“Nothing,” I answered, my tone flat and dismissive. “Let’s just go.”
I held her hand, quietly leading her out of the building.
She didn’t object, didn’t press for further answers either—only followed me like she trusted my decision.
Sergei and the other men flanked around us in a circle, shielding us from every angle.
I knew she had many questions about what happened tonight, and I hoped it would never reach the point where I’d have to explain myself.
This encounter with Sokolov and the chaos that almost erupted opened my eyes to the truth. I cared so much about Scarlett that I wouldn’t let anything bad happen to her. I hadn’t admitted it to myself, but deep down, I knew it to be true.
Protecting this woman was my number one priority henceforth, and anyone who came after her would wish they had never been born.
That included Lucian Sokolov and his men.
Chapter 17 – Scarlett
It had been three days since the incident at the gala and four days since the spontaneous sex that left me speechless. I had questions, lots of them. But Roman wasn’t ready to provide me with the answers I craved.
I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about the gala incident, how handsome he looked in that black suit, and his possessive hand around my waist. I thought I knew who he was—a ruthless monster incapable of anything good.
However, that night, he proved me wrong. I almost didn’t believe my eyes when I saw him smiling with that nice old couple, Gladys and her husband, Derek. Around them, Roman was an entirely different person, a version of him that I never thought existed.
He displayed a personality that blew my mind and thawed something frozen inside me. Watching him smile and even laugh with them at some point was like looking at a stranger. I didn’t know what to make of what I saw, only that deep down, I was impressed by his behavior.
At first, I thought he was faking; I thought his smiles were plastic, meant to fool the couple. Then I realized, from the nature of their conversation, that they’d known one another for quite some time. That explained why the smiles looked so genuine.
I didn’t know much about Roman, but that night, I knew this much: He held that old couple in such high esteem. We’d run into a few older men and women at the gala, but none of them brought out the humanity in him like Gladys and Derek.
They must mean a lot to him to have such a positive effect on a cruel man like my husband. When he spoke to them, his voice was devoid of his usual hostility. His expression wassoft and welcoming throughout the conversation—almost like he was…happy, dare I say.
I used to think that it was impossible for the words “happy” and “Roman” to be in the same sentence. Yet, he proved me wrong. The way his eyes lit up as I’d never seen before, how his smile reached his ears, made me question everything I thought I knew about him.
Who exactly were Gladys and Derek, and how did they manage to tame such a wild animal? Maybe I could learn a thing or two from them, since I was the wild beast’s wife with no possibility of a divorce.
It was astonishing and satisfying to watch Roman display a glimpse of his humanity. Sadly, though, that show was cut short when the white-suited man arrived. It was clear as day that there was a lot of bad blood between those two.
They behaved like sworn enemies, and I sincerely believed that I was the only one at the gala who had no idea what the hell was going on. The tension was so heavy in the air that their words were sharp as canines. They threatened each other.
It was like everyone else but me knew their history, hence the fear in their eyes when things began heating up between Roman and the man in white.
When Sergei stepped forward, ready to withdraw his gun, and the other man’s lieutenant did the same, I honestly thought a massive shootout was about to erupt. I felt weak in the knees, and my heart wouldn’t stop pounding in my heaving chest.
Overwhelmed with fear, my breath caught in my throat, my hands trembled, and I prayed silently for the aversion of the brewing violence. Despite my anxiety, I still noticed how Roman’s grip tightened around my waist—protective, not just possessive.
Whatever beef that man had with my husband was enough to start a war—and everyone at the gala knew it for sure.I had no idea what transpired between them that made him despise Roman so much, but it must’ve been really terrible.
I recognized that look in his eyes, that pure, unadulterated hatred. That’s how I used to look at Roman—and in my mind, I thought no one hated the man as much as I did. Clearly, I was wrong.
Curious, I wondered what Roman must have done to make that man loathe him so much. Another thing that puzzled me was what he meant when he said Roman was protective of what was his.
I couldn’t help thinking that he was referring to me in that statement. I also recalled Roman warning him to keep my name out of his mouth.
Deep down in my heart, I hoped and prayed that I wasn’t somehow, even by error of chance, being dragged into a fight I knew nothing about. The last time I was involved in a beef that I had nothing to do with, I ended up as a prisoner in Roman’s mansion.
I couldn’t afford to have history repeat itself again. Although a part of me was almost certain that Roman would do anything in his power to keep me safe. He already showed the signs of a protective husband, and even his rival confirmed it.
What was it about me that led these men to drag me into situations that didn’t concern me? First, it was the beef between Roman and my father. Now, the same thing was happening again between Roman and this other man.
