Page 18 of Roman

“Snow? If you are hoping for snow kid, it’s hit or miss. Mostly in Rhino it’s just cold as fu… hell.” Pria narrows her gaze at me. “What? I didn’t finish it.” She rolls her eyes at and looks over to Rhylee.

“We’ll see.”

“That means no,” Rhylee snaps. “Why don’t you just come out and say no? I know you don’t want to go. Just say it!”

“Rhylee,” I warn trying to stop her little outburst, but she keeps on going.

“You kept him from me all these years and now that he is here you can’t wait to get rid of him. It’s unfair! Just because you are being a bitch-”

“Rhylee!” I slap my palm on the table, raising my voice, “You aren’t talking to her like that. I won’t have it. Now, me and Pria will talk about it. Apologize and go to your room.” I point at Pria who has turned white, from me or Rhylee yelling I’m not sure.

“Sorry mom.” Rhylee sounds anything but sorry as she takes off to her room slamming the door behind her when she does.

“Damn,” I whistle and drop down into a chair at the kitchen table.

“You just made it through your first teenage outburst, congratulations,” Pria tells me as she wipes off her hands with a dishrag and tosses it to the countertop.

“Shit. Guess I forgot how hormonal teenagers are. Sage is always complaining about all the estrogen in his house. I guess I will listen a little closer when he talks next time,” I say feeling the man’s pain at the moment. He’s got three girls. One is the same age as Rhylee.

“You surprised me though. I didn’t think you’d yell like that.” She takes a seat across from me.

“She doesn’t get to yell at you like that and get away with it no matter how much she has me wrapped around her finger.” I push back in the chair and extend my legs to get a little more comfortable.

“And how long will she have you wrapped around her finger?” Pria asks as she absently plays with the fraying placemat on the table.

“You know I have to get back to the clubhouse, but I also would like to stay in Rhylee’s life. She can come up to Rhino as much as she wants.” I glance over to Pria and follow up with, “or as much as you will allow.”

“I’m not sure I will be letting her travel alone for a while and I don’t think the upcoming break is such a good idea. I mean she just went through an ordeal she still refuses to talk about.” She amends.

“Like I said. It’s up to you. I’m not going to come in here and step on your toes. That’s one of the reasons I got her the phone, so she could call whenever she wanted to.” Yet another thing Pria was pissed at me for. Only she didn’t speak a word when Rhylee showed off her new iPhone. Nope not a word just a death glare I can still feel searing my skin.

“Yeah, the phone,” she huffs. “I get that you are trying to make up for something, but you really don’t have to go and buy her expensive gifts. She was supposed to be earning a phone with her schoolwork. Now that is out of the question.”

“Sorry. I kind of thought it was a practical gift.” Not to mention I will be able to track her on it.

“Yeah.” She lets out a frustrated sigh. “I’m going to bed.” She stands up from the table and starts toward her room. “If you are gone by the time I wake up, have a safe trip.” She is down the short hallway and in her room before I get my ass up off the chair and barge in right behind her.

“Have a safe trip?”

“What else am I supposed to say?” she hisses and looks at the door behind me, still open. I quietly shut it and step toward her.

“How about don’t go? Or maybe take us with you?” she laughs, actually laughs.

“Yeah, like you would listen to any one of those. Come on Roman. I’m not going to play this game with you anymore. I’m too old for it. So are you.” She points at me and shoves her covers down her bed. “Go away I’m tired.” I don’t. I don’t even think about it. I just go after her, wrapping my arms around her middle and pulling her closer, her back to my chest, my face in her hair.

I breathe her in deep and let it out. “Let me stay in here tonight,” I whisper and love the way her body shudders against me.

“Roman,” she warns but doesn’t pull away. Instead her hands drift along my bare arms.

“Yeah?” I let my hips meld against her backside and smile at the gasp she lets out when she feels how fucking hard I am.

“What about Mike?”

“Fuck Mike, you’re not his. You never have been.” I let my lips drift along her neck. When I reach her shoulder I give it a soft bite then spin her around. “You’re fucking mine Pria. He knows it. He knew it the second he saw me here. Why the hell do you think he has been by so much? Rhy told me he hardly ever comes here. He’s trying to keep you. Up to you if his shit is going to work.”

“I’m not a cheater Roman.” It might not be meant as a dig but I take it as one. We might not have been in a relationship fourteen years ago but I sure as hell made it clear every time I was fucking around with a woman in front of her. I wasn’t a cheater but, in her eyes, I might as well have been.

“I know you’re not, Pria.” I let her go and force myself back a step, then another. “I fucked up so damn bad with you, didn’t I?” she doesn’t answer just lets another tear roll down her cheek. “Everything I ever did to you; I want you to know I believed that it was all for the better. I never wanted to hurt you but I believed that was the only way.”

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