His hand grabbed a handful of my hair as he thrust inside me, and I moaned.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes, Roman. I’m fine.” I said as my breathing increased. “Just keep going.”
“What do you want me to do to you?” He asked. The question caught me off guard, and I didn’t know how to respond.
“Everything,” I said. “I want you to do everything to me, Roman.”
“You’re soaking wet,” he said as he pounded into me, but I barely heard. All I knew was that Roman was inside me, and I didn’t want him to stop.
I didn’t expect us to end the way we did. I lay beside him. My eyes were on the ceiling, and my mind was drifting. Somehow, I felt like I’d crossed an invisible line. I was even more vulnerable than before, and I feared that Roman could seethrough me. I fell for him. My goodness, I fell for him hard. I loved his touch and the way he kissed me with his soft lips, the way he breathed beside me, the way he held himself in such high esteem. Maybe I was delusional to let him get the best of me, I thought. Or maybe I made the right choice.
Chapter Twenty
Roman’s POV
The atmosphere wasn't bright when I opened my eyes, yet the yellow incandescence from the lamp beside me was blinding to the point where I had to close them again. I rubbed my eyes with my hands and yawned. My hands stretched wide, and I noticed that there was a little resistance around my torso. Liza had curled herself onto my body, and I sighed, recalling all that happened during the previous night. My eyes followed the curve of her back, though most parts of her were hidden under the blanket. It made me feel good to know that Liza's body was mine. The night might be over, but my body remembered every detail. How her lips pressed on mine, and the air from her voice tickles the tip of my ears. Sensational. I wondered if, perhaps, she enjoyed it too.
I touched her head and let my hands slide down her arms. Her hair was around my collarbone, and I kissed the center of her head. She adjusted her posture on my body, and I thought she'd open her eyes, but she didn't. Instead, she moved a little bit to the left, and I felt the softness of her brush my belly. It was at this point that I realized we'd been naked under the blanket all through the night. And although it was just dawn, I couldn't get my mind off her. Yet, somehow, I had flashes of the things that occurred in the gala, and how it was really easy to strike a very pleasant deal last night. My God, what would I have done without Liza, I thought. She was more of a queen than anything I'd ever seen. Her eyes sparkled.
And if I'm being honest, Liza made everything look easy. I never thought I could pull off anything of that sort in the first place, because I wasn't the type of person who orchestrated ruthless deals in the shadows. Konstantin was the best man for the job. He walked without remorse and talked without fear.Viktor, on the other hand, did not need to do anything. His presence was powerful. A power that even the weakest of us felt. His words were orders, and that was more than anyone could ask for.
And me? I wasn't like any of my brothers, but I had to act in the best way that I could. It wasn't as though I had an alternative anyway, I mean, I had Liza, but her company also reminded me of the fact that she was carrying our child. The chances I had to ensure their safety were all embedded in risk. And with everything that happened in my life, sometimes, I felt like I walked a wire over a pit, and the moment I got tense while walking the wire, I'd fall. And when I fell, there’d be no chance that I would survive. So no matter what I did, I had to stay still with my head up high, in full control of my surroundings.
In the very least, my priorities were made clear from the day I married Liza. I got to know her better, and we became better friends and partners. I never believed that we would be this way the day she was brought to the mansion. Regardless, I was grateful for her, and I knew that no matter the case, her life and innocence were worth me living and dying for.
While I enjoyed the pleasurable thought, my phone rang. I gently moved Liza to the side in the hope that I wouldn't wake her up. The first thing that caught my attention was the time on my phone. It was only 4:00 am.
Konstantin. And that only meant news.
“Hey.”
“Hey, what? You're still asleep?” He asked, and I knew that his intention was to give me a good tease.
“I picked up the call, right?” I answered. Everywhere was silent, except for the sound of a few of my guards patrolling in front of my bedroom door.
“I don't have time for that. Listen…” he kept silent for almost five seconds in a dramatic pause. “I've got new intel. And trust me, it's as nasty as it sounds.”
“Okay, so what's up?”
“Look, we've got to be careful. I just got the info that Arkady is negotiating with a Middle Eastern buyer to sell off both his smuggling routes, including every leverage which he has left, and also information on the Lobanov charities.”
I sighed while I sat upright. The report, indeed, made me question everything.
“That's not the worst part…if Arkady pulls this off, then you should be aware that the Feds will come for your foundations. Every trace linked to him will be terminated, and you'll be implicated in everything.”
“But that's crazy.” I hissed. Such news was a bad way for one to start the day.
“He doesn't care if what he does is crazy or not. Arkady is making you the fall guy, and that is bad for us.”
“Fuck!” I cursed beneath my breath. My head spun to the point where it ached. I heard the thud of my pulse from my chest. My stomach burned hot, yet my feet ran cold. “What am I to do?” I asked.
“You know what to do, Roman.” Konstantin's reply set my mind at ease. I felt like I was back where this all started. How can I be implicated for doing the right thing the right way, I thought. All my charity foundations were raised in legitimacy because I had the vision to do the right thing. But I guess anything Arkady touched turned to chaos.
Arkady, that bloody bastard. I'd ruin him before he even gets the chance, I thought. Nothing would've made today any better than to watch him burn. He was in enough trouble already, and he didn't only put himself at risk. Crazy Arkady wanted to put all of us at risk. He knew we were coming forhim, so I understand why he wanted to tarnish the Lobanovs, especially me. But I wouldn’t let him.
I hung up the call with Roman with a stressed sigh. Liza turned around. Her head stretched further up to my clavicle, and her hand rested atop my chest. I brought my head low and kissed her hair. These were the times when I had to hold Liza closer than ever. Keeping her at arm's length would be to my delight. I had to see to it that she wasn't just alive but safe. She deserved better, and I wasn't going to stop until I gave her the best.
