Page 138

“I’m so sorry it took me so long to get here,” he says, planting kisses on top of my aching scalp.

I have so many questions I want to ask him. How did you know where to find me? How did you know to bring Tilly? What would’ve happened if you’d gotten here five minutes later? One by one, the questions fade away until only one thing seems to matter.

“I’m just happy you came.”

“I love you, Kira. I will always be here to protect you.”

I’ve gone my whole life never understanding what those words really meant, assuming they were just another promise people made and eventually broke. But here I am, with a man who actually means them. Roman doesn’t make empty promises. He proves them, over and over, every time he shows up for me.

“I love you, too,” I say, my voice tight with emotion.

His hand cradles my neck as our lips meet with a delicate kiss, and at that moment, I know, no matter what happens next, I’ll be okay.

Not to be left out, Tilly whines as she paws at Roman’s leg.

I reach down and rub Tilly’s ears, too sore to bend down and give her a proper belly rub. “I love you, too, Tills. And thank you for protecting me tonight. You did such a good job.”

She nudges my leg with her nose, and I swear I hear her say, it’s about time you said thank you…

CHAPTER FORTY

Roman

“Are you sure about this?” Kira asks as she sets the phone on the tripod. “There’s got to be another way⁠—”

I press a finger to her lips. “There isn’t. This needs to happen. It’s the only way. We need to nip this in the bud before it gets any worse.”

“Aren’t you afraid of the backlash? This is going to devastate the whole town. They’ve all been working so hard…”

Honestly, after the events that transpired last night. People being upset with me is the last thing I’m worried about. I know I fucked up, but there are far more important things than a silly town festival, and I know that every single one of them would agree.

Seeing Kira so scared and helpless like that was something straight out of my worst nightmares, and I don’t know what I would’ve done if Tilly wasn’t there with me.

She was so fucking quick getting to her and held nothing back, taking Augustus down. She did exactly what she was bred to do and saved me from having to get blood on my hands. Because had it been me prying his hands off her, there’s a strong likelihood that I’d be walking away in handcuffs. That’s for sure.

“I’ll make it up to them,” I say as if it’s that simple. Because it is. I don’t care what I have to do, or how much it costs me. I’ll make it up to them as soon as I address the rumor mill.

She holds my gaze, like she’s trying to read my expression for any sign that I’m lying. I hate that she’s so hyper-vigilant to the moods of everyone around her because I now realize what it took for her to develop that skill. Nobody should feel personally responsible for the temperature in a room, regardless of whether they have to be or just feel like they should. I have no doubt that over time we can help each other unlearn this survival skill, that we can learn to be okay with people being upset.

All I can do now is try to make things right. And if people are upset with me, then I’ll have to live with that. I fucked up. That part is true. But I’m only human, and given another opportunity to do it over, if it means I get to keep the girl, there isn’t a thing I’d do differently.

The truth is, I’d let the whole world down if it meant winning her heart. I’d ruin my own reputation in every lifetime if it meant I got to protect hers.

That’s what soulmates are for.

I scoot back in my seat and scan myself one more time, making sure everything is exactly how it should be.

“All right, here we go…” She holds up her fingers. “You’re going live in three, two, one…”

I look toward the camera as nerves tighten in my chest. Of course I’m scared. Anyone would be, considering what I’m about to do.

But when my eyes find Kira’s, staring back at me behind the camera, my body grows calm. She is my rock, grounding me down to the earth.

I give the camera a wave and try my best to seem relaxed. “Hey, everyone, Roman Kingsley here, but I’m sure, if you’re watching this, you already knew that.”

From behind the camera, Kira gives me a thumbs-up.

“Recently, there was a video leaked of me giving a lap dance to a very well-known celebrity, Kira Blakely, that has created a lot of speculation about our personal connection to one another. And I’m here to clear the air…”