“Knyaz’—”
“Smotri, chto ty delayesh',Maxim,” he snapped, and Max bowed his head hesitantly before turning to the door. Roman waited for it to click closed before returning his attention to me. “You’re lucky he didn’t shoot you.”
“I knew you wouldn’t let that happen,” I said, crossing my arms. “Tell me what happened with you and Violet.”
He arched a brow. “Sounds awfully like a demand, Ry.”
“Roman…” I growled.
“She came to me for protection.” A red welt was growing on his cheek, but he didn’t seem to even notice it. Which was rude because my knuckles hurt like fuck.
“What did you want in return?”
Roman tilted his head, leaning casually against the desk. “I asked her to marry me.”
The words hit like a punch to the gut. My vision edged red, my fist curling, ready to swing again.
“Hit me again,” Roman said evenly, “and I’ll hit back. She came to me, not the other way around. And if you want to start pointing fingers”—he paused, eyes narrowing—“the fake wife thing wasyouridea.”
“Don’t fucking test me, Rome,” I snarled. “She’s mine.”
“Holy shit,” he said with a humourless laugh. “Guessthe great Ryder Finn actually has a heart after all.” He stepped forward, gripping my shoulder hard. “About time you started giving a damn about someone other than yourself.”
I shoved him off, dragging a hand down my face.Christ.
Normally, Roman was the one person I could tolerate in my space, but apparently, I was in the middle of some existential meltdown because the contact made my skin crawl. My chest felt tight, like I was suffocating.
“You’re so stuck in your own head, you never see the future,” he continued, dark green eyes holding mine. “You only do transitional relationships, Ryder. You chase the next payout like it’s going to fill the hole in you. It won’t. It never has. It’s time to grow up.”
I glared at my longest, soon-to-be ex friend.
“You don’t let anyone in.”
“I let you in,” I rasped.
“It’s not the same, Ry. You alienate yourself because you think it’s easier.Saferto be alone.”
It was way too early to be called out like this. Or too late. Hard to tell when exhaustion dragged so heavy across my shoulders I could barely think. All I wanted was to get back to Violet.
I scrubbed a hand over my face. “I’m out of my element here.”
Roman lifted a brow. “You hurt her.”
The words sank in, settling somewhere deep and unwelcome.
“And you’re going to fix it,” he added, leaning back. “Or you’re going to lose the first person who’s ever gotten under your skin.”
“What do you expect me to do? Beg for her forgiveness?” I stared at him, stomach twisting. “I don’t do begging.”
“You also don’t do caring,” Roman shot back. “But here you are.”
“Shit. I really fucked up with her, Rome,” I said, my jaw clenched so hard it ached. “I don’t know what to do.” I wasn’t delusional enough to think a few orgasms was enough for her to forgive me.
“You grovel,” Roman said simply, clearly enjoying how off balance I was. “For once in your life, you stop running, and you fight for something that isn’t money.”
Chapter 45
Ryder
