Chapter 8 - Roman

The next few days pass in a blur as Gwen and I keep trying to settle into this new routine of living and existing with one another. The banter settles slightly, likely due to the fact I’ve been keeping her somewhat updated, but her avoidance of me does not. It doesn’t matter, though. With both the Vultures and the casino on my plate, almost every day requires me to be out of the house all day.

However, it doesn’t stop me from checking in on her. I find myself checking the camera feeds at the penthouse pretty consistently, and my cold heart warms ever so slightly as I watch her make food in the kitchen alongside Maria. The two of them seem to be talking as they prepare themselves lunch, which ends up being a chicken Caesar salad. When I check in on them again later, this time they’re baking. I can’t help but smile a little—it was good to see Gwen getting comfortable, even if it was just a little.

The space between Gwen and me feels both foreign and oddly comforting. We navigate the fine line between reluctant partners and competitive sparring partners, and it’s a dynamic I anticipated.

When I got home one night, she and Maria had a roast beef dinner waiting for me and a red velvet cake for dessert. It’s a kind gesture that doesn’t last as Gwen and I end up going at it once again at the dinner table over Riley, over the speed of getting her back. She asked what I was doing to get Riley back and if there was anything new to share, but I had nothing to tell her. She doesn’t understand how we have to wait for the right moment to strike. It angers her to the point that she leaves the table without finishing her dinner.

I don’t mind it, though. I know she’s stressed and feels trapped. I also believe that every argument and every heated exchange brings us closer, though I can sense the weight of our situation pressing down on her. I bring her a slice of cake later that night, leaving it outside the door when she doesn’t open it for me. While I was working in the living room later that night, Maria passed by with an empty plate, and we smiled at one another.

Another evening, I find myself at the kitchen island again, reviewing plans and possible leads for the group targeting me. I’m deeply focused when Gwen bursts into the room, her expression a mix of determination and frustration.

“Roman,” she starts, crossing her arms as she leans against the doorframe. “I can’t keep doing this. I need some fresh air.”

I look up, my brow furrowing. “Fresh air? Do you think a walk outside is going to magically solve our problems? You’re safer here.”

“I’m not a child!” she snaps, pushing away from the door. “You can’t just decide everything for me. I’m stuck in this… this-this beautiful cage , and I feel like I’m losing my mind.”

I stand, moving around the island to face her directly. “It’s not a cage, Gwen. You have everything you need here, and it’s not forever. I’m just trying to keep you safe.”

“And I appreciate that, but I’m still a person, Roman,” Gwen says, and a look on her face tells me she really is genuinely appreciative, just troubled. “I have needs. I want to go outside, see the sun, breathe the air. I can’t be locked in here while you do…whatever it is you do.”

Her eyes flash with frustration, and I can’t help but admire her spirit. I’ve always been drawn to strength, and she possesses that in abundance. Still, I can’t let her roam free yet—not when I know how dangerous it is.

“I get it,” I say slowly, my voice softening. I sigh. “Look, you can go out on the balcony. It’s huge. There’s a pool out there, too.”

“The balcony isn’t enough. I mean… outside , outside. Away from this place.”

“Gwen…” I tilt my head, trying to be as gentle as possible yet still be stern. “I need you to trust me on this. It won’t be long before we can figure out who’s after us. Until then, I need you safe and out of sight.”

Her expression shifts slightly, uncertainty flickering across her face. “Safe and out of sight? You’re asking me to live like a ghost, Roman.”

“I’m asking you to live ,” I correct her firmly, stepping closer. “This is for your protection, and I know it’s not ideal. But the moment we have a plan in place, I promise I’ll find a way to give you back your freedom.”

She takes a deep breath, her shoulders relaxing just a fraction. “I’ll hold you to that.”

“Good.” I smile, the tension between us easing slightly. “And until then, we can find ways to make it more bearable. How about you head out there now? I’ll get some work done, and you can do some studying.”

Gwen looks at me reluctantly, but to my surprise, she agrees.

Maybe I can find a balance between keeping her safe and giving her the freedom she craves. Maybe, in doing so, it’ll bring us closer together. As we settle on the balcony, I sit there watching her set up her study materials, and I can’t shake the feeling of how much I enjoy having her here—her energy, her spirit. I find this odd to admit to myself, considering I’ve always been an independent, lone wolf.

I quickly shake those thoughts away. I can’t let my attraction to Gwen mislead me. I have to focus. I have to get those feeds at the casino and work on finding the men's identity, taking them down, and getting Riley back. I excuse myself and step away to make another call to my brother, then get ready to head down to the casino.

Later that afternoon, I returned from work. Gwen is still on the balcony, and I can tell she’s at peace, so I tell Maria to bring our dinner out there once it’s done. As we wait for dinner to come, I find myself stealing glances at her as she studies, the sunlight streaming down and highlighting the delicate features of her face. She has a look of determination on her face mixed in with newfound motivation, a stark contrast to the somewhat vulnerable girl from before.

“Are you ever going to let me help you?” Shortly after our meal arrives, Gwen speaks up, her pen tapping against the table as I work on the latest lead. We’re both eating and doing work together but separately at the same time. It’s oddly peaceful. “I can’t just sit here and be a burden.”

“Not a burden,” I counter, the words slipping out before I can catch them. I clear my throat. “You’re a part of this now.”

“That’s not what I meant,” she says, lifting her gaze to meet mine. “I want to help find my friend. I’m not helpless, you know.”

“I’m aware of that, Gwen. But this isn’t just about you or me; it’s about keeping you safe. If you get involved, you could become a target.”

“Okay, so tell me more about your investigation, then,” She suggests, leaning closer. “Any more progress?”

I don’t answer her.

She frowns, and I can see the frustration simmering beneath the surface. “You’re always putting me in a box, Roman. If you’d just let me do something…”

“You think I want to keep you locked away?” I shoot back, my voice rising unintentionally. “I’m doing this to protect you . It’s not because I don’t think you can handle it.”

“Then stop treating me like I can’t ,” she fires back, her eyes blazing. “I can help, and I want to. I won’t sit here while my friend is out there in danger.”

The fire in her voice ignites something in me, a mix of admiration and frustration. She’s passionate and unyielding, and I can’t help but feel drawn to her resolve. “Fine,” I say, taking a deep breath to cool my temper. “If you want to help, I’ll let you assist in gathering information. That is it . I’m keeping you safe. No unnecessary risks.”

“Deal,” she replies, a triumphant smile lighting up her face. The light in her expression dims, just barely, as her eyes gloss over in a more serious way. “You know, Roman, when you’re not being an asshole… You’re actually quite…well, pleasant company.”

I can’t help but chuckle at her attempt to compliment me. “Pleasant? Is that how you view me? I thought I was a tyrant.”

“You can be both—you are both,” she replies with a smirk. “But I’d take tyrant over a ghost any day.”

“Glad to hear it,” I say. I lean closer, allowing the moment to linger, and she does as well. Our eyes don’t break contact, and, for a second, the air surrounding us suddenly becomes tense with something alien. I don’t know what it is, but we both seem to notice it, backing away at the same time.

Before she can say anything else, I decide to act on instinct. She’s right. She’s been cooped up here for too long, and maybe... maybe we need a break from all this tension between us—something to take her mind off everything, even if just for a little while.

“Go get dressed,” I tell her, moving toward the kitchen. “Casual. I’ll be back in thirty minutes.”

She frowns. “Why?”

I turn to face her, a small smirk playing on my lips. “You’ll see. Just trust me.”

She gives me an exasperated look but gets up and heads toward her room. Good.

She could use the distraction, and honestly, so could I.

***

When I meet her downstairs in the garage thirty minutes later, I can tell she’s trying to hide her excitement. It’s in the way she keeps glancing around, and her lips twitch like she wants to smile but is holding it back. I have eight luxury cars here, but she has her eyes on the covered bike in the corner. I walk over to my bike and pull off the cover as her eyes widen.

“You ride a motorbike?” she asks, surprise clear in her voice.

I grin, grabbing the helmets from the back. “I do. And I have a feeling you’re going to enjoy it.”

Her eyebrows lift, and I see something other than frustration or anger in her expression for the first time in days. She’s intrigued. Curious.

I hand her a helmet, watching as she hesitates for a moment before taking it and putting it on. Once she’s ready, I grab her with one arm by the waist and hoist her onto the back of the bike with ease. I hop on the bike and look back at her. “You ready?”

There’s a pause like she’s considering all the reasons she shouldn’t, but then she nodes. Her hands grip my sides, a little too tight at first.

“Hold on,” I say, starting the engine, and then we’re off.

The streets of Las Vegas blur around us as I ride, the engine's hum vibrating through me. Bright lights of storefronts become neon blurs surrounding us as we whip through the streets. I can feel Gwen behind me, tense at first, but something shifts as we leave the downtown area and pick up speed.

She starts to loosen up, her arms relaxing around me, and soon, she’s laughing. Actually laughing.

The sound surprises me, and when I glance back, I see her with her arms in the air, her face lit up with excitement.

Damn. My new wife is a little thrill-seeker.

“You’re enjoying yourself?” I can’t help but ask.

“Fuck, yes!” She cries out. I grin widely.

Gwen’s laughter fills the night air as we zoom down the road, and something in my chest tightens. It’s not something I expected. Her walls have been up since the moment I put that ring on her finger, but here, out in the open with the wind whipping around us, she’s let them slip for just a moment. And I can’t help but wonder who she is underneath all that fire and defiance.

We ride for a while longer, heading out of the city. The lights of the Strip fade in the distance, and soon, we’re surrounded by darkness, the desert stretching out around us. Eventually, I take a sharp turn and steer the bike toward a hidden spot I discovered not long ago.

I bring the bike to a stop at the top of a small hill overlooking the valley. In the distance, the glittering lights of Las Vegas glow like a mirage, but up here, it’s peaceful—quiet—just the two of us and the open sky. I kill the engine, and for a moment, we just sit there in silence, the tension of the ride still buzzing between us.

Gwen climbs off the bike, removing her helmet and shaking out her hair. She’s grinning, her emerald eyes bright, and she looks like a completely different person than the one who’s been challenging me every step of the way these past few days.

“That was…” She trails off, struggling to find the right word. “That was incredible .”

I swing my leg over the bike and stand beside her, crossing my arms over my chest as I watch her. “I had a feeling you’d like it.”

She laughs again, a real one this time, and turns to face me. “How’d you know? I’ve never been on a motorcycle before.”

I shrug. “I pay attention.”

She studies me for a moment, the laughter fading but the smile still lingering on her lips. “Thank you,” she says softly. “I… I needed that. Something to take my mind off everything.”

Her honesty catches me off guard, and I don’t know what to say for a second. She’s right, of course. She’s been through hell, and I’ve done nothing but complicate her life since the moment we met.

But there’s more to this than just getting her mind off things. She’s becoming something I didn’t plan for, something I didn’t expect. And no matter how much I try to deny or push it away, that feeling in my chest that only seems to expand by the day is very clear.

“You don’t have to thank me,” I finally say, leaning back against the bike. “Like I said before, I’m going to protect you. That means making sure you don’t lose yourself in all of this.”

She looks down, biting her bottom lip, and for the first time since this whole ordeal started, she seems a bit sad. “It’s hard,” she admits. “Not knowing what’s going on, not knowing if Riley is okay…”

“I told you, we’ll find her,” I say, my voice firm but comforting. “I’m already working on it. My family’s working on it.”

She hesitates like she’s unsure whether to believe me. “And what about you?” she asks quietly. “What’s your role in all of this? I know you’re trying to prove something, but what exactly? Why do you need to prove yourself at all? You’re Roman Milov. Shouldn’t that already mean something?”

Her words are sweet but also strike a nerve. I smile sweetly, but I clench my jaw, turning to look out over the city. This is the part I’ve been avoiding, the part I haven’t told her. Because it’s not just about her or Riley. It’s about me. About my family.

“You think being a Milov makes everything easy?” I ask, my tone sharper than I intended. “It doesn’t. Not when you’re not the one in charge. Victor is the head of the family. Anton handles most of the operations. And me? I’ve always been the younger brother—the one who has to prove himself. I came here from Russia to make a name for myself, to show them I can handle things. And then this happened.”

She listens quietly, her eyes locked on mine, and for once, she doesn’t have a quick comeback or a smart remark. She’s just… listening.

“I don’t expect you to understand,” I continue, my voice dropping. “But I didn’t come here to mess around. I came to handle business. And now, with you in the picture, it’s more complicated. Because I can’t just focus on proving myself anymore. I have to protect you. And I have to find Riley. And right now, both of those things come first.”

Gwen steps closer, her gaze softening. “I didn’t know,” she admits, her voice barely above a whisper. “I guess I thought you had it all figured out.”

I give a short, humorless laugh. “Trust me, I’m figuring it out as I go.”

She’s quiet for a moment, and then she surprises me again by placing a hand on my arm. It’s a simple gesture but enough to make my heart race in a way that has nothing to do with adrenaline.

“Roman,” she says, her voice steady. “I appreciate you for doing all this. I really do. I don’t need you to be perfect. I just need you to keep your word. Find Riley. Help me get her back.”

I meet her gaze, something shifting between us. This woman—this firecracker who’s been driving me insane since the moment we met—is now looking at me with something more than frustration or anger. There’s trust there. A fragile, tentative trust, but it’s there. For the first time, I realized just how much I wanted to keep that trust.

“I will,” I promise, my voice low but firm. “I’ll find her. And I’ll keep you safe.”

She nods. Her hand doesn’t move from my arm, and neither her eyes from mine. We sit in silence for what feels like minutes, holding each other’s stare. Somehow, the air between us isn’t awkward. No, it’s charged with something more potent, more intense than even our toughest moments of banter. Something unexplainable but brings a certain heat to my crotch that I try hard to ignore.

There’s a look in her eyes, which I catch momentarily dropping to my lips. The second they do, her fingers pull away. The moment breaks, but the weight of the look in her eyes lingers between us. I notice the heat rush to her cheeks but bite my tongue. Now isn’t the time.

We stand there in silence for a few more minutes, the city lights twinkling in the distance. For once, neither of us feels the need to fill the quiet with words. It’s a comfortable silence that speaks louder than any argument or conversation ever could.

Eventually, I glance at her, a small smirk tugging at the corner of my lips. “Ready to head back?”

She raises an eyebrow. “Are you going to drive like a maniac again?”

I chuckle, shaking my head. “Not this time. I’ll take it easy on you.”

“Well, that’s boring ,” She grins, putting her helmet back on, and climbs on the bike behind me, her hands wrapping around my waist as we prepare to head back into the city. As we ride, I can feel the change in the air between us. It’s subtle, but it’s there. Maybe this marriage isn’t just a transaction to her after all. Maybe, just maybe, there’s something more. Perhaps she’s starting to enjoy it just as much as I have.

As we drive through the quiet streets, the city lights reflecting off the bike’s chrome, I can’t help but wonder what the hell I’m getting myself into. Because with every passing day, it’s becoming harder and harder to see Gwen as just part of the job. She’s starting to feel like something more.

Something I’m not sure I’m ready for.