“I didn’t. Someone sent my mother pictures of us together and being so distraught she contacted the authorities. She was the one who accused you of taking advantage of me. I couldn’t deny the photos. They asked me if we had sex and I was coerced into an answer, but I said it was mutual consent. I tried to talk to you, explain, but you wouldn’t answer my calls.” I kept my lip from quivering remembering how he ignored me. How I tried to see him personally, but his father stopped me and led me to his office to talk. He’d seemed so concerned about me initially. I should’ve known better.
“Because you used it as blackmail,” he cut in before I could say anymore.
“What are you talking about?” That was the second time he’d alluded to me blackmailing him. “I would’ve never done that to you. I was scared and devastated when my mom found out. I begged her to let it go. Tried to make her understand how much I…” Loved you. The words wouldn’t come out.
“How much you what?” he pressed.
“How much we cared for each other,” I said lamely. The smell of mahogany and the image of Roman’s father floated up like a bad apparition. Roman would never choose you and now you’re trying to ruin his life. My shoulders sagged staring at the ground. “Finally, Mom came around and told me she would handle this. She had a change of heart.”
“It was resolved because she used it as leverage to get a generous settlement.”
My head popped up in shock. “No. That’s not true. When she left, she was given a severance package.”
Anger flashed in his eyes. “It is the damn truth, Theodora.” He exhaled sharply. “Quit fucking lying about it. Would you like to see the contract my father made her sign? You don’t think Robert Martinez would simply take her word at face value. If anything, he covers his tracks. Your mother handled it by agreeing to drop this if Pop paid her.”
I stared in shock. Why? I shook my head. “She wouldn’t.” I stood up. “She wouldn’t do that.”
He rose up too and got in my face. “She did. You did.” He ran his hands up my arms none-too-gently until one palm curled around my throat. He leaned in so close our noses touched and his lips ghosted mine. “I hated her. I hated you for what you did.” His thumb pressed into my pulse. “I never wanted to see you again because I knew if I did…” His fingers dug into my scalp yanking my head to the side. “I would hurt you. Make you pay.” His mouth ghosted over mine. “Even knowing what happened, I still wanted you. And, since I had you, have you now, I’ll never let you go.” He bit down on my lower lip, and I cried out in shock trying to pull away from him, however his mouth covered mine muffling the sounds.
I dug my fingers into his rock-hard chest trying to shove him away but he wouldn’t budge as he assaulted my mouth. His kiss was brutal, and I thought I was going to suffocate. I bit down on the tip of his tongue raking through my lips, the metallic taste of blood filled my mouth. He paused and let up. “You’re trying to punish me for sins you think I committed,” I gasped out trying to catch my breath.
He relinquished the grip around my neck. His fingers trailed down my collarbone. “Whatever sins you committed, Corazón, I’ve already absolved,” he acknowledged lowly, and his eyes were as black as the night sky. “Deep down you know, you know despite what your incessant thoughts keep warning you against. You want me. You can deny it all you want, but when I touch you—” His index finger trailed up and down over the cleft between my breasts, and I licked my bottom lip. “Your body doesn’t lie, Theodora. This.” He pressed his hand over my heart. “This beats for me only. And if you push me too far, I will strip you down and fucking prove it. Is that what you want? Because I have no fucking boundaries when it comes to you.”
I felt the tenseness of his muscles against my palm. The barely leashed restraint he was holding on to. His chest rose and fell in double time with mine. He was about to lose his control, and there was a part of me that wanted him too. To push him to his limits knowing I was just as deranged as he. Knowing I wasn’t completely convinced he wasn’t trying to dig up dirt on my mother. Knowing he still thought we’d screwed over his family. Yet, still, I wanted him. I was the sad, pathetic girl who’d always loved him. The one with the idealistic view that he was my dragon slayer, and I was his princess in this fucked up fairy tale.
I could rationalize everything to death, but the fact of the matter was I needed him. I’d hurt him, and he’d hurt me. I curled my fingers into his pecs, my nails dug into his skin. Hoping to leave my mark like he did on me. Our connection was one that was familiar, complicated, and primal. There were several other adjectives to describe it as well, but one word fought against another when trying to characterize what we were. Because it wasn’t that simple. Nothing was black and white with us. His obsession with me was my swan song. His control was my freedom. I was irrational when it came to him, but somehow it made me more sane. There was no rhyme or reason to my thoughts, but at this point, I didn’t care. I lifted up on my toes and my lips touched his stubbly chin. “Don’t make threats you can’t keep.”
He clenched his hands around my hips bringing us as close together as humanly possible. His very pronounced erection jabbed at my lower abdomen. “I never make idle threats. Te joderé tanto hasta que no puedas caminar por un tiempo,” he growled and kissed me like I was the air he needed to breathe.
“What did you say?” Again, I was left breathless from his kiss.
His smile flashed wickedly under the dim lighting. “I will fuck you so hard until you can’t walk for a while.”
“Oh—” He jerked me up in his arms and walked us to the parking lot where his jeep was parked before I had a chance to process. Did it matter? Roman had a way with words and his mouth was made for more than dirty talk.
Theodora
I woke up to sunlight streaming in my face. I stretched out my arm beside me expecting to feel Roman’s hard body, but all I felt were wrinkled sheets. He was gone, and I was lying naked in his room after staying up most of the night making love and him proving how very sore he would make me. My thighs tingled with thoughts of what we did. If anything, Roman delivered on his threats.
Reluctantly, I pushed myself up, hoping it wasn’t too late. It was Friday, and I hoped I didn’t miss my Sociology class. Surely, Roman would’ve awoken me to get ready. He knew how much of a punctual person I was. Just one more minute, I thought and lay back down. I twisted my head and inhaled into the pillow relishing in his musky scent that would always be engraved in me. Sighing, I forced myself up, and found my clothing had been folded neatly on the black leather lounger. I checked my phone and saw it was a little after seven a.m. Good. Plenty of time to get ready.
I dressed and slipped out the door hoping Roman was in the kitchen making coffee at least. The house was quiet, and I assumed everyone else was still asleep. As I rounded the corner, I heard his baritone voice as he spoke quietly. “I told you, Father, I’d take care of it.” His back was to me as he stood by the bay window in the nook area gazing out at the pool.
My steps faltered as I felt like I was eavesdropping. Why I didn’t want to alert him to my presence I didn’t know, but something told me to tread lightly. “Yes. Her mother is squared away in a rehab facility. I took care of it.” I tensed as his words came out emotionlessly. All my reservations and suspicions were facing me again. “I told you I searched her room and found nothing. What is it exactly that I’m looking for?”