- 6 3 -

"Roman Angelo, in the flesh. I mean... wow." Igor smiles sinisterly, sizing up Roman who clenches his jaw.

"I've see you with my... fiancé." He tilts his head when Roman loses it and takes a step closer in warning just as Anton's hand on his shoulder stops him.

"She is nothing to you." Anton says in distaste as I move my eyes away from the men, focusing on what I was actually supposed to do.

"Thea? Keep listening to me, yeah? Take out the men at the front gates. They're his men." Zephyr's voice comes through the ear and I nod, tearing my eyes from the men.

"Y-yeah, o-on it." I stutter, trying to control my shaking hands but nothing seems to work as I take out the men Zephyr told me to with great difficulty as memories swarm my head and tears stream down my face.

"-I will have her, and none of you will be able to stop me." I heard his voice again just as all three men pulled their guns out at Igor, pointing them to him and suddenly, I heard a the click of a gun from behind me.

Shit.

"Go on, shoot me. Kill me, and my men kill her. Isn't that right, my sweet, darling Heather?" His voice sent chills down my spine as I slowly turned to face the man holding a gun to me.

How did he know where I was?

"R-Roman." I whispered, scared out of my wits because guns just did not sit well with me and I had far too many of those pointed at my face than I would've liked.

Talk about trauma.

"Angel, are you okay?" Roman's voice came through the ear piece while I stood frozen in place, my brain refusing to work.

"H-He has a g-gun. I-I'm scared, Roman, please, I-I need you." I whispered as the man pressed the gun to my forehead, my eyes closing tightly.

"Baby, I'm coming, don't move." I heard his frantic voice and only seconds later, a gunshot was heard.

I flinched, falling to the ground and covering my ears, rocking myself back and forth while more gunshots rang around me.

Don't listen to them, everyone's okay, Roman's on his way, he'll protect you.

"Baby, it's me, Roman, look at me." His voice was like a melody that reached my ears as a familiar pair of arms wrapped around me, pulling me into a hard chest while I sobbed.

"Don't let him take me, please, Roman. D-Don't leave me." I cried, burying my face in his chest while he ran his hands through my hair before picking me up in his arms bridal style and carrying me somewhere.

I kept my eyes shut the entire time as I listened to doors opening and closing, men rushing about before everything went quiet.

I was carefully lowered onto his lap, his arms holding me in a death grip, but that was exactly what I needed right now.

"You're safe now, it's okay, they're gone." He reassured me again and again as I slowly looked up at him with glossy eyes that burned.

"I-Is he gone?" I whispered and saw him nod as he kissed my forehead, pushing my hair away from my face.

"You're safe now baby, I won't let anyone take you, si?" He said determined and I nodded slowly before looking around the dimly lit room.

It had off-white walls, and one of them was black against which a large king sized bed was placed. The furniture was dark and no personal belongings or any splash of colour was visible.

But by the distinct scent in the air around me, I knew it was Roman's room because it smelled just like him.

Dark, dangerous, and sombre.

"Is this your room?"

"Yes." He answered, adjusting me on his lap so that I was straddling him and lifting my chin up with his finger, he leaned towards me, pressing his lips to mine.

I responded to the kiss immediately, wrapping my arms around his neck and tugging at his hair as his tongue swiped across my lips, asking for access.

I let his tongue explore my mouth, not having it me to fight for dominance. He pulled me impossibly closer to him, kissing me like it was the last time he'd be doing it before there was a knock on the door.

"I know you're in there Roman and I'm not coming in if there's PG stuff going on in there." Enzo's voice drifted in and I pulled away as a grin took over my face and I giggled while Roman huffed.

"Just so you know, Anton will have your head, or you his if he doesn't see his sister in the next five minutes. Anyways, byeeee!" He said dramatically before running off.

"They'll never let us have a moment alone, will they?" He asked softly, brushing his knuckles over my cheek when I shrugged, resting my head on his shoulder and nuzzling my face in his neck.

"I don't think so, but I talked to Anton." I said when he turned his head slightly towards me.

"About?"

"Us." I answered softly, playing with his shirt collar when he sucked in a sharp breath.

"And?" He asked, almost impatiently.

"I told him I wanted to be with you. That is, if you want to be with me." I quickly added, hoping I wasn't assuming things when he pecked my temple.

"I want you, baby, more than anything. Non ti lascio andare. Mai." (I'm not letting you go. Ever.) He said, making me scrunch my face up because I didn't understand a word of what he spoke.

Let's just hope it was something good.

"I can't let you go either, Roman, I'm in too deep and I... YA vlyublyayus' v tebya. Yesli ya yeshche ne sdelal." (I'm falling for you. If I haven't already.) I whispered, hearing his pacing heartbeat under my palm.

"Good." He said gruffly as I pulled away to look at him.

"Can I... Can I stay here? With you? If that's okay with you, obviously." I asked nervously when he chuckled deeply, the sound making me clench my legs together.

How can a person be so hot and cold at the same time?

"Of course baby, you can stay with me forever if you want. I was about to ask you to stay anyway." He nuzzled his nose with mine, making me smile giddily.

I cupped his face with both hands, pressing my lips to his for a few seconds before another loud knock was heard and Roman grunted in annoyance.

"I swear I'll kill the person on the other side." He said annoyed when I giggled, earning his full attention as a small smile spread on his lips.

"What?" I asked, still smiling when he shook his head and pecked my lips.

"Keep laughing and smiling baby, I don't want to see that frown on you." He said and I nodded, helping myself off his lap, my personal seat, before he stood up too and took my hand.

Opening his room's door, we were met by an unimpressed Gabriel who sighed in relief when he saw Roman but then smirked when he saw me behind him.

"Your brother is asking for you. He's worried." Gabriel looked at me meaningfully.

I nodded as Roman led me out and down the familiar staircase before turning towards the drawing room from where multiple voices were heard.

As soon as we entered, I was crushed in a hug by Zarina and Zephyr who squeezed the life out of me before Roman had to practically unglue us.

"Fucking careful." Roman growled at them, making them grin like Cheshire cats as they looked between the two of us.

"Darling." Anton called out to me, my eyes snapping to his concerned ones as he strode towards me, wrapping his arms around me tightly and kissing the top of my head.

"I'm okay Anton." I mumbled, my face squished into his chest before Alex took his place and I sighed heavily.

"You're suffocating me." I grumbled just as he pulled away.

Ivan offered me a small smile and I smiled back when I felt something warm on my hand and looked down to see Roman's large hand covering my own.

Lifting my gaze to his gorgeous green eyes, I gave him a small smile and he nodded in return when a throat was cleared, knocking us both out of our bubble as we both turned to look at my brother who watched us with curiosity.

"Where's Ana?" I asked Anton who sighed, running his hands though his hair.

"Sent her home. Speaking of, we should leave too. Dad and our uncles will be back by tomorrow." He said as I bit my lip nervously.

"She's staying here." Roman's voice made everyone's head snap toward him as he tugged at my hand and pulled me closer.

"I'm sorry, could you repeat that?" Alex said in a warning tone as he stepped next to Anton.

"I don't need to repeat myself." Roman eyed my brothers lazily whose gaze now snapped to me in question.

"Heather." Anton's voice was a warning, one I wouldn't be paying heed to just this once.

"I want to stay here." I said softly.

"Nyet." (No) Anton's cold voice and the way he spoke should have made me go running back home, but I wasn't having it anymore.

"It's not a question, Ant. I'm staying here. I feel safer here than I do there." I said more firmly now, making him frown.

"Don't say that. We can protect you, darling, just-"

"I know you can protect me, Anton, but I don't feel safe there." I said, my voice taking a softer edge when Anton sighed, looking at the ceiling before turning to Alex who raised a brow at me.

"Please." I whispered when both brothers glanced at our joined hands warily.

"Let her stay." Ivan suddenly spoke and we all looked at him in confusion and surprise as he gave my brothers a nod.

"It's safer for her this way. He can keep her safe." Ivan gestured to Roman who seemed the least bothered, as if he knew I was staying here no matter what.

Because I was.

Anton gave me an intense look, one I knew all too well. He was worried for me, and for good reason. But I trusted Roman the most right now and knew he'd keep me safe. Always.

"Fine." Anton said defeated as Alex nodded towards us once.

"Keep her safe." Alex told Roman who just nodded once before my family left, along with Gabriel and Enzo, leaving us two alone.

"Come on." Roman tugged at my hand, leading me back upstairs and into his room. He left me standing in the middle as I looked around before he returned with a spare black t-shirt and a pair of boxers, handing them to me.

"You can change there." He gestured to the bathroom and I nodded.

Mumbling a small thank you, I went into the bathroom, doing my business and splashing some water on my face, I used a spare toothbrush to brush my teeth before putting on the clothes.

The shirt was obviously too big on me, so I'd decided to just wear keep my underwear on beneath it as I went back out, just as Roman entered the room freshly showered, his hair clinging to his forehead as he dried it with a towel.

Grey sweatpants hung low on his lips and his torso was bare, revealing the tattoos on his tanned skin that made him look even more beautiful as I tried very hard to look away from his abs and then his v-line.

"Let me." I said, taking the towel from him, I pushed him a bit onto the bed so he was sitting on it and stood between his legs, drying his hair for him with the towel.

His hands held me by my waist, drawing random patterns as I dried his hair before smiling to myself.

"All done." I chirped, throwing the towel in the laundry basket before going back to him, he pulled me onto the bed with him so that his back was against the headboard and I was straddling him.

Running my hands through his soft hair, I pushed them away from his forehead while his own hands slowly rubbed my bare thighs, the feeling making goose bumps rise on my skin.

"Thank you for letting me stay." I whispered, watching as his lips twitched slightly before his tongue darted out to lick them, my eyes following the action like a creep.

I really need to get a grip.

His grip on my eyes tightened as I looked back up into his eyes, my cheeks heating up because he had caught me staring at his lips not so discreetly.

I looked back down to his bare chest, my fingers tracing the tattoos on his skin while I randomly hummed a song to myself until I saw a scar on his shoulder that was covered with a tattoo and gasped.

"Is this a bullet scar?" I asked tracing it, looking back worriedly into his eyes when he nodded.

"How old is this?" I asked.

"Two years."

"Have been shot anywhere else?" I asked, a strange sense of protectiveness washing over me.

He took my hand and brought it down to his toned stomach and sure enough, I saw another scar there.

"You've been shot twice?" I asked softly and he nodded once as I bit my lip, leaning down and kissed the scar on his stomach, then the one on his shoulder before smiling.

"You shouldn't hide them. Your scars only show how strong you are to have gone through that." I said and saw his small smile as he cupped my face gently.

"Yeah?" He asked, somewhat hopeful when I nodded.

"Yeah."

"Can I keep you?" He whispered slowly, tucking my hair behind my ears when I smiled shyly.

"Yes." I whispered when his smile grew wider, making him look younger and more relaxed, his dimples popping out, making me giggle as I poked them, making him chuckle as well.

"Say, if anyone hurt me... physically, what would you do to them?" I asked after a few moments, tilting my head to one side.

"I'd kill them." He answered without batting an eye, making me a bit surprised.

Oh.

"You'd do that?" I whispered.

"Always, baby. I'll always protect you." He assured me when I smiled, looking back at the tattoos I was tracing before smiling sadly.

"And if anyone hurt me... emotionally? Like, broke my heart or something like that, what would you do then?" I asked, watching several emotions flicker in his eyes as he looked at me as if I was a piece of art worth admiring.

"I wouldn't kill them." He answered simply, making me frown in confusion before he continued.

"I'd torture them so much for hurting my angel, that they'd beg for me to kill them." He said, his voice getting lower and more dangerous.

I gulped, swallowing the emotion because god, this man would be the death of me, and in a good way.

"You can't exactly torture them right now but... can you make me forget? Please?" I asked softly, my voice cracking at the end when his hold on me tightened and his brows furrowed.

"Baby-"

"Please, Roman, I want to forget. Make me forget, make love to me, even if you don't love me, but just this once." I whispered, placing a kiss on his chest as I rested my head against him, listening to the sound of his heartbeat.

"You make me want to throw away everything for you, Roman. You make me feel, and I love it. Make me feel you, please." I whispered.

His hands slowly slid up the shirt I was wearing and a heavy sigh escaped his lips before he flipped us over so that he was on top now.

"You make me feel, and I fucking love it." He whispered huskily, looking so intensely into my eyes I had to look away.

Placing his lips on mine, his tongue delved into my mouth as he kissed me feverishly, as if he was afraid, but of what, I had no idea as he pulled back to rest our foreheads together.

"I'll make you forget. I'll make love to you, even though I lo-" He stopped short, sighing heavily before shaking his head and muttering what I assumed were curses in Italian before looking back at me.

"Not just this once, amore mio." (My love) He whispered, pressing his lips back on to mine and my hands tangled in his hair and I sighed in content.

I've already forgotten.