Chapter Twenty-Two

Tahani, I"m sorry.

"This sucks," I mutter, glancing from the phone in my hands to my reflection in the mirror hanging on the closet door. My expression is grim, my green eyes full of regret as I worry my bottom lip between my teeth. My blonde hair is in a messy bun on top of my head, and my face is pale. My oversized t-shirt hangs off one shoulder.

I look sad and pitiful, not at all like the warrior Roman says I am.

I don"t feel much like a warrior lately.

It"s been ten days since Tahani found out about me and Roman. Ten days of radio silence.

"It"s your own fault," I remind myself, looking back down at the phone in my hands. I sigh heavily and climb to my feet, pacing back and forth across the deep red rug and hardwood floor.

"What are you thinking about so hard, baby?" Roman slides an arm around my waist from behind. He pulls me back into the hard wall of his chest, nuzzling his face into my hair. His hair is still damp from his shower, and he"s not wearing anything except a pair of jeans.

My stomach dips and spins, my body melting into his embrace.

"Nothing," I mumble, knowing he won"t like it if I tell him that I"m worrying about Tahani again.

"Liar." He kisses my neck and then reaches out and steals my phone from me.

"Roman," I protest, spinning around and trying to take it back from him.

He"s a lot faster than I am, though. Before I can grab it from him, he slips it into his back pocket and crosses his arms over his broad chest, his piercing hazel eyes narrowed on me. Even scowling, he"s gorgeous.

"I was using that." I glare up at him, refusing to be intimidated even though he is all kinds of intimidating.

"No, you weren"t," he says, his deep voice firm. "You were obsessing again."

"Was not," I mumble and then sigh, unable to lie to him. "Okay, maybe I was, but I wish she"d respond to me. Even if all she says is that she hates me, it"s better than her not saying anything."

"She doesn"t hate you."

I snort, not so sure about that. Tahani and I have never gone this long without speaking to one another.

"We"re not talking about this tonight, Mila," he says, his expression softening as he tugs me back into his arms. "We"re celebrating." His lips descend on mine, sweeping back and forth until I give in and kiss him back, heat twisting through me.

He grunts when my tongue touches his, sliding his hands down my back to my ass. He squeezes once and then lifts me up with his hands on my thighs.

I squeak, as surprised as ever at how effortlessly he picks me up, and then twine my legs around his waist. My hands go to his hair, where I tug and pull. He growls into my mouth and bites my lip before reluctantly slowing the kiss. He lingers for a long moment, his lips resting against mine, before he pulls back.

His gaze roves across my face, a satisfied gleam in his eyes. "That"s better," he mutters under his breath.

"What"s better?" I"m too turned on to think straight. I swear, every single time he touches me, I forget everything but him and how much I want him.

"I like you looking all disheveled and turned on a whole hell of a lot more than I like you looking sad," he says.

"I"m not sad."

"You"re a terrible liar." He kisses me again before sliding me down his body. Once I"m on my feet, he tips his head forward and presses his lips to my forehead. "Stop obsessing and go get dressed. I"m taking you out tonight."

"You don"t have to do that, Roman."

He just stares at me, not saying anything.

"It"s just a job," I tell him quietly, fidgeting under the weight of that gaze. He"s so commanding, so bossy. That authority is right there in those gorgeous hazel eyes as he focuses on me, stripping me bare. He always knows what I"m thinking. It"s unnerving. And hot.

He watches me for another moment, then shakes his head and smiles at me. "No, it"s not just a job. It"s your new job in LA, baby. I"m fucking proud of you, and we"re celebrating." He taps me on the ass, pushing me toward the en suite bathroom. "Now stop being a pain in the ass and go get dressed."

"Fine," I grumble, rolling my eyes at him. Truthfully, I"m proud of myself, too. When I first got the interview with the Triton Agency, I wasn"t sure if the job was right for me or if they"d even want to hire me. But after meeting with them the day before yesterday, I was crazy excited to get the job offer yesterday. I"ll have to work my way up from the bottom, but I"m okay with that.

"I"m not a pain in your ass, though," I tell Roman, fucking with him because I like to rile him up. Pissing him off always ends in orgasms for me. "You"re a pain in mine."

He grabs me by the shirt and pulls me back to him. His mouth descends on my neck, where he bites me. "I haven"t been in your ass yet," he breathes in my ear, nipping my skin. His voice is full of wicked promise. "But I will be soon, baby. I promise you that."

I moan loudly, wetness pooling between my legs at his threat. God, he makes me want things I"ve never even considered before him. He does things to me that I never even knew existed before him. He"s a force to be reckoned with and more than a little kinky. I love every single second of it.

"This body is mine, Mila." He grabs my ass again and squeezes, making me moan again. One big hand travels up my body, leaving a trail of fire everywhere he touches me. "I"m going to own every single part of you." He bites my neck again and then steps away from me. "Now go get ready so I can take you out."

I exhale a shaky breath and nod, but I"m so turned on that it takes me a minute to remember how to move my legs. He just stares at me the entire time, his eyes dark and hungry.

"Go," he mouths, and I know he"s about two seconds away from throwing me on the bed and fucking me. His jaw is tight, and his hands are clenched into fists, like he"s trying to keep himself from yanking me back into his arms.

As much as I want him to do precisely that, I think he needs to prove to himself that we can leave his house together and the world won"t end.

I don"t really know much about what"s going on with his case. I try not to ask because telling me about it stresses him out. But I do know he"s worried the entire city is on the verge of a cartel war. And he"s super freaking worried that someone named Jose Guerrero is looking for him. He"s anxious as hell about me getting caught in the crossfire.

So we haven"t really gone anywhere together since I got here. I"m okay with that, but he needs to prove to himself that he can keep me safe. So I don"t fuck with him anymore.

Instead, I stumble toward the bathroom, determined to give him what he needs.

"Istill think I could live in here," I mumble to myself when I step into the bathroom.

When I told Roman that the other night, he laughed at me, but it"s true. The room is easily the size of the dorm Tahani and I shared at Berkeley during our first two years there.

A big whirlpool tub sits in a nook across from the double vanity. The glass shower is the biggest I"ve ever seen, with multiple showerheads. The back wall of the bathroom is a soft gray tile with little flecks of turquoise embedded within. The entire floor is tiled similarly. The toilet is separated from the rest of the room by a low wall, making it more private.

I shower quickly before doing my hair and putting on a little makeup. I never wear much, but I opt to do a smoky eye and bronzer before finishing off the look with ruby red lipstick. Once I"m satisfied with my appearance, I step back out into the bedroom to dress.

Like his bedroom in Santa Cruz, the one here is decorated in dark, masculine colors. The furniture is jet black and looks heavy as hell. The walls are a deep red with framed black and white art hanging here and there. Deep red rugs, the same shade as the walls, cover the hardwood floors. A massive bed with a black leather headboard sits in the middle of the room, facing a set of French doors that lead out onto the balcony. The bed is every bit as big as the one at the condo, maybe even bigger. Sleeping on it is like sleeping on a cloud.

Roman pokes his head into the room as I stroll toward the closet, running my hand along the top of the dresser. He"s dressed in a white button-down and jeans and looks so handsome that my heart races when I catch sight of him. The shirt stretches over the muscles in his chest and arms. He grins when he sees me, raking his eyes up and down my body.

"If you don"t get your sexy ass dressed soon, I"m going to forget we"re going out, baby," he warns me with a shake of his head.

I stand there for a minute, smiling at the way his eyes heat before he walks away, and then hurry across the room to the walk-in closet.

It takes me another fifteen minutes to decide what to wear. I finally pick out a black wrap dress that ends a little above mid-thigh. The top plunges between my breasts but doesn"t reveal anything. The dress is sexy and daring without looking trashy. I"ve never worn it before, but I want Roman to see me in it. I want to make him crazy.

Strappy red heels that wrap around my ankles and give me three extra inches of height complete the look.

"He is going to lose his mind." I grin at my reflection in the mirror, grab my keys, and then toss them into a small handbag. I turn in a circle, looking for my phone before remembering that he never returned it to me.

I check my reflection again, fluff my hair, and then go downstairs to find him. I hold tightly to the banister on my way down. After I fell down the stairs in Santa Cruz and injured myself, he was afraid to fuck me for days. No way am I risking a repeat of that torture.

"Roman?" I call when I make it to the bottom of the stairs unscathed.

He doesn"t answer me.

Where is he?

I peek into the living room. The television is off. Floor-to-ceiling bookshelves line the far wall, crammed with books from every genre. A big, black suede recliner sits in front of the bookcases. A matching L-shaped sectional with big, comfy throw pillows rests against the wall across from the television, with a giant ottoman in the middle of the floor. I smile when I see the pillows are still in disarray from where he stripped me naked and made me ride him last night.

"Roman?" I call again, heading toward the kitchen.

I find him inside, leaning casually against the counter while he toys with my phone.

"Are you going to give that back?" I ask softly, stopping in the doorway.

"Eventually. I was actua–" He glances up at me. As soon as he does, the grin slips from his lips, and the words die in his throat. His hazel eyes rake across me, hot and hungry again. His tongue sweeps across his bottom lip, and he swallows hard. "Jesus Christ," he breathes.

"You like?" I grin at him, my stomach fluttering at his reaction. I"ll never get tired of the way he looks at me like I"m the most beautiful thing he"s ever seen. I"m thick and curvy, a size twenty on a good day. My body is far from perfect, but I"m happy with it, and I"ve never cared what anyone else thinks, though they have a lot of opinions. When he looks at me like he worships me, though, I feel like a goddess. I love seeing that look on his face.

He prowls toward me, his eyes dark and wild and his breathing ragged. As soon as he reaches me, he slides his hand around my waist and then across my hip to my ass. He pulls me into him, pressing his erection into my stomach. His head dips, his mouth landing against my ear.

"You better have panties on under that dress, Mila," he growls against my skin. "I swear to God, if anyone sees what"s underneath it, I will fucking murder someone tonight."

Oh my God.

My heart slams against my ribcage, desire ripping through me. I whimper as wetness pools between my thighs and my nipples harden. I don"t know why that threat turns me on, but it does.

"I"m wearing panties," I manage to whisper, my voice shaking.

"Good." He inhales deeply, his fingers digging into my ass. "You"re mine. No one gets to see you but me." He presses a kiss against my throat, his lips so much softer than the words he growls at me. "And I want that little dress up around your waist and those heels on your feet with your ass in the air the first time I fuck you tonight, baby. You look sexy as hell." He kisses me again, his lips soft and gentle against mine.

God, I love him. He"s so rough and wild but so fucking sweet at the same time. That combination drives me crazy in the best way possible.

He holds me to him for a moment, his hand still on my ass as he fights for control, and then he pulls away and holds out a hand. His eyes are still dark and needy, but he smiles at me. "Are you ready to go?"

I nod and take his hand, letting him lead me out to his truck.

Loud music pumps through the building, vibrating the dance floor beneath my feet as Roman spins me around and pulls me up against him, my back to his chest. My hips dip and roll in time to the beat as I sway, grinding against him.

I"m hot and sweaty, and a little bit tipsy thanks to the two glasses of wine he plied me with at dinner. We"re on the Boardwalk at Venice Beach, at some bar he dragged me into when I mentioned how much I like to dance. It"s loud and crowded, and I"m doing my best to distract Roman. He"s been tense since the minute we walked through the door, looking over his shoulder every time he thinks I"m not paying attention. He"s trying so hard to relax and enjoy himself, but I don"t think he really wanted to come in here. He"s on edge, nervous.

We"ve already been to dinner and out to explore part of the Boardwalk, which I loved. I"ve never been in Venice at night, and it"s kind of incredible in a crazy sort of way. Now, I just want to get him out of here so I can get him naked. He"s being stubborn and refusing to admit defeat. I love him for trying, but I"d love it even more if he"d take me home now. I don"t need to be wined and dined. I"d honestly rather be sixty-nined.

"Stop grinding that sexy ass against me, Mila," he breathes in my ear, "or we aren"t going to make it home before I bend you over."

"Promise?" I ask, tilting my head so he can hear me over the music. I reach up and lock one arm around his neck.

His hands slide up my ribcage, his thumbs ghosting across the sides of my breasts.

I push backward into him, rubbing my ass against his erection every time I sway my hips.

He growls and wraps one hand around the side of my neck, turning my face toward his. I take that as an invitation and press my lips to his. When he doesn"t immediately kiss me back, I bite his bottom lip.

"Mila," he growls. His hand tightens on my neck, holding me to him like he"s trying to trap me against his body.

I ignore his warning and bite his lip again. I"m horny and frustrated, and I really just want him to take me home already instead of being a stubborn pain in the ass when being here is obviously freaking him out.

Another growl rumbles in his throat. He kisses me back this time, though, his lips hard and demanding against mine.

Finally.

His tongue twists and dances with mine, first in my mouth and then in his. I love the way he tastes and the feel of his breath against my lips. This time, he kisses me like he fucks me…hard and rough, like he can"t stop himself. He"s panting, his body practically vibrating around mine as he fights for restraint.

I don"t want him in control, though. I want him to let go.

I moan loudly, unable to stop the desperate sound when I can feel how hard he is for me, when I know how close he is to losing it. There"s nothing sexier than watching him unravel because of me. That control shreds like paper, making him rough and wild and so fucking hot…God, he"s gorgeous when he"s like that. And it"s only for me. No one else gets to see him when he"s so turned on all he can think about is getting inside me.

I grind against him again, moaning his name.

"Fuck," he snarls.

Before I can even comprehend what"s happening, he"s dragging me across the dance floor and down a dimly lit hall. His shoulders are so broad he barely fits in the narrow space, but that doesn"t slow him down any. I stumble, trying to keep up with his rapid pace. His body is completely rigid, his jaw clenched tight.

Is he seriously mad?

"Roman, I–"

"Nu-uh," he says, pulling me around a corner and then pushing me up against the wall. He cages me in with his body at my back, pushing my chest into the cool brick. His heart hammers against me. One big hand tangles in my hair. The other slides down my ass and then around my hip.

"You"re always fucking with me," he growls, yanking the front of my dress up. The rough brick scratches my skin, making me moan. He shoves my legs apart with his foot. "Always trying to make me lose it."

"Roman," I moan, panting. He"s discomposed, rough…and it"s so fucking sexy.

God. Why do I find him so hot when he"s like this?

"You can"t help yourself, can you?" he snarls, biting my neck hard…marking me again.

I cry out and then cry out again when he shoves his hand into my panties. Anyone could walk by and see us. Even with his big body blocking me from view, it wouldn"t take a genius to figure out exactly what he"s doing to me. He"s so far gone I don"t think he gives a fuck.

I don"t either. Something about the thought of being caught turns me on. He"s barely touched me, and I"m already on the verge of coming for him.

He bites me again, pushing me deeper into the wall. The brick scrapes at my cheek, but I like the way it feels. The wall is cool against my overheated skin, the rough surface sending little pings of pleasure through my body. The loud bass from the music thumps through me, vibrating deep inside.

"You wanted me out of control?" Two thick fingers plunge inside me, hitting that spot that makes my knees buckle. "You wanted to see how far you could push me?" His thumb rolls across my clit, his body the only thing holding me up. "Well, I push back, baby. You take what the fuck I give you, not the other way around." He strokes my clit again. "Fucking come, Mila. Now."

I bite my tongue to stifle my cries as I explode, coming so hard everything goes black. The metallic, coppery taste of my blood fills my mouth. Heat blasts through me, scorching me from the inside out. Roman doesn"t let up and doesn"t back off. He keeps fucking me with his fingers and stroking my clit until I"m whimpering and shaking, completely wrecked.

When I come down, he"s still pressed tightly against me. His body is rock hard, fury practically rolling off him. His breath is a harsh pant in my ear.

Shit. He"s really pissed.

"Roman, I–"

"Let"s go," he barks, sliding his hand out of my panties and pulling my dress back down over my hips. He pushes away from the wall, holding onto me until he"s sure I can stand on my own…and then he grabs my hand and drags me back the way we came. People move out of his way without question as he stalks through the crowd, not even looking at me. His jaw is clenched so tight, I"m worried he"s going to snap the bone.

My heart pounds as I scurry to keep up with him, walking as fast as I can to keep from stumbling. Cool air hits my skin as soon as we"re through the crowd and outside. I peek up at him to see if he"s any calmer now that we"re not in a crowded bar.

He"s not. He"s still pissed off.

My stomach rolls, nervousness pinging through me. I don"t think I"ve ever seen him so mad before. I"m in so much trouble, and I have no idea what I did wrong.