Roman: Book 2 (The Hunter Brothers Series)

by L. J. Dee

  I was scanning the room, searching for A.K. and his team of security, thanking the Gods of sense as they ran to the edge of the area to break up the fight, until A.K. held his hand up to stop them, grinning broadly.

  Jess was screaming hysterically, but her voice was barely audible above the music, the cries and the deafening sound of the punches. One by one people were inching away, retreating from the fight until only the Hunter brothers were left standing.

  As Roman turned, my breath hitched at the sight of blood on his knuckles and his face. I should have been angry, but all that overwhelmed me was concern and the desire to know that he was okay. It shouldn’t have been, but it was, until I saw the smile on his face and I knew instantly in some sick, twisted way that Roman Hunter had actually enjoyed that.

  Lucas broke away first, moving to Jess and trying to soothe her, pulling her onto his lap and making sure she was alright. Tyler was buzzing with adrenaline and so was Charlie, walking to the bar and ordering two shots. “Fucking Hell, Charlie, it’s a long time since we’ve done that,” Tyler grinned and Charlie was grinning too.

  “What the hell is wrong with you,” I snapped, but neither heard, turning instead to the three women who’d been talking to Tyler before the fight. They’d been joined by a couple more who were obviously pinning their hopes on a hook up with Charlie.

  “Well that was fucking juvenile,” I snapped at Roman as he moved in front of me, softening as he smiled and I noticed again the blood that was covering his cheek and his knuckles.

  “I was defending my girl’s honour,” he winked and the words warmed me from the inside out. I was annoyed about the fight, but ‘my girl’? They were not the kind of words I ever expected to hear from Roman and they melted me, breaking through my anger as I took his hand in mine.

  “We need to get you cleaned up. Are you hurt?” I asked, but he didn’t answer, leading me by my hand down a dark corridor at the back of the VIP area, swiping a card and pulling me inside what looked like an office. “What are you doing?” I was confused as he moved away to the sink, washing his hands with soapy water and cleaning the blood from his face.

  “You said we needed to clean me up, so here we are, cleaning me up,” he turned, smirking at me as I narrowed my eyes. He dried himself down, striding across to me as I backed up, my arse hitting a desk as I stopped and looked up. His eyes were blazing and I knew without question that Roman had other ideas on his mind.

  “Are you hurt?” I asked again as he smiled, shaking his head. “The blood?” I gasped, looking up at his handsome face then back at his reddened knuckles.

  “Someone else’s,” he grinned as I pursed my lips, trying to stifle my smile. “So you brought me back here for what? So you could fuck me in a nightclub?”

  “Yep,” he said, without apology, nuzzling my neck with his full soft lips as my head tipped back of its own accord before I could even argue.

  “Roman I’m not doing this, not here. I’m pissed that you fought and I thought you were hurt...” I started as he enveloped my lips with a kiss every bit as strong as the punches I’d seen on that dance floor and my knees weakened. He pulled back, running his hands up my thighs as he held my gaze.

  “If you thought I could wait all night for you, baby, then you shouldn’t have worn this dress. I’ve spent the last hour trying to figure out where the underwear goes, but the distinct lack of lines suggests you’re not wearing any,” he said as I caught my breath, hands weaving across the fabric of my arse, before tentatively playing with the zip at the base of my spine. If that came down, I was naked.

  His breath was ragged and the tenting in his pants was undeniable. I moaned as he ground his solid erection against me, pushing into me and unleashing that burning need between my thighs. “One thing you should know, sweetheart,” he whispered between soft, chaste kisses. “You fuck with my senses and turn me on like no one I’ve ever known,” he said as my breath caught, and that warmth engulfed me once again. “And violence turns me on. So you, a fight over you, that dress and your lack of panties, baby, is just about the sexiest, horniest fucking combination I’ve ever come across.”

  He ground against me again as if to prove his point as my legs slid apart involuntarily, his mouth buried in the sensitive curve of my neck. Electrical shivers scattered across my skin in a blissful explosion that I was powerless to resist. It was wrong, this was wrong, but at this moment I didn’t care, discarding my rules as quickly as I’d discarded my list. Roman Hunter had me in his grasp and I didn’t want him to let go.

  I felt the zipper slide down as he pulled off the dress with a simple tug on each sleeve, gasping and groaning in sheer pleasure as his gaze swept across my exposed flesh, eyes dark and intense as he unzipped his pants, pulling me towards him and crushing my will with an incredible kiss. I no longer cared it was A.K.’s desk, I only cared about him, my burning need matching his own as he rolled on a condom and plunged inside me.

  I wrapped my legs tightly around his waist as he buried himself deeper and deeper. He was regulating his movements, trying to slow things down and I could see from his tormented expression that the self control was killing him. I wanted him to let go, to unleash that testosterone that was raging inside him as I held his cloudy gaze, biting his full bottom lip.

  “Harder,” I moaned and it was the only encouragement he needed, pounding into me with such force that I grabbed the desk for support, sending papers flying as he rocked me against it, his hard shaft stimulating every inch of my insides as familiar waves of pleasure began to unfurl.

  “Fuck, Chas, you’re beautiful,” he shouted, a low rumble deep in his throat betraying his desire as my body clenched around him, tightening its grip on his pulsing cock. He was moaning loudly as I shouted his name, beginning to unravel cell by glorious cell, pulling him, harder tighter and deeper. Our bodies were blissfully merged on the brink of release. “Come for me, baby,” he growled and that was all it took. I was over the precipice and so was he, panting and gasping and finally satisfied.

  We gripped each other tightly, neither wanting to move, but bask in the afterglow of just how incredibly intense that had been. It was special, but everything was special with Roman. I mentally slapped myself, pulling away and reminding myself he wasn’t for keeps as the warm knot he’d created inside me began to disperse.

  “That was...” he said, still catching his breath.

  “Yes it was,” I said as he smiled, taking my hand and leading me over to the wash basin on the wall. He removed a small white cloth from its cellophane wrapping before running it through the warm water and placing it between my legs as I gasped, flushing at the intimacy of the act.

  His hands were soft as they moved front to back and across my thighs. “I can’t let you go out there with the scent of sex on you, sweetheart. You’re not wearing panties and men are like animals. One hint of that intoxicating odour and I’ll be fighting them off all night,” he said, kissing me lightly as he swept the cloth between my legs again and my cheeks burned crimson.

  He was probably right. My thighs were slick with moisture and this skirt was short, but no one, even boyfriends had ever done something as personal as this. I tried to swallow back the warmth that was growing inside me again.

  “You’re beautiful, baby,” he smiled, kissing me gently as I stood there naked before he dressed me slowly, kissing his way the length of my spine as he pulled up the zipper. “We’d better get back before we’re missed,” he said, straightening up the mess on the desk as he took my hand and led me back to the bar where Tyler and Charlie were still chatting with the girls.

  He retrieved a glass of champagne as I took a sip, the cool, fresh bubbles blasting a cold refreshing sweetness against my mouth as I savoured the taste, looking up only to see Brad Johnson striding towards us. “For fucks sake, not again,” I muttered as Roman chuckled and Charlie turned to stare.

  “I was out of order there, Chas. I apologise,” he said as I nodded. He shook hands with Charlie and th
en Roman. “No hard feelings,” he said as Charlie nodded.

  “None at all, it worked out rather well for me,” Roman smirked as I gasped. Could he be any more indiscreet?

  Brad smiled a knowing smile at Roman before walking back towards his friends and I wondered if he knew how cheap he’d just made me feel. I’d deluded myself into thinking that was special. I was wrong. Bottom line; I’d just been fucked in a nightclub. Roman said nothing else, but took off as I watched his glorious, irritating form striding across the dance floor towards A.K.

  I turned to smile at Charlie. He wasn’t smiling back.

  “Classy,” he sneered as my mouth dropped open in shock and I was so stunned at the hostility in his voice that my words just stuck in my throat as I stared at him wide eyed. “Don’t pull the doe eyed innocent, baby. You’ve just been fucked in a nightclub by a man that won’t even remember your name next week. I thought you were different, Chas. Christ, you’ve told me you are often enough, but you’re no better than those skanks who drop to their knees to suck Brad Johnson’s cock. Yeah, the ones you’re always slagging off for having no self worth and low esteem. In fact, you’re worse. At least they’re honest about what they want. You, my darling, are simply a liar. Eye on the prize? What a fucking joke,” he snapped, throwing back his shot.

  I stumbled slightly, holding myself on the bar. I wanted to ball him out, retaliate and hit out with the retort that he deserved. Unfortunately that would also mean drawing attention to us, and that was exactly what I didn’t need. I felt pretty certain that once I started, I wouldn’t stop, and I couldn’t allow that to happen. Roman would be all over it and there was enough bad blood as it was.

  My only option was dignified silence, but I didn’t trust myself to hold back for long. I took a deep breath, walking confidently but quickly down the stairs, catching my breath as the cold night air hit me and I leaned against the wall, barely able to process what I’d just heard.

  Had Charlie really said those things? It was like some horrible dream. Minutes ago I’d been floating on air in a bubble of warmth. Roman had made me feel like the most special woman alive before his flippant comment, and Charlie had brought me back down to earth with a terrifying thud. Even worse, he was right. I tried to blink back the soft hot tears that were pricking at the back of my eyes.

  It wasn’t special, it was seedy. Being fucked in a nightclub was full on slapper territory and I’d discarded my morals for a flash of the killer smile and a bit of hip grinding. I loathed the kind of women who went with Brad Johnson, they gave us all a bad name, and now I was like them. According to Charlie I was worse and he was right about that too. He’d been distant and I could live with that, but this was downright hostile and my stomach churned at the thought that our friendship might not survive this weekend.

  Roman hadn’t come to find me and I doubted he’d try. He’d had his fix of violence and got his rocks off, so why bother? He’d soon be gone, forgetting my name, and it looked like I’d lose my friend as well. I took several deep breaths, shivering in the dark chilly air, but knowing I couldn’t go back inside yet. This was a night out to help everyone relax. So far there’d been a fight, a fuck, and a row, and all of them were my fault.

  If I told Roman what Charlie had said, it would probably kick off world war three. Things were strained between them as it was and I had no desire to add fuel to that particular fire. I debated going home, knowing I couldn’t because that would upset my sister, taking more deep breaths and deciding I’d just have to suck it up. Besides, I wanted more with Roman. If a nightclub was our last encounter, it would hang with a seedy aftertaste and I needed to dispel it.

  “There you are,” came the low deep voice, disrupting my thoughts as I turned and forced a half smile. “What is it? You look like you’ve been crying?” he said, running a soft finger down my cheek as I shook my head. “If it’s the CCTV in the office, I’ve just had it wiped. A.K. offered me a fortune to watch it, but our secret is safe,” he smiled as I shook my head. If I thought it was bad before, he’d just taken it up a level.

  “Hey, I was only kidding around, not about the CCTV, that has been wiped, but the other stuff. What is it, Chas?” he said, holding my cheeks softly in his hands and assessing me closely.

  “Nothing, I was just a bit hot, I needed some air,” I said as he smirked.

  “You’re not just hot, sweetheart, you are blistering heat, sizzling and scorching like some rampant fucking volcano,” he laughed as I started to giggle.

  “That’s better,” he said, squeezing my hand as he led me back inside and I took a seat next to him in the booth, trying to avoid Charlie’s piercing, accusatory gaze from the bar.

  I joined in the conversation, quieter than usual and no one seemed to really notice as we chatted and danced, drank champagne and tried to push away the woes of the weekend. It was working for the brothers, if not for me, and that had been the point, although the tension between Charlie and Roman hadn’t let up and they had barely spoken two words.

  Tyler disappeared first with the three women in tow as Lucas frowned at him. “Be careful, you’re a commodity now,” he said seriously as Tyler shrugged off his comment before he asked Charlie to join him. I almost wished he would. I didn’t like a cheat, but it would be the end of Scarlett and maybe he could work off some of the aggression that was clearly still raging inside him.

  “No,” he snapped, shaking his head as Tyler left and Lucas suggested to Jess that they stay at the apartment in the city so they could see Dex in the morning. She agreed, hugging us all and swaying slightly as she said goodbye, leaving the three of us sitting in silence. I couldn’t wait to get out of there.

  “I’ll call the car,” Charlie said firmly, beating me to it.

  “Do you want to stay a bit longer?” Roman asked as I shook my head, kissing my cheek and telling me he was going to say goodbye to A.K. I sipped my drink, looking up occasionally at Charlie, but he didn’t return my gaze and was clearly still livid. I was desperate to say something, to challenge his assumptions and make my point, but with none of the others around to diffuse the situation I feared it would get ugly and I couldn’t afford for Roman to overhear.

  The ride back was long and interminable as we sat in silence, staring through the blacked out windows. I could see Roman casting a puzzled glance between me and Charlie occasionally and I’d turn and smile at him, trying to show him that nothing was wrong. You could still cut the atmosphere with a knife.

  Roman got out of the car first, unlocking the door to the house and allowing me to enter before he paused. “I need to speak to Charlie, babe,” he said as my stomach lurched and I knew this wouldn’t be pretty. I also knew that my presence would only aggravate the situation, and disappeared into the kitchen to watch them on the gravel through the huge window.

  I couldn’t hear what they saying but I didn’t need to. Their body language said everything I needed to know and as Charlie threw a punch that connected squarely on Roman’s jaw I left through the patio and made my way down to the lodge. What the hell was wrong with just talking?

  I was furious, knowing I’d probably shoulder the blame for this as well, slipping on the negligee in my own, cold room as thoughts of earlier burst into my brain. Okay, it was seedy, but like all my sex with Roman it had been out of this world. He had a pull, magnetism and a way about him that just got to me somehow, evaporating my logic. I blamed the hormones, twisting and turning, trying to shove down my anger and sleep. It wasn’t working.

  I didn’t look up as I heard my door edge open.

  “You don’t belong in there. At least if you’re mad, come and be mad next to me,” he said as I blew out loud.

  “Mad, Roman, I’m absolutely fucking furious.”

  “Why?” he asked as I stared at him incredulously.

  “Are you serious? Because I just had to witness you and Charlie tearing lumps out of each other over me.”

  “As wonderful as you are, baby, that wasn’t just about you
and it needed to happen. It’s been brewing ever since I came back,” he said, smiling at me as I flushed, feeling a little foolish. “Charlie’s been hanging onto that anger for months, reeling in confusion and unable to challenge me about it. He knows that Dad lied, but rage at that level doesn’t subside until you work it through. You were the excuse he needed to do it.”

  “Is he okay?” I asked as Roman nodded.

  “He’s got a few bruises, but none as big as the one on his ego,” he laughed as I shook my head.

  “I mean it. Is he really okay?” I asked. I might be annoyed with him, but he was incredibly special to me and I had to know he was alright. Roman frowned.

  “I notice you’re not asking if I’m okay. Charlie’s fine, Chas. He was pissed off and now it’s out of his system.”

  He walked across to the bed, picking me up in his arms and carrying me to his room. Part of me wanted to fight, but a bigger part didn’t. I was fed up with rowing. I pulled the sheets tight as he undressed, climbing in beside me and grateful he didn’t just try and slide my negligee off. He’d have got nowhere tonight.

  “There are other ways to work things through without throwing your fists around, Roman,” I sighed as he laughed, shaking his head.

  “We’re guys, Chas, it’s what we do.”

  “Being a guy doesn’t excuse violent behaviour. You’re also an adult,” I huffed as he chuckled softly.

  “Yeah, but you chicks just don’t get it. You think that bitching with your friends, rehashing every word and talking endlessly in coffee shops about the exact same thing, is the best way to work things through. Watch Dexter in the playground at school. If he has a fall out with another boy, they’ll slug it out until one of them is on the ground and ten minutes later they’ll be playing together again. Look at the girls. They call each other names and work slowly to manipulate others to do the same. It will still be going on days later. It’s drawn out, emotional and hurtful.”