Roman: Book 1 (19 page)

I feel her wet lips smile in the crook of my neck before she kisses and nips her teeth into my flesh. Her tongue sweeps out licking the bite before settling her lips against my neck and murmuring, “I like when you call me baby. Makes me feel cherished, loved… plus it sounds much better than ‘mouse’, I always think of Fievel when you call me that.” She chuckles.

“Is that so?” I smirk, looking down at her beautiful face and emotions flare both daring and hoping she will be strong enough to hold her own against the sterile and cold person I am.

I’ve never wanted something to work as much as I want this to, at this moment.

Our silly banter bounces back and forth while we play and swim around. Even though her face is still bruised and swollen because of my hands, it does nothing to draw away from the radiance shining from her.

I’ve always known I’d never be able to fall in love, that it was an impossibility… however right now, in this moment, that impossibility is quickly becoming a possibility.

And it scares the fuck out of me.

Heather tires out pretty quickly but it doesn’t prevent her beautiful smile from remaining on her face. After I have her wrapped in a towel, I scoop her up with one arm behind her back and the other under her knees and carry her up the stairs to her bedroom. She’s out before I can lay her in the bed and tuck the covers around her.

I lightly kiss her forehead, turn off the lamp and pull the room darkening curtains shut before quietly closing the door behind me and making my way to my own room. Once I’m dressed in denim jeans and a dark gray v neck t-shirt I walk to my office and sit behind my desk. My thoughts and plan of action scatter in my mind.

Before I realize I’ve grabbed my phone I’ve dialed Sebastian’s number and listen as it rings.

I teamed Sebastian with Andrew after Heather fell into my keeping for several reasons, the most important reason being Andrew can be a little too, legal sometimes, and he also asks too many questions. Sebastian, well he doesn’t give a damn about the law, or the lives, he only cares about the bottom line—Money.

It’s his lack of morals that makes him an important of my future. Mine, Heather’s, and our… upcoming family.

“This’s Seb, What’s up?”

“Sebastian, did you find us a maxillofacial surgeon yet?”

“I did. Dr. Tessler, very renowned specialist, his clinic is in Portland, Oregon. He said he can be in Seattle tomorrow morning. Also, I looked into the OBGYN specialist per your request, you should have an email. I just sent it.”

“Perfect. And Ms. Mackenzie’s brothers?”

“From what I can tell, all three are still content with her excuse of taking a leave of absence to travel and take some time off from the stress of her job. I…Sir, I know what Andrew, Dolores, and I all discussed the night you returned from France.  And yes, allowing her brothers to attend the wedding and become apart of her new life is the most effective way to keep Mac content and eager to stay in line. However, after going through seemingly every possible scenario, I have not been able to concoct a valid excuse believable enough to keep her over protective brothers from becoming suspicious. As of right now, I have to urge you to think about your course of action before making this decision. Her brother’s acceptance of the relationship between the two of you is going to require her to lie a very big lie and execute that lie very fucking well, so you need to get your girl and sit her down—“

“Sebastian. I do not recall asking you how to handle my fiancée. You step over that line ONE more time, and I’ll cut your tongue from your mouth then wrench your jaw from your face. Is that clear?”

“Understood, Sir. I just wanted to tell you the information you pay me to obtain.”

“Right, well I can do without your comments and opinions. I’ll handle Ms. Mackenzie, THAT is my job.” I slide my thumb across the screen ending the call before pulling up the emails and look over the different OBGYN specialist.

Once I choose the most experienced OBGYN and reply to Sebastian’s email, I turn the laptop off, I lean back in my chair, staring at the ceiling as my mind races with the different possible scenarios to explain not only my presence in Heather’s life but me being the father of her child.

I wake the next day so groggy all I want to do is roll over and never wake up. When I crack my eye I see Roman perched on his chair next to my bed. “Good morning. I think I may have let you over do it yesterday, you’ve been asleep almost sixteen hours.”

“I guess even if I beg, you won’t let me have four more, huh?”

He chuckles and I can’t help but smile. “I would, but I need you to get up, shower and dress. A maxillofacial surgeon from Portland has flown up to assess your injuries and later, you and I also have some very important…issues to discuss.” He stands from his seat before making his way to the bedroom door and turning around. His smile remains in place, “Dr. Tessler and I will meet you on the first floor in the main sitting area. Don’t take too long or I will come up here and bath and dress you myself. Understood, mouse?”

I huff, “Yes, Roman. Understood.” Yanking back the covers, I pull myself from the bed and make my way into the bathroom.

Once I’ve showered and blown my hair dry, I dress in a strapless maxi dress and flip-flop wedges. I forgo any makeup and head downstairs.

When I’m close to the open doors I hear a heated debate ensuing on the other side of the threshold and decide to ignore it. After I make my way into the sitting room I take a seat next to Roman before slightly smiling at who I assume is Dr. Tessler.

“Roman, if you expect me to believe the mess of her face is a product of an interrupted burglary, you are mistaken. French or not, a man doesn’t beat the hell out of a woman’s face for interrupting a burglary. They shoot point blank. Period.”

“Dr. Tessler—“

Fierce protectiveness consumes me to the point of trembling. “Excuse me. Don’t speak as if I’m not in the room, Mr.?”

Once he finishes his staring contest with Roman he looks over to me, his face immediately transforms into a smile. “Mr. or Dr. Tessler, James Tessler, Ms. Mackenzie. It’s a pleasu—“

My hand flies into the air. “Mr. Tessler, I am obviously grown enough to speak for myself. And as for my fiancé, if you are implying he did this to my face, you will apologize this instant, not only to him, but me as well. Your ridiculous accusation places me in a category I am less than pleased with. Do I look weak minded? Do I sound as though I would allow a man to do this to me and let him continue without serving justice,
THEN
sit beside him as a loving partner?” My sinister chuckle is met by shock on Tessler’s face, as well as sheer, unadulterated pride and awe on Roman’s.

“No…I-I just. It’s usually spousal abuse when the trauma is as extensive and localized to the face as yours is. I deeply apologize, to both you and Mr. Payne. It seems my bedside manner slipped due to my dislike for men who abuse women. Please, forgive me.”

“You’re forgiven. However keep in mind, I do not forget. Now,” I look up at Roman. “Darling, are we doing the assessment in here, or somewhere else?”

Roman looks over at Tessler before Tessler answers for him. “I have my medical bag. I’ll dress the chair in a plastic covering much like the ones I use in my office. I see no reason for us to move to another room, if that is alright with you and Mr. Payne.”

I nod before standing to walk to the closest chair. Tessler leaps into action as Roman leans back in his chair smirking.

After the chair is dressed, Tessler motions me to have a seat but before I can sit, Roman leaps from where he was sitting. “Wait, Heather, do you think it will make it easier for you if you take some pain medicine before Dr. Tessler begins?”

“Already done, darling. I took one after I showered.” I smile over at him and ease back into my seat.

Dr. Tessler’s fingertips gently assess the more tender spots across my face for several minutes. When he gets to the sutures that run down the left side of my face he clears his throat before speaking, “Well, the stitches can definitely come out. They did a superb job using a type of suture and needle used during facial reconstruction as well as cosmetic surgery, so after the swelling goes down and the initial redness from the fresh injury fades, it will be difficult to tell the skin was ever injured, much less separated.” He smiles down at me before turning to his bag. When he turns around he’s drawing up something into a syringe. “I’m going to numb some of the more sensitive areas before I begin removing the stitches. You may feel the actual thread of the suture sliding out, possibly a small amount of pulling or tugging, but no actual pain. Are you ready?”

I nod and close my eyes before mentally slipping into my calm place.

I’m uncertain how much time passes before Tessler’s words pull me back to the present. “All finished. You did very well, Ms. Mackenzie. Very well. Now, if you will, try and blink your right eye, not open it, just blink it slightly and let me know how it feels.”

It takes me thirty seconds to build my courage up to even attempt it. When I do, my eyelashes flutter open and closed so effortlessly it makes me smile before turning my head to where Roman sits. Keeping both eyes open I smile at him and see a look of astonishment on his face before I whisper, “Hey, you.”

He’s instantly at my side, his eyes going back and forth between both of mine before he smiles and whispers, “Hey, my beautiful baby.”

I couldn’t hold back my tears if I tried. Roman closes his eyes and leans his head against mine sighing. I can physically feel the relief as it replaces the tension that has consumed him from the first night in France when I stepped from the bloody bathtub.

He kisses both of my eyes then settles his lips next to my ear…and then he takes everything I am, everything I’ve been, and everything I will ever become, and turns it all, turns all of me, into his and his alone. “I love you, Heather Joslyn Mackenzie. I fucking love you.”

Before I can gather my wits much less my voice, damned Tessler interrupts us after clearing his throat. “I’ll leave some cream that will help speed the final stages of the healing process along. Apply it four times daily until all the cream is gone. I would like to follow up in about two weeks. You or Mr. Payne call with a convenient time when you can.”

Roman stands before turning and extending his hand to shake Tessler’s at the same time Andrew walks into the sitting room and stands at the door.

Once Tessler has his things placed in his bag he smiles over at Roman and I before turning and following Andrew from the sitting room. Andrew closes both doors behind them, leaving Roman and I alone.

I stand to head towards the bar but Roman is already there mixing cherry juice into a glass of Sprite, he drops a few ice cubes into the glass before handing it to me. “Have a seat, mouse.”

I do as I’m told and slowly sip the drink he made me before looking up at him.

“It’s the middle of June, after a lot of thought as well as speaking to Dr. Tessler, I think the wedding date can easily be set for July 30
th
. With that being said, I’ve informed Andrew to begin scheduling the wedding coordinators to arrive in two weeks. You should have most of your strength back by then, especially if we continue our daily walks and swim on the days the weather permits. However, you and I have something else, extremely more important to discuss and it will require you to keep a level head. I, myself, think you’re more than ready for this conversation. Especially after the way you not only wielded that wickedly, deviant tongue of yours, but also how well you used it and your five foot three petite stature to put Dr. Tessler in his well deserved place without blinking an eye or fidgeting a single muscle.”

His entire face lights up with pride and his eyes sparkle in delight while a smile straight from the devil slides onto his face. “I believe I owe it to you, my love, to ask…do you also think you’re ready?”

I look at him for a moment, allowing my eyes to scan over his face, trying to find any clues as to what the hell kind of curve ball he’s about to throw at me.

When I’m unable to find one, I release an exaggerated sigh. “Jesus, Roman, what is it? If you think you’re going to talk me into having an abortion to make this wedding more… acceptable? Then I am about to let you down.” My hands slide over my barely existent, but very real baby bump before I look up into his eyes just as tears spill over and stream down my face. I weakly finish in a whisper, “She’s mine, even if you don’t want her, even if keeping her means walking away from you, Roman. She. Is. Mine. My first. My last. My only priority.”