Roman looked outside his window and when he looked back at her, she felt like the moment had passed.
To show her he what? He was sorry? He loved her?
That last one had her mentally laughing at herself as she went back to their conversation. She had to stop doing this to herself.
So he thought they could stop having sex while in the same house? And then what would they do? Play card games?
"I don't know how I feel about us sleeping together again, but I know we’ll keep doing it," she admitted. "You've been good to me and I'm very grateful for what you've done for my parents but I guess... I guess seeing your family and hearing what they think of me just hammered in the fact that we’re from different
Roman had pulled off deals in his life that had seemed impossible to others. He’d made risky calls that would have cost him everything if he’d lost. He’d sat across negotiating tables with men who ran the world and still left them in his dust. Not that he was a gambling man. Every business move he made was calculated, and he always made sure he could win, even with the risks.But none of those situations had been as terrifying as this.He adjusted the vase full of flowers on the table and then stepped back to inspect it. It still didn’t look right. Everything had to be perfect. He couldn’t control the outcome of the conversation but he could control this.He picked it up and moved it to the other end of the table, and then realised it would be t
Eve didn’t even greet Pam when she answered the phone, she went straight to her question.“Why did you do it? I thought we were friends.”There was silence on the phone for a moment and then what sounded like a sob.“I’m sorry,” Pam said.She walked into the lounge to get some privacy. After the day she’d had with Esther and her comments the last thing she’d needed was some more drama. But Esther was a stranger and Pam was someone she had thought she could be friends with. That betrayal hurt more than anything Roman’s family could say to her.“That’s not good enough, Pam. You turn
Roman felt numb as he stood at the bottom of the stairs.He was still standing there when Evelyn came back down a few minutes later with her handbag. It was like watching his life fall apart in slow motion. Tears were still falling down her cheeks and she looked... destroyed. He’d destroyed her. He had done this.She stopped a little distance away from him as if she couldn’t bear to come any closer. She didn’t even look at him.“Where are the car keys?” Evelyn asked.She was leaving him. He knew that this was it, that she would never come near him again. He’d fucked up.“Evelyn, I’m so sorry,” he said ho
Eve had locked herself away in the house for days.She didn’t have the strength to scrape herself off her bedroom floor but she knew if she walked out of the house she would be driving back to Roman. She wanted to know why. Why he’d tricked her again, why he couldn’t love her.The weight of his betrayal paralyzed her. Wrecked her. She’d never known that her heart could hurt so much and affect her ability to do anything else. Roman had been her air, and now he was gone.He had been so gentle, so perfect that she had fallen deeper in love with him. She didn’t think she could pick herself back up this time.When she was all cried out, she dragged herself to th
"I love how you set up this place."Eve smiled at her mother and then drank a sip of her coffee so she wouldn't give herself away. She had nothing to do with this house but all night she'd had to listen to her parents tell her how much they loved it.Her father had settled into a comfortable one-seater near the fire and had already dozed off in the middle of watching his TV shows. The more she had seen how independent he had become in this house the harder it was for her to admit to them that she didn’t know if this would be forever.Was Roman really giving them this house? Or was this another of his tricks? Was he going to pull the rug out from under her parents because she had left him again?
Roman slammed the phone down and ignored Phillip as he looked through the paperwork in front of him. He knew Phillip would have something to say about his behaviour but he was tired of hearing that shit.“Are you going home tonight?” Phillip asked.“Yes, when I finish all this. I’ll drive myself so you can do whatever you want.”“I can order some food_”“I’m fine, Phillip,” he said firmly.“You’ve just shouted at Penny for no reason,” Phillip pointed out.He’d been shouting at her a lot. He was surprised his PA hadn
Eve stopped the car at the barrier and rolled down the window. There were two intimidating security guards in the guardhouse that made her want to turn back instantly.This was a mistake.“Um, I’m here to see Mr. Ashfield,” she said to them.She saw the look on the man’s face before he said, “Mr. Ashfield doesn’t accept visitors,” and then shut his window.Did they get this all the time? Women trying to see Roman without an invitation? Though she had washed her hands of him, it still hurt to think about him moving on.She could have called or messaged Roman to tell her she had arrived but maybe this was a sign
When the elevator stopped in the basement, Evelyn felt like a fool for assuming too many things. Maybe because the things she had read in Pam’s article had stuck in her head. Why had she even thought he would try to explain his actions? Or maybe tell more lies to try to get her back?She’d been so confident he would do that that she’d been thrown off track when he hadn’t. And then all the things she had wanted to ask had escaped her mind. Now she still didn’t know if her parents’ house was really a done deal or she would have to move them again.And if she was honest with herself, she was gutted that he hadn’t even tried. She’d expected something that would have at least allowed her some closure.What did he mean by saying he n
Roman opened the door before the doorbell could ring and ushered Phillip inside quickly. “Did you bring it?” He ignored Phillip’s eye roll as he handed him a bag. “I said to hide it!” he hissed as he hid the bag in his coat, “You made me drive all this way for this,” Phillip said. “It was an emergency,” he said. “And I don’t know why you’re complaining. There’s food here, you were going to find an excuse to come, anyway.” He walked to the stairs quickly. “Everyone’s outside. I will be there as soon as I can.”
Evelyn didn’t say anything after his life-altering confession. He could see the unshed tears in her eyes and her mouth dropped open.But no words.“Say something, Evelyn,” he whispered.The rest of his life depended on this conversation. Had he made the right choice? He’d put his heart on the line again knowing that he would never recover if she left him. But was it enough to just tell her he loved her?“There has been no one else for me since you walked into my building for your interview. No one. I saw your face that night when you saw me with Vivian, I know that’s when I lost your trust,” he said. “But I haven’t kissed anyone, I haven’t hugged anyone, I
Evelyn was falling for it again.She didn’t know why she had extended the invitation to him instead of just coming clean to her parents. Now he was taking the role of devoted boyfriend too far. He’d joined in and fit in so easily because that was what he did. He could charm the socks off anyone.And she knew this so why was she falling for it again?Just because they’d danced for the first time? Because he’d looked so vulnerable as if for a change they were having a real conversation?But he had done the same when he’d made her sign the contract. He was good at pretending to be what she wanted. Good at pulling at her heartstrings and making her forget who he was under all of that.
Did he buy enough presents?Roman looked back at the back seat full of wrapped presents, the ones he couldn’t fit into the boot.Fuck. It was too much. Would they think he was trying to buy their affection?The gate slid open and it was too late to pull away and dump the presents somewhere. He drove up the driveway with his nerves playing havoc with him and stopped the car next to Evelyn’s.He could do this. He could meet the parents and tell Evelyn how he felt. Just say it and let the chips fall where they may.He saw the front door open and realised he had been sitting in the car for a while. When he got out, he saw it was Evelyn who&rsq
Roman sipped his drink and looked around the club. There were a few couples just holding each other and swaying rather than dancing. By the looks on their faces, he doubted they even knew what song was playing, they were lost in each other.It made his chest ache.He turned back to his drink and the woman beside him. At least the music was low enough to allow a conversation.If he could open his fucking mouth.“How have you been?” he asked.“You could have asked me that when I came to your apartment earlier,” Evelyn snorted.“I know. But I think you’v
He’d done the right thing.Maybe for the first time in his life.So why did he feel like shit again? Like she’d stomped on his dead heart again?He’d poured himself another drink the moment she had left but he still had it in his hand fuck knew how long later. It had taken everything in him to let her walk out that door, so now he had nothing left.The sound of the door closing pulled him out of his thoughts. He gulped his whiskey down and set the glass down before Phillip walked into the room. Phillip looked at the empty glass and then at him. He was now like an annoying, nagging aunty more than anything.“I&
When the elevator stopped in the basement, Evelyn felt like a fool for assuming too many things. Maybe because the things she had read in Pam’s article had stuck in her head. Why had she even thought he would try to explain his actions? Or maybe tell more lies to try to get her back?She’d been so confident he would do that that she’d been thrown off track when he hadn’t. And then all the things she had wanted to ask had escaped her mind. Now she still didn’t know if her parents’ house was really a done deal or she would have to move them again.And if she was honest with herself, she was gutted that he hadn’t even tried. She’d expected something that would have at least allowed her some closure.What did he mean by saying he n
Eve stopped the car at the barrier and rolled down the window. There were two intimidating security guards in the guardhouse that made her want to turn back instantly.This was a mistake.“Um, I’m here to see Mr. Ashfield,” she said to them.She saw the look on the man’s face before he said, “Mr. Ashfield doesn’t accept visitors,” and then shut his window.Did they get this all the time? Women trying to see Roman without an invitation? Though she had washed her hands of him, it still hurt to think about him moving on.She could have called or messaged Roman to tell her she had arrived but maybe this was a sign
Roman slammed the phone down and ignored Phillip as he looked through the paperwork in front of him. He knew Phillip would have something to say about his behaviour but he was tired of hearing that shit.“Are you going home tonight?” Phillip asked.“Yes, when I finish all this. I’ll drive myself so you can do whatever you want.”“I can order some food_”“I’m fine, Phillip,” he said firmly.“You’ve just shouted at Penny for no reason,” Phillip pointed out.He’d been shouting at her a lot. He was surprised his PA hadn