A sharp knock at the door makes me jump. My heart immediately kicks into overdrive because I know it’s Roman. For a brief, cowardly moment, I consider pretending I’m not here, but I’ll need to face him, eventually. May as well be now.
“Coming,” I call, my voice embarrassingly unsteady. I smooth my hair, take a deep breath, and open the door.
Roman stands there, fully clothed this time. His expression is tense, and I’m worried and I just know something is wrong.
“Can I come in?” he asks, and I step aside without a word, my earlier nervousness instantly replaced by a sense of dread.
“We got a lead on Naomi,” he says without preamble. “She’s meeting with her supplier tonight. Remote location, minimal security. It’s our chance to take her down.”
My stomach drops. “You’re going after her.”
It’s not a question, but he nods anyway. “We’re leaving in less than two hours.”
I wrap my arms around myself, suddenly cold despite the warmth of the room. “And when you find her?”
Roman’s eyes never leave mine. “We end it. Permanently.”
His words should shock me, but they don’t. I’ve known since that man broke into my house what the endgame would be. This isn’t a world where you can call the police, where justice comes through courts and laws. This is Roman’s world, Dragon’s world. A world where problems are solved with violence, where threats are eliminated, not arrested.
“How dangerous is it?” I ask, my voice small despite my effort to keep it steady.
Roman hesitates, and that tells me everything I need to know.
“Sunshine,” he begins, and my heart constricts at the old endearment, “I’m not going to lie to you. Anytime we go up against another club, it’s dangerous. But we’ve got good intel, a solid plan, and the element of surprise.”
“But there’s a chance you won’t come back.” The words tear from my throat before I can stop them.
Roman steps closer, and I don’t back away. “There’s always that chance,” he admits. “But I need you to know something.No matter what happens tonight, you’ll be safe. Dragon’s leaving enough men here to protect you and the clubhouse. And if—“ he swallows hard, “if I don’t make it back, Dragon will make sure you’re taken care of. That you can go back to your life without looking over your shoulder.”
“That’s not—“ My voice breaks, and I have to take a deep breath before I can continue. “That’s not what I’m worried about.”
Understanding dawns in his eyes, and something softens in his expression. “Kayla—“
“No,” I interrupt. “I just… I need you to be careful. I need you to come back.” My voice drops to barely above a whisper. “To me.”
He stares at me for a long moment, his blue eyes intense. Then his hand comes up to cup my cheek, his thumb brushing gently across my skin. I lean into his touch, unable to help myself.
“That kiss earlier,” he says softly, “what did it mean?”
I look up at him, this man who was once my entire world, who might still be. “I don’t know,” I answer honestly. “I just know that I can’t lose you again.”
Roman’s expression changes, becomes fierce, almost desperate. He pulls me to him with one swift movement, his mouth crashing down on mine. There’s nothing gentle about this kiss; it’s all hunger and heat and maybe a little fear. His arms wrap around me, crushing me against the solid wall of his chest. I cling to him, pouring everything I can’t say into the press of my lips against his.
When we finally break apart, we’re both breathing hard. Roman rests his forehead against mine, his eyes closed. “I have to go,” he whispers.
I nod, not trusting myself to speak.
He kisses me one more time, quick and hard, and then he’s gone, walking out the door without looking back, without promising he’ll return.
In Roman’s world, that’s the one promise he can never make.
For a minute, I just stand there, frozen in place. Then I make a decision. I won’t hide in this room, waiting and wondering. I need to see him off, even if it breaks my heart a little more to watch him leave.
I follow the now-familiar path through the clubhouse toward the common room. The hallways seem unusually quiet; everyone has probably gathered to see the team off. As I approach the kitchen, I hear low, urgent voices and slow my steps automatically.
The door is ajar, and before I can pass by, movement catches my eye. I freeze, not meaning to spy but unable to look away from the scene unfolding inside.
Dragon stands in the center of the kitchen, his massive frame curved protectively around Maddie’s much smaller one. His hands cup her face, thumbs stroking her cheeks, which I can now see are wet with tears. The tenderness in his touch makes my breath catch. I’ve never seen Dragon look like this.