Series: The Rossi Crime Family Series by J.L. Beck
Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 80475 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 402(@200wpm)___ 322(@250wpm)___ 268(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80475 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 402(@200wpm)___ 322(@250wpm)___ 268(@300wpm)
“Hey…” Roman leans into me, his lips grazing my ear as if he knows that I need him to save me from my own mind. His sensual voice caresses me from my thoughts. I twist in my chair to face him.
“Yeah?” I rasp, keeping my voice low. Elyse keeps glancing at me as I do her, and I have so many questions I want to ask her. I never expected to see her again...and now I feel like meeting Roman and being saved was even more of gift, because he brought me back to my sister.
“Are you okay? If this is too much for you I can have us go upstairs. We don’t have to stay here.” Roman’s assertiveness to making sure I’m happy and calm is so endearing. He cares about me so much and it shows in every single thing he does.
“It’s okay...I’m okay…” I smile, but he looks at me as if he doesn’t believe me. He doesn’t push the issues though. Truthfully, I am okay, never been better actually. I listen to everyone talk, laughter, and happiness fill the room until it’s almost suffocating.
“I know someone is skimming off the top…” Ivan’s voice carries into my ears and I feel Roman’s hand tighten in mine. What is he talking about? Skimming off the top? “Roman was given pills that were laced with some fucked up shit. The pills were ours, so they’re taking drugs and reselling them laced with something, turning a profit. It’s really something we need to worry about since Roman lost his damn mind and attacked Sophie.”
The room falls silent at Ivan’s words...and the first person I look too is Roman. He’s seething, the rage damn near boiling over inside him.
“What the fuck Ivan?” Roman releases my hand and pushes away from the table.
Ivan squeezes his eyes shut realizing what he just said, “Fuck, I’m sorry. I didn’t…”
Roman shakes his head and slams his fists down onto the table, earning a look from each person at the table. It’s clear everybody at the table is used to this kind of behavior, but my sisters flinching form in front of us startled me, as did it her boyfriend.
“Calm the fuck down,” Hero growls, a vein in his forehead pops, and I know there is way too much testosterone being contained in this one room.
“Or what? You going to kick my ass? I eat bigger fucking assholes for breakfast then you,” Roman sneers, and I places my hand against his forearm trying to calm him, but it’s no good. He shrugs it off as if I’m nothing but an annoying little fly.
“Before or after you take your laced pills?” Hero digs his claws into a wound that hasn’t even healed yet, and I’m afraid that Roman is about to lose his head if I don’t reign him in soon. Before I can react, Roman is lurching across the table, his fist connecting with Hero’s face. But Hero was expecting it, shoving from his chair, and sends a right hook into the side of Roman’s face in return. Both of them take the hit like it’s nothing before they straighten back out, leaving the table between them.
Elyse is standing a few feet away from Hero cradling her belly and only then do I realize the small baby bump she’s been hiding. I want to rush over to her and ask her about it but the situation we are in right this second would not be a good time to do so.
“What the fuck?” Damon curses under his breath as he moves away from the table, Keria in his arms. He looks upset. I feel bad for ruining his party, and even worse for having a fight break out in someone else’s home.
“Roman.” Ivan’s deep voice fills the air as he shoves from his chair. He starts walking over to us as if his presence will make everything better. I’m standing as well now, attempting to hold Roman back, but there’s no point. He is stronger than me, and like a bull seconds away from charging. I don’t blame him for getting mad. I just don’t want him to get hurt…or hurt anyone else in the process.
“Stop…” I whisper.
Hero shakes his head, a sinister grin on his lips. “I know where Elyse came from...which means I know where Sophie came from, and I can tell you now they didn’t escape one abusive shit storm just to be placed in another.”
“Hero,” Elyse gasps in shock, but Hero shakes his head, gazing down at her as if to say shut up. He’s pouring salt into a bloody wound and I’m not going to have it.
“He didn’t mean to hurt me. It was an accident,” I growl, feeling overly protective of Roman. Hero doesn’t even look at me, he keeps his eyes on Roman, who’s more than seething with rage right now.