The moment the words left my mouth, I knew I'd made a mistake. The temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees as my father's expression hardened, his eyes that were similar to mine turning to steel. "No?" he repeated, his voice dangerously soft. "I don't think you understand the situati
As the men filed out, my father turned back to me. His expression was unreadable, a look of frustration and disappointment in his eyes. And though I was used to it, it still stung like a fucking bitch. "I'll let you keep living your fantasy life for now, Jessica," he said, his voice low and contro
As exhaustion finally began to overtake me, one thought kept circling in my mind, What the fuck was I going to do? The next morning, I woke up feeling like I'd been hit by a truck. My head was pounding, my eyes were swollen from crying, and my body ached from sleeping with my legs hanging off the b
But her amnesia… “Deathly!” She admitted sheepishly, “After what happened with Roman…or at least what might've happened, I'm not sure how to face my father…” “You face him like a man,” I simply replied, “He's not shit compared to you, don't let him intimidate you anymore after all, now it's certa
The city streets felt different as I made my way home from my meeting with Uncle Sal. The familiar buildings and bustling sidewalks seemed charged with a new energy, or maybe that was just my frayed nerves. Uncle Sal had been... well, Uncle Sal. Cryptic, slightly menacing, but ultimately reassuring
A smirk played at the corners of his mouth, despite the pain. "Inviting a man you barely know into your apartment, Dr. Timothy? I'm shocked." Annoyance flared in me, pushing aside the guilt and the unwelcome flutter in my stomach at his proximity. "Fine," I snapped, standing up. "Find your own way
A shadow passed over his face, so quickly I almost missed it. "I had some family business to take care of," he said vaguely. "I was hoping to see you, actually. I owe you an apology for standing you up last week." "Oh," I said, trying to keep my voice neutral. "It's fine. Things come up, I understa
AMELIA I didn't hear from Roman for an entire day. It was the day before the shareholders meeting, my nerves were off the charts and I wanted to ask him for some pointers. At first I figured he'd left early to work, he was a busy man, I didn't blame him. Even I had a few things I had to catch up
SIX MONTHS LATER The annual Wellington Anniversary gala was in full swing, and we'd decided to host it in our home rather than the hotel it was in late year. The ballroom of our estate glittering with lights that illuminated the beauty of the hall’s interior, reflecting against the marble floors
Wolves. They were fucking wolves yet Roman acted like they simply dogs he'd raised. And in turn, they acted the same towards him. “Why wolves though?” I raised a questioning brow as I caressed Sage's soft fur and Juniper whining a few seconds after that. Roman shrugged, “Why not?” He replied w
"You should hate me," I whispered, my voice breaking. "After what I did, you should hate me." "I know," he agreed, the ghost of a smile touching his lips. "It would be so much easier if I did." A tear slipped down my cheek before I could stop it. Roman reached out, hesitated, then gently brushed i
"What happened?" he asked, his voice gentler than I deserved. I laughed bitterly. "Nothing dramatic. No great tragedy or betrayal. Just... emptiness. Day after day of emptiness. Making decisions that affect hundreds of people, never letting anyone close enough to see that I'm terrified of making th
I woke to unfamiliar shadows dancing across an unfamiliar ceiling. For a moment, panic seized me as I forgot where I was. Until it came rushing back and I found myself sinking deeper into the mattress Roman's bed was sinfully comfortable, the sheets soft against my skin. I stretched, my muscles p
The rain continued to lash against the windows, filling the silence between us. Outside, lightning flashed, illuminating Roman's face and his even darker expression. I wasn't getting through to him. And I didn't blame him. "Two years ago, you made it very clear that you didn't need me," he said
Roman chuckled, the rich sound sending heated shivers down my abdomen. His eyes crinkled at the corners, making him look more like the man I remembered. "So did you," he replied, nodding toward my pixie cut. I reached up self-consciously to touch the ends of my damp hair. "Maybe it should be called
Roman suddenly cleared his throat and dragged his gaze away. He ran a hand through his short blonde hair, sending droplets flying. "I'll get you something dry," he said, his voice rougher than before. He disappeared down a hallway without waiting for my response. Left alone, I took the opportunity
AMELIA My mouth opened, but no sound came out. Words, which had never failed me before, suddenly evaporated from my mind like morning dew under a harsh sun. I stood there, gun still stupidly hanging from my fingers, staring at the stranger-not-stranger before me. Roman Wellington. But not my Roman