Shadows of Deception Ch. 05

No file held this type of information, and no amount of searching could uncover it. It was the sort of thing that lived in the closet with the family skeletons. He sympathized with her anger; she was powerless in the face of others' control. As someone who had once been in a similar situation, he understood her frustration.

Standing up, his tall figure loomed over her as he approached. With a gentle but unyielding touch, he pried the bottle from her grip, his cool demeanor contrasting with her heated skin. A dark smirk played on his lips, revealing his lack of concern for her anger.

"Angel," his voice was like velvet, smooth and irresistible. He cradled her jaw in his hand, forcing her to look at him with intensity in his eyes. She could feel the heat radiating off of him, stirring up a mix of emotions inside her. "You didn't haveme before,"

He was offering to help her?

Genuine curiosity danced in Belladonna's eyes.

"Why would you do this? Why help me?" He didn't answer her, he looked at her like she was a chess piece. "You don't care, I'm just an alibi to keep your ass out of Coalhaven."

Roman's hand tightened around hers, pulling her closer to him. Their fingers intertwined, and she could feel the brush of his thumb against her palm. His voice took on a softer tone but with an underlying sense of finality.

"Because, until our business is finished, you're mine," he stated possessively, the weight of his words hanging in the air like a threat, but not to Belladonna. "And nobody fucks with Roman Aurelius."

"Thank you for being honest with me, Angel."

The corners of his lips curved slightly, revealing an enigmatic smile that seemed to hold a secret. At that moment, she realized he knew. He already knew everything she had just told him. Her anger flared up, and she felt her blood boil.

"You knew."

"Well, I didn't have all the details..." He just kept smiling at her like he'd pulled a great prank the anger rolling in her expression didn't deter him at all.

"You arrogant jackass!" She yelled angrily at him and struck him hitting his chest with her fists. But he stood firm, barely flinching under her weak punches. It was clear that she had the passion, but her strikes lacked strength and follow-through.

"What good did that do? Why go through all this if you already knew?"

Roman's large, calloused fingers coiled tightly around her shaking hands, holding onto them with a grip of unyielding strength. He couldn't help but be amused by her intense anger towards him, though there was also a hint of annoyance in his expression. Cute as it all was, it was late and he didn't have time for a boxing lesson. Despite this, he met her fiery gaze with his own steely determination, their eyes locked in an intense standoff that seemed to stretch on for eternity. His jaw was set and his muscles were tense, refusing to back down.

"I needed to know that you wouldn't lie to me, kitten," he explained matter-of-factly. "Youdid lie to me once today. If I can't trust you with something as simple as a tragic backstory, then I can't trust you at all, can I?"

"You... trustme?"

Roman shrugged casually, but his words were serious.

"Well, trust but verify," he replied, his tone serious and firm. "Angel, as long as you're with me, you're mine. And I protect what's mine, that protection extends to your mother."

She was left speechless, her mind reeling from the implications of his words. "What are you playing at?"

Roman's smile remained, his eyes gleaming with mischief and determination. "I play to win, Kitten," his words carried a hint of both challenge and affection.

In his own way, he made it clear that he wasn't just a man driven by self-interest, but someone who did things simply because he wanted to and he needed no further justification.

She couldn't explain why, and it didn't make any sense, but she wanted to kiss him. She wanted to taste him, to feel his breath mingle with hers, catch him off guard but mostly she wanted to wipe that assure smug look off his face. Her heart raced and her palms sweat as she fought the impulse to leap forward. Their faces were so close that she could see the tiny flecks of color in his irises and the faint stubble on his jawline. She leaned in, but to her surprise he placed his thumb and finger on her chin and tilted her head down, planting a gentle kiss on her forehead instead.

"Angel, you've been drinking, and you're upset," he explained. "I'm having Mercer take you to a hotel. Tomorrow morning, we'll strengthen your security--new locks, and a new system. And from now on, you're never going anywhere alone again. Understand?"

His words left no room for negotiation or argument, taken aback by his forceful declaration, her mind raced to process his sudden protectiveness. Before she could respond, Roman continued, his determination evident.

"Starting tomorrow, I'm gonna find your mother," He asserted firmly. "And once that's done, I'll pay your father a visit. Neither of you will ever have to worry about him again. Understand?"

She nodded in a daze, the night took a turn she could have never predicted. Roman took her hand, kissing her palm tenderly, as if to offer comfort and reassurance. This wasn't him though, sure she hadn't known the man very long but this wasnot him. Did she hit her head last night when her father struck her?

"I'm not a fan of your father's brand of fuckery, so we're gonna do something about it." He smirked, "We're going to make a splash, kitten, in the court of public opinion," He said with a mischievous grin, her trust in his intentions growing if it would come at the expense of her father's reputation.

Roman's hand caressed her hair, as he let her go, now confident that he'd made his point.

"Make this whole damn town fall in love with us, make them want to see every kiss, every date, every smile. And then we're going to rub your father's fucking face in it."

"Under the circumstance, I think that's the most romantic thing anyone's ever said to me" Her newfound fascination with Roman Aurelius written all over her face.

"You need to get out more." He offered her that snarky grin of his, about to step away but a firm jerk on his jacket and the look on her face suggested she still had a little bit of fight in her.

"I'm not leaving here without a goodnight kiss,"

Roman chuckled softly, God he loved spunk.

Just moments ago, she seemed like she was holding back a storm of anger and sadness, but now? If he didn't know any better, he'd swear she wanted to fuck him, though maybe that was his ego talking. And as much as he wouldn't have minded a goodnight fuck, he didn't want it with a mess of a woman, not that Belladonna was a mess by any means, but Roman had very specific wants in the bedroom and if her mind wasn't on what they were doing one hundred percent, then he didn't want it at all. However, he conceded slightly and let their lips meet in a lingering kiss, sealing their unspoken agreement and fueling the growing intensity of their connection.

"Goodnight, Angel."