Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 82517 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 413(@200wpm)___ 330(@250wpm)___ 275(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82517 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 413(@200wpm)___ 330(@250wpm)___ 275(@300wpm)
“No. He ordered me to sign the paperwork, and I burned it.”
“You burned it.”
“You got that right, baby. I burned that sucker because I refuse to sign it. You’re worth a lot more to me than that paperwork!” He tutted. “I’m not going to let you go.”
“Roman, don’t you see? You and I, we don’t mesh, we don’t make any kind of sense. You need to be with someone who understands you, who wants the same kind of things you do.”
“Funny you should say that because all I can think about was how good we were together.”
“That’s sex.”
“I’m not talking about the sex, Alex. I’m talking about hanging out together. Being with each other. We had some good memories, and I know if given the chance, we can have a lot more. All you’ve got to do is give me a chance. That is all I’m asking for.”
Tears came to her eyes. “Stop it.”
“No, I’m not going to stop it.” He stepped toward her once again, cupping her face. She didn’t push him away, she couldn’t. Alex had a death grip on the towel.
Her cheeks were flush, and he stroked his thumb across her plump bottom lip.
“I’m going to prove to you just how good we are together.” He dropped a quick kiss on her lips, but that wasn’t enough. He needed more.
Sliding his fingers back into her hair, he cupped the back of her head and pulled her in close, slamming his lips down on hers and taking the kiss he actually wanted. There was no holding back.
It was demanding, passionate, and everything he wanted.
Alex was his.
She gasped, putting her hands on his chest, but she didn’t push him away. The towel she wore fell to the floor, and as she tried to reach down to pick it up, he captured her wrists, stopping her.
“Don’t.”
“Roman?”
“You look so beautiful.” He didn’t let her bend down to pick up the towel, he did it for her and wrapped it around her body. “I’m not going anywhere. You heard my dad that night. You didn’t hear everything that I had to say.”
“You didn’t deny it.”
“How could I? My dad did order me to seduce you, to make you fall in love with me. I never used the kids as a way of making that happen, Alex. I wanted to adopt these kids. To give them a chance, to have a family of my own. One that I could … enjoy with you. I never got this growing up. I never had a dad who wanted to play in the backyard. His idea of playing was sending me to one of his guards who would teach me to take pain. That was what I got to do.”
“What about kids of your own?”
“One day, we’ll have them, Alex. They’re not going to be any different than those boys and girls out there. Our sons and our daughters, and I hope one day they will … call me Dad, but I know that is a long shot. I know they hate me because I hurt you.”
“They don’t know anything, Roman. I couldn’t bring myself to say anything bad about you.”
“Kyle seems to know something went down.”
“He’s the oldest and just because I haven’t said anything doesn’t mean my dad hasn’t. They all call him Grandpa. I think he likes it.”
Alex disappeared into the closet and came out a few minutes later, dressed. She held the towel within her grip and was patting at her hair, drying it. “You can stay,” she said.
“I’m staying here.”
Alex sighed. “I’m not going to have sex with you.”
“I’m not asking for sex. I’m asking for a second chance, and when we do have sex, you’d have forgiven me, and we can both move forward.”
“Doesn’t your dad have another bride lined up who is more suitable for you?” she asked.
“I don’t care because the only woman I want is you.”
“Roman, do you really think this is going to work?”
She hadn’t kicked him out, and he found her crying, and he was going to assume it was about him. “Yes, I do.”
It wasn’t a brag either. He was going to make this work because he wanted to.
He loved Alex. Truly loved her.
Now it was time for him to show her. Roman didn’t have a plan. He had no idea how he was going to prove it to her, but he wasn’t going to stop until he got what he wanted.
****
The kids adored having Roman back, and if she was honest with herself, she did as well. Not that she’d admit it to him. No way would she be that honest with him.
Roman already had a big ego, although she wasn’t really seeing it of late.
They had been living with each other for a week. She’d expected him to be gone within three days. Roman took over from the guard and Millie, driving the kids to the three different schools.