“What is it?”
He stared into her eyes.
Roman had never taken the time to look into her eyes before. They were a deep brown. At first, he had thought they were cold, malicious, and that she was after whatever she could get, but he knew that wasn’t true.
They were warm, filled with a great deal of love. There was a lot about his wife that he didn’t know about.
He looked at her lips, and he had never noticed before how plump and inviting they were. He wanted to kiss them. To be the first man to actually take those luscious lips.
He leaned forward only to have Alex jerk back. “What are you doing?”
Roman frowned. “I was going to kiss you.”
“What the hell for?” Alex shook her head and held her hand up. “No, I don’t want to kiss you. I don’t know what you were doing, but leave me out of this.”
No woman had ever rejected him, and he was taken aback by the sudden move. This had never happened before.
Alex made her way into her closet, and not one to linger, he walked into the bathroom and pulled out her diary again. She hadn’t been kissed, but she didn’t want his kisses?
That made no sense. He was her fucking husband.
Slamming the book down on the counter, he looked at his reflection, and he did appear to be a little … out of it. Roman didn’t go around begging women. They were waiting for him, panting for more, and desperate for whatever he could give them.
He didn’t have time to stand idly by, so he quickly stripped out of his clothes and stepped beneath the shower. The water was warm, and he needed it cold. Blasting his body, he allowed the freeze to take him over. The cold was welcoming. The moment he was done, he wrapped a towel around his waist and stepped out into the bedroom only to find his wife was gone.
Fuck!
In this place, he was always going to be one step behind her. He changed quickly, hiding her diary near her bed, where he hoped she’d never look. The small book was proving to be quite insightful, if not a little obsession of his.
He made his way downstairs, only to come face to face with his father.
“Where is everyone?” he asked.
“They’re at the table. I wanted to have a word with you, in private. Can we step outside?” Lucas asked.
If his father wanted a private word in another man’s house, then he knew without a doubt that something bad was about to happen, but he didn’t say so.
He followed his father away from the building, near his car, and there was no one close by. Lucas clicked his tongue. “Tell me how things are going with Alex.”
“She’s alive. There were no attacks today.”
“Liam seems to be under the impression that at any moment, when Alex asks for it, he will seek to have this marriage annulled. Is that true?”
Roman didn’t want to lie to his father.
“For fuck’s sake, Roman, I saw those bloody sheets. An annulment would make you a mockery, and I would be laughed at. Our power, our reach, it would sever overnight.”
“There’s no guarantee she’s a virgin,” he said.
Lucas snorted. “Please, you think that woman in there is not a virgin? I have known Liam my whole life. I’ve had many dealings with him over the years, and I have also seen that little girl grow up into a beautiful woman. There is a reason I didn’t pursue the test. I knew she spoke the truth.”
“But you’re … you don’t like her.”
“I’m not used to a woman who can’t be controlled, Roman. Surely you can see that she is … different.”
“Yes.”
“Liam hasn’t trapped her in a life like we do. He allows her to be her own person, within his protection, and I know it makes her a subject of gossip in our family. Liam is a powerful person. I have watched him go from nothing to controlling the streets of the city, Roman. He is not a man to be insulted. The only weakness he has is that woman in that house. He will do everything for her, and if she is unhappy in this marriage with you, and seeks an annulment, then he will do it. Even if it means soaking the streets with blood. He will.”
“We will fight him.”
“Roman, I know you are a Greco. My blood runs in your veins, and I know we will put up a good fight with Liam, but I could never guarantee the outcome. Our men and our women would die just because you won’t make a young innocent woman fall in love with you.”
“Do you want me to rape her?” Roman asked, trying not to show his anger, but it was difficult not to.
“No. Of course not. I would have no choice but to let Liam handle you, and anyone who goes against Liam is never found again. You are set to take over one day. What I am telling you to do is get Alex to fall in love with you. By doing so, you’ll be able to bed her, and then any annulment cannot happen. Our families are united. We are strong apart, but together, we are unstoppable.”
“You don’t think it makes us look weak, binding ourselves to Liam?”
“No, it is the best and wisest decision we have made. Trust me on this.”