Breathe You In (Sweet Torment 1)

We came together, Roman buried deep, filling me. His frame convulsed, and my whole body burst into flames of wildfire. Crackling and melting. Falling all around him. I let myself go. All of it. And I knew right then that this was different. The truth was between us. The trust established. The fresh start I’d been dying for since the night I’d met him awaited.

With my mouth hovering over his, I whispered the last piece of truth I needed to tell him.

“Roman…I love you.”

Chapter Nineteen

The glow of the morning sun knocked on my eyelids like an annoying neighbor. I groaned and reached out beside me.

The sheets were cold.

I opened my eyes to find Roman gone. But my cell phone lay on the pillow where he’d been. Sitting up, I opened it to find a new text message waiting.

I’m sorry I had to go. Early meeting. You’re beautiful when you sleep…and all the time. Last night was amazing.

I smiled at the screen and my stomach fluttered. Last night had been amazing. Roman had actually slept in my bed, and I had dozed off feeling taken care of and safe, wrapped in warm arms and strength. I tried—tried being the key word—to focus on all the good moments, and not to stress about the fact that I had admitted that I loved him, and he had said nothing back. He had just hugged me tighter, so I was hopeful that was a good sign.

I glanced at the clock. I still had an hour before I needed to head into work, but Paige and Hazel were probably already gone. The house was quiet, until a knock at the front door broke the silence.

Throwing my robe on, I rushed to the door. My first thought was that Roman had come back. I ran to open it, nearly giggling like a moron, and—

All the blood left my face.

“Warren.”

He looked livid, and his creepy glare made me tug my robe together at the collar.

“You got the governor to blow off a meeting with me for a piece of ass?” he sneered, and stepped inside.

I tried to shut the door, but he slammed it open. The doorknob punctured the drywall with a loud crack, making me jump.

“I don’t remember you being that good of a lay.”

The few times we had been together, no, it hadn’t been good. But what I now realized was it had had nothing to do with me. It had been because Warren was an inconsiderate, horrible man.

“Get out of my house, Warren,” I said firmly. “Now.”

I couldn’t afford to be scared. Wouldn’t. I drew on everything I had to remain calm. I was done feeling weak.

“You are supposed to be convincing him to support me!” he yelled. “Not canceling meetings on me!”

“I’m not convincing the governor of anything.”

He scoffed. “Fine. Then I’ll tell him about Lauren.”

“I already did.”

His face fell, and that moment was priceless. Watching him sweat and realize he no longer had control over me, no longer had the upper hand, was worth a million bucks.

“He knows the truth. I told him what happened and you know what he did?” I stepped toward Warren and he moved back. “He supported me.”

“You’re bluffing.”

“Why would I? Frankly, I don’t care what you do with your life. But you’re done trying to involve me in it.”

“You whore,” he growled. “You can’t take this from me.”

“I’m not taking anything, Warren. This is your doing. Man up and deal with it, because guess what? I don’t have to tell anyone that you’re an asshole. You let them know all on your own.”