Page 13 of Roman

Charlotte screamed as three men piled into the tiny apartment, laughing and joking amongst themselves.The man who’d kicked in the door walked straight toward her, his pale face twisted into an evil smile, his long, oily black hair pulled into a ponytail.

The man from the diner.Dread shot through her as she froze in fear.

“Well, the boss didn’t tell me how pretty you’d be.I couldn’t take my eyes off you all week.”He smirked.

Charlotte finally came to her senses and quickly scrambled to her knees, trying to jump over the back of the couch.The oily-haired man laughed, lunging at her and grabbing a fist full of her hair.He ripped her backward so fast that her back slammed into the floor before she knew she was falling.

The air burst out of her, her lungs burning as she struggled to breathe.The oily-haired man stood over her, grinning as he slammed his fist into her face.She cried out in pain, her vision going blurry.As the world came back into focus, a shaggy, red-haired man was looming over her, half his teeth missing as he grinned.

The other creep from the diner,she thought, fear and panic paralyzing her.

How was she going to get away from them?It was three against one.She didn’t stand a chance.Her mind raced, trying to figure out how to get out of the apartment.

“I want to play with her,” he sneered, running his fingers down her cheek.

Charlotte smacked his hand away in disgust and spat in his face.The man angrily wiped his face, then smashed his fist into her jaw, the metallic taste of blood filling her mouth.Her hands flew to her face.The pain was excruciating.Her mouth ached as tears filled her eyes.She didn’t know what to do.She did not know how to defend herself against three men.Ava was unconscious, and Charlotte didn’t know if she was going to be okay.Her mind raced as the pain overwhelmed her.

“That’s enough.The boss said she wants her in one piece, so no more marks on her, or it will be a one-way ticket downstairs,” the third man said calmly from somewhere behind her.

“Let me play just a little.No one will know,” the red-haired man pleaded as his hand slowly crept up her leg.

Fear rushed through her.What did they want with her?Who was their boss?Were they going to rape her?Her head spun, a mixture of fear and the night’s partying causing a wave of nausea.

As the man’s hand crept higher along her inner thigh, terror at the thought of getting raped kicked her into motion.Charlotte used all her strength and kneed the shaggy-haired man right between his legs.He howled, landing on his knees next to her.She heard a man curse from behind her as she rolled onto her stomach and scrambled to her feet, the pain from her face causing her to sway, and another wave of nausea hit her hard.As she tried to steady herself, she saw the bald man from the diner storm over to her.

Charlotte turned, running for her room.She felt a sharp pain in the back of her head, and then the darkness took over.

* * *

Roman woundhis way through the streets of the Hollywood Hills.He put his foot down, and the engine of his Black Bugatti Chiron purred as he turned onto his private street.His home sat high on a hill above other million-dollar mansions, some owned by A-list movie stars and singers, others by rich, snobby, high-class society.People he loathed.

He pulled up to the black iron gates of his home.A ten-foot white stone wall wove around the perimeter of the property.Magic reinforced the gates and the wall to keep unwanted beings out.

He pressed a button, opening the gates, and headed up the driveway.His mansion came into view, the lights and high-tech security cameras covering every inch of the white three-story house.Nothing was getting in, and nothing was getting out.

Roman could see Phoenix and Lucian’s cars out front as he pulled into his garage on the side of the house, parking the Bugatti next to his other expensive cars.

Oh, how he loved his toys, he thought, looking them over.

His two muscle cars, a silver 1967 Shelby 6T500 and a black 1969 Mustang Boss, were hisjust-for-funcars.

The next three cars were not to be touched by anyone: his black Aston Martin Victor, the only one in the world, and his stunning dark-blue Lamborghini Sian.But the last was his pride and joy.He’d only taken it out a few times.Collectors constantly tried to buy it from him.His one-of-a-kind black matte Bugatti La Voiture Noire.This car, he would kill someone over.

He walked past his favorite toys, hanging his keys next to the others as he opened a door leading into the kitchen.It was exquisite, like the rest of the house.Along the kitchen walls were white cupboards with golden handles and, beneath, beautiful, black marble countertops.The kitchen had a massive burner and stove, which any chef would swoon over, built-in, along with a custom giant black double-door fridge big enough to feed the army of angels living with him.

Roman opened a cabinet, reaching for a glass and a bottle of Macallan 25-Year-Old Single Malt Whiskey.He poured the amber liquid, filling it halfway.

What a night, he mused, taking a sip as he leaned back against the countertop.Charlotte’s image invaded his thoughts.Her big, beautiful, almond-shaped eyes.The way her lips felt against his, and her body.God, her body.He would give anything to touch her again and make her moan as she had back in his office.

He shook himself.He didn’t have time for this.They had found another demon; the others had it locked up in the basement, ready to be questioned.It was just what Roman needed.The encounter with Charlotte left him feeling wound up, so a bit of torture would be a great distraction.

“Time to focus,” he told himself, taking another swig.“Phoenix?Lucian?”he yelled, his voice echoing through the quiet mansion.

Started without me then,he thought, shaking his head.

Putting his glass down on the bench top, he headed down the corridor.He knew damn well the two angels had begun torturing the demon they’d captured.

Roman entered a security code for the massive twelve-inch-thick steel door leading to the basement.The pad lit up green, and he could hear the metal rods gliding as the giant door slid open.

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