Roman

by Roman (retail) (epub)

  His blood ran cold as his mind raced. Holy shit. As he quickly put the timeline together, he realized how well it fit.

  A mass grave discovered a couple of months ago. As far as he knew, only one had been found in this area, but he didn’t pay much attention to the news. However, if another had been uncovered, he felt certain it would have been brought up in a meeting with the Warriors.

  “Did you … did they find your sister’s killer?”

  She shook her head, then yawned. “No. God knows I tried, though. I just couldn’t make the pieces fit. I couldn’t figure out what all the victims had in common, except the Medical Examiner’s reports came back with broken bones and bad bruises, consistent with people being beaten. Whoever did it had been pretty sadistic. I really don’t like to think about it too much because it makes me sick to consider how she may have suffered.”

  Oh, shit. It had been Daniel who’d killed her sister. Bile rose in his throat at the thought of telling her.

  She yawned again. “I think I need to go back to bed.”

  Beverly breezed into the kitchen. “Before you do, you should eat something.”

  “I don’t think I’m hungry, Beverly, but thank you.”

  Beverly turned to Olivia and smiled. Although she looked friendly enough, Roman knew that look—the female meant business.

  “Go ahead and sit down, Olivia. You need to keep your strength up. Although I can’t promise it will be great, I’ll make something decent.”

  He could tell Olivia had been about to argue, but then sat down at the table. “Thank you, Beverly. I guess I am a bit hungry.”

  She grinned. “Me, too.”

  As she turned around, she gave Roman a look as if to say he needed to sit his ass down, as well. He’d learned very quickly that no one argued with Beverly.

  He took the seat next to Olivia. “Sounds great, Bev.”

  Chapter 43

  Beverly made some soup and a roast beef sandwich, and it tasted like a little slice of heaven to Olivia. She hadn’t realized how hungry she’d become, but she supposed the adrenaline from the escape and the healing had taken a lot out of her.

  She tried to remember someone else’s energy within her, but she couldn’t. It definitely was a strange feeling knowing that had been the case, not to mention that she tried to grapple with the fact that someone, somewhere, in a past generation, had slept with an alien. She hoped it hadn’t been a Colonist, but based on her mother’s behavior, it did seem like a good possibility. However, it was also weird to think that she could be a distant relative of one of Roman’s other friends.

  Roman had told her so much, and she appreciated his honesty. He had been right when he said they’d done everything backwards—usually, she’d get to know someone a bit more before hitting the sack with them. But maybe the fact that she did have SR44ian DNA in her had added to the attraction between her and Roman. She couldn’t deny the intensity of it back then, and she certainly couldn’t now. As he sat next to her, his presence heated her skin.

  That also seemed to be a strange response since she’d just had a bullet taken out of her back. It amazed her that she could be up and around like she was. Her back felt like it had been badly bruised, and she tired easily, but really—it was a walk in the park compared to what she could have been facing from modern medicine.

  She wondered what would have happened if they had taken her to a hospital, and cringed at the possibilities. Certainly, once her name had been entered into the system, the government would have been all over her. Like Roman had said, she’d committed a huge crime by helping him and the others escape. In return, he’d taken a chance on bringing her here, and she believed he’d saved her life.

  “That was delicious, Beverly. Thank you so much.”

  Beverly smiled at her from across the table. A beautiful blonde with classic, almost aristocratic features, Olivia could see sadness in her smart, green gaze. She also had the sense that Beverly wanted something from her.

  “I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

  As Beverly stood and cleared the dishes, Olivia waited with curiosity. When she sat back down, she spoke.

  “Olivia, I was wondering if you could give me more information on the two others that you and Roman brought out.”

  She furrowed her brow. “What do you want to know?”

  “Well, my mate’s name is Hudson. He’s one of the Warriors who rescued you last night. Benedict and Eden appear to be his children.”

  Roman scoffed. “Bev, there’s no doubt. Those two are practically a carbon copy of Tall, Dark, and Deadly.”

  Olivia didn’t know quite what to say to either of them, so she remained silent, and Beverly continued.

  “You’re right, Roman. They are his children, children that I knew nothing about. I’d like to know more about them so I can understand the situation.”

  Roman cleared his throat. “I don’t think Hudson would abandon his own kids, Beverly.”

  “I don’t think he’d do that, either, Roman. I’m just trying to find out a little bit more about them. I’m sure you can appreciate what a shock their existence is for me.”

  Olivia tried to put herself in Beverly’s shoes, and imagined finding out that her significant other had two kids she knew nothing about, and apparently, neither had he. At best, it would be a difficult situation. She pitied the woman and wanted to help. “I believe that. What did you want to know?”

  “Just … I guess … everything.”

  Olivia nodded. “Well, they’re obviously twins. They’re a hundred and fifty years old, and were born to a woman in Jamestown in Virginia, a Puritan woman. They’ve basically lived on the land for all this time, keeping to themselves and limiting their contact with human beings. From what I understand, they overtook a cabin in the middle of nowhere that belonged to a family who hadn’t checked on the land in a few generations. That’s how they were discovered.”

  “Seriously? He got into a Puritan woman’s pants? Or I guess I should say, under her skirt.”

  Olivia couldn’t help but grin at her bluntness. “That’s what Eden said.”

  Beverly shook her head and sighed. “I don’t know whether to be disgusted with Hudson, or to be impressed with his sexual prowess.”

  “Eden said her mother cared very deeply for their father.”

  “Obviously, or she never would have broken her religious convictions.”

  “Eden also seems to see colors around people. Remember that, Roman? When she was convincing Benedict that he could trust me and he needed to come with us? She told him she saw blue around me.”

  “I do, but I don’t know what that’s about.”

  Olivia cleared her throat, a little embarrassed about bringing the subject up. “It also seemed as though she could tell what my emotions had been at times. It was a little eerie, and I considered things like perhaps she had the ability to read minds.”

  Roman grabbed her hand under the table and squeezed, as if he understood that she felt a little uncomfortable. “We have two of them that can do that back at the silo.”

  She gasped. “Really?”

  “Yes. It’s a pain in the ass trying to play poker with them.”

  Beverly smiled. “I wonder what Eden’s gift is. What do you think, Roman?”

  “I have no idea. I’ve never heard of an SR44ian being able to see colors around others.”

  Olivia laced her fingers with Roman’s, liking the comfort he brought her. “Well, another thing I considered was maybe she sees auras.”

  Roman glanced over at her. “Auras?”

  “Yes. Some people say that we all have colors around us, and those colors reflect our feelings in the moment. I don’t know if there truly is such a thing as I tend to be a very factual person and I’ve never seen an aura. But, there are those who claim that the colors are there, and they are a good indication of a person’s feelings at the time.”

  Beverly nodded. “That’s an interesting theory, Olivia. I never would have considered it
a few years ago, either, for the same reasons as you, but now, it’s definitely a possibility.”

  She grinned, feeling better about bringing something up that seemed so silly to her and have it taken seriously.

  They sat in silence for a moment, then Beverly said, “So, it’s just been the two of them all this time?”

  Olivia nodded. “Both confirmed that they did their best to stay away from humans. In fact, Eden asked if she could touch my skin. She said she’d seen black people before, but never had any contact with one.”

  “They lived like hermits.”

  “Or, like people who didn’t want to be discovered. They knew they were different.”

  “Do you think they’ve been sexually involved with each other?”

  Olivia’s face heated as she remembered her interview with Benedict. He’d seemed disgusted that she’d bring such a thing up, but she couldn’t confirm or deny for certain. She did, however, feel better knowing that the thought had crossed someone else’s mind. “I honestly don’t know.”

  Beverly stared at her own hands, picking at the short nails at the ends of the long, slender fingers. Olivia wondered if she played piano or another instrument, so she asked.

  She shook her head. “No. Why?”

  “You’ve got beautiful hands.”

  Beverly held them up and looked them over. “I used to be a doctor.”

  “Used to be?”

  She sighed. “Yes. But then a drug addiction ruined my life, and after I got out of rehab, I met Hudson. The rest is history.”

  Olivia studied the woman. She must be one of the misfits that Roman had talked about since she wasn’t an SR44ian.

  “What else can you tell me about Benedict and Eden?”

  As she went into more detail about the twins, she realized she really enjoyed talking to Beverly, and wondered if somehow, someway, they could be friends, even though she had absolutely no direction for her own future.

  Chapter 44

  Roman had left the women upstairs chitchatting away like two old friends. He had to admit he held a bit of envy toward Beverly because he wanted Olivia to himself.

  He couldn’t deny his attraction to her, and he didn’t want to. She’d gotten under his skin, but where did it leave them? It wasn’t as if he could just take her home like a lost little puppy, but at the same time, that’s almost what she’d become. If she were to strike out on her own, she’d need their help. He guessed she’d have to have a new identity as well as some financial assistance, and he had no doubt that Noah would happily give it to her, especially since she’d gotten them out of the facility.

  But frankly, he didn’t want to send her on her merry way. What if she were open to the idea of staying with him and seeing where their relationship could go? He recognized the markers of an SR44 male finding his mate within him—his protectiveness, his wanting to be with her, his strong physical desire for her. They were all present, but he didn’t feel ready to seal the deal quite yet.

  He’d promised her that they’d be honest with her, and it disturbed him that he had to tell her about her sister. The loss had been painful for her, but by telling her everything, it seemed like he would be cutting open a barely healed wound. However, she deserved to know the truth.

  Pacing the bedroom, he rolled his neck. Now that his leg felt better and Olivia seemed to be in as good spirits as possible, he wanted to get down to business with her. He longed to touch her, to feel her against him, to taste her mouth and every other inch of her body. He wished they’d quit yacking upstairs and she’d get that fine ass down here with him. With Beverly around, it seemed best to keep the bedroom downstairs, because he had plans for Olivia, and he hoped to get her very loud.

  Walking around in circles didn’t seem to be doing any good, so he flopped down on the bed with a sigh and turned on the television.

  A while later, the door opened and Olivia came in, grinning.

  “What are you watching?”

  He glanced at the television, unsure. He’d been staring at it, but he hadn’t paid attention. Instead, his mind churned at all the ways he wanted to make love to Olivia.

  She sat down on the bed and looked at the screen for a moment. “I don’t think I’ve seen this movie before.”

  Her skin looked like black silk under the low light; her full mouth seemed so inviting. When she licked her lips, it spelled game over.

  He sat up, his erection painful. She glanced over at him, then her eyes widened. Slowly, he pushed her down on the mattress.

  Lying on top of her, he sighed. “I’ve been waiting down here for you.”

  She ran her hands up his ribcage and arched an eyebrow at him. “Have you really?”

  He brought his lips to the column of her neck, and she tilted her head back to allow full access. She tasted like a little slice of heaven, mixed in with just a dash of trouble, which described her perfectly.

  Suddenly, she pushed on his shoulders, stopping his ministrations.

  “Roman, we’ve really been very irresponsible.”

  He ran his hand over her hair. “Why do you say that?”

  Taking a deep breath, then exhaling, she said, “Because we’ve never used protection during sex. We’ve never talked about diseases. I know I’m clean …”

  Kissing her nose, he sighed. “I can’t get human diseases, but we should have discussed birth control.”

  She licked her lips and grinned. “I’ve got that covered.”

  Yes!

  His mouth met hers again, and as she spread her legs, he ground his cock into her core. She fingered his hair and traced his jaw.

  “So, you’ve been waiting for me?”

  “I have.”

  She gazed up at him innocently. “And what do you plan to do with me now that I’m here?”

  He thought of her complete abandon in the shower at the facility, and he wanted to see that again. Even despite the danger of them being caught, she had let herself go and the sex had been intense, exciting, and erotic as all hell.

  “I plan on finding out which way I make love to you makes you scream the loudest.”

  Her eyes widened, but she grinned as she pulled his head down to kiss him. Their lips and tongues danced together, sending his blood roaring through his system.

  A moment later, she broke the kiss and looked at him under hooded lids. “Okay, Roman. Let’s see what you’ve got.”

  He smiled as he got to his knees and whipped her shirt over her head and tugged on her sweatpants.

  Game on, lady. Game on.

  Chapter 45

  Olivia woke a few hours later feeling happy and sated—Roman never ceased to please her in the bedroom.

  She rolled over and propped herself up on her elbow. As she stared down at him, she knew that they couldn’t stay hidden away in this beautiful house for much longer. They both had lives to get back to, although what hers looked like, she didn’t know.

  She really liked Roman, and had become even more curious about his people. Actually, she guessed they could be considered her people, as well. With her SR44ian markers, she had some stake in the race. She would love to meet the rest of them, to see the ones Beverly had spoken of that could read minds.

  However, she also realized chances could be good that they wouldn’t be as accepting of her. She really brought nothing to the table, nothing that could benefit them.

  She thought of Vicky and wished the girl still lived. At least, she wouldn’t feel so totally alone knowing that she had someone out there who loved her and cared what happened to her. Right now, she had no one, and especially with Christmas around the corner, she felt depressed. A tear rolled down her face.

  “Didn’t anyone ever teach you that it’s rude to stare at a sleeping person?”

  She grinned and placed a hand on his cheek. “Sorry. I can’t tear my gaze away from this good-looking face.”

  He opened his eyes and smiled, and it made her feel all gooey inside. Yes, she had fallen for Roman, despite the roc
ky beginning to their short relationship. He had been right—there’d been something between them from the second they’d laid eyes on each other.

  He reached out and swiped the tear off her jaw, his brow furrowing in worry. “What is this? Why are you crying?”

  “I was thinking about my sister, Vicky.”

  His smile faded and he became very serious as he lay on his back and laced his hands over his stomach. “Tell me about her death, Olivia.”

  She shrugged. “Like I said, she was killed by a serial killer. The last I heard, they didn’t have a final tally on the number of bodies that had been found in the mass grave at a house out in the middle of nowhere. We haven’t been able to catch the guy, and I failed to get a profile on him.”

  “Did you see the crime scene?”

  “I did. I wasn’t allowed inside the police tape because they were still processing everything, but I did see it.”

  He nodded. “A building out in the middle of nowhere? Down a dirt road? The grave they found was located out in back of the house?”

  Her blood ran cold and she fought the desire to get out of bed and run out of the house. How had he known that? “Y-yes.”

  “I was there, Olivia.”

  She tried to remain calm as dread landed in her gut like stone. Could she be talking to her sister’s killer? No, she didn’t believe it. She couldn’t. If he were a killer, he would have hurt her already. There had to be another explanation. “In … in what capacity?”

  He sighed and looked up at the ceiling. “Remember I told you about the Colonists?”

  “Yes.”

  “One of them took two of our people—two females.”

  “And?”

  “And that’s where we found the.”

  This really hit close to home. Had both she and Roman been affected by the same murderer? “Did he assassinate them?”

  He shook his head. “No. They were the ones responsible for killing him.”

  “So, you’re saying my sister was murdered by a Colonist?”

  “Yes. If she was out there in that horrible place, then she was.”