- 5 9 -

"Okay, okay, now my boots.... where are they?!" I rummaged through my shoes until I found the pair of boots I wanted, quickly slipping them on and looking at myself in the floor length mirror.

"Good enough." I said, grabbing my things and going out of my room and downstairs for breakfast.

"When did you return home last night?" Anton's voice echoed in the large dining hall from the head seat as I tried my best not to squirm under his intense gaze.

But Roman's was way more intense.

And way hotter...

Jeez, this is not the time!

"I don't remember the time, but Tom opened the door for me last night." I told him, placing a spoonful of cereal into my mouth as I did so, partially telling him the truth, since Tom did let me in, just not at night.

I'm such a good liar.

"Hmm. And how was your... date?" He questioned, arms folded in front of him when I shrugged, although my red face was a dead giveaway when he raised his brow at me.

"It was okay." I replied, keeping my eyes on his the whole time and giving myself a pat on the back for doing so.

Okay? Really?

It was absolutely mind blo-

"Is that so?" He asked slowly, taking a sip from his glass of orange juice when I nodded and hummed.

"Thea, do you want a ride to college?" Zephyr asked me and I nodded.

"Yeah, I do." I said and saw him nod as Zarina wiped her face with a napkin.

"Where's dad?" I questioned and looked at Ivan, Alex, and then Anton.

"Russia with Mikhail and Karl. They'll return tomorrow." Alex said.

"Oh. Okay." I said when Anton called out to me.

"I trust you're ready for tonight?" He asked and I nodded, albeit a little hesitantly.

"Yeah..." I answered, looking away when I heard him sigh.

"Darling, I never would have asked you if-"

"If it wasn't important, I know, and it's fine, I understand. I'll do it, don't worry about me." I said and saw my brothers give me reassuring smiles.

"By the way, I read this amazing book a few days ago." I turned to Zarina who sat next to Zephyr in front of me when she looked up from her phone.

"What was it about?" She asked, curious when I smiled.

"It was about this really rich guy, a Mafia leader, apparently-" I rolled my eyes at that one when Alex scoffed.

"Who got into an accident and was badly injured and all, so the hospital he stays in for a couple of months becomes like his second home, where he falls in love with his doctor." I said just as Anton choked on the juice he was drinking.

"A Mafia leader falling for his doctor..." Ivan said with a smirk as Alex tried to keep in his laugh as Anton rubbed his chest.

"What's so funny about that? I think it's sweet." Zarina said glaring at the guys when they burst out laughing.

"Right, so sweet..." Ivan muttered, side eyeing Anton who cleared his throat and glared at the two.

"Where did you read this story, darling?" Anton asked me calmly, his voice a bit deeper from coughing when I shrugged.

"Just online a few days ago, why?" I asked finishing up my cereal when he shrugged.

"No reason. Seems interesting." He said and Alex chuckled, causing Anton to throw a banana at him.

"What the hell?" Alex muttered, throwing it back at Anton who caught it easily and ate it.

"Okay... I'm leaving now." I said glancing between the three men who were currently acting like children as I got up from my seat.

Not suspicious at all.

"Take care darling." Anton told me when I kissed his cheek, and then Alex's and finally Ivan's.

"Let's go." Zephyr got up from his place and we all went towards our garage, getting in Zephyr's gleaming red Ferrari before zooming towards college.

The day passed by uneventful, which was saying a lot when it came to me, as I walked down the hallways to met with Jane for lunch.

"Woah. You look different... Like... happy. Are you happy?" She asked me when I shrugged, a small smile on my face as she took a big bite of her sandwich, eyes still on me.

"You never told me how your date went. And I got your message too, by the way." She pointed her finger and I nodded, proceeding to tell her about my 'magical' date.

She listened to each and every word with rapt attention, gasping at literally every thing before she squealed.

"I'm so proud of you hun, you deserve to be happy, and I feel like this man might just be the one to do that." She said and I shrugged, a small smile playing on my lips.

"Yeah... By the way... He mentioned something last night about a certain friend of his and a certain friend of mine texting each other like crazed people." I said nonchalantly, watching as her eyes widened.

"W-what?" She said when I scoffed at her.

"You really thought I wouldn't find out, you sneaky little weasel?" I teased her when her face got red.

"I-I wanted to tell you, I swear! It was Enzo who said not to say anything yet." She said when I narrowed my eyes at her.

"Okay, spill." I said after a few moments when she told me all about her texting mania with Enzo which has been going on for quite a while now.

"I just-... ugh! I can't stop talking to him, it's so..."

"Addicting?" I completed her sentence for her when she looked at me with a dreamy look and nodded with a smile.

"Yeah, it is." She said, sighing right afterwards because we both knew full well what I was going to say.

"Just be careful Jay-Jay. You know he's in the mafia, and the second in command to the Don. I don't want you to get hurt." I said placing a hand on her shoulder when she nodded.

"I know, but I feel this spark when I'm with him I haven't felt with anyone... You get me, right?" She asked and I nodded, knowing full well what she meant.

"I know what you mean. I feel that with Roman too... It's scary, but it's also-"

"Exciting? Exhilarating? So damn addicting? Yeah." She said with a wistful smile.

"But..." I sighed and she looked at me as if she knew what my concerns were, because she did.

"Don't worry about it Thea, I'm sure your family will come around. And as far as your past goes, fuck it, move on, and have fun." She said when I nodded, looking away into the distance at the guys who were playing football in the field.

"I think I'm falling for him Jane. And I'm scared. Really scared." I confessed and saw her smile.

"You're not surprised?" I asked her incredulously when she shook her head.

"Honestly? No. I've seen the way you two look at each other and it's cute and so damn tense at the same time. Like you'd kill for each other. I have no doubt you're falling for him and I know, that he feels the same." She said when I remembered what he said to me last night.

"We were talking about his mother when I told him she sounded like a wonderful woman, because she did. And he said something... But I'm not sure." I hesitated.

"Go on, it's okay."

"W-well... He said she would have loved me, like he did." I said and heard her gasp.

"No freaking way. He said that?" She looked at me surprised before shaking her head.

"Girl, he's been obsessed with you for longer than you know, trust me, so it doesn't surprise me as much, but still... damn." She said.

"What do you mean?" I asked her confused when she smiled slyly at me.

"Enzo told me this, that Roman knew you long before you knew him, and he's liked you ever since, even tried looking for you but you've been so well hidden and protected by your brother it was nearly impossible to do so until..." She trailed off, and I remembered the fair.

"Until that college fair." I said and she nodded.

"Exactly. He's known you longer, Thea. And he's liked you longer too. But don't tell him I told you that Enzo told me, or he'd kill us, please." She said with wide eyes and I nodded, chuckling a bit.

"Don't worry, and thanks for telling me, even if I didn't believe you at first. I still don't, but at this point, I'm willing to believe a chicken's words." I said, watching her laugh at me as she finished her lunch.

"Yeah, well, I have class-"

She started but was interrupted when my phone rang. I quickly pulled it out and saw Mr. Brown's name on the screen and frowned.

"Uh... Mr. Brown's calling. I'll talk to you later, yeah?" I looked up from my phone when she nodded.

"Of course, see you later!" She waved at me as she left and I waved back before picking up the call.

"Heather, hello, this is Brown." His voice came through the phone when I smiled.

"Yes, Mr. Brown, how can I help?"

"We actually have a guest with us who had some questions and I wanted to ask if you could show them around the college and address his concerns if you're free right now?" He said and I looked at my watch.

"Okay, yes, I have some time on my hands. I'll be in your office in... twenty minutes?" I asked.

"Yes, of course, thank you dear."

"It's no problem." I said before he hung up and I gathered my stuff back in my bag when my phone rang again. I picked it up without looking at the screen this time as I closed the zip of my bag.

"Hello?" I asked, nothing but silence on the other end before a deep and velvety voice spoke.

"Angel." He said and I immediately looked at the contact, a big smile forming on my face as I sat back against the large tree.

"Roman. Hi." I said, hearing his sharp intake of breath as I did so.

"Mmhm, I love it when you say my name." He said and I chuckled.

"What do you want, Rome?" I said when I heard him sigh.

"That's no way to treat your boyfriend, now is it?" He said and immediately my ears perked up, my heart flipping.

"Boyfriend? What boyfriend? I don't recall anyone asking me." I said bored when I heard his grunt.

"I thought I made it abundantly clear last night that you were mine when I fucked you, no?" He said, a husky tinge to his voice as it dropped low and I bit my lip as memories from last night resurfaced.

"And I bet you're biting your lip just thinking about how good it felt when I was inside you, yes?" He asked, slightly amused when I gasped.

"W-What? How'd you know?" I asked sitting up and looking around to see if anyone was around, but no one was when I heard his light chuckle.

"I know you, angel. What are you doing right now?" He asked.

"Just sitting on the grass. I have to show some guest around college in fifteen minutes and answer their questions." I said and heard him hum.

"When will you be free?" He asked.

"Remember the day you dropped me off at Jane's so I could practice for a dance performance?" I asked.

"Yes, what is it?"

"Well, that's today. But why are you asking?" I asked.

"I wanted to take you out today." He said and I felt my heart flutter at his words.

"Really? I thought you might have gotten tired of me." I joked.

"Never, baby. I could never get tired of you." He said, effectively making me swoon, butterflies swarming my stomach.

"So cheesy." I teased him and heard him sigh.

"Only for you." He said and I released a breathy chuckle, looking down at the grass and picking at it.

"I want you to come today. To college. You wanna see my performance?" I asked him hopeful.

"Of course, just send me the time, and I'll be there for you." He said and I smiled.

"Thanks, Romy." I said cheekily, hearing his deep chuckle on the other side.

"Romy? Again baby?" He questioned.

"Yeah, I like it. Sounds cute. I said, briefly glancing at my watch and sighing.

"I have to go now, but I'll see you later?"

"You can count on it." He said and I smiled.

"Okay. Take care... bye."

"Good bye angel." He said, and I hung up the phone right after, smiling like a love sick fool as I sauntered towards Mr. Brown's office, knocking on it before I was let in.

"Oh, there she is. Heather, this is-"

"Mr. Angelo." I breathed, a small smirk on the man's face when I looked at him and he at me.

You've got to be joking.

"Ms. Elias." His velvety voice sent shivers down my spine as his eyes trailed over my body, darkening as they did so when his tongue darted out to lick his lips.

My eyes followed the action hungrily when he bit on his bottom lip and I forced my gaze down his body, clad in a black suit, a navy blue shirt underneath that clung to him perfectly, showcasing his lean yet muscular physique.

His light stubble decorated his jaw, his tattoos peeking out from his chest from the first two buttons of his shirt left open.

He sat back in the chair, leg crossed over the other and hands resting on the arm rests as he stared at me

I finally looked away from him and to the man next to him; Enzo, dressed in a crisp white shirt tucked into grey slacks, his sleeves rolled up that revealed his tattoos and his blazer placed neatly on the back of his chair.

"Good, since you all know each other, why don't you go ahead? Mr. Angelo has some questions, so I thought you'd be best to answer them." Mr. Brown broke us out of our trance.

I nodded as all three men stood up and Roman strode over to me, pulling me closer to him by my waist and placed a chaste kiss on my forehead.

"I missed you so fucking much." He mumbled against my skin as Mr. Brown looked between us shocked and a little confused while Enzo smiled at him sheepishly.

"It's a long story." He waved his hands in the air as I fisted Roman's blazer in my hand and smiled at him.

"You sneaky little shit." I muttered and saw his smirk when he pecked my lips quickly before looking at Brown with his arm still around my waist.

"I'll be leaving with my girl." He said and Mr. Brown nodded, still in a daze before snapping himself out of it.

"O-of course, take all the time you need." He said as we stepped out of his office.

I immediately wrapped my arms around Roman's neck, his own going around my waist as I hugged him tightly.

I think I'm getting too attached.

"Did I tell you how much I missed you?" He whispered in my ear when I giggled.

"It's hardly been a few hours since we last saw each other." I said pulling away when he scoffed.

"I don't care. I want you by my side all the fucking time." He said sternly when I chuckled.

"You're so cute." I pinched his cheeks, pulling them when he swatted my hands away and Enzo laughed at us.

"You two are adorable, but I gotta go see someone." He said heading in the opposite direction when I raised a brow at him.

"Don't think I don't know about you and Jane." I pointed my finger at him when he looked at Roman with an open mouth and scoffed.

"You told her? I thought we stood by 'bros before hoes'." He crossed his arms over his chest when Roman rolled his eyes at him and pulled me closer, kissing my temple.

I'm melting right now.

"I never said that and besides-..." He looked at me meaningfully before smirking at Enzo.

"I like her better than you." He said when Enzo's mouth fell open and he muttered profanities in Italian and a lot of other stuff I assumed couldn't be good as Roman led me away from the scene with his hand on the small of my back.

"Where are you taking me?" I asked and saw his smirk.

"I have to ask you some questions, so bear with me baby." He said as he led me towards the staff bathroom, checking it before locking the door.

"In the bathroom?" I raised my brow at him but before I could say anything else, he had crashed his lips to mine in a frenzy.

Or we could just do that.

Not that I mind.