AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Roman,” I call out as I enter his apartment off the elevator. The place is quiet, so I’m not sure if he is home yet from his father's.
Roman walks out of his room half naked, wearing a pair of loose cotton shorts that fall to his hips, extenuating the delicious V of his abdomen muscles and the small trail of dark hair just above the waistband. His usually styled hair is ruffled and messy and damp. It’s clear I’ve arrived just as he was getting dressed. He is freshly showered; I can still smell the soap. I knew he had tattoos as a few peaked out from his dress shirt onto his hands, but never had I imagined they continued up his well-toned arms and onto his unbelievably defined chest. Broad shoulders are covered in more ink, some patterns, words, and symbols all intricately entwined with each other. He pulls a white t-shirt over his head, ruffling his hair more.
I am so used to ever seen Roman in expensive powerful suits that make him look serious, mature, and very wealthy. Take that suit away from the man, and he is just that. A man. He looks younger, and despite the tattoos, he looks less severe and more relaxed.
“Thank you for helping me. I didn’t know what to do?” I immediately look to the floor, feeling the awkwardness creep in.
“I’m glad you called me.” His low husky voice sends a new wave of shivers through my body, and I actually and very obviously shiver.
“You’re soaking,” he remarks, coming to stand in front of me.
“Yep, it’s raining.” I hold up my wet duffle. “Everything is wet.”
He smiles amusingly. “I can see that.” I feel the warmth coming off him as he stands so close to me, and I shiver again.
“Austin hasn’t called me back or answered my texts. I’m worried something has happened to him.”
“Go and have a hot shower; get changed while I make a few calls.”
I shake my head. “No, he might call me. Besides, I have nothing dry to wear.”
Roman steps closer, resting his hands on my shoulders and then running them down my arms. He leans his head down, so it’s close to mine.
“I wasn’t asking.” His touch is a prickle of heat on my cold wet skin. “You’re dripping water all over my floor.”
I step back from him and look at the puddle I've made on his floor with a guilty smile. “Sorry.”
“I have a robe on the back of my bathroom door. You can wear that for now. There are fresh towels in the cupboard under the vanity.”
I look up at him, weak and vulnerable, handing him my phone. “Take my phone in case Austin calls.”
He takes it from me and stares at me for the longest time, his eyes hungry as they peruse over my wet clothes sticking tightly to every curve of my body.
I can’t help but think in this moment, dressed the way he is, looking at me the way he is, that we are just two ordinary people. An ordinary man, not an esteemed lawyer, not my boss, not a criminal. An ordinary woman, not a charity case, not a poor orphan, not his employee. Just an ordinary man looking at an ordinary woman, both falling and both feeling something that could be extraordinary.
Chapter Thirty
Roman
PACING BACK AND FORTH, I hang up the phone with Kade and then call Moretti, asking if he’s seen Austin, and if he does to contact me immediately. Kade had good news that he’d successfully located the Mexican that Liam had hired and had eradicated the issue. I’ve arranged for two men to be on watch over Liam around the clock and another two to watch over my father. I don’t trust Liam, and if he was prepared to harm me, after my father's reaction to him tonight, I wouldn’t put it past him to go after him now too. In a matter of minutes, Liam has lost everything, and that could drive him to do something crazy. So, I’m covering all bases while my father makes his final decision on what Liam's fate will be in this family.
While making calls, I reached out to Marshall at the Boston police department. He confirmed he was looking for information that could assist an ongoing investigation into Moretti’s strip club and suspicions of money laundering. I’ve promised him a nice bonus to be delivered to him tomorrow to cease his investigation. Marshall is a dirty cop, and it did not take much convincing to drop the case. Recognizing that money speaks louder for Marshall, I ensured the offer was enticing enough to secure his cooperation.
Indie is in the shower, and I can’t get the image of her out of my head. Her clothes were so wet that they hugged every inch of her body. I imagine her naked in my shower right now, and it’s taking everything in me to not strip off and join her.
I move to my bar and pour myself a large glass of whiskey, taking long sips as I resume my pacing. While I’m happy Indie called me for help, I can’t help the tug of concern in the pit of my gut. After our argument at the office today, Indie was the last person I expected to call me. I knew the moment I saw her name light up on my phone, that something was terribly wrong for her, of all people, to be ringing me. After the way she left the office today, I’d thought it was solely to do with me and the debt I’d added. Yet tonight, at my father's place, I learned there was so much more to it. I’m definitely going to be bringing it up with her. Why wouldn’t she say something to me? Surely after what happened at the hospital, she would know I would not stand for him to speak out of line to her.
My face heats with possessive anger as I clench my fists. Something inside me twisted tonight. I was already pissed at him when I reached my father's house, seeking him out, but hearing her name on his lips, hearing him call her a liar, talking about her as though she’s insignificant, boiled my blood. That’s the moment I knew. That was the exact moment I realized I had fallen in love with her. The precise moment I knew I was completely fucked.
Taking another sip from my glass, I peer up, feeling her presence. She’s standing at the end of the hall watching me, wearing my white robe that is way too big for her. She looks adorable. The oversized sleeves hide her hands, and the bottom of it bunches on the floor around her feet.
“Better?”
“Yes, thank you,” she says meekly, looking embarrassed as she steps into the living room.
“Can I get you a drink?”
“I could really go for a vodka if you have it.”
