Saturday afternoon Blair was sitting 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 peace while she was involved in her book. She spied him through the glass doors leading outside. He was still on the phone. Shrugging, she could answer the door. Putting her book aside, Blair got up and cross to the door. Looking through the side glass panel, to see a gorgeous man standing there. He was tall, taller than Roman, with thick midnight black hair and dark eyes. This must be Roman’s friend from university. Blair 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 place. Blair wasn’t sure if Roman had said anything about her to him. “I see Roman still has impeccable taste. I don’t mean to be rude, but Roman told me he couldn’t be late tonight because he had plans. No
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 eighteen last 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 glass, staring at the amber
Blair allowed Roman to drop her off near her sister’s place on Sunday morning. 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 to come?” Blair 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 planned before, or was it because they had hooked up? She believed him that he had every intention of looking at a place. Roman didn’t lie or make up stories. “What property?” Blair hadn’t even known he wanted a weekender. She wondered if she would know the place.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 n
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 the last 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. The service had been going only a few minutes before Blair realized it was directed at Sutton. Small town churches were really out of step with the modern world. Blair 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.” Blair 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. Blair gave them a what are you looking at smile before ignoring them again. Blair blocked out what father Johnson w
Blair 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 roasted lamb 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. Paula stood near the fireplace, quiet, her hands clasped tightly in front of her.Dan was already seated, one arm draped lazily 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. Blair hated him.Then the door creaked open behind them. She knew before she even turned. Laura. Just great.So all the key players were here. This was going to be explosive.Blair’s breath caught for half a second before she forced herself to exhale, slow and controlled. Laura stepped inside, scanning the room
Heads snapped towards the entrance as heavy footsteps stormed down the hall. The tension in the room thickened. Blair’s pulse pounded in her ears.Roman.He filled the doorway, broad-shouldered and furious, his dark eyes sweeping across the room looking for a target. His 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 went completely silent. Everyone just stared at the new player who had entered the fray. “Well, shit.” Blair 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?”Blair 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.Roman d
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 Blair. “Are we sure we can’t let him punch Dan? Just one time?”Blair looked at her younger sister.“Just a little, pretty please.” Keira put her hands together like she was praying Blair would say yes.Sutton sighed, ever the voice of reason. “Blair, you should probably say something before this...” she waved a hand between Roman and Dan. “Turns into a crime scene.”Blair 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,” sh
The second Blair 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.Blair 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 circular driveway. “Best family dinner I’ve ever been to. Although we didn’t get to actually eat anything.”Blair turned to find Keira and Sut
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 Blair’s parents had been set up…if their deaths were more than just a tragic accident, 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. “Blair 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 placed 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 also combed through the estate filings and legal
“Blair,” Peters said in greeting before turning to Roman’s office. “Is he ready for me?”She nodded, pressing the intercom. “Roman, Peters is here.”“Send him in,” Roman’s voice came through.Blair waved him through, watching as he disappeared into Roman’s office. Something was going on. Peters had been in Roman’s office a lot lately. Curiosity itched at her, but she pushed it aside and turned back to her work. She was not going to think about this coming 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 place 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
Blair 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.“Blair?” she answered, her voice immediately suspicious. “Are you okay?”Blair rolled her eyes. “Nice to talk to you, too.”“Uh-huh. Sorry, but it’s unlike you to call during a workday unless it’s important. What’s wrong?”“Can you talk?” Blair pinched the bridge of her nose.“Yes, just give me a moment. I’ll head to the ladies’ bathroom.” Blair heard Sutton explain 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,” Blair 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 dist
Roman leaned against the cool marble sink, watching Blair 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,” Blair muttered, adjusting the last 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.”Blair shot him a glare through the mirror. “Well, you sure do like messy me up.” Then she flashed 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—though I personally prefer the thoroughly ruined version of you. I love your hair down and wil
Roman’s grip tightened on Blair’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 glass of the floor-to-ceiling 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 glass, 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 to 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.Blair’s breath hitched, bu
Blair 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 Dan last week. It felt like whiplash 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, and completely outside her control.She swallowed hard, trying to focus. “This is crazy.”Roman’s lips curled slightly, but there was no humor in his exp
Roman stepped out of his office, his mind still spinning from the encounter with Jessica. He clenched his jaw as he spotted Blair and Kara talking over Blair’s desk. Blair’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 manipulative and has no boundaries. You don’t have to apologize for her.”Kara looked relieved, nodding quickly. Blair, 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.“Blair. My office. Now.”He didn’t wait for a response, just turned and walked back inside, knowing she would follow. And she did. A moment later, she was shutting the door behind her,
Roman didn’t expect Blair 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 flared. 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 occupying his mind, like he hadn’t spent the last 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 planning this too long for this to be anything but serious. He just needed to convince Blair 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, scho
Blair stored her handbag and placed 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.”Blair 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 relationships.”“Exactly,” Blair shot back. “You weren’t thinking. And now she knows about us. She won’t say anything, but it’s