Page 64 of Precious Legacy

His scowl deepens, lips thinning as they press together. “Nothing,” he grunts.

I glance at Haldon again, and we both know that he’s lying. “That’s not the look of nothing, Varo. Kyrovsky give you blue balls or something?”

Haldon snorts a laugh, earning a cutting glare from Varo.

“He’s hiding something,” Alvaro mutters. Conviction laces his tone, and there’s also a thread of disappointment underscoring it. “I’ve been trying to work out what, but…” He reaches for the bottle again and takes another sip.

It looks like he’s trying to take on the world with the way his shoulders slump and his features crease in thought. I feel for him. He’s just like his sister when he sets his mind to something. He won’t give up until he’s succeeded. But this isn’t something he can take on all by himself. We may have teased him about the clear sexual tension between him and Milo, but we would never let him take on the Russians alone.

Clapping him on the back, I hold out my glass for a refill. “That’s what we have our mole for,” I say.

“That’s the problem,” he replies worriedly. “I think it might be him.”

TWENTY-FIVE

Iwake up with a gentle ache between my legs and a comforting warmth in my chest. It’s my first day of training, and to say I’m nervous would be an understatement. I think that’s why Roman has spent the entire weekend at my place, distracting me with his exceptional cooking skills and talented mouth. He fucked me to sleep last night, but I woke up at two in the morning with anxious thoughts swirling and couldn’t fall back asleep. I can tell by the tightness of my face that I won’t be able to hide the fact I’m running on fumes.

Still, I push out of bed slowly, careful not to wake Roman. He looks devastatingly beautiful with his long lashes fanning above his cheeks and his messy blonde hair flopping in front of his face. He’s peaceful, and for once silent and not trying to get a rise out of me. The entire weekend has been about me and him, and not once has he mentioned the words that slipped from my mouth on Friday night while he was railing me in the bathroom stall.

A warm blush coats my cheeks as I stare at myself in the bathroom mirror.Please don’t break my heart,were the words I uttered as I came down from my climax, my heart racingerratically. If he heard, he never responded, so I’m hoping he didn’t fully hear me since he had his head buried in my neck at the time. It was too vulnerable of a moment, and I’m not quite there with him yet.

Switching on the shower, I strip off and collect my thoughts as I run through the motions of washing my hair and body. I’d set my alarm with plenty of time to eat breakfast—something I rarely do—and beat the traffic to get to the academy. It’s literally a case of getting dressed, drying my hair, and booking a ride.

I’m just rinsing out my hair when the shower curtain slides open and Roman’s sleepy face grins back at me. His hair is sticking out in all directions, but that’s not what captures my attention. His hard cock is pointed right at me as his eyes drink me in, forcing me to take a step back under the water.

“I don’t have time for that!” I protest, gesturing to the weapon between his legs. He already destroyed me last night. I swear a piece of my soul escaped my body around the third orgasm he delivered.

A smug smile widens his lips as he steps under the shower water with me, wrapping his arms around my waist. He presses a hand to the side of my head, holding me against his chest. “I hope you weren’t going to leave without saying goodbye,” he says, his voice thick with sleep.

“I didn’t want to wake you,” I admit softly, turning my head to peek up at him.

“Hmm…” he hums. “If it were anyone else, I’d say I appreciate it. But you’re not anyone, Presh.”

Resting my head against his chest once more, I close my eyes and listen to his heartbeat. It thuds a rhythm that soothes the remaining nerves tumbling through me.

“Want me to take you?” he asks with slight hesitation.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” I state. It’s not that I don’t want him to. It’s that it’d be easy to place him. Everyone knowswho’s taking over for The Five—luckily that isn’t me, so I’ve managed to keep a low profile throughout my life so far.

With a murmur of agreement, Roman lets go of me and dips his head under the water.

Pushing up, I kiss him firmly on the lips before stepping out of the shower and wrapping myself in a towel. I make my way through the bedroom, quickly brushing and drying my hair before throwing on a pair of slacks and a shirt since it’ll be another six months before we get our uniforms. Thankfully, I bought enough office style trousers and shirts to wear to last a whole year, so I don’t need to worry about running out.

Everything is starting to sink in. The significance of today is so much more poignant than I thought it would be. Today marks the first day of my career—a chance for me to become my own person rather than living beneath my family’s shadow.

My mom was once the most sought-after criminal defense lawyer in New York City. There wasn’t a single case she couldn’t handle with competence and grace. She was a real ball-buster in the courtroom, unwavering and determined. She’s smart and stubborn—probably why she’s still known as one of the most notorious lawyers in the city.

The irony isn’t lost on me. The fact she’s just as well known as The Five—partly because she defended my dad during a murder trial—isn’t the only thing that got her noticed. Aunt Lexie says she was already on her way to greatness before she and my dad got together. It makes me sad in a way that she felt she couldn’t continue to pursue her dream, but between the limelight of The Five casting shadows on her career and the family she wanted to raise, Mom made the decision to focus on what she really wanted.

Now, I’m doing the same.

Glancing down at the gold watch on my dresser, I force away the tears that well up. This isn’t just a gift from my brother, it’smy mom’s watch. This is the one moment I’ll allow myself to feel this; like I’m making someone proud. Varo’s trust in me was a little surprising, my mom not so much, though I do feel bad that she didn’t give her watch to me herself. I guess she’s trying to stay impartial right now if what my brother said is true, and I get it. My dad is probably still raging, which means my mom will be doing whatever she can to diffuse the tension between us.

I had imagined my brother might want to kick my ass, too, but his acceptance came as a relief. He believes in me and he knows I’d never do anything to jeopardize our family without reason. The fact he doesn’t know that reason is testament to the strength of our relationship. I just wish our dad had that same faith.

Closing the box holding the watch, I take a deep breath and grab my phone and keys before heading into the kitchen. Roman is already making coffee, sliding a cup across the kitchen island as I join him.

I take a sip of the steaming hot liquid and order my ride while Roman butters toast in front of me. He’s only wearing his slacks, which is another distraction I could do without this morning. Then again, it’s certainly keeping my worried thoughts at bay.

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