Chapter 15

Roman

"Roman."

Blinking a few times to get out of my inner thoughts, I turn my attention to my office door. One of the partners at my law firm, Christopher, is standing there with a folder in his hand.

"Christopher, hello. Sorry." I clear my throat as I sit up straighter in my chair. "Come in."

"I have the information you requested for the Robbin's case. Are you sure about this?" he asks me, stepping into my office. "This is a big case. A lot of money."

"I'm sure." I nod, grabbing the piles of paper I've prepared, and open the folder, sliding them in with the others and closing it before handing it back to Christopher. "I've got more money than I know what to do with. What I need is time. Time, which I've been wasting by drowning myself in my work for years. I've missed out on a hell of a lot of things in life. What's the point of having all this money if I don't spend it and live a little."

"Good point," he chuckles. "I've been wondering when you were going to slow down. There's so much more to life than work."

Yeah, like a gorgeous blonde woman who has been the object of my dreams for the past two weeks now. With each passing day, nothing gets better. The pain of being away from her and the need for her is stronger than ever.

After I left Tasha's apartment, I searched all over Philadelphia for Ava; searched all the places I know she goes to, and even went to her work. Nothing. I went back to the apartment, hoping she would turn up, but she didn't.

When I tried calling her, it went to voicemail. The idea of her blocking my number fucking gutted me. Then I texted her and saw that my messages were at least getting delivered.

If she wanted nothing to do with me, she would have blocked me, right?

I've become a pathetic man, resorting to stalking her social media, as well as my daughter's, in the hope of seeing something, anything new, like a love-sick puppy. But nothing. She hasn't posted since a few days before everything went to shit.

Even more sad is the fact that I'm not taking time off of work to go on some relaxing vacation, I'm using it to go back to Philadelphia and find my Princess. I meant what I said, I'm not giving up. Not until she says that we're done for good, and she never wants to see me again to my face. And let's be honest, I'd probably just resort to stalking her because, the fact is, Ava owns my heart and soul.

I could never be with another woman. To me, they no longer fucking exist. There's only her. There will only ever be her.

Just as Christopher leaves, my phone rings. Looking down, I see that it's Tasha calling me. We haven't talked since the day she found out about Ava and me. As much as it hurts to have this rift between the two of us, I can't justify her behavior. She has called and left voicemails apologizing and sent text messages as well.

Sighing, I lean back in my chair and accept the call, knowing I can't avoid her forever, and I don't want to. I miss her too much.

"Hey," she begins tentatively when I don't make a move to speak first.

"Tasha," I reply.

"You're still pissed at me, aren't you?" she asks but keeps talking before I can respond. "And you have every right to be. I was a major bitch, and I said some pretty messed up shit. I was taken by surprise and really hurt that you both kept this from me. But that doesn't excuse my shitty behavior. I love you both so damn much, and knowing I caused you two to feel pain and misery hurts my damn soul. So, please forgive me. Please don't hate me, and please get your damn ass back here and get your girl. She's absolutely miserable, and you would be a damn fool not to snatch her up and keep her forever."

Lips parting, I just blink at the phone, not sure what the hell to say.

"Ah, Dad?" she asks a few seconds later. "You still with me?"

"Yeah." I clear my throat. "I just didn't expect all that when I answered the phone."

"Well, you know me. Expect the unexpected and all that jazz."

That makes me bark out a laugh. "I should have known." And then what she said has my hackles rising. "Wait, what's wrong with Ava?"

"There he is," she laughs. "Ava is fine, physically. Emotionally? My girl is a wreck. Look, this is going to take some getting used to, but I want you both to be happy. If that's with each other, I will not be the one who stands in your way."

"Where is she?" I ask, leaning forward in my chair.

"She's back at the apartment. I'm on break right now, almost done with my shift, then heading to LA for a few days to stay with a... friend. So, if you want to come back here and win back my best friend, you have the apartment all to yourselves."

I don't miss the way she hesitates at the mention of this friend. But I pay it no mind as I grab my phone, keys, and folder. "Is she still at the apartment?"

"As far as I know. If she isn't, I don't think she would have gone far. She's not working today."

"I'm on my way. And Tasha... thanks. I don't think Ava would even talk to me if she thought you wouldn't be okay with this."

"Don't worry. I've already talked to her. And yes, I apologized for being a raging bitch, don't worry."

I huff out a laugh and close my office door behind me. "I love you, sweetheart."

"Love you too, Dad. Now, go get your girl," she tells me before hanging up.

Rushing down the hall, I stop at my assistant's desk. "Get this to Richard." I don't say anything else as I rush out of the building and down to my car.

The traffic in this damn city has me nearly going mad as the desperate need to get to Ava consumes me.

When I pull out onto the highway, I breathe a little easier.

I don't stop, driving the hour and a half straight to Philadelphia.

***

By the time I reach Philly, it's pouring rain. I've tried texting and calling Ava, but still no answer. It pisses me off, but I understand. Even after her talk with Tasha, I'm sure she would want some time to think about things, to weigh her options on what to do next.

But me? Yeah, I already knew what I was going to do before that phone call. Hearing Tasha's approval had me abandoning the plans I already had and moving up the timeline.

Not that I needed Tasha's approval. I was going to be with Ava whether Tasha liked it or not.

Pulling up to the apartment, I'm out of the car the moment the engine is off. My heart thunders in my chest as the rain beats down on me, soaking my charcoal suit. I don't care as I jog up the stairs to the front door of the building.

Pressing the buzzer to their apartment, I wait, wondering if she's going to ask who it is or just buzz me up.

But after a moment, there's nothing. So I try again. Still nothing.

"Fuck." I sigh, running my hand through my now dripping hair. She's not here. Why does that send a rush of panic through me?

"Roman?" Her soft, surprised voice has me spinning around.

She stands there on the sidewalk with a black umbrella in her hand, eyes wide, lips parted.

"Ava." As I say her name, all the heaviness on my heart and soul seems to drift away.

"What are you doing here?" she asks me hesitantly.

Slowly, I make my way down the steps.

"Roman, it's pouring out. You're all wet. You're going to get sick," she chastises as I stop in front of her.

"I don't care," I tell her as I duck under the umbrella.

She blinks up at me, uncertainty in her eyes. I hate it.

"Roman." I love my name on her lips so damn much.

"Ava." I tower over her, water dripping down my face. She opens her mouth, most likely to protest, but I don't give her the chance. "You are mine, Ava. I will never let you go. I will follow you to the ends of the earth. I know what you might think. You're too young, I'm too old. We want different things out of life. But you're missing one crucial part: the only thing I want in life is you. Nothing else matters. If you want to live here and work at the hospital, that's what we will do. If you want to travel the world, name the place and we're there. Want to get married? Name the ring store. Want babies? Sold, how many? You are it for me, Ava."

Her bottom lip quivers as her eyes fill with tears. "Are you sure?" she whispers, and I hate the level of uncertainty in her tone.

"I've never been more sure about anything in my life." And I mean it.

"I missed you," she whimpers, and that's what breaks me.

With a low growl, I lunge forward. Kissing her deeply, I swallow her gasps as my tongue slips in and over hers.

The umbrella falls away, allowing the sky to rain down on us both. Ava doesn't seem to care, fisting my suit jacket and kissing me with eager strokes as the raindrops mix with her taste.

"I love you," she tells me, pulling back. We both stare at each other, blinking away the water as we pant for air.

"I fucking love you," I reply, brushing wet strands away from her face and kissing her again. "Tell me you're mine," I growl against her lips.

"I'm yours, Roman. I always have been. I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry for, Princess." My forehead presses against hers. "I wasn't going to let you get away."

"I know." She laughs, making my heart swell. "And I don't think I'd want you to let me go."

"Good. Because you're mine, Ava. And I'm yours. Fuck the world, as long as we have each other."

A life without Ava isn't one I want to be a part of. I have no idea where our lives will take us, but as long as we're together, I don't care. She's mine. My princess. My everything. I'm never letting her go again.

The smile she gives me has me weak in the knees. "Fuck the world. You're mine, Roman Knight. And I don't think I'd ever be able to let you go."

I grin. "I wouldn't dream of it."