, the sheet slipping lower, and his hand moved up, brushing the underside of her breast with gentle reverence.
His touch was featherlight.
¡°You didn¡¯t leave,¡± he said quietly. ¡°I thought I would wake up this morning and you¡¯d be gone.¡±
¡°I was unconscious,¡± she countered, voice dry. ¡°Didn¡¯t have the energy to go anywhere.¡±
He smiled, but it didn¡¯t reach his eyes. Because he remembered what they had been doing. And why she was wrecked.
She reached up and touched his cheek, thumb dragging slowly over the stubble there. ¡°We have them. They can¡¯t do anything now.¡±
That simple touch was all it took.
He leaned down slowly, cautiously, like testing the moment, and kissed her.
It wasn¡¯t demanding. It wasn¡¯t full of heat and hunger like the night before. It was soft. Lingering. His mouth moved against hers like he was still asking permission.
She gave it.
She hadn¡¯t brushed her teeth, but he didn¡¯t seem to care.
Her lips parted, and he deepened the kiss. His hand came up to cup her jaw, thumb sliding behind her ear. Sutton shifted closer, her thigh brushing his, her hand sliding up his chest. He was warm. Solid. Real. Her palm ttened against him, feeling his steady heartbeat beneath smooth, sun¨Cwarmed skin
He moved, shifting beside her, his weight easing onto one elbow. Her hand slipped around the back of his neck and pulled him down with her as shey back on the bed. He followed easily, the other hand pushing the sheet down to reveal the soft, full curve of her belly.
He paused there, just looking.
¡°You¡¯re so damn beautiful,¡± he said, voice rough.
Sutton flushed, but didn¡¯t look away. ¡°You¡¯re just saying that because you want to getid.¡±
His lips curved. ¡°I said that before I was gettingid, remember? It¡¯s not just skin deep with you.¡±
07:32 Sat, 12 Jul M
She rolled her eyes, but a smile tugged at her lips anyway.
His hand syed over her stomach, warm andrge. She covered it with hers, threading their fingers together. They stayed there like that for a moment, breathing in sync.
Then his hand moved again, sliding up, tracing the swell of her breast, cupping her gently. He ran his thumb across her nipple, and it peaked instantly, the sensation sharp and unexpected.
¡°So different,¡± he murmured.
She gasped softly, her eyes fluttering closed.
His mouth followed. He trailed kisses down her neck, across her corbone, then lower. He kissed the space between her breasts, the curve of her ribcage, the swell of her belly. Every inch of her he touched, he kissed.
She arched beneath him, breath catching when his stubble scraped the sensitive skin below her belly button.
Luca¡¯s hands spread over her thighs, thumbs rubbing slow, grounding circles.
¡°You okay?¡± he murmured.
Sutton nodded. ¡°Yeah. Just¡¡± She swallowed. ¡°Don¡¯t stop.¡±
He didn¡¯t. He moved slowly, reverently, kissing his way across her skin like a man making promises.
Then he kissed her inner thighs, one, then the other. She was already damp, the evidence of how badly her body remembered him glistening between her legs.
She felt raw. Open. Seen.
Luca paused there, watching her. His hands held her hips. His mouth was close.
¡°Still sore?¡±
¡°A little,¡± she said truthfully.
He nodded and pressed a kiss to the inside of her thigh. ¡°Tell me if I need to stop.¡±
She nodded again, breath catching. Luca loved her scent. She wasn¡¯t surprised he was going down on her again.
Then his mouth was on her.
He licked her slowly, almostzily. His tongue moved in long, deliberate strokes up her center, parting her folds, drawing slick heat from her core.
She gasped, hips twitching, one hand reaching down to grip the sheet beneath her.
¡°Luca,¡± she breathed.
He didn¡¯t stop. His mouthtched onto her clit, tongue moving in slow, purposeful circles, then soft flicks. Her legs trembled. Her hand found his hair, fingers tightening in it.
He groaned against her. The sound, the vibration/made her cry out.
Then he did it again.
Sutton¡¯s hips lifted off the bed, instinctively seeking more, but his strong arms kept her still. His hands slid beneath her thighs, tilting her hips upward, adjusting her angle, opening her further to his mouth.
He devoured her.
M
Not roughly. Not hurried. But with a purpose that made her fall apart beneath him, breathless and stunned by how much she still wanted him. Still
needed him.
He circled her clit again and again until she was trembling, her thighs mping around his head, her back arching.
She was close. So close.
And Luca knew it.
He slowed just enough to let her hover, then sucked softly, gently, making here apart with a loud cry of release..
She came hard, gasping his name, her thighs shaking, her fingers digging into his shoulders. He kept his mouth on her through the aftershocks, licking her with soft, reverent strokes, like he was helping her down from something vast.
She didn¡¯t speak for a long time.
When she finally opened her eyes, he was there, crawling back up her body, mouth wet, eyes dark.
She kissed him, tasting herself on his tongue.
¡°You let go so easily now. I love it.¡±
He pushed up onto his knees and gently coaxed her to roll over. She hesitated only for a moment before turning onto all fours, her knees sinking into the mattress, breath shallow.
He ran his hand slowly down her spine, settling at her hips. One hand gripped her firmly; the other trailed between her legs, finding her still warm and
wet.
He slid two fingers through her folds, circling her clit with care, then more pressure, until she was panting again. With his other hand, he twisted her hair gently around his fingers, tugging her head back until her spine arched beautifully.
¡°I¡¯m going to have fun finding new ways to do this.¡±
Then he entered her slowly, one inch at a time and when he was fully inside, he didn¡¯t move.
She panted from the fullness.
He held her there, letting her feel him, letting himself feel her. She was hot and tight and perfect, and he groaned deep in his throat as her body clenched around him.
Then he pulled back and drove into her with a thrust that knocked a cry from her throat.
He did it again. And again.
Each time faster. Each time harder.
Her hands fisted in the sheets as he fucked her from behind, one hand still tangled in her hair, the other never leaving her clit.
She was gasping now, barely able to hold herself up.
He pounded into her, deep and fast, sweat slicking his back, his hips pping against hers, the rhythm relentless.
Her body took him, weed him, needed him/
And when he felt her clench again, he growled, knowing she was close, ¡°Come for me,
She shattered with a scream, her body writhing beneath him.
He came secondster, deep inside her, groaning her name.
07:32 Sat, 12 Jul WM ?
Chapter 121
They copsed together, tangled in the sheets, bodies damp and trembling. He moved her gently onto her side, curling up behind her.
He pulled her into his arms and kissed her shoulder.
¡°I¡¯ve got you.¡±
Room Mate 122
Chapter 122
His breath was warn against her hair, his chest resting against her back, one of his arms wrapped protectively around her belly and their batry,
She shifted slightly. Her thighs were really aching now, and he groaned softly behind het.
¡°Don¡¯t move yet,¡± he murmured. ¡°I like this too much.¡±
¡°We smell like sex,¡± she said into his skin.
¡°We do,¡± he agreed without shame.
Her stomach growled softly, but before she could say anything, Luca shifted behind her, kissed her shoulder, and rolled to his feet. He walked around the bed and crouched beside her.
¡°What are you doing?¡±
¡°Carrying you to the bathroom.¡±
She blinked. ¡°I can walk.¡±
He smirked. ¡°You say that now.¡±
Before she could argue, he scooped her into his arms, one hand behind her back, the other beneath her thighs. She let out a quietugh and wrapped
her arms around his neck.
¡°Show off.¡±
¡°Absolutely.¡±
He carried her into the connected bathroom, still warm from the sun that filtered through the frosted ss windows.
Luca set her down gently, kissed her forehead, and turned the water on, setting the temperature. Sutton stood by the vanity, watching him, naked¡ She wasn¡¯t sure if she should be self¨Cconscious of her pregnant body. She had never worried about it before.
He walked back over to her, lifting a hand and running his fingers through her long hair.
¡°Still think you can walk?¡± he asked, voice low. ¡°You seem to be using that vanity to hold yourself up.¡±
¡°Shut up,¡± she muttered, cheeks pink.
He smiled and kissed her gently before helping her step into the shower.
The water was the perfect temperature, warm but not too hot. It cascaded over her sore muscles like balm. She sighed and tipped her head back, letting it soak her hair. A momentter, Luca stepped in behind her, pressing close, his arms sliding around her waist.
They stayed like that for a minute, unmoving, the steam wrapping around them.
Then his hands moved up her sides, not really sexual¡ Not like she had the energy. More like he was relearning her body again. The changes.
He reached for the shampoo,thered it in his palms, and massaged it into her hair. She leaned back into him, letting her head fall forward as his fingers worked her scalp. It was unhurried. Like he was enjoying it as much as she was. He had never washed her hair before because they had never been like
this before.
He rinsed her hair and did the same with conditioner. When he was done, she turned around to face him. His hair was already wet, stered to his forehead.
¡°Your turn,¡± she said, grabbing the bottle and squirting a generous amount into her hands. Because she was tall, the height difference wasn¡¯t that bad,
Chapter 122
but he grinned and bent his knees, anyway.
She worked the shampoo through his hair. He closed his eyes and leaned into her touch.
¡°You could put me to sleep like this,¡± he mumbled.
Sheughed and rinsed him off. Then they took turns washing each other¡¯s bodies, hands sliding over slick skin, not with lust, but with familiarity. She washed his chest, his arms, his back. He washed her shoulders, her thighs, every curve.
By the time they stepped out and dried off, Sutton felt human again. Her skin was pink, clean. Her hair was wrapped in a towel. She padded barefoot through the bedroom, wrapped in one of his oversized towels until she found one of his white button¨Cdown work shirts slung over a chair.
She slipped it on without a second thought.
It swallowed her. The hem hit just above mid¨Cthigh. The sleeves fell past her wrists. But it smelled like him, and that was enough. She buttoned it up and rolled up the sleeve.
¡°You look fucking hot like that. It makes me want to take you to bed.¡±
Her stomach growled, making her face turn pink.
Lucaughed. ¡°Maybe I should feed you first.¡±
They ate lunch on the couch. It was grilled chicken, toast, fruit. Sutton perched cross¨Clegged with her te bnced on her knees. Luca sat beside her, one arm draped across the back of the couch, his eyes constantly drifting to her bare legs and the sh of thigh whenever she shifted.
She pretended not to notice at first until she thought he was a second away from touching
¡°Eyes up here, De Santis.¡±
He didn¡¯t even flinch. ¡°Hard to focus when you¡¯re wearing that and nothing else.¡±
more appealing to wear than my clothes from yesterday. There is She popped a piece of mango into her mouth and smirked. ¡°Not my fault your shirt is no way I¡¯m putting on the underwear from yesterday.¡± That made Sutton freeze. ¡°Did we pick up my underwear before leaving the officest¡ this morning?¡±
Lucaughed.
¡°It isn¡¯t funny, Luca. I don¡¯t remember. I don¡¯t want the rest of the team to figure out what happenedst night.¡± Sutton knew her cheeks were red.
He leaned over and kissed her. ¡°Yes, I picked them up and put them in my pocket.¡±
Then, a knock sounded at the front door.
Luca stood sighing. ¡°That¡¯ll be the delivery.¡±
Sutton watched him cross the room, bare¨Cchested, jeans slung low on his hips. She heard the door open, followed by the low murmur of voices.
He returned a few minutester, holding a sleek garment bag and a couple of t boxes.
¡°Clothes,¡± he said. ¡°I asked them to bring a few options.¡±
¡°You didn¡¯t have to.¡±
¡°I wanted to.¡±
She slid off the couch and took the bag from him,ying it over the armrest.
Just then, Luca¡¯s phone buzzed. And again. Repeatedly.
He nced at it, jaw tightening. ¡°Nicole. She has rung about fifteen tim
Sutton looked up. ¡°You should probably answer.¡±
since eight am.¡±
He hesitated.
¡°If you don¡¯t,¡± she added, ¡°she¡¯ll get suspicious. We need her to think she got aw
with it.¡±
He held her gaze a second longer. Then exhaled and took the call.
¡°Nicole. Sorry I didn¡¯t leave the office until early this morning¡ Yeah, I know¡ I made the decisionst night to lock everyone but myself out of the system¡ Yes, including Sutton¡ I¡¯ll be in the office within the hour. I¡¯ll fix the problem when I get there¡ Nicole, I will see you when I get there.¡±
He ended the call and tossed the phone onto the coffee table in anger.
Sutton looked at him. ¡°She didn¡¯t suspect anything?¡±
¡°No. She sounded frustrated but nothing more. She thinks I¡¯m still in the dark.¡±
¡°Good.¡±
Luca ran a hand through his hair. ¡°I¡¯ll call Jake before we head in.¡±
He picked up his phone again and dialed. It rang once before Jake picked up.
¡°Hey, boss. Everything okay?¡±
¡°Yeah. Just checking in. I¡¯ll be back at the office in less than an hour. I need you to keep everything calm and keep Nicole out of anything technical. Tell her I¡¯m handling it personally.¡±
¡°Got it. You want me to keep an eye on her?¡±
¡°Just¡ be ready.¡± Luca liked that Jake didn¡¯t ask a lot of questions.
¡°Copy that.¡±
Luca ended the call.
He trusted Jake. He had thought he could trust Nicole too.
That mistake was about to be corrected.
Room Mate 123
Chapter 123
Sutton stared at the garment bag Luca hadid across the bed for her. When she unzipped it, she found not just one outfit but several: a navy wrap dress, ck tailored pants with a stretchy panel for her belly. A few silk blouses in various colors, and even a soft cashmere cardigan.
¡°How did you¡¡± she began, picking up one of the blouses. It was exactly her size.
Luca leaned against the bedroom doorframe, watching her. ¡°I may have called in a favor with a stylist. Told them your measurements from what I remembered.¡±
Sutton raised an eyebrow. ¡°You remembered my measuremen
¡°I remember everything about you.¡± His voice dropped slightly.
¡°The way!
your body curves, how tall you are it¡¯s all burned into my memory.¡±
She turned away, trying to hide the flush creeping up her neck. He still shouldn¡¯t have this effect on her. Not after everything. And yet,st night had proved he still did. She wanted to remind him that if she was so important to him, why had he let her go.
¡°There¡¯s more,¡± he added, nodding toward the smaller boxes.
She opened them to find maternity underwear, bras, and even a pair offortable but stylish ts.
¡°This is too much,¡± she said softly. ¡°One outfit would have been fine.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not nearly enough.¡± Luca stepped further into the room. ¡°I also didn¡¯t know what you would feel morefortable in.¡±
Sutton selected the navy wrap dress and a set of underwear. ¡°I¡¯ll just¡¡± She gestured toward the bathroom.
¡°Take your time.¡±
In the privacy of the bathroom, she slipped out of his shirt and into the new clothes. Everything fit perfectly. The wrap dress hugged her curves in all the right ces while amodating her pregnant belly. The fabric was soft against her skin, expensive without being shy.
She had worn a lot of shy, expensive clothes as Audrey. Buting home, she hadn¡¯t needed them. She had reasoned that she was only pregnant for nine months and spending a heap of money on maternity clothes would be a waste of money.
She looked at herself in the mirror, her thick dark blonde hair still slightly damp from the shower, her body elegantly draped in clothes that made her feel bothfortable and beautiful. The dress really was beautiful.
When she stepped back into the bedroom, Luca was fully dressed in a fresh suit. His eyes darkened as they swept over her.
¡°You look beautiful,¡± he said, his voice low.
¡°It fits well,¡± she replied, smoothing the fabric over her stomach. ¡°Thank you. I didn¡¯t bother spending a heap of money on clothes while I was pregnant; jt seemed a waste really.¡±
He stepped closer, one handing to rest lightly on her hip. ¡°I want to take care of you, Sutton. Let me.¡±
The sincerity in his voice made her chest tighten. ¡°I¡¯ve been taking care of myself with my sister¡¯s help just fine, Luca. It¡¯s too early to talk about anything more right now.¡±
¡°I know.¡± His thumb traced a small circle on her hip. ¡°I¡¯m sorry-¡±
Sutton lifted her hand and put her fingers over his mouth, stopping him. ¡°I didn¡¯t say that to get you to apologize. I was just telling you how it is now.¡±
Luca took her hand away from his mouth and kissed her fingers.
She met his gaze steadily. ¡°We should get to the office.¡±
1/4
0:36 MO
Chapter 123
Luca let go of her hand, but his eyes stayed locked with hers. ¡°We should.¡±
As they walked toward the front door, Luca¡¯s phone buzzed again. He nced at it, his expression hardening momentarily before he slipped it into na pocket without answering..
¡°Nicole again?¡± Sutton asked.
He nodded. ¡°She can wait.¡±
In the private elevator down to the parking garage, they stood side by side, not touching. The air between them felt heavy, she was very aware of him.
¡°What¡¯s the n?¡± She asked as the doors opened.
Luca¡¯s jaw tightened. ¡°We y it cool. Let them think everything¡¯s normal. Then we
the trap.¡±
¡°And if Nicole suspects something?¡±
¡°She won¡¯t.¡± His voice was certain. ¡°Her weakness is that she underestimates everyone¡ especially you. She thinks she is so smart. Her ego will be her downfall.¡±
Sutton smiled grimly. ¡°That¡¯s her mistake. Never assume you are the smartest person in the
They approached his car, and Luca opened the passenger door for her. As she slid in, she spotted her handbag on the floor of the passenger seat where Luca must have ced it this morning. But she had been too tired to care about it.
¡°Oh, hell,¡± she muttered, remembering suddenly. She dug through the bag, pulling out her phone. The battery was nearly dead, with only 10% left, and she had missed seventeen calls from Keira.
¡°I need to call my sister,¡± she said as Luca got into the driver¡¯s side. ¡°She¡¯s probably freaking out.¡±
He nodded, starting the car. ¡°Go ahead.¡±
Sutton hit Keira¡¯s number, holding her breath as it rang. Her sister answered on the second ring.
¡°WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?¡± Keira¡¯s voice was so loud that Luca could hear it clearly from the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°I¡¯ve been calling you all night! I thought you were DEAD! Or KIDNAPPED! Or having the baby in a DITCH somewhere!¡±
¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Sutton said quickly. ¡°The emergency at work was worse than we thought. I had to pull an all¨Cnighter. I¡¯ll tell you about itter.¡±
¡°ALL NIGHT? Without TEXTING ME?¡± Keira¡¯s voice rose even higher. ¡°I called ir! I almost called the police! And the MORGUE!¡±
¡°I¡¯m really sorry,¡± Sutton said, wincing. ¡°I was dead on my feet when it was all over. I just went to sleep without thinking. I was with Luca.¡±
¡°How exactly is that supposed to put my mind at rest?¡± Keira wasn¡¯t buying it. ¡°Where are you now? Are you going home? Do I need toe get you? I¡¯ll tell Prince Wanker, I have a family emergency. He can look after himself for one day.¡±
Sutton nced at Luca, who was trying not to smile. ¡°We are¡ on our way to the office. A lot happenedst night, and we need to deal with it today.¡±
There was a long, loaded silence.
¡°Are you still with Luca?¡± Keira repeated tly. ¡°Did this all night include a period of time in his bed?¡±
¡°Keira,¡± Sutton warned. ¡°Not now. It wasn¡¯t like that.¡±
¡°Oh, it¡¯s EXACTLY like that,¡± Keira shot back. ¡°may be the younger sister, but I¡¯m not an idiot. You spent the night with Baby Daddy, and now you¡¯re doing
the walk of shame to work.¡±
Luca coughed beside her, clearly trying to suppress augh.
10:36 Mon, 14 Jul
¡°I can hear youughing, you asshole!¡± Keira yelled. ¡°Put me on speaker!¡±
Sutton reluctantly tapped the speaker button.
¡°Listen here, De Santis,¡± Keira began, her voice razor¨Csharp. ¡°I don¡¯t care how rich you are or how pretty your face is. If you hurt my sister again, i ett find you, and I will remove parts of your anatomy that you¡¯re particrly fond of. With a rusty spoon. Am I clear?¡±
Luca didn¡¯t miss a beat. ¡°Crystal clear. I¡¯m impressed by your creativity.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t be cute with me,¡± Keira snapped. ¡°I work for a prince who has diplomatic immunity, and so do most of his staff. I know people who could make you disappear.¡±
¡°I believe you,¡± he replied, his tone serious now. ¡°But I promise you, I¡¯m not going to hurt her again. You have my word. I know it doesn¡¯t count for mach right now, but I¡¯ll prove it.¡±
There was another pause.
¡°Sutton?¡± Keira¡¯s voice softened slightly. ¡°You good?¡±
Sutton felt a rush of affection for her fierce, protective sister. ¡°I¡¯m good, Keira, really. I¡¯ll exin everythingter.¡±
¡°You better. You¡¯d better keep me updated.¡±
¡°I will. Love you.¡±
¡°Love you too, idiot. Be safe.¡±
The call ended, and Sutton looked over to find Luca watching her with an odd expression.
¡°What?¡± she asked.
¡°Nothing.¡± He turned back to the road. ¡°Your sister is¡ formidable.¡±
¡°She means well.¡±
¡°I know.¡± He nced at her again. ¡°You¡¯re lucky to have her and ir. To have a family that cares that much.¡±
Something in his tone made Sutton study him more closely. ¡°You have your brother.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not the same.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Antonio and I didn¡¯t go through what you and your sisters have.
They were approaching the Cyber10 building now, and she could see the tension returning to Luca¡¯s shoulders.
¡°Do you think there will be fireworks?¡± Sutton asked, changing the subject.
Luca¡¯s fingers tightened on the steering wheel. ¡°With Nicole? Hell yes. We¡¯ll see how today ys out.¡±
¡°Did you get an update from your team following Miles?¡±
His jaw tightened. ¡°I got a message that he hasn¡¯t moved from the hotel yet. I¡¯m hoping that will happen soon. Because I can¡¯t leave Nicole unchecked inside Cyber10.¡±
Sutton reached over impulsively and squeezed his hand. ¡°We¡¯ll handle it.¡±
He looked surprised but didn¡¯t pull away. ¡°Yes,¡± he agreed, turning his hand toce his fingers through hers. ¡°We will.¡±
Room Mate 124
Chapter 124
83
The Cyber10 office felt different as they stepped inside, everyone tense and watchful¡ not surprising really when no one could log into the system. Employees looked up as they passed, their gazes following Luca and Sutton with barely concealed curiosity.
Shit, she had made a mistake bying into the office with him.
¡°We shouldn¡¯t havee in together¡ People are staring,¡± Sutton murmured as they walked toward the elevator. ¡°Also, they¡¯re likely worried about the
lockdown.¡±
Luca nodded almost imperceptibly. ¡°Good. Let them be worried.¡± But he didn¡¯t say anything about them arriving together.
The elevator doors opened, revealing Jake inside. His eyebrows shot up when he saw them there. He looked between Luca and Sutton, but he quickly schooled his expression, hiding any thoughts he had about it and didn¡¯t say anything.
¡°Boss,¡± he greeted Luca, then nodded to Sutton. ¡°Morning. Or afternoon, I guess.¡±
¡°Jake,¡± Luca returned evenly. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±
¡°Systems are still in lockdown as you ordered. I¡¯m having Nicole¡¯s every move watched. She¡¯s been trying to override it but can¡¯t get past your credentials,¡± Jake said, exining.
Luca¡¯s expression hardened slightly. ¡°Where is she now?¡±
¡°Executive conference room. She has called an emergency meeting with the department heads and the development team.¡±
¡°Without me,¡± Luca stated rather than asked. ¡°Interesting.¡±
¡°Yes, sir. Said you authorized it,¡± Jake said.
Sutton felt Luca stiffen beside her. In her opinion, his control was impressive. Nothing showed on his face except mild interest, but she could feel the anger radiating from him. She had known him in a way only a lover could.
¡°When did the meeting start?¡± she asked.
Jake checked his watch. ¡°About ten minutes ago.¡±
Luca exchanged a look with Sutton. ¡°I would say we arrived at the perfect time, don¡¯t you?¡±
*
The elevator stopped on the development floor, which also housed conference rooms. As the doors opened, Luca turned to Jake. ¡°Walk with us.¡±
Jake fell into step beside them as they moved through the development floor. Sutton could see Jake shooting her looks. He was full of energy, almost bouncing with it. He felt included, even though he didn¡¯t understand what was happening.
Employees were at their stations but not working¡ just staring at locked screens, talking in hushed voices, or scrolling on their phones.
¡°I need you to unlock a specific terminal,¡± Luca said quietly to Sutton. ¡°Just yours. I want to show them what we found.¡±
She nodded. ¡°I can do that.¡±
¡°The evidence is secure?¡±
¡°Triple¨Cencrypted on my private server. I made a backup too on your terminal.¡±
Jake looked between them, clearly confused but smart enough not to ask questions yet. Sutton was sure all his questions would be answered soon enough. Sutton was d Luca had trusted her.
Her team was not around, the development team would be in the conference room. The floor wasn¡¯t empty by any means.
1/3
10:28 Mon, 14 Jul V
They reached Sutton¡¯s workstation, and she sat down, her fingers already moving across the keyboard before she fully settled in the chair. Luca stood behind her, close enough that she could feel his presence like a physical force. She could feel the heating off of him.
¡°I¡¯m in,¡± she said after a moment. ¡°The system¡¯s epting my
credentials.¡±
¡°Good.¡± Luca turned to Jake, saying quietly. ¡°I need you to go to the conference room. Tell Nicole I¡¯ll be joining the meeting shortly. Don¡¯t tell her Sutton system is online. Don¡¯t tell her anything.¡±
Jake nodded, his expression serious. ¡°I don¡¯t know anything.¡±
¡°Jake.¡± Luca¡¯s voice held a warning.
¡°Okay, got it. I¡¯m going.¡±
As Jake left, Luca pulled up a chair beside Sutton. ¡°How long will it take to prepare the evidence?¡±
¡°Just a few minutes.¡± Her hands moved efficiently, pulling files from the secure server, organizing them for presentation. ¡°Do you want the full data dump or just the highlights?¡±
¡°Highlights first. We can go deeper if needed.¡±
She nodded, focused on her task. Luca watched her work, his eyes moving between her face and her screen.
¡°You¡¯re remarkable,¡± he said quietly.
Sutton nced at him, surprised by the frank admiration in his voice. ¡°I¡¯m just doing my job.¡± Very conscious of the people around them.
¡°No, you¡¯re doing much more than that.¡± His voice was low enough that no one else could hear. ¡°You saved thispany. You saved Kingston¡¯s data. And you caught the person who tried to sabotage both.¡±
Her fingers paused over the keyboard. ¡°We caught them together.¡±
¡°You did the heavy lifting. I just watched on.¡±
The simple statement, delivered without ttery or exaggeration, made something warm bloom in her chest. She pushed the feeling away, focusing back on her screen. She had work to do.
¡°All set,¡± she said after another minute. ¡°I¡¯ve queued up the security footage, the keystroke logs, and the timestamp corrtion that shows Nicole deactivating the security protocols right before the attack.¡±
Luca nodded, standing. ¡°Transfer it to the conference room system. I want them all to see it at once.¡±
Sutton hit a few more keys. ¡°Done.¡±
As they walked toward the conference room, Sutton felt the tension building again. The corridor seemed longer than usual, each step bringing them closer to a confrontation that would change everything. She didn¡¯t think this would happen smoothly. Nicole would put up a fight. Sutton hoped she would find out what Nicole¡¯s motive was and why Nicole had targeted her.
¡°Nervous?¡± Luca asked quietly.
¡°No,¡± she replied, surprising herself with how true it felt. ¡°Just ready for this to be over.¡±
His hand briefly touched the small of her back, a fleeting gesture of support. ¡°Stay close to me.¡± Sutton saw his eyes drop to her belly. Was he worried Nicole would physically attack her?
They could hear voices from inside the conference room as they approached. Nicole¡¯s voice carried clearly through the door, confident and authoritative
-obvious that the system failure originated in the development department. Someone either made a catastrophic error or deliberately sabotaged i Kingston ount.¡±
2/3
10.20
Luca paused, his hand on the door handle, listening.
¡°And given the timing,¡± Nicole continued, ¡°and the fact that the problem started right after certain personnel were hurriedly promoted beyond their qualifications, I think we need to consider this might not have been an ident.¡±
Sutton¡¯s stomach tightened at the implication. Nicole was already setting her up to take the fall. Why that little bitch.
Luca¡¯s jaw clenched. Without waiting any longer, he pushed the door open.
The room fell silent instantly. About fifteen people were seated around the long conference table, with Nicole standing at the head, a presentation disyed on the wall behind her. Jake sat to one side, his expression carefully neutral.
Every head turned toward them.
Room Mate 125
Chapter 125
¡°Luca,¡± Nicole said, a smile spreading across her face. ¡°I¡¯m so d you could join us. I was just updating everyone on the situation.¡±
¡°So I heard,¡± Luca replied, his voice deceptively calm. He moved into the room with Sutton beside him. ¡°Please continue. I¡¯m very interested in your theory about sabotage.¡±
Nicole¡¯s smile flickered but held. ¡°I was exining that the attack appeared to coincide with recent structural changes in the development department.¡± Her eyes flicked to Sutton, cold and calcting. Sutton was shocked by the depth of hatred in her eyes. ¡°And that perhaps certain rushed promotions might need to be reconsidered.¡±
Luca nodded slowly, as if considering her words. ¡°That¡¯s an interesting hypothesis. Also interesting that you would question my judgment in front of everyone here.¡± He moved to the chair at the opposite end of the table from Nicole. ¡°But before we continue with that, I¡¯d like to review some evidence
we¡¯ve uncovered.¡±
Nicole¡¯s smile disappeared entirely now. ¡°Evidence? I thought the Kingston system was wiped. How can you have evidence? Unless of course it¡¯s been fabricated to cover a certain person¡¯s tracks.¡±
¡°They didn¡¯t try,¡± Luca confirmed. ¡°Our system got shut down to protect our customers and also our systems from the threat.¡± He gestured to Sutton, who had taken a seat beside Jake. ¡°Ms. Warner, would you please share what you found?¡±
Sutton tapped a fewmands on the conference room system. The screen behind Nicole changed, disying the security footage they had captured.
¡°This was recorded at 3:12 a.m. this morning,¡± Sutton said, her voice steady. ¡°It shows two individuals essing the building.¡±
The room watched in silence as the footage yed. Nicole, clearly recognizable, stood next to a hooded figure who was typing at a terminal.
Nicole¡¯s face drained of color.
¡°That¡¯s not possible,¡± she said, her voice uncharacteristically thin. ¡°This is¡ this must be doctored.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not. Luca and I watched it as it unfolded,¡± Sutton replied calmly. She tapped another key, and the screen split to show a second feed. This one disyed the keystroke log from the terminal being used. ¡°These are the exactmands entered at that terminal, at that exact time. By someone using Jake¡¯s stolen security badge.¡±
All eyes turned to Jake, who looked genuinely shocked. ¡°My badge was in my locker,¡± he said. ¡°I swear, that¡¯s not me.¡±
¡°We know it wasn¡¯t you,¡± Luca cut in. ¡°The man on the video is considerablyrger than you. The badge was duplicated or stolen and returnedter. We will of course need to give you a new one just to be safe.¡±
Nicole¡¯s hands gripped the edge of the table. ¡°This is absurd. I was workingte. I happened to be in that area. I saw someone suspicious and followed them to investigate.¡±
¡°Then why didn¡¯t you report it?¡± Luca asked, his voice hardening. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you activate a security alert? Why did you walk in with him, Nicole¡ Stop your lies.¡±
¡°I was going to report it, but-¡±
¡°And why,¡± Luca continued, ¡°would the ¡®suspicious person¡® you were supposedly investigating be using an advanced script specifically designed to corrupt Kingston¡¯s database? That happened to be the exact database Sutton had protected with her virus detection system? A system someone had deliberately deactivated hours earlier?¡±
The silence in the room was deafening. Everyone was watching Nicole.
Sutton tapped another key. The screen changed to show a log of system ess records. ¡°This shows the deactivation of the virus protection system. It was done using Nicole¡¯s credentials, from her officeputer, at 7:43 p.m. yesterday. Right before she left for the evening. There is proof that the hacker was trying to delete this information from the Cyber 10 system. But he didn¡¯t know I had cloned the system to protect it.¡±
Nicole¡¯s face contorted. ¡°This is ridiculous. You¡¯re setting me up! You¡¯re the one with theputer skills, not me.¡± She pointed at Sutton. 1/3
Sutton didn¡¯t say anything. She was a little worried they hadn¡¯t heard anything about Miles Miller yet, Luca might have to contain Nicole until they did.
¡°Why would she do that?¡± Luca asked, his voice dangerously quiet. ¡°Why would I?¡± He rested back in his chair, arms folded across his chest.
¡°Because of her!¡± Nicole spat, pointing at Sutton. ¡°You¡¯re sleeping with her, aren¡¯t you? She¡¯s got you wrapped around her finger! It¡¯s the only thing that exins her fast track through thepany. She is just another little slut working her way up thedder on her back.¡±
The room erupted in shocked murmurs. Sutton kept her expression neutral, though her heart was pounding. She wanted to get up and punch the bitch in the face.
¡°Careful, Nicole,¡± Luca warned. ¡°You¡¯re only making this worse for yourself.¡±
¡°You¡¯ve changed since she came along,¡± Nicole continued, her voice rising. ¡°You never used to question her pregnant belly and her pretty face¡¡±
¡°Stop,¡± Lucamanded, his voice like a whip.
Nicole fell silent, breathing hard.- me. We were a team. Until she showed up with
¡°The facts are these,¡± Luca said, addressing the room atrge. ¡°Someone deliberately deactivated the security protocols on Kingston¡¯s server using Nicole¡¯s credentials. Hourster, a professional hacker essed our systems with Nicole present, attempting to corrupt or destroy client data. When that failed, a second attempt was made early this morning. What Nicole didn¡¯t know was that a second person had paid this hacker to corrupt the Cyber10 system.¡± Shock spread through the room upon hearing this information.
¡°You¡¯re lying,¡± Nicole screamed.
¡°I¡¯m not, Nicole. You put not only Kingston but Cyber10 in danger¨Cfor what?¡±
Nicole looked away.
He stood, buttoning his suit jacket. ¡°This constitutes corporate espionage and attempted sabotage. These actions have put our client rtionships at risk and potentially cost thispany millions. Also, you could have destroyed Cyber10.¡±
Nicole shook her head. ¡°You can¡¯t prove I had anything to do with this. That footage doesn¡¯t show me doing anything wrong.¡±
¡°Actually,¡± Sutton interjected, ¡°we can.¡± She tapped another key, and the screen showed a different camera angle. This time, Nicole could clearly be seen handing something to the hooded figure. ¡°The object you passed to him was a data drive containing the specific bypass codes needed to ess the Kingston database. Codes only you and Luca and I had. Luca and I were together trying to sandbox the virus and clear the system at this time.¡±
Nicole¡¯s face went ashen.
¡°Additionally,¡± Sutton continued, ¡°we¡¯ve traced the hacker. His name is Miles Miller, codename Ghost. He¡¯s a known cybercriminal who specializes in data corruption and corporate espionage.¡±
¡°Currently staying at the Metropolitan Hotel under a false name, with a considerable sum of money recently deposited into an offshore ount linked to him. Money that came from an ount we¡¯ve traced back to you, Nicole,¡± Luca added.
Sutton looked at him, surprised. He had
been
ab
boy.
The room waspletely silent now, all eyes fixed on Nicole. She looked cornered, desperate.
¡°You bitch,¡± she hissed at Sutton. ¡°You think you¡¯re so clever? You think this means anything?¡±
¡°The thing is, Nicole, I am that clever. You just didn¡¯t see it,¡± Sutton replied evenly. ¡°I was able to protect thispany and its clients.¡±
Nicole looked at Luca, her expression changing to one of pleading. ¡°Luca, you know me. We¡¯ve worked together for years. I¡¯ve been loyal to you. Don¡¯t throw that away over some temporary fixation.¡±
Luca¡¯s face was like stone. ¡°You betrayed that loyalty the moment you decided to sabotage mypany.¡± He turned to Jake. ¡°Please escort Ms. Bruno to
the security office. The police have been notified and will be here shortly to arrest her.¡±
¡°You can¡¯t do this!¡± Nicole cried as Jake stood, ¡°Luca, please! It was all for you! Everything I¡¯ve ever done has been for you!¡±
¡°Take her out,¡± Luca said quietly, shocked at her statement.
It was then that Sutton realized that Nicole was in love with Luca¡ The pieces of the puzzle fell into ce.
Jake moved toward Nicole, who backed away, her eyes wild. ¡°You¡¯ll regret this,¡± she spat. ¡°Both of you.¡±
As Jake led Nicole from the room, the rest of the executives sat in stunned silence. Luca looked around the table, his expression grave.
¡°I apologize for the disruption this has caused,¡± he said. ¡°The system lockdown will be lifted within the hour, Kingston¡¯s data is secure thanks to Ms. Warner¡¯s quick action and expertise.¡±
He nced at Sutton, with a hint of pride in his eyes. ¡°In light of these events, I¡¯m appointing Ms. Warner as our new head of cybersecurity, effective immediately. Her first task will be conducting aplete security audit of all our systems.¡±
Sutton tried to keep her surprise from showing on her face. They hadn¡¯t discussed this.
¡°Now,¡± Luca continued, ¡°if you¡¯ll excuse us, Ms. Warner and I need to brief Roman Kingston on these developments.¡±
As they left the conference room together, Sutton felt as if she¡¯d been holding her breath for hours and could finally exhale. The corridor was quiet, empty except for the two of them.
¡°Head of cybersecurity?¡± she asked once they were alone in the elevator.
Luca turned to her, his eyes serious. ¡°You earned it. After what you didst night, I can¡¯t think of anyone better qualified.¡±
She studied his face. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to do that.¡±
¡°I know.¡± His hand found hers, fingers intertwining. ¡°I think Cyber10 needs you.¡±
Room Mate 126
Chapter 126
They didn¡¯t speak during the elevator ride to Luca¡¯s office. The sexual tension between them¡ªand the tension from the confrontation with Nicole was still hummed through her body. Sutton watched the floor numbers light up one by one, her mind racing through everything that had just happened. The revtion, Nicole¡¯s face as she realized she¡¯d been caught, the stunned expressions of the executives around the table.
When the doors opened on the executive floor, Luca ced his hand gently on the small of her back, guiding her toward his office. The gesture felt both protective and intimate, making her skin warm beneath the fabric of her dress.
His assistant looked up as they approached.
¡°Hold all my calls, Kate,¡± Luca instructed. ¡°We¡¯re not to be disturbed.¡±
¡°Yes, sir,¡± the young woman replied, looking between them curiously.
Inside his office, Luca closed the door and leaned against it for a moment, breathing out slowly. He looked tired, the weight of betrayal evident by the look on his face.
¡°Are you okay?¡± Sutton asked quietly.
He pushed away from the door, moving to therge windows overlooking the city. ¡°Six years,¡± he said. ¡°She worked for me for six years. I feel so empty that someone I trusted did this to me.¡±
Sutton sat in one of the chairs facing his desk. ¡°I think she might need help.¡±
Luca turned, eyebrows raised. ¡°Help? She tried to sabotage mypany. Why would I help her?¡±
¡°I know,¡± Sutton agreed. ¡°But the way she looked at you, the things she said¡¡± She paused, choosing her words carefully. ¡°Luca, I think she¡¯s in love with you.¡±
He stared at her as if she¡¯d grown a second head. ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous. Nicole and I have always had a strictly professional rtionship.¡±
¡°Maybe for you,¡± Sutton said. ¡°But I don¡¯t think it was the same for way around.¡±
Luca ran a hand through his hair, disturbing its perfect styling. ¡°In
She really fell apart at the end there. It was like you betrayed her. Not the other
her any reason to think¡ I never flirted with her or suggested¡¡±
¡°I believe you,¡± Sutton said gently. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean she didn¡¯t develop feelings, anyway. Think about it¡ The way she said everything she did was for you¡ that¡¯s not just professional loyalty.¡±
He sank into his chair, looking genuinely bewildered. ¡°How did I miss
knew she was right¡ but he had missed it.
¡°Maybe you should consider having her evaluated,¡± Sutton suggested. ¡°Mentally, I mean. Before pressing charges. This seems¡ obsessive.¡±
Luca studied her face. ¡°You¡¯re actually worried about her. Even after everything she did to you.¡±
Sutton shrugged. ¡°I know what it¡¯s like to be desperate because of feelings for someone.¡± She met his eyes steadily. ¡°Not to this extreme, but still. Love can make people do crazy things.¡±
He held her gaze for a long moment. ¡°You¡¯re remarkable, you know that? Anyone else would want her locked up without a second thought. But even now you are thinking of her¡¡±
¡°Oh, I definitely want her held ountable,¡± Sutton rified. ¡°I¡¯m just saying, maybe there¡¯s more going on here than corporate espionage.
Luca nodded slowly. ¡°I¡¯ll speak to mywyer See about having a psychiatric evaluation included in whatever happens next. I don¡¯t want her getting off on a technicality.¡±
¡°I would call mentally unstable, more than a technicality, Luca¡ She needs help.¡±
A ar
Sutton with a raised eyebrow. ¡°Your sister really hates me
hat much?¡±
¡°Keira doesn¡¯t do anything halfway,¡± Sutton replied with a shrug. ¡°She¡¯s protective. She¡¯s worried about me after¡¡±
¡°I gathered that from our phone conversation earlier.¡± He leaned back in his chair. ¡°Will she actually try to harm me, or is this all just theatrical intimidation?¡±
Sutton pretended to consider this seriously. ¡°Probably just intimidation. Though I wouldn¡¯t ept any drinks, she hands you.¡±
Chapter 126.
¡°Noted.¡± Luca¡¯s lips quibed into a smile. ¡°Should I Bring a peace offering? Flowers? Expensive whiskey? A but prost veur
¡°Just bring yourself¡± she said. ¡°We can handle Keira.¡±
Luca nodded, his expression turning more serious. ¡°I have a lot to apologize for. To all of you¡±
¡°Yes, you do.¡± Sutton met his eyes directly. ¡°But the fact that you recognize that is a start in our hork
He stood,ing around the desk to stand before her. He took her hands in his, pulling her gently is her feet.
¡°I meant what i said about the head of cybersecurity position,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s yours if you want it.¡±
Sutton tilted her head. ¡°Because I¡¯m good at what I do, or because I¡¯m having your baby?¡±
¡°Because you¡¯re brilliant,¡± he said without hesitation. ¡°The baby has nothing to do with it. Neither does.. whatever is happening between us.¡±
Whatever is happening between us. The words hung in the air, neither of them quite ready to define it.
¡°I¡¯ll think about it,¡± she said finally. ¡°Can I give you an answer tomorrow?¡±
¡°Take all the time you need.¡± His thumb brushed across her knuckles, the touch light but electric. ¡°We should probably get back to work. There¡¯s still a lot to clean up after everything that happened. We need to get our system and the Kingston system back online.¡±
Sutton nodded, though she made no move to step away from him. ¡°Already done. I had started the process before we went into the meeting. The systems should be fully restored by now.¡±
¡°And Kingston¡¯s data?¡±
¡°Safe. I¡¯ll need to run a few more security checks, but the core files were neverpromised.¡±
Luca smiled, pride evident in his eyes. ¡°And this is why you should be our head of cybersecurity. You are always two steps ahead.¡±
¡°Just doing my job,¡± she said, echoing her earlier words.
His smile widened. ¡°Head of cybersecurity.¡±
¡°Maybe,¡± she corrected. ¡°I haven¡¯t said yes yet.¡±
¡°You will.¡± His confidence would have been annoying if it weren¡¯t so well¨Cearned. ¡°Because you know as well as I do that you¡¯re perfect for it.¡±
Before she could argue, his phone buzzed with a text. He sighed reluctantly, releasing her hands to check it.
¡°Security,¡± he exined. ¡°They¡¯ve turned Nicole over to the police.¡± He hesitated, then added, ¡°I requested the psychiatric evaluation.¡±
Sutton nodded. ¡°Good. That¡¯s the right call.¡±
He slipped his phone back into his pocket. ¡°We should have an update on Miles soon. I have stopped Nicole from making any calls and alerting him.¡±
¡°Good. We need to know who else paid him. And tonight?¡± she asked. ¡°Dinner at Roman and BL
A grin crossed his face. ¡°Tonight I face the firing squad. Also known as your sister Keira.¡±
Suttonughed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll protect you.¡±
¡°My hero,¡± he said dryly, but the warmth in his eyes told her he meant it. Sutton could see he wanted to kiss her, so she walked toward the door. One kiss would lead to more, and she didn¡¯t need that sort of attention.
Luca said again, ¡°And Sutton? Thank you for everything.¡±
She smiled at him, realizing with a jolt that despite everything¨Cthe drama with Nicole, the sabotage attempt, the uncertainty of their rtionship Ne was happy. Truly happy for the first time in months.
¡°You¡¯re wee,¡± she said before leaving his office.
Room Mate 127
Chapter 127
Sutton had barely taken three steps into the development room when someone let out a long, theatrical whistle.
Then there was pping. Not sarcastic slow pping, but actual pping. A solid round of apuse. Everyone was watching her.
Sutton paused in the doorway, blinking at the strange yet enthusiastic reception. ¡°Did I win an award I don¡¯t know about? Is someone behind me holding a pizza box? What¡¯s going on?¡±
¡°Way to go, Warner!¡± Kevin called out, grinning. The same Kevin who¡¯d grilled her on istion protocols just days ago. ¡°Head of cybersecurity!¡± Tyler added, giving her an approving nod. ¡°It¡¯s about damn time this ce recognized actual talent.¡±
Great, Extra great. Sutton blinked, taken aback by the unexpected show of support. She¡¯d anticipated jealousy, resentment, or at the very least, suspicion about how she¡¯dnded the promotion. ¡°Thanks,¡± she managed, attempting to smile through her bewilderment. ¡°But I, uh¡ haven¡¯t officially epted yet.¡±
Sutton¡¯s eyes scanned the faces around the room. There were about ten people there, and not one looked irritated. Or threatened. There were no side- eyes, no tight jaws, no passive¨Caggressive mouse clicks.
Elliott raised a can of soda. ¡°Congrats, Sutton. You deserve it.¡±
¡°You¡¯d be crazy not to,¡± Drew said, approaching with a cup of coffee that he handed to her. ¡°The way you handled that virus attack was impressive. I couldn¡¯t have tracked the source like that.¡±
She smiled, a little stunned at theck of bitterness in the air. ¡°Thanks,¡± she said softly. ¡°Really. That¡ means a lot.¡±
Jake appeared at her side, leaning in to whisper, ¡°See? Told you they¡¯de around once they saw what you could do.¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t expect it to be quite so¡ enthusiastic,¡± she murmured back.
Jake grinned. ¡°Nothing earns a coder¡¯s respect faster than elite hacking skills. You basically achieved legend status.¡±
Sutton blinked a few times and cleared her throat. ¡°Don¡¯t make me emotional before lunch. I forgot to wear waterproof mascara.¡±
¡°Lunch is emotional when you¡¯re this pregnant,¡± Jake replied, tongue in cheek.
She turned away, grinning. ¡°You¡¯re a menace,¡± she said with a smirk.
Jake grinned at her. ¡°Well, I have work to do.¡± He air kissed her before he left the floor.
As she sat down at her workstation, she tapped open a secure diagnostics window, running a series of sweeps through the backend system, thorouh traces to ensure Miles or Nicole hadn¡¯t tampered with anything she hadn¡¯t known about.
No glitches. No unauthorized logins. Everything was stable.
She exhaled. Finally. One normal day.
Around 3:27 PM, Sutton leaned back and stretched. Her lower back ached, and her ankles felt like she¡¯d walked ten miles uphill carrying a watermelon. She rubbed her belly and nced at the clock again. She should head out in a little while.
She picked up her phone and sent luca a quick text.
Sutton: Done for today. Systems are clean and calm. I¡¯m heading home, though. Legs are toast.
The reply came fast. As in barely a ten¨Csecond dy fast.
Luca: I¡¯ll take you. And pick you up tonight for dinner.
C
Sutton stared at the screen. She was too tired to roll her eyes. Instead, she angled a slow sigh toward the ceiling
Sutton: No, it¡¯ll just make people talk. Especially now that you¡¯ve offered me a new role.
Luca: So¡ you¡¯re taking the job?
That made her hesitate.
Sutton: 1 don¡¯t know yet. But just in case I do¡ I don¡¯t need the office talking.
Luca: Then you¡¯ll take the car I¡¯ve arranged for you. It¡¯s waiting outside.
Sutton stared at the screen, eyebrows lifting.
Sutton: When did you do that?! I told you I¡¯d think about it.
Luca: I¡¯m still waiting for you to think about a lot of things.
Sutton: You didn¡¯t even know if I¡¯d take the job!
Luca: I¡¯m waiting for you to think about a lot of things. I didn¡¯t think I would get an answer for that one, so I made up your mind for you.
Sutton: Luca¡
Luca: It¡¯s for my peace of mind, Sutton.
Sutton paused, fingers hovering above her screen. She sighed, knowing this was one battle she probably wouldn¡¯t win.
Sutton: Fine. I¡¯ll leave in twenty minutes. Give me time to tie up a few loose ends and pack my gear.
He sent a thumbs¨Cup emoji followed by a second text.
Luca: I have news about Miles.
That sent lightning straight down her spine.
Sutton: What kind of news?
Luca: I¡¯ll tell you when I pick you up.
Her fingers hovered again.
Sutton: I¡¯m going with Keira. We¡¯ll meet you at ir and Roman¡¯s.
tuca:
The sad face made herugh out loud, drawing curious nces from nearby developers.
Sutton: I¡¯ll spend the drive calming her down, okay? She¡¯s still convinced she needs to threaten you with a meat cleaver before letting you hold your own child, let alone hold my hand.
Luca: Can¡¯t wait.
Sutton: At least we¡¯ll save the cost of entertainment.
Luca: You sure I don¡¯t need to wear a protective codpiece? Or Ker underwear?
Sutton: You could just wear your guilt. I heard it makes a great shield.
247%
Luca: Tonight, I tell you what I found out about Miles. I can tell everyone together.
She didn¡¯t respond to that.
Sutton turned back to herputer to finish documenting her work. As she typed, she found herself smiling.
Exactly twenty minutester, she shut down herputer and gathered her things. As she stepped outside, a sleek town car was waiting for her outside, the driver standing at attention beside the rear door. ¡°Ms. Warner?¡± he inquired politely, opening the door for her.
¡°That¡¯s me,¡± she confirmed. She got inside.
As the car pulled away from the curb, Sutton messaged Keira to let her know she was on her way home, then closed her eyes for a moment, finally letting the fatigue of the past twenty¨Cfour hours catch up with her. She hoped it wouldn¡¯t be ate night.
The dinner tonight would be interesting, to say the least. ir and Roman, newly returned from their honeymoon. Keira, with her razor sharp tonque and protective instincts. And Luca, trying to navigate thisplex family dynamic while also dealing with everything else that had happened. Plus, apparently, news about Miles. That was concerning. Had he escaped? Been released? Made a deal with the police? She¡¯d have to wait until tonight to find
out.
She still hadn¡¯t decided about the job offer. It was tempting¡ very tempting. But she couldn¡¯t help wondering if epting it wouldplicate things further with Luca. Work and personal life entangling even more than they already were. And then there was his other proposal, the one she¡¯d been steadfastly ignoring. Marriage. The thought still made her stomach flip nervously.
The car stopped in front of her building. The driver opened her door, helping her out with a respectful hand beneath her elbow. ¡°Mr. De Santis asked me to tell you the car will be avable whenever you need it,¡± he said. ¡°Day or night. Just call this number.¡± He handed her a business card with a direct line.
¡°Thank you,¡± she said, pocketing the card.
Unlocking the door, she stepped inside to find Keira already dressed for dinner, sprawled dramatically across the couch. ¡°Finally!¡± her sister eximed, sitting up. ¡°I need your help in deciding how terrifying to be toward De Santis tonight. On a scale from ¡®mildly intimidating¡® to ¡®making him fear for his reproductive future,¡® where should I aim?¡±
Suttonughed, dropping her bag and kicking off her shoes. ¡°How about ¡®civil but watchful¡°?¡±
Keira scoffed. ¡°Boring.¡±
¡°Keira,¡± Sutton warned, giving her sister a pointed look. ¡°He¡¯s trying, okay? Really trying.¡±
Something in her tone must have conveyed more than she intended because Keira¡¯s expression softened, her teasing smile fading to something more
serious.
¡°You¡¯re falling for him again, aren¡¯t you?¡±
Sutton sank into the armchair opposite her sister, suddenly too tired to deny it. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe. It¡¯s not something you can turn off or on like a tap.¡±
¡°It¡¯s alwaysplicated with men,¡± Keira said, leaning forward. ¡°But here¡¯s what¡¯s simple: hr you before. Badly. Are you sure you want to risk that
again?¡±
¡°No,¡± Sutton admitted. ¡°But I¡¯m not sure I want to miss out on what could be, either.¡±
Keira studied her face, then nodded once. ¡°Okay. I¡¯l downgrade from ¡®castration threats¡® to ¡®meaningful res with asional verbal warnings.¡±¡±
¡°I appreciate your restraint,¡± Sutton said dryly.
¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡± Keira stood, stretching. ¡°Now go get ready. ir will kill us both if we¡¯rete to her first dinner party as Mrs. Kingston.¡±
Sutton headed to her room, already mentally reviewing her wardrobe options. As she passed the full¨Clength mirror, she caught a glimpse of herself, flushed cheeks, a brightness in her eyes that hadn¡¯t been there in months. She paused, studying her reflection.
Yes,
she was
definitely falling again. The
question was whether, this
time, Luca
would
O
be there to catch
her.
Room Mate 128
Chapter 128
Keira drove as she did everything else, with supreme confidence. Sutton thought it might be because she was the youngest. She had been very young when their parents had died.
While Keira told her about what had happened at the party she attended with her bossst
night¡
¡°So then this diplomat¡¯s wife shows up,¡± Keira was saying, barely slowing for a yellow light that she could have stopped for, ¡°wearing the exact same designer dress as the ambassador¡¯s mistress¡ who wasn¡¯t supposed to be there in the first ce and I swear to God, Sutton, you could¡¯ve cut the tension with a knife. It wasn¡¯t that the wife didn¡¯t know something was going on. But golden rule never have them in the room at the same time. I would say after that little stunt the mistress is on the way out. The wife¡¯s family is the one with the money.¡±
Sutton gripped the door handle as Keira took a corner too fast. ¡°Fascinating. Could you please focus on the road before you kill us both? I¡¯d like my baby to actually make it to birth.¡±
¡°Rx,¡± Keira said, though she did ease up on the gas slightly. ¡°I¡¯ve never had an ident.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sure that should fill me with reassurance, but it doesn¡¯t,¡± Sutton muttered.
Her phone buzzed with an iing text. Luca again.
Luca: Are you on your way?
Sutton: Yes. Keira is driving like she is in Form 1. Pray for me.
Luca: Should I be praying for you or for myself when you arrive?
Sutton smiled despite herself.
Sutton: Both.
Luca: I¡¯m not that far away myself.
¡°Stop texting him,¡± Keira said, not taking her eyes off the road. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to be helping me practice my intimidating facial expressions for when he shows up.¡±
¡°I thought we agreed on ¡®civil.¡±¡±
¡°I¡¯m civil. Doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t also silentlymunicate that I know seventeen ways to make his death look like an ident.¡±
Sutton rolled her eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t know seventeen ways to make someone¡¯s death look like an ident.¡±
¡°I work for a prince, remember,¡± Keira countered. ¡°I¡¯ve picked things up.¡±
¡°Keira¡¡± God, she really hoped Keira was joking.
¡°Fine, fine. Whatever.¡± Her sister waved a dismissive hand. ¡°I¡¯ll y nice. Mostly.¡± They pulled up at Roman and ir¡¯s estate.
¡°I really should ask what you do for this prince, Keira. Some of the things thate out of your mouth are starting to worry me,¡± Sutton said as they headed inside.
Keira grinned. ¡°Let¡¯s just say most of the time he rubs me the wrong way, but the pay is good for all my bitching. I¡¯m good at keeping his secrets. The fact I signed an NDA and he could sue me might also have something to do with it.¡±
¡°I¡¯m going to pretend I didn¡¯t hear that.¡± NDA, really. She might talk to ir and Roman, maybe even Luca. They might know more about Keira¡¯s boss than she did. Roman and Luca moved in the same business world as the Prince.
Keira moved up the stairs faster than she could. ir answered the door before they could even knock, looking radiant in a simple blue dress, her hair
loose around her shoulders,
¡°There you are!¡± she eximed, pulling them both into a hug. ¡°Roman¡¯s made cocktails¡ virgin for you, of course, Sutton.¡±
¡°You look happy.¡± Sutton could see her sister was brimming with¡ well, something. She had seemed content with Dan, But with Roman, she was clearly very happy.
¡°I am. I couldn¡¯t believe how lucky I was.¡± Then she realized that Sutton hadn¡¯t made up her mind about Luca yet and wasn¡¯t sure if she was going to be So, ir squeezed Sutton¡¯s hand to show support.
ir led them into the family room. Roman stood at the bar, mixing drinks.
¡°Ladies,¡± he greeted them warmly. ¡°Perfect timing. Dinner¡¯s almost ready.¡±
¡°Where¡¯s Luca?¡± Keira asked, a touch too innocently.
¡°Not here yet,¡± Roman replied, giving her a warning look. ¡°And when he arrives, you will behave yourself. ir has filled me in on your revenge tendencies.¡±
Keira batted her eyshes. ¡°I have no idea what you mean.¡±
¡°Uh¨Chuh,¡± Roman said, clearly unconvinced. He handed her a martini. ¡°Drink this. It might help dull your homicidal instincts. He is trying, and you don¡¯t know the whole story.¡± He handed Sutton her virgin drink. ¡°No alcohol.¡±
¡°Roman¡ You take all the fun out of life.¡± Keira pouted.
¡°Just remember this isn¡¯t your story. You will have yours, and would you want ir and Sutton involving themselves in your love life?¡± It was a subtle warning.
Before Keira could answer, the doorbell rang. ir moved to answer it. Sutton felt her pulse quicken, annoyed at herself for the reaction. She was a grown woman, for God¡¯s sake, not some teenager with a crush. She and Luca had a past. A past they needed to work through, regardless. If they had a future, they still shared a child.
Luca came into the room with ir. He must have gone home and changed. His suit was gone, reced by a beige pair of pants and a blue dress shirt. The top buttons of his shirt was undone. His hair was slightly mussed.
Clutched in one hand was arge bouquet of flowers, and under his other arm was a bottle of wine.
¡°Good evening,¡± he said. ¡°These are for you and Roman.¡± He handed over the flowers and wine. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure what was for dinner, so I yed it safe with a red.¡±
There was a tension in the room, but ir broke it by talking about their few days away. Roman handed Luca a scotch, pping him on the shoulder.
Sutton could feel Luca¡¯s eyes on her. He didn¡¯t move toward her, maybe sensing she needed space in front of her family.
¡°How are you feeling?¡± he asked quietly when the others had moved toward the dining area.
¡°Fine,¡± she replied automatically, then corrected herself. ¡°Tired, actually. It¡¯s been a full¨Con 36 hours.¡±
¡°I know.¡± His eyes were soft with concern. ¡°You should have left earlier. From work today. Have a nap.¡±
?
¡°I wanted to make sure everything was secure and cleaned up.¡±
He nodded, understanding. There was an awkward pause, neither quite sure how to act around each other with an audience.
¡°Dinner¡¯s ready,¡± ir called, saving them from the moment.
The meal was beautiful¨Csalmon with a crispy skin, asparagus, a creamy potato dish. ir really was the best cook out of the three sisters-
The conversation flowed easily about nothing serious as they sat down to eat, Roman and ir sharing stories from their brief honeymoon
Halfway through the meal, ir, never one for subtlety, set down her fork and said, ¡°So, Luca, Roman said there was a security scare at Cyber10
Luca looked at Sutton before answering. ¡°Yes, but Sutton¡¯s new Al virus software and her mad skills saved the day. Not only for Kingston but Cyber 10 as well. I offered Sutton a promotion.¡±
ir lifted an eyebrow. Sutton knew ir had been holding off going to Cyber 10 for Warner industries until she saw how the new management and changes with the new CEO Luca. At the time the topic hade up, they hadn¡¯t known Luca was the new CEO. ¡°Promotion already. That¡¯s great
Luca nodded. ¡°Head of cybersecurity. She saved Kingston¡¯s data and caught a saboteur single¨Chandedly.¡±
¡°Not single¨Chandedly,¡± Sutton interjected. ¡°You helped.¡±
He smiled at her, a real smile that reached his eyes. ¡°I watched and made a few calls while you did all the heavy lifting.¡±
¡°Wait, what saboteur?¡± Keira demanded, looking between them. ¡°What the hell happened?¡±
Over dessert¨Ca yummy chocte mousse that made Sutton nearly groan with pleasure. They filled everyone in on what had happened. Nicole¡¯s betrayal and the hacker, Miles Miller.
¡°Which reminds me,¡± Luca said when they¡¯d finished exining. ¡°The news about Miles.¡±
Sutton set down her spoon suddenly alert. ¡°What about him?¡±
¡°He¡¯s talking. A lot.¡± Luca leaned forward slightly. ¡°In exchange for reduced charges, he¡¯s given up all the details. Turns out Nicole wasn¡¯t his only client.¡± Luca exined to the others. ¡°Sutton figured out Miles had been paid by someone else to hack into Cyber10 and destroy the database.¡±
¡°Who else was he working for?¡± Roman asked sharply.
¡°ck Web Tech,¡± Luca replied. ¡°Our biggestpetitor. They were the ones who funded therger attack. Nicole just provided the ess and inside information, thinking it would help her eliminate a ¡®problem¡®¨Cher words, not mine. Unaware that Miles was double¨Cdipping.¡±
Sutton felt cold all over. ¡°You mean me. I was the problem.¡±
Luca nodded grimly. ¡°ording to Miles, she was convinced you needed to go. That she saw you as a problem and you wanted to move up the corporatedder on your back¡¡±
¡°I¡¯m pregnant. That woman was a nutter.¡± Nicole also didn¡¯t know/about Sutton and Luca¡¯s history. If she had known Sutton¡¯s name before, she would have known Audrey. But she had never, ever called Luca at work,
¡°In her mind, it didn¡¯t matter. I hate to say it before Sutton¨Cthat I did have a type. I think she saw you as a threat. You were righ he has some sort of weird obsession with me. She thought if Kingston¡¯s data was corrupted and it could be traced back to you, I¡¯d fire you immed
¡°That¡¯s insane,¡± ir said, her voice tight with anger.
¡°Nicole isn¡¯t well,¡± Luca said before adding, ¡°The police/psychiatrist confirmed it this afternoon. Severe delusional disorder, possibly exacerbated by stress. I¡¯m not sure of her backstory, but she has this need for control. I have seen that in her at the office.¡±
¡°So what happens now?¡± Sutton asked.
¡°She¡¯ll stand trial, but likely be remanded to psychiatric care rather than prison.¡± Luca looked genuinely troubled. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe I didn¡¯t see it. If had known I would have gotten her help.¡±
¡°Sometimes we miss what¡¯s right in front of us,¡± Roman said, his eyes moving between Luca and Sutton meaningfully. ¡°We see what we expect to see An awkward silence. ir, ever the perfect hostess, cleared her throat. ¡°Coffee, anyone? Tea, Sutton?¡±
Sutton was surprised at how quiet Keira was being. But also grateful. But Keira had been watching Luca for most of the evening
Room Mate 129
They moved to the living room once they had their drinks. Sutton eased herself onto the couch, feeling the day¡¯s exhaustion deep in her bones.
Luca sat beside her, not too close, but near enough that she could feel the warmth radiating from him. He was like a furnace. One thing she had enjoyed during winter in bed with him. ¡°You look tired,¡± he murmured. ¡°Do you want me to take you home?¡±
Before she could answer, Keira appeared in front of them, arms crossed. ¡°So,¡± she said bluntly. ¡°What exactly do you want from my sister? Because if it¡¯s just the baby you can get lost, she needs more than that, and she deserves it too.¡±
¡°Keira!¡± Sutton hissed, mortified. She should have known it was the calm before the storm.
Luca, to his credit, didn¡¯t flinch or back away from the fight. Standing up to Keira was the best way to handle her. ¡°I intend to be there for her first. For our child. In whatever capacity she¡¯ll allow me.¡±
¡°And if she tells you to get lost?¡±
¡°Then I¡¯ll respect her wishes,¡± he replied evenly. ¡°But I¡¯ll never stop trying to prove that I can be worthy of a second chance. I knew the moment I let her go I had made a terrible mistake.¡±
¡°Not from the moment you walked away. You waited over a week, or you would have seen her before she left the country.¡±
Luca nodded, agreeing with her. ¡°Keira, there are things you don¡¯t understand, and while I know you want to protect your sister, it¡¯s between Sutton and me. If she wants to tell you, that¡¯s fine, but until that moment, stay out of it.¡± There wasn¡¯t any anger in his statement, just telling her in a few words to butt out.
Sutton hid a grin by bringing her tea up to take a sip.
Keira studied him for a long moment, then gave a curt nod. ¡°Fair enough. But let me be crystal clear: if you hurt her again, there will not be enough evidence left for the police to build a case against me.¡±
¡°Understood,¡± Luca said withplete seriousness.
Keira gave Sutton a look that clearly said, ¡°The ball¡¯s in your court,¡± before wandering off to examine Roman¡¯s wine collection over in the corner.
ir and Roman hadn¡¯t said anything, letting Luca and Sutton deal with Keira.
¡°Sorry about that,¡± Sutton said, her face slightly warm with embarrassment. No one would guess Keira was the younger sister. She had more fight than ir and her¨Cwhich she broke up with threats and sarcasm.
¡°Don¡¯t be,¡± Luca replied. ¡°She loves you. I respect that.¡± He hesitated before adding, ¡°Are you ready to go? You look like you might fall as. right here.¡±
As if on cue, Sutton yawned. ¡°Maybe. But Keira drove us here.¡±
¡°I can take you home,¡± he offered. ¡°If you¡¯refortable with that. Your sister can stay on if she wants. It¡¯s still early.¡±
She thought about it for a moment. ¡°Okay,¡± she decided. ¡°But just a ride home. Nothing else.¡±
He nodded. ¡°Of course.¡±
They said their goodbyes, Sutton hugging her sisters tightly, promising to call tomorrow. ir whispered in her ear, ¡°Be careful with your heart. But don¡¯t be afraid to use it,¡± which was exactly the kind of contradictory advice ir was good at. But she understood. ir had taken a leap of faith on Roman,ing out with the better option.
Luca drove with one hand on the wheel, the other resting on the console between them. asionally, she caught him ncing at her. She was very aware of him beside her.
¡°I meant what I said to Keira,¡± he said finally as they approached her building. ¡°I¡¯ll be here, in whatever way you¡¯refortable with.¡±
113
Sutton looked out the window, watching the familiar streets pass by. ¡°I know. We have our appointment for the check up tomorrow, are you still she wouldn¡¯t be alone. Tomorrow would have been ir¡¯s turn.
¡°You haven¡¯t decided about the job,¡± he observed.
¡°Not yet.¡± She turned to face him. ¡°It¡¯s a big step. I¡¯m going to take the time off to have this baby.¡±
¡°Take all the time you need.¡± He pulled up in front of her building and shut off the engine. ¡°Also to let you know I¡¯m thinking of adding childcare in the building for Cyber10 staff. The biggest problem women face ising back to work after having children.¡± He turned to face her.
¡°Is that because of me?¡±
Luca shook his head. ¡°I would love to say yes, but you can ask Jake. I have childcare at most of mypanies. It¡¯s practical and works for thepany and parents because it¡¯s not just women that need childcare. Some dads do as well.¡±
¡°That¡¯s very forward¨Cthinking of you,¡± Sutton said, surprised.
¡°May I walk you up?¡±
She hesitated, then nodded. ¡°Okay.¡±
The elevator ride was silent, the air between them charged with everything unsaid. When they reached her door, Sutton fumbled with her keys, suddenly
nervous.
¡°Thank you for the ride,¡± she said, turning to face him.
reach.
¡°Thank you for letting mee tonight. You could have stopped me from going.¡± He stepped closer, his hand reaching up to brush a strand of hair from her face. ¡°For giving me a chance with your sisters.¡±
Her breath caught at the gentle touch. ¡°They¡¯re important to me.¡±
¡°I know.¡± His voice was soft, his eyes intent on hers. ¡°You¡¯re important to me.¡±
The moment stretched between them; she could feel her pulse beat faster as her heart rate picked up. It would be so easy to invite him in. To fall b into thefort of his arms, his touch, and his warmth.
But she wasn¡¯t ready. Not yet. She had already crossed the line twice, she knew, but for now she needed to be sure this was what she wanted.
¡°Goodnight, Luca,¡± she said quietly, stepping back slightly.
He nodded, understanding in his eyes. ¡°Goodnight, Sutton.¡±
She watched him walk back toward the elevator. Just before he stepped inside, he turned, catching her still watching him. A small smile touched his lips.¡± He lifted a hand to say goodbye.
The doors closed, and he was gone.
Sutton leaned against her apartment door, one hand resting on her belly where the baby had started to kick again. ¡°What do you think, little one?¡± she whispered. ¡°Should we give your daddy another chance?¡±
The baby kicked harder, as if in response. Suttonughed softly, finally unlocking her door and stepping inside.
The ball, as Keira had so clearly indicated, was in her court,
Room Mate 130
Chapter 130
Sutton woke to the soft buzz of her phone against her nightstand. ¡°Oof,¡± she mumbled, pressing her palm against the spot where the baby had kicked. ¡°Take it easy in there, would you? Mama¡¯s ribs aren¡¯t punching bags.¡±
She squinted at her phone screen through bleary eyes. 6:30 AM. A text from Luca.
Luca: Good morning. About the appointment this afternoon, we can go together from the office.
She groaned, flopping her head back against the pillow. The doctor¡¯s appointment. Today she¡¯d officially hit the seven¨Cmonth mark, and her body hadn¡¯t let her forget it. Her back ached constantly. Her ankles disappeared by mid¨Cafternoon. And sleep? That was bing a distant memory, thanks to a baby who thought nighttime was the perfect opportunity for gymnastics practice.
Sutton typed a quick reply with clumsy morning fingers before attempting to haul herself out of bed. What used to be a simple sit¨Cup motion had transformed into an ungraceful roll¨Cto¨Cthe¨Cedge¨Cand¨Cslide maneuver that made her feel about as elegant as a beached whale.
Sutton: I¡¯ll meet you there. Don¡¯t want to make a scene at the office.
His response came immediately. Luca: There¡¯s nothing wrong with me taking you.
Sutton sighed, rubbing her lower back as she waddled to the bathroom.
Sutton: I don¡¯t want people gossiping about us. I¡¯ll take the car service you insisted on.
Three dots appeared, disappeared, then reappeared as she peered blearily at her reflection. Her hair was a mess, dark circles under her eyes, and was that¡ yes, a spot of drool on her cheek. Lovely.
Luca: Fine. See you there. Text me when you arrive.
The terseness of his reply told her he wasn¡¯t happy. Well too bad. She still wasn¡¯t sure where they stood, and thest thing she needed was the entirepany specting about her and the boss while she was still trying to establish herself in her role. If she took the promotion, that is. Which she still hadn¡¯t decided about, despite his not¨Cso¨Csubtle daily hints.
She messaged her driver, a quiet, professional man named David whose card she¡¯d stuck to the refrigerator with a ma. She told him she¡¯d be ready in thirty minutes.
?????? ?? ??? ?? ? ???
Twenty¨Ceight minutester, she was stepping out of the apartment, hair still damp from her shower, wearing one of the three maternity dresses that still fitfortably. The car was already waiting, David standing by the rear door with a smile.
¡°Morning, Ms. Warner,¡± he said pleasantly. ¡°Office?¡±
¡°Yes, please,¡± she confirmed, epting his help into the backseat. ¡°Then I¡¯ll need to go to Dr. Matthews¡® office at 1:30. I¡¯ll text you the address.¡±
¡°No problem. I¡¯ll be waiting when you¡¯re ready to leave.¡±
Sutton rested her head against the cool window, her phone buzzed again.
Luca: Have you eaten breakfast?
Sutton rolled her eyes, typing back one¨Chanded.
Sutton: Yes. Stop worrying.
Luca: It¡¯s my job to worry about you and our child.
Our child. Their child. Half her, half him. Would it have his eyes? His stubborn chin? Who knew until the baby got here.
The car pulled up outside Cyber10, and David came around to help her out. His steadying hand was wee; her center of gravity shifted daily now, it
seemed.
¡°I¡¯ll be back at 1:30 to take you to your appointment,¡± he said.
¡°Thank you, David. See you then.¡±
The office was already humming when she stepped off the elevator onto the development floor. Where the reception area had been all polite smiles and careful distance, here she was greeted with genuine nods and casual hellos. She hadn¡¯t officially epted the head of cybersecurity position yet, but everyone was already treating her like she had.
¡°Morning, Sutton,¡± Elliott called from his desk.
¡°Morning,¡± she replied, making her way to her workstation.
Her desk was exactly as she¡¯d left it yesterday, though someone had ced a small potted sulent beside her keyboard. A sticky note was attached: ¡°For your new office when you finally say yes. ¨C J¡± with a smiley face.
She smiled, touching one of the small fleshy leaves. The nt was a sweet gift.
The morning blurred into lines of code and system checks. Sutton lost herself in work, the familiar rhythm of programming soothing her in a way little else could. This was where she belonged, not answering phones or fetching coffee. Here, creating something useful. The virus detection system that had saved Kingston¡¯s data was nearly ready for full deployment, and she felt a surge of pride every time she thought about it.
Around 11:30, her stomach growled loudly enough for Elliott to hear.
¡°Lunchtime for mama bear,¡± he announced, spinning in his chair to face her.
¡°I think I¡¯ll go grab something from the break room.¡± Her cheeks pink.
An hourter, Sutton was still deep in code, her lunch of a ham and sd sandwich long gone. She¡¯d hit a flow state, the kind where time disappeared. It wasn¡¯t until her phone buzzed with her calendar reminder that she surfaced, blinking like someoneing out of a trance.
1:15. Her appointment was at 2pm, and she needed to get there. David would be downstairs soon.
¡°Shit,¡± she muttered, quickly saving her work and locking herputer. She¡¯d meant to leave earlier to avoid rushing. The rm had only been her backup. She locked herputer, said goodbye to everyone, she was out the door.
The car was already waiting when she stepped outside. David helped her in, his steadying hand on her elbow a wee support as she lowered herself awkwardly into the backseat.
¡°Sorry, I¡¯m running a bitte,¡± she told him..
¡°No problem, Ms. Warner. We¡¯ll get you there on time.¡±
Traffic was surprisingly light. As they approached the medical building, Sutton texted Luca.
Sutton: Almost there.
Luca: Already here. Waiting in the lobby.
She wasn¡¯t surprised. Luca had wanted to be here
David pulled up to the entrance and came around to help her out. ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting right here when you¡¯re finished,¡± he assured her.
¡°Thank you, David.¡±
Luca was standing in the lobby when she entered. Hot as fu¡ Several women in the area were openly staring, and Sutton couldn¡¯t really me them. The man was unfairly attractive.
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¡°Hi,¡± he said, his eyes moving over her face before leaning in to kiss her cheek. The gesture was casual, but to her it increased her heart rate.
¡°Hi,¡± she managed, ¡°We¡¯re on the fifth floor.¡±
He followed her to the elevator, his handing to rest lightly on the small of her back. The touch was barely there, but she felt it like a brand through the thin fabric of her dress. When the doors closed, sealing them in the small space together, she was so aware of him as a man.
¡°You look beautiful today,¡± he said.
She was saved from having to respond by the elevator doors opening. They stepped out onto the fifth floor, where Dr. Matthews¡® office upied the entire south wing.
The receptionist Amy smiled as they approached. ¡°Ms. Warner, good to see you again.¡± Her eyes flicked to Luca with interest. Every other time Sutton had been here, she¡¯d been manless.
¡°Hi,¡± Sutton replied.
¡°Dr. Matthews is running about ten minutes behind schedule,¡± Amy informed her apologetically. ¡°Have a seat, and we¡¯ll call you as soon as he¡¯s ready.¡±
They found chairs in a quiet corner of the waiting room, away from the other patients. A visibly exhausted woman flipped mechanically through a magazine, while a young couple whispered excitedly to each other, the woman¡¯s hand resting on her barely visible bump. First pregnancy, Sutton guessed. Still in the exciting phase before reality set in.
¡°Have you thought about names yet?¡± Luca asked after a moment of silence, his voice pitched low.
Sutton nced at him. ¡°Not really. I¡¯ve been busy.¡±
¡°What aboutst names?¡±
She¡¯d thought about this, actually. More than she cared to admit. ¡°De Santis,¡± she said after a moment, watching his reaction. ¡°It makes the most sense.¡±
Something flickered in his eyes. She thought in surprise, ¡°You¡¯d give the baby myst name?¡± he asked softly.
¡°It¡¯s your child too,¡± she said simply. ¡°Unless¡ you¡¯d prefer Warner?¡±
¡°No,¡± he said quickly, almost too quickly. ¡°De Santis is fine. More than fine. I just¡¡± He hesitated, ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure what you¡¯d want.¡±
She would give the baby hisst name.
Before she could respond, a nurse appeared in the doorway. ¡°Sutton Warner?¡±
Room Mate 131
Chapter 131
They both stood, Luca with a non¨Cpregnant grace, Sutton with an awkward step. She felt his hand at her elbow, steadying her, and though she didn¡¯t need the help, she didn¡¯t shake him off. It was a little like turning to put the horse in the barn after it had bolted.
The nurse walked them into a waiting room. ¡°I will run a few checks before the doctores to see you.¡±
The routine was normal: weight check, which she didn¡¯t look at. She wasn¡¯t vain, but she still didn¡¯t want to know, only that she was in the healthy range Her blood pressure was slightly elevated, but no rm bells.
Then the nurse peppered her with questions. ¡°Any swelling in your feet or ankles?¡± as she made notes on her tablet.
Sutton nced down at her feet, stuffed into the only pair of ts that still fitfortably. ¡°Some in the evenings,¡± she admitted. ¡°Not too bad.¡±
Liar, her ankles silently used. By five o¡¯clock every day, they puffed out like bread dough, her skin stretched tight.
¡°Any headaches, dizziness or unusual pain?¡±
¡°Just the normal backaches and asional Braxton Hicks, which I¡¯ve been having since my second trimester.¡±
The nurse nodded. ¡°It¡¯s like that with some pregnancies,¡± she said before handing her a blue paper gown. ¡°Change into this; open in the front. Dr. Matthews will be in shortly.¡± She left, closing the door softly behind her.
The moment they were alone, Luca turned his back without being asked, facing the wall. Sutton liked that she hadn¡¯t had to ask, although there wasn¡¯t much of her body he hadn¡¯t already seen. Still, this was in a doctor¡¯s office; it felt¡ well, different to sh her body to him now.
She struggled with her dress. The zipper ended up catching it halfway down her back, and she twisted awkwardly, trying to reach it. She let out a huff.
¡°Need help?¡± Luca asked quietly, still facing away.
¡°No,¡± she said, then reconsidered as she nearly toppled sideways. ¡°Actually, yes. Just with the zipper.¡±
He turned, moving to stand behind her. She felt the tug of the zipper tab as his fingers gripped it. His fingers brushed her lower back as he lowered the zipper; an unexpected shiver raced down her spine. His touch lingered for a moment, and his breath stirred her nape. They both froze as Luca groaned.
Finally, he stepped away, saying, ¡°If only we were not here.¡±
Sutton took a moment to steady herself because she felt the same way. Then she slipped the dress off her shoulders, letting it pool around her feet. She stood in her underwear. It was just a ck pair of cotton panties and bra, nothing like thecy things she used to wear for him before. Quickly, she stripped off her underwear and donned the paper gown, before folding her clothes and putting them on one of the chairs.
¡°Okay,¡± she said when she was settled on the exam table, legs off the side. ¡°You can turn around now.¡±
He did, and immediately something intense crossed his face. ¡°I hate that I wasn¡¯t here for this. I also hate that I hesitate to touch you.¡±
Sutton was shocked by how hot and primal his look of lust was. She was seven months pregnant; she had never thought Luca would find her sexy like
this. But the desire written on his face said otherwise.
¡°Luca¡¡± She was hot and breathless under his gaze.
He shook his head slightly, as if clearing away a fog. ¡°Not now, not here. It just¡¡± he said, the word rough¨Cedged. ¡°You¡¯re beautiful.¡±
The sincerity in his voice made her cheeks warm. She was thinking of a way to respond when a knock sounded at the door.
Dr. Matthews entered, a tall man with salt¨Cand¨Cpepper hair and kind eyes behind wire¨Crimmed sses. He had a calm, reassuring presence that Sutton had appreciated from her first visit. She had wanted a woman at first until she had met him. He had put her at ease.
¡°Sutton, good to see you,¡± he said warmly, then nodded to Luca with a slightly more assessing gaze. ¡°Are you the baby¡¯s father?¡±
3
¡°Yes, my name is Luca De Santis.¡±
¡°It¡¯s about time you turned up.¡±
¡°Wouldn¡¯t miss it,¡± Luca replied, his tone serious.
Dr. Matthews checked her chart on his tablet, humming thoughtfully. ¡°Everything looks excellent so far. Blood pressure¡¯s not too bad, weight gain right on track.¡± He set the tablet on the counter. ¡°How have you been feeling since yourst visit? Any new symptoms?¡±
¡°Good mostly,¡± Sutton replied, shifting slightly to find a morefortable position. ¡°Some back pain, especially at night. Worse than before. And the Braxton Hicks are getting more frequent.¡±
¡°All normal at almost seven months,¡± Dr. Matthews assured her. ¡°The baby¡¯s getting bigger, which puts more strain on your body. Try a heating pad for your back¡ not too hot, just warm, and make sure you¡¯re staying hydrated.¡±
Luca listened intently, his focus absolute, as if he were mentally filing away every word for future reference.
¡°Let¡¯s take a look at your little one, shall we?¡± Dr. Matthews helped her lie back on the exam table, the paper crinkling beneath her. He opened the gown to expose her belly, rounded and taut, with a dark line running down the center. Luca moved closer, his eyes never leaving her, and though she¡¯d been examined like this before, Sutton suddenly felt self¨Cconscious with him here watching.
¡°This will be cold,¡± Dr. Matthews warned, though she already knew. He always talked her through what was going to happen. He squirted gel onto her abdomen, and she flinched anyway, her body tensing at the shock of cold.
¡°Sorry about that,¡± the doctor said with a rueful smile. ¡°Technology advances every day, but somehow we still can¡¯t get warm ultrasound gel.¡±
Sutton smiled. He told the same joke on every visit.
He pressed the transducer against her belly, moving it with practiced precision until the monitor disyed a grainy ck¨Cand¨Cwhite image. And then, filling the room, the rapid whooshing sound of her baby¡¯s heartbeat¨Cstrong and steady and miraculous.
¡°Perfect,¡± Dr. Matthews said with satisfaction. ¡°Strong heartbeat, good size for 28 weeks. He¡¯s in a good position too, head down already, which is
excellent.¡±
Luca leaned in closer, his eyes wide with undisguised wonder. Without seeming to think about it, he reached for her hand, his fingers warm as they entwined with hers. Sutton didn¡¯t pull away. Couldn¡¯t have even if she¡¯d wanted to, transfixed as she was by their child on the screen. So she could understand how he was feeling¡ seeing the baby for the first time.
¡°There¡¯s his face,¡± Dr. Matthews pointed. ¡°See the profile? That¡¯s his nose, his lips. And there¡¯s his hand, up near his face.¡±
¡°He?¡± Luca asked.
¡°Just a figure of speech. Sutton hasn¡¯t wanted to know the sex of the baby.¡±
Luca nodded. ¡°Is he sucking his thumb?¡± Luca asked, his voice hushed with amazement.
¡°Looks like it,¡± the doctor confirmed with a smile. ¡°They practice all sorts of behaviors in the womb. Getting ready for the outside world.¡±
Sutton couldn¡¯t take her eyes off the screen¡ off their baby, their child, real and whole and alive inside her.
Tears pricked unexpectedly at the corners of her eyes, and she blinked rapidly, trying to will them away. Damn hormones. They made her cry at everything these days over stupid things.
¡°Is everything¡ is he okay?¡± She asked, her voice unsteady despite her best efforts.
¡°Your baby is perfect,¡± Dr. Matthews assured her. ¡°Exactly the right size, all organs developing normally, good amniotic fluid levels. You¡¯re growing a very healthy baby, Sutton.¡±
The relief that washed over her. She hadn¡¯t realized how tense she¡¯d been, how worried, until that moment. Luca¡¯s hand tightened around hers, his
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thumb rubbing small circles against her skin. That scan showed more than the others. So, to her, hearing that had been important
Dr. Matthews froze several frames on the monitor, printing the images. ¡°I¡¯ll give you two a moment,¡± he said, wiping the gel from Sutton¡¯s belly with a warm cloth. ¡°Sutton, you can get dressed. I¡¯ll be back in a few minutes to discuss your third trimester care.¡±
When the door closed behind him, Luca was still Istaring at the ultrasound printouts, held carefully in his free hand like precious artifacts. His other hand remained wrapped around hers.
¡°This is¡ incredible,¡± he said finally, looking up at her. ¡°So perfect already.¡±
Sutton sat up slowly, adjusting her gown with her free hand. ¡°It¡¯s been a pretty easy pregnancy. I just don¡¯t seem to have much room left.¡±
Their eyes met. ¡°I should get dressed,¡± Sutton said, finally breaking the moment. She waited.
Luca nodded and reluctantly released her hand, turning away to give her privacy. She changed as quickly as she could.
¡°You can turn around now,¡± she said when she was decent.
He did, and his eyes immediately found hers. ¡°Thank you,¡± he said simply. ¡°For letting me be part of this.¡±
The raw honesty in his voice made her chest tighten. ¡°It¡¯s your baby too,¡± she replied, because it was the truth, and because she didn¡¯t know what else to say. A month ago, she wouldn¡¯t have felt the same way.
She was saved from further response by Dr. Matthews¡® return. The rest of the appointment passed in a blur of information overload¡ including signs of pretermbor to watch for, preparations for birth, what to expect in theing weeks. Luca asked questions that revealed he¡¯d been doing his research, reading up on pregnancy and childbirth on his own.
¡°Thank you, Doctor.¡±
As they left the building, Luca stopped her before she could get into the car waiting. ¡°Can I take you to dinner tonight?¡±
Room Mate 132
Chapter 132
Chapter 132
The restaurant Luca chose wasn¡¯t dramatic or shy. It wasn¡¯t the tower¨Chigh, jacket¨Crequired kind of ce that would attract the media outside vi wait to snap photos of the rich and famous. Instead, it was tucked behind a narrow street off the main drag. The tables were decorated with candles in mason jars, rough wooden booths, and soft Italian music that yed gently in the background. Sutton appreciated it.
She appreciated even more that Luca didn¡¯t try to y the part of the seducer. He didn¡¯t touch her hand across the table, didn¡¯t lean in too close. He just sat across from her, one hand resting beside his winess and the other asionally touching his lipa
as he watched her.
She pushed spaghetti around her te, not sure why she couldn¡¯t make herself eat more. She wasn¡¯t nauseous. She was just¡ anxious.
¡°Do you not like it?¡± Luca asked gently.
She looked up. ¡°No¨CI mean, it¡¯s good. I think I¡¯m just¡ my mind. Call it pregnancy brain.¡±
He nodded but didn¡¯t press. Just sat back a little, his expression unreadable in that maddening way only Luca could pull off. Calm on the surface, she knew better. There was always something churning underneath. He wanted to say something; he was holding back¡ just. She wondered if he was thinking about asking her to marry him again.
She wasn¡¯t sure she was ready to say yes. There were three little words neither of them had said. She wasn¡¯t even sure he loved her. Was it just the baby? She knew he was attracted to her, but that wasn¡¯t love; that was lust. She didn¡¯t want to marry just for the baby.
She picked up her water, fingers wrapping around the cool ss. ¡°Thank you foring today.¡±
¡°I¡¯m d you were ok with it. I didn¡¯t make you feel ufortable?¡±
¡°No. Just¡ unsure.¡± Sutton looked down at her te.
¡°In what way, Sutton?¡±
When she said nothing and kept her eyes on her te. Luca reached across the table, putting two fingers under her chin and lifting her head until their eyes met. ¡°This is how we move forward: we talk and wemunicate. We are not always going to like what the other has to say, but we need to talk. Express how we are feeling.¡± His hand dropped away.
¡°About what this is. What you want.¡± She said atst.
Luca didn¡¯t answer right away. Instead, he reached for his napkin, wiped his mouth, and then leaned forward slightly.
¡°I¡¯m not here because of obligation,¡± he said. ¡°I wanted dinner with you. Not as the mother of my son, or the head of cybersecurity, if you ever take the job, or the woman I hurt months ago. I wanted to sit across from you and just¡ see you and be with you.¡±
Her chest tightened.
He shrugged a little. ¡°That¡¯s it. It¡¯s as simple as that for me. The baby is an added bonus.
She wanted to believe him. God, she wanted to let herself exhale and sink into the possibility that maybe someone could want her just for being her. But old wounds cast long shadows. She was scared of risking her heart, but she was here.
¡°Can you me me for being careful? I don¡¯t want to be someone you like and are with just because of the baby. What if you finally figured out how to love but with someone else?¡±
I figured out how to love the moment I realized might have lost you,¡± he said, voice low and even. ¡°This baby didn¡¯t make me love you¡ only reminded me how much you matter. I was an idiot for letting you go.¡±
Sutton¡¯s throat went tight.
She nodded but didn¡¯t answer. Her eyes dropped back to her half¨Cfull te. Her appetite still hadn¡¯t returned, but warmth was slowly crawling into her chest. Was it true? Did he love her? She so wanted to believe him. She didn¡¯t know what he needed to do to stop the doubt. But she wasn¡¯t ready to voice
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anything back.
After dinner, Luca walked beside her through the quiet street to where David waited with the car. The ride back to Sutton¡¯s apartment was done mostly in silence. David had picked up Luca beforeing to get her.
Luca reached over, just once, and ced a hand on her belly, and she let him. It wasn¡¯t sexual at all. When the baby kicked right under his palm, his face lit up like it was still the first time.
She watched him when he wasn¡¯t looking, his profile lit by the passing city lights, eyes closed against the moment. He had been so interested today, asking a heap of questions during her checkup. He¡¯d even asked
doctor about sex, which had made Sutton blush. It wasn¡¯t a question she had asked
before.
She didn¡¯t realize she was smiling until the car stopped in front of her building. ¡°Goodnight, Luca,¡± she said, voice soft but sure.
He leaned in, kissed her lightly. She knew he was holding himself back. It
wasn¡¯t like they hadn¡¯t had sex, but she thought it had been more along the lines of not being able to control himself. Now he was trying to woo her into marrying him. ¡°Text me when you¡¯re settled upstairs.¡±
¡°I will.¡±
She stepped out as David held the door open. Thanking him. She climbed the stairs of her apartment building. Halfway up, she already knew Keira was home. The lights were on¡ Her sister was acting the equivalent of a hovering parent.
As soon as Sutton opened the door, Keira was standing in the hallway, arms folded.
¡°Well?¡± Keira asked.
Sutton sighed and kicked off her shoes without looking her way. ¡°Don¡¯t.¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t say anything.¡±
¡°You¡¯re vibrating with judgment.¡±
Keira walked after her into the kitchen. ¡°Sutton, I love you, but the man has already broken your heart once. How am I not supposed to-¡±
¡°I¡¯m not asking you to like him,¡± Sutton said tly, turning around to face her. ¡°I¡¯m asking you to respect
the fact that this is my life.¡±
Keira blinked. Sutton could feel her own voice shaking, but she went on.
¡°I know you¡¯re trying to protect me. I get it. I know what he did back then. You think I forgot? I didn¡¯t. But I also didn¡¯t forget how I felt when I was with him. How I feel now. And if I decide to take that risk again, it¡¯s mine to take.¡±
Keira made a pained sound and dropped her gaze to the countertop.
¡°I¡¯m scared,¡± she admitted. ¡°Because I¡¯m worried about you.¡±
¡°I am too,¡± Sutton said. ¡°But being afraid can¡¯t be the reason I stay stuck.¡±
Keira finally looked up. ¡°You love him?¡±
Sutton swallowed, heart beating loud in her chest. ¡°Yeah. I do.¡±
Silence stretched between them.
Then finally Keira exhaled. ¡°Okay, Okay. I¡¯m backing off. Doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t give him shit like Roman.¡±
Sutton nodded. ¡°Thank you. I wouldn¡¯t want you to treat him differently than Roman because that wouldn¡¯t be you.¡±
¡°I¡¯m still going to re at him at family dinners.¡±
¡°That¡¯s fair.¡±
A beat passed. Sutton smiled. ¡°I didn¡¯t eat much dinner. Want me to make us grilled cheese and talk about stupid baby names?¡±
Keira grinned. ¡°Only if you cut off the cruc
Later, Suttony in bed, one hand on her belly, the other curled near her cheek. Her mind drifted through Luca¡¯s voice, his words at dinner, the look in his eyes when they had talked.
Maybe he did love her.
Maybe he had all along and hadn¡¯t known it.
She realized it would need to be her who took that leap of faith in him.
Even if she had to take slow, careful steps to get there.
She whispered into the dim room, ¡°One step at a time, little one. We¡¯re figuring it out.¡±
Room Mate 133
Chapter 133
Sutton had been wide awake since 5:17 a.m., and not from baby kicks this time.
She just couldn¡¯t sleep. Her thoughts had been spinning. So she hadid there until it was time to get up, thinking about Luca and the baby. His offer of marriage and the job offer. When the light spread across the room and climbed halfway up door, she got out of bed for work¡ it was Friday at least.
She took a shower and got dressed, calling the car service as she finished off breakfast.
In the car on the way to the office, she messaged Jake:
Sutton: Do you feel like lunch today?
Jake: Sure¡ Everything ok?
Sutton: Yes, I just need to talk to someone I trust who isn¡¯t family.
Jake: Okay, I¡¯m d you feel you cane to me.
the
By noon, they were seated at a little spot a few blocks from the office, an old¨Cstyle caf¨¦. It was great because it wasn¡¯t too noisy. Sutton had eaten here before; the food was good, and they had the best sourdough. It was also within walking distance of the office.
Jake ordered a Cubano and a side of fries because he believed in carbs and fat. Sutton got a BLT on their sourdough and an iced tea.
¡°So,¡± Jake said, nudging her knee under the table. ¡°You want to talk because I¡¯m not family. You are looking a little worried, and you are starting to stress me. So out with it and talk.¡±
She gave him a tired half¨Csmile. ¡°Is that your way of saying I look like I¡¯ve been hitting the panic button?¡±
¡°Lightly pressing it. Repeatedly. I¡¯m here for you,
babe.¡±
Sutton looked down at the straw in her iced tea, then at Jake. He was someone she feltfortable enough with to share this information. The one person who wasn¡¯t rted to her or trying to co¨Cparent with her. The one friend who wouldn¡¯t try to save her, just stand next to her. Jake had tried to stand in her corner while Nicole had been a bitch.
So she told him.
All of it.
She told him about Luca. About the past. The night they¡¯d first been together, how they had met, the fallout, the heartbreak. About her being Audrey, the carefully constructed persona she buried. He had to Google her. Then about discovering she was pregnant. About Luca telling her about his engagement and the things he had said. Her waiting a week before leaving Europe. Coming home to her sisters.
She also told him about what had happened to her parents and the fact that her sisters and she owned Warner Industries.
She told him about Luca¡¯s proposal and her non¨Canswer.
Lastly, she told him about her concerns about taking the job and the fact that it coulde out about her past with Luca and everyone would think she got the job on her back. Instead of talent.
Jake didn¡¯t interrupt once.
He just ate his lunch, and his eyes, got bigger. He nodded asionally and let her talk until her sandwich was cold. She almost felt like handing him popcorn. This really felt like some drama show.
And when she was finally finished, he wiped his mouth and said, ¡°Wow, I mean I guessed some of it but not all that. Just holy shit.¡±
Sutton blinked. ¡°You know?¡±
¡°I knew something had happened. Before. You and Luca? It was all over his bodynguage since he had been at Cyber10. Before that, for months he barely spoke. He just buried himself in work; he has been like a bear with a sore head thest few months. It was horrible to be around him for a while. Then he got here, and it wasn¡¯t.¡±
Sutton shook her head. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say anything before?¡±
¡°Because it wasn¡¯t my business,¡± Jake said simply. ¡°But Sutton¡ this thing with him? You both think you¡¯re hiding it well, but it¡¯s obvious. He looks at you when you¡¯re not watching, and the air¡ sort of hums when you both are in the same room.¡±
Sheughed, startled. ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous. The air doesn¡¯t hum.¡±
Jake grinned at her. ¡°Yes, it does, but the blood is properly rushing in your ears and you don¡¯t hear it.¡±
Sutton blushed. Because having him near did make her blood rush in her veins.
¡°I think you should have a little trust in your appeal, hon¡ if I were straight. I¡¯d give Luca a run for his money. I think that was Nicole¡¯s problem. It wasn¡¯t just your looks; there is something about you. You¡¯re nice and smart and fucking gorgeous. It was like a triple threat to Nicole.¡±
¡°I figured out she was in love with Luca.¡±
Jakeughed. ¡°She wasn¡¯t in love with him; she was in love with the life he could give her. The bonus was that he was the right age and good¨Clooking as well. Nicole is a shark. I¡¯m d she is gone.¡±
¡°So am I. I need to ask Luca about her. I keep forgetting. The rest of our story is taking up all my time.¡±
¡°Yes, that plot is much more exciting,¡± Jake agreed.
Sutton sighed. ¡°I just think that right now I would be crazy to marry him.¡±
¡°Is it?¡± he said, slouching back. ¡°You¡¯re afraid he wants the baby more than he wants you. But what if it¡¯s both?¡±
She didn¡¯t answer that.
He went on. ¡°You¡¯re a woman who could stand on her own right. He¡¯s a man who has had blinkers on. But you have feelings for each other. That¡¯s more than some marriages have.¡±
She swallowed, rubbing her thumb over the condensation on her ss. ¡°I want to ept the cybersecurity lead position.¡±
Jake raised his eyebrows. ¡°So do it. Cyber10 will be lucky to have you.¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t want people thinking I got it because of us, like I said.¡±
Jake paused, then leaned in. ¡°Screw everyone else. You built the system that just saved Kingston. But let¡¯s be honest¡ Luca may love you, but he wouldn¡¯tpromise thepany for a little tail, doesn¡¯t matter how good it is. He asked you because you¡¯re the best. Everyone who knows him can see that.¡±
She looked at him.
¡°Trust me, it¡¯s not because you¡¯re carrying his baby. Or your past. It¡¯s because you¡¯re good at it. The best¡ probably better than even he expected. When he put you on the development team.¡±
Sutton felt something stick in her throat¡ maybe pride.
¡°I could¡ be good at this,¡± she whispered.
Jake smiled widely. ¡°You already are, Warner. Now stop waiting for someone to give you permission.¡±
Back at the office, Sutton sat at her desk for exactly seven minutes, staring at herputer screen. Before she pulled up her email, she began typing an email to HR, because it was better to go through channels than tell Luca first.
00.33 Mon, 21
Hi Michelle,
I¡¯d like to formally ept the offer for the cybersecurity division lead role, effective immediately. Thank you for the opportunity.
She signed off the email, reread it once, and hit send before she could change her mind.
And just like that, it was done.
45.73%
She was thankful to Jake. It was great to have someone to talk to outside of family of Luca. She had left her modeling friends behind because she was no longer Audrey. She was Sutton Warner, aputer nerd.
When her phone buzzed with a text from Luca an hourter:
Luca: Congrattions on the new job. About time.
She smiled.
Room Mate 134
Chapter 134
It was almost six when Sutton walked out of Cyber10 that afternoon. She¡¯d stayedter than she meant to, tinkering with firewall patches before locking her machine. Her body was already objecting to the long day in her chair; her lower back was aching. Her breasts made a silent bid for escape, it had been a good day. HR had sent an email around to all staff letting them know Sutton had taken the role.
She felt one part pride, two parts absolute terror.
The air outside was a little chilly as she made her way over to David. He was in his usual spot across the street, leaning against the gleaming ck car. He
waved to her in wee.
¡°Long day?¡± he asked as she approached.
¡°Long week,¡± she said, adjusting the bag strap that was cutting into her shoulder. ¡°But it¡¯s finally done. I just epted a new role at work. So it should be interesting over the next few weeks. But I have to say after this week, I¡¯m d it¡¯s Friday and the only thing I have to worry about this weekend is getting out of the bath.¡±
He smiled, opening the rear door with a nod of approval. ¡°Congrattions, - MS.
Warner. On the new job.¡±
¡°Thanks,¡± she said, shifting her weight carefully from one leg to the other. Her ankles felt full and tight. ¡°Let me just stretch my back for a sec before getting in. I have been sitting all day.¡± She stood right near the rear door of the car, making sure she wasn¡¯t in anyone¡¯s way..
She turned slightly, twisting left and right, a motion that had be more necessary every day. The tension in her spine gave way with a quiet pop, and she exhaled. That was better.
It happened fast.
The spinning whir of tires, the angry shout of someone yelling ¡°Yo! Out of the way!¡± She had no time to turn before something plowed hard into her back.
The impact threw her forward before her legs could rebnce.
Her body jerked sideways.
And then down.
Her hands shot outward but missed the ground. Her bag slid off her shoulder. She mmed onto the concrete hard, her full weightnding on her left side, hitting hard on her hip, shoulder, ribs and then, with a deep cry, her belly.
Pain tore through her side. Not a dull pain, but sharp and immediate, white¨Chot. It sucked the sound out of her ears for a second.
A voice shouted, ¡°Shit! Oh, my
Someone else screamed.
God!¡±
She heard running footsteps. She couldn¡¯t see; her eyes were shut tight from pain and shock. Who the hell had just mmed into her?
David¡¯s voice was somewhere close and very loud. She could hear the
worry in his voice. ¡°Ms. Warner? Ms. Warner!¡±
She tried to respond. Her mouth opened, but instead of a word, a sob came out. Her knees pulled up instinctively, but her stomach curdled in protest. Pressure bloomed low in her abdomen¨Cit was wrong and terrifying. And it was wet.
Under her fingertips, she felt something slick on the sidewalk.
Blood. Oh no, God. Please don¡¯t let anything happen to her baby.
Everything in her brain tilted sideways. Nothing made full sense anymore, but the fear settled in fast.
MUZ
Chapter 134.
The baby. The baby. The baby.
Her arms wrapped across her bump before her brain even gave the signal. Her eyes blinked rapidly, trying to stay sharp. But she could feel ckness pushing in from the sides of her eyes. She could not pass out.
People were crowding around. A woman knelt beside her, pressing something soft. Sutton thought it was a thick scarf, maybe under her head. ¡°Stay with us, sweetheart. Don¡¯t move. Help¡¯sing, okay? You¡¯re doing great. Just stay awake.¡±
Was the woman worried that she had hit her head? Right now Sutton didn¡¯t care about her head, just her baby.
Sutton tried to focus on the woman¡¯s words, but her eyelids were heavy.
She heard someone¡ David, possibly on the phone.
¡°She¡¯s pregnant. Yes. Third trimester. Just seven months. She hit the sidewalk hard. Side injuries, she¡¯s bleeding. She¡¯s awake but¡ a messenger on his bike hit her pretty hard.¡±
A pause. Then he said in a harsh tone. ¡°Just get here.¡±
It was after that she heard Luca¡¯s voice.
Not in person. On speaker. Distant but rough, with barely concealed panic.
¡°Let me talk to her, please. David, put me on. Don¡¯t leave her.¡±
Then his voice was closer, louder.
¡°Sutton? Can you hear me?¡±
She could. Barely. His voice sounded as if he were underwater. Because she was
in
SO
much pain and scared.
¡°I¡¯ming,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m on my way. You will be okay. You¡¯re not alone. Just breathe, baby. Please. I¡¯m on the way to the hospital now. I¡¯ll meet you
there.¡±
She wanted to tell him she knew everything was going to be okay.
But her body had other ns.
Something inside her clenched again. Harder that time. No movement. Not a kick.
A pain so deep it coiled in her belly, making her cry out.
With it followed another pulse of wetness between her legs.
Then she was aware of another voice. It took her a moment to realize¡ it was a paramedic. She was overwhelmed with the surrounding sounds, radio chatter, rising sirens, voices all blending together.
¡°Make room, people¡ pregnant female, unknown abdominal injuries, possible cental abruption.¡± The two EMTs talked between themselves, or were they informing the hospital?
That word ¡°abruption¡± hit her like another blow. The one she¡¯d read in pregnancy forums she¡¯d sworn to stop torturing herself with. She knew this wasn¡¯t good.
¡°Are you the partner or husband?¡± someone asked. She was guessing it was David they asked.
¡°No. Her partner is on his way to the hospital. He had a meeting across town. Name¡¯s Luca De Santis. This is Miss Sutton Warner.¡±
The EMT crouched lower. ¡°Okay, Sutton. We¡¯re going to get you onto the stretcher. I need you to stay awake if you can, alright?¡±
She nodded, but it cost her.
The edges of the world were hazy now. The sirens weren¡¯t just approaching, they were here, and the siren was cut off. Thank God. She could see tan more EMTS move to where someone elsey on the ground. Was that the person who had hit her, or was it someone else?
Straps clicked around her thighs. Hands lifted her on three.
The sky overhead was darkening. Painced across her stomach.
D¨¢vid was still there beside the gurney, phone pressed to his ear. ¡°He¡¯s about fifteen minutes out. She¡¯s going to Lenox Hill A private room is being prepped. He said¡¡± His voice caught, just barely. ¡°He said not to let her be alone. He will be there soon.¡±
She closed her eyes for one second. Just one.
Sirens ripped through the air again.
The stretcher bumped against the sidewalk edge.
And then everything went ck and silent.
1
AD
Comment
Room Mate 135
Chapter 135
Sutton drifted betweenyers of dim sound and raw pain. It was too much. It was like her body no longer belonged to her it throbbed. It putsed, uchod in strange ces. Hands touched her everywhere¡ her stomach, her face, her arms. The back of her head. Voices moved over her like waves. She didn¡¯t even know if she could answer if they asked her any questions.
¡°BP¡¯s dropping¡ get fluids going, now!¡±
¡°The OB team is on their way.¡±
¡°She¡¯s around twenty¨Ceight weeks? Okay, prep for fetal distress protocol and call neonatal. Possible cental abruption on impact.¡±
The ER was manic. So much noise, so much rapid motion.
She felt herself slipping again¡ but then¡ a voice.
Deeper than the rest. ¡°Where is she? Where is Sutton Warner?¡±
It prated the darkness in her head. Luca.
¡°I¡¯m here,¡± he said. His hand found hers. It was warm. His lips touched her hairline. ¡°I¡¯m here, Sutton. I¡¯ve got you, okay? I¡¯ve got you. Just stay awake. Please, baby.¡±
She tried to blink. Her eyes wouldn¡¯t cooperate, but her fingers twitched faintly against his palm.
A doctor spoke over her head. ¡°Sir, are you family?¡±
Luca didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°I¡¯m her fianc¨¦. I¡¯m the father of the baby.¡±
¡°Okay, we need you to fill out some paperwork.¡±
¡°You save her,¡± Luca said, his voice hard now, cutting through the room like ss cracking. ¡°If ites to a choice¡ you save Sutton. Do you understand me?¡±
E
¡°We may have to deliver the baby early. The baby is viable¡ The NICU team can prepare for a preterm birth, but if there areplications with the mother¡¡±
¡°You save her,¡± Luca repeated, quieter this time. Less forceful, but somehow more final. ¡°Whatever it takes. Please.¡±
Sutton heard every word. Not clearly, not in full¡ but enough.
Enough for a sob to get caught in her throat, unspoken.
She wanted to tell him she¡¯d be okay. That he didn¡¯t have to choose. Because she would choose her baby, and it was her choice.
But she couldn¡¯t speak. Her mind fuzzed over. Light faded.
And then nothing.
Luca stood rooted at Sutton¡¯s bedside as they rushed her down the hall, the sound of wheels spinning over linoleum marking the fastest goodbye he¡¯d never wanted to say.
She was whisked into an emergency surgical suite, the doors swinging shut behind them before he could breathe in or out.
One nurse had ced a hand on his chest when he¡¯d tried to follow.
¡°Sir, please¡ you have to wait here.¡±
Now he was standing in an empty hall, He looked down at his hand, still feeling the imprint of her still one, even though she was no longer there
A nurse had the decency to bring him a chair three minutester. He didn¡¯t sit.
His phone buzzed in his pocket. He barely looked.
He answered. ¡°Yeah.¡±
¡°Luca,¡± Roman¡¯s voice was tight. Controlled. ¡°Jake just told me. Is she-?¡±
Luca had tried to call Roman, but he had been in a meeting. He had left it to Jake as he rushed to Sutton¡¯s side.
¡°She¡¯s in emergency surgery,¡± Luca said, pacing. ¡°They think there might be a cental abruption. Internal bleeding. They¡¯re delivering the baby.¡±
¡°Fuck. And the¡ the baby?¡±
¡°No idea yet.¡±
There was a pause on the other end, like Roman was trying to figure out what to say next. This was a shock to them all.
¡°Where are you?¡± Luca asked.
¡°Four blocks away. I¡¯m with Keira and ir. We¡¯reing.¡±
Luca swallowed hard. ¡°Okay.¡±
Roman said, ¡°We¡¯ll be there in ten.¡±
Luca hung up and leaned against the wall. His knees buckled slightly and caught just shy of copsing.
The emergency room sounds continued¨Cbuzzers, intermittent pages, the voice of a pediatric surgeon calling for extra hands. But Sutton was in danger and he couldn¡¯t be there. He had also made a decision that she could hate him for. But he could not lose her again.
Sutton.
His Sutton.
He loved her more than his life. But after this, she could hate him and never want to see him again. If it saved her life, it was a risk he would take.
He¡¯d told them to save her.
He knew what that meant. He knew what it could cost.
And he didn¡¯t regret a single word
Because what would the world even be without her breathing in it?
Still, part of him ached with guilt.
He¡¯d wanted their child.
So damn much.
Had already imagined holding him in the crook of his right arm while Sutton slept, whispering ridiculous things to him that would make no sense but would matter anyway.
But today, when forced to choose, there had never really been a question.
His eyes burned.
Two doors down, a NICU team rolled an incubator out of storage into one already glowing
They had said survivable. It was hard. But it was possible.
¡°De Santis?¡±
Luca turned like he¡¯d been yanked out of a trance.
of the prep bays toca saw the tiny tubes, the oxygen tires, the warmth lights
The ER nurse from earlier gestured toward the wall. ¡°There¡¯s a private family room down this way. You¡¯ll want to wait there.¡±
¡°I need to know the second someone has news.¡±
¡°You will. I promise.¡±
¡°Can I see my child?¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir. You¡¯ll have to wait to see your son.¡±
His son. He had a little boy¨Cvery little boy.
He followed her to the room but didn¡¯t sit. Instead, he stood by the window overlooking the street below and tried desperately not to think about thest time he was this afraid.
It had been years ago. His mother in surgery. He was fifteen. No one had told him his mother wouldn¡¯t wake up. They¡¯d let him believe she¡¯d be fine. That she¡¯d just need a little rest.
Now he was older and a woman he loved more than anything was on the other side of surgical doors, and all he had were fears that felt painfully familiar.
This time, he¡¯d said the words: ¡°You save her.¡± No matter what. If ites down to it, Suttones first.
The door creaked open again behind him.
He turned.
Keira stood there first, eyes wild, scanning the room. ir behind her, already pale. Roman had a hand near ir¡¯s arm, steadying her gently.
¡°I just talked to the nurse,¡± Roman said quickly. ¡°They¡¯re still in surgery.¡±
Keira¡¯s voice cracked. ¡°What happened?¡±
¡°Bicycle messenger. Hit her outside Cyber10. She fell on her side. Possible cental abruption. They were trying to stabilize her, but they said the baby¡¯s heart rate was dipping.¡± When he got his hands on the stupid fucker for riding his bike on the footpath, he would kill him.
¡°Jesus,¡± ir said, hand flying to her mouth.
¡°She was unconscious when I got there,¡± Luca added. His voice faltered.
Keira dropped into the chair. ¡°She didn¡¯t wake up at all?¡±
¡°No. But she squeezed my hand. Once.¡±
They all sat in silence, the strain of it getting to him.
Minutes turned to twenty. Then thirty. The silence grew impossibly heavier.
Finally, two hourster, a soft knock.
The door opened slowly.
00.00
A woman in a surgical cap and navy scrubs stepped in, her eyes shadowed but focused.
¡°I¡¯m Dr. Eddins,¡± she said. ¡°OB surgical lead. Sutton is stable.¡±
They all froze.
¡°She lost some blood, but she¡¯s conscious now. Weak. Sore. But stable.¡±
¡°And the baby?¡± Luca asked, voice low.
¡°She delivered via emergency C¨Csection at 6:58 p.m. A boy. Two and a half pounds. He¡¯s in the NICU, being monitored for oxygen support and fluid levels, but so far¡ he¡¯s doing well.¡±
Luca¡¯s legs finally gave. He sat down hard, like his bones just gave up.
¡°Can I see her?¡± he asked after a moment.
Dr. Eddins nodded. ¡°In a little white. Give us some time to move her to recovery. You¡¯ll be the first.¡±
Keira began crying softly. ir rubbed her back.
Roman looked straight at Luca. ¡°She¡¯s alive, man. And so¡¯s your boy.¡±
Luca nodded.
But even then, he didn¡¯t exhale.
Not yet.
Not until he saw her eyes open again. Not until he held her hand and whispered what he hadn¡¯t said that day she told him she was pregnant.
That he loved her.
That she was it.
That nothing else even came close.
Room Mate 136
Chapter 136
The surgical waiting room was quiet again now, save for the asional shuffle of a nurse¡¯s sneakers passing by the open door. Keira was curled in a chair cradling a cup of coffee. Luca figured it would be stone cold by now. ir sat cross¨Clegged by the window, thumbing through a magazine on her , but the way she wasn¡¯t spending any time on each page, he doubted she was even reading it.
Roman sat beside her, his hand rubbing up and down her back as he checked his watch again.
Luca¡¯s phone buzzed in hisp.
Nick De Santis¡¯s name showed on the screen. Luca stared at it for a beat, thumb hesitating above the screen..
Of all the moments for his father to call!
For one brief second, he thought about letting it ring out, telling himself he would call backter. After Sutton woke up. After he saw the baby. After he knew they would both be okay.
But it wasn¡¯t just Sutton lying unconscious in recovery. He still hadn¡¯t been allowed to see her.
It was also Nick¡¯s grandson in that NICU.
And if¨CGod willing¡ Sutton didn¡¯t hate him when this was all over, maybe Nick¡¯s daughter¨Cinw too.
He swiped to answer.
¡°Ciao, Papa.¡±
¡°Luca,¡± Nick¡¯s voice sounded clearer than expected.
Luca closed his eyes briefly and leaned forward in the chair.
He was bracing himself to tell his father what had happened, but before he could speak, his father went on.
¡°We are here. At JFK. Justnded.¡±
Luca¡¯s eyes snapped open. ¡°Wait. What?¡±
Antonio¡¯s voice piped in faintly in the background. ¡°We¡¯re still waiting on Be¡¯s suitcase¡ they lost it.¡±
¡°We?¡± Luca said, chest already tightening.
Nick grunted. ¡°Yes, we¡ your brother, Be, and me. We came to meet Sutton. Your fianc¨¦e. We wanted to surprise you.¡±
Luca didn¡¯t speak for a full second. Sutton wasn¡¯t his fianc¨¦e yet.
He rubbed the bridge of his nose, inhaled through gritted teeth.
¡°Papa, why the hell would you travel all the way here without telling me? You had a heart attack a few months ago.¡±
Nick gave an exhausted sigh, the kind built exclusively by disappointment carried over multiple generations. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±
¡°You¡¯re not supposed to be flying yet.¡±
¡°What do you want from me, Luca? We are De Santis men. We don¡¯t sit still. The doctor cleared me for travel. I figured it was time to meet this model you refused to give up.¡±
Luca winced.
08:53 Mon, 21 Jul 06 W.
Chapter 136
He could practically see his father¡¯s look: the dismissiveness, the tight line of his mouth that always said, ¡®I know what¡¯s best, and it¡¯s hot what yve
chosen.¡¯
¡°For what it¡¯s worth,¡± Nick added, ¡°I don¡¯t trust a woman who runs. But she is carrying my grandson and my first great heir¡±
Luca¡¯s stomach rolled.
¡°Papa,¡± he whispered, voice rougher now.
¡°What?¡±
¡°She¡¯s in the hospital.¡±
Silence.
He closed his eyes. ¡°There was an ident. Outside my building. A cyclist hit her. She fell, and they rushed her here. She had to have emergency surgery. The baby was in distress. It-¡±
¡°What are you saying?¡± Nick¡¯s voice dropped, quieter but more rigid. ¡°Is she¡ Are they-?¡±
¡°They¡¯re alive,¡± Luca said fast. ¡°But it was close. Sutton¡¯s stable now. The baby¡¯s in the NICU. He came early. Not even thirty weeks. They both made it through the night but we¡¯re not in the clear yet.¡±
¡°Oh my God,¡± Be¡¯s voice now clear in the background. ¡°The baby must be so small!¡±
¡°You can to the hospital,¡± Luca murmured, though he was anything but calm. ¡°We¡¯re at Lenox Hill. I¡¯ll meet you at the front door.¡±
¡°On our way,¡± Antonio said. ¡°The GPS on my phone says forty¨Cfour minutes. We have Be¡¯s case now, but we would have left it had it not turned up.¡±
Luca ended the call, staring down at the phone like it had caught fire.
Roman looked over. ¡°Your father is here?¡±
Luca nodded numbly. ¡°They¡¯re on their way here. Surprise visit.¡±
¡°You okay?¡±
¡°No,¡± Luca answered honestly. ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡±
It was forty¨Cfive minutester when Luca stepped into the lobby and spotted the three of them moving through the revolving door, which meant he¡¯d timed it just right.
Nick De Santis walked slower than the others, so they adjusted the walk to him. His grip on the handle of his cane was firm. His tailored suit jacket was a size too big now. The doctors had told him to lose weight after his surgery. But he still held the air of a noble Italian with a long family tree that made him proud. Seeing Antonio beside Be, Luca briefly wondered if his brother had figured out love better than he had.
Luca started across the tiled floor and met them halfway.
Nick sized him up, one brow slightly arched. ¡°You don¡¯t look well.¡±
¡°Are you really surprised?¡± Luca replied.
Nick didn¡¯t say any more before pulling Luca forward and resting a hand on his chest.
¡°This¡ is the hardest part of loving a child,¡± his father said quietly. Nick didn¡¯t say anything about Luca loving Sutton¡ªmaybe because, during theirst conversation, Luca had imed he was marrying her for the child, not for love. How wrong he had been. He just hoped Sutton saw it that way if she
found out.
Luca didn¡¯t have it in him to speak.
They headed toward the elevators, all of them silent¡ until Nick suddenly slowed. Luca turned to see why his father was slowing down.
Nick rubbed his sternum once, and a look of pain crossed his aging face. Then he pressed his hand into his chest harder. He stopped walking
¡°Dad?¡± Antonio asked.
But Nick didn¡¯t answer as he brought his other hand up to his chest. The cane he had been holding was forgotten as it ttered to the floor. The gasp he let out was sharp before he buckled.
Luca was there in two strides; Antonio moved as well. Be screamed.
¡°Dad, hey! Come on,e on!¡± Luca felt his own heart stop knowing what this was.
Luca and Antonio caught him under the arms before he could hit the hard floor, lowering him carefully into the lobby near the benches.
¡°Get a gurney¨Cnow!¡± Luca shouted to whoever would listen. His voice cut across space, loud and clear.¡±
¡°What happened?¡± Someone asked.
Luca didn¡¯t answer; instead, he yelled out. ¡°We need help now.¡± He was not going to spend time answering stupid questions from non¨Cmedical staff.
Be was kneeling now, one hand against Nick¡¯s gray cheek. ¡°Papa.¡± Since her marriage to Antonio, she had shown their father respect by iming him
as her own.
Voices buzzed around them, but Luca paid them no attention. Where the fuck was help? This was a hospital, after all.
A nurse appeared with an emergency crash cart and portable oxygen. A doctor soon followed. Someone else had called the cardiology team already on duty.
¡°Vitals are weak,¡± the ER doctor barked. ¡°What¡¯s his previous history?¡±
Luca answered without thinking. ¡°Heart attack about 14 weeks ago. Triple bypass.¡±
¡°He¡¯s beenpliant with his medications but¡¡± Antonio added, his voice dying off as they wasted no time loading Nick onto a stretcher.
¡°He could be in cardiogenic shock,¡± the doctor muttered. ¡°Possible unstable angina escting into full cardiac failure. We¡¯re moving him to Cath Lab. Page Dr. Beckenridge.¡±
Luca stood there.
Sutton was still under sedation. Their baby was in the NICU.
Now, his father was on a hospital stretcher headed for another possible open¨Cheart surgery.
¡°What the hell is happening?¡± he whispered, not realizing the words weren¡¯t just in his head.
Antonio put a hand on his back but said nothing.
What could you say when your entire world was cracked wide open?
Hours blurred. Luca didn¡¯t move from the surgical floor waiting room.
He¡¯d seen Sutton once. Not for long. She was drugged and still mostly out of it. He¡¯d held her hand. Told her about the baby. She had looked at him with blurred sight before slipping away into sleep again.
His son, their son, was stable. So very small and fragile. Still not breathing on his own yet. The doctor had told him this was normal; his lungs were still developing, and the venttor would support him for now.
Nick was in surgery, his chest opened up again as they cleared a new blockage they¡¯d missed on the first round.
3/4
08:54 MONTA
Three people.
Three lifelines, all teetering at once.
Luca had always been good under pressure. But this felt different. This wasn¡¯t a hostile acquisition or market crash. This was his family, his people, He could not lose anyone.
There would be no more wasting time because this proved to him more than anything that time is precious.
And Luca realized that if Sutton came out of this
not hatin
him, then he¡¯d marry her the first chance he got.
A
Room Mate 137
Chapter 137
Chapter 137
It felt like time had stopped and doubled in on itself. Luca sat with his elbows on his knees, head in his hands. His knuckles were white. His breathing was shallow. The walls were starting to get to him, but he hadn¡¯t moved in over an hour.
Neither had Roman, posted at the door like a guard. Keira was in a chair beside him, hands sped so tightly that her knuckles cracked every time she shifted. ir sat quietly nearby, staring at the tiled floor, her expression unreadable. Antonio and Be sat together talking softly.
Someone coughed down the hall. Footsteps.
Then the door opened.
A doctor in a white coat stepped gently into the room, her ID badge tucked against her chest.
¡°Mr. De Santis?¡±
They all looked up at once.
Luca stood abruptly, his body jerking to attention, and so did Antonio.
¡°I¡¯m Dr. Smith,¡± the woman said. ¡°Cardiology.¡± She said to them both.
Everyone in the room held his or her breath.
¡°Your father pulled through.¡±
Luca exhaled. Hard. Shoulders slumped for the first time in four hours.
Dr. Smith continued, ¡°He¡¯s stable¨Cfor now. But the next forty¨Ceight hours are critical. The artery we cleared today was dangerously close to full blockage. He was in the early stages of cardiogenic shock by the time we got him into surgery.¡±
¡°Is he awake?¡± Antonio asked from beside him.
¡°He¡¯s sedated, but holding.¡± The doctor gave a tight but gentle smile. ¡°He¡¯ll need bed rest for at least a week, very limited activity after that. But if he gets through the next two days withoutplications, I¡¯m optimistic. But if your father is still working, I would suggest retirement.¡±
Luca swallowed against his pulse rising in his throat. ¡°Thank you,¡± he managed.
Dr. Smith gave a nod and stepped out.
If he never had to live through another twelve like he had just experienced, he would thank God every day.
His father was alive. Barely. But alive.
Everyone remained still. No tears. No celebration. Because they still needed an update on Sutton and the baby.
The minutes passed again in indistinct clumps. Roman said something quietly to Keira and ir. Antonio sat beside Be and pressed his forehead to her shoulder wordlessly. Luca paced the room, waiting.
Then, another knock at the door.
A second doctor entered¡ this one younger, in blue scrubs, a clipboard held in close to his chest.
¡°Mr. De Santis?¡±
Luca spun around. He was dizzy for a second before catching himself. When had hest eaten? Not that it mattered now.
¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± the doctor began, his voice gentle, almost apologetic. ¡°You¡¯re going through more in one day than most do in a year, but¡ I have updates.
Luca braced himself.
Behind him, Keira tensed, her hands finally unsping in herp. ir leaned forward, elbows on her knees.
¡°The baby is doing well,¡± the doctor said first. ¡°He¡¯s still on venttor support, which is expected for a twenty¨Ceight¨Cweeker. The lungs aren¡¯t fully developed yet, but all signs point to strength. His numbers are stable. He¡¯s feeding through a tube and already responding to minor stimuli.¡±
Luca shut his eyes briefly.
¡°He¡¯s small,¡± the doctor continued. ¡°We would have liked him to
A
little
Luca tried to picture him¡ his son, but the image wouldn¡¯te. All
er, but he¡¯s a fighter.¡±
I seen was a tiny body wrapped in a nket as they rushed him by.
The doctor smiled softly. ¡°Have you thought of a name?¡±
Luca looked up.
His eyes shifted to Keira, and ir and Roman as if waiting.
They exchanged nces and, after just a moment together, shook their heads.
Not yet, not without her.
Luca turned back to the doctor. ¡°No. Not until Sutton chooses it with
¡±
The doctor nodded. ¡°I thought as much.¡± Then he flipped the page on the clipboard.
¡°And Sutton?¡±
¡°I was just getting to her.¡±
Luca¡¯s spine straightened. Please just let her be okay.
¡°She was lucky,¡± the doctor began.
Luca¡¯s knees went weak just hearing those words.
¡°She has a hairline pelvic fracture but no discement, could¡¯ve been far worse. Initial imaging suggests a bruised kidney on her right side, likely from the fall or impact. Some swelling around the liver, but no active internal bleeding. Her C¨Csection incision looks good. The scar will be deep, but it¡¯s healing.¡±
Keira exhaled sharply, as if she¡¯d been holding her breath.
¡°She¡¯ll need bed rest. At a minimum, a week, most likely two. No standing without assistance. No stairs. And minimal stress. No lifting of anything.¡±
¡°No problem. I¡¯ll make sure of it.¡±
The doctor looked at them. ¡°She¡¯s conscious on and off. Pain managed. You¡¯ll be able to see her soon. But not all at once. Only one or two people at a time. Might be a good idea to leave her to rest until morning.¡±
Something in Luca crumpled internally, his body sagged forward ever so slightly, like his bones had stopped pretending to hold themselves upright.
Keira saw it first.
She stood and moved beside him, one hand slipping under his arm to steady him. He didn¡¯t push her away.
¡°She¡¯s okay?¡± he asked one more time, voice scraped thin..
¡°She¡¯s okay,¡± the doctor repeated. ¡°Your little family just weathered a storm, Mr. De Santis¨Cbut the roof¡¯s still standing.¡±
2/3
Then, the doctor gave him a quiet nod and exited.
Silence settled for a moment in the waiting room as they came to terms with the news.
Keira kept her hand on his arm. She didn¡¯t say anything right away, didn¡¯t crack one of her sharp, sarcastic jabs. She just looked up at him, for the first time, it wasn¡¯t with disgust. He hoped she realized he didn¡¯t just care about her sister. He loved her. It wasn¡¯t about the baby or guilt or duty. He was s man with his heart in pieces because the woman he loved could have been lost to him forever.
Keira looked at her sister and then said to him. ¡°You should be the one to see her first and maybe stay with her if they let you.¡±
ir agreed. ¡°Yes, give us your keys and we will pick up some clothes for you.¡±
There was no way he was leaving her, and he
was d they had picked u
on
that.
Turning to Antonio, ¡°I¡¯m going to sit with Sutton. Are you able to be there for Dad?¡±
Antonio gave him a look. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t expect anything else, Be and I will
Il take care of Dad. You are needed elsewhere. We will keep you updated.¡±
Luca handed his keys to Roman and headed out to be with Sutton.
Hourster, Luca stood inside her recovery room.
No tie. Shirt rumpled. Sleeves rolled past his elbows, hands tucked into his pockets.
Sutton¡¯s hair was a mess across the pillow.
Her eyes fluttered open mid¨Cbreath, slow and drowsy.
¡°Hey,¡± he said, keeping his voice soft.
She gave him a weak smile, but behind it, her eyes asked a question she couldn¡¯t form yet.
But finally, her mouth barely moved. ¡°Baby?¡± Tears welled up in her eyes.
He sat beside her and took her hand, pressing his forehead gently to her fingers.
¡°He is okay. I promise you.¡±
¡°He?¡±
¡°Yes, he¡ He has no name, and I need you to be okay so we can get on that.¡±
She didn¡¯t answer, just slipped back into sleep.
Luca hoped he had set her mind at rest. Their son was alive.
Room Mate 138
Chapter 138
He sat in a hard stic chair beside her bed, elbow resting on the edge of the mattress, his fingers wrapped around her wrist as if it were made of delicate ss. It was morning, and he hadn¡¯t slept at all. Roman had dropped clothes off, and the nurses had let him use the shower in Sutton¡¯s private room they had moved her to around elevenst night.
Luca hadn¡¯t left her for more than a few minutes; he could
He was so worried that if he turned his back on her for even one second, she might disappear. He could not lose her again. Even though he hadn¡¯t realized he was in love with her the first time, he had still felt the loss of her when she had left. It was only then that he started to understand what she had truly meant to him. It hadn¡¯t been a lightbuth moment at first; he had told himself it was the baby. But he had only been fooling himself.
Sutton stirred; at first, it was just a twitch of her fingers. Then, ther
was a deep indrawn breath.
Luca leaned closer. He watched as her eyshes fluttered.
She blinked once, twice. Then looked at him through heavy lids.
¡°Hey,¡± she whispered; her voice didn¡¯t sound like her. Not surprisin with what she had been through.
But seeing her awake and alive was like the biggest gift
of
all,
This was the most conscious she had been since she had been brought in. Last night, she barely mustered the strength to check on the baby.
He brought her hand to his mouth and kissed her knuckles without answering.
She moved slightly, then flinched.
¡°You are going to be in pain if you move, so take it easy,¡± he murmured. ¡°Don¡¯t push.¡±
She gave a slow, drowsy blink in response and tried to wet her lips. ¡°The baby?¡±
¡°He¡¯s okay,¡± Luca said with a small nod. ¡°He¡¯s small, Sutton¡ but he¡¯s here. Breathing. Alive. He¡¯s on a venttor, and he¡¯s surrounded by the best team looking after him, but¡ he¡¯s here. He¡¯s loud, actually. Even for a little guy.¡±
He hadn¡¯t been allowed to hold him. Instead, he had slipped his arms into the side of the incubator and held his son¡¯s tiny hand. But ir and Keira had checked with him to see if he was alright with them seeing the baby. He was d they had offered and asked. They had all gone through so much sincest night, and he could feel the strain between him and Keira had lifted. They all loved Sutton and now the baby.
Her mouth barely bent into a smile. ¡°You saw him?¡±
¡°Earlier this morning. Finally got the okay from the NICU. I wasn¡¯t prepared.¡± He rubbed his thumb against the back of her hand, slower now. ¡°He¡¯s so damn tiny. But perfect. He grabbed my finger like he had something to prove.¡±
Tears welled up in her eyes at that.
Luca hesitated before speaking again. ¡°They said he¡¯s strong. He is doing well.¡±
She swallowed hard. ¡°What¡¯s his name?¡±
Luca shook his head slowly. ¡°I told them I couldn¡¯t name him without you. I thought you would kill me if I tried.¡±
Sutton nodded just a small movement. He could see that their exchange had drained her reserves.
She frowned and then seemed to muster her strength. She looked at him again after a moment.
¡°I heard you,¡± she said.
Luca blinked. ¡°When?¡±
In the ER. When they brought me in.¡±
He didn¡¯t need her to finish.
He remembered every word. Luca had thought she had been unconscious but had feared her finding out by one of the medical staff. He had not at any time thought she had heard him herself.
She looked away, her eyes misting again, blinking at the ceiling like it might give her courage.
¡°You told the doctors to save me,¡± she said quietly. ¡°Even if it meant losing our son.¡±
The words made his heart sink.
Luca¡¯s grip on her hand didn¡¯t change. But a wave of something thick rolled behind his sternum. He exhaled low through his nose and lowered his eyes.
¡°I did,¡± he admitted.
She didn¡¯t look angry. She didn¡¯t took calm either, just tired. As if she didn¡¯t have the energy to make her facial muscles work. The painkillers would be helping. ¡°That¡ it wouldn¡¯t have been my choice,¡± she said.
The words dropped heavily. Luca was waiting for her next words. Telling him to get out and leave her alone.
¡°I know,¡± he whispered, finally meeting her eyes. ¡°And I¡¯m sorry.¡±
She studied him for a long beat.
Luca couldn¡¯t wait any longer for her to say something. ¡°That wasn¡¯t a decision I made because I didn¡¯t want him,¡± Luca said. ¡°And it wasn¡¯t made easily, Sutton. I love him already. I¡¯ve barely seen him.¡±
¡°I know,¡± she said, her voice cracking.
¡°But I can¡¯t¡¡± He faltered. Looked down at their hands. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine a world without you. Couldn¡¯t. Not even for a second.¡±
She closed her eyes briefly, a single tear slipping down the side of her face and into her hairline.
¡°I could feel it,¡± she whispered. ¡°That grief in your voice before I cked out. That panic.¡±
He shook his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t want you to hear that.¡±
¡°I¡¯m d I did.¡±
Luca¡¯s brows pulled together.
¡°You thought I¡¯d hate you for it,¡± she said softly. It wasn¡¯t a question..
He didn¡¯t answer. Not right away.
Instead, he just shifted in the chair, leaned forward, and rested his forehead against her hand again.
¡°The whole time you were in surgery,¡± he murmured, ¡°I kept reying it. Thinking maybe I¡¯d gone too far. Maybe I didn¡¯t have the right. That I¡¯d ma selfish choice. That you¡¯d wake up and hate me for it. For choosing you.¡±
She turned her face toward his hand, her temple just brushing where his fingers cradled her.
¡°I don¡¯t.¡±
He looked up.
Her voice was a whisper, but there was no hesitation in it. ¡°I don¡¯t hate you.¡±
He swallowed hard.
¡°You know what it told me?¡± she asked, eyes half¨Cclosed again. ¡°Hearing you say that? That when it came down to it¡ you weren¡¯t just here because pregnant. Or because it was the right thing.¡±
She touched his wrist gently. Weak, but present. ¡°It to
told me
you
still love me.¡±
Luca inhaled shakily, ¡°I do.¡±
¡°That¡¯s what I needed to know,¡± she whispered.
MO
an anything, I needed to know you were here for me. Not the baby I was carrying
Luca sat back slowly, watching her face settle, the wo
on her shoulders shift just slightly.
¡°I didn¡¯t believe you when you said it,¡± she added.
¡°What?¡±
¡°That you love me. Since you arrived, I have always felt
t you were here for the baby.¡±
He gave a low, breathlessugh.
¡°So, you didn¡¯t need to just hear it,¡± he said. ¡°You needed to feel it. I failed you the first time, and I know it¡¯s going to take time to build trust. I was a fucking asshole. The things I said to you thatst day.¡±
¡°I wasn¡¯t ready the first time,¡± she whispered. ¡°I was an illusion. You didn¡¯t know the real me, Luca. Yes, I still had the same personality, but I was still hiding, and I didn¡¯t trust you with who I really was. So you are not the only one to me.¡±
She drifted again, her eyes fluttering shut. He watched as the effort to stay awake slipped away and she finally sumbed to sleep.
Luca leaned forward once more, brushed a soft kiss to the back of her hand, then rested it where her rising chest met the edge of her hospital gown.
¡°I love you,¡± he whispered.
She didn¡¯t respond because she was asleep. Her hand remained curled softly in his, so maybe subconsciously she had heard him. And for the first time since she had been brought into the hospital, he let himself breathe.
Really breathe. Luca stood; he was going to see his son. Now, finally, he felt like he had the right to. It was the reason he hadn¡¯t stayed long this morning. He hadn¡¯t felt he had the right to. Sutton, with her words, had given him that right.
AD
Room Mate 139
Chapter 139
Sutton hadn¡¯t stood on her own yet, but with Luca¡¯s arm tucked under hers and a nurse steadying her opposite side, she made the slow, careful walk down the short hallway toward the NICU, that was after a very necessary trip to the bathroom.
It was humbling how broken her body felt. Every shift of weight ached. Her hip radiated something sharp if she turned even a degree too far, and the stitches pulled at her stomach.
She wasn¡¯t thinking about her injuries. She was thinking about him. The tiny baby who hade twelve weeks too early. Their son.
Luca hadn¡¯t said much during the walk. His hand I never left hers, letting her pace herself.
The NICU doors opened with a soft click, controlled and climate¨Csealed. Monitors beeped at intervals throughout the room. Every crib was spaced out intentionally, and tiny lives lived between ss and stic domes.
They moved to the second incubator near the end of the row.
Inside, beneath a tangle of tubes and wires thin as threads, a baby smaller than Sutton had ever imaginedy curled up. A knitted blue cap covered most of his dark hair. His eyelids fluttered. His chest rose in soft jerks.
Sutton didn¡¯t realize she was crying again until a tear hit her corbone.
Luca stood behind her, one hand on her shoulder, one arm around her waist.
She whispered, ¡°He¡¯s¡ so small.¡±
¡°He¡¯s a De Santis,¡± Luca said gently, eyes still locked on the incubator. ¡°He¡¯s a fighter. He¡¯ll grow into the power tripter.¡±
Suttonughed; it was painful, and she winced.
Luca asked when he felt her stiffen. ¡°You okay?¡±
¡°Yeah,¡± Sutton said, wiping her cheek. ¡°Laughing just hurts.¡±
Then she looked again.
Their baby. Pink and translucent. She¡¯d carried him for twenty¨Ceight weeks. And should have carried him longer. But it wasn¡¯t meant to be. He was here weeks before his expected birthday.
¡°Can I¡ touch him?¡± She asked the nurse standing near the monitor.
¡°You can,¡± the nurse said warmly. ¡°Try for his hand or foot first. Skin¨Cto¨Cskin willeter, maybe in a couple of days. For now, we keep his temperature stable.¡±
Sutton nodded, putting her hand inside the incubator, reached slowly, her hand trembling, and gently brushed her knuckle against the soft heel of his foot.
His toes twitched.
¡°Oh,¡± Sutton breathed. The sound cracked. She so wanted to hold him, to feed him, but she couldn¡¯t yet. They had her expressing milk so that wh could feed him, her milk would be there and ready.
he
Luca¡¯s voice dropped to a near whisper beside her. ¡°When I first came in, his hand wrapped around my finger. It was like he was telling me he was okay without words.¡±
Sutton didn¡¯t speak. She was afraid she might cry again if she opened it.
They didn¡¯t speak for a while, just stood there together watching their son.
Then Luca asked softly, ¡°Do you have a name?¡±
Sutton didn¡¯t look away from the incubator.
¡°I was going to say¡ Miles,¡± she murmured.
Luca blinked.
¡°Miles?¡±
She bit the inside of her cheek, trying not to grin. ¡°I mean¡ it¡¯s probably ridiculous. He is sort of responsible for us being together again and our catching Nicole.¡± She trailed off, blushing faintly under the hospital lights. ¡°Everything started again from that night.¡±
Luca said nothing for a second.
Then he nodded, contemtive.
¡°I don¡¯t hate it,¡± he said.
Sutton turned to look at him, surprised.
He met her eyes. ¡°Miles De Santis. It suits him somehow. Like he¡¯s always going to be a step ahead of us.¡±
Suttonughed again, carefully this time.
¡°You¡¯re not kidding.¡±
¡°Nope.¡±
She shook her head and smiled softly. ¡°That¡¯s kind of sweet. In a weird, tech¨Cnerd, full¨Ccircle kind of way.¡±
Luca kept his eyes on the tiny bundle in the crib but reached out, his fingers brushing her hip gently.
¡°Sweet¡¯s not always bad,¡± he said. ¡°Plus, he is a reminder of our second chance.¡±
They stood there for a few more minutes, just watching him breathe.
Sutton said his name out loud, testing it.
¡°Miles.¡±
It felt right.
A nurse came over, interrupting their moment. ¡°Sorry, folks, family¡¯s in the recovery room asking for Mom. Should I let them know you¡¯re here?¡±
Sutton said, ¡°No, it¡¯s okay; we cane back.¡±
Fifteen minutester, Sutton was back in bed. Tucked upright against pillows, her face flushed, and her body beyond tired, her family was a force of nature, and they hadn¡¯t seen her conscious since the ident. So, she understood their need to be with her now she was awake.
ir arranged a massive bouquet of wildflowers on a side table. Roman was standing with her, trying but failing to be helpful.
Luca introduced his younger brother Antonio and his wife Be. She could see Be was very ufortable. She would think she was the reason that Sutton and Luca hadn¡¯t been together, but it hadn¡¯t been her fault. Sutton would love to point fingers and me someone, but really it was no one to
me.
Keira gave Sutton a hug, careful not to hurt her. Standing back, she grinned at Sutton. ¡°I didn¡¯t wanna hit you with jokes until we were sure you weren¡¯t going to drop dead mid¨Csentence.¡±
Sutton grinned. ¡°I appreciate that. Sister of the year.¡±
¡°But now that you¡¯re technically not dying¡¡± Keira waved a hand vaguely over Sutton¡¯s post¨Cop body. ¡°Jesus, you look likest week¡¯s cut footage.*
Everyone burst intoughter.
It hurt, but it felt good. Real. Grounding.
Even Roman cracked a half¨Csmile.
¡°You¡¯re okay,¡± Keira said a secondter, softer now. ¡°We were so- ¡®She couldn¡¯t finish.
Sutton didn¡¯t make her.
She reached out and took her sister¡¯s hand and squeezed it.
Changing the subject. ¡°Hey,¡± Sutton asked, shifting her gaze. ¡°We¡¯ve named the baby.¡±
Everyone turned toward her.
¡°He does have one?¡± ir raised her eyebrows. ¡°Tell us you didn¡¯t do something dramatic like naming him after a Renaissance painter or Bart¡who on earth would name their child Bart after the Simpsons?¡±
¡°No,¡± Luca answered.
Sutton tilted her chin toward him, eyes glinting.
¡°He¡¯s named after a hacker.¡±
Keira blinked. ¡°Wait. Seriously?¡±
Luca grinned. ¡°Yup.¡±
¡°Miles De Santis,¡± Sutton rified.
There was a pause.
Then a collective: ¡°Huh.¡±
Roman finally gave a slow, approving nod. ¡°Kinda badass.¡±
ir tilted her head. ¡°Unexpected.¡±
Keira smirked. ¡°I mean, I was betting on ¡®Justice¡® or ¡®Phoenix¡® or something with glitter and trauma. But promise me I will not be bailing him out of jail in eighteen years time and I¡¯m good.¡±
Sutton coughedughed again. ¡°Sorry to disappoint. There will be no bailing my child out of jail.¡±
They stayed another ten minutes, filling the room with just enough warmth. It was so good having them here but also tiring.
Eventually the nurse peeked in again and gave a subtle, respectful look of¡ visiting hours are now officially over. Even in private rooms, there were rules. They were allowing Luca to stay.
Everyone took the hint.
There were hugs, gentle ones. A few kisses on foreheads. Keira promised to sneak her favorite takeout next visit.
And then they were gone.
Later that night, Luca sat again at her bedside, one hand resting on her leg beneath the thin hospital nket.
The room was darker now. She had slept for a few hours after her family had left. They had gone back and spent time with Miles. She couldn¡¯t believe she was so tired again.
Suttony back, one hand on her stomach, eyes half¨Clidded.
¡°Thank you,¡± she said softly.
¡°For what?¡± Luca asked.
¡°For loving me.¡±
Luca leaned down, kissed her on the mouth.
¡°Always.¡±
Room Mate 140
Chapter 140
Chapter 140
It was barely 7 a.m, when Sutton¡¯s phone buzzed on the tray beside her hospital bed.
She hadn¡¯t slept the whole night. Even though she was on pain meds, every time she shifted in her sleep, the pain woke her.
Luca was asleep in the chair beside her, long legs stretched out, head tilted toward her but not quite resting. He¡¯d refused to leave, and sometime affer midnight, one of the overnight nurses had pulled in a cot, only for him to ignore it in favor of staying closer.
The phone buzzed again. Then again. Wishing now they hadn¡¯t charged itst night, but it could be one of her sisters. Though she didn¡¯t think they would call at this time in the morning.
Sutton rubbed her face with one hand and grabbed it with the other, careful not to wake him. Her fingers were stiff, but she managed to swipe the screen
open.
UNKNOWN CALLER
She hesitated for a moment but answered.
¡°Hello?¡±
There was a pause. Then a voice, ever so eager.
¡°Sutton Warner, or should I say Audrey? This is Lilly Day from The Daily Ledger. We¡¯d like to offer you the opportunity to share your side of the story before-¡±
Sutton ended the call immediately. Heart loud in her chest.
What the hell.
A secondter, another call.
Declined.
Then texts.
Mike, New York Post: Care for an interview? Tell your side of the story. This is the story we will be running: ¡°Audrey, Europe¡¯s Favorite Model¡ªCyber CEO¡¯s Secret Muse?¡±
Maya, Fox8: Please let us know if you¡¯re open to discussing your secret affair with Luca De Santis.
Paul, New York Times: Exclusive offer. We pay big for a sit¨Cdown with Sutton Warner aka Audrey for the full story.
The Sun: Hi Sutton, This is Clint from the Sun. Are you and Luca still together? Did you trap him?
ENews: Was he engaged when you conceived? We would love to sit down with the model who Luca had an affair with.
Sutton¡¯s chest tightened. She could feel tears well in her eyes. How had they found out? She looked nothing like she had back then.
A message from ir popped up.
ir: Shit, Sutton. Check the news. The story broke. It¡¯s everywhere. The things they are saying..
Keira: I¡¯m going to incinerate whoever did this. Stay off the inte. I mean it. DO NOT look. We areing to you.
Roman: Luca and I will handle this. Focus on you and the baby. On healing. We¡¯ve got you.
She didn¡¯t look at the links being sent to her by people she knew. She didn¡¯t want to see the headlines. The messages from the reporters had been bad
Chapter 140
enough.
She knew someone had sold her out.
ybe for revenge or money. Nicole, or had someone else figured out who the wat?
Sutton swiped at the tears on her cheek. She was being stupid. She had nothing to feel been her aunt and uncle who stepped in. She had never gone nude.
I ashamed of. She had supported her sisters when it should ha
So, for some stupid reason, she clicked on one of the links someone from the office sent. Their message had read: Is this really you?
The media post showed photos of her on the catwalk and some images from magazines and well known promotional nights out with the other moder There was one that made Sutton cringe. Her skirt was so short. Some images she knew weren¡¯t even het. Someone had put her head on someone else body. Including nudes. They were all carefully edited to look sleazy.
And worse, the story that came with the images.
The mistress. The child hidden in shame. Luca De Santis¡¯s secret love affair.
And now, of course, the hospital angle. ¡°Sources¡± confirming her delivery, her baby, her real name.
It felt like drowning, only in reverse. The heat rushed up to her face, not away from it.
She couldn¡¯t look anymore. She clicked the side button, holding it down so it would turn off. The phone turned off, but her hands wouldn¡¯t stop shaking Oh, my God. The way they were painting her was disgusting. She hadn¡¯t even known she was the other woman.
Sutton must have made a noise because Luca stirred in the chair. He blinked hard and sat up straighter immediately when he saw her faca
¡°What happened? Are you in pain? Do you need a nurse-?¡±
She shook her head, voice tight. ¡°It¡¯s out.¡±
¡°What¡¯s out?¡±
She swallowed hard.
¡°I just got a call from some reporter. Somehow someone figured it out. That I¡¯m Audrey. That we¡¯re here. That I¡¯m¡¡± She didn¡¯t want to say the rest. That they were painting her the scarlet woman. As if she was something scandalous.
She stared straight ahead.
Luca didn¡¯t ask questions. He stood fast, pulling out his phone.
¡°No,¡± Sutton said quickly. ¡°Luca. Please don¡¯t make a scene.¡± She knew him. He would not let this rest. Sometimes it was best not to fuel the fire and let it burn.
He wasn¡¯t listening.
His eyes scanned the screen, going through his own messages and emails before dialing a number and holding the phone to his ear.
¡°Damien,¡± he said into the phone, voice crisp. All¨Cbusiness. Controlled but with friction underneath. ¡°How fast can you get the PR team looped in? No denials. No exnations yet. Just prep crisis messaging. Confirm we¡¯re escting and investigating the way this leak came out. I want a clear record of everyone who had ess to Sutton at Lenox Hill, everyone. And I want to sue every media outlet that has printed a fake image or sto ant you to put a piece together about the true Sutton. She will not feel any shame over any of this, do you understand me?¡±
He hung up before waiting for an answer and hit another contact.
¡°Someone at the hospital must have done this,¡± he said, his voice low. He was angry.
He turned back in her direction as the ling picked up.
2/4
¨C 13:54 Th? 24 301 3
G
¡°This is Luca De Santis. Put me through to the Chief of Staff. I¡¯ll wait.¡±
Sutton stared at him. ¡°You don¡¯t have to-
His hand shook. ¡°Someone sold your information. Our baby¡¯s birth. Our son¡¯s name. I will not let this go.¡±
¡°But-¡±
¡°No.¡±
His eyes met hers.
¡°This ends now. I¡¯m not allowing this, Sutton. If we show weakness now, it will never end.¡±
There was something in his voice that hadn¡¯t been there before. Not just anger but fury. Not with her, but with what had been done to them. He was defending her and their son.
She looked away, emotions twisting under her ribs. She loved - m. She just hoped that this wouldn¡¯t cause him any issues.
He put the phone down for just a second, long enough to sit beside her.
¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said, softer now. ¡°That this is what you
woke up
got to deal with
this shit instead of just hea
Her voice shook slightly. ¡°I should¡¯ve been ready. I should have known with the inte that Audrey couldn¡¯t stay hidden.¡±
¡°What you did for your sisters was something to be proud of, and you were never my mistress no matter what I said at the time or what they are saying now. I was the stupid idiot that got you into this mess. I¡¯m the one that is going to get you out of it.¡±
Sutton went quiet.
She nced down at the covers pulled around her legs, the IV in her
arm still taped gently at the crook of her elbow. Her eyes were tired but dry now.
¡°I worked so hard to move on,¡± she said, voice fragile. ¡°I¡¯m worried about how people at the office will see me now.¡±
¡°Fuck ¡®em,¡± he said. ¡°You built a new life. You are that good at what you do. If the staff at Cyber10 don¡¯t see that and make onement, I¡¯ll fire the fuckers. If the reporters want toe at you like vultures, then I¡¯ll sue them all.¡±
She sat back slowly. She could see that this was his fight now, not just hers. Their son had been roped into this.
¡°They¡¯ll twist it all. The scandal of it. Like I was just some dirty little secret.¡±
¡°You weren¡¯t a secret,¡± Luca said, voice hoarse now. ¡°You¡¯ve never been.¡±
She looked at him then.
¡°But they¡¯ll paint me like one,¡± she whispered. ¡°You can¡¯t run from that,¡±
Luca was silent for a moment.
Then: ¡°Let them try.¡±
She blinked.
¡°I¡¯m not hiding you or our son. Not again. Let theme.¡±
Room Mate 141
Chapter 141
Her sisters and Roman had left before the fireworks. Sutton was d Keira had been fuming mad, It waste morning by the time the hospital chief of staff left the room.
Or rather, backed out with a pale face and a panicked promise to ¡°get to the bottom of this.¡± Luca hadn¡¯t raised his voice; he hadn¡¯t needed to. His tone had been low and cold and lethal, making sure every wordnded.
¡°IF1 find out that even one person¡ nurse, administrator, janitor sold Sutton¡¯s information to the press; not only will we sue for every fucking dor of damages, I will make sure they never speak to anyone ever again,¡± he told them.
Then, when the man fumbled some excuse about patient ess and systems vulnerabilities, Luca simply said ¡°You¡¯d better find out who leaked her story before I do. Because it¡¯s your hospital, the cost won¡¯t just be financial. I¡¯ll make sure you can¡¯t even get a job washing toilets. Do I make myself clear?¡±
And that was it. The door clicked shut. The chief shuffled away.
Sutton leaned back against the pillows, her cheeks still flushed with adrenaline, the whole exchange leaving a soft tremble in her chest.
She pointed at Luca, brows lifting. ¡°Wow. That was¡
Impres
terrifying, actually. Impressive. But terrifying.¡±
He didn¡¯t look fazed. He came back to her bedside and gently rested his hand on hers
¡°I¡¯m done letting the world strip you down to headlines,¡± he said. ¡°They don¡¯t get to define you or make shit up. If it were about me, I wouldn¡¯t care. But this is about you and Miles.¡±
¡°Talking about our son, let¡¯s go see him.¡±
¡°Before we do, there is something¡¡± Luca¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change. He just slowly reached toward the jacket he¡¯d left hanging on the back of the visitor chair. Pulled it off and reached into the inside pocket before tossing the jacket aside. And then, before her heart could catch up, he turned and dropped to one knee.
Right on the cold linoleum floor beside her hospital bed.
Luca De Santis ¨C billionaire, global CEO, ruthless in a boardroom and impossible in negotiations and against a hospital chief of staff ¨C was on one knee
in front of her.
¡°This time,¡± he said softly, ¡°marry me because you finally believe love you. Not because of pressure¡ or guilt¡ or the baby. But because you know it¡¯s
real now. Because you feel it.¡±
Sutton¡¯s throat burned.
She didn¡¯t hesitate.
¡°Yes,¡± she said.
Then again, louder. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll marry you.¡±
Tears leapt to the corners of her eyes before she could blink them away. She was overwhelmed with joy.
¡°I love you, Luca,¡± she whispered. ¡°I never stopped. And I¡¯m so tired of trying to pretend I could move on without you. Try¡ to prove to everyone, including myself, that I didn¡¯t need you. When I did¡ I do.¡±
He smiled, and then he opened the small velvet box in his hand.
A stunning solitaire emerald cut diamond.. simple, beautiful, set in tinum.
Sutton¡¯s face softened in surprise.
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¡°Where did you¡7¡±
¡°I picked it up the morning of your ident,¡± he said, voice breaking just slightly. ¡°That same day. I was already nning to proposer Even though wanted more time. I wanted you in my life so badly. I was going to keep asking until you said yes.¡±
Her heart cracked. Of course, he had. Of course, he had been nning to. She couldn¡¯t say she would have said yes because she still had her ¨¦s¨¹bt, hot they were gone now.
Luca stood and gently slipped the ring onto her finger. She was surprised to see his hand tremble just a little.
And it fit perfectly.
Sutton stared down at her hand, the brilliant diamond resting above the hospital ID band on her wrist, and let out a shakyugh.
¡°This has to be the weirdest proposal story of any lifetime.¡±
Luca kissed her hand. ¡°Maybe. But it¡¯s ours. It¡¯s our
what other people think? We¡¯ve got each other, we are the lucky ones.
It waster that afternoon when the official statement was given by Luca himself to the waiting press.
vory vent
Luca De Santis stood in front of a modest podium set up outside Lenox Hill¡¯s private wing.
His hand was low around Sutton¡¯s waist, steadying her carefully as she stood beside him, dressed in a loose dress ir had brought in for her to wear, and her hair was pulled back in a ponytail, still damp from her shower which she had been allowed today.
Luca called the room to order by taking one step towards the mic, cleared his throat once.
¡°Sutton Warner¡ is not a scandal.¡±
He paused.
¡°She is the most brilliant mind in mypany. The heart of the virus detection program that saved Kingston just this week and is now being rolled out to
six of our other customers.¡±
Sutton looked at him. She hadn¡¯t known that, but then they had been a little busy.
¡°She is a programmer. Designing a system that can be proactive in virus protection instead of reactive. This system in a hospital could save lives. There could never be a threat of shutdown because the software is in step with any virus out there.¡±
Camera lenses clicked.
Sutton blinked bravely through the lights.
¡°This woman,¡± Luca said, ¡°is the mother of my son. Miles. Born twelve weeks early and fighting like hell. Just like her. We never got to make a formal announcement of our engagement. Because hourster, she nearly died during his delivery.¡±
Sutton almostughed. Luca was stretching the truth there. He had the ring, but she hadn¡¯t said yes.
A hush fell.
Luca looked down then. Just briefly. Long enough to steady himself.
Then back up.
¡°She is my partner in every way. The woman love. And the woman I¡¯m marrying.¡±
He let it hang just long enough to roll.
¡°And let me say this clearly: there is nothing scandalous about being a model. There is nothing shameful about working hard to support your family.
212
04 Inu 24 JUI
¦¯
About surviving. About using what you have to get ahead¨Cespecially when the world gives butchered in the press for doing right by her family.¡±
A flicker of apuse moved through the small crowd of reporters.
women
30
few chances to do that safely. And still the w
¡°The photos posted online¡ the ones edited without consent and presented out of context, were not only hical, they were intentionally damaging have instructed mywyers to pursue every false publication to the fullest extent of New Yorkw.¡±
Luca¡¯s grip on Sutton¡¯s waist tightened slightly.
¡°And from this moment forward, if you want
ess
lives¡ you better learn to respect my future wife.¡±
He stepped back.
Sutton didn¡¯t speak. She didn¡¯t need to. Luca had said all that needed to be said. She stood with her ring shing in the camera lights. No one asked any questions; they had been warned there wouldn¡¯t be any.
AD
Room Mate 142
Chapter 142
Luca didn¡¯t move for a full hour after Sutton drifted back to sleep. She had gone to sleep soon aftering back from meeting the press. He really should go and see his father. He had been getting regr updates from his brother and had gone to see his fatherst night, but he had been asleep.
Her hand was still curled loosely in his, her breathing soft and even, and it was the only sound he wanted to hear for the rest of his life.
He sat on the side of her bed and just watched her.
Hershes fluttered once, but she didn¡¯t wake. Her mouth was slightly parted, and her hand would asionally shift on the nket, twitching, in sleep, she looked like herself again, only she was no longer pregnant.
And for the hundredth time, Luca felt it like a punch to the ribs: He could¡¯ve lost her and their son Miles.
He hated to think what could have happened if the messenger had pushed her into traffic instead of just onto the footpath. He was still pissed that the police were unable to charge the little fucker with anything. The cyclist wasn¡¯t going to get away with it, though. He had already arranged to buy the messenger service, and part of the sale conditions were that the messenger who had hit Sutton was fired. Never upset a De Santis male because they were known to go to extreme lengths to get revenge.
He let go of her hand carefully and exhaled through his nose, running both palms down his thighs.
He shouldn¡¯t have everything he wanted right now¡ not after what he had done to her. Not this future. Not after everything. And still, somehow¡ she¡¯d said yes. He looked down at the sh of her ring on her finger as it rested on the nkets. He didn¡¯t deserve her, but he promised himself he would never take her for granted. He would treat her as she deserved.
His phone buzzed once in his jacket pocket, the vibration more of a low hum in the quiet of the room.
He pulled it out, squinting at the screen.
Chief Reynolds¡ Lenox Hill Hospital
He looked at Sutton again, still asleep, her hand now ck across her stomach.
He rose, careful not to jostle the bed, and stepped into the hallway. He closed the door halfway behind him.
Then he answered the phone. He hadn¡¯t wanted to wake her.
¡°This is Luca De Santis.¡±
¡°Ah, Mr. De Santis, thank you for epting the call so quickly.¡± The chief of staff sounded uneasy. Apologetic already.
¡°I¡¯m guessing you are calling me because you have something?¡± Luca said, his tone clipped. ¡°About the patient file breach.¡±
¡°Yes. First, let me say how sincerely sorry we are. That this happened under our care is unconscionable. This never should¡¯ve-¡±
¡°Who?¡± Luca cut in.
He wasn¡¯t in the mood for a speech. Not when Sutton¡¯s reputation had been dragged through the tabloids while recovering.
There was a pause.
¡°A registered nurse,¡± Reynolds said finally. ¡°She works post¨Cop on rotation. We confronted her this afternoon. She and will be reported for vition of HIPAA regtions.¡±
Luca clenched his jaw. ¡°And?¡±
sed. She has been terminated
¡°She recognized ber¡ from Europe. She¡¯d been on holiday in Francest year. Apparently went to a fashion show in Mn on a whim with a friend of hers. Sutton or, rather, ¡®Audrey¡® as she remembered her, was on the runway.¡±
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Luca¡¯s stomach twisted.
¡°She saw a way to make some money,¡± the chief added. ¡°She didn¡¯t put it together until she saw you. And she sold the story to one of those celebrity leaks for what she now admits was ¡®more money than she¡¯d seen in a year.¡¯ She was caught when the electronic audit trail gged her repeated views of Sutton¡¯s digital file, including timestamps outside of her assigned care hours.¡±
Luca wanted to put his fist through something.
¡°You¡¯re certain she acted alone?¡±
¡°At this time, yes. No other log¨Cins were gged. We¡¯re stillbing all rted security ess for the next forty¨Ceight hours, but we wanted you personally informed as soon as she was removed.¡±
Luca didn¡¯t thank him. He didn¡¯t owe Reynolds that.
Instead, he said, ¡°Make it public. Everything. The investigation. Her firing. And your facility better own its damn mistake.¡± He paused, voice suddenly so still it chilled even him. ¡°You need to show your staff that this type of behavior will not be tolerated.¡±
¡°Understood,¡± Reynolds said quickly. ¡°We¡¯re already preparing a release.¡±
Luca hung up.
He stood in the quiet hallway for a beat longer than necessary, staring at the opposite wall. He was d this nurse had been caught. He and Roman would still look into the matter further to see if any further action needed to be taken.
Then, slowly, he walked down the hall and made his way to another room on the same floor but on the other side of the nurses¡® station. They¡¯d moved his father here after surgery.
He knocked once and pushed inside.
Antonio was sitting in the chair nearest the window. Be perched at the edge of Nick¡¯s bed, speaking softly to her father¨Cinw. Her hand was wrapped gently around his, and Nick¡¯s eyes were open, watching her.
Luca straightened.
Nick¡¯s gaze met his.
He hated seeing his father like this. A man stripped bare of power for the moment, lying in a hospital bed. This was not the strong man he remembered as a child. His father had lived an indulgent life of food, expensive scotch, and cigars. He had quit smoking ten years ago but cut back on his drinking. Helping him trim down. But some of the damage had already been done. He wanted to be around for Miles and any more children he and Sutton were lucky enough to have.
¡°Good timing,¡± Nick rasped.
His voice was rough. But it carried.
¡°Sorry to interrupt,¡± Luca said, moving closer.
¡°No interruptions,¡± Nick muttered. ¡°I¡¯m d you havee.¡±
Be rose and gave Luca a quiet nod, squeezing his shoulder once as she walked to Antonio. They spoke in hushe two men space.
Luca took the chair beside the bed.
For a long moment, they just sat there.
Then Nick said hoarsely, ¡°So. Your model is okay?¡±
Han over by the window, giving the
Luca could feel his temper rising, but he didn¡¯t let it ovee him. His father had almost died as well. ¡°Sutton in a model any long. Dad, and d a name, as you well know. I would like you to call her by it.¡±
Nick looked away, jaw tight. ¡°And the baby? Antonio tells me I have a grandson.¡±
¡°Yes,¡± Luca replied. He let itnd. ¡°We have named him Miles.¡±
Nick¡¯s brows rose slightly. ¡°Expected a more¡ ssical name.¡±
¡°I¡¯m happy with our choice,¡± Luca murmured. ¡°Miles could stand for the miles Sutton and I had to travel to get where we are now¡±
Nick huffed softly. ¡°Don¡¯t go soft on me now, boy.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not soft. I¡¯m grateful for this second chance.¡±
¡°And she said yes?¡± he added. ¡°To marrying you?¡±
¡°She did.¡±
Another silence passed.
Then Nick said, ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure if it was just for the press. I saw the story.¡±
Luca waited.
Nick¡¯s eyes turned to him, old and tired but still sharp. ¡°I understand you are in love, and I will pass judgment once I meet her.¡±
But he nodded once. He didn¡¯t push. None of this had gone his father¡¯s way. Sutton didn¡¯t need him to defend her. She was a good and kind person, and his father would see that. He still hadn¡¯t told Sutton that his father was in the same hospital. Let her recover before she was confronted by his father. They both could use the time to heal.
He stayed there with his father until Nick drifted back to sleep.
Luca¡¯s phone rang as he left his father¡¯s room. It was a private number, so he let it go to voicemail, but curiosity made him listen.
Nicole¡¯s voice exploded through the speaker, ragged and hoarse. Luca quickly pulled the phone a few inches away from his ear.
¡°I saw the press conference.¡± Herugh was jagged. ¡°Her? The model? It was her all along? Of all the fucking ces for her to work. God, you really are predictable, falling for the body, not someone who has been there for you.¡±
She screamed the next words.
¡°You don¡¯t get to erase me, Luca! I helped make you powerful; we built everything together, and now you¡¯ve thrown me away for a whore in a hospital bed. I wish they both had died.¡±
He didn¡¯t listen to anymore of her rant.
And within thirty seconds he was calling his security team.
¡°I want twenty¨Cfour¨Chour shifts outside Sutton¡¯s hospital door. NICU level reinforced. Vet every single person who steps near my son. I don¡¯t care if they wear a badge. If they¡¯re not cleared? They don¡¯t get in.¡±
¡°Understood.¡±
He tucked the phone away, jaw locked, voice steel.
Nicole was gone from their lives; he just wanted to make sure of that. He would leave nothing to chance.
He tucked the phone away, jaw locked, voice steel.
Nicole was gone from their lives; he just wanted to make sure of that. He would leave nothing to chance.
Room Mate 143
Chapter 143
One weekter, Sutton was losing her damn mind.
¡°How are you doing today, Miss Warner?¡± the nurse chirped as she passed by.
¡°Still trapped in this hospital, no offense,¡± Sutton muttered with a smile that was at least 20% sincere. ¡°But thank you for asking. Do we know when the doctor is likely to release me?¡±
The nurse chuckled. ¡°Bedrest¡¯s been lifted. That counts as parole. The doctor should be around at 11am or so.¡±
¡°No,¡± Sutton called after her softly. ¡°Parole at least means you get to go home.¡± 11am or so could mean more like 1 or 2pm. One thing Sutton had found out since being here, doctors had their own timetable.
In truth, things were improving.
Her pain had eased, the bruising was fading, and though her energy wasn¡¯t all there yet¡ she could stand. Walk without help. Use the bathroom without help, praising whatever gods saw fit to deliver small mercies. They hadn¡¯t needed to take her stitches out because the doctor had used dissolvable ones that take from three to six weeks to disappearpletely. Sutton had been surprised at how small the cut had been along her bikini line. Not that she cared¡ because that cut was the reason her son was alive.
The great thing about being more mobile, she¡¯d been allowed to spend more time with Miles.
Holding and feeding him or, more urately, kangaroo cuddling while skilled NICU nurses handled the feeding part. But still. She¡¯d felt his breath warm against her chest. Seen those tiny fingers curl around hers with quiet, confident strength. He was doing so well. Which helped her feel better.
Luca had been with her almost every day. Every slow walk to and from the NICU. Every pumped bottle. Everyte¨Cnight check¨Cin with the nurses. But this morning, he¡¯d had a meeting he couldn¡¯t get out of¨Ca massive product presentation to Cyber10¡¯s top clients.
To showcase Sutton¡¯s virus protection program. Her fingerprints were in every line of that code.
He¡¯d asked if she¡¯d wanted to join remotely. She¡¯d said no. She was happy to let him handle it. It¡¯s what he did so well. It was more his world, anyway. She preferred being under the radar. Coding behind the scenes.
After an hour with Miles, her legs were stiff and her back tight, but she wasn¡¯t ready to crawl back into another white¨Csheeted bed. So once she got back to her ward, she walked.
Her first real walk in a week. Slow. Careful. But upright. With one hand on the cool railing that ran along the ward¡¯s long hallway, the other resting on the side of her belly, now soft where it once held her son, that absence still strange and tender.
She moved past the family waiting area near the elevators, then into the wide corridor that overlooked the small rooftop healing garden.
As she turned the corner, she spotted an older man fumbling with something on the floor near the bench closest to the window.
His gray cane had fallen. He was trying to lower himself without tipping over; the look on his face was determined but exhausted.
Sutton didn¡¯t hesitate.
¡°Whoa there,¡± she said gently, crossing to him without even thinking. ¡°Don¡¯t make me call a nurse.¡±
The man looked up, startled, Thick silver hair, well¨Ckept. Italian maybe, by the slope of his brow and the tan undertone to sharp, but his eyes were kind. - n. His expression was
¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he grunted, clearly not fine.
¡°You will be when you¡¯re seated and no longer defying gravity,¡± Sutton replied, squatting carefully because of her own aches and picking up the cane. ¡°Ease down, not forward. You are less likely to fall on your face. Or better yet, call for help next time.¡±
He gave a gruff chuckle. ¡°Bossy.¡±
¡°Nowe on, sit on the bench and rest a minute.¡±
He followed her instructions, settling onto the bench with a long exhale. Sutton was
still worried about him. He was still a little out of breath
¡°Grazie, signorina,¡± he said. Slight ent. Warm voice. Deep.
Proving to her he was indeed Italian, like Luca.
She smiled, passing him the cane and sitting cautiously beside him with a hand on her lower back. ¡°You¡¯re wee. And since I just politely risked
names.¡± bruising my own tailbone for you, I think we can upgrade to first
The man blinked. ¡°Nick.¡±
¡°I¡¯m Sutton, Nick. It¡¯s lovely to meet you. I¡¯m
For a second, his eyes flickered. There was a glint of hesitation, but then he said, ¡°Heart surgery. Round two.¡±
Sutton winced. ¡°Yikes.¡±
He nodded. ¡°Too many years, too much salt, not enough walking. Plus, Twas a smoker. The math eventually caught up.¡±
¡°How long ago was the surgery?¡±
¡°About seven days.¡±
¡°So, has your bed rest been lifted as well?¡±
¡°You¡¯re a noisy little thing, aren¡¯t you?¡±
Suttonughed, smiling at him. He reminded her of Luca. ¡°No, just making sure I don¡¯t get sued for not stopping you when I had the chance.¡±
¡°I was trying to walk a little today,¡± he said, then gestured to the cane. ¡°That was me trying. Which I believe you just deemed defying gravity.¡±
¡°You shouldn¡¯t be doing it alone. You don¡¯t have anyone to help you?¡±
Heughed again, not loudly, but wholly. Something about her amused him rently.
¡°And you?¡± he asked, his eyes narrowing gently in the
the nurses told you?¡±
Sutton shifted. ¡°Both.¡±
way
der people do when measuring the truth. ¡°Are you walking because you want to? Or because
¡°Ah. The best kind of disobedient.¡±
They sat for a moment.
Sutton noticed his fingers¨Cthick, strong, the kind of hands that once worked hard but had softened with time, His left wrist was still bandaged, clearly holding an IV port under the gauze.
¡°I have to say, you have a stubborn¨Cpatriarch vibe.¡±
¡°Apliment?¡± he asked slyly.¡±
¡°A warning.¡±
Heughed again.
¡°Do you have family here with you?¡±
Room Mate 144
Chapter 144
¡°Papa.¡±
She turned to face Luca when she heard his voice.
She had expected to see Luca with his father, sort of bracing herself to meet the man who hadn¡¯t wanted her in his son¡¯s life. What she hadn¡¯t expected was that he¡¯d be alone and staring directly at the man beside her.
The man with the cane.
The man she¡¯d just spent thest few minutes chatting with.
Her breath caught as realization finally settled in.
¡°Oh, you¡¯re Luca¡¯s father.¡±
Nick arched one amused brow at her. ¡°You didn¡¯t know? Does my son not take after his old man?¡±
Sutton¡¯s face flushed.
¡°No. I didn¡¯t know.¡±
She turned fully toward him now, awkwardly rising from the bench. ¡°I¡ I¡¯m so sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to-¡±
Nick waved a hand easily, still seated. ¡°Don¡¯t be silly. You were kind, and you should never be embarrassed about being kind.¡±
He reached for his cane and used it to leverage himself upright. Luca stepped forward quickly, automatically steadying him with a light touch, one hand on his father¡¯s elbow.
Nick shook his head but allowed it.
¡°I told her I¡¯d had surgery. Didn¡¯t say who I was,¡± Nick said, ncing toward his son. ¡°Your woman is bossy, Luca. I would watch that.¡±
¡°She scolded you,¡± Luca said, shooting Sutton a teasing nce.
Nick chuckled. ¡°She did. Little fire in her, this one.¡±
Sutton tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. ¡°You were reaching for your cane. I wasn¡¯t going to just stand around and let you fall on your face.¡± She hadn¡¯t even known Luca¡¯s father was in the hospital. When the hell had that happened? Wait until she got Luca alone.
Luca held back a smile. ¡°That does sound like Sutton.¡±
Nick turned to her again, his tone more serious now. ¡°You care about people, and it didn¡¯t matter to you that you didn¡¯t know me. That is a rare quality nowadays.¡±
There was a pause. Then Nick reached for her hand and took it in his.
¡°You are very good to people,¡± he said softly. ¡°I see that.¡±
Warmth spread across Sutton¡¯s chest at the unexpected sincerity of it.
Nick held her hand just a beat longer, then added with a small sigh, ¡°And I¡¯m sorry I judged you without knowing. Or rather, I judged what I thought you were. And caused both you and Luca a great deal of sorrow. Wee to the family.¡±
Sutton¡¯s skin tingled at the words. She hadn¡¯t expected this first meeting to go like this.
¡°Thank you,¡± she said after a heartbeat, That means more than you know.
1/3
Luca stood quietly nearby, watching the moment unfold between them. She could see he was happy with the oue of their first meeting as well.
His father hadn¡¯t just tolerated Sutton. He respected her. He saw her kindness without pedigree or titles, without herst name attached to anything. Just her.
It was more than Luca could¡¯ve asked for.
Nick stepped back, adjusting his cane. ¡°Alright. Enough rebellion for one day. only cleared for short walks, and if I keep standing here, someone wille wagging a clipboard at me.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll take you back,¡± Luca offered immediately.
Nick raised an eyebrow. ¡°Now you¡¯re acting like a good son.¡±
¡°I must be in shock,¡± Luca muttered with a smirk.
Sutton smiled as Luca helped his father begin making his way down the hall. She walked with them slowly, lingering as they turned toward the wing that housed Nick¡¯s room.
A minuteter, an older nurse at the nurse¡¯s station spotted them and came around the corner with a wheelchair, giving Luca a relieved look.
¡°You¡¯re supposed to buzz to let us know, Mr. De Santis,¡± she said gently to
party.¡±
Nick grumbled something in Italian under his breath, but he sat.
Nick. ¡°Not walk around on your own. I was just about to send out a search
¡°You¡¯ll be fussed over for the rest of the week,¡± Luca muttered as he crouched slightly to adjust the footrest beneath the older man¡¯s shoe.
Nick leaned toward Sutton as she followed alongside them for a step. ¡°I was not alone¡ My future daughter¨Cinw had me under control,¡± Nick murmured jokingly. ¡°I was worried she was going to crack the whip. A formidable one at that.¡±
Sutton chuckled. ¡°Behave yourself.¡±
¡°I want to meet my grandson tomorrow.¡±
Once Nick was settled back in his room and under the nurse¡¯s watchful eye, Luca returned to Sutton, falling into step beside her without a word.
Luca opened the door to her room and helped her lower onto the bed. He set her water bottle out, readjusted her nket.
Then, he pulled the visitor chair close, turned it toward her, and sat.
Eventually, Sutton whispered into the quiet: ¡°He¡¯ll be okay?¡±
Luca nodded, his voice low. ¡°He¡¯s lucky. Very. But yeah. He¡¯s okay.¡±
Sutton let her head rest against the pillow, exhaustion tugging at her again. She wouldn¡¯t say it out loud, but today had taken more out of her than she
realized.
He didn¡¯t answer immediately. Just looked at her.
Then he stood from the chair, walked to the side of the room, and leaned one hand on the window ledge. The blinds were half¨Copen, letting in the worm
gold wash ofte afternoon light.
¡°It happened the day of your ident,¡± he said finally. ¡°They turned up at JFK without telling me. He copsed at the hospital.¡±
Sutton¡¯s brow knit together, watching him carefully. ¡°It wasn¡¯t because-¡±
Luca shook his head. ¡°It was not your fault.¡±
¡°Luca,¡± she said gently. ¡°That¡¯s¡ I¡¯m so d he was in the hospital.
¡°I didn¡¯t tell you because I wanted you to focus on you and Mile
She whispered, ¡°Come here.¡±
¡± he admitted. ¡°You had enough going on.¡±
He crossed the room, slower now, and when he sat again, she took his hand gradually in hers.
¡°You went through so much that day,¡± she said softly.
¡°I¡¯m just d you all came out of it okay.¡±
She brought their joined hands to her stomach, resting them near where Miles had grown, and held him there.
¡°I would¡¯ve wanted to be there for you too,¡± she said, looking up at him. ¡°Next time, please tell me. He¡¯s your dad¡±
His mouth quirked slightly, but the humor didn¡¯t quite meet his eyes. ¡°God, I hope there isn¡¯t a next time. It was the worst day of my life
¡°You¡¯ve got a decent father.¡±
Luca looked at her for a beat. ¡°I didn¡¯t feel that way for a long time. I think the reason I went out on my own was to spite him, it was when I found out about the marriage he had nned for me. For a long time, I resented him.¡±
AD
Room Mate 145
Chapter 145
Nick stood just outside the NICU, staring through the ss. Luca was beside him, one hand lightly resting on his father¡¯s back.
Sutton watched from inside the room, already scrubbed, her gown tied behind her back. She¡¯d been sitting beside Miles for nearly an hour, skin to skin, his impossibly small head tucked beneath her chin, listening to the slow, steady rhythm of his breath. Her son. Her sweet miracle.
A nurse gave the signal and waved them in.
Luca pushed the door open, and Nick followed him in slowly, cautious courtesy in every footstep. His cane tapped lightly on the vinyl floor
The room was kept warm and dim for the babies. Monitors beeped softly, a mechanical heartbeat winding through wires and stic tubing. Miles stirred gently in Sutton¡¯s arms but didn¡¯t wake.
Nick stopped a few feet away, clearly unsure of the space.
Sutton looked up and smiled. ¡°He¡¯s fragile,¡± she said quietly. ¡°And he is small¡ But Luca will tell you he is a fighter.¡±
That made Nick smile faintly, eyes crinkling.
Luca crossed the room and gently helped him into a padded chair near Sutton¡¯s. Not too close, but close enough.
For a moment, he just watched.
Miles¡¯s face was still pink and a little wrinkled, like a face he hadn¡¯t quite grown into. With his tiny fist resting against Sutton¡¯s corbone, he had the longest fingers. She adjusted the nket around his back and murmured something to Miles. It was something she found she did a lot. Just talk to him. Her voice seemed to soothe him.
Then, she looked at Nick again.
¡°Want to say hello?¡±
Nick hesitated for a moment before he nodded.
Sutton adjusted Miles carefully and leaned toward him. Her arms moved gently until her hands brushed Nick¡¯s, guiding them beneath the baby¡¯s head, helping him cradle his grandson.
Nick¡¯s eyes widened the second his hands epted the bundle.
It wasn¡¯t much. Miles barely weighed anything.
She could see he had practice with babies¡ but she doubted he¡¯d held one this small.
Nick said nothing. He just looked at the boy in his arms.
Sutton brushed her fingers under Miles¡¯s hat, her voice low. ¡°This is your Nonno, sweetheart.¡±
Nick swallowed hard. ¡°He¡¯s so light.¡±
¡°He¡¯ll grow,¡± Luca said softly behind them. ¡°Like strong men do. He just got a head start. The doctors are not concerned about his ability to feed, and his lungs are still developing; that¡¯s why he still has the tube.¡±
After a long moment, Nick nced at Sutton. ¡°You named him Miles.¡±
She nodded once before grinning. ¡°At first it was a joke. But it felt right. To remind us this is a journey. Not a detour.¡±
Nick looked down again, his thumb brushing slowly over the edge of Miles¡¯s fisted hand.
1/3
¡°He looks like Luca did, but smaller. With the size of Luca at birth, maybe it¡¯s a good thing you didn¡¯t go full term,¡± he murmured. ¡°Except the mouth. That¡¯s yours.¡±
Sutton blinked quickly.
Miles shifted in his arms, just slightly. Sutton guessed he was reacting to Nick¡¯s deep voice.
After another moment, he nced toward Sutton and said, ¡°You two. When do you n on getting married?¡±
She blinked, then gave a softugh. ¡°Bold question from someone who didn¡¯t want it to happen a few months ago.¡±
Nick arched a brow. ¡°I¡¯m old, I can be as bold as I like.¡±
Sutton smiled, but then her gaze dropped to her baby, still nestled against Nick. ¡°After. After Mileses home.¡±
Nick tilted his head. ¡°Why wait?¡±
¡°Because he¡¯s part of this,¡± she said simply. ¡°I don¡¯t want a ceremony where our son is still in the hospital. There¡¯s time for a celebration when we¡¯re all standing under the same roof, and I will not be getting married in a hospital.¡±
Nick nodded once¡ seeing that she would not change her mind.
A nurse checked her watch behind the curtain and leaned over to whisper. ¡°We¡¯ll need to return him to the isolette soon.¡±
Sutton understood. Miles tired quickly, even when he seemed peaceful and his feeding schedule was tight. With a gentle hand, she slid her arms beneath Nick¡¯s palms and carefully lifted her son back into her chest.
As Sutton tucked Miles into the heated nest and double¨Cchecked his tubing, Nick grunted softly as he stood to watch. Luca stepped forward on cue, offering his arm withoutment. Nick took it.
¡°I hate to be the one to ruin the moment,¡± Luca said quietly, ¡°but you¡¯re already pale and pretending you¡¯re not exhausted. Don¡¯t make me y nurse.¡±
Nick gave onest look toward the incubator before letting Luca guide him gently out.
¡°I will see youter, daughter.¡±
Sutton remained beside the bed for a while longer, stroking her son¡¯s back through the incubator¡¯s porthole, watching him drift into sleep. She whispered something only he could hear, kissed her palm, and held it above his nket.
Then she joined Luca outside. He hade back for her after dropping off his father.
They walked the hallway in silence for a time, heading back toward her room.
Once they reached her room, Sutton sat on the edge of the bed. She was looking forward to getting out of the hospital but, on the other hand, hated the thought of leaving Miles.
She watched Luca as he made sure she had everything she needed on her bedside table. ¡°Your dad seems to havee around.¡±
¡°It¡¯s because of you,¡± Luca admitted. ¡°Once he saw Miles, it was like¡ everything else didn¡¯t matter. He would have wanted us married before Miles was born, but he had his own timetable.¡±
Sutton nodded slowly. ¡°That¡¯s what babies do. They make everything else small.¡±
Luca walked toward her slowly now, his expression gentler than usual.
He didn¡¯t crowd her, just leaned against the wall, hands in his pockets.
I was going to wait,¡± he said.
09:22 Sat, 26 Jul G
Sutton tilted her head softly. ¡°Wait for what?¡±
He took a breath.
¡°For you toe home,¡± he said simply. ¡°With me.¡±
Her heart skipped.
Luca held her gaze. ¡°I want you with me¡ not me under one roof and you under another. I want my home to be yours. Ours. You, me, and Miles. As soon as they clear you. And then when he¡¯s ready, we¡¯ll bring him into it.¡±
Sutton just watched him.
Emotions filled her ¨C hope and relief¡ and the faintest undercurrent of fear, only because life had warned her to be cautious with good things. But after a moment, she batted it away. Luca had more than proved himself.
¡°Are you sure?¡± she asked quietly.
Luca moved toward her, cing his hands on either side of her thighs.
He looked at her.
¡°I¡¯ve never been more sure. I want you to be with me. We¡¯re only whole together.¡±
Her eyes burned. ¡°I want that too.¡±
Room Mate 146
Chapter 146
Sutton cried the moment she stepped out of the NICU. She was crying because she was leaving Miles in the hospital while she went home, She didn¡® care that it was only temporary. Her arms felt wrong without him in them. Even though she hadn¡¯t been with him all night, it still felt wrong somehow,
She knew he was safe and well fed. Monitored around the clock, supported by more machines and sensors and trained professionals. The NICU nurses. knew her by name. They adored Miles.
And yet¨Cit still felt like she was walking away from her heart.
She pressed one hand to her chest as she returned to her room to gather thest of her things. Luca had left her a few minutes ago to talk to Antonio, who was seeing their father. Sutton had already been in to see Nick.
A nurse smiled gently, not asking why she was crying. They always knew.
¡°You¡¯ll be back tomorrow,¡± the nurse said softly, folding Sutton¡¯s discharge papers into a folder with the hospital logo.
¡°I know,¡± Sutton whispered. ¡°I just¡ I don¡¯t know how to go home without him.¡±
¡°You go knowing he is getting the best of care,¡± the nurse said kindly, ¡°and you need to take care of mum now. And sleeping in a hospital is never the best rest. That¡¯s what keeps you both strong.¡±
It wasn¡¯t enough. But it was what she had.
Outside her room, Luca was pacing near the window, his phone pressed to his ear, back turned to her. He wasn¡¯t speaking loudly, but his voice was low and firm. He was distracted, focused on whoever was on the other end of the phone. She paused in the doorway, suitcase handle in hand.
¡°Yes¡ double rotation. I don¡¯t care if the hospital already screens employees. I want our people inside the NICU too, t just the hall. I want eyes specifically on the pediatric floor.¡± A pause. ¡°Yes, Miles. He¡¯s the priority¡ no ess unless approved.¡±
Sutton¡¯s blood chilled.
What the hell?
She stepped forward slowly, her breath caught in her throat.
Luca didn¡¯t notice her yet. Still facing the window, phone clutched in his hand, his other hand resting t on the ss as he spoke calmly but with
urgency.
¡°And make sure you keep her photo circted. If anyone resembling her gets within two floors of that wing¡ I want to be alerted. Immediately.¡±
Photo? Of her?
Her stomach sank with understanding. Nicole.
Luca hung up.
Sutton¡¯s voice came out high and only slightly controlled. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Her son was in danger, and she hadn¡¯t even known.
He turned, startled¡ but she saw guilt flicker across his face.
¡°Sutton-¡±
¡°You said it was security. I thought-¡± she trailed off, heart hammering. ¡°I thought it was for the media. But it¡¯s not the press you¡¯re worried about, is
Luca opened his mouth, hesitated.
¡°Tell me,¡± she said. ¡°Tell me what the hell Nicole has done now.¡±
He sighed, stepping forward. ¡°She called after she saw us in the media.¡±
¡°What?¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t want it to reach you.¡± He kept his voice low. ¡°Nicole is still under psychiatric care, but we could not legally detain her any longer. She has to report to the police station every day. She¡¯s made threats. I was worried about you and Miles. The press stirred everything up. I have someone trailing her. She came to the hospital yesterday. Mywyer wants a second opinion about her mental state. He doesn¡¯t believe it.¡±
Sutton¡¯s breath caught. ¡°She tried to get into Miles¡¯s wing?¡±
¡°We don¡¯t know how close she got,¡± he said quickly. ¡°My man lost Irer for a few minutes before she reappeared on the street.¡±
Sutton stared at him. Too stunned to show him how pissed she was right now.
¡°And you didn¡¯t think I deserved to know that?¡± she asked, voice harder now. ¡°You kept me unaware that my son could be in danger, and you didn¡¯t say a word? Arrogant fucking men.¡±
¡°You were already recovering from surgery. You were emotionally wrecked,¡± he said, jaw tightening. ¡°And I had it handled-¡±
¡°You think not telling me is handling it?¡± she snapped. ¡°You think keeping me in the dark is protecting me? My son could have been in danger.¡±
¡°Our son. Sutton, you were going through enough,¡± Luca snapped back, stepping toward her now, eyes sharp. ¡°You nearly died giving birth. You¡¯re healing. You¡¯re pumping milk and trying to spend every spare second with our son.¡± His voice strained. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to add to that. I could protect you
both.¡±
¡°And yet here we are!¡± she shouted. ¡°The reality crashed into me anyway, didn¡¯t it? I just left my baby in a hospital room, and now you¡¯re telling me the woman who hates me and tried to sabotage my life is trying to get near him? God, Luca, how dare you decide what I can and can¡¯t handle-¡±
Suddenly, he grabbed the back of her neck, pulling her to him, and kissed her.
Hard. The breath was knocked out of her for a second before she even realized they had gone from arguing to kissing.
She tried to bite him, but he pulled back for a second andughed. ¡°This hissy fit you¡¯re having is a real turn¨Con.¡± Before closing his mouth over hers
again.
His hand cupped the side of her jaw while his other curved around her waist, pulling her toward him. She gasped against his mouth, fists pressed to his chest, her fury flooding with need and heartbreak and more than a little rage.
When he pulled back, she was breathless, but so was he. So she didn¡¯t feel so out of sorts.
His voice was hoarse when he said it: ¡°This is what I do best, Sutton. I keep the people I love safe. You were always doing so much. I wanted to take care
of you.¡±
Her eyes were ssy, still angry. ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean lying.¡±
¡°I never lied,¡± he rasped. ¡°I just withheld. It was to buy you some peace.¡°.
She pressed her fingers to her temples, stepping back ¡°You don¡¯t get to decide what¡¯s too much for me or my¡ our son.¡±
¡°I know that,¡± Luca said, his voice gentling. ¡°I do. But just in this, I needed to give you the chance to breathe without anotherndmine under your feet. I was going to tell you tonight. I hadn¡¯t nned on Keeping it from you. Just giving you time.¡±
She exhaled slowly. Still angry. But beneath the fire, there was what she always found when it came to Luca De Santis. He could be an arrogant son of a bitch¡ but she did know he loved her and their son.
She ran a hand down her face. ¡°So she is being watched?¡±
¡°Absolutely.¡±
¡°You¡¯re sure? Twenty¨Cseven?¡°.
¡°Yes.¡± He stepped forward again and lowered his voice. ¡°She¡¯ll never get near Miles. Or you,
Their gazes locked.
Never¡±
Somewhere beyond the fury and shock, what Luca had done¡ maybe it wasn¡¯t right. But it hade from a ce of devotion and caring
Silence stretched between them again. Luca put a hand on her back and led her out of the hospital to his car.
¡°I¡¯m angry,¡± she said finally.
He nodded. ¡°I know.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t want secrets between us.¡±
¡°You won¡¯t get them from me again.¡±
He helped her into the passenger seat before circling the car and getting behind the wheel.
Sutton sat with her hands gripping her thighs as the car finally moved again. Luca nced at her, but she was staring straight ahead. She was finding it hard driving away from their son.
¡°I¡¯m visiting every day,¡± she said.
¡°I assumed.¡±
¡°And I want a full report from security.¡±
¡°You¡¯ll get it.¡±
Another silence and Luca waited.
Eventually, Sutton leaned her head against the passenger window and whispered, ¡°You can¡¯t be every wall I lean on and every lock on the door, Luca.¡±
¡°I can try,¡± he said softly. ¡°But until you¡¯re strong enough to m the door yourself.¡±
A minuteter, as the hospital disappeared behind them, Sutton sighed, then said quietly, ¡°I¡¯m strong enough to walk through it now.¡±
And Luca smiled¡ because he would always be there as a bridge between her and the world.
Room Mate 147
Chapter 147
Sutton hadn¡¯t realized how draining it was going to be leaving Miles at the hospital. She felt empty. She was so d she had Luca. She was so tired.
Her body still ached from the hospital stay, her muscles weak from the enforced bed rest on top of everything else, but her heart was raw from everything that had happened to Miles. Now she had this new worry about Nicole getting near their son. The crazy bitch. She didn¡¯t know what would make her stop unless she went to jail.
Luca opened the doors to his apartment¡ Their apartment. She could hear noise and people talking. Keira had said she would drop off all Sutton¡¯s stuff with ir and Roman.
But the thing that caught her attention was how beautiful the penthouse was. It was warm and soaked in golden sunset light from the floor¨Clength windows. It wasn¡¯t all ck and steel like she had sort of expected. No.,. it was all warm colors, wood, and cozy. The colors reminded her of her ce in Europe. Had he prepared this ce to make her happy? So, he had paid attention to her tastes. Turning to him, she grinned, ¡°Top score, Luca. Nicely done.¡±
¡°I wanted you to feel at home here. This is our home, not a showpiece or a corporate apartment.¡±
The smell of something delicious drifted from the kitchen.
She didn¡¯t even make it past the entry before Keira came barreling toward her.
¡°You¡¯re finally home!¡± Keira squealed, arms wrapping carefully, but forcefully, around her. ¡°Okay, not really your home, but I guess technically your home¨Chome now. Either way, wee.¡±
Sutton chuckled as she hugged her back. ¡°Don¡¯t make meugh. The stitches still pull.¡±
¡°I won¡¯t. But isn¡¯t it wild?¡± Keira pulled back, practically shimmering with energy. ¡°I really feel like the underachieverpared to you and ir.¡±
¡°Hey, Beautiful. I¡¯m so d you¡¯re okay,¡± Jake said, appearing behind Keira with a ss of wine in one hand and a knowing smirk. ¡°I know you¡¯re going to tell me you¡¯re still expressing milk, but Luca let me know you did a few bottles before you left the hospital, so if you don¡¯t do it tonight, one ss will not hurt. I think you¡¯ve earned this.¡±
Sutton took the ss after hugging Jake. He buzzed her cheek with a kiss. ¡°I missed you.¡±
Roman and ir were already in the living room, curled up on the oversized sectional that overlooked the skyline. ir waved her fingers, trying hard to suppress a soft smile, but her eyes were warm and filled with love.
¡°I¡¯m so d you¡¯re well enough to leave the hospital,¡± ir said, standing slowly anding closer to hug Sutton. ¡°You look happy.¡±
¡°I am,¡± Sutton replied honestly. ¡°It still doesn¡¯t feel real. Any of it.¡±
¡°Miles will be home soon enough,¡± Roman said, crossing the room to shake Luca¡¯s hand firmly and then hugging Sutton. ¡°You have a lovely home here for him toe to after he leaves the hospital.¡±
¡°And you¡¯re going to love it,¡± Luca whispered in her ear, kissing the shell gently. ¡°I did have it designed with finding you in mind.¡±
¡°Were you so sure of finding me?¡± Sutton teased, before dragging herself toward the oversized armchair. She sat slowly, wincing just a little at the stiffness in her hip.
¡°I¡¯ve got you,¡± Luca said instantly, crouching as he adjusted a throw pillow under her back. ¡°You need anything?¡±
¡°No, just a moment not standing,¡± she said, grateful.
About twenty minutester, the doorbell chimed again. Luca went to answer it.
¡°Apparently we throw dinner party tonight,¡± Keira muttered from where she lounged next to Sutton, eyes gleaming. ¡°Surprise.¡±
The newest arrivals entered: Be, radiant in a silk top and wide¨Clegged linen pants, hair in a loose braid; and Antonio, easygoing and freshly pressed wearing rolled sleeves and dark chinos.
Be headed straight for Sutton, her expression open and kind. ¡°Ciao be,¡± she said gently. ¡°You¡¯re even more beautiful every day.
Sutton smiled, heart warming. ¡°Thank you foring.¡± She didn¡¯t hate Be, she wasn¡¯t to me for what had happened before. If anything, she was grateful to her for taking Antonio instead of Luca as her husband. Seeing them together, they were a better match.
¡°You¡¯re family now,¡± Antonio said, kissing Sutton¡¯s cheek in the European manner. ¡°Whether you want us or not.¡±
¡°We brought cannoli,¡± Be added, holding up a white bakery box.
That got the attention of everyone. Food always did. Keira told everyone no desserts until after her dinner.
Everyone got up to get dinner on the table. Only Jake stayed
her. He slid into the armchair beside Sutton.
¡°You need anything, let me know,¡± he asked quietly.
Sutton nodded slowly. ¡°Actually¡ yeah.¡±
He leaned in conspiratorially. ¡°What is it? Do you need help picking a dress for the wedding? I¡¯m your
man.¡±
¡°No, not-¡± She cut him off, caught between augh and a sigh. ¡°It¡¯s the office. Everyone obviously knows now. Luca¡¯s done press. There were images of me everywhere. I just¡ I feel like there¡¯s a microscope on me. Like even if no one at Cyber10 says anything, they¡¯ll be thinking it. That I slept my way to the top. That I didn¡¯t earn the role.¡±
Jake gave her a solid three seconds of silence. Then said tly: ¡°Bullshit.¡±
Sutton blinked.
¡°No one¡¯s saying that. And if they are, I swear I will spill boiling hot coffee in theirp. But Sutton? You made Cyber10 viable again. Your virus software doubled revenue projections in the first year. And Luca mentioned today they¡¯re fast¨Ctracking licensing in two European countries. Cyber10 is going to be a multi¨Cbillion¨Cdorpany in about four months, and that¡¯s conservative.¡±
¡°You sound weirdly proud.¡±
Jake grinned. ¡°That¡¯s because I am. You¡¯re my boss now, so technically I¡¯m only sucking up half as much as usual.¡±
Suttonughed.
Jake softened. ¡°You earned this. With every hour of code. Every line. Every day you worked out of reception instead of the development floor.¡±
She leaned her head back, wine nestled tight in her hands, ¡°Thanks, Jake.¡±
¡°Anytime.¡±
After dinner, no one stayedte knowing she would be tired. Jake was thest they were seeing off at the door. He shook Luca¡¯s d and hugged Sutton again. ¡°I have to say, Keira has charm.¡± Tongue in cheek.
¡°Like a gremlin,¡± Luca said, deadpan. ¡°Just don¡¯t feed her after midnight.¡±
Jakeughed, elbowing Luca in the side as he stood beside her at the door.
¡°What? It¡¯s true. Both Roman and I believe the man that marries her will need shares in whips and chairs and earplugs.¡± Luca grinned. He liked Keira, but she had only juste around to liking him.
Once Jake stepped into the elevator with a cheery wave, Sutton leaned against the doorframe, her legs aching and her shoulders sagging from the evening. She wasn¡¯t sure if it was exhaustion, lingering emotion from leaving Miles behind¡ or just everything, all at once
Luca rested a hand on the small of her back, rubbing lightly. ¡°Come on,¡± he said softly. ¡°Let¡¯s get you to bed¡±
She didn¡¯t argue. She was more than ready.
¡°I still can¡¯t believe this is your ce,¡± she mumbled as she stepped out of her shoes, ¡°I expected aloof executive chic. Grey concrete. ck void lines. But this¡ it¡¯s actually¡ homey.¡± Following him into the bathroom.
Luca turned on the shower in the ensuite, then turned to her. ¡°I¡¯m allowed to be human sometimes,¡± he said, kissing her temple.
Sutton smiled faintly. ¡°I¡¯m so ready for bed.¡±
He started to undress, telling her he was joining her. Shame sex was banned for another month or so.
She began unbuttoning her blouse with slow fingers. Her motions were sluggish, her muscles stiff and aching.
Luca stepped up beside her without a word and gently eased his hands over hers, taking over. He undid the remaining buttons, slowly peeling the fabric back from her shoulders and slipping it down her arms. He helped her out of her camisole and carefully unhooked the soft cotton nursing bra.
He didn¡¯t ogle. Didn¡¯t make a move. He just kept his touch steady and light. She knew he still desired her after the kiss at the hospital. He was being so good to her.
Once they were both stripped to bare skin, Luca took her hand and led her into the steam¨Cfilled shower. The water cascaded over them. ¡°This is so good. Sutton sighed.
Luca stepped behind her. He shampooed her hair with firm fingers, massaging her scalp, never speaking. He rinsed it away. Then he applied the conditioner. It was methodical. It was so good to be taken care of.
His hands moved over her body with a soapy cloth next, gentle as her skin carried battle scars and bruises, stretch marks, fading incision pain. He didn¡¯t
seem to care.
Once they stepped free from the shower, Luca took a thick towel and wrapped her. He dried her hair gently, and when she tried to insist she could do it herself, he gave her a look that stopped her mid¨Csentence.
¡°You¡¯re dead on your feet,¡± he murmured, pressing a kiss to her damp temple. ¡°Let me do this.¡±
He helped her into a cotton sleep shirt and guided her to the bed.
The moment she slipped beneath the sheets, her body melted into the mattress. She was already half¨Casleep before he had even tucked the nket around her.
Luca smiled, standing at the edge of the bed just watching her for a while. She was curled partly on her side, one hand tucked beneath her cheek, the other resting where Miles had once been growing.
He got up after a few moments, stepped into a pair of underwear, and turned off the lights.
Making his way around to the other side of the bed, he eased himself down, careful not to jostle her.
Then gently, he pulled her body toward him, nestling her back to his chest, his hand steady at her waist.
She didn¡¯t stir.
¡°My Sutton,¡± he whispered against her hair. ¡°My everything.¡±
Room Mate 148
Chapter 148
Luca stood behind his desk at Cyber 10 the next morning, hating the fact he had to leave Sutton. But she had been heading to the hospital to be with Miles, and Luca had to make sure she had protection every step of the way. There was no way he was going to take any chances with her life.
His gaze had been locked
I on the skyline for over ten minutes, not reading a single line of the reports Jake had forwarded him. He really didn¡¯t want to be here. He wanted to be with Sutton and Miles. He¡¯d taken so much time off since Sutton¡¯s fall. But soon they would be together.
The only shadow he could see now was Nicole¨Cand he had no idea how to handle her. If he didn¡¯t do something, she would always be a threat, and he couldn¡¯t see Sutton being happy living under protection all the time.
He hadn¡¯t told Sutton about the ongoing text messages and voicemalls from Nicole. She hadn¡¯t been stupid enough to turn up here. But she hadn¡¯t stopped since his press conference.
He knew Sutton didn¡¯t want secrets; she was already going through so much. He hated the fact that Miles was still in the hospital, but Sutton, as his mother, was going through hell.
She had woken up crying this morning, and all he could do was hold her until she stopped. He wasn¡¯t saying he didn¡¯t feel the same pain, but his hurt wasn¡¯t that of a woman that had held that tiny baby inside. The doctor at the hospital had warned him that Sutton would experience many emotions, including guilt. That somehow it was her fault that she hadn¡¯t been able to carry Miles to term.
His phone rang. Seeing hiswyer¡¯s number, Luca took the call.
¡°Tell me,¡± he said without introduction.
The head of his legal team didn¡¯t mince words. ¡°We got confirmation.¡±
Luca¡¯s grip on the phone tightened.
Hiswyer continued, ¡°The second battery of psychological evaluations ordered by our team confirmed what you suspected. Nicole doesn¡¯t suffer from delusions or any type of mental illness. No dissociation or temporary impairment. She was acting like a spoiled child, not having things go her way.¡±
¡°She knew what she was doing, so no impairment at all?¡±
¡°Nicole tried to fool us during the first lot of tests,¡± hiswyer confirmed. ¡°She¡¯s not insane, Luca. She¡¯s cognitively sound. Just maniptive, with paranoid personality traits and narcissistic defense patterns. But fully aware of her actions and capable of understanding consequences. She¡¯s smart and knew she would be a free woman if she were to be found insane. The second lot of tests were more in¨Cdepth, and she couldn¡¯t hold on to the act.¡±
The silence stretched long.
Then, Luca exhaled slowly. ¡°She is still dangerous to Sutton and my son,¡± he said quietly.
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°Go after her.¡± His voice was like steel through velvet. ¡°Press charges. Every single one we can validate. Espionage, trespassing, hacking, security vitions. Anything and everything. I want her so buried in legal hell, she won¡¯t have enough air to breathe, let alonee after Sutton or Miles.¡±
¡°We¡¯re prepared to file today. The DA can review by close of business.¡± Hiswyer agreed.
¡°Good.¡± Luca cut the line without another word.
Luca turned, picking up his keys and jacket from the back of the chair. If Nicole thought she could slither out of this, if she believed she still had one ounce of power left to control the narrative, he was about to crush that illusion in person.
Nicole opened the door without checking who it was. She was barefoot, wearing silky pajama shorts and a camisole that left little to the imagination. Her hair curled around her shoulders. The doorman would have let her know he was corning up, so Luca wasn¡¯t fooled by her appearance. It was an act
He took one step into her apartment and closed the door. He wanted no one to hear what he had to say aside from Roman, so Luca had called his friend
Chapter 148
before knocking on Nicole¡¯s door. Told Roman to listen to what went on next because if Nicole tried to im he had assisted her in any way, Roman, his proof.
Her apartment was expensive. Her sry working for him had allowed her this and also the funds to hire the hacker. But unlike his and Sutton¡¯s ce i was cold and fake, just like Nicole,
¡°Luca,¡± she breathed, voice dipping into soft sweetness. ¡°God, finally.¡±
She reached for him.
His palm came up calmly, stopping her before her hands could touch his chest.
¡°Don¡¯t,¡± he said tly.
Nicole¡¯s smile didn¡¯t falter. But it cracked just the slightest bit. ¡°Don¡¯t be like this. You didn¡¯t answer my messages. I thought you might finally want to talk in person, one on one, about us.¡±
¡°There was never an us. And there never will be.¡± His voice didn¡¯t rise. It didn¡¯t need to.
She stepped back a little, a shakyugh escaping her lips. ¡°Okay, well¡ that¡¯s a hell of a greeting after everything we¡¯ve been through together.¡±
¡°We were never anything,¡± Luca said, sharper this time. ¡°You worked for me. End of story. I neverid a finger on you.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t lie to yourself,¡± she snapped, smoothing a hand
hard to act noble now. Admit you were tempted.¡±
Luca let his eyes sweep over her once. Not hungry. Not appraising. Just disgusted. ¡°In all honesty, you make my skin crawl,¡± he said.
Nicole flinched as if he¡¯d pped her. But he wasn¡¯t done.
¡°If Sutton didn¡¯t exist, if Miles wasn¡¯t born, if I were thest man on Earth and you stood naked in front of me begging for it, I still wouldn¡¯t want you. I would never touch you. There¡¯s nothing about you I want. Not now. Not ever.¡±
Her face twisted. ¡°You¡¯d regret that. I can make-¡°.
He stepped forward. Too close forfort. Dangerously close. His whole body vibrating with anger.
She should have backed away. But she held her ground. The stupid little bitch.
¡°I regret trusting you,¡± Luca said. ¡°I regret allowing you ess to my world. I regret not taking you apart sooner.¡±
Nicole narrowed her eyes. ¡°Oh, really? Going all alpha now, Luca? Threatening little girls like me with bodyguards and legal teams? I know about your ns to have me charged. Mywyer called about ten minutes ago. I was just nning on how I could make your life hell if you do.¡±
Then, something in her snapped.
¡°Do you think she¡¯s strong?¡± she hissed. ¡°You think that waif with wide eyes and a bleeding heart is better than me? I could have given you a real life. Power. She is nothing but a fucking little slut who trapped you with a weak little son¡ who is only hanging onto life.¡±
Before she saw him move, he had her pinned to the wall.
One hand braced beside her head. The other just beneath her corbone, not hard enough to bruise, just hard enough to hold her in ce so she knew he meant every word¡
Luca loomed, his face barely an inch from hers. ¡°I want you to listen very carefully,¡± he said softly, his voice more lethal for its volume.
¡°If you evere near Sutton again¡ if you so much as step foot on a sidewalk outside Miles¡® hospital¡ I will take you apart piece by piece. You won¡¯t even hear iting. And no one¨Cno security team, nowyer, no family¡ will find your body when I¡¯m done. I will take you apart piece by piece and feed you to the snarks.¡±
213
Chapter 148
Nicole¡¯s breath hitched.
He didn¡¯t blink. Didn¡¯t flinch.
Slowly, her defiance drained from her face, reced with something else. Real fear, About fucking time, because he wasn¡¯t joking. He had never kifed anyone before, but if Sutton or Miles were hurt¡
Her lips parted as if she might offer more bile, but nothing came out. Her eyes darted once to the hand at her chest. Then back to him. Caught
Finally.
Luca stepped back. Let her go.
She copsed slightly against the wall, one hand clutching her chest.
Luca straightened, fixing his jacket cor. ¡°You should be very grateful I¡¯m walking away,¡± he said, his voice back to quiet steel. ¡°Because make no mistake, this was your only warning. If Sutton or Miles is hurt in any way, I¡¯ming for you.¡± He turned toward the door. Behind him, there was only silence.
He left without another word.
Once outside the apartment, he pulled his phone from his pocket and put it to his ear. ¡°Thanks, Roman.¡±
¡°No problem, mate¡ Fuck me, that was pretty awesome.¡±
1
Luca didn¡¯t smile because he had meant every word. ¡°It¡¯s done. The way she was just now, I think she will try to leave the country. There is nothing here for her. There will be a warrant for her arrest, so if she does leave the country, she could never enter again.¡±
¡°You still have someone on her.¡± Roman asked.
¡°Yes, around the clock.¡±
¡°Will you let her get on a flight?¡±
¡°Yes, then she can never enter the US again. Jail isn¡¯t for life¡ exile is.¡±
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Room Mate 149
Luca didn¡¯t remember much of the drive to Lenox Hill. He was still wound up tight after his face¨Cto¨Cface with Nicole. He just hoped he had scared her enough to make her back off.
He would never let his guard down until she was in jail or gone from the US for good.
There would never be forgiveness. The damage she¡¯d tried to do¡ to Sutton, to Cyber 10, to Miles¡ªif she¡¯d gotten into the NICU, the consequences would¡¯ve been unimaginable. He hadn¡¯t even let himself consider what might¡¯ve happened if she¡¯d made it past security, if she¡¯d found a way into the NICU. Just the thought made his chest tighten enough to hurt.
But she hadn¡¯t.
His legal team had tipped off herwyers about his intent was not a good color on Nicole.
press formal charges. He just hoped she¡¯d want to save her skin enough to bolt. Orange
His phone buzzed just as he was pulling into the parking under the hospital.
It was an unknown number, but it was the call he had been waiting for.
Luca swiped the call open, holding the phone to his ear. ¡°Luca speaking.¡±
¡°Sir. This is Moore from your security division. Just confirmed visual¡ Nicole boarded a flight to Rome about twenty minutes ago. Manifest clear. No return ticket logged.¡±
Luca closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. ¡°She went.¡±
¡°Yes, sir. She cleared customs. I¡¯m watching the ne now as it makes its way down the runway. She is going,
sir.¡±
He didn¡¯t say anything for a long moment. Then, ¡°Keep someone watching her passport, anyway. I want alerts if she so much as connects through New York again.¡±
¡°Already in ce. Do you want follow¨Cup surveince from the Rome team?¡±
Luca hesitated.
Then shook his head, though no one could see it.
¡°There¡¯s no winning oue there,¡± he said. ¡°Let her run. Maybe she¡¯d stay hidden.¡±
¡°Yes, sir.¡±
The line clicked and went dead. It might seem like he was letting her escape. However, jail time for Nicole would be only two to three years. By running, she worsened her situation. There was no way she could risk reentering the US.
Luca sat in silence for several more beats before slipping his phone into his jacket and crossing the underground lobby toward the lifts.
Gone. She was gone. If she ever entered the US again, she would be arrested.
When he stepped onto the NICU floor, everything that mattered was on this floor. And now he felt like they were a little safer.
He walked past the nurses¡® station, giving a short nod to one of the staff who had alreadye to recognize him. They didn¡¯t stop him anymore; he was almost as much a fixture as the medical equipment.
As he approached, he saw them through the window¨Cthe three Warner sisters
Keira was leaning forward, one hand on the curved ss, her bodynguage somehow softer than he had seen her before. ir stood next to Sutton, arms folded across her chest, mouth moving as she spoke.
Luca stepped forward and buzzed himself in.
But as he unwrapped the hospital mandated gown from the wall hook, he pained. He could hear them talking, and they hadn¡¯t realized he was her. He
intruder anyway. hadn¡¯t meant to eavesdrop, but he felt
¡°I have something I want to share with you both,¡± ir said.
Keira¡¯s reaction was instant. ¡°What?¡±
¡°I¡¯m pregnant,¡± ir whispered. ¡°I only found out yesterday. Roman and I are not telling anyone else until we are at 12 weeks. I did tell him I couldn¡¯t keep it from you two and, of course, Luca.¡±
Luca blinked, frozen. Shit, this was a waited to let ir finish sharing her news.
¡°ir, I¡¯m so happy for you,¡± Sutton said.
moment, and he had just wrecked it for them. But there was nothing he could do about it now. He still
ir¡¯s voice broke a little on the next words. ¡°It¡¯s still early. I wasn¡¯t going to tell you at first.¡±
¡°Why?¡± Sutton seemed not to understand why she wouldn¡¯t, but Luca could guess,
and ir¡¯s next words confirmed what he had thought.
¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, I¡¯m happy, over the moon, but I feel stupid being happy while Miles is still¡ stuck in the hospital. But I didn¡¯t want to slip up, so I thought it was best to say something.¡±
Keira let out a sound halfway between a sob and augh, immediately wrapping her sister in a lopsided one¨Carmed hug.
¡°Jesus,¡± Keira managed. ¡°First Sutton, now you. Please tell me, God, this isn¡¯t something I can catch. Because whatever it is, I don¡¯t want it. I¡¯m too young for changing nappies and vomit.¡±
¡°I¡¯m terrified as well, Keira,¡± ir admitted, her eyes blinking hard. ¡°But also¡ weirdly calm. Is that normal?¡±
¡°In our family?¡± Keira said. ¡°Absolutely not. Call a doctor.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t listen to her. Yes, it¡¯s normal. I would wake up at night while I was pregnant in a cold sweat. When you be pregnant or even have the baby, no one hands you a manual. Because every child is different. There is no one¨Csize¨Cfits¨Call.¡±
Luca smiled faintly.
¡°So, it¡¯s normal¡¡±
He rested the still¨Cfolded gown on the counter and leaned back against it, giving them another minute. Because this moment belonged to them first. This was how important the sisters were to each other and how they had supported each other through the years.
¡°Yes, it¡¯s normal. Don¡¯t worry, I will be here with you every step o ir,¡± Sutton said softly.
the way. Plus, Roman will love every minute of it. You are going to be a great mother,
He lifted the gown again and fed his arms through the sleeves slowly, adjusting the cor.
And then, once he was ready, he moved around the curtain.
They looked up as he stepped in.
All three faces turned to him, eyes warm¡ even keira offered a real smile.
¡°Hey,¡± Luca said softly, as he approached the open incubator.
¡°He was awake a few minutes ago,¡± ir said, her eyes a little watery, but her voice strong. ¡°He fell asleep after he was fed.¡±
¡°Doesn¡¯t matter, I wanted to be here,¡± Luca said, stepping up beside Sutton, reaching for her hand before he leaned in and kissed her temple.
And when he kissed the hat on their son¡¯s tiny head, Sutton rested her cheek against his shoulder, content.
¡°He¡¯s getting stronger every day and stays awake a little longer,¡± she whispered, ¡°I can¡¯t wait to take him home with us.
Luca nodded. ¡°Soon.¡±
Keira snorted. ¡°Yeah, and then you will never know a full night¡¯s sleep is.¡±
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Room Mate 150
Chapter 150
Chapter 150
Luca helped her out of the carter that afternoon. His hand steady at her lower back as they made their way up the front steps. He could see she was still tired and clearly still in pain. The doctor had told them Sutton could be in pain for at least another month¨Cnot only from giving birth to Miles but also from her fall.
When they got inside, Sutton went straight to the room they were going to use for Miles when he got home. He watched her turn on the light and stand in the middle of the room looking around.
He could feel her pain from here. Every day she left the hospital without Miles was heartbreaking for her and him. More so because her pain was there for all to see.
¡°We¡¯ll bring him home soon,¡± Luca said beside her, putting his arm around her waist. ¡°We¡¯re so close.¡±
Sutton nodded and leaned into him for a second before she turned away and headed toward the kitchen. She needed water. Maybe a sandwich. But she wouldn¡¯t cry.
She was halfway through filling a ss when she caught his reflection in the kitchen window¡ she could sense something, the way she had since he had , maybe three years max. Out on parole before that¡ Miles will not even be walking by the time she could be free. But this way, her leaving the country under pending charges means she¡¯s done here. For good. If she tries toe back into the country, they¡¯ll arrest her. And this time she¡¯ll face federal charges with no plea deal. It¡¯s exile. She would get a lot longer than two years.¡±
Sutton¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°So, you just¡ decided that? On your own? Without talking to me again, Luca.¡±
¡°Sutton, it¡¯s for the best. She¡¯s cklisted in Europe. I made sure of that before shended. I called in every favor I had. After she paid off the hacker, she wasn¡¯t left with much¨Cshe¡¯d be lucky to get a job flipping burgers without being gged.¡±
¡°You arrogant, high¨Chanded, frustrating CEO¨Cof¨Ca¨Cshithead man.¡± Sutton called Luca what ir had often called Roman. But she was spitting mac
Luca blinked.
She pointed at him, setting her ss down with a loud clink. ¡°You don¡¯t get to y chess master with my life and our son¡¯s life and just drop the recap after like you¡¯re giving a meeting summary.¡±
Luca took it, her fury, every word of it. He knew this would happen when she found out. So he let her.
She stepped in closer, still ring. ¡°You don¡¯t get to protect me from the truth just because it¡¯s inconvenient for you to tell me. I probably would¡¯ve
Chapter 150
agreed with you I get why you did it. But next time you involve me, do you understand me?¡±
¡°I wasn¡¯t protecting you from the truth,¡± he said calmly. ¡°I was protecting our family. Nicole behind bars wouldn¡¯t have kept you or Miles als She would¡¯ve thought of ways to has nothing. With no money and she isn¡¯t in the same country.¡±
Sutton crossed her arms. ¡°You didn¡¯t think to
a say?¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t think you needed the burden of it while Miles is
still in the hospital.¡±
¡°That¡¯s not your decision to make.¡± Sutton was feeling frustrated because they had already had a fight over this.
¡°No,¡± he agreed. ¡°But I made it, anyway.¡±
That stopped her. Because the honesty in it was so disarming, so Luca, that it knocked the heat out of her anger. He was an arrogant ass, but it was one of the things she found so appealing about him. His take¨Ccharge attitude.
She looked at him and could see the lines of worry under his eyes. While she had been focused on Miles, he had been working behind the scenes to keep
them safe.
¡°What if shees back?¡± she asked quietly.
¡°I¡¯m keeping tabs on her. You don¡¯t need to worry about that.¡±
¡°And if she does?¡±
¡°She won¡¯t. She knows better. But if she does¡¡± He paused. ¡°Sending her to jail might¡¯ve made her angrier, hungrier for revenge. This way, it¡¯s over. She lost. She knows it. She¡¯s running.¡±
Sutton watched him, unsure what to say. The man in front of her was ruthless, controlled, but every move he made was to protect her. Protect their son.
¡°You really believe this is safer?¡± she asked.
¡°Yes.¡±
She sat down heavily on one of the kitchen stools. ¡°Unless you had her killed.)
Luca didn¡¯t smile.
He didn¡¯tugh. He didn¡¯t say anything.
And that silence made her eyes widen a fraction.
¡°Oh my God,¡± she said, eyes scanning his face. ¡°I was joking.¡±
He came around the counter and stopped in front of her, gaze steady.
¡°I didn¡¯t. But if it hade down to that¡ I would¡¯ve made sure she could never hurt you or Miles again.¡±
Sutton shook her head and let out a breath that was half shock, half reluctant admiration. ¡°Jesus, Luca.¡±
He reached for her hand, threading their fingers together. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything.¡±
She looked down at their hands and then back up at him. ¡°You are such a shithead.¡±
¡°Yeah,¡± he said, brushing his thumb over hers. ¡°But I¡¯m your shithead, and I will do anything to protect you.¡±
Herugh broke the tension like ss shattering, and suddenly she was leaning into his chest, her arms sliding around him, head resting just under his
chin.
17:17 Tue, 29 Jul 0
¡°I hate that you¡¯re right.¡±
¡°I know.¡±
¡°I still think you should¡¯ve told me.¡±
¡°I will. From now on. No more decisions without you.¡±
She exhaled, closing her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m holding you to that.¡±
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Room Mate 151
Chapter 151
Ten Weeks Later
Sutton stood in the hospital corridor, her hands shaking slightly as she buttoned thest snap on Miles¡® going¨Chome onesie. It was soft blue with tiny stars printed across the chest. She didn¡¯t know why she was so nervous; she had dressed him so many times. Today she had more people watching her because today was the day¡ it had finallye. She was overjoyed that finally they were taking their son home.
Miles squirmed a little, his fists pumping the air, his eyes fluttering open for a second before drifting shut again. His face was rounder now. Healthier. He wasn¡¯t the fragile little thing he¡¯d been the night she almost lost him. He was still tiny. But so much stronger. It was amazing to think that he should have only been born around now, but instead, he was almost
twelve weeks old.
He was now strong enough toe home, and she was more than ready to have him there. Thest two and a half months had been draining on her, not being able to check on her son at night and feed him. She had gotten to know other mothers at the hospital, and her heart felt for the ones who had been there longer. They were among the lucky ones. Miles didn¡¯t seem to have anything major affecting his health, and a baby born at twenty¨Ceight weeks was a small miracle.
Sutton sank into the chair beside the crib as the nurse handed her the discharge papers. Her breath caught. She nodded, eyes stinging. This was it¨Cthe final stage of discharge. She looked around to see Luca outside, pacing and on the phone. Probably the security team¨Cagain. He¡¯d had cameras installed at the penthouse, and over thest ten weeks, he¡¯d been keeping tabs on Nicole. She hadn¡¯t made any moves toe back to the US. Thank God. She¡¯d ask him for an update once they had put Miles to bed. They would get him home, and it would almost be time for his sleep.
When he hung up, he came straight into the unit and over to her, kneeling down beside the chair, his hands on her knees. ¡°You okay?¡± he asked quietly.
She nodded.
¡°It doesn¡¯t feel real,¡± she whispered. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for this day for months, but now that it¡¯s here¡ I keep thinking something¡¯s going to go wrong. They won¡¯t let us walk through the doors.¡±
He didn¡¯t tell her not to think that. He just nodded, resting his forehead against hers.
¡°it¡¯s not going to go wrong,¡± he said. He¡¯s ready. And we¡¯re ready.¡±
She let out a shaky breath. ¡°Are we?¡± They hadn¡¯t been up for a 2 a.m. feed yet. She wondered if Luca would feel they were ready after a week of sleepless nights¡ She stood and Luca stood beside her as she reached for Miles, picking him up.
¡°Yes,¡± he said without hesitation.
Sutton looked down at the baby nestled in her arms. This was their son. And he wasing home.
Luca handed over the paperwork she hadpleted to a nurse.
The nurse gave them a quiet goodbye. She had tears in her eyes too. Everyone on the ward hade to love Miles. He really was a cute baby, but they loved him for his fight and his strength. One nurse had even knitted him a nket in shades of blue that Sutton had made sure to pack.
Luca took the brand¨Cnew car seat from the corner, setting it down, carefully taking Miles from her. Luca gently buckled Miles in, his hands steady. He had checked the strap lengths before today to make sure there would be no dys. He looked up at her and offered a small smile. ¡°You ready to take our boy home?¡±
3#
Sutton didn¡¯t trust her voice. She just nodded, tears stinging her eyes. He had the car parked close, so it only took them a
few moments to reach the car.
Luca opened the back door, adjusting the base before locking the seat in. Sutton slid in beside it on the other side,
refusing to take her eyes off Miles for even a second. This first trip, she wanted to sit in the back with him.
Luca reached through the front seats to hold her hand at every traffic light.
It didn¡¯t take long to reach the apartmentplex because it was outside of peak hours. When they finally pulled into his parking spot, he sat there for a second.
Sutton reached across the console and touched his arm.
¡°We got him home,¡± she said softly.
Luca turned his head. ¡°Yeah,¡± he whispered. ¡°Well¡ almost. I wouldn¡¯t call this home, but close enough.¡± Then he got out of the car before helping first her out and then reaching for their son.
Inside the house, the new nursery waited; everything was new and freshly painted. Sutton fed Miles first, knowing he would want to sleep after. Luca sat there and watched as Miles drank from Sutton¡¯s breast. She wasn¡¯t shy because feeding a baby was normal and natural. After bringing up his wind, Sutton changed his diaper. She got up and headed to the nursery¡
Sutton stepped in first, carrying Miles with both arms, while Luca turned on the nightlight and lowered the ckout. blinds.
She walked to the crib and stopped.
¡°I don¡¯t want to put him down,¡± she said, her voice breaking.
Luca came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. ¡°Then hold him,¡± he said into her hair. ¡°He¡¯s home. You can hold him as long as you want.¡±
Tears spilled before she could stop them. She let theme.
And when she finally didy Miles down, her hand lingered on his chest just to feel it rise and fall.
They stood there a long time in silence, arms wrapped around each other, watching their tiny miracle, they¡¯d fought so hard to keep.
He was home, where he belonged.
Room Mate 152
Chapter 152
Late That Night
Sutton stood in the doorway of the nursery, barefoot in one of Luca¡¯s old t¨Cshirts, watching Miles sleep.
He hadn¡¯t made a sound since sheid him down after his evening feed. Her sisters hade around to see him¡ Even Luca¡¯s family had video¨Ccalled to wee Miles home. Luca¡¯s father was doing well back home in his beloved Italy. He had told them during the call that he expected to see them in Italy soon for a visit. She had also found out that Nicole was now harmless. She had no money and no friends. It shouldn¡¯t have made Sutton happy, but it did.
She didn¡¯t know how long she stood there. But in the end, he came looking for her. So Sutton was guessing it had been too long.
Luca came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist like he had done earlier, but this time his hands didn¡¯t stop at her stomach. They slid lower, slowly and caressing, until his palms rested at her hips.
¡°You okay?¡± he murmured into her neck.
Sutton leaned into him. ¡°More than okay,¡± she whispered.
His lips grazed her skin. ¡°I¡¯ve been dying to touch you.¡± His mouth brushed her ear.
Her breath caught. Her blood was already hammering through her veins.
It had been so long. Too long. Between the fall, the hospital¨Cthey hadn¡¯t been together like that since before Miles¡® birth. Luca held her every night. But the doctor had only given her the all¨Cclear today that it was safe to have sex. He had told her that if it had just been the C¨Csection, he would have released her weeks ago.
She hadn¡¯t let herself even think about sex. Well, she hadn¡¯t until thest few weeks; waking up in his arms had been hard. Not being able to enjoy it more. Thinking about how much she missed his hands. His mouth. The way he looked at her while he was
inside her.
But now, tonight¨Cafter she had finally been cleared¨Cshe wanted him. Desperately. She could feel he felt the same way about her; he was already hard, and she could feel his cock against her back.
His fingers flexed against her hips. ¡°I think you¡¯ve spent enough time with our son. I think his father needs some of your special treatment now.¡±
She turned around slowly until she was facing him in the dim hallway outside the nursery. His hair was tousled. His shirt was open above his tailored pants, telling her he had started to undress while waiting for her in their bedroom. She slowly ran he his hot, hard chest, feeling the ridges and scraping her nails over his tight little nipples.
over
His quick intake of breath told her she was getting to him. His eyes¨CGod, the way he looked at her¡ with so much heat it made her whole body tighten.
¡°I need you to touch me, Luca,¡± she whispered.
That was all it took.
He backed her up against the wall just outside the nursery door, careful not to make a sound, one hand threading into her hair
while the other slid under his shirt she had put on to find only bare skin. As his mouth came down on hers. Their kisses had always. been intense. Hot. But this one was different. This one was urgent and more needy than ever
09:40 Fri, 1 Aug GOO
Her hands gripped the hem of his business shirt, tugging it off his shoulders and down his arms. He released one arm at a time so she could pull it off. She pulled it out of his pants, tossing it across the floor.
She needed to feel his skin. He must have felt the same because his hands never stopped moving up her thighs, under her shirt again, across her waist. When his thumb brushed the underside of her breast, she moaned into his mouth. She was naked under his T¨Cshirt.
¡°Bedroom,¡± she breathed.
She didn¡¯t have to ask twice. He scooped her into his arms as if she didn¡¯t weigh a thing and carried her through the house. She wrapped her legs around his waist, her mouth at his throat, kissing and biting at his skin. She felt his heartbeat pound beneath her hand, which she still had ced over his heart.
The second he reached their room, he kicked the door closed with his foot.
¡°Shhh¡ if you want to get lucky, you can¡¯t make too much noise.¡±
He set her down gently on the edge of their bed. ¡°My son slept like a trooper at the hospital with itsings and goings. He¡¯ll be fine.¡±
¡°You¡¯d better hope so, because I have ns for tonight.¡± Sutton lifted up to kiss his lips as he leaned onto the bed.
¡°Take it off,¡± he growled against her lips.
She pulled his oversized t¨Cshirt off over her head, leaving herpletely bare. Luca pulled back for a second, just looking at her.
She flushed. ¡°I know I¡¯m different-¡±
He growled and crawled onto the bed, pushing her onto her back so he was over the top of her. ¡°You¡¯re mine,¡± he cut her off, sliding his hands over her hips, her stomach, her thighs. ¡°You¡¯re fucking beautiful, Sutton. Don¡¯t ever question my feelings for you.¡±
Sutton reached for him, her fingers tugging at his belt. ¡°I need you, Luca, now.¡± He made her feel beautiful.
His eyes darkened as he watched her fingers work at his pants. He helped her, shucking them off along with his boxers before joining her on the bed again. His body was exactly what she needed ¨C bigger and harder¡ He made her feel small.
¡°I¡¯ve missed this so much,¡± he whispered, trailing kisses down her neck to her corbone. ¡°I love you.¡±
She arched beneath him, her body already responding to his touch. Everything felt heightened, more intense after so long apart
this way.
¡°I love you.¡± She murmured, ¡°I¡ I want this so bad, please.¡±
Luca nodded, his movements gentle. ¡°I know, amore. I¡¯ll take care of you.¡±
She didn¡¯t want gentle; she wanted him.
His hands kept touching her skin as if he was mapping her body to memory, learning the new curves, the changes motherhood had brought. When his fingers slid between her legs, finding her wet core, she gasped, clutching at his shoulders.
¡°Still so responsive,¡± he said with a small smile, his voice rough with desire.
Sutton¡¯s hips moved instinctively against his hand, chasing his moving fingers. ¡°Only for you.¡±
09:40 Fri, 1 Aug Goo
Luca took his time, building her pleasure slowly, watching her face for every reaction as he pushed two fingers into her. He didn¡¯t take his eyes off her as he worked the fingers in and out¡ using his thumb to circle her clit. He worked her and readied her for hem,
When she was trembling beneath him, crying out, she was right on the edge, gasping when he suddenly withdrew his hand.
¡°Luca, please,¡± she whispered. She didn¡¯t want him to stop. She was so close.
¡°Are you sure you are okay for this?¡± His eyes searched hers, concern mingling with desire. ¡°We can wait longer if-¡±
¡°I need you inside me,¡± she interrupted. ¡°The doctor said it¡¯s fine. It feels¡ right.¡±
¡°I¡¯m d because I want you so much.¡± He positioned himself carefully, entering her with exquisite slowness because she was tight. When he was fully seated, they both froze at the sensation, eyes locked together. Sutton was gasping in need.
¡°God, I missed this,¡± he breathed. ¡°Missed being connected to you like this.¡±
She wrapped her legs around him, pulling him deeper. ¡°Stop talking and¡ move, Luca.¡±
He gave a smallugh at her impatience. This caused him to move inside of her, making her mp down on his cock.
He groaned, setting a gentle rhythm, slower and more careful than their usual passion, but no less intense. His forehead pressed against hers, their breaths mingling.
¡°You¡¯re everything to me,¡± he whispered. ¡°You and Miles. My family.¡±
Those words pushed her closer to the edge. Her fingers dug into his back as pleasure built within her.
¡°You never used to talk in bed unless it was dirty,¡± she reminded him, her voice breaking. ¡°Fuck me.¡±
His movements became more urgent at her words. He held her hips still to take him deeper, grinding into her with a force that made her cry out into his neck. Sutton bit down on her lip to muffle the sound, but it slipped through anyway.
He grunted in response, shifting his weight and angling his hips until he found the spot that made her back arch, her thighs clench around him. He thrust harder and slower, giving her all of him, stretching her, filling her.
¡°Oh God¡ there, right there,¡± she gasped, nails digging into his shoulders, dragging down his damp skin.
He kissed her again, swallowing every moan. ¡°You feel so good¡ you¡¯re so wet, so ready, perfect for me.¡±
His hand slipped between their bodies, fingers finding her clit again and rolling it in tight, slick circles until her legs tightened at his side, her whole body strung tight like a bow ready to snap. She rocked against him, chasing both his thrusts and the maddening pressure of his hand.
¡°I¡¯m gonnae,¡± she hissed, her forehead pressing to his neck.
¡°Let go, Sutton,¡± he whispered roughly. ¡°Come for me. I want to feel you fall apart around my cock.¡±
His dirty mouth, how she missed that, the way he unhinged her with just words.
His pace didn¡¯t slow. He drove into her again and again, hips working with unwavering purpose. The pressure detonated all at once, a blistering wave of pleasure crashing over her. Her body mped down around him, pulsing, milking his cock as he groaned
her name into her mouth.
He wasn¡¯t far behind.
3/4
09:40 Fri, 1 Aug GO
376%
Luca cursed softly, grinding into her onest time, staring down at her as he came, releasing deep inside her with a low, guttural moan that sounded like desperation. He stayed there for a moment, their bodies slick with sweat.
He finally copsed beside her, pulling her into his chest, limbs tangled.
¡°I¡¯m sorry if I was too rough at the end,¡± he said.
¡°You weren¡¯t,¡± she breathed. ¡°You were perfect. I needed that. I needed you.¡±
¡°We still got it.¡±
She nestled deeper into his chest, cheek resting over his heart as it slowed to a reassuring rhythm.
¡°You know this means we¡¯re not getting a full night¡¯s sleep, right?¡± She murmured against his skin.
¡°Oh, I fully ept my fate,¡± he chuckled. ¡°I love you.¡±
¡°No more than I love you.¡±
ô~
Room Mate 153
Chapter 153
There were exactly 113 things she¡¯d rather be doing than fix up His Royal Dumbass¡¯s life.
Drinking wine. Calling her sisters. Helping with Sutton¡¯s uing wedding. Rewatching Pride and Prejudice, the 1995 mini¨Cseries, obviously, because Colin Firth was seriously fucking hot. He could get himself into her bed any day. He might be in his sixties, but he was one of those men who got better with age. Plus, there were the rumors about his sex life¡ yes, please.
What had she been thinking about? Oh, yeah, things she would rather be doing¡ filing her taxes. Going to prison. Now, she would have to admit, it wouldn¡¯t be the first time she¡¯d almost gone to prison. She really should have been born a redhead instead of a blonde. Her temper did get the best of her sometimes.
But no. Keira Warner, age twenty¨Cfour as of precisely six days ago, thank you very much, was yet again sitting in her converted corner cubicle outside the Crown Prince¡¯s inner office, replying to reporters about thetest incident involving Prince Alexei ¡°Naked Again¡± Stavros, second in line to the throne to a ¡®ancient micro¨Ckingdom¡® called Wystovia and some big¨Cbusted model.
Now there was no way she was going to run down a model¡¯s brain cell count. Her sister Sutton had been one. And we all know how smart she is. Keira could not say the same about Barbie here. She¡¯d heard her talk on TV once. She had been so dumb, Keira had felt like pping her own forehead.
¡°Could someone please tell His Highness to stop removing his pants in public,¡± she muttered, stabbing at her keyboard. She had seen the photos, how could she not, when the reporters insisted on sending them to her and asking how the Prince would like to respond?
Thank God for long zoom lenses. Not because she wanted to see his bing bong, but because zoom lenses didn¡¯t take the sharpest photos. Praise the Lord for that. ¡°I¡¯d like to see what I can aplish when I¡¯m not rescuing Prince Arrogant Man Whore¡¯s image like it¡¯s my full¨Ctime job, which, fun fact, it technically isn¡¯t.¡±
Yes, she was talking to herself. It helped calm her down. And also, sometimes in this office, she was the only one that made sense. It was either that or kick Prince Dumbshit in the ass. She could even say he was ovepensating for having a small dick.
Pulling up thest photo on her screen¡ because the shadows on the image told her he was hung. She closed it quickly and got back to the matter at hand. Yes, this bullshit was part of her job.
She had to be insane to do this.
ording to the increasingly sarcastic¨Csounding job description she had rewritten three times herself, Keira was ¡°Administrative Executive Secretary to His Highness Prince Alexei of Wystovia,¡± a title that loosely tranted to: personal assistant, PR firefighter, schedule tamer, personal barista, wardrobe whisperer, walking calendar, and, once, emergency medical responder, he¡¯d thought
vodka was water. Long story¡
¡°One which I would be happy to share at the right price.¡°No, she wouldn¡¯t, but it sounded fearless. She had signed an NDA and, for all the shit she gave His Royal Uptightness, she was ever so slightly scared of what he could do to her.
Had she mentioned diplomatic immunity?¡°He could kill me, and no one in the US could do a thing about it.¡±
Snorting, she wished she had one of those herself, then she could have gotten rid of a few people in her life. Dan, her sister¡¯s ex- fianc¨¦, and their cousin Laura. Uncle Peter was rotting in jail. At one time she would have said Luca De Santis, her sister Sutton¡¯s husband, but he had redeemed himself just in time.
She hit send on the email to a reporter at the New York Post.
Market the scandal before it markets you. Step one in the Royal PR Survival Bible.
Not that she believed in books these days. She believed in coffee. And sarcasm. And that Alexei Stavros was personally sent by the gods to test the limits of her patience, her professionalism, and her birth control pills.
Now where the fuck had thate from?
Before she could even think about it¡
¡°Let me guess¡¡± said Mark, head of pcemunications, as he swept past Keira¡¯s desk holding a copy of Gilded Weekly. He pointed to the cover shot of Alexei bending down naked to pick up a towel from the sand and the Barbie beside him, also naked.
¡°Another misunderstanding?¡±
¡°More like another under¨Cstanding,¡± Keira quipped. ¡°As in, his pants¡ must havee off in the water¡ He isn¡¯t a merman, you know. What was he to do? The water¡¯s currents were very strong that day. The ocean must have had needs.¡±
Mark groaned like the weary soul he was, tossed the tabloid on her desk, and kept walking toward his own office.
¡°Just clean it up. Again.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll add it to the ever¨Cgrowing list,¡± she muttered, dragging out an internal sigh that had lived in her tungs since her first week at the pce. How the hell had she ended up here?
-shback, Two Years Ago-
She¡¯d applied as a joke.
Fresh out of university, broke and living off her sister Sutton, and stuck working at a caf¨¦ near Central Park, selling overpriced pastries to influencers, she¡¯d overheard about this job. Her r¨¦sum¨¦ was one glitter bomb away from beingughed into the trash.
Instead, three dayster, she was standing in a marble hallway waiting to be grilled alive by some uptight head of staff.
¡°Miss Warner,¡± the interviewer had said, deadpan. ¡°Your CV includes¡ managing influencer brand crises, temp admin at a dog grooming boutique, and a summer as an English tutor to French tourists.¡±
¡°Multilingual, versatile, fast¨Cthinking,¡± Keira had replied. ¡°Also, excellent at diffusing hissy fits. Human and canine.¡°Truth was, most of that hade from working in a caf¨¦. Why spoil the illusion? This was a joke after all.
His left eyebrow twitched in what she now recognized asughter suppression.¡°Why this position?¡±
Keira hadn¡¯t missed a beat.¡°Honestly? I need rent money. But also¡ fixing fires and calming egos is kind of my thing. If I can make
a TikToker apologize for filming me without my ok¡ he was liveat the time. I think I can handle a prince. It¡¯s a little like babysitting, right.¡±
He¡¯d blinked. Twice.Apparently, that was good enough.
-Present-
Keira¡¯s phone buzzed. She checked it¡ 13 new mentions and 2 direct media inquiries.
And a text from her boss.
HRH Dumbass: Boring party. Entertain me.
Keira Warner: Currently drowning in photos of your ass. Entertain yourself.
HRH Dumbass: Jealous?
Keira¡¯s face went nuclear. Not because she was offended. But somewhere in the back of her sleep¨Cdeprived, adrenaline¨Cfueled brain. her ovaries had the audacity to purr.
¡°Traitors,¡± she muttered to her uterus. ¡°All of you.¡±
ir: I could be married to a dentist in Prague right now. I regret everything.
His reply was instant.
HRH Dumbass: You love me.
She set the phone facedown on her desk in defiance, stood up too aggressively, and took her emergency chocte stash out from the drawer.
God, he was impossible.
Gorgeous, infuriating and charming¡ when he wanted to be¡ and dangerously good at making her want to kill him.
But also spoiled, reckless, and arrogant.Completely unaware of what hisst debauchery cost everyone else, meaning her.
He¡¯d never noticed the circles under her eyes. Or her unpaid overtime. Or the fact that her birthday had passedst week, and she¡¯d spent it fixing his goddamned travel visa after he lost it somewhere between Barcelona and ¡°Oops, I think I left it with that bartender.¡±
Keira dropped her head into her hands, massaging her temples.
Not for the first time, the thought crept back in
She should quit.She could quit.She was only twenty¨Cfour.She could take a normal job. In a PRpany, because she was so good at this PR shit now. For celebrities, maybe. Normal celebrity jerks instead of royal jerks. Jerks who didn¡¯t text her selfies at 2 a.m. from yachts with the caption ¡°Guess where I am?¡±
Instead, here she was.Saturday night. No date. No ns. Just her, aptop, a chocte bar, and the tabloid image of Prince Alexei shing his cock for all to see.
She looked at the clock.11:02 PM.
He was still at the g.At least officially. Knowing him, he¡¯d be in an underground club by midnight.
She made a bet with herself about whether she¡¯d be dealing with a diplomaticint or an Instagram influencer meltdown by morning. Prince Manwhore had taken enough of her time today.
Keira shut herptop halfway and leaned back in her chair, mind buzzing from caffeine and frustration. But under all the stress and sarcasm, the weirdest part was¡ she still didn¡¯t want anyone else cleaning up his messes. Or making his frigging coffee.
She took pride in her job..
Deep down, really deep¡ like Mariana Trench deep, a part of her enjoyed it. The pace of working with him.
And even deeper, even more shameful?
That same part wanted to see what would happen if that stupid text of his, You love me, wasn¡¯ta jake,
09:40 Fri, 1 Aug G U
The thought made her cheeks burn.
She scowled at herself.
¡°Get a grip, Warner. He¡¯s a prince, not a person. You have a better chance with a robot.¡±
Because falling for a man like Prince Alexei would be insane.
Almost as insane as working for him. She would be just another woman he slept with.
She really hoped he had regr check¨Cups.
She plucked her phone off the desk.
Keira: You¡¯re not even close to my type.
A beatter.
HRH Dumbass: Yeah? Then why are you still up thinking about me?
Her cheeks burned.
She threw the rest of her chocte in her mouth, snapped herptop shut, and flipped off her royal boss through the ceiling.
¡°Time for bed,¡± she muttered.¡°Before I add ¡®vebor¡® to your next PR scandal.¡±
8000
Çú
Room Mate 154
Chapter 154
Alexei had known this party would be boring before he even turned up.
Rich people stood around pretending they weren¡¯t about to talk shit the moment your back turned. And the women? They flocked like peacocks in glitter and stilettos, beaming likending lights, hoping the world¡¯s most notorious royal bachelor would single them out. He wasn¡¯t up himself. It was just a fact of life when you were royal.
God, he could walk around with a brown paper bag over his head and women would still want him.
Of course, he didn¡¯t disappoint. He never did. Alexei, the second son and second in line to King Theodore, always gave the crowd a good show.
Even if he was barely paying attention.
¡°¡so I said, ¡®You really like your yacht that much? Why don¡¯t you marry it?¡°¡± the blonde beside him said breathlessly, herugh like broken ss.
He blinked, vaguely realizing she was telling a story. Possibly about herself. Probably not very well.
¡°Mmh,¡± he said in response, taking a too¨Clong sip of champagne, wishing it was scotch. It did nothing to dull his irritation or his persistent, nagging thoughts.
Keira.
Bloody. Keira.
His assistant. His brainache. His personal hurricane in heels. Infuriating woman.
He¡¯d seen her face when the photos hit the tabloids¡ murderous and pink¨Ccheeked, jaw clenched and those scorching blue eyes zing as she rapid¨Cfired damage control from the corner of her ¡°converted¡± cubicle outside his office.
He hadn¡¯t even slept with the model in the photos. She¡¯d begged for attention. He hadn¡¯t intended to give the cameras anything. The model had pulled at his towel before he could stop her. It had been her way of getting media attention. Now there were questions about them being an item. She had gone out the next day sporting a ring on her finger.
But he had still enjoyed the pleasure of pissing Keira Warner off.
Because watching her fury spark? That was his new favorite hobby.
God, she was exhausting. Bossy. Blunt. Rude. Delightfully rude. No one else ever fought back the way she did. Not in the pce. Not in
business.
She fired his blood in an argument better than any woman had in his bed.
Well¨Ccorrection. No one had been in his bed in a while either.
Had it really been a month?
Alexei adjusted his cufflink with a frown. He was¡ annoyed. And horny. Not a great mix.
The blonde beside him had taken it upon herself to be hispany tonight.
Last
He let her stay there. For a moment. Why not? It served a purpose. Keira would definitely see the photo. And react. Which, for reasons he refused to examine too closely, made the whole damn thing worthwhile.
1/4
Across the room, Julian raised an eyebrow at him. Pce Communications. Trantion: his father¡¯s eyes and ears. There was also Mark at the office. Alexei would bet he had given Keira a hard time about the media coverage.
The only problem was they reported to his father like he was twelve years old and not thirty¨Cone. Alexei was guessing he was going to be getting a phone call from His Majesty at any moment. Fucking delightful.
Thest time King Theodore had called, he¡¯d ranted about the ¡°peril of perception¡± and the ¡°crown¡¯s dignity.¡± As if Alexei had any real im to the crown. That was his brother¡¯s problem.
Niko. Married for two years and still no heir.
Which meant Alexei was still stuck in second¨Cin¨Cline¨Cto¨Cthe¨Cthrone limbo.
Close enough to power to be a headline. Let¡¯s be honest, he would always be of interest to the media.
¡°You¡¯re so quiet,¡± the blonde purred, moving her hand from his shoulder to lightly trace his bicep. She smiled, battingshes like she was auditioning for Miss Universe: 1950s Edition. ¡°Penny for your thoughts?¡±
¡°I charge a bit more than that, darling,¡± Alexei said with a faint smirk.
She giggled. Of course, she did. They all did. They always did. He could say anything to them, and they wouldugh.
Except Keira.
Keira would snort, roll her eyes, and call him something obscene, probably while making him a triple¨Cshot espresso and outlining his next five meetings. The woman had practically weaponized eye rolls.
And yet, increasingly, it was her unimpressed look that he pictured when he was alone. Keira wasn¡¯t impressed with his title, and she¡¯d tell anyone she wasn¡¯t impressed by him. He liked being around her, even when she was hating him with her eyes. He was surprised she hadn¡¯t quit.
The thing was, he couldn¡¯t figure out what was wrong with him. He should have preferred agreeable women, but they bored him with their predictability. Keira, on the other hand, was anything but predictable, which might be why he enjoyed provoking her so much.
It wasn¡¯t that he was lonely. He had options, plenty of women eager to be close to him, especially when his shirt came off. Thanks to zoom
lens photography and beach paparazzi, half the world had seen parts of him.
But women like the one at his side¡ they bored him.
Keira never bored him. She challenged him. Pushed back. Got visibly frustrated every time he pressed one of her buttons¨Cwhich, fortunately for him, he had memorized.
It¡¯s part of the reason he had been messaging her throughout the night. She made himugh.
He smiled as he remembered one of her texts: ¡°Currently drowning in photos of your ass.¡± It made him grin because it hadn¡¯t even been his ass the photographer snapped a photo of.
¡°Do you want to get out of here?¡± the blonde asked in his ear, way too confident, like they were already halfway to forey. She ran a red-
nailed hand down his chest and a little too close to his cock. Daring.
He nced down at her. She was pretty. Of course, she was. They always were.
But she wasn¡¯t¨C
¡°No,¡± he said, voice crisp.
Surprise flickered in her expression.
¡°I¡¯ve got an early day tomorrow.¡± He stepped away, straightened his jacket, and handed off his empty champagne ss to a passing waiter. ¡°Pleasure meeting you, Miss¡?¡±
She opened her mouth like she didn¡¯t quite believe it was happening. She had just offered herself to him, and he had said no.
He didn¡¯t wait to hear her name.
Outside, the car was waiting. As were two of his father¡¯s ¡®staff¡® meaning security. He couldn¡¯t go anywhere without security.
¡°Going back to the penthouse, Your Highness?¡± one asked.
¡°Yeah.¡± He rubbed at his jaw. He was tired.
In the back of the car, he thumbed through his phone.
One unread message.
From her.
Keira: You¡¯re not even close to my type.
He grinned.
Victory and frustration warred somewhere inside his gut.
It didn¡¯t even matter that she¡¯d meant to push him away, to reaffirm that she wasn¡¯t interested. She¡¯d been thinking about him at 11 p.m. That was enough.
His fingers hovered over the keyboard.
Then he hit reply.
Alexei: Yeah? Then why are you still up thinking about me?
He could imagine her face now¨Ceyes glinting like fire and ice, lips pursed, teeth nibbling at the corner like they always did when she was flustered but trying to hide it.
Infuriating Keira.
No one in his life made him feel the way she did. Amused and intrigued.
He wondered what she was like in the sack¡ Where the fuck had that thoughte from?
There was no way. She might be fiery, but he had a feeling that if he so much as made a pass at her, she¡¯d freeze his dick off.
She didn¡¯t fall at his feet like other women did, so he hadn¡¯t known what to do with her. So naturally, he teased her. Tested her patience.
Drove her half¨Cmad.
He told himself it was just to keep things interesting. She was no yes¨Cwoman.
He liked that she didn¡¯t melt under pressure. That she showed up every day, even when he gave her every reason not to.
She was dynamite with a very short fuse.
And he was a pyromaniac at heart.
Tomorrow, she¡¯d be giving him evils again. Probably mming down coffee cups and sarcasm like ninja stars.
Room Mate 155
Chapter 155
Keira arrived early the next morning, running on three hours of sleep and three coffees strong a pathetic one¨Cto¨Cone ratio considering the disaster control she¡¯d done the night before.
She¡¯d already checked to see if Prince Pain In Her Ass had done anythingst night to cause any issues for her this morning. What no one seemed to get was her job wasn¡¯t to walk behind him, shoveling the shit from his faux pas. But because she was good at it, everyone just left it to her.
Thankfully, this morning it all seemed to be quiet, and no one was ringing to demand statements.
That didn¡¯t stop the messages from Alexei¡¯s own people and higher¨Cups back in his home country. Why did theye to her and not him?
What she didn¡¯t understand was the two faces of Alexei¡ In business, he was hard, controlled, and focused, but in his personal life, he was ky, immature, and reckless. The media loved him because there was always a story.
Keira sighed and replied to the deputy foreign minister¡¯s email, letting him know that everything was under control.
She had just pressed send when Prince Parties¨CToo¨CHard. The bastard waltzed in at 7:48 AM with sunsses, two buttons undone on his shirt, and that stupid, arrogant smirk he wore like a royal essory.
No good morning.
No thank you.
Not even a damn nod.
He breezed past,her desk as if she were furniture. And not even the expensive kind¨Cmore like the ufortable waiting¨Croom chair everyone avoids sitting in because it looks like it¡¯ll squeak.
Fuck. What. An. Asshole.
Keira dropped her head onto her desk with a muffled groan.
She curled a fist toward her mouth and whispered, ¡°Get up. Kill him. Screw the bodyguards. You could take them.¡± One sharp heel to the groin, a swing of herptop bag, and she was golden. Prison time would be worth it.
The image of his smug face felt smugger than usual, if that were even possible and it looped in her brain like a personal torment reel.
Who had he shaggedst night? Because he had that swagger in his walk that made her mentally groan. She really hoped that he had gotten the stupid dimwit to sign the NDA this time.
Was she a skinny blonde? Leggy brte? Someone with Barbie cheekbones and the IQ of warm milk?
It wasn¡¯t that she was being unfair to blondes. She was blonde and had blue eyes. So, if anyone was allowed to say anything about blondes, it was her. Not all blondes were stupid. Look at Sutton, her sister¡ Coder for Cyber10, head of the development team. She had designed Al
virus software that was out of this world.
But the blondes Prince Douchebag liked didn¡¯t rank on the same IQ level as a pig¡ Now, to be fair, she could have said ¡°ant,¡± but it was well
known that pigs had the IQ of a three¨Cyear¨Cold child. So, , sort of, anyway.
God, she sounded jealous.
She wasn¡¯t jealous because she didn¡¯t want to be a notch on anyone¡¯s bedpost. The problem was she scared most men.
Her eye twitched.
Keira sat up, forcing down the Irrational tangle of irritation and something far more traitorous.
No.
No¨Cno¨Cno.
She would rather chew ss than be jealous of anything Prince Alexei stuck his glorified scepter in.
Her boss. Her job. But that didn¡¯t stop her from thinking about thest tell¨Call story she had to buy off that tabloidst month about Alexel¡¯s exploits in the bedroom department. Keira was sure half of it was made up. Because sex was so that exciting.
But letting Alexei think he could sleep with her was one line she would not cross, and she had done a lot of stupid shit in her life. Being the youngest of three sisters allowed her to run off at the mouth and even egg a car or two. Hell, she had even punched her Uncle Peter in the face in front of FBI agents. But that was a different story.
She may find Alexei attractive, but she¡¯d have to be fucking dead not to.
She¡¯d written this rule in blood. Or possibly coffee grounds. Do not sleep with your boss because he is a slut. And you need to respect yourself in the morning.
Plus, half the time she wanted to kill him, not ride him, so she really didn¡¯t think it would be a good idea. She was worried she might turn into one of those female praying mantises.
The phone on ber desk buzzed.
She snatched it up, fully expecting another media inquiry.
HRH Dumbass: Get in my office now.
Oh, for the love of¨CNo, pleasee to my office¡ no, not for this asshole.
She stuffed her phone into her drawer before she could throw it at the stupid ss of his office window.
With great effort, Keira stood and marched toward his door. She knocked once and breezed in without waiting, because manners were wasted on men who pissed her off.
Alexei was behind his desk, working¡ focused.
It was like dealing with Jekyll and Hyde. Honestly, Keira was starting to think Prince Alexei had daddy issues.
Keira narrowed her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re actually¡ working today? So, no hangover then?¡±
He didn¡¯t nce up. ¡°Blown away, are you?¡±
¡°Honestly? A little.¡± She stomped closer, crossing her arms. ¡°Are you bncing foreign trade shipments or texting Bubble Butt Barbie fromst night?¡±
¡°Bubble Butt Barbie?¡± he repeated smoothly, only pausing long enough to lift his coffee and take a long drink.
¡°You act like a teenager after his first experience with sex.¡± Keira didn¡¯t know why he let her get away with speaking to him like this, bu never, ever pulled her into line. She was also very careful not to talk to him like this in front of others.
Alexei smirked. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not a little possessive, Warner?¡±
I¡¯m sure your ego¡¯s allergic to being ignored¡±
He snorted, leaned back in his chair, arms folded leisurely like he wasn¡¯t lobbing grenades under the guise of mockery, But she knew truth. He was watching her, Testing her. Always pushing right up to the line.
He liked dancing on that edge. And she hated that part of her¡ liked dancing there too.
¡°Why the text?¡± she asked finally. ¡°You couldn¡¯t walk ten meters and say it to my face? Or maybe open your door and ask me nicely to into your office?¡±
¡°That would¡¯ve required me to move.¡± Alexei grinned with zero remorse. ¡°And since you said before that I¡¯m an asshole, I thought I would prove to you that you¡¯re right.¡±
Keira wasn¡¯t shy about her name¨Ccalling. So it didn¡¯t make her blush. Working for him and looking at his dick pics in the media, she was well past that. ¡°At least you¡¯re self¨Caware.¡±
He tilted his head. ¡°I heard you saved my reputation against night.¡±
¡°Cool. Then you heard right.¡± She spun her notepad in her hand, all tight control and clipped tone. ¡°But no one should have to put out PR fires because you felt like some public nudity.¡±
¡°I want to let you know it wasn¡¯t deliberate.¡±
¡°Sure. And the sun rises by ident too.¡±
He chuckled.
And it was the worst thing. Because beneath all the brooding aristocratic arrogance, Alexei had this damn smile that ruined everything. It curved into one dimple. Just one. Right cheek.
She hated him.
She wasn¡¯t jealous. Definitely not.
He hadn¡¯t denied texting Bubble Butt Barbie. Another press¨Cworthy blonde who probably couldn¡¯t spell ¡°embargo.¡±
¡°What, that¡¯s the best you can do?¡± he said, softer now. Still cocky but a little more serious.
She shrugged, like daggers weren¡¯t prickling under her skin. ¡°I¡¯m a little tired after saving the public image of a grown man who acts like a frat boy in Versace.¡±
He tilted his head again, eyes flickering with something¡ unreadable.
¡°Keira.¡±
The way he said her name froze her thoughts for half a second. Too calm. Too sharp. Had she pushed a little too hard this time?
¡°I may party a little too hard. Sometimes.¡±
¡°A little¡ Bullshit.¡± Keira couldn¡¯t stop the words from leaving her mouth. When was she going to learn to have a filter?
¡°I do.¡± His voice dropped an octave, and suddenly it was the businessman sitting behind that desk, not the party prince. ¡°I work h
than
everyone assumes. I¡¯m building wealth, assets, trade deals. Keeping my country profitable so I don¡¯t have to beg for aid. My country is where it is today because of this.¡±
Her chest tightened, just for a second.
Because¨Cyeah. That was the other face. The one she almost respected when he wasn¡¯t being a walking sexual health hazardfath??n had made sure no child was homeless in Wystovia. Alexel cared about his people.
¡°You still don¡¯t get to be reckless with your image,¡± she said finally, more measured. ¡°Especially not when your father¡¯s already breathing down your neck about session.¡± She worked beside him and heard a lot.
That hit.
Keira blinked. ¡°Let me guess. You¡¯re rebelling, so you create
Alexei looked at her again. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be married like it¡¯s
He leaned back, jaw tight for half a moment.
¡°I know. Believe me.¡± He looked away now, toward the window. ¡°He¡¯s all but engraving the royal marriage invitations in gold ink. Niko and Amelia haven¡¯t produced an heir, and I¡¯m second in line with a big problem¡
headlines.¡±
J
I¡¯m not.
crown¨Cmandated performance. I want to be free. But unfortunately, I¡¯m not
God, she was now feeling sorry for him.
¡°¡Then maybe stop acting like the cover of Royal yboy Monthly,¡± Keira offered, trying to lighten the moment.
¡°Mmm.¡± His smirk returned, lighter this time. ¡°Am I on the front cover?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t tter yourself.¡± She leaned over his desk and handed him today¡¯s diary. ¡°If there is nothing else?¡±
When he didn¡¯t say anything, she turned to leave.
¡°Warner,¡± he called after her.
She paused but didn¡¯t turn.
¡°Thank you.¡±
¨C
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Room Mate 156
Chapter 156
Saturday lunch with her sisters was supposed to be her chance to catch up with her older sisters and have baby cuddles from Milles. Since Sutton and ir had both married and started to grow their family, they hadn¡¯t been as avable as before. She was happy for them, but it made her realize that her friends¡® group had mostly consisted of her sisters. Other than that, she had work¡ which was pathetic.
She was d it was Saturday. She had a break from Alexei for a few days.
Or so she hoped, unfortunately that pipe dream wasn¡¯t going to happen, her phone lighting up with another message¡ all from him.
Keira stabbed her sd with more aggression than it deserved.
¡°You okay?¡± Sutton asked, bouncing baby Miles gently in her arms.
ir snorted and lifted her tea. ¡°She¡¯s only spearing lettuce like it did something to her.¡±
Sutton¡¯s mouth quirked. ¡°The prince?¡±
¡°No. Justin Timbeke,¡± Keira deadpanned. ¡°Yes, Prince Alexei. Of course, Prince Needs¨CTo¨CKeep¨CHis¨CPants¨COn is driving me crazy. That man never steeps,¡± she nced at her phone, ¡°-fourteen messag¨¨s reminding me about next week¡¯s schedule and what needs to be done. Next week, Sutton.¡±
Baby Miles squawked like he agreed, smacking his hand against Keira¡¯s arm with a proud chirp.
¡°See?¡± Keira said dryly. ¡°Even Miles is over it. I¡¯m thinking of quitting my job and I¡¯m not a quitter.¡±
ir leaned back in her wicker chair, one hand resting on her small but unmistakable baby bump. She radiated that smug, radiant glow Keira liked to call ¡°second¨Ctrimester superiority.¡±
¡°You knew it wasn¡¯t going to be easy,¡± ir said. ¡°Up until now you have really loved it. What has changed?¡±
Keira couldn¡¯t tell her sisters that since seeing his dick pic she had been thinking about what he might be like in bed, under him. In her mind it was time to get out before she made a mistake and destroyed thest of her self¨Crespect. A man withmitment issues and rebelling against his father was thest thing she needed.
So instead, she said, ¡°I hate rich men¡ excluding Roman and Luca of course. It doesn¡¯t matter how royal or rich¨Cdeep down, they¡¯re toddlers with bank ounts.¡±
Both of her sistersughed.
¡°You coulde work at Warners; I would love to have you on board,¡± ir offered.
Keira sighed and shoved her phone under a napkin. ¡°Thanks for the offer but the fashion industry isn¡¯t my thing. I just need Alexei to be a
toddler with a mute button.¡±
Sutton grinned, expertly wiping Miles¡¯s drool with a single practiced swipe. ¡°I still don¡¯t understand why you haven¡¯t left if you feel this way. You have options, Keira.¡±
¡°Does he know how much he pisses you off? ir asked, sipping from her lemon tea.
¡°Oh, he does. He enjoys it. It¡¯s like a new Olympic sport for him. Push every button 1 have, then grin when I explode. I am convinced Alexei is a certified sadist, possibly banned from at least three diplomatic conferences.¡±
irughed. ¡°You think he gets off on your rage?¡±
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Keira blinked. ¡°I¨Cdo not want to unpack that sentence.¡±
Sutton smirked before saying, ¡°It could be a little like pulling the pigtail of the girl you like at school.¡±
Keira gave her sisters an evil stare. ¡°Don¡¯t even go down that road, please.¡±
Sutton tilted her head. ¡°Let me just point out: not all male attention is bad.¡±
¡°Yes, well,¡± Keira said, ¡°while your husbands are out car shopping right now like upstanding, domestic cavemen, I¡¯m being text¨Cstalked during lunch.¡±
ir raised an eyebrow. ¡°They¡¯re not just car shopping. Luca and Roman are trying to one¨Cup each other.¡±
Keira blinked. ¡°Over what? Who gets the shinier ¡®ser mom¡® SUV?¡±
Suttonughed. ¡°Exactly. I¡¯m rooting for Luca to bring back! something with 800 horsepower and Roman to sulk for a week.¡±
¡°They should start a YouTube channel,¡± Keira said. ¡°Pimp My Pram: Dads Edition.¡±
Her phone buzzed again.
She groaned and didn¡¯t even bother checking it.
¡°Is that him again?¡± ir asked.
¡°Most likely¡¡± Keira did a dramatic voice, squinting like she could manifest the text. ¡°It will be something along the line of¡ ¡®Keira, don¡¯t forget to update the Wystovia stock briefing. You¡¯re probably too busy doing something unimportant like eating or breathing, but I require attention immediately.¡°¡±
Sutton giggled and then said in her big sister voice, ¡°If you are not happy, get out now.¡±
Baby Miles let out a fart so loud it made the table pause.
¡°Preach,¡± Keira muttered.
Despite everything, the non¨Cstop texts, the pressure, the stress, Keira felt her shoulders soften. This was her anchor. Her sisters, even their husbands, who were off hunting for shy SUVs.
¡°But I¡¯m serious, Keira, set your boundaries with your boss and if he can¡¯t follow them¡ get out. No job pays enough to work all the time.¡± Keira could see ir was concerned
now.
¡°Thank you, I needed this,¡± she finally admitted.
¡°We¡¯re sisters,¡± Sutton said, handing her cuddling rights to Miles. ¡°It¡¯s in the contract. No fine print. No refunds.¡±
Her sisters¡® words echoed in her mind. Boundaries. She needed to set boundaries. The constant texts, the midnight calls, the weeken interruptions¨Call of it had to stop. It made her think of Alexei too much and there was no break.
Her phone buzzed again. Fifteenth message. That was it.
¡°I need to go,¡± she said suddenly.
ir frowned. ¡°What? But we haven¡¯t even had dessert yet.¡±
¡°I know, and I¡¯m sorry. But if he¡¯s going to ruin my Saturday, I¡¯m going to ruin his.¡± Keira grabbed her purse, determination setting her jaw into a hard line.
Chapter 156
Sutton raised an eyebrow. ¡°What exactly are you nning?¡±
¡°I¡¯m going to his ce.¡± She was already halfway out of her chair. ¡°He wants my attention? He¡¯s got it. All of it.¡±
ir and Sutton exchanged a look that Keira pointedly ignored.
¡°Keira, maybe sleep on this?¡± ir suggested carefully. ¡°You know how you get when you¡¯re fired up.¡±
¡°How I get? You mean direct and honest? Yeah, that¡¯s exactly what His Royal Over Lord needs right now.¡± She nted a quick kiss on Miles¡¯s forehead. ¡°Sorry, buddy. Auntie Keira¡¯s got to go tell off a Dumbass.¡±
¡°This could end badly,¡± Sutton warned.
Keira shed a dangerous smile. ¡°That¡¯s kind of the point.¡±
Forty minutester she stormed through Alexei¡¯s building, where the staff recognized her. One of Alexei¡¯s security guards started to approach, then thought better of it when she red at him.
¡°Mitchell,¡± she addressed the head of security at the private elevator with a crisp nod. ¡°I need to see His Royal Highness.¡±
¡°Miss Warner.¡± He hesitated. ¡°His Highness isn¡¯t expecting visitors.¡±
¡°Well, he¡¯s expecting me whether he knows it or not.¡± She tapped her foot impatiently. ¡°Trust me, if you make me wait, the shouting will happen right here in this very public lobby.¡±
Mitchell sighed, pressing the button for the penthouse. ¡°Your funeral.¡±
¡°My sanity more like,¡± she countered, stepping into the elevator.
On the ride up, Keira rehearsed her speech, the boundaries she would set, the way she¡¯d make it crystal clear that her personal time was sacred. Especially time with her sisters.
The elevator doors opened directly into the penthouse foyer, and Keira marched in like she owned the ce.
¡°Your Royal Pain in the Ass!¡± she called out. ¡°Where are you?¡±
Silence greeted her. Had he gone out? Maybe he wasn¡¯t even home. That would be just perfect, she¡¯d worked herself into a righteous fury, driven across town, and he was probably out with Bubble Butt Barbie 2.0. No, that wasn¡¯t right¡Mitchell would know if he wasn¡¯t here.
¡°Hello?¡± She moved deeper into the expansive penthouse. ¡°Alexei?¡±
The sound of running water caught her attention. Following it down the hallway, she found herself approaching the master suite. The door was slightly ajar, steam billowing out from the open door of the bathroom.
He was in the shower.
Keira paused, suddenly aware of the intimate territory she was invading. She should wait in the living room. That would be the proper, professional thing to do.
But proper and professional had flown out the window somewhere around message number eight today. He didn¡¯t care about her personal time, so why should she care about his?
Room Mate 157
She pushed theChapter 157
bedroom door open and marched straight to the partly opened bathroom door.
¡°Alexei!¡± She pounded on it with her fist. ¡°I need to talk to you. Now!¡± She wasn¡¯t going to look around the door¡ seeing Alexei hadn¡¯t been part of her n.
¡°Keira?¡± His voice sounded genuinely surprised from the other side of the door. ¡°What the hell are you doing here?¡±
¡°What am I doing here? What are YOU doing here? Sending me fifteen messages on my day off!¡±
The water shut off. She heard movement from her side of the door. She forced herself not to think about him being naked.
¡°Give me a minute,¡± he called.
¡°No! I¡¯m not giving you another minute of my Saturday!¡± Her tone was clearly upset. ¡°You¡¯ve had plenty already!¡±
The door swung all the way open, releasing even more steam.
And there stood Prince Alexei, dripping wet with only a white towel wrapped low around his hips.
Keira¡¯s words died in her throat. Oh shit.
She¡¯d seen the photos, of course. The tabloids had made sure the whole world had seen parts of Prince Alexei. But this¡ this was different. This was real and right in front of her, up close and in her face. Water droplets trailed down his broad chest, over defined abs, disappearing beneath the towel. His dark hair was slicked back, water beading on his shoulders. Oh my god. She could feel the heat raise in her own body and she just stopped herself from reaching out and touching his rock¨Chard chest.
He looked like a goddamn cologne advertisement.
¡°You were saying?¡± He quirked that infuriating eyebrow, noticing her sudden silence.
Keira snapped her gaze back to his face, fury reigniting. ¡°Put some clothes
¡± - on.
¡°You¡¯re the one who barged into my bathroom demanding immediate attention.¡± His lips curved into that one¨Cdimpled smirk. ¡°Didn¡¯t give me much choice in the wardrobe department.¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t-¡± She crossed her arms. ¡°Fine. Go put something on, and then we¡¯re talking.¡±
¡°As you wish.¡± He moved past her, close enough that she caught the scent of his soap, it made her brain short¨Ccircuit for half a second. ¡°Although most women don¡¯t want me putting clothes on¡¡±
¡°I don¡¯t want to know Alexei.¡±
He moved over to the bed before turning to look at her. ¡°Are you going to stay in here while I dress?¡±
let his
The humor she could hear in his voice made her angry. Keira retreated to the living room, pacing like a caged animal. She refus half¨Cnaked appearance derail her. She was here to set boundaries, not ogle her boss¡¯s abs, impressive as they might be. But she had always known that. You couldn¡¯t hide how fit he was/under his suits, but seeing him all but naked¨Cnope. Not going there.
A few minutester, Alexei emerged in low/slung sweatpants and a ck t¨Cshirt that clung to his still¨Cdamp skin. His hair was towel¨Cdried but messy, making him look younger.
¡°So,¡± he said, leaning against the back of the lounge with arms crossed, ¡°to what do I owe this home invasion?¡±
Chapter 157
Boundaries,¡± Keira sald firmly, squaring her shoulders. ¡°We need to talk about boundaries¡±
¡°Boundaries.¡± He repeated the word slowly, tet, ¡°The ones you just crossed by barging into my bathroom?¡±
¡°The ones you¡¯ve been crossing by bombarding me with fifteen text messages during my lunch with my sisters.¡± Keira crossed her arms this has to stop, Alexel. All of it. The constant demands, thete¨Cnight texts, the expectation that I¡¯ll drop everything whenever something pops into your head. Messaging me at 1 a.m. because you¡¯re bored at some event.¡±
Something shifted in his expression, like it had never urred to him she had a life outside work.
¡°You¡¯re my assistant,¡± he said simply.
Was that in her contract? Was he joking?
¡°I¡¯m your assistant Monday through Friday, nine¨Cto¨Cfive.¡± She took a step closer. ¡°And of course when really, really needed. Not every weekend, not after midnight, and definitely not when I¡¯m trying to have a life outside of this job.¡±
His eyebrow arched as he hadn¡¯t thought about her having a life. ¡°Is that in your contract?¡±
¡°It¡¯s in basic human decency.¡± She was getting fired up now, the words tumbling out faster. ¡°You treat me like I¡¯m an extension of your phone¡ avable twenty¨Cfour seven, expected to respond instantly, no matter what I¡¯m doing or who I¡¯m with.¡±
¡°I pay you well,¡± he countered.
¡°Not well enough for this,¡± she snapped. ¡°Not well enough topensate for the fact that I haven¡¯t had a proper date in over a year because I¡¯m too busy putting out your fires. Why can¡¯t you take notes and give them to me during work hours?¡±
His lips twitched. ¡°You could date.¡±
¡°When?¡± She threw her hands up. ¡°Between your 1 a.m. crisis calls and weekend emergencies. Face it, Alexei, you¡¯ve monopolized my entire life, and I¡¯m done.¡±
That got his attention. His posture stiffened.
¡°Done?¡±
¡°Yes.¡± She nodded firmly. ¡°Either we establish clear boundaries, or I walk. I won¡¯t be at your beck and call every hour of every day anymore.¡±
He studied her for a long moment, his expression unreadable. He moved, closing the distance between them.
¡°What if I need you?¡± His voice had dropped to that dangerous low register that always made her stomach flip.
¡°Then you wait until Monday morning,¡± she replied, fighting to keep her voice steady. ¡°Like a normal boss. I¡¯m not doing everything for you. anymore.¡±
A smile ghosted across his lips. ¡°I¡¯m not a normal boss.¡±
¡°And I¡¯m not a normal assistant. I¡¯m the only one who puts up with your shit.¡± She met his gaze directly. ¡°But even I have limits.¡±
Something shed in his eyes¡ something that looked dangerously like respect. He stepped back, giving her space again.
¡°Alright.¡± Alexei sighed.
She blinked. ¡°Alright?¡±
¡°Yes.¡± He nodded once. ¡°No more weekend texts unless it¡¯s urgent. No more midnight calls unless it¡¯s a genuine diplomatic emergency.¡±
19:38 Fri 8 Aug D
Chapter 157
Keira narrowed her eyes, suspicious of the easy victory. ¡°Just like
that?*
¡°Just like that.¡± He shrugged one shoulder. ¡°Contrary to popr belief, I can be reasonable vehien presented with apelling argement ¨C
She wasn¡¯t buying it. ¡°And my argument waspelling?¡±
¡°Yes.¡± His smirk returned full force. ¡°Your job will never be nine¨Cto¨Cfive, Keira, but I will
She didn¡¯t trust the word ¡®try.¡¯
He chuckled, the sound rich and warm. ¡°Don¡¯t make me change my mind.¡±
It try to be more considerate in future.
An awkward silence settled between them. Keira suddenly became acutely aware that she was standing in her boss¡¯s living room, and his hair was still wet from the shower she¡¯d nearly barged into.
¡°Well,¡± she said finally, taking a step toward the door. ¡°I should go.¡±
¡°So soon?¡± He tilted his head. ¡°Aftering all this way to tell me off?¡± His eyes dropped to her mouth for just a second.
¡°I¡¯ve said what I needed to say.¡±
¡°Have you?¡± There was that tone again, like he knew something she didn¡¯t.
Keira paused, her hand on the door handle. She looked at him. ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±
¡°Nothing.¡± He smiled, moving towards her, before stopping a few feet away.
She turned to leave, but his voice stopped her at the door.
¡°For what it¡¯s worth¡ I¡¯m sorry about interrupting your lunch.¡±
Keira nced back again. He looked sincere, standing there with damp hair and bare feet, suddenly more man than prince.
¡°Just don¡¯t do it again,¡± she warned, but her voice she agreed, and slipped out before she could do something stupid, like notice how his eyes had lingered on her mouth.
In the elevator, she pressed her cool palms against her burning cheeks. What had just happened? She¡¯d gone there to establish boundaries, to take back control of her life, but somehow had felt more unbnced than ever.
¡°Get it together, Warner,¡± she muttered to herself as the elevator descended. ¡°He¡¯s just a man. An infuriating, entitled, gorgeous man who¡¯s still your boss.¡±
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Room Mate 158
Chapter 158
Nearly two weeks had passed since Keira¡¯s confrontation with Alexei, and she had to admit, grudgingly, that he¡¯d kept his word. The weekend texts had stopped. The middle of the night calls hadn¡¯t happened again. When she left the officest Friday evening, he¡¯d actually nodded and said, ¡°Have a great weekend, Warner.¡±
It was¡ kind of unsettling.
She sat at her desk the following Monday morning, eyeing him through the ss wall of his office. He was on a call, nodding, asionally making notes. She didn¡¯t know if this was goin
to
ast
This new, boundary¨Crespecting Alexei was throwing her off bnce. She¡¯d prepared for it tost a day maybe two. She had armed herself
quit if needed because he couldn¡¯t respect her. with sharp remarks and withering looks. Ready
Instead, she got¡pliance.
¡°Mark wants to know if Prince Alexei has approved the press release for the Wystovian Trade Summit,¡± Jen from Communications called as she walked past Keira¡¯s desk.
¡°I¡¯ll check,¡± Keira said, grateful for the distraction.
She grabbed her tablet and went to Alexei¡¯s door, knocking as she entered.
He nced up, ending his call. ¡°Yes?¡±
¡°Mark needs the trade summit release. Did you approve it?¡±
¡°It¡¯s in your inbox,¡± he replied, his eyes flicking back to hisputer. ¡°Sent it ten minutes ago.¡±
¡°Oh.¡± She hesitated, waiting for him to say something more, to tease her or smirk or make somement.
He didn¡¯t. He just kept working.
¡°Right. Thanks,¡± she said, turning to leave. This was so strange.
¡°Keira.¡±
She paused, hand on the doorknob.
¡°Don¡¯t forget about the royal benefit g on Friday. My father¡¯s pet project. Very important. I need you there.¡±
She turned. ¡°Me? Why would I need to attend?¡±
Alexei looked up, his expression neutral. ¡°I need someone who understands diplomatic etiquette and won¡¯t embarrass the royal family.¡±
¡°You have a list of suitablepanions for these things.¡±
¡°Yes, well.¡± His mouth curved slightly, ¡°Contrary to what you believe, my little ck book isn¡¯t overflowing with women who understand pce protocol.¡±
Keira crossed her arms. ¡°So, I¡¯m your¡ what? Stand¨Cin? Because one of your Barbies would cause an international incident, like one of her boobs falling out of her too¨Ctight dress.¡±
His eyes darkened. ¡°You will be my assistant. Attending a formal function. As you¡¯ve done before¡±
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Chapter 158
¡°Fine.¡± She sighed, already mentally Cataloging the few formal dresses the owner. None seemed appropriate for a royal eats, ¡°vika?timi
Eight. Cat will pick you up at seven. Wear something suitable.
She bristled. ¡°I know how to dress myself. I have been doing it since I was two
¡°I¡¯m sure you have.¡± His gaze swept over her, a flicker of something in his eyes before it vanished. ¡°I will arrange something to be sent to your
ce.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t need you picking out clothes for me, Alexel-*
¡°I will not be picking it out,¡± he interrupted. ¡°I will arrange for it to be done.¡±
By Friday afternoon, the personal stylist that Alexei had arranged indeed came over a selection of dresses, all elegant, all expensive.
She¡¯d been nudged toward a crimson, floor¨Clength gown with a modest neckline but a nearly backless design.
Standing, examining herself in the full¨Clength mirror of her apartment after the stylist had left, she wasn¡¯t so sure. ¡°I don¡¯t know about this. I mean, it¡¯s modest from the front, scandal from behind,¡± she muttered to herself. She was tossing up if she should change when her phone chimed with a text. The car was downstairs.
Shit.
With a final look in the mirror, she grabbed her clutch and headed out. The stylist had the hairdresser sweep her blonde hair into an elegant updo, with a few strategic tendrils framing her face. Diamond studs¡ on loan, glittered at her ears.
She looked¡ well, not like herself. She looked like someone who belonged on a prince¡¯s arm. The thought made her stomach flip in a way
she refused to analyze.
Twenty minutester the car pulled up in front of an old mansion converted into an event space.
Keira¡¯s heart began to race. Cameras shed outside as guests arrived. This wasn¡¯t her usual behind¨Cthe¨Cscenes role. Tonight, she¡¯d be
visible.
The driver opened her door. She took a deep breath and stepped out, immediately searching the crowd for Alexei.
She spotted him at the top of the entrance stairs, speaking with an older couple. Even from a distance, hemanded attention. His tuxedo was impably tailored, his posture regal. He looked every inch the prince he was born to be.
Then he turned and saw her.
Keira watched as his expression shifted. His eyes widened slightly, his lips parting. For a brief moment, Prince Alexei looked genuinely
stunned.
She ascended the stairs, feeling uncharacteristically self¨Cconscious under his stare. She almost felt like kicking him.
¡°You¡¯rete,¡± he said when she reached him, but there was no bite to his words.
¡°The ride here took longer than expected,¡± she replied, smoothing down the crimson fabric of her dress.
His eyes followed the movement of her hands. ¡°It was worth the wait.¡±
Heat crept up her neck. ¡°Don¡¯t start.¡±
¡°I¡¯m merely stating a fact.¡± His voice had dropped lower. ¡°You clean up well, Warner.¡±
Chapter 158
¡°So do you,¡± she admitted, because it would be absurd to pretend otherwise. He looked absolutely devastating in formal wear.
A photographer approached, camera raised. ¡°Your Highness? A photo for the society pages?¡±
Alexei hesitated, then offered his arm to Keira. ¡°Shall we?¡±
She stiffened but ced her hand on his arm, very aware of the firm muscle beneath the fabric of his jacket. They turned toward the camera, and Keira forced her face into what she hoped was a pleasant expression.
¡°Smile,¡± the photographer instructed.
She did, through gritted teeth. ¡°Move your hand or I break it,¡± she whispered, her smile never faltering as Alexei¡¯s palm settled against her
lower back, dangerously close to territory it had no business exploring.
He leaned in, as if sharing an intimate moment, his breath warm against her ear. ¡°Put your ws away for one night and have fun.¡±
The camera shed, capturing whatever expression crossed her face at his words.
¡°Thank you, Your Highness,¡± the photographer said, bowing slightly before he turned to move on.
Keira caught the photographer¡¯s arm. ¡°If you add anyments to your photos, can you let it be known I¡¯m Prince Alexei¡¯s assistant, not his
date.¡±
The guy looked surprised. ¡°Sure, no problem,¡± he said, jotting that down in his notepad.
Alexei shook his head at her before guiding her inside, his hand still resting on her back. ¡°Ready to dazzle some diplomats?¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t realize that was in my job description.¡±
¡°Consider it an expansion of your portfolio.¡± His smile was all charm and danger. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Just stay close and follow my lead.¡±
¡°Because that¡¯s worked out so well in the past,¡± she muttered, but allowed him to guide her into the ballroom.
The next two hours were a blur of introductions, small talk, and smiling non¨Cstop. Keira¡¯s face hurt from the effort, but she had to admit Alexei was in his element. He moved through the crowd with effortless grace, remembering names, asking after families, discussing business and diplomatic rtions with genuine interest.
This was the Alexei she didn¡¯t always see, the one who took his role seriously and understood the responsibility that came with his title.
¡°Impressed?¡± he murmured as they moved away from a conversation with the Wystovian Minister of Trade.
¡°Surprised,¡± she corrected. ¡°I half expected you to get bored and start texting under the table.¡±
He chuckled. ¡°I save that for when you aren¡¯t with me.¡±
The orchestra began a new piece, something ssical and elegant. Alexei turned to her, extending his hand. ¡°Dance with me.¡±
It wasn¡¯t a request.
¡°Is that an order, Your Highness?¡±
¡°Would you obey¡ if it was?¡±
¡°Not a chance.¡±
His smile widened, ¡°Then consider it a suggestion strongly backed by social expectation and diplomatic necessity.¡±
19:39 Fri, 8 Aug ¨C e
Chapter 158
Keira sighed and ced her hand in his. ¡°Tine. But I¡¯m leading.¡±
¡°In your dreams, Warner.¡± He guided her to the dance floor, where other couples were already moving to the music.
His hand settled on her waist, the other holding hers aloft. Keira reluctantly ced her free hand on his shoulder, trying to ignore the warmth of his body so close to hers.
¡°Rx,¡± he murmured. ¡°You look like you¡¯re being led to execution.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not much of a dancer.¡±
¡°And you wanted to lead? Just follow me,¡± he said, beginning to move. ¡°See? Not so difficult.¡±
To her surprise, Keira found herself rxing into the rhythm. Alexei was a skilled dancer, leading with confidence as their bodies moved together.
¡°Was dancing part of your royal training?¡± she asked.
¡°Royal education does include the finer arts.¡± His voice was low, ¡°Dancing, fencing, riding¡ all the skills of a proper prince.¡±
¡°And breaking women¡¯s hearts all over the world? Was that on the curriculum?¡±
Heughed, the sound vibrating through his chest. ¡°This is why I have you around, to remind me of my humanity.¡±
¡°Is that what I do?¡±
His expression softened, just slightly. ¡°Among other things.¡±
The music shifted, bing slower. Around them, couples drew closer. Without thinking, Keira¡¯s body responded, her steps bringing her nearer to Alexei. His hand slid lower on her bare back, settling just above the curve of her ass.
Heat bloomed where he touched her, spreading through her body. She looked up, intending to tell him to move his hand, but the words died in her throat.
His eyes had darkened, pupils dted. His gaze locked with hers, intense and searching. For a moment, the crowded ballroom faded away, leaving only the two of them, moving together in a dance. The air between them crackled with electricity.
Then she felt it¡ the unmistakable hardness pressing against her hip as their bodies brushed together. Alexei was aroused. Because of her?
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Room Mate 159
Chapter 159
Her brain was frying itself. He¡¯s a man, right? Men get hard over anything and everything. A stiff breeze. A suggestive text. With Alexei, even a flynding in the right spot. So, it means nothing. Right?
The way he was looking at her¡ that didn¡¯t feel like nothing.
He had never made a move on her before¡ True, the invisible sign that appeared above her head with ¡°Back Off¡± written on it might have something to do with it¡ She had never seen it, but both her sisters had told her it often appeared high, bright and in shing neon. It didn¡¯t really, but it was the vibe she gave off. It was a standing joke in their family.
But their cousin Laura was totally the opposite; she was a lifelong member of Sluts Are Us.
¡°Alexei,¡± she whispered, not sure if she was warning him or asking for something she couldn¡¯t name.
He drew in a sharp breath at the sound of his name on her lips. His hand tightened on her waist, drawing her infinitesimally closer.
¡°We should stop,¡± she said, but made no move to pull away.
¡°Yes,¡± he agreed, his voice rough. ¡°We should.¡±
Neither of them stopped dancing.
Around them, the music continued, people were oblivious to the silent battle taking ce on the dance floor. Keira felt caught in a current, pulled toward something both terrifying and inevitable. This was not safe.
She¡¯d set professional boundaries with Alexei. But those boundaries had never ounted for this. For the way her body responded to his
touch, for the electricity that sparked between them when his gaze met hers.
¡°The song¡¯s ending,¡± he said, a hint of regret in his voice.
Reality crashed back in. Keira stepped back slightly, breaking the spell. ¡°Good. I need a drink. A stiff one. Make it a bucket.¡±
His lips curved into a knowing smile. ¡°Running away, Warner?¡±
¡°Tactical retreat,¡± she corrected, smoothing down her dress with hands that weren¡¯t entirely steady. She just couldn¡¯t look at him. ¡°There¡¯s a difference.¡±
¡°Is there?¡± He offered his arm again, the perfect prince once more. ¡°Let me escort you to the bar, then.¡±
She hesitated, then ced her hand on his arm, careful to maintain distance between their bodies. She had, from very early on, called him Alexei, but by using his title now, she was reminding herself they couldn¡¯t do this.
As they moved through the crowd, Keira tried to ignore the lingering heat in her veins, the memory of his arousal against her, the dangerous way her body had responded to his touch.
This was exactly why boundaries existed. Why Jines shouldn¡¯t be crossed. She¡¯de to the g as his assistant, nothing more. There was no way she was going to end up in his bed. No matter how much he fried her brain cells.
Alexei walked Keira to the bar. She ordered a whiskey neat, knocking it back in one swift motion while he watched with a raised eyebrow.
¡°Another,¡± she told the bartender, avoiding Alexei¡¯s gaze.
Alexei leaned against the bar, getting into her line of sight, studying her with those prating eyes. The air between them crackled with
unresolved tension.
¡°About what happened on the dance floor-¡± he began.
¡°Nothing happened on the dance floor,¡± Keira cut him off. ¡°Just some¡ biological reaction. Happens to the best of us. Even princes, apparently.¡±
¡°You felt it too.¡±
She waved her hand dismissively. ¡°Look, I get it. You¡¯re a man. Men are basically walking hormones. No big deal,¡±
¡°I wasn¡¯t just talking about that.¡±
She had felt a pull towards him, but she wasn¡¯t going to admit that. ¡°All I felt,¡± she said carefully, ¡°was a biological reaction. Your body pressed against mine, and you got hard. It happens. I¡¯m not special.¡±
His jaw tightened. ¡°That¡¯s not what this is.¡±
¡°It¡¯s fine, really.¡± Her words rushed out too quickly. ¡°Just don¡¯t make it weird. Monday morning, we go back to normal. You being all princely and demanding, me telling you when you¡¯re being an ass. Simple.¡±
Something shed in Alexei¡¯s eyes. She turned away in time to see the bartender discreetly move down to serve other guests, leaving them in their bubble of tension.
¡°You¡¯re running scared,¡± he said, voice dropping lower. ¡°What¡¯s between us isn¡¯t just-¡±
¡°There is nothing between us,¡± she hissed, lowering her voice when a nearby couple nced their way. ¡°There¡¯s you, there¡¯s me, and there¡¯s a whole lot of professional boundaries that should never be crossed.¡±
Alexei moved closer, the heat of his body radiating toward her. ¡°We both know that¡¯s not true.¡±
Keira¡¯s heart hammered against her ribs. ¡°Back off, Alexei.¡±
¡°Why? Because you¡¯re afraid you might actually feel something?¡±
¡°No, because I¡¯m your assistant, not your ything.¡± She set her ss down with more force than necessary. ¡°I know men like you.¡±
His eyebrows shot up. ¡°Men like me?¡±
¡°Rich, powerful men who think the world revolves around them. Who believe everyone and everything is just waiting to serve their needs.¡± Her voice sharpened. ¡°News sh, Your Highness¡ I¡¯m not here for your sexual awakening.¡±
¡°Keira.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t Keira me. Because from where I¡¯m standing, you¡¯ve never shown the slightest interest until tonight, when suddenly you¡¯ve got a hard- on pressing against my hip during a waltz. Forgive me if I¡¯m not swept off my feet.¡±
Alexei¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°You think I would destroy our working rtionship so casually?¡±
¡°I think you¡¯re a man who¡¯s used to getting what he wants.¡± She crossed her arms. ¡°Go put your power point into another woman¡¯s socket, because I¡¯m not buying what you¡¯re selling.¡±
¡°That¡¯s unfair, and you know it.¡±
¡°Is it? Because from day one, you¡¯ve been nothing but arrogant, demanding, andpletely self¨Cabsorbed.¡±
¡°And you¡¯ve been stubborn, confrontational, and impossible to please,¡± he countered, stepping closer.
¡°Then why are you suddenly interested?¡± she challenged.
¡°It¡¯s not sudden,¡± he growled. ¡°Nothing about this is sudden.¡±
The admission hung between them, heavy with implications Keira wasn¡¯t ready to face.
¡°I¡¯m not going to be that girl involved with a man¨Cprince with daddy issues,¡± she said, voice softer but no less resolute. ¡°That¡¯s a Lifetime movie waiting to happen, and I refuse to be that girl.¡±
Pain shed across his features, quickly masked by practicedposure. ¡°Is that all you see when you look at me? The spoiled prince with daddy issues?¡±
Something in his tone made her chest tighten. For a moment, she glimpsed the vulnerability beneath his regal mask, the weight of expectations he carried.
Before she could respond, a silver¨Chaired diplomat approached them, bowing slightly.
¡°Your Highness, forgive my interruption. The Ambassador has been hoping for a word.¡±
Alexei¡¯s expression shifted seamlessly into the polished royal mask he wore so well. ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll be right there.¡±
The diplomat retreated, and Alexei turned back to Keira. ¡°This conversation isn¡¯t over.¡±
¡°Yes, it is,¡± she said firmly. ¡°You have duties. We are so not going there.¡±
His eyes searched hers, looking for something she refused to give. ¡°Keira-
¡°Go. Your public awaits.¡± She turned away, unable to meet his gaze any longer. ¡°I need some air anyway.¡±
She walked away without looking back, her shoulders squared and head high, even as confusion and unwanted desire churned inside her. Behind her, she could feel Alexei¡¯s eyes tracking her retreat, but she didn¡¯t falter.
She needed space. Distance. Time to rebuild the walls he¡¯d somehow begun to crack without her even noticing.
Room Mate 160
Chapter 160
Keira leaned against the stone balustrade of the terrace, the cool night air providing blessed relief against her flushed skin. The distant sounds of the g floated through the open French doors behind her, the orchestra starting another waltz. She closed her eyes, willing her
heart to settle.
What had just happened? ¡°Pull yourself together,¡± she muttered, pressing her palms against her cheeks. ¡°It¡¯s Alexei, for God¡¯s sake.¡±
Alexei, her boss. Alexei, who had women falling at his feet. Alexei, who¡¯d never looked at her like that until tonight.
A shiver ran down her spine that had nothing to do with the evening breeze. The memory of his hardness pressed against her, the heat of his hand on her bare back, the intensity in his eyes, it was all dangerous territory.
The sound of footsteps behind her made her stiffen. She didn¡¯t need to turn to know who it was. She had known he wouldn¡¯t let it go.
Alexei¡¯s voice was low, controlled. ¡°Running away doesn¡¯t solve anything, Keira.¡±
She squared her shoulders before turning to face him. ¡°I wasn¡¯t running. I needed air.¡±
¡°And I need to finish our conversation.¡±
¡°There¡¯s nothing to finish.¡± She crossed her arms, creating a barrier between them. Hoping he would read her bodynguage, she said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about it.¡±
He stepped closer. ¡°You can¡¯t keep pretending there¡¯s nothing between us!¡±¡±
¡°Watch me. I¡¯m tired, I want to go home.¡±
His jaw tightened. ¡°Why are you fighting this?¡±
¡°Because this-¡± she gestured between them, ¡°-is a disaster waiting to happen. I¡¯m your employee. You¡¯re a prince. Your father is pushing you toward a royal marriage. Pick any reason; they¡¯re all valid.¡±
¡°None of those reasons matter if-¡±
¡°If what? If we sleep together? And then what, Alexei?¡± She shook her head. ¡°I be another conquest? Another headline? ¡®Prince beds
assistant, searches for next thrill¡°?¡±
She could see she was pissing him off, and she didn¡¯t care. ¡°You think that¡¯s what this is?¡± His voice dropped dangerously low. ¡°That I¡¯d risk everything we¡¯ve built professionally for a one¨Cnight stand?¡±
¡°Wouldn¡¯t you?¡± She held his gaze. ¡°Your track record isn¡¯t exactly ster in themitment department.¡±
He took another step toward her, close enough now that she could smell his cologne, feel the heat radiating from his body.
¡°My track record is irrelevant. This is about you and me.¡±
¡°There is no you and me,¡± she insisted, even as her body betrayed her with a shiver. ¡°There¡¯s you, there¡¯s me, and there¡¯s a professional rtionship I¡¯m not willing to destroy.¡±
Alexei¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°You¡¯re scared.¡±
¡°I¡¯m pragmatic.¡±
¡°Bullshit.¡± He moved closer still, backing her against the balustrade. ¡°You feel it too. Every argument, every challenge, every moment we
11:46 Sun, 10 Aug
push each other to the edge, it¡¯s been building since the day we met.¡±
Her pulse quickened. ¡°That¡¯s just¡ tension. Workce friction.¡±
¡°Is that what you call it?¡± His eyes dropped to her mouth. ¡°Because I have another name for it.¡±
For a moment, neither of them moved. The air between them charged with possibility, with danger. Keira felt herself leaning toward him, drawn by some maic force she couldn¡¯t resist.
Then a voice called from the doorway.
¡°Your Highness? Your car is ready whenever you¡¯re prepared to leave.¡±
The spell broke. Keira stepped sideways, putting distance between them again as a bodyguard stood waiting at the terrace entrance. Alexei must have called the car before finding her.
¡°Thank you,¡± Alexei replied without turning. ¡°Give us a few more minutes.¡±
But Keira jumped in. ¡°No, we won¡¯t be needing the few minutes. I¡¯m ready to leave now.¡± She walked around Alexei and headed towards the bodyguard. Alexei could follow or not.
Alexei fell in beside her. ¡°We¡¯re not finished with this conversation.¡±
¡°I think we are,¡± she said, looking ahead. ¡°If you can¡¯t shut up, I¡¯ll find my own way home.¡±
¡°Like hell you will.¡± His tone left no room for argument. ¡°It¡¯s nearly midnight, and you came in my car.¡±
¡°I can call a ride.¡±
¡°You¡¯re leaving with me, Keira.¡± He softened his voice. ¡°Please. Let me at least see you home safely.¡±
She wanted to argue, but exhaustion was setting in. Fighting Alexei and her own feelings had drained her.
¡°Fine,¡± she conceded. ¡°But this conversation is over.¡±
But when they were within ten feet of the car,
¡°Keira.¡± His voice stopped her. She turned, finding his eyes in the dim light.
¡°What?¡±
¡°I wish tonight never happened,¡± she said, her voice sounding small even to her own ears.
¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s possible.¡± The honesty in his tone made her chest ache.
Heat rushed to her face. Without thinking, she punched his shoulder, hard enough to make him wince.
¡°You don¡¯t get to decide that,¡± she hissed.
His eyes widened slightly before narrowing with intensity. ¡°You really think we can pretend tonight never happened?¡±
¡°We have to,¡± she insisted. ¡°Because the alternative-¡±
Alexei¡¯s bodyguards moved toward them, having noticed her sudden punch.
¡°Is everything alright, Your Highness?¡± The guard¡¯s eyes fixed on Keira.
11:46 Sun, 10 Aug
Oh, for the love of God.
?
Alexei waved him off, his eyes never leaving Keira¡¯s face. ¡°Everything¡¯s fine. Give us a few minutes.¡±
The guard hesitated. ¡°Sir, protocol dictates-¡±
¡°Go,¡± Alexei¡¯s voice hardened to steel. ¡°That¡¯s an order. I want to have a private conversation. Now.¡±
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The bodyguards retreated reluctantly. When they were alone again, Alexei¡¯s hand moved to her face, cupping her jaw. His thumb brushed
across her cheek in a gesture so tender it made her breath catch.
¡°Tell me you¡¯ve never thought about it,¡± he murmured, his voice rough with restraint.
Keira froze, caught between truth and self¨Cpreservation. For a second, one dangerous, heart¨Cstopping second, she almost admitted it. Almost confessed that yes, she¡¯d thought about it. In quiet moments when he wasn¡¯t being insufferable. In dreams she¡¯d banished upon waking.
Before she could reply, a suddenmotion erupted around them. Four ck¨Cd figures in bvas rushed toward them from the shadows, moving with terrifying purpose.
¡°Alexei!¡± she gasped in warning.
He spun around, immediately pushing her behind him. ¡°Get back!¡±
The first attacker lunged, and Alexei met him with a well¨Cced punch that sent the man staggering backward. Keira¡¯s heart hammered against her ribs as she searched frantically for the bodyguards. Where were they? Shit, Alexei had sent them away.
Alexei fought with unexpected skill, blocking a strike from one asshole, whilending a hard kick to another. But four against one wasn¡¯t a fair fight. As the third man circled behind him, Keira acted on instinct, grabbing her clutch and swinging it hard at the attacker¡¯s head.
¡°Keira, run!¡± Alexei shouted, desperation edging his voice as he grappled with two men at once.
¡°I¡¯m not leaving you!¡± She kicked off her heels, ready to help him fight.
One of the men grabbed her by the hair, yanking her backward with bruising force. She screamed in pain, the sound distracting Alexei just long enough for the fourth attacker to bring the butt of a gun down hard against his temple.
¡°No!¡± Keira watched in horror as Alexei crumpled to the ground, blood trickling from the wound on his head.
She struggled against her captor, kicking and wing, but strong arms pinned her from behind.
As she opened her mouth to scream for help, a gloved hand pressed something against her face, a cloth with a sickeningly sweet odor.
Chloroform.
Panic surged through her as she fought to hold her breath, twisting desperately in the man¡¯s grip. Her lungs burned. Her vision blurred. Thest thing churne unile mationer form on the aumont ar darlinner imed har
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Room Mate 161
Chapter 161
Chapter 161
Consciousness returned to Keira in waves, each one bringing with it a fresh surge of pain behind her eyelids. She wasn¡¯t instantly aware. Whatever they had used to knock her out was effective.
The floor beneath her was cold and hard. Her head throbbed. Her mouth felt like it had been stuffed with cotton.
¡°Alexei,¡± she mumbled, the events before her ckout rushing back in fragmented pieces.
She forced her eyes open, blinking against the harsh fluorescent light. She was in some kind of storage room, concrete floors, metal shelving stacked with boxes, a single window high on the wall letting in a sliver of moonlight. Her once¨Cbeautiful crimson dress was torn at the hem and smeared with dirt.
¡°d to see you rejoining the living.¡±
Alexei¡¯s voice came from her left. She turned her head to find him propped against the wall near some shelving only a few feet away, his tuxedo jacket gone, white shirt stained with blood from a nasty gash at his temple. His hands were bound like hers, but he seemed alert, his eyes clear despite the injury. His head must be hurting like hell.
¡°Are you okay?¡± She shuffled toward him, wincing as her bare feet scraped against the rough concrete. Why had they taken her shoes? Or had they fallen off?
¡°I¡¯ve been better.¡± His mouth twisted into a humorless smile. ¡°You?¡±
¡°I feel like I¡¯ve been hit by a truck.¡± She looked around the room, searching for exits. One metal door presumably locked. The only high
window, unreachable without something to stand on. She could see the window had bars on it, so even if they could reach the window, they
couldn¡¯t get out. But they could call out for help.
¡°Where are we?¡± she asked.
¡°Some kind of warehouse by the docks, judging by the smell and the shipping containers I glimpsed when they brought us in.¡± His eyes never
left her face. ¡°You¡¯ve been out for about forty minutes.¡±
¡°The men that took us?¡±
¡°I injured one. I heard them talking. They dumped us in here and left.¡±
Keira¡¯s stomach dropped. ¡°Did they say what they want?¡±
¡°Money, I assume. Ransom. It¡¯s usually money.¡± His voice was oddly calm, almost clinical. ¡°Though no one¡¯s made demands yet.¡±
She scooted closer until they were side by side, her shoulder pressed against his. The contact helped her racing heart, grounding her in reality when panic threatened to take over.
¡°This is real, isn¡¯t it?¡± she whispered. ¡°We¡¯re actually being held hostage. I can¡¯t even hope this is a nightmare.¡±
¡°I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s very real.¡± His eyes softened as he looked at her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Keira. You shouldn¡¯t be here. This is my fault.¡±
¡°How exactly is this your fault? Did you call up some kidnappers and say, ¡®Hey, could you grab me and my assistant tonight? We¡¯ve got nothing better to do.¡°¡±
A small smile tugged at his lips despite the gravity of their situation. ¡°There it is. I was worried they¡¯d drugged the fight out of you.¡±
¡°Never.¡±
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Chapter 161
¡°I shouldn¡¯t have sent the bodyguards away.¡±
Keira gave him a level look. ¡°Did you see the guns those guys were carrying? I would say you saved your people¡¯s lives.¡± She held up her bound hands. ¡°Can you get these off?¡±
¡°Been working on mine.¡± He shifted, showing his own restraints, which were frayed where he¡¯d been sawing them against a sharp edge of metal shelving. ¡°Almost there.¡±
¡°Good. Because I¡¯m not nning to die in a warehouse wearing a designer dress or this young, I want to be really old when I die.¡±
Alexei¡¯s expression grew serious. ¡°No one¡¯s dying tonight.¡±
¡°You¡¯re bleeding,¡± she said softly, noticing fresh blood trickling from his temple.
¡°Head wounds. They always look worse than they are.¡± He sounded like one of those action heroes from a blockbuster film. She could almost picture him tearing off part of his shirt to bandage the injury before continuing the fight. But she knew his head had to hurt.
So, she didn¡¯t believe him, but arguing wouldn¡¯t help. ¡°What¡¯s the n, oh, fearless one, once you get free, of course?¡±
¡°First, I get you out of those.¡± He nodded toward her restraints. ¡°Then we find a way out of here.¡±
She looked around again. Not sure how Alexei nned on doing that unless he turned all ninja on the kidnappers or was the next MacGyver. ¡°That¡¯s your n? That¡¯s barely even an outline.¡±
¡°You have a better idea?¡±
¡°No,¡± she admitted, ¡°but I thought royals were supposed to have special training for this kind of thing.¡± Wishing now that she had taken some sort of training on how to fight.
¡°We do. Basic hostage survival. But it mostly involves staying alive until rescue arrives.¡± He resumed working his restraints against the metal edge. ¡°I never paid much attention. I was too busy being a royal pain in the ass, remember?¡±
¡°This is not the time for jokes, Alexei.¡± She shot him a warning look.
¡°It¡¯s exactly the time.¡± His voice was low, urgent. ¡°Fear will paralyze you. We need to stay sharp and alert.¡±
¡°I can tell you¡ I¡¯m scared, Alexei.¡± She had never been so scared in her life. But she promised herself if she got out of this alive, she was going to take some sses¡ maybe kickboxing.
¡°Something would be wrong with you if you weren¡¯t scared.¡± Alexei reassured her.
A sudden noise came from the other side of the door. They both froze, eyes fixed on the entrance as the sound of footsteps approached.
¡°They¡¯reing back,¡± Keira whispered, fear wing up her throat.
¡°Listen to me,¡± Alexei said quickly, leaning close. ¡°Whatever happens, let me do the talking. These men want something, and they need me alive to get it. You¡¯re¡¡± He hesitated.
¡°Expendable,¡± she finished for him. She had been at the wrong ce at the wrong time. And he was right; they didn¡¯t need her.
Had they only snatched her to buy themselves escape time, preventing her from sounding the rm? Screaming for help.
¡°No.¡± His eyes shed with something fierce. ¡°Never that. But they might not see your value. So, stay quiet, stay small, let them think you¡¯re too terrified to be a threat.¡±
¡°I won¡¯t need to act because I am terrified?¡±
MON, IFAug
¡°Just don¡¯t run off at the mouth, Keira. You can do that at me once they leave. Okay.¡± His expression softened just slightly. ¡°You can do this. I¡¯ve seen you face down ambassadors and billionaires without flinching. You handle me just fine.¡±
The lock rattled. Alexei quickly moved them away from the shelving, putting distance between them.
The door swung open, and two men entered, both masked and armed. One stood by the door while the other approached, weapon trained on Alexei.
Could it be a positive sign that their faces remained concealed? If they revealed themselves, it would signal they intended to eliminate both captives after securing whatever they were after. With masks still in ce, Keira clung to the possibility they might survive this ordeal.
¡°The prince awakens,¡± the man said, voice muffled by his bva. His ent was Eastern European, but not Wystovian. ¡°And his girlfriend. Good.¡±
Keira was about to say she wasn¡¯t his girlfriend but stopped herself. Alexei had told her to stay quiet. She was thinking she might be of more value if they thought she was Alexei¡¯s girlfriend.
¡°What do you want?¡± Alexei¡¯s voice had changed, taking on a harder edge Keira had never heard before.
¡°What does anyone want with a prince?¡± The manughed coldly. ¡°Money. Power. Revenge. Take your pick.¡±
¡°If it¡¯s ransom, my father will pay;¡± Alexei said evenly. ¡°There¡¯s no need to involve the woman. Let her go.¡±
¡±
Keira understood the standard protocol regarding ransoms, Wystovia, like most nations, refused to negotiate with hostage takers. Rescue or escape was their only hope
¡°Oh, but she¡¯s insurance. To make sure you behave.¡± The kidnapper moved closer, gun still trained on Alexei. ¡°Besides, she might have her own value. She is a pretty little thing¡¡±
Keira¡¯s skin crawled at the assessment. She kept her eyes down, remembering Alexei¡¯s instructions to appear meek, but her mind was already racing. The zip ties around Alexei¡¯s wrists were nearly worn through. They needed time.
The kidnapper crouched down in front of Alexei. ¡°Your father has been contacted. The negotiations begin soon. Until then-¡± he nced at Keira, ¡°-we¡¯ll keep ourselves entertained.¡±
E
Room Mate 162
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Chapter 162
Keira couldn¡¯t handle the thought. Her mind screamed in panic.
Alexei¡¯s jaw clenched. ¡°Touch her, and no amount of money will save you from what I¡¯ll do.¡±
The manughed. ¡°Big words from a man who is tied up.¡± He stood and turned toward Keira, taking a step in her direction. She shrank back mind racing for a way to buy time.
¡°My family¡¡± she blurted out. ¡°My family¡¯s rich too.¡±
The kidnapper paused, looking at her with new interest. ¡°Is that so?¡± But his tone suggested he didn¡¯t believe her.
¡°My name is Keira Warner. Warner Industries. My sisters will pay for me too. But if you touch me, your bargaining power goes down.¡±
Alexei¡¯s face remained impassive, but she caught the slight nod of approval.
¡°Warner?¡± The kidnapper seemed to consider this. ¡°We¡¯ll check. If you¡¯re lying¡¡± He let the threat hang.
¡°Call ir Warner. She¡¯ll pay whatever you ask.¡± She forced a tremor into her voice. ¡°Please don¡¯t hurt me.¡± She was shit scared but also angry that these men thought they could¡ could¡ No, she couldn¡¯t even put it into words.
The man studied her for a moment longer, then turned back to hispanion at the door. ¡°Check the name. Warner Industries.¡±
Keira knew by contacting ir it would alert Roman and Luca about what was happening. Giving them even more chance of survival. She wasn¡¯t sure if Alexei¡¯s father would have informed them.
As he moved away, Keira caught Alexei¡¯s eye.
¡°In the meantime,¡± the kidnapper continued, ¡°perhaps we should send your father proof of life, Your Highness. A finger, maybe? Or an ear?¡±
She could hear the guy was enjoying this.
Alexei¡¯s expression remained cold. ¡°My father won¡¯t pay a cent if you damage the merchandise.¡±
¡°Smart boy.¡± The kidnapperughed. ¡°We¡¯ll settle for a photo, then.¡±
He pulled out a phone, ced a newspaper on Alexei chest and snapped several pictures of him, the sh momentarily blinding.
¡°And now for thedy, too. If her family is as rich as she ims.¡±
The man approached Keira, he thrust the newspaper into her hands.
¡°Hold it up,¡± he ordered, raising the phone. ¡°And try to look pathetic. Families pay more when they think you¡¯re suffering.¡±
She gripped the newspaper with trembling fingers, forcing herself to appear vulnerable rather than furious. Her mind raced through options. Did she want to look weak? Or defiant? Which would work better for their survival?
She settled on defiant vulnerability scared but not broken. She didn¡¯t want ir so worried while she was pregnant.
The kidnapper took several photos, then pocketed his phone. Throwing the newspaper to the side.
¡°The Warner name checks out,¡± the second man called from the doorway. ¡°Looks like we caught ourselves a two¨Cfor¨Cone special.¡±
The first kidnapper grinned beneath his mask. ¡°Double the payout. Must be our lucky day.¡±
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Chapter 162
The guy passed his phone to the first thug who examined it briefly before returning it. The second man retreated to the open doorwayagal
He squatted down, too close to Keira¡¯s face. She could smell stale cigarettes, making her stomach turn.
¡°Your sister married Roman Kingston, huh? The billionaire? That¡¯s very interesting.¡±
Keira kept silent, afraid of saying too much. She wasn¡¯t going to bring up Sutton and Luca.
¡°And the prince¡¯s daddy is no doubt already wiring money to our ount.¡± He chuckled, looking between them. ¡°Quite the wealthy pair we¡¯ve got. But now we have to wait for the second payout we might be here awhile.¡±
The man pulled out a knife, and the other trained his gun on them both. Keira¡¯s heart hammered against her ribs with the knife¨Cwielder so close to her.
He cut Keira¡¯s cable ties. ¡°Make yourselves at home. There¡¯s a bathroom at the back of the room.¡±
Keira moved away from the man sliding along the floor.
¡°Not so fast, princess.¡± The gunman gestured toward the door. ¡°May was well clue you in right now to spare both of you some effort. The door is steel, and there are bars on the window. If you think you can break the window and call for help, think again. The warehouses around us are all abandoned. We do our homework.¡±
They didn¡¯t cut Alexei¡¯s restraints.
The knife¨Cwielder backed out of the room, the other guy¡¯s gun still trained
on
them.
The lock clicked with finality, leaving them alone again.
Keira waited until their footsteps faded before turning to Alexei. ¡°Are you okay?¡±
¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Blood had dried on his temple, making his hair stick
to
his skin. ¡°You?¡±
¡°Terrified but intact. That was scary.¡± She nced around the
room.
¡°We need to find a way out. Let¡¯s
get you out of those cable ties first.¡±
They worked together to free his hands. Once he was free, Alexei stood slowly, testing his bnce. The blow to his head had clearly affected him more than he was admitting. ¡°At least we¡¯re not tied up anymore.¡±
Keira moved to the window, climbing onto a shelf to peer through the bars. ¡°They We¡¯re in the middle of nowhere.¡±
were right. Nothing but empty rundown warehouses.
¡°Don¡¯t give up yet.¡± Alexei examined the door, running his fingers along the frame. ¡°Every lock or room has a
a weakness.¡±
¡°They said your father was contacted.¡± Keira climbed back down, her torn dress catching on the metal edge, ripping it. ¡°Will he pay regardless of the rules?¡±
Alexei¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Officially, Wystovia doesn¡¯t negotiate with kidnappers.¡±
¡°And unofficially?¡±
¡°He¡¯s, my father.¡± He paused. ¡°Your sisters? Their husbands? What will they do?¡±
¡°They¡¯ll tear the city apart looking for me. They have resources even your father doesn¡¯t, because they know this town.¡±
Alexei nodded, then winced at the movement. He swayed slightly.
¡°Sit down,¡± Keira ordered, rushing to his side. ¡°You have a concussion.¡±
hapter 162
It removes one obstacle.¡±
¡°There are a dozen others!¡±
¡°We¡¯ll deal with them one at a time.¡± He reached for her hand, his grip warm and firm. ¡°If we get out of here.¡±
When, not if, she wanted to say, but fear made her honest. ¡°What for a fling?¡±
¡°Who said it was a fling?¡±
¡°Your track record.¡±
¡°Maybe this time it¡¯s different.¡± His thumb stroked her wrist.
and see.¡±
¡°You don¡¯t really know me,¡± she protested weakly.
¡°I know you¡¯re brave. I know you¡¯re loyal. I know you don¡¯t take shit from right now but still standing tall. A lot of women would be
me
anyone, even a prince.¡± His lips curved. ¡°I know you¡¯re terrified right now. And even now you are thinking of how to get out of here.¡±
She couldn¡¯t deny it. Even while they talked, her eyes had been scanning the room, looking for weapons, weaknesses, anything they could
use.
¡°This isn¡¯t the time,¡± she said finally.
¡°It might be the only time we have.¡±
A sobering thought settled between them. He was right. They might not make it out of here. The knowledge sat heavy in her chest.
Keira¡¯s fingers tightened around his. ¡°If we get out of this-¡±
¡°When,¡± he corrected.
¡°When we get out,¡± she amended, ¡°I¡¯ll consider¡ reconsidering.¡±
His smile was worth the concession. ¡°That¡¯s all I ask.¡±
She rolled her eyes. ¡°You ask for way more than that on a daily basis.¡±
¡°True.¡± He leaned his head back against the wall, looking paler than before. ¡°But right now, I¡¯d settle for a helicopter rescue and some strong painkillers.¡±
Keira studied the room again. The shelving was bolted to the floor. The window wasn¡¯t an exit option without cutting the bars first. The door was solid metal with no visible hinges from their side.
¡°We need to be ready when theye back,¡± she said, mind working overtime. ¡°They¡¯ll expect us to be weak,pliant.¡±
¡°We can use that,¡± Alexei agreed. ¡°Let them underestimate us.¡±
¡°I could fake being sick,¡± she suggested. ¡°When they check on me, you could jump them.¡±
He shook his head. ¡°Too risky. If they have guns drawn-¡±
¡°Then what do you suggest?¡±
Before he could answer, the sound of a vehicle pulling up outside reached them. Footsteps approached, then voices different from before
More men?
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Now that they were both free, Keira didn¡¯t think they woulde down here without reinforcements.
Room Mate 163
Chapter 163
Chapter 163
ir stared at her phone screen, the photo of her baby sister disheveled, terrified, but defiantly holding a newspaper. The newspaper was there as proof of life. She hadn¡¯t even known Keira was missing. When and how ran through her mind but the thing that worried her most was her sister being hurt.
She didn¡¯t look hurt, just angry, hidden well in her expression. That wasn¡¯t a good sign. Keira was known to be mouthy when she was angry. Roman had just gone for a shower. The message hade through a little after 5:45 am from a number she didn¡¯t know,
ir¡¯s hands trembled as she zoomed in on Keira¡¯s face, searching for any sign of physical injury she might have missed. There was nothing obvious, no sign of bruises or blood but her sister¡¯s eyes told a different story, Behind that defiant stare was fear, carefully masked but visible to someone who had known Keira her entire life.
Realizing they wouldn¡¯t have just sent a photo, ir looked for any message sent with the photo.
Text: 10 million dors if you want to get your sister back in one piece. Tell no one or she dies. We have the prince as well. Do as we say, or they are both dead.
ir pressed a hand to her mouth, stifling the sob that threatened to escape. Her other hand instinctively moved to her baby bump, protective. She needed to stay calm for the baby, for Keira.
¡°Roman!¡± she called out, her voice cracking. ¡°ROMAN!¡±
The shower shut off immediately. Secondster, her husband appeared in the doorway of their bedroom, a towel wrapped around his waist, water still dripping from his shoulders.
¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± His eyes scanned her quickly; concern etched into his features.
ir held up her phone, because she was unable to form the words. Roman crossed the room in three long strides, taking the device from her hand. His expression darkened as he absorbed what he was seeing.
¡°Fuck.¡± His voice was deadly.
ir found her voice. ¡°Roman, I didn¡¯t even know she was missing. How could I not know my own sister was kidnapped?¡±
¡°ir, we will get her back I promise you. I know this is hard, but I need you to focus on you and the baby. Not work yourself up over this. You have to trust that Luca and I will do everything to bring her home safe.¡±
She gave him a look that told him there was no staying calm about this and was he frigging joking. Roman pulled her up into his arms, holding her tight against his wet chest for a few moments he then said. ¡°I need you to call Luca and Sutton while I make a few calls.¡±
¡°They said don¡¯t call anyone but I¡¯m thinking that¡¯s the police, right?¡±
¡°Not the police.¡± Roman¡¯s expression hardened as he released her. ¡°Not yet. We don¡¯t know how vtile the situation is. If they see police involvement, they might-¡± He didn¡¯t finish the sentence. He didn¡¯t need to.
ir nodded, understanding the unspoken implication. ¡°Who are you calling then?¡±
¡°My security team. Private contractors if needed.¡± Roman was already pulling on clothes. ¡°People who can move without drawing attention and they don¡¯t have the red tape to cut through like the police or FBI.¡±
¡°FBI?¡±
¡°Prince Alexei is involved so if we involve anyone, I¡¯m guessing it will be them. But I doubt Prince Alexei¡¯s people want the authority involved.¡±
ir dialed Sutton¡¯s number with shaking fingers. Her sister answered on the third ring, voice thick with sleep. ¡°ir! It¡¯s not even c
¡°Keira¡¯s been kidnapped,¡± ir interrupted, the words catching in her throat. ¡°With Prince Alexei. I just received a ransom demand.
There was a sharp intake of breath, thenplete silence for three seconds.
¡°I¡¯m on my way.¡± Sutton said, fully alert now. ¡°We¡¯ll be there soon.¡± The line went dead. But not before ir heard Sutton scream Luca¡¯s name very much like how ir had yelled Roman¡¯s when she had received the text.
Roman dressed now, pulled her back into his arms as he made his own phone call, he spoke rapidly exining what was going on. ¡°Peters, hire whoever you need to, I don¡¯t care about the cost¡. I¡¯m going to get in touch with Prince Alexei¡¯s people now. But we need to have our own ns in ce because we can¡¯t guarantee Wystovia ns include getting Keira out. Call me when everything is in ce.¡±
ir froze. ¡°You don¡¯t think they¡¯ll-¡±
¡°I¡¯m saying they¡¯ll prioritize the prince. We prioritize Keira.¡±
She swallowed hard. ¡°Got it.¡± This was so surreal.
ir sank onto the edge of the bed as Roman continued making calls trying to get Prince Alexei¡¯s people on the phone. Her hand returned to her baby bump, trying to calm herself. The doctor had warned about stress during pregnancy. But how could she not be stressed when her baby sister was being held for ransom? Roman couldn¡¯t reach anyone directly, so he called his connections who had connections, unconcerned about disturbing their sleep. He never exined his need to contact Wystovian officials, he simply insisted that he must.
Ten minutester, Roman¡¯s phone rang with an international number.
¡°That was fast,¡± he muttered, putting the call on speaker. ¡°Roman Kingston.¡±
¡°Mr. Kingston.¡± The voice was clipped, formal, with a slight Eastern European ent. ¡°This is Vince Dragun, Director of Royal Security for the Kingdom of Wystov¨ªa. I understand you are aware that your sister¨Cinw Keira Warner has been taken alongside Prince Alexeist night.¡±
ir and Roman exchanged nces. They had been takenst night and no one thought to let them know.
¡°May I ask why we didn¡¯t get told when it happened?¡± Roman asked, his tone carefully neutral.
¡°We have resources, Mr. Kingston, that you do not. We wanted to keep everything under wraps until we had more details.¡±
¡°Bullshit, you don¡¯t get to make that choice with my sister¨Cinw¡¯s life. What if she didn¡¯t have a wealthy family to pay for her release, would she have been coteral damage?¡±
¡°Mr. Kingston, please. We would have done everything to protect Miss Warner.¡±
¡°Why don¡¯t I believe you, maybe because we should have heard from youst night.¡±
¡°We¡¯ve been monitoring the situation.¡± A pause. ¡°When the kidnappers made contact with your family, we thought it prudent to coordinate efforts. We don¡¯t want to trigger the wrong oue.¡±
¡°You¡¯ve been monitoring us?¡± ir couldn¡¯t keep the edge from her voice.
¡°Mrs. Kingston,¡± Dragun¡¯s tone softened slightly. ¡°When a royal goes missing, we activate certain protocols. I assure you, our only interest is in securing both hostages safely.¡±
Roman took over. ¡°What are you proposing, Director?¡±
¡°Coboration. My team will be at your residence within the hour. We have specialized equipment and training for these situations. The kidnappers have contacted the pce as well.¡±
¡°And what does His Majesty n to do?¡± Roman asked.
¡°Officially, Wystovia does not negotiate with kidnappers.¡± A weighted pause. ¡°Unofficially, all resources are being deployed to locate and extract both hostages. But paying a ransom doesn¡¯t mean we would get them back alive.¡±
ir looked at Roman in horror, mouthing to him alone. ¡°Is that true?¡±
He nodded that Dragun was speaking the truth. She covered her mouth with her hand, stopping herself from crying out.
¡°We will see your people in an hour. But understand Mr. Dragun, you have no idea what we can do.¡± He hung up before waiting for a reply.
Roman looked at ir. ¡°I don¡¯t fully trust them.¡±
¡°Neither do 1,¡± ir admitted. ¡°But we need all the help we can get.¡±
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Room Mate 164
Chapter 164
Chapter 164
Sutton burst into the house not long after the call from Prince Alexei¡¯s people. Luca was right behind her but nothing was going to slow Sutton down. They¡¯d never grown up with the worry of kidnapping hanging over their heads, but with theirbined wealth with their husbands, the threat had be terrifyingly real. The fear in Sutton¡¯s eyes told ir everything she needed to know, this was a nightmare they¡¯d never prepared for.
was
ir could see they had dressed in a hurry. Her sister¡¯s face w
they both draw strength from each other.
pale, eyes wide with barely controlled panic. She hugged her sister tight as
¡°Where¡¯s Miles?¡± The first words out of ir mouth, her voice tight wi
worry.
¡°The nanny is earning her pay today.¡± Sutton had a nanny but she hated leaving Miles with her for any reason. ir could see the guilt warring with the need to be here for Keira.
¡°Show me everything,¡± Her sister demanded, her voice cracking slightly.
ir handed over her phone, her own fingers trembling. Sutton studied the photo and text message, her expression hardening from worry to something harder, more focused. ¡°The phone number isn¡¯t encrypted. That tells me it¡¯s most likely a burner which isn¡¯t traceable.¡±
Luca grunted because Sutton had used a burner while she had modeled as Audrey when Luca had first met her. When she disappeared, it had
made it impossible for him to track her down. Only fate had stepped in the way for them both, bringing them back together.
¡°They think they¡¯re dealing with amateurs,¡± she muttered, a dangerous edge to her voice. ¡°Big mistake. I¡¯m going to see what I can find out
about the photo they sent. I¡¯m just hoping they don¡¯t have anyone tech savvy on their team. I need my equipment.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll get it,¡± Luca said before heading out to their car to get Sutton¡¯sputer. Luca was the business mind but Sutton was the brains when it
came toputers and tech. Luca was back in less than a few minutes.
¡°The Wystovian security team is on their way,¡± Roman informed them, his jaw tight with tension. ¡°And my team is already mobilizing.¡±
Luca asked Roman, ¡°Have you contacted all airports and ports to make sure they can¡¯t get them out of the country?¡±
Roman looked shocked that was even a possibility. ir felt her stomach drop at the thought, Keira taken overseas would mean their chances of finding her would plummet. ¡°I was worried about how much we could do without tipping off the police.¡±
Luca pulled out his phone, his voice hard with purpose. ¡°I can get the ports covered due to my father¡¯s business connections. Can you arrange having people at any small airstrips in the state? It¡¯s doubtful they will move them through arge airport but the smaller ones.¡±
Roman nodded, getting his phone out. ¡°Peters, I have a job for you¡¡± He moved off into another room while Luca arranged to have the ports
covered, his voice low and urgent.
Sutton looked at ir, holding up theptopputer Luca had handed her. Her eyes reflected fear that was mirrored in ir¡¯s eyes. Roman¡¯s office okay for me to set up?¡±
¡°IS
¡°God yes. While the men do their part and you do yours, what do you want me to do?¡± They moved quickly into Roman¡¯s office and Sutton set herputer up in the middle of Roman¡¯s desk, her fingers already twitching to get started.
¡°Pass me your phone.¡±
ir handed it over, feeling utterly helpless as Sutton quickly connected it to theptop.
Within an hour, Roman¡¯s office wasn¡¯t big enough to be transformed into an operations center. So everyone moved into the living room using the long dining table, the space now humming with controlled urgency.
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Roman¡¯s the security team Peters had arranged four men and two women had arrived and set up equipment in the dining room, their faces grim and professional. They asked a hundred questions.
When the Wystovian team arrived, led by a man named Mitchell, he briefed everyone on what had happened the night before, his clipped tones betraying no emotion.
¡°We did look into Keira to make sure she wasn¡¯t involved.¡±
¡°Involved?¡± Sutton questioned, her voice rising sharply. ¡°What do you mean involved? If you are suggesting for one minute our sister had anything to do with your prince getting kidnapped, I swear to God you can get out and we will find them on our own.¡± The fury in her voice made everyone in the room tense.
¡°Prince Alexei and Miss Warner arguedst night and against policy, the prince sent his personal guard away, leaving him unprotected. We needed to make sure Miss Warner wasn¡¯t involved with the kidnappers.¡±
Sutton stood so abruptly her chair nearly toppled, and Luca grabbed her arm, stopping her from advancing on Mitchell. Sutton red at her husband, her eyes zing. ¡°You can let me go. I¡¯m not going to kill him¡ yet.¡± Luca didn¡¯t look so sure but let her go, staying close enough to intervene if needed.
¡°You have to understand money is a strong motivator,¡± Mitchell continued, seemingly oblivious to the danger he was in.
¡°So what¨Cyou went diving into our sister¡¯s financials? Was that the real reason we weren¡¯t contacted?¡± ir demanded, her own anger boiling over. The thought of them investigating Keira while she was in danger made her sick.
Mitchell had the decency to look ufortable. ¡°We had to rule out all possibilities. Your sister was observed having a heated argument with the prince shortly before they both disappeared. Protocol dictated we investigate all angles.¡±
¡°And what did your investigation reveal?¡± Roman asked, his voice dangerously calm, though ir could see the white¨Cknuckled grip he had on the back of a chair.
¡°That Ms. Warner is clearly a victim, not an aplice,¡± Mitchell admitted. ¡°Her financial records show no suspicious activity, and her background check came back clean.¡±
¡°I could have told you that,¡± ir snapped, protectively cradling her baby bump. ¡°Instead of wasting valuable time that could have been spent looking for them.¡±
Sutton was already back at herputer, fingers flying across the keyboard, channeling her rage into action. ¡°While we waited for you jokers to turn up, I ran the photo they sent us though some software. The image embedded metadata that wasn¡¯t properly scrubbed. Amateurs.¡± She nced up, a fierce gleam in her eye. ¡°The image was taken with an iPhone 13, and..she zoomed in on a portion of the background,
¡°there. Now what is that?¡±
Luca leaned over her shoulder, his face inches from the screen. ¡°What are you seeing?¡±
¡°A window behind Keira. And through that window¡¡± Sutton enhanced the image further with her software, her breath catching, ¡°¡It looks like a crane of sorts¡¡±
¡°That¡¯s a gantry crane. That narrows it down,¡± Luca said, moving to a map one of Roman¡¯s security team had spread across the table. ¡°Gantry cranes are used to load shipping containers. They are only found at ports. There isn¡¯t enough detail to figure out thepany the crane belongs to.¡±
¡°The eastern harbor has the highest concentration of abandoned warehouses,¡± Mitchell added, seemingly eager to be helpful after the tension. ¡°If they wanted istion, that¡¯s where they¡¯d go.¡±
¡°Have any more messagese through?¡± ir asked, looking at both Sutton and Mitchell, her heart pounding with dread and hope.
¡°The King is working to negotiate payment if needed,¡± Mitchell said, not quite meeting her eyes.
15.10 Tue, 12 Aug ora
They didn¡¯t tell them if it included Keira or not. The omission hung in the air like a threat.
Sutton picked up ir¡¯s phone and checked, her shoulders sagging slightly. ¡°Nothing. Why are they taking so long? They said they would be in contact with instructions.¡±
Roman answered, his voice grim. ¡°They could be waiting on payment for Prince Alexei first or waiting to contact us to increase our panic¡±
¡°Well, it¡¯s working,¡± ir grumbled, her hand instinctively moving to her stomach again.
The doorbell went. Everyone looked around, tension instantly crackling in the air. ¡°Are we waiting on anyone else?¡± Sutton asked, reaching for Luca¡¯s hand as he moved to her side.
ir and Roman shook their heads and moved toward their front door, Roman positioning himself slightly in front of his pregnant wife. Upon opening the door, there was a huge bunch of red roses. ir was guessing around three dozen. The delivery person waspletely hidden behind the huge bouquet. ¡°Where do you want them?¡± came a muffled voice.
She didn¡¯t want them, they may be lovely but right now her only concern was her sister¡¯s life. ir and Roman stepped back, letting the delivery guy in the door. The man instantly shut the door and dropped the flowers.
Standing in front of them was FBI Agent Rogers who they had met when ir had faked her funeral.
¡°I would like to know why I wasn¡¯t invited to the party,¡± were the first words out of his mouth as they stood there, shocked and dismayed that he should turn up now.
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Room Mate 165
Chapter 165
The new people arriving or returning hadn¡¯te in to see them. Keira turned to Alexei, realizing now they didn¡¯t have their phones The kidnappers must have taken them. Pretty stupid if they hadn¡¯t.
¡°What time do you think it is?¡± she asked.
Alexei looked out the window where the sky was starting to lighten. ¡°I would say almost 7 am.¡±
¡°I hate to think what my sisters are going through right now.¡± Keira stood looking up at the window.
¡°You are the one being held hostage and you¡¯re worried about your sisters.¡± There was no mockery in his tone, just a quiet observation.
Keira gave him a look that spoke volumes. ¡°My sister ir is pregnant.¡±
Alexei¡¯s expression softened. He patted the floor beside him. ¡°Tell me about your family.¡±
¡°What, now?¡±
¡°What, you have somewhere else to be?¡± His attempt at humor fell t, but Keira appreciated the effort.
She walked over to him, then sat down, putting her shoulder against his, seeking warmth as much asfort. ¡°ir¡¯s my middle sister. She¡¯s married to Roman Kingston¡ª¡±
¡°The billionaire?¡± Alexei¡¯s eyebrows raised. ¡°I¡¯ve met him at several charity functions.¡±
¡°That¡¯s the one. She¡¯s expecting their first child.¡± Keira¡¯s voice caught. ¡°She worries too much under normal circumstances. This will be driving her insane.¡±
¡°And your other sister?¡±
¡°Sutton. She¡¯s the oldest, the responsible one.¡± Keira managed a small smile. ¡°She has a little boy, Miles. She was a model once, but she¡¯s actually freakishly smart withputers. So I really hope she is involved right now. Her husband, Luca, owns Cyber10.¡±
¡°De Santis? Another billionaire?¡± Alexei whistled softly. ¡°Your family doesn¡¯t do things by halves.¡±
¡°It wasn¡¯t always like that.¡± Keira leaned her head back against the wall. ¡°Well, it was early on, things changed after our parents died. We got part¨Ctime jobs while at school. I think it was good for us. Not losing our parents but working to get by.¡±
Alexei stayed quiet, giving her space to continue or stop. The silence stretched between them, not ufortable but heavy with unspoken
words.
¡°What about you?¡± she asked finally. ¡°Tell me about your family. Not the royal biographies. The real stuff.¡±
¡°Not much to tell.¡± He shrugged, wincing slightly from the movement. ¡°My father is¡ well, a king first and a father second. My mother died
when I was young. My brother, Niko, is the perfect heir, dutiful, serious and married to the perfect princess. They haven¡¯t had children yet and
that has put pressure on me.¡±
¡°And you¡¯re the spare,¡± Keira supplied.
¡°The problematic spare.¡± His mouth twisted into something that wasn¡¯t quite a smile. ¡°The one who makes headlines for all the wrong
reasons.¡±
¡°Is that on purpose?¡± She turned to study his profile in the dim light. ¡°The headlines, the scandals.¡±
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15:11 Tue, 12 Aug.
L
He was quiet for so long she thought he wouldn¡¯t answer.
¡°Sometimes,¡± he admitted finally. ¡°It¡¯s easier to be the royal disappointment than to be nothing at all. I have to convince myself it¡¯s not always my fault.¡±
This wasn¡¯t the arrogant prince she was used to dealing with. This was just a man, and suddenly very human.
¡°For what it¡¯s worth,¡± Keira said softly, ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re just a spare.¡±
A half¨Csmile tugged at his lips. ¡°No, you think I¡¯m an asshole with daddy issues.¡±
¡°Well, you are.¡± She nudged his shoulder gently. ¡°But that¡¯s not all you are.¡±
The sound of footsteps approaching silenced them both. They tensed, exchanging wary nces as the lock rattled.
The door swung open, and a masked man entered, gun held casually at his side. ¡°Good morning, Your Highness. Miss Warner. Hope you are enjoying your stay with us.¡±
Keira muttered, ¡°Five¨Cstar amodations.¡±
The kidnapper chuckled. ¡°Feisty. I like that.¡± He tossed two bottles of water and a paper bag onto the floor. ¡°Breakfast. Enjoy it while you can.¡± Not stepping any closer.
Keira didn¡¯t know what he was worried about; she didn¡¯t think Alexei was in any fit state to fight.
¡°Any updates on our situation?¡± Alexei asked, his voice controlled.
¡°Negotiations are progressing.¡± The man adjusted his mask. ¡°Your father¡¯s people are being difficult, but we expected that. Warner¡¯s sister, on the other hand, seem quite eager to pay.¡±
Keira¡¯s stomach knotted. She hated bringing her family into this, but like Alexei had said, until they saw her value she had been expendable. Usable and of no worth. At least now she had a chance and maybe her family could save them both.
He backed toward the door. ¡°Sit tight. We¡¯ll be back soon with news.¡±
The door mmed shut, the lock clicking into ce.
Keira lunged for the water bottles, passing one to Alexei before opening the paper bag. Inside were two bagels and some packaged cheese.
¡°Not exactly the royal breakfast you¡¯re used to,¡± she said, breaking the bagels into pieces.
¡°Better than nothing.¡± Alexei epted his portion, eating slowly. ¡°Your sisters and husbands are smart. They won¡¯t just hand over money without guarantees.¡±
¡°And your father?¡±
His expression hardened. ¡°My father follows what his security team tells him.¡±
¡°So what happens to us?¡±
¡°We work on getting ourselves out.¡± He finished his water, setting the empty bottle aside. ¡°Or pray someone for us.¡±
Keira hugged her knees tighter. ¡°I hate waiting.¡±
¡°Let me tell you something,¡± Alexei said after a long silence. ¡°We¡¯re not just going to sit here waiting for rescue. We need to explore this ce. See what we¡¯re working with.¡±
Chapter 165
Keira looked at him skeptically. The way he winced when he moved told her his head was pounding worse than he let on. You should re t? That head injury isn¡¯t something to mess with¡±
¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he insisted, though the tightness around his eyes told a different story.
¡°You¡¯re not fine. I can see the pain radiating from your eyes.¡± Keira stood up, brushing off her ruined dress. ¡°I¡¯ll look around, You rest.
Alexei started to protest, but she cut him off with a sharp gesture. ¡°For once in your life, don¡¯t argue with me. Your royal stubbornness isn¡¯t helping either of us right now.¡±
Surprisingly, he didn¡¯t fight her on it. ¡°Look for cameras first. We need to know if they¡¯re watching us.¡±
Keira nodded and began a careful inspection of the room. She moved methodically, checking corners, light fixtures, any ce that might conceal surveince equipment. The bathroom was tiny, just a toilet and small sink, a shower with no curtain or screen, all grimy with age. No window, no mirror, nothing useful.
¡°No cameras that I can see,¡± she reported, returning to the main room. ¡°They must be confident we can¡¯t escape.¡±
On her way back, something caught her eye in the corner of the room¨Ca small metal cot she hadn¡¯t noticed before. It was partially hidden behind some stacked boxes. She had been looking up mostly.
¡°Alexei, there¡¯s a cot over here.¡± She hurried over and tested it. The frame creaked, but seemed stable enough. ¡°Come on, you need to lie down.¡±
He hesitated, that princely pride battling with obvious difort.
¡°Don¡¯t make me drag you over here,¡± she warned.
That earned her a weak smile. ¡°As if you could.¡±
¡°Try me.¡± She returned to his side and slipped her arm around his waist. ¡°Up you go, Your Highness.¡±
Together, they made their way to the cot. Alexei sank down on it with a barely suppressed groan of relief. Keira helped him stretch out, noticing how he tried to hide his grimace as his head touched the thin mattress.
¡°Wait here,¡± she said, as if he had any intention of going anywhere.
She returned to the bathroom and found what she was looking for: a small first aid kit mounted on the wall. Opening it, she discovered basic supplies: bandages, antiseptic wipes, and most importantly, a small packet of pain relievers.
Back at Alexei¡¯s side, she held out two pills and her water bottle. ¡°Take these.¡±
¡°What are they?¡±
¡°Just acetaminophen. Not exactly royal¨Cgrade pain relief, but better than nothing.¡±
He epted them gratefully, swallowing them with a sip of her water. Their fingers brushed during the exchange, and for a moment, neither pulled away.
Keira sat on the edge of the cot. She almost touched his brow but caught herself.
He caught her retreating hand, his fingers wrapping gently around her wrist. ¡°Thank you.¡±
Something in his voice made her throat tighten. ¡°Don¡¯t get sentimental on me now. It¡¯s just a couple of pain pills
¡°It¡¯s not just the pills.¡± His eyes held hers. ¡°You could have panicked. Most people would.¡±
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15:11 Tue, 12 Aug
¡°Well, I¡¯m not most people.¡± She carefully extracted her hand from his. ¡°Rest. I¡¯m going to keep looking around.¡±
As he closed his eyes, Keira continued her examination of their prison. She checked every inch of the walls, looking for loose panels or ventsrge enough to crawl through. Nothing. The window was too high to reach without something to stand on, and even then, the bars looked
solid.
She tried the door again, testing its hinges and lock. Solid metal, no give at all. The kidnappers had chosen their location well.
¡°Any luck?¡± Alexei¡¯s voice came from the cot.
¡°Nothing yet.¡± She didn¡¯t want to dash his hopespletely. ¡°But I haven¡¯t found any cameras either, and now I¡¯ve looked twice.¡±
¡°That¡¯s good. I hate the thought of being watched.¡±
¡°They¡¯lle back eventually,¡± she said, returning to sit beside the cot. ¡°You need to be okay.¡±
¡°Agreed.¡± Alexei shifted, making room for her to sit morefortably. ¡°In the meantime, tell me more about your sisters. It helps to think about something besides this ce.¡±
Keira hesitated, then gave in. ¡°What do you want to know?¡±
¡°Everything,¡± he said simply. ¡°The things you never talk about at work. What were you like growing up?¡±
She began telling him about growing up with Sutton and ir, about losing their parents, about how they¡¯d pulled together to survive. What they had found outter about their uncle. As she spoke, she watched his eyes grow heavy, the pain medication finally taking effect.
¡°Sleep. It should be safe now. I¡¯ll wake you every two hours,¡± she said softly. ¡°I¡¯ll keep watch,¡±
His hand found hers again in the dim light. ¡°Wake me if anything changes.¡±
¡°I will,¡± she promised.
As Alexei¡¯s breathing deepened into sleep, Keira remained beside him, her mind racing with escape ns and worries about her family. But beneath it all was the unsettling realization that even here, in the worst circumstances imaginable, she felt strangely safe with him nearby.
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Room Mate 166
Chapter 166
Agent Rogers stood in Roman and ir¡¯s foyer, his presence unwanted despite the casual delivery disguise.
¡°How did you know?¡± Roman asked, his voice taut with suspicion.
¡°When foreign royalty gets kidnapped on US soil, the Bureau takes notice,¡± Rogers replied, stepping further into the house. ¡°Especially when
a certain family with a history of¡ shall we say, unconventional problem¨Csolving¡ gets involved.¡±
¡°That doesn¡¯t exin how.¡± Roman narrowed his eyes on the FBI agent. He was going to get answers.
¡°There was a witnessst night to the kidnapping. Unlike you lot, they came to the FBI. Which luckily I was the responding agent.¡±
ir crossed her arms. ¡°We were handling it.¡±
¡°It¡¯s good to see you, ir, and I can see that,¡± Rogers gestured toward the improvisedmand center. ¡°Nice setup. Very Die Hard meets Ocean¡¯s Eleven.¡± His gaze lingered on the equipment. ¡°But I¡¯m afraid this has be a federal matter of sorts.¡±
Luca stepped forward, his expression dangerously calm. ¡°With all due respect, Agent Rogers, we don¡¯t have time for jurisdictional pissing match. Every minute we waste is a minute Keira remains in danger.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not here to take over,¡± Rogers rified, surprising everyone. ¡°I¡¯m here to help. Off the books for now.¡±
Sutton¡¯s eyebrows shot up. ¡°Off the books? Since when does the FBI work that way?¡±
¡°They don¡¯t,¡± Rogers admitted. ¡°Which is why I came through the door as a florist rather than with a warrant and a SWAT team. The Bureau knows about the kidnapping, but I convinced them to give me twenty¨Cfour hours before we make it official. Now I¡¯m putting my ass on the line. We need to get them out alive or I¡¯m fired.¡±
¡°Why would you do that?¡± Roman asked, still wary.
Rogers¡¯s expression softened slightly. ¡°Because I know what happens when too many cooks enter the kitchen. The Wystovian security team wants to handle this their way. You want to handle it yours. Meanwhile, local PD will be scrambling to assert authority once they catch wind of it even though it should be an FBI case. And in the middle of all that cock waving¡¡±
¡°Keira and the prince be coteral damage,¡± ir finished, her voice barely above a whisper.
¡°Exactly.¡± Rogers nodded. ¡°So I¡¯m offering apromise. You share what you know with me, I share my expertise with you, and we work together to bring them home safely before my superiors force me to make this official¡±
Mitchell from the Wystovian team stepped forward. ¡°This is a diplomatic matter¡ª¡±
¡°Save it,¡± Rogers cut him off. ¡°Right now, I don¡¯t see diplomats or royals. I see two missing persons in immediate danger. So, are we going to stand around arguing protocol, or are we going to find them?¡±
A tense silence fell over the room as everyone considered the offer. Finally, Sutton returned to herptop, pulling up the enhanced image.
Before anyone could say anything though, Rogers took things into his own hands, removing the outer uniform of the flower delivery service and handing it to one of Roman¡¯s men. ¡°Get dressed in this and get in the van out front and drive it away. If the house is being watched, a delivery person wouldn¡¯t stay for long.¡±
The man looked at Roman, who nodded for him to do what the agent wanted.
The man was quick and out the door within moments after putting on the uniform, baseball cap and sunsses.
20:58 Wed, 13 Aug 11
¡°We¡¯ve identified this as a gantry crane visible through the window where their holding them,¡± Sutton exined, gesturing for Rogers to look. ¡°Eastern harbor area.¡±
Rogers leaned in, studying the image. ¡°That narrows it down, but there are still dozens of abandoned warehouses in that zone. He pulled out his phone, tapping quickly. ¡°Lett
t me make a call. I can get satellite thermal imaging in the harbor area by tomorrow morning¡±
¡°We can¡¯t wait that long,¡± ir said.
Rogers looked at her and said, ¡°ir, I know you¡¯re worried, but we can¡¯t burst in there half¨Ccocked and not know what we¡¯re dealing with. It¡¯s not like I have a SWAT team backing me up here. I know it¡¯s cutting it fine with my deadline. We need to get a fix on the situation before we go in there. They are not going to hurt them just yet. There¡¯s no profit in that; we just have to let the kidnappers know that you are arranging the money and it will take time and request a proof of life.¡±
¡°They already sent us one.¡±
¡°Then request another,¡± Rogers said.
Luca nodded slowly, recognizing the wisdom in the agent¡¯s strategy despite his burning impatience.
¡°He¡¯s right,¡± Luca said reluctantly. ¡°We need to stall them while narrowing down the search area. If they see people searching the dock area, it could get them killed.¡±
ir grabbed her phone. ¡°What do I say to buy time?¡±
¡°What¡¯s the ransom amount for Keira?¡± Rogers knew the Wystovian team wouldn¡¯t share that information.
¡°10 million for Keira.¡± Roman was the one to answer.
Rogers whistled. ¡°Tell them you¡¯re working on securing the funds but need proof they¡¯re still unharmed before proceeding,¡± Rogers instructed. ¡°Banking hours, liquidating stocks, transfer limits, they are all reasonable dys they¡¯ll expect from someone trying to gather ten
million dors.¡±
ir typed quickly; her fingers hadn¡¯t stopped shaking since the first message came through. She showed it to Rogers before sending.
¡°Working on the money. Need to see both Keira and the prince alive today before we can proceed with transfer. We have meeting with bank 10 am tomorrow morning for money.¡±
¡°Good, send it.¡± Rogers approved. ¡°Now we wait, but not idly.¡±
Everyone moved to the map on the table. Mitchell and his Wystovian team clustered around them, marking potential locations.
¡°The eastern harbor has three main sections,¡± Mitchell exined, circling areas with a red marker. ¡°Industrial active zone here, mid¨Charbor with mixed¨Cuse facilities, and the abandoned sector farthest east.¡±
Roman studied the map. ¡°That¡¯s still too many buildings to search before the deadline.¡±
¡°Maybe not.¡± Sutton¡¯s voice cut through the tension. She hadn¡¯t looked up from herptop where she¡¯d been working silently. ¡°I¡¯ve be running the photo through additional analysis. The angle of light through the window gives us the room¡¯s orientation. Their in a room with east¨Cfacing windows.¡±
Rogers moved to her side. ¡°That helps, but we need more.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not finished,¡± Sutton continued, her fingers flying across the keyboard. ¡°There was a reflection in the window ss, barely visible but there. I¡¯ve enhanced it and isted what appears to be apany logo on the crane.¡±
She turned herptop around, showing a blurry but recognizable insignia. ¡°Eastside Shipping. They went bankrupt three years ago.¡±
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Chapter 166
¡°That narrow¡¯s it down to four potential warehouses,¡± Mitchell said, Immediately marking them on the map.
ir¡¯s phone buzzed with an iing message. Everyone froze.
She opened it. ¡°They want proof we have the money ready to collect before they¡¯ll send another photo.¡±
¡°Negotiation tactic,¡± Rogers exined. ¡°Take a screenshot of a bank ount showing your details. We can mock it up.¡±
¡°No need,¡± Roman interrupted. ¡°I can show them the real thing.¡± He pulled out his phone, tapped through several screens, and disyed an ount with well over the demanded amount.
ir stared at him. ¡°You already moved the money?¡± No one kept that much money just sitting there doing nothing.
¡°The moment we got the ransom demand. Did you think I wouldn¡¯t?¡± Roman¡¯s expression was unreadable as he took a screenshot and sent it to ir¡¯s phone.
She forwarded it to the kidnappers with a simple message: ¡°Now show us they¡¯re alive.¡±
¡°While we wait, we need eyes on those four warehouses,¡± Rogers said, turning to Mitchell. ¡°Can your team handle surveince without being
detected?¡±
Mitchell nodded. ¡°We have men ready to move.¡±
¡°And I have drones,¡± Luca added. ¡°Small ones that look like birds, virtually silent. We can deploy them immediately.¡± Luca didn¡¯t just own Cyber10, drone technology was part of another business.
Rogers looked impressed. ¡°The Bureau could use that technology.¡±
¡°The Bureau can¡¯t afford me,¡± Luca replied coolly.
Sutton touched Luca¡¯s arm. ¡°Deploy them now. Start with the warehouse furthest from active areas.¡±
ir¡¯s phone buzzed again. This time the message contained two photos: one of Keira sitting against a wall, holding today¡¯s newspaper, and one of Prince Alexei, looking pale with a visible head injury.
¡°Oh God,¡± ir gasped, hand flying to her mouth. ¡°Prince Alexei¡¯s hurt.¡±
Mitchell didn¡¯t react, telling them he already knew.
¡°But they¡¯re alive,¡± Rogers pointed out, ¡°And the newspaper is today¡¯s. Good sign.¡±
Roman studied the new images over ir¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Sutton, can you get anything from these?¡±
Sutton took the phone straight away, connecting it to herptop. ¡°Sending them through facial recognition software first to confirm they¡¯re not manipted.¡± After a moment, she nodded. ¡°They¡¯re genuine. Now let¡¯s see what else these photos can tell us.¡±
The room fell silent as she worked, the only sound her fingers they coordinated their surveince units.
on the keyboard and the asional murmur between Mitchell anc
am as
Sutton was leaning closer to her screen. ¡°Nothing. I can see boxes but nothing on them.¡±
Rogers looked around everyone in the room. ¡°Okay, we go with what we¡¯ve got. We have just bought ourselves 24 hours.¡±
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Room Mate 167
Chapter 167
The men returned sooner than Keira expected. The door swung open with a metallic groan as three men entered. Two armed guards positioned themselves near the entrance while a third walked over to them, newspaper and phone in hand. Fucking cowards.
¡°Time for your close¨Cup,¡± the third dickhead said, all still had their faces covered, good thing right? ¡°Your families need to see you¡¯re still breathing.¡±
Keira sat up straighter and more alert. She¡¯d been watching over Alexei for thest hour, and he had seemed fine. So maybe he didn¡¯t have a brain bleed.
Her mind raced. They needed these photos, which meant her sister and Roman had asked for proof of life. That was good. It meant they were working on something. If anyone could save them it was her family.
Alexei stirred beside her on the cot, clearly disoriented from sleep and his concussion. She squeezed his arm in warning, silently urging him to get his bearings quickly.
¡°Don¡¯t make any sudden moves,¡± the man said as he stepped closer. ¡°Both of you.¡±
Keira helped Alexei to his feet, her hand steadying him as he swayed slightly. The short rest had done him some good, but the head injury still affected his bnce. The pain killers would have started to take effect at least.
Keira positioned herself so that Alexei could lean subtly against her for support.
The man thrust the newspaper toward them. ¡°Hold this. Make sure the date shows.¡±
Keira took it, noting today¡¯s date prominently disyed on the front page. A headline about market fluctuations stared back at her, surreally mundanepared to their situation.
Then he put the newspaper in front of Alexei.
The photographer adjusted his phone, aiming it at Alexei. ¡°Hold still, Your Highness.¡±
The sh went off, momentarily blinding them. Keira blinked rapidly, trying to clear her vision as the man moved to photograph her next.
She quickly scanned the room behind the photographer, desperate for any information she couldmunicate through the image. The window¨Cwhich she had made sure was in thest photo ¨C might show telltale signs of their location. If she could position herself to get it in the frame¡
But the photographer was too fast, stepping closer and adjusting his angle to focus tightly on her face and the newspaper. ¡°Don¡¯t try anything clever,¡± he warned as if reading her thoughts. ¡°Just look pathetic.¡±
The sh went off again before she could reposition herself.
Damn it, she thought. A missed opportunity. She had no idea if Sutton had been able to get anything useful from the previous photo, but this
one would offer nothing new.
¡°One more,¡± the man said, stepping back to capture them both together.
This time, Keira subtly angled herself to try getting more of the boxes and the room in the background, but the photographer noticed immediately.
¡°Don¡¯t move,¡± he barked, gesturing with his gun for her to move back.
Sheplied, frustration building in her chest as another chance slipped away.
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Chapter 167
After the photos were taken, the men backed toward the door, their weapons never wavering.
¡°Your families are being cooperative,¡± the masked man said. ¡°For now. Let¡¯s hope they stay that way, if everything goes to n, you shouta, be home tomorrow.¡±
The door nged shut behind them, the lock engaging with a heavy click.
¡°What were you doing?¡± Alexei asked once they were alone, his voice low.
to
¡°I tried to get something in the shot give our location away,¡± Keira said, frustration evident in her tone. ¡°But they were watching too closely.¡±
¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± he reassured her, though his expression remained grim. ¡°The fact that they¡¯re taking photos is good. It means negotiations are happening.¡±
Keira nodded, helping him back to the cot. ¡°You should use the bathroom while you¡¯re up. I¡¯ll stand guard.¡±
¡°Such privacy,¡± he said with a weak attempt at humor.
¡°Don¡¯t worry, Your Highness. I promise
peek at the royal jewels.¡±
That earned her a small smile. ¡°You¡¯ve already seen them in the tabloids, if I recall.¡±
¡°Those were very blurry, thankfully,¡± she retorted, relieved to see a sh of his usual self despite their circumstances.
While Alexei used the bathroom, Keira paced the room, her mind working overtime. The photos were a connection to the outside world, to
her sisters, to possible help. She needed to believe they were figuring something out. ir and Sutton wouldn¡¯t rest until they found her, and
with Roman and Luca¡¯s resources, they had a fighting chance.
When Alexei returned, she took her turn in the bathroom, grimacing at her reflection in a small, cracked mirror above the sink. Her once-
elegant updo had copsed, blonde strands falling haphazardly around her face. Her blue eyes were tired. The designer dress was torn and
filthy. She looked exactly like what she was¡ a kidnap victim.
She sshed water on her face, wetting some paper towels to clean herself as best she could. The cool water against her skin was refreshing,
momentarily clearing her head.
When she returned to the main room, she found Alexei sitting on the edge of the cot, his head in his hands.
¡°You should lie back down,¡± she said, approaching him with concern.
He looked up at her, his face pale. ¡°I¡¯ve rested enough. We need to formte a n.¡±
¡°n? Alexei, we¡¯ve searched every inch of this ce. There¡¯s no way out unless someone opens that door.¡±
¡°Then we make them open it,¡± he said.
¡°And how exactly do we do that?¡±
¡°By giving them a reason to.¡± He gestured for her to sit beside him.
Keira understood immediately. ¡°What, like start a fire or something?¡±
¡°We take advantage of their concern, or at least their concern about losing a valuable hostage and their payday.¡±
¡°It¡¯s risky,¡± she said, but considering the his idea. ¡°If they decide we¡¯re not worth the trouble¡¡±
18 19 Th? 14 Ang
¡°It¡¯s risky to do nothing, too,¡± he countered. ¡°Every hour we spend here is another hour something could go wrong with the negotiato
She couldn¡¯t argue with that logic. ¡°Can we give it a little more time? Give our families the chance first? I don¡¯t feel like dying today b bonfire. Let¡¯s get a little rest and then we¡¯ll see.¡±
¡°Why wait?¡± he asked.
¡°I know you want to get out of here and I do as well: But you¡¯re also less able to fight if ites to that,¡± she pointed out.
¡°I can fight,¡± he insisted, though the way he winced as he shifted position undermined his confidence.
could backfire killing them both. ¡°Let¡¯s Keira sighed, torn between the desperate need to act and the very real possibility that their n wait,¡± she said finally. ¡°Give your head a few more hours to recover. If we haven¡¯t heard anything by then¡ we¡¯ll try it.
Alexei looked like he wanted to argue, but nodded instead. ¡°A few more hours.¡±
They settled back onto the cot, sitting side by side against the wall, conserving energy and warmth as the warehouse grew cooler with evening¡¯s approach.
After a while, Keira realized Alexei had fallen asleep again, his head drooping slowly toward her shoulder. She didn¡¯t move away, rest against her. His breath was warm against her neck, his body a solid presence beside her in this cold, frightening ce.
She thought about their argument at the g, about the almost¨Cmoment before the kidnapping. It seemed both insignificant and monumentally important now. Life had a way of rifying priorities when survival wasn¡¯t guaranteed.
If they made it out of here¡ when they made it out¡ what then?
The questions swirled in her mind as she watched the sky through the high window. Freedom.
letting him
But first, she wanted to clean him up. She gently extricated herself from beside him, careful not to wake him as sheid him down on the cot She went to the bathroom again, wetting more paper towels, and returned to his side.
With gentle movements, she cleaned the dried blood from his temple and face, her touch careful around the wound. Even unconscious, his features were striking, with his strong jaw, the darkshes against his pale skin.
¡°We¡¯re getting out of here,¡± she whispered, more to herself than to him. ¡°Both of us.¡±
As she worked, her mind drifted to her sisters. Were they looking at these same warehouses right now? Were they close? She had to believe they were. ir and Sutton would move heaven and earth to find her. And with Roman and Luca¡¯s resources, plus whatever Alexei¡¯s father was doing¡ someone had to be getting close.
She just hoped they¡¯d find them before she and Alexei had to risk everything on their desperate n.
When she finished cleaning his face, Alexei stirred, his eyes fluttering open to meet hers. For a moment, they simply looked at each other.
¡°Thank you,¡± he murmured, reaching for her hand.
She let him take it, his fingers intertwining with hers. ¡°We¡¯re going to get through this,¡± she said firmly.
¡°Together,¡± he agreed, his voice stronger than before.
Outside their prison, as daylight faded, unknown to them, the gears of their rescue were already turning, closing in on their location with every passing moment.
7818 [nu, 14 Aug
Chapter 168
Chapter 168
Room Mate 168
Chapter 168
Chapter 168
Nightfall brought a chill that seeped through the warehouse walls. Alexei¡¯s eyes had closed again, his body¡¯s desperate attempt to heat kref stealing his consciousness in waves. Hours passed with nothing but silence beyond their prison.
Keira wrapped her arms around herself, shivering slightly as she watched the square of night sky through the high window. The room had darkened to the point where Alexei¡¯s face was just a pale oval in the gloom. She had turned out the light which hadn¡¯t been great in this no one¡¯s found us¡¡± He let the implication hang in the air.
¡°They¡¯re looking for us,¡± she said firmly. ¡°ir, Sutton, Roman, Luca¨Cthey won¡¯t stop until they find us.¡±
¡°I know.¡± His hand found hers in the darkness, squeezing gently. ¡°My father, too. Between all of them, there¡¯s a good chance they¡¯re close
already.¡±
¡°But we can¡¯t count on it.¡±
¡°No.¡± His thumb traced small circles on her palm. ¡°We need to be ready to help ourselves.¡±
They fell silent again, nning silently, each lost in their own thoughts. Eventually, Alexei shifted on the narrow cot, making space-
¡°You should try to sleep too,¡± he said. ¡°We both need rest.¡±
¡°I¡¯m going to use the bathroom first,¡± she said,
She slipped off the cot and padded across the concrete floor to the small bathroom. Inside, she took care of business quickly, then used the sink, staring at her reflection in the cracked mirror. Her face still looked dirty, her makeup long gone.
Making a decision, she stripped off and took a shower, scrubbing away the grime as best she could with just water.
Once done she used some paper towel to dry herself as best she could.
Then she looked at her underwear, grimacing. The thought of putting the same pair back on after all they¡¯d been through made her skin
crawl.
She just couldn¡¯t do it, taking them to the sink, she washed them thoroughly, wringing them out before draping them over the edge to dry on some paper towels. It wasn¡¯t like Alexei hadn¡¯t seen women¡¯s underwear before¡just not hers. The thought made her cheeks warm despite
their situation.
When she returned to the main room, wearing only her dirty dress because the dress didn¡¯t allow for a bra, Alexei had stretched out on the cot, his long frame taking up most of the space. He shifted when he heard her approach, making room without a word.
¡°Better?¡± he asked as she hesitated beside the cot.
¡°As good as it gets in this ce.¡± She gestured vaguely toward the bathroom. ¡°I, uh, washed out my underwear. They¡¯re drying.¡±
If he was surprised or amused, he didn¡¯t show it. He simply nodded. ¡°Why Miss Warner.¡±
Keira lowered herself carefully onto the edge of the cot, suddenly hyper¨Caware of theck of fabric between her and the dress. Alexei reached for her, pulling her down to rest against him. She tensed momentarily, then rxed as he settled her head on his shoulder, his arm wrapping
around her.
¡°Is this okay?¡± he asked, his voice low in her ear.
¡°Yeah,¡± she breathed, surprised by how okay it actually was. ¡°It¡¯s warmer this way.¡±
His chuckle vibrated through his chest. ¡°Practical as always.¡±
Theyy together in silence, their bodies gradually rxing against each other. Despite everything, the danger, the uncertainty, the fear Keira found herself growing drowsy, lulled by Alexei¡¯s steady heartbeat beneath her cheek.
¡°Why did you walk away at the g?¡± he asked suddenly, his voice quiet in the darkness.
The question caught her off guard. She lifted her head slightly, trying to see his expression, but his face was shadowed.
¡°I was scared,¡± she admitted after a moment.
¡°Of me?¡±
¡°Of this.¡± She gestured between them, though he probably couldn¡¯t see the movement. ¡°Of feeling something I can¡¯t control.¡±
His hand moved to her hair, fingers tangling gently in the strands. ¡°And now?¡±
¡°Now we¡¯re locked in a warehouse by kidnappers, and I¡¯m lying in your arms in a dirty dress with no underwear on.¡± She gave a short . ¡°Perspective changes things.¡±
¡°That¡¯s not an answer.¡±
THU, TA AU 1 T
She sighed, letting her head drop back to his shoulder. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Alexei. I¡¯ve spent so long pushing people away that I¡¯m not sure remember how to let someone in. I scare men you see. I can¡¯t always control my mouth, and I seem to get myself in trouble
¡°You let me in and I see you for who you are,¡± he pointed out. ¡°You fight me
refreshing that is.¡±
every turn and don¡¯t take my bullshit. Do you know how
¡°That¡¯s different.¡±
¡°Is it?¡± His fingers continued their gentle movement through her hair. ¡°Or is it just that being here, like this, strips away all the bullshit
reasons we tell ourselves why something won¡¯t work?¡±
Keira was silent, considering his words. Was that it? Had it taken a kidnapping for her to finally admit to herself that what she felt for Alexei wasn¡¯t just attraction or annoyance or rivalry, but something deeper?
¡°Maybe,¡± she conceded finally. ¡°But eve
if that¡¯s true, it doesn¡¯t change the fact that we¡¯re from different worlds. Your family¡ and my family don¡¯t belong in the same ying fields.¡±
¡°Are all probably working together
thinks anymore?¡±
now to find us,¡± he finished for her. ¡°And even if they weren¡¯t, do you really care what anyone else
She didn¡¯t have an answer for that. Instead, she changed the subject. ¡°We should sleep. If we¡¯re going to try something in the morning, we
need to be rested.¡±
Alexei sighed, but didn¡¯t push. ¡°You¡¯re right. Sleep.¡±
He shifted his position slightly, making himself morefortable without dislodging her. His arm remained around her, a warm weight that made her feel strangely secure despite their circumstances.
As Keira drifted toward sleep, she found herself wondering what would happen when¡if¡ they got out of here. Would things go back to normal? Would she and Alexei return to their careful distance, their verbal sparring? Or had something fundamental changed between them in this cold, scary ce?
She wasn¡¯t sure she wanted to know the answer.
Keira woke slowly, disoriented in the darkness. For a moment, she forgot where she was, her mind reaching for thefort of her own bed before reality crashed back. The warehouse. The kidnapping. Alexei.
She blinked, her eyes adjusting to the dim light from the bathroom. The cot beneath her was hard and ufortable, but Alexei¡¯s body provided unexpected warmth against the warehouse chill.
She found him watching her, his eyes glinting in the shadows, His gaze was intense.
They stared at each other in silence. Seconds stretched into what felt like minutes, the air between them charged with unspoken words. His face was so close to hers that she could feel his breath warm against her cheek.
Keira didn¡¯t move, couldn¡¯t move. Something was happening, something that had started to change between them. Had they not been kidnapped Keira was sure she would have pushed him away maintaining the wall between them.
Alexei¡¯s hand rose slowly, brushing a strand of hair from her face with gentle fingers. His touch lingered against her cheek, questioning.
¡°Keira,¡± he whispered, her name a question and answer all at once.
Before she could respond, he leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers. The kiss was soft, hesitant giving her every chance to pull away
But she didn¡¯t pull away.
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1818 Thuy 1 N
Instead, she found herself kissing him back, her body responding to his as if it had been waiting for this moment. His mouth was warms against hers, the kiss deepening as her fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt.
The danger surrounding them temporarily forgotten. There was only this¡his lips on hers, his hands threading through her hair
When they finally broke apart, Keira¡¯s heart was racing. She stared at him, breathless.
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Room Mate 169
Chapter 169
¡°We should stop,¡± she said, but her tone was convincing.
¡°Please don¡¯t,¡± Alexei murmured against her lips, his hand cupping the back of her neck as he pulled back slightly. ¡°I don¡¯t want to stop.
¡°Alexei,¡± she breathed.
She didn¡¯t pull away again. She didn¡¯t ask if this was a good idea or a mistake. He kissed her and she didn¡¯t hesitate in kissing him back. Instead something inside her melted, like it finally clicked in ce.
She groaned when he was the one to break their kiss.
Alexei lifted his hand, tracing the line of her jaw, the pads of his fingers along her jawline his touch warm against her skin. Keira met his gaze.
He was a man of contradictions, one who provoked and frustrated her, but also one who had stood between her and danger. If they ever got out of here, did she dare tell him he had stolen a piece of her heart? Was she ready for that? For him? This is all they might have.
Alexei¡¯s thumb traced her bottom lip with tenderness. ¡°I need you to be sure about this, Keira. Because once we cross this line¡
¡°I know.¡± Her voice caught. ¡°But I do¡ I want you. I need you.¡± She hadn¡¯t meant for it toe out so needy
The admission hung between them, it hadn¡¯t just been needy but raw and honest.
She could see his eyes darken, pupils dting in the dim light filtering from the bathroom. She watched him struggle with restraint, his jaw clenched tight.
¡°Maybe here isn¡¯t the right choice,¡± he said finally. ¡°Not in this ce.¡±
¡°Where else is there?¡± She shifted closer, her body pressing against his on the narrow cot. ¡°This might be all we have.¡± Keira was surprised that she was the one pushing for sex.
For them both tomorrow was uncertain. Rescue was a hope, not a guarantee. They could die at any time. This moment, this feeling between them, might be their only chance.
She watched him fight with himself, but finally Alexei¡¯s resolve cracked. His mouth crashed against hers, desperate and hungry. She responded immediately, her hands fisting in his shirt as she pulled him closer. The kiss was nothing like the tentative exploration from moments before. This was need, greedy and consuming.
His hands roamed her back, fingers finding the zipper of her dress just above her bottom. The sound of it sliding down seemed very loud in the silence. Cool air hit her bare skin, making her shiver.
¡°You¡¯re so fucking hot,¡± he whispered against her throat, pressing open¨Cmouthed kisses along the column of her neck.
Keira cried out and arched beneath him, her hands working at the buttons of his shirt. Each one that came undone revealed more of the chest she¡¯d glimpsed earlier, muscles defined from years of training. He was no soft royal. Her palms ttened against his skin, feeling the rapid beat of his heart.
¡°Your head, should we be doing this,¡± she asked worried about him hurting himself more.
¡°Is fine, my head isn¡¯t as bad now,¡± he assured her, as he shifted above her. ¡°Now I have you where I want you, I¡¯m not going to stop.¡±
He used both hands to pull her dress down over her shoulders, teaving her bare from the waist up. Alexei¡¯s eyes wandered across her naked skin with an adoration that stole the air from her lungs. No man had ever looked at her like that, like she was something precious and perfect. Not like she had slept with heaps of men¡ Just two, but they had found her too hard to handle. So the rtionships had fizzled out quickly.
His mouth followed the path his eyes had taken, pressing kisses to her corbone, the swell of her breasts. When his lips cloud drowne nipple, she gasped, her back arching off the thin mattress. His hot mouth sucking her like that was so¡unbelievably excitin
¡°Alexel,¡± she breathed, her fingers tangling in his dark hair.
He gave attention to first one breast, then the other, his tongue creating sensations that shot straight to her core. She¡¯d never been particrly sensitive there, but under his skill, every touch felt electric. She felt her core fill with heat and flood in readiness.
Her hands explored the broad expanse of his shoulders, memorizing the feel of warm skin over hard muscle. When her fingers found the waistband of his pants, he caught her wrists gently.
¡°Let me,¡± he murmured, his voice rough with want. ¡°Let me take care of you first.¡±
Before she could protest, he was sliding down her body, pressing kisses to her ribs, her stomach. His hands worked the dress down her hips, taking it with him as he moved lower. Soon she was naked beneath him, vulnerable and exposed in a way that should have terrified her.
She didn¡¯t, she felt powerful. The way he looked at her, touched her, worshipped her with his mouth and hands, made her feel like a goddess.
When his lips pressed against the sensitive skin of her inner thigh, she trembled. He was taking his time, building anticipation with soft kisses and gentle touches that had her writhing beneath him. He woulde so close to her core before moving away. He was being a tease.
¡°Please,¡± she whispered, not caring how desperate she sounded.
He looked up at her, eyes dark with desire. ¡°Tell
me
What.
you want.¡±
Heat flooded her cheeks, but she forced herself to meet his gaze. ¡°You. I want you.¡±
His smile was pure sin. ¡°Where?¡±
The question sent fire racing through her veins. She¡¯d never been good at talking during sex, had always been too self¨Cconscious. But something about Alexei, about this moment, stripped away her inhibitions. She felt like she could do anything without shame or embarrassment.
¡°Everywhere,¡± she admitted. ¡°Touch me everywhere. I don¡¯t care just get to it.¡±
He rewarded her honesty by pressing his mouth to her center, his tongue finding her most sensitive spot with frightening uracy. The sensation was so intense she cried out, her hips bucking against his mouth. She was already so wet and having him there made her core clench even without him inside.
He held her steady with strong hands not letting her move, his tongue working some pretty awesome magic that had her gasping and moaning. She¡¯d never felt anything like this, had never been touched with such skill or maybe the chemistry just hadn¡¯t been there. But then again her other lovers had been around her age. Younger men seemed to not have the slow pace of love making that Alexei did. They had been focused on their own pleasure. Alexei seemed determined to drive her insane with want. She put a hand over her mouth to stop crying. out. Remembering almost toote where they were.
When he slipped one finger inside her, she nearly came apart. Thebination of his mouth and his hand had her teetering on the edge of something overwhelming and faster than she would have guessed was possible.
¡°Let go,¡± he murmured against her skin. ¡°I¡¯ve got you.¡±
The gentlemand was her undoing. The orgasm crashed over her like a wave, stealing her breath and making her vision blur. She cried out his name, grateful her hand was over her mouth, her body convulsing with pleasure inside and out as he worked her through it with gentle strokes of his tongue.
When the tremors finally subsided, shey boneless beneath him, chest heaving. He pressed soft kisses to her thighs, her stomach, working his way back up her body until he was lying beside her again.
Chapter 169
**That was¡¡± she started, then trailed off, unable to find words,
Just the beginning,¡± he promised, his hand stroking her hair.
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Chapter 170
She turned toward him, her hands working at his belt. ¡°Your turn.¡±
But he caught her hands again, his expression suddenly serious. ¡°Keira, we need to talk about protection.¡±
Reality crashed back in. They were in a warehouse, held captive, with no ess to contraception. The responsible thing would be to stop, to wait until they were safe and could take.
proper precautions.
But looking into his eyes, feeling the connection between them that had nothing to do with physical attraction and everything to do with something deeper, she found she didn¡¯t care about being responsible. They may never get another chance at this. If things went badly she wanted to experience this. Forget doing the right thing.
¡°Are you on the pill?¡± he asked, his voice strained with the effort of stopping when they were both so far gone.
¡°No,¡± she admitted. ¡°But it wouldn¡¯t matter. I couldn¡¯t get to it
His jaw tightened. ¡°If we do this, you could get pregnant.¡±
anyway.¡±
The words made her freeze, thinking of her cycle. ¡°I should be okay. Wrong time of the month.¡± It wasn¡¯t entirely true, it was close, but she didn¡¯t want to stop. Couldn¡¯t stop. Not now. She needed him regardless of what cameter.
Something flickered in his eyes, control warring with desire. ¡°Keira¡¡±
¡°I know the risks,¡± she said firmly. ¡°I¡¯m choosing this. Choosing you. Please.¡±
For a moment she thought he might argue, might do the responsible thing for once which would really piss her off. Then his control snappedpletely. He kissed her hard, pouring all his pent¨Cup need into the connection of their mouths. She could taste herself and it pushed her renewed desire into overdrive.
She helped him out of his remaining clothes, her hands shaking with anticipation. When he was finally naked beside her, she took a moment to appreciate the full picture. He was beautiful, all lean muscle and golden skin, exactly as magnificent as the tabloid photos had suggested but somehow more real, more hers. ¡°Shit, you are hung.¡±
¡°Keira.¡±
¡°Sorry but it had to be said.¡± She had never seen one so big. She wasn¡¯t talking stupid like you would read about in women¡¯s books. But it had to be a good length; the thing that worried her was how thick he was. Was that normal?
He positioned himself above her, his weight supported on his forearms, making her forget her line of thinking once he nudged her, oh god the heat.
¡°Are you sure?¡± he asked but she could hear he was so close.
¡°Stop asking, I¡¯m more sure than I¡¯ve ever been about anything,¡± she replied without hesitation.
He entered her slowly, giving her time to adjust. The feeling of him filling her, and
Chapter 170
consuming. Alexel¡¯s restraint shattered as Keira¡¯s nails raked down his sweaty back, her body arching beneath him.
Harder,¡± she gasped against his ear, her voice rough with need.
He responded immediately, his hips driving into her with increased force. The narrow cot creaked beneath them with each powerful thrust but neither cared about the noise. The world had narrowed to this moment, this connection between them. He was hitting somewhere inside her she had never experienced before.
Keira¡¯s breath came in short pants as he pounded into her, each stroke hitting deeper than thest hitting that spot. The intensity was almost overwhelming, but she craved more. She¡¯d never felt so thoroughly imed, sopletely possessed.
¡°Like that,¡± she whispered, her legs tightening around his waist. ¡°Don¡¯t stop.¡±
Alexei¡¯s control was gone entirely now. He grabbed her thigh pulling it higher up his body as he drove into her relentlessly, his movements rough and demanding. The sound of skin against skin echoed in the small space, mingling with their ragged breathing and muffled cries.
¡°You¡¯re so fucking tight,¡± he groaned, his voice strained with the effort of holding back his release. ¡°So perfect.¡±
The words sent heat spiraling through her core. She could feel another orgasm building, more intense than the first. Her inner walls clenched around him, drawing a harsh curse from his lips.
¡°I¡¯m close,¡± she panted, her fingers digging into his shoulders. She knew she would be leaving marks on him but didn¡¯t care.
¡°Come for me,¡± hemanded, his rhythm bing even more punishing. ¡°Let me feel you. I need you to let go.¡±
Thebination of his words and the relentless pace pushed her over the edge. She bit down on his shoulder to muffle her cry as
the
orgasm tore through her, more powerful than anything she¡¯d ever experienced. Her body convulsed around him, muscles contracting in
waves.
Alexei followed her over, his own release iming him with a force that left him shaking. He buried his face in her neck, his body rigid as he
spilled inside her with a low, guttural groan.
Theyy tangled together afterward, both breathing hard. Keira¡¯s body still trembled with aftershocks, oversensitive and sated. She mped down on him one more time and shuttered.
Alexei¡¯s weight pressed her into the thin mattress, but she didn¡¯t want him to move.
¡°Jesus,¡± she whispered when she could finally speak.
He lifted his head to look at her, his eyes still dark with satisfaction. ¡°Are you okay?¡±
¡°More than okay.¡± She traced the line of his jaw with trembling fingers. ¡°That was¡¡±
¡°Intense,¡± he finished for her.
She nodded, unable to find better words. Nothing had prepared her for the raw intensity of being with him like this. The desperation of their situation had stripped away all pretense, all careful control, leaving only pure need and connection.
Alexei shifted slightly, but didn¡¯t withdraw from her body. ¡°No regrets?¡±
¡°None,¡± she said firmly, surprising herself with the certainty in her voice.
¡°I¡¯m d.¡±
¡°We should clean up,¡± Keira said reluctantly. ¡°Get dressed.¡±
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Chapter 170
Alexei nodded, though he made no move to release her. ¡°Five more minutes¡±
She smiled against his chest. ¡°Five more minutes.¡±
When they finally forced themselves to move, they took turns in the small bathroom, cleaning up as best they could. Keira retrieved her underwear, now dry, and slipped back into her ruined dress. Alexei redressed in his wrinkled clothes.
They settled back on the cot together..
¡°What happens when we get out of here?¡± Keira asked, voicing the question that hung between them.
¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Alexei admitted. ¡°But I want to find out. Do you?¡±
She looked into his eyes, seeing her own hope reflected there. ¡°Yeah,¡± she said softly. ¡°I do.¡±
His smile caught the faint light as he drew her closer, settling her head
on his
shoulder again.
¡°We need to rest,¡± Keira murmured.
¡°I know.¡± His words came from above. ¡°Don¡¯t leave my arms.¡®
Fatigue pulled at her despite her attempts to remain awake.
¡°Rest,¡± Alexei whispered, reading her resistance.
¡°You need sleep as well. Your injury-¡±
¡°It¡¯s ok.¡± He brushed his lips across her forehead. ¡°Rest, Keira. I¡¯ve got you.¡±
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