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Very gently, I ended the kiss, wrapping my arm around her shoulders instead of gripping her nape to hold her steady. I pulled her to me and let her cling while we both caught our breath. I could feel her trembling, but she still clung to my shirt. One arm slid up my chest to hook around my neck, and I breathed a sigh of relief. She was accepting me. At least for the moment.
“You good, baby?”
She didn’t speak, but nodded, still clinging to me. I kissed the top of her head before resting my chin there and held her for long moments. Finally, she pushed away and turned to open the door to her and Serelda’s room.
“Thank you, Roman.” She didn’t look at me. “For everything.”
“You have my number in your phone?”
She nodded.
“I want you to text me. Or call. If you need anything. If you want to talk.”
She turned to look at me over her shoulder. “Do you really mean that?”
“I do, Winter. I expect it. I find out you needed something -- anything -- and didn’t call me, I’ll be pissed. You get lonely or wake up in the night and can’t go back to sleep, I expect a call.”
She glanced over my shoulder. “Are you going back to the party?”
I held her gaze. “I’ll be there with Sting and Iris. Maybe Brick. No one else. You want to join me, you’re always welcome.”
Again, she looked over my shoulder before ducking her head. I glanced behind me where a club whore had draped herself lazily against the wall two doors down from us. It was obvious she was waiting on me to leave Winter so she could approach me. Yeah, it was going to take some time for the whores to get the message. I didn’t blame them. It was what they were here for. To provide sex to the men. They were chosen specifically for that purpose. They kept the club members satisfied when they were called upon, and they entertained any guests we invited over. Especially if there was business involved. A little bit of playing always made for smoother deals. I’d taken my fill from time to time, but never again. It often made for competition amongst the women. Each of them had men they enjoyed or wanted for themselves. They never landed a brother for more than a night or two at a time, but it didn’t prevent them from trying. Besides, Sting was the only one of us with a woman. Warlock had had Bev, but that was it. And they were both gone now. The whores hadn’t adapted to the new surroundings yet. They would.
“Will you have… company?”
“No, Winter. The only woman I’ll have with me is you. You don’t feel like joining us now, that’s OK.”
Her lips parted on a little gasp. “I don’t… I don’t understand.” Her voice was so soft it was hard to make out her words. Her face flushed scarlet, and she brought her fingertips to her lips, then moved her palm to cover the worst scar over her cheek, which she’d tried to cover with heavy makeup.
“Then I’ll spell it out for you, baby.” I stepped back into her space, placing one arm beside her head on the door. “I’m not gonna be with a club girl or any other woman for any reason. I got my eye on you. I’m not a nice man, but I never go back on my word, and I never betray those I care about. I won’t betray you, Winter. Not with another woman. Not for any reason.”
“You don’t know me. I’m not even sure if I can…” She trailed off, swallowing nervously. “I have a past that’s not pretty.”
“We all have pasts, Winter. Yours might be uglier than some, but everyone has things that haunt them.”
“But mine might not let me carry things any further than we just went.”
“Then I’ll have a lot of showers in my future to take things in hand.” I leaned in and kissed her lips lightly. “You don’t want to take a chance, that’s your choice. But if you trust me, I swear I’ll never betray that trust.”
“You’ll stop if I say?”
“Honey, always. No matter when or why. I will never hurt you. Especially not like that.”
She nodded several times, still casting furtive glances at the club girl watching us intently. “I -- I’ll think about it.” With a glance up at me and a small smile, she took the plate back, entered her room and shut the door.
For the first time in my life, I felt a thrill of… something. Excitement? Nervousness? Peace… Seemed like an oxymoron, but there it was. I’d known I wanted her before, but this…
Winter was the woman I wanted for myself. She had scars. Both physical and emotional. She wouldn’t be easy, but I knew in my very soul she would be worth all the effort it would take to be with her. Winter… was mine. She seemed to have destroyed her demons, but they still haunted her. Anyone could see that just by looking at her. Tonight, when I’d kissed her? I think that was the first time she’d ever considered she might want something from a man. I could see her struggling but wanting to embrace the pleasure she’d found. With gentleness and a lot of coaxing, I thought I could give her what she needed. And make her crave so much more. The tentative nature she showed to me now was so at odds with the women who’d taken it to the club girls harassing her that it was oddly stimulating. I didn’t want a simpering female, and that wasn’t Winter. But shewasvulnerable. Which meant I had to be careful.
I rested my palm against the door after she’d closed it. So help me God, if it was the last thing I did, I’d make that woman realize she was so much more than the sum of her scars.
* * *
Winter
I’d never felt so alive as I did when Roman had kissed me. I stood there with my back to the door, the plate of food for Serelda in my hands, and my heart raced. I wanted to run back out that door and straight into his arms. At the same time, I was terrified.
“Winter?” Serelda came from the bedroom. “What’s wrong? What happened?” Serelda looked alarmed and like she might dissolve into tears at any moment.
