Page 26 of Roman

“When I said get her something to eat, I meant a sandwich, not an all-you-can-eat buffet breakfast,” came Roman’s deep voice from the doorway.

Charlotte couldn’t help but take in his appearance.Just seeing him made her whole body come alive again.Roman was leaning against the door frame, watching her with those blue eyes she was becoming familiar with.His face gave nothing away.

He wore a pair of black jeans with black lace-up combat boots.Must be the go-to footwear around here.His white button-up long-sleeved shirt was untucked, with the top few buttons undone, giving her a teasing glimpse of his chest.The sleeves were rolled up past his elbows, his short blond hair still damp from his shower.

He looked sexy as hell, and much to her annoyance, she wanted to finish what they’d started before.When he’d stalked away from her earlier, he’d left her body ablaze and achingly aroused.She could still feel his warm tongue running up her neck.Charlotte had never been so attracted to someone in her life.No one had ever awakened her body like this man had, and she hated herself for letting some stranger, let alone a kidnapper, make her lose control of all rational thought the way he did.

It definitely won’t be happening again,she told herself, dragging her gaze from him, angry with herself all over again for even taking note of how goddamn good-looking he was.Bastard,she thought, ignoring him and taking a bite of a croissant.

Her eyes slid shut as an explosion of flavor hit her, and Charlotte couldn’t help letting out a little moan.

Oh, how I have missed food,she absently thought, taking another massive bite, her hunger taking over.

“No way was I passing up an opportunity to cook for someone who will actually appreciate how amazing I am at it.”Grigori beamed at Charlotte, and she couldn’t help but give him a small smile in return.What could she say?His upbeat, bubbly personality was infectious.“Look how happy she is.It tastes amazing, no?”he asked her as he sipped his coffee.

Charlotte nodded, giving him another smile.She had so much croissant stuffed into her mouth that her cheeks puffed out, but she didn’t care if she looked like a pig.No matter how starved she was, her love affair with the rest of the food on her plate would not be ruined by anyone, not even her kidnapper.

Roman sighed, and Charlotte watched as he headed into the kitchen, shaking his head.Charlotte swallowed her giant mouthful without choking to death, then turned to Grigori.

“Will you be in trouble for feeding me?”

Grigori chuckled.“No, he might act all doom and gloom, but from what I witnessed when I walked in on you two before, you may find things will be different now.I don’t think you will get locked up in the cells anymore.”He put a fork full of waffle in his mouth.

Charlotte frowned.“Why was I locked up?Why am I a prisoner here?”

“Because someone we know is looking for you, and if he gets a hold of you, life as you know it will never be the same,” Grigori told her as Roman walked back into the room with a cup of coffee, taking a seat next to her.

“I don’t understand.What would someone want with me?I am literally the most boring person in the world.All I do is work and go home.I’m usually so tired I barely even go out.”Charlotte couldn’t help the feeling of emptiness and sadness creeping over her.Yes, she had two amazing friends in her life, but other than that, she felt like her life was simply worthless and boring as hell.

“Look, for you to understand this completely, we’re going to have to tell you some things.You will probably think we are crazy, but it’s simply the truth,” Roman said, watching her carefully.

Charlotte nodded, having a bite of her pancake.“After what I’ve seen and heard in the past few days, I think you might find me more open-minded than you think.So, please explain to me what the hell is going on.”

How are these pancakes so good?

Roman sighed, looking at Grigori, who was currently enjoying his second round of waffles.

“You may as well tell her everything.It’s obvious we aren’t going to kill her now,” Grigori said, chewing loudly.

Charlotte dropped her fork.“What?Kill me?”She turned to Roman, angry.“You were going to kill me?”She didn’t know why, but she felt… betrayed.

You don’t even know him.Stop being ridiculous.

Roman rubbed his hand down his face, glaring at Grigori.“Yes, we discussed it, but I was against it.Listen, Charlotte—Grigori, myself, and the others who live here—we aren’t human.We were once angels, but we have fallen.With all good, there comes bad.Demons are also real, and we spend our days hunting the filthy creatures and killing them.I don’t know if you’re familiar with biblical history, but have you heard the name Lucifer before?”

Charlotte sat there, taking in everything Roman was telling her.Everything I’ve seen is real.The wings she’d seen were real, and Roman and Armaros with their glowing eyes.Magic had healed her.But it was the word demon that haunted her the most.Demons are real…It meant all the terrifying things she’d seen in her dreams were also real.

She gave him a small nod.“Yes, he was once an angel but now is in Hell.I don’t really know much, but I know he’s the devil.”

“Good,” Roman approved as he drank his coffee.“But no, he’s not the devil.He was an angel like us, but he fell into Hell.He is trapped there, supposedly unable to ever get out.”

“What do you mean,supposedly?”She didn’t think she was going to like Roman’s answer.

He stared at her intently, his brilliant blue eyes gazing into hers.“That, I’m afraid, is where you come in.We heard Lucifer was searching for someone.It turns out that someone is you.We haven’t figured it out yet, but you play a part in releasing him from Hell.We cannot allow that to happen.”

“So, you were going to kill me to stop it all from happening?”she whispered, looking at Grigori, then at Roman.

Grigori nodded.“No offense, but it seemed like the reasonable thing to do.If it’s worth anything, I take my vote to kill you back.I quite like you.”

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