Page 37 of Saved By the Billionaire

“I know.” His eyes clung to hers, all dark glittering heat.

Two things were clear. The first, that he just liked to hold her. And the second? That she was better sooner than he’d anticipated. Technically, there was no reason for her to stay in his apartment. Then again, she supposed that had been true all along. His act of being a good Samaritan had ended from the moment he’d restrained her attackers. Everything that came after that had been above and beyond.

And yet, it all just fit with who Roman was. He was extra, as a personality trait.

But as their eyes met and held, Kate couldn’t think properly. She lifted a hand to his chest, pressed it there. “Roman?”

Her voice was thick with emotions she couldn’t understand. She stared up at him and felt a rush of need, of uncontrollable want, which scared the heck out of her. Because Kate liked to control who was in her life, and in what capacity, and with Roman, it was all too much.

“Put me down,” she said, panic in the words now. Panic because she was starting to like being held by him too much. Starting to like being here, with him. In a way that made it hard to imagine ever leaving, despite what they’d agreed.

“I’m ready to sign the papers,” she said. She needed it. She needed to know they’d formalised an agreement, that they were dealing with things in black and white. She needed the safety a contract promised.

“Good,” he said, eyes still holding hers.

“On one condition.”

“More negotiations?”

“I don’t want any money.”

“Kate, we’ve discussed⁠—”

She lifted a finger and pressed it to his lips. “I don’t care how rich you are, Roman. I don’t care about all this. And you’ve already been incredibly generous, helping me with my immigration issues and medical needs. That’s more than enough.”

“It’s part of the⁠—”

“No.” She tilted her chin, aware that she was willing to die on this hill. “I will leave, now, tonight, if you don’t agree to this.”

He clamped his lips together, his jaw shifting as he considered that.

“So?”

“At least let me give you money for a flight back to Australia.”

“If I get a visa extension, I can work and save.”

He swore harshly. “I have a private jet. And an airline, come to think of it. This is the smallest thing I can do to help.”

“You’ve done more than enough,” she insisted. “I’m not your problem, Roman. I’m really not. You don’t have to fix everything in my life.”

A muscle jerked in his jaw and she could see that he didn’t believe her. “I need to know you are safe.”

“Why?”

“Because it matters to me.”

Her heart fluttered. When was the last time anyone had cared about her, or her safety?

“I’m going to be fine,” she promised him. “I have the survival skills of an alley cat. I promise.”

It didn’t feel like she’d won him over, but he nodded slowly. “Sign the papers,” was all he said, and then he strode across the room, to where his laptop was sitting, and lifted the contract from beside it. He held her gaze as he walked back towards her and then placed it on the table.

She flicked through it, but having already read it carefully, she simply found the section entitled remuneration, crossed out the obscene amount mentioned and wrote, ‘zero’.

“Initial, please,” she said, determined that he should know she was serious.

His laugh was a harsh bark, but a moment later, he took the pen and scrawled ‘RH’, then turned the page and signed on a blank line. He handed the pen back to her, watching as she did the same, then placed the pen on top of the first page.