Roman

by K. J. Dahlen

  He threw his arm over the top of his head and got lost in the memories. He replayed them time and time again, in his mind. He felt his body harden as the blood rushed to his cock. Closing his eyes, his hand reached down to brush against his flesh. His hand curled around his hardness and he began pulling on himself. So caught up in the act of self-pleasure he missed hearing his door open and a small shadow coming closer. When she slipped into his bed, he startled and his hands reached out for her. When his fingers closed around her upper arms he found her skin was warm and discovering she was as naked as he was pumped up his excitement.

  Before he could say a word, she laid her hand over his mouth. Her words came softly but then were spoken with steel in her soul, “Please don’t say anything, not even one word. I don’t need you to speak, just feel. I won’t make any demands of you except for this one. You gave me something very special last night and I just want to feel it again. Just one more time and I won’t bother you again.” Stevie moved over top of him and straddling his hips, she undulated her hips against his.

  He felt her motions and his heart began to race. The heat of her core fairly scorched his skin then he felt her wetness. The scent of her arousal filled him with pleasure unlike he’d even known before. He positioned his cock against her wet heat and surged inside her. His large cock filled her almost to the point of pain but he wasn’t letting her go. Grabbing her hips to pull her down on top of him, his fingers bit into her hips and he pushed her up and brought her down on his cock again. He heard her groan and he started to say something but Stevie placed her hand on his mouth again.

  Roman groaned and pressed kisses along her fingertips. Each time he surged deep inside her, she moaned with pleasure. He felt her body respond to his touch, leaning up, he captured her nipple in his mouth and she groaned. He suckled her breast deep into his mouth and she ground herself down on him. Her wetness engulfed his cock. Roman felt his heart beat faster as he felt his nerves begin to tingle.

  Biting down on her nipple, he watched as she threw her head back and she cried out. Roman felt her body clamp down on his and he lost control. Surging into her again and again, his own orgasm hit him.

  Stevie fell forward and rested her forehead against his. She brushed her lips across his and then she got up and went back to her own room. Closing the door softly behind her, Roman stayed where he was.

  His heart slammed in his chest and he felt tears drip down his face. He’d never had a steady woman before. Or a relationship like that. He was at a loss about what to say or do. He’d messed up and didn’t know how to repair it.

  CHAPTER NINE

  His phone woke him up the next morning. Roman groaned as sunlight almost blinded him. Turning away from the window, he grabbed his cell and answered the call. His head was pounding and his eyes felt gritty. Half asleep, he growled into the phone. “What?”

  “Jackal’s men found Rosco,” Nikoli informed him.

  “And?”

  “They have him in custody waiting for you. They also have Mrs. Harris.”

  What about Caulder and his brothers?” Roman growled.

  “They died last night in a fire. Along with his men and the traitor in the cartel,” Nikoli said. “It seems a man in his organization was setting up his own deal and Cordell didn’t appreciate it. Of course, he felt the need to set an example so the others would be reminded of what happened when you cross the boss.”

  “Of course.” Roman gritted his teeth. “And it couldn’t come at a better time. Caulder needed this lesson.”

  “Oh, he learned his lesson the hard way,” Nikoli assured him. “The next lesson is Mrs. Harris’s and Rosco’s to learn.”

  “I’ll be there as soon as I can. Don’t let them begin class without me. I have a few things to say to Rosco before he begins his journey to hell.” He tapped the phone and got out of bed. He made his way to the bathroom and took a quick shower. Getting dressed, he left the bedroom and made his way to the kitchen.

  He frowned when he noted the house was quiet, almost too quiet.

  Looking around the living room, he didn’t see either Stevie or Benny anywhere. When he turned the corner into the kitchen, he found Benny sitting on one of the stools but he didn’t see any sign of Stevie.

  He walked over to the counter and grabbed a cup and pouring himself a cup of coffee. He glanced at Benny and noted the frown on his face. When Benny wouldn’t look at him Roman asked, “Where is your sister?”

  “She left.” Benny growled.

  Roman pushed himself away from the counter, felling his breath catch in his throat. “What do you mean she left? Isn’t she here?”

  Benny reached inside his pocket and drew out a note. Throwing it across the counter at him, he waited.

  Roman picked up the paper and read the note. He crushed the paper in his hand and glared at Benny. “When did she leave?”

  “I don’t know. I found this when I woke up this morning,” Benny yelled. “What the hell happened last night after I went to bed?”

  Roman ignored the boy’s question instead asked one of his own, “Where would she go? Do you have any idea? She doesn’t know anyone here.”

  Benny got up and reached down to grab his backpack. “No I have no idea where she went but I’m going to find her. It’s been a trip man and thanks for the place to stay for a few days but now it’s time for me to go.”

  Roman shook his head. “No you can’t go. We’ll find your sister but you have to stay here until we know for sure there’s no more danger to either of you.”

  Benny glared at him. “You can’t tell me what to do and as long as she’s out there I’m not staying here. I’ll find her on my own and you’ll never have to worry about us again.”

  “No! You aren’t leaving. We will find her and bring her back.”

  Benny scoffed. “You won’t find her if she don’t want to be found. How the hell do you think she stayed hidden in Baton Rouge for the last four years? Caulder had his men searching for her the whole time and they never found her.”

  Roman ran his fingers through his hair. “Fuck, I don’t have time for this. I have to go to Baton Rouge this morning.” He grabbed his phone and placed a call. When Yuri answered, he informed him, “Stevie is gone. She left in the middle of the night.”

  “How did that happen?” Yuri asked.

  “I don’t know. I thought we had security on us.”

  “You do.” Yuri growled. “They should have stopped her.”

  “Yeah, well they didn’t.” Roman gritted his teeth. “Now she’s gone and I have no idea where to start looking, not only that I’m supposed to be in Baton Rouge to take care of that little problem we discussed last night and Benny wants to leave to start looking for his sister. I’m going to lose them both and I know I’ll never find them again, if that happens.”

  “Let me get everyone together and we can start looking for her. We’ll keep Benny with us while you go to Baton Rouge and take care of business there,” Yuri promised. “We’ll find her and bring her back.”

  Roman looked up to see his front door closing behind Benny. “I got to go, Benny just walked out the door.”

  Roman ran after the kid and found Yuri’s security man stopping him before he could get to the front gate. Benny was struggling with Stephanous, screaming out for the other man to let him go.

  Roman grabbed the boy by his shoulders and forced Benny to focus on him. He searched his face and saw the fear in the boys’ eyes. He also saw the tears rolling down his face. He hugged the boy close to him and wrapped his arms around Benny’s shoulder. “Please don’t leave. We can find your sister and bring her home but give me another chance to make this right. I fucked up last night but I want the chance to make it right again.”

  Benny stood there glaring at him. Tears streamed down his cheeks and he shook his head. “Stevie doesn’t trust easy. Once that trust is broken, you may not get it back. She’s always been there for me and now, I have to be there for her. I know that if she left h
ere, she had a good reason and I have to find her.”

  “I know,” Roman admitted. “My brothers are on their way over here to help you look for her. I have to go to Baton Rouge this morning but as soon as I get back, I’ll help you find her. But I have to go right now.”

  Benny shook his head. “I don’t need your brothers or anyone else to help me look for Stevie. I can find her on my own.”

  Roman shook his head. “I’m not going to lose either you or her and I will get your sister back.”

  They turned at the sound of vehicles coming up behind them. Two vehicles parked outside the gate. Yuri, Sazon and Mikial got out of one vehicle and Barshan and Talli got out of a second vehicle.

  Roman clicked a remote. The gate opened and they all walked in.

  Everyone looked at Roman then to Benny.

  Yuri stepped forward and took charge. “I suggest we all go inside to discuss this.”

  Benny broke away from Roman. “Y’all can go inside and talk all you want, I’m not staying here. I have to find my sister.” He looked over at Roman. “And he has somewhere else to be.”

  Talli stepped forward and wrapped her arm around the boy. When he flinched and tried to pull away from her, she cast a look at Barshan and turned him back to the house. Firming her grip on the kid she said, “Come on kiddo, I don’t know about you, but breakfast is calling and I need to eat something.”

  “I’m not hungry and I have somewhere else to be,” Benny grumbled.

  “Kid, you’re turning down food?” she exclaimed. “Come on, you need to eat. I know I’m hungry and these guys can always eat.”

  Benny allowed himself to be dragged into the house.

  Once they were gone, Yuri turned to Roman. “What the hell happened? When we left here the two of you were fine. What changed between then and now?”

  Roman ran his hands over his head. “I fucked up, that’s what happened. I forgot Stevie has a problem with her hearing.”

  Barshan jerked. “She does? I never noticed.”

  Roman nodded. “Yeah she does, she reads lips rather well, so it isn’t noticeable.”

  “What did you do?” Mikial asked.

  “She mistook my reaction when I realized that she couldn’t hear me. She thought I was pointing out a fault rather than something else. I hurt her bad,” Roman admitted.

  “None of us are perfect.” Barshan pointed out.

  “I know that.” Roman growled. “Don’t you think I know that? But I wasn’t thinking at the time.”

  “Where do you have to go right now?” Yuri needed to know.

  “Nikoli called this morning. Jackal’s men have Mrs. Harris and Rosco in custody. I need to see him on his way to hell.”

  “What about Caulder and the rest of his group?” Sazon questioned.

  “Apparently, the cartel didn’t appreciate the fact that one of their own tried to make a deal behind the boss’ back and the Kings took acceptation to the fact that Caulder murdered their leader,” Roman informed his brothers. We no longer have to worry about that group.”

  “Would that be enough of a break for Stevie to return there?” Mikial asked.

  Roman shrugged. “I don’t know, I just don’t know. I didn’t think she’d leave Benny behind but she was so hurt last night, I’m not sure what she will do.”

  “Does she know about Caulder and his brothers?” Sazon asked.

  Roman shrugged. “I don’t think so. Nikoli didn’t call me to let me know until this morning.”

  “Then she has to be here yet,” Yuri suggested.

  “Maybe but as Benny pointed out earlier, she hid in Baton Rouge for four years. Caulder and his men couldn’t find her in all that time. She has her street friends there and she knows that city better than she knows New Orleans.” Roman rubbed along his jaw as he turned and began searching the woods behind his house. He didn’t know what he was looking for exactly but he just couldn’t stay still anymore. Stevie was out there somewhere, hurt and alone and he needed to do something to find her.

  Yuri placed his hand on Roman’s shoulder. “I know you’re worried. I think we’ve all been in your shoes, but you need to go to Baton Rouge and get Rosco taken care of. As you pointed out, she has friends there and if she did return there, you can ask them to help you find her.”

  Roman turned to stare at his brothers. “I can’t lose her.”

  “You do realize you only just met her?” Sazon reminded him. “It’s been what, three days?”

  Roman shook his head. “I don’t care how long it’s been. I knew the instant I saw her that she was the other side of my soul.” He shrugged. “I’m not good with words but I know what I feel. And this is something I never thought I’d find. I never believed in happy ever after. I sure as hell never expected to find it in a girl half my age. It just doesn’t make sense but I need her like I need the air to breathe. I’m forty years old for Christ’s sake.”

  Sazon nodded and sighed. “Yeah. I get it. The same happened to me. I shouldn’t have asked.”

  Mikial and Barshan nodded their heads as they all had similar experiences.

  Yuri looked at all his brothers. “We all know how you feel.” He then stared at Roman. “Go, get your business done and come back here and find her. We’ll keep track of the boy until you get back.”

  Roman nodded. “I should stay and look for her, but this is something I need to do. This is something that’s needed doing for longer than she’s been alive.”

  “I think she would understand that,” Barshan stated. “This is something she knows you need to see done to protect everyone else, including her brother. She said it herself last night, this man needs to die.”

  “I still feel as if I’m putting my own needs before her.” He agonized.

  No one noticed that more people had joined them. “I think she would understand.”

  Everyone turned to see Raven and Ana had joined them.

  Raven carried her small son in her arms and Ana was rubbing her expanding belly as they studied the group of men standing there.

  Ana stepped forward and placed her hand on Roman’s arm. “I don’t know your woman but I’ve come to know all of you in the last four months. Sazon has told me bits and pieces of the childhood you all shared. I think your girl had the same kind of growing up experience you all shared. That’s no way for anyone to grow up. It hurts my heart to know that this is still happening and we all have to do what we can to stop it from tainting the next generation. You said this man needs to die. I don’t need to know why, all I need to know is that what happens next is protecting my child from growing up worrying about what evil is out there waiting for him.”

  Sazon wrapped his big arms around his wife and looked into his brother’s eyes. “You take care of your business, we’ll watch over the home front.”

  “Just don’t let Benny leave before I get back,” Roman pleaded. “I’ll be back as soon as I can get here. I know if I can talk to Benny without distraction, I can get him on my side.”

  Raven came over to where Roman was standing. Handing her son off to Yuri she moved her hands to each side of Roman’s face. “You need to take care of the past before you can work on your future. Stevie is hurt right now but if she feels anything for you and Benny, she’ll come back and try to work this out. Having a disability isn’t easy to live with. You both will have make adjustments.” Shaking her head she said, “I don’t know what her story is because I haven’t lived her life but I do know that living on the street isn’t easy. It’s damn hard. You have to have eyes in the back of your head at times and you never know who you can trust. But if she made it this long, she’s a tough girl. Tough enough to see that you really care about her. Tough enough to know she can trust you with more than her life.”

  “What’s worth more than her life?” Roman whispered.

  “Her heart.” Raven smiled. “A woman always feels more with her heart than her head. Plus, the fact that she left her brother, the only other person she’s ever cared about
behind. She’s protected him most of his life, she isn’t going to give up on him now.” Her smile turned sad for a moment. “You are all very good men but you’re all very much human too. And as human beings you’re going to screw up probably more than once in a while. We all do. You can’t run from it and you can’t hide from that fact. But you can learn from your mistakes. Maybe she just needs a little time to realize how much you mean to her.”

  Roman leaned forward and rested his forehead against Raven’s. “Do you really think so?” he whispered.

  Raven smiled when she heard Yuri growl at the familiarity of his brother’s actions but she ignored it. Looking into Roman’s eyes, she nodded. “I really think so.”

  Roman pushed himself away from his brother’s woman. Nodding once, he told them, “Alright, I’m taking this on trust. Trust that you all know what you’re talking about. I agree with Raven. I need to put my past in the past before I can move on.” Sighing heavily, he nodded. “I hope that when I get back, I can find her and convince her to give me another chance.”

  Raven turned to her husband and took back her young son. Pressing a sweet kiss on his lips, she turned and ushered Ana toward the house, leaving the men standing in Roman’s driveway.

  When the door closed behind them, Yuri turned to Roman. “I love that woman but she is my woman, not yours. Only I get to touch her.”

  His brothers all chuckled, as they knew Yuri’s ways.

  Roman smiled. “You know before I met Stevie, I never understood that but I do now. Forgive the trespass and know it will never happen again.”

  Yuri nodded. “When this is all over come on back and find your woman. Like Raven said, we all make mistakes. You do have to remember one thing though. Stevie is a woman and they don’t think like we do. No man has understood the female mind and if they claim they do, they really don’t.”

  His brothers all nodded and laughed.

  Roman smiled but didn’t say anything.

  It was just after noon when Roman got to Baton Rouge. He was meeting Nikoli, Pappy and Jackal at the diner just outside the city limits before they proceeded to where Maude Harris and Rosco Pavel were being held.