He takes me into our suite and sets me down on the bed, cupping my face in his hands, forcing me to look at him. “Stop crying,” he orders, voice low, edged with steel. “We won. And now…my retaliation will be ten times worse.”
I press my face into his chest and whisper, almost trembling, “I can’t…I can’t go back to him. I feel safer with you than I ever have in my life.”
He holds me tight, silent, fierce. I can feel the weight of his strength, the unwavering certainty in his arms.
“You’re not going back to him. It’s not happening.”
And then, in the quiet of that suite, I realize something terrifying and exhilarating all at once—I might be falling for him. For Roman. And even as the thought makes my chest ache with fear, it also fills me with a strange, liberating warmth I’ve never felt before.
Chapter 18 – Roman
I feel her tremble against me, hear her quiet sobs, and something snaps inside me. My jaw tightens, my fists clench, and all the calm, calculated control I usually maintain slips.
“David Chang will pay,” I growl, voice low and deadly. “He’ll beg for his life, and I’ll make sure he regrets every single thing he ever did to you.”
I tighten my hold, pressing her closer, as if I can shield her from the entire world with my body alone. Every fiber of me screams to protect her, to make the world understand that she belongs only to me—and anyone who dares challenge that will face my wrath.
Her head rests against my chest, and I feel it—her fear, her relief, her trust. And it fuels the fire inside me. David Chang doesn’t just threaten her; he threatens everything I’ve claimed, everything I will claim. And I won’t let anyone take her from me. Not him. Not anyone. Ever.
She’s asleep within minutes, her breathing soft and uneven against my chest. I stay there, holding her until I’m sure she’s gone completely still. Only then do I ease her down onto the bed and pull the blanket over her. For a moment, I just stand there watching her—paint still on her fingers, smudged across her cheek. She looks too delicate for the world she’s been thrown into. Too delicate for a man like me.
I turn away before that thought can take root.
Outside, the smell of gunpowder and smoke still hangs thick in the air. Shattered glass glints on the marble floors. My men are moving through the debris, carrying out bodies. It’s chaos, but controlled chaos—my kind.
I find Luka near the hallway, blood on his sleeve, a harried expression on his face. He falls into step beside me.
“Lev, Kaz, and Dimitri are on their way,” he says.
I nod once. “Good.”
He glances at me. “How’s Elara?”
“Shaken.” My voice comes out rough.
Luka exhales smoke through his nose. “Can’t wait to see David Chang go down for this.”
I stop walking, turning my head slowly toward him. He grins, unfazed.
“What?” he says, smirking. “I like her, Roman. She’s good for you. And I want her to be happy.”
My eyes narrow, dangerous. “Leave before I cut your head off.”
He laughs, unbothered as always. “You’re welcome, Boss.”
I watch him go, jaw tight. Then I turn back toward the chaos of my estate, my mind already shifting from damage control to revenge. David Chang has just signed his death warrant.
I meet my brothers in the office about thirty minutes later, and I’ve never seen them look this pissed. The air feels charged, heavy with fury and strife.
Kaz is pacing near the window, his jaw tight. “How the hell did this happen?” he demands, voice sharp enough to cut through the silence.
Before I can answer, Luka steps forward. “Chang’s men breached the south perimeter,” he explains, his tone clipped. “They came in fast, coordinated. We took most of them out before they made it past the west wing, but it was close.”
Lev’s expression hardens. “Close isn’t good enough.”
He leans against the table, eyes burning with quiet rage. “That bastard dared to bring his war to our doorstep?”
No one says a word.
