Page 9

Bella

Am I overreacting?

I don’t think so , I think as I slam the door of Roman’s house and stomp down the driveway to the gate.

Tears cloud my vision again and I immediately wipe them away. Every step puts distance between us, and I feel my chest tightening with pain, as if the tether holding us together is growing taut.

The only word that rings in my mind is: Why?

Why didn’t he tell me he knew my dad? If he was shocked the first time I mentioned him, he should have told me any other time. There were opportunities to come clean, and he didn’t, which only made finding out more painful.

I remember Roman’s words about how he met my father, and I feel a pang of pain in my heart for the young boy who had to fend for himself. Despite my current anger, it makes me glad to know that he had my father in his corner growing up.

Luckily, a cab is idling in front of the house. Perfect.

I open the door to ask if they can take me downtown, and I’m greeted by the sight of a man dressed all in black, sitting in the back seat. He’s holding a gun, pointed in my direction, and he says, “Hello, Bella. Don’t turn around. Don’t scream. Get in the car, or I will shoot you.”

My mind goes blank with panic, and the adrenaline from the fight with Roman is replaced with a fear that overtakes me completely. I couldn’t scream even if I wanted to—there’s not enough breath in my lungs.

Silently, I get into the back seat of the car, and the driver pulls away from the curb.

I turn to face the stranger. “Who are you?” I ask in a strong tone that masks my fear.

My eyes adjust to the darkness in the car and I see a dangerous-looking man with cruel eyes and a permanent sneer.

“W-what do you want from me?” I stutter, trying to control my erratic heartbeat.

“Nothing serious. If you answer my questions correctly and give me what I want, then I’ll let you go,” he says, and I nod nervously.

“Where is your father’s last artwork?” he asks in a harsh tone. “The one that went missing after his death.”

I stare back in confusion. “I don’t know. It’s missing.”

He cocks the gun and jams it into my forehead. My heart races hard in fear. “Don’t fuck with me—where is the fuck is it!” he snaps, his eyes taking on a sinister glint.

I open my mouth, but words refuse to come. Fear is clogging my throat. Besides, I don’t know what to say. I have no idea where my father’s missing piece is.

“I’ll fucking blow your brains out if you don’t tell me where you’ve kept it. Did you give it to your boyfriend? Or did you trade it for letting you go?” he sneers, sliding the gun suggestively down to my cleavage as he trails his creepy eyes over my body.

Distaste coats my mouth as I shiver in fear. What have I done?

Suddenly, I’m drowning in regret about my accusations toward Roman before I left. I remember the hurt that he tried to mask. I can’t believe I accused him of knowing about my father’s death, even though I know deep down he had no hand in it. My anger was like a bitterness that I needed to expel, and he was there to receive it.

I should never have left. I should have stayed and resolved any misunderstanding.

I shouldn’t have walked out on Roman, and now I’m going to die without telling him how I feel about him.

Suddenly, the car jerks, racing forward. The gun slips from my face and fires beside me, missing me by a few inches. I gasp in shock and freeze, my heart now a drum, resounding in my head as fear becomes a familiar taste.

“What the fuck, Luca?” the stranger snaps at the driver. “I almost fucking killed her without getting the information we need.”

“Sorry, Silas,” the driver jeers. “We’re being followed. Maybe I should slow down for him to catch up?” he snaps sarcastically.

“You don’t have to be a fucking dick,” Silas mutters.

He turns around to look behind us, and I follow suit. A man is racing behind the taxi on a motorcycle at full speed. The rider has on a black helmet, but I know with every fiber of my being that it’s Roman.

I exhale softly in relief. Still, fear grips me at the thought of him being hurt. I know he can handle himself, but these people are erratic and one of them has a weapon.

“Hurry the fuck up, Luca—get us to a freeway so we can lose him,” Silas snaps, pushing his head into the space between the front seats.

“Don’t fucking tell me how to do my job! I don’t interfere in yours, or do I?” Luca retorts as he maneuvers the car.

“Shut the fuck up and drive.”

Roman suddenly revs the motorcycle to pull through traffic and come up next to the car. I gasp when he boldly jerks the motorcycle toward the car, causing Luca to almost lose control of the vehicle as he swerves to avoid a collision.

“Luca, don’t fucking stop the car, run him over!” Silas shouts.

“If we crash into him we’re dead, you moron,” Luca snaps back.

“Then do something. We can’t let him have her.”

The two bicker as Luca takes a sudden turn away from Roman. The car is fast, shooting downside streets and alleyways, but on his motorcycle, Roman is faster and can get through spaces where the car can’t fit.

Soon the motorcycle is gaining on us again, and the car has entered a narrow road with few ways to escape. I realize Roman might have been herding us here on purpose, as the car is forced to slow down.

I look around and contemplate opening the door and rolling out of the car since we’re driving at a slower speed. My injuries would be minimal, and there’s little chance of Roman getting injured. But as I move to open the door, pain bites into my scalp as Silas pulls at my hair. Tears well up in my eyes at the sharp ache.

“And where the fuck do you think you’re going?” he grits out, pulling me back until he wraps his arm tightly around my neck.

Luca turns around to face us. “Stop choking her. The boss wants her in one piece,” he says.

“That’s if we get out of here alive,” Silas retorts, but thankfully he removes his arm from around my neck.

Luca’s distraction causes him to finally lose control of the car, and we slam into a dumpster, the airbag flying into Luca’s face. Though the jolt is sudden, we’re not going fast enough to cause any real damage. Aside from my pounding heart and an ache where the seat belt dug into my body, I appear to be unharmed.

Before Luca can say anything else, the door at his side flies open and Roman slams a punch into his temple. Another to the jaw, knocking him out instantly. Silas quickly presses the gun to my temple and whispers harshly into my ear, “Open the fucking door.”

I comply and he pushes me out of the car, the gun against my temple as Roman rolls a passed out Luca to the ground. I notice the change in his stance the moment he realizes the compromising position I’m in with Silas.

He slams the driver side door loudly. “Let her go.”

Although soft, his tone carries a threatening undertone. There’s a tic in his jaw, and the slight twitch in his hand indicates his fury.

Silas’s voice trembles slightly as he says, “I’ll let her go if you give me Donovan’s last artwork or tell me its whereabouts.”

“Really?” Roman says, cocking his head, his gray eyes growing colder with every second, showing no indication of the man who smiles lovingly at me or shares his affection freely. This is another side of him that I’ve never seen, and now I understand why he was feared at the auction house.

Silas’s hand trembles slightly and the gun wavers against my temple as he audibly swallows. “Yes, I promise.”

“I’ll give you one more pass. Let her go in one piece, and I won’t fucking kill you where you stand,” Roman states softly, then arches a brow. “You know, I really underestimated Sergio. I knew his intent to sell me that piece was a ruse. So, it turns out he wanted to draw me out so I would lead you guys to my place.”

As Roman reveals that he knows who their boss is, I watch him stealthily extract a knife from his pocket. I know what he intends to do.

No, I can’t let him have a death on his conscience.

My gaze meets his and I silently plead with my eyes. He shifts his gaze away from mine, and I know I have to do something. If there’s one thing that’s certain, it’s Roman’s unwavering love for me.

And I also know he’ll do anything to defend and protect the people he loves, because it’s not an emotion he gives easily.

With that thought in mind, I bite deeply into the arm around my neck. Silas howls and releases my neck, the gun clattering to the ground. I quickly move away from him just as Roman rushes at him and tackles him to the ground. I hear loud grunts as Roman lays two punches in his stomach, then another to his jaw, and Silas passes out just like Luca.

Roman rushes over, dragging me into his arms. “Fuck, baby. Thank God you’re safe. I was so fucking terrified when I heard that gunshot,” he says in an agonized whisper.

His hand tightens convulsively around my waist, and the other glides soothingly over my hair. I wrap my arms around his waist, gripping him tightly as I lay my head on his chest. His heart is pounding hard against my ear, and I notice a slight tremble in the hand caressing my head.

“Thank you for coming to save me,” I whisper, feeling so stupid now for my earlier outburst.

Roman pulls back, his concerned gaze holding mine. “It’s my fault. I’m so sorry, baby. I should have told you I was your dad’s friend. At first I was shocked when you told me, and later…being with you felt like I had betrayed my friend.”

“I’m sorry too…but I’m not mad at you for not telling me, not anymore. I think I was really just…running from my feelings. The way I feel about you, Roman—it’s this overwhelming emotion that scares me. I’ve never felt like this about anyone before. But I don’t ever want to run from you again—it hurts to be without you. I love you, Roman,” I whisper, tears welling up in my eyes.

His gaze searches mine, his eyes bright with happiness. “Bella, I love you so much. You are the brightest light in my life, and without you I’m not whole. Marry me. Please.” His gaze is sure and true.

I freeze in his arms at the unexpected marriage proposal. We’re standing in the middle of the street, my kidnappers knocked out a few feet away, and I know there’s no one else I’d rather spend the rest of my life with. “Yes, I will marry you,” I whisper, and my heart sighs as his gray eyes turn soft and tender.

He leans down to take my lips in a soft, sweet kiss that lasts long enough for us to pant softly after it ends. My arms slide up to wrap around his neck. “What about them?” I ask, nodding in the direction of Silas and Luca.

“Don’t worry about them. I’ll call some people to come pick them up and question them. They’re a link to your father’s death,” Roman answers.

At his words, my mind goes back to his revelation about their boss. “How did you know they work for Sergio?” I ask with a frown.

“That creep was the reason for my business meeting today,” he explains. “He approached a bikers club I’m associated with, claiming he was a friend who wanted to sell an artifact to me. The one holding the gun to your head was with him, but I just thought he was a bodyguard. I knew his aim to sell the art piece to me was just a cover for something else. It wasn’t until I saw the fucker holding you hostage that I put it all together.”

I shiver slightly at Sergio’s plan. If it hadn’t been for Roman, I would have ended up just like my dad.

“It’s okay baby. I’ll never let anyone hurt you again,” Roman says. He slides his hand down my waist to grab my hand. “Let’s go home,” he says, leading me to his motorcycle.