“She was skilled,” I said, my voice laced with admiration.
“Very skilled,” Mia answered. “Every day after she passed, your husband would come in here and sit for hours. Alone.”
Her words opened the window to a dark time in Roman’s life that he’d never spoken to me about.
I moved toward a small wooden cup filled with brushes, my fingers grazing the surface.
This explained why he was discussing the painting on the wall when I first met him at Josie’s. His mother used to paint, and from what I saw, she was damn good at it.
There was clearly a lot that I didn’t know about this man—a whole lot of secrets buried beneath the surface. The fragments of his past I’d learn from his sister and now from Mia hinted at something darker than I’d thought.
If only he could confide in me, maybe, just maybe, I could help ease his burden.
The room felt warm, almost inviting, as if it were waiting for someone who understood what art could do to a broken heart.
I felt lighter in my chest, eager to immerse myself in these paintings and let my emotions flow onto the canvas. That was the best way to express myself, rather than keeping them buried inside.
As grateful as I was, the question lingered in my head.
“Mia?” I turned to face her. “How did you know I love painting?”
Her lips curled into a radiant smile. “Let’s just say I’m good at observing people.”
“How do you mean?”
She heaved a sigh. “Well, for starters, I’ve seen the way you study the portraits in the house. You look at them with the eyes of an art lover.” She paused, shrugging slightly. “And I mayor may not have once overheard you explaining a painting to Nikki and Natasha in the hallway. That kinda confirmed it.”
My mouth slacked in a thoughtful pout. “Hmm. That’s actually clever.”
She beamed at me, lowering her head.
“Thank you, Mia,” I said, my voice dripping with gratitude.
“You’re welcome, ma’am,” Mia answered. “I’m just glad to see that spark in your eyes.” She let out a soft sigh of relief. “I’ll leave you alone now.”
I watched her bow her head with a smile before walking out of the room, her shoes scuffing against the floor.
As I settled in, I picked up a brush and sketched the first lines on a blank canvas. Unexpectedly, I found comfort in a room that held Roman’s past. While my confusion about him didn’t disappear completely, I felt like I’d never been closer to understanding both him and myself.
The act of painting eased my turmoil, offering me a quiet escape from the weight of these unspoken emotions.
There was more to Roman Tarasov than met the eye. Maybe someday, if I didn’t decide to run away from here, I just might uncover the secrets of his past.
Chapter 24 – Roman
It wasn’t my intention to keep my distance at first; I’d just been too occupied with work. But after my conversation with Demyon, I realized I was indeed starting to develop an attachment to Scarlett.
He called it love. I called it intrigue.
However, if I didn’t control my emotions as he suggested, things could take a different turn much quicker than I thought. To control my emotions, I decided it was best to avoid her for the time being.
She had already snuck her way into my stone-cold heart, and her face was already cemented in my mind. The longer I stayed around her, the more vulnerable I’d become. And in my line of work, vulnerability often led to destruction.
To keep her from further damaging my mind, I began intentionally avoiding her. I’d leave too early and return too late, so she hadn’t really set eyes on me. This method of detachment was more painful than I anticipated due to the conflict between my mind and my body.
My mind wanted me to stay away from her, but my body didn’t sign up for this. It craved her like a drug I couldn’t do without. The longer I avoided her, the more I wanted her. I feared that at some point I might have become addicted to this woman.
Every morning when I woke up beside her, I’d watch her as she slept peacefully. For the next five minutes or so, I’d drink in her beauty and the sight of her body—her curves and contours. I always wrestled against the urge to touch her, to kiss her lips and caress her skin.
