“What am I going to do with you away for so long?” I sadly whisper.
“I want you to come with me.” He states.
My head lifts away from his hand and I nervously look over at him.
“Roman, I can’t go with you, I have school.” I say taking his hand into mine.
“Talk to your professor, see if you can take some days off?” He suggests.
“I can only miss three days and then I will get dropped from the class,” I push my plate away losing my appetite.
“Why don’t you ask that classmate of yours to send all of your class work to you. He can update you on what you missed for class.” Roman presses.
I haven’t thought about Kevin since Roman picked me up last night and now he’s back on my mind at full speed.
I shake my head. “I can’t go with you, honey.”
Roman slaps his palm down on top of the table. “I will not let you stay here by yourself.” He roars.
I blink and push back my chair, ready to run. He grabs my wrist and pulls me to him.
“I have to take every man here, with me to Italy,” he drops his voice down to a whisper. “There will be no one to look after you.”
“I don’t need anyone to look after me. I can take care of myself.” I say getting up and gently tugging my hand away from him.
“Angel, you will come with me to Italy.” Roman says locking his darkening eyes to mine.
“And fail school,” I whisper.
“I will set everything up where that classmate of yours will send updates and your homework to you.” He gets up and gathers me into his arms. “I need you safe, I will not be able to live with myself if something happens to you while I am away.”
I snuggle in closer to him. “Roman, I don’t want to argue anymore. But, there’s no way I can go with you. Please understand finishing school is very important to me.”
He sighs. “You are very much a challenging force. Do I need to kidnap you to get my way?”
I smile into his chest. He’s giving in.
I curve my head back to admire my devastatingly handsome man, who is now glancing down in order to meet my eyes.
“I will promise to stay safe,” I raise up onto my tiptoes, to meet his awaiting lips.
He captures me and consumes my body, cherishing my every need and want.
We spent the night at the hotel and now we are making our way back to his house to meet his family for brunch.
“Bella,” his mom kisses both of my cheeks. “Always smiling.” She pats my face before flipping the French toast she is cooking.”
Today we are crowding around the kitchen island for bunch. Roman takes a big bite of his bagel top with lox and cream cheese. He kisses me after he finishes chewing.
“Eww,” Sophie scrunches up her face.
Roman chuckles and tousles her hair with his big hand.
“Why don’t you stay here while I’m gone,” he tucks my hair behind my ear.
Not wanting an argument in front of his family, I simply kiss him on the cheek.
“We should meet up for lunch or something, Angel.” Ellie says while fixing her kids breakfast.
“That would be nice,” I smile.
Roman checks his watch. “Baby, we have to get going. The plane leaves in an hour.”
I burrow my head into his neck and take every bit of his existence into my memory. “I’m going to miss you…so much,” I whisper letting my lips linger on his neck.
His hand caresses my hair while he kisses the top of my head. “Baby…” He murmurs. “Let’s say our goodbye to everyone.”
We both went around the kitchen hugging everyone. When I place Sophie back onto her feet, she hugs my legs, and whimpers out her little cries.
“Sophie, Angel is not going with me. You can still see her later.” Roman says.
She lets me go and we wave good bye as we walk out the door.
There’s a black limo and a black escalade waiting outside for us. He takes me to the limo and helps me in. Roman tells the driver to get going and rolls up the privacy screen. He pulls me onto his lap and starts to take off my clothes.
My head tilts backward as Roman captures my neck with his mouth. He reclines my body down onto the seat, my naked body rubbing against the leather. Roman groans sucking hard on my collar bone.
My legs spread open, one falling off the seat, letting Roman in. He grinds his hips, putting delicious pressure on my aching core.
“Roman…” I whimper.
“Yes, baby…” his voice trails off as he pulls my nipple into his mouth.
He twirls his tongue around before sucking hard and deep, leaving me panting, and wanting more of him.
“My beautiful, love,” he breathes, pulling away and sitting up. “We’re at the airport,” he grabs me and hauls me back onto his lap and crushes his lips onto mine. His fingers tangle into my hair as his kiss deepens, devouring me completely.
“Time to put on your clothes now,” he says, breathlessly after breaking away from me.
Roman helps me into my clothes and opens the door. We climb out and he takes my hand, walking us to his plane.
The tears I have been holding onto since we left the hotel descend down my cheeks in a continuous stream. I franticly try to wipe them away before Roman sees me.
It is too late he stops half way.
“Baby, don’t cry.” He clears the tears away with his thumb. “I will try to make it back in a week.”
“I wish I could go with you…” I whimper.
“I do too.” He sighs.
He bends down to lightly peck my forehead, leaving his lips on me. I sigh and breathe in his scent. Roman slowly removes his lips off of me and takes my hand to lead us to the plane.
When we are next to the steps of the plane, he turns back and pulls me into his body. “Be good, baby,” he says, and leaves me staring after him.
His words ring loud and clear as a warning.
Kevin’s phone vibrates in his pocket saving me from having to answer his questions.
“Saved by the bell,” Kevin groans pulling his phone out of his pocket. “It’s Cody, I’ll be right back. He gets up and walks out of the auditorium.
“God, I never thought he would leave you alone.” Natalie takes the seat that Kevin just vacated.
An uneasy feeling washes over me. I don’t acknowledge her and I pretend to study our power point handout.
Natalie extends her arm over to my handout and writes down a phone number.
“This is my number save it,” She orders. “I’m throwing Kevin a surprise birthday party this weekend. I want you to be there. And yes, we both know I can’t stand you, but I know Kevin wants you there. So text me your address later and I will pick you up the day of.”
“Okay…” I say, and nervously glance to her.
“And please do not mention his party to anyone other than Lola. She’s going with Cody.”
“Will Aubrey be there?”
“No, Aubrey doesn’t fit into the equation, she will be a problem…for you.” Natalie laughs maliciously. “Oops…times up…text me.”
I watch her walk back to her seat but my eyes move away from her the moment Kevin comes into view.
“Hey,” he murmurs taking his seat. “Miss me?”
“Yes,” I smile sheepishly at him.
Crap, Natalie’s number.
I flip my paper around as fast as I can and scribble nonsense on a picture of a power point. Kevin watches me with interest.
“What are you writing there?” Kevin reaches over to grab my handout from me.
“Nothing,” I snatch the paper off of our portable table and stuff it into my backpack.
“Really…you want to play this game with me.” Kevin groans.
Just as his brother saved me from Kevin probing question the professor walks in to start the lecture and saves me.
“Isn’t today your lucky day,” Kevin growls.
Natalie is right on the money when she tol
d me what time she’d be by to pick me up. I hop around the foyer putting on my black leather boots, while Natalie watches at the front door. I have on a dark blue sweater dress that dips low in the front showing off my cleavage and black tights.
“Wow, Natalie. You look so hot out of your school clothes.” I say to her as I slip into my boots.
She has on a black oversize sweater that covers her butt and hangs off her shoulder, tight black skinny jeans, and black ankle boots.
“Save your stupid compliments for someone that cares,” She crosses her arms in front of her.
I have to clamp my mouth down to keep from replying with a smart come back. I grab my wristlet and phone off the table, and follow her out the door.
Natalie turns up the music when we get in the car, her way of showing me she doesn’t want to chit chat. The ride to where ever she is taking me is slow and unpleasant.
I let out a long low breath when she pulls up to a house. She mumbles something harsh and gets out of the car. I dash and stumble to catch up with her. Natalie doesn’t wait for me and unlocks the door with her key.
I notice Cody and Lola right away when we get into the house, they are sitting in what looks to be the den. I smile and wave at them as Natalie tugs on my arm to follow her. We walk into the kitchen.
“Mom. Dad. Meet Angel.” Natalie tells the older couple sitting at the island drinking wine.
Her Mom turns slowly on the bar stool, she assesses me for a moment with her lip curled up. She takes a slow sip of wine before she inspects me further.
“The famous Angel Mabbott,” She says, coldly.
Her husband hooks his arm around her shoulder and lean in to whisper something in her ear. She closes her eyes and nods her head.
“Hi, Angel. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.” Her husband steps away from his wife to take my hand.
“Nice to meet you too,” I say, and I take his hand.
He squeezes back in a death grip. I swiftly remove my hand from his and wipe them down my thighs, to suppress the pain.
“I think the caterer is here,” Natalie looks at her watch. “Let’s go back out to the front.” She tugs my arm to follow her out.
My mind swirls with questions about Kevin’s involvement with these weird people. Gosh, could they be more cold and unfriendly.
The doorbell chimes and I scramble over to open the door, wishing it was Kevin coming to save me. I sigh when I see it’s the caterer.
“Natalie, they are here,” I call out to her. She is talking to Cody and Lola.
She walks out of the den to assist the people carrying the food. They set everything up on the dining room table.
I walk over to Lola. She hauls me to her and rubs my back.
“You okay?” She asks sounding very concerned.
“Have you met Natalie’s parents?” I ask taking a seat on the brown leather couch and pulling a cream color pillow onto my lap.
Cody laughs nervously next to Lola, they are both still standing next to me. Lola looks over to Cody who shrugs.
“Um…I have.” She takes the seat next to me.
I know she is hankering to just explode everything she is holding in right now. I wink at her to let her know that I know. She smiles.
“Okay people, Kevin is driving into the neighborhood right now.” Natalie tells us.
We all walk out to meet her in the foyer. Her parents are already there holding hands. The door bells chimes for the second time. Natalie opens the door.
“Surprise!” We yell at a stunned Kevin. Natalie gives him a hug. Kevin looks over Natalie’s shoulder and his expression turns from shock to rage.
“What is Angel doing here?” Kevin’s voice is low and dangerous. His attention is fixed on me.
“I thought you would want her here,” Natalie muttered, turning to look at me, her expression resentful, and pained.
“You know better than to bring her here,” Kevin scans the room, stopping briefly on the cold and distant couple.
They are just like statues at the museum, you can look, but you can never get close, they were not to be touched.
“You are still the ungrateful bastard.” The man mutters.
“Dad, stop!” Natalie cries.
“He’s standing there worrying about some little bitch, instead of coming over here and greeting his mom, who hasn’t heard from him in over seven years!”
Everyone turns to look at Kevin’s mom. Her husband has his arm protectively around her. She has her head bent and she is crying.
Kevin is rubbing his eyes with the heel of his hand and shaking his head. Without warning, he lets out an animalist roar.
Natalie burst into tears. “This is so fucked up!” She screams.
“Oh my God,” I hear Lola gasping near me.
“Do you want to leave,” Cody whispers to her.
“No, not without Angel,” She whispers back.
“Angel, come here. I’m taking you home.” Kevin holds out his hand for me to take it.
I bite down on my lips and shake my head slowly. Something inside of me breaks for Kevin. I’m not sure if it’s my heart. It can’t be. My heart was already broken into a million pieces after my Dad passed away.
Kevin has tears in his eyes and an uncontrollable need to console him rises up my body. I react to the need and I find myself flush against him, my arms around his body and my face buried into his chest. My tears soaking up his leather jacket.
My arms clench so hard around him, I’m afraid I’m strangling him. But he doesn’t seem to mind.
“Angel, please don’t cry,” Kevin, whispers into my hair, his voice soft.
“Wwee…shhhould…staaay,” I stutter through my tears.
One of his hands rubs my back to calm me down and the other lifts my chin up, so he can survey my emotions.
“Okay, but we need to talk first,” he tells me.
I nod my head.
“We are going outside to talk,” he looks at Natalie.
“It’s cold outside, you guys can use my room.” She offers.
Kevin doesn’t say anything else to her as he leads me away to the staircase. Once we walk into her room, I stop at the door and glance around. Kevin walks past me and heads over to Natalie’s bed and sits down patiently waiting for me to join him.
A mixture of black and purple decorates her room. Her curtains and her furniture are black. Her bed spread is a dark purple and there’s a big purple comfy chair by her window. There are picture frames scattered all over her walls. I glance at the nearest picture.
It is one with her, Kevin, and Cody. They look about six or seven years old. They are all smiling. I wonder what changed their family dynamic. Money and jealousy changed mine. I close my eyes and shake off my past.
“Are you going to join me anytime soon?” Kevin asks breaking me from my reverie
I wipe the remaining tears from my eyes with the back of my hand and walk over to him.
“Hey,” I say to him when I am sitting down on the bed.
Kevin scoots back until he is sitting against the headboard with his legs stretch out in front of him.
“C’mere,” he calls me over with his index finger.
I crawl on all fours to get to him. He pulls me on top of him and moves my legs to straddle him. He snakes his hands around my body to hold me in place by griping my ass. He gives me a mischievous grin.
“I don’t want you running away.” He tells me.
I wrap my arms around his neck. “I’m not going anywhere.” I give him a reassuring smile.
“Angel…” he whispers, “You shouldn’t have been here to witness my dysfunctional family like this.”
“It’s your birthday party, I’m not going to miss it.”
His eyes tilt upwards and he starts to blink rapidly, his lips press into a hard line. I stay perfectly still and quiet, letting him work through his inner turmoil. Even though every fiber of my being desperately wants to crush his body to mine, and take the hurt away. I want to t
ake away all of his sorrow, his fears, all of his pain.
“If he hadn’t been holding my mom,” Kevin says to the ceiling.
“Kevin…look at me,” I order with a soft tone. “I’d been called worst…what your dad called me, it’s not so bad.” I laugh softly.
“No one should talk to you or any women like that.” Kevin looks at me with piercing eyes. “He’s not my dad…” His voice trails off.
I start to feel unsure of myself and the questions I wanted to ask him. I really don’t want to get into the hard heavy subject of his family. So I do what I do best, I distract myself, by playing with his hair.
“Don’t try to distract me by playing with my hair,” Kevin grabs my wrist and pulls my arm back down to my lap.
I smile inwardly at his statement and a little at his grumpiness. It doesn’t take much to get Kevin annoyed.
“Why did you stay away for seven years?” I caress his face with the back of my hand.
“I wasn’t supposed to come back at all.” He takes my hand and trail kisses from the tip of my fingers to my wrist.
I suck in a breath and close my eyes. It was a wrong move, the sensation of his kisses intensives. My eyes fly open to find Kevin with his crooked grin.
“I can distract you too, you know.” He chuckles.
I slap his chest, laughing along with him. His hand presses on my ass moving me in deeper to him.
“Kevin…stop,” I say my hand on his chest. “Answer my question.”
“I left to give my mom a fighting chance with her husband. He didn’t want me around from the start of their relationship. And my mom had to always choose between him and I. So I made it easier for her, I eliminated myself from their lives.” His face is now serious.
“Wait, so where is your dad?” I ask, sliding my hands down his chest.
“I don’t know…” he says. “Never met him.”
“Why did you stay away until now?” I lock my eyes with his.
“I had to come back,” he says, twirling his finger around my exposed chest and down into the valley between my breasts. “You have nice tits.”
My mouth drops open. “You can never take anything serious, can you?” I try wrenching free of his hand that is still holding me in place, to no avail.
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