Chapter 5 - THE ENEMY
We escaped through an emergency passage.
Roman knew the building better than I did.
When we reached the street, three black vehicles were waiting.
He pushed me behind him.
“Get in.”
I hesitated.
“Roman—”
“Now.”
We drove for twenty minutes before stopping at a private residence outside the city.
I stared through the window.
“Where are we?”
“My house.”
“You have a lot of houses.”
“I have enemies.”
“That isn't an answer.”
He looked at me.
“It's the only answer I have.”
Inside, his security team locked the doors.
I sat on a sofa.
Roman stood by the fireplace.
“Tell me everything.”
He looked at me.
“You really want to know?”
“Yes.”
“Victor Hale worked with my father.”
“What happened?”
“My father discovered Victor was stealing from the company.”
“And?”
“He confronted him.”
Roman's voice became quiet.
“Two weeks later, my father died.”
I swallowed.
“Your father knew mine.”
“Yes.”
“Did they trust each other?”
“Yes.”
“So my father kept the records.”
“Exactly.”
I looked down.
“Then why did my father die?”
Roman hesitated.
“Because he refused to give them up.”
My eyes filled with tears.
“I barely remember him.”
Roman sat beside me.
“Tell me about him.”
I laughed softly.
“He made terrible pancakes.”
Roman smiled.
“He sounds like a good man.”
“He was.”
Silence.
Then I felt his hand cover mine.
I looked at him.
He didn't move closer.
Didn't pressure me.
Just held my hand.
“I know this is frightening.”
“It is.”
“You can leave.”
I looked at him.
“Can I?”
“Yes.”
“Even now?”
“Yes.”
“Then why do I feel like you don't want me to?”
His eyes met mine.
“Because I don't.”
My heart skipped.
“Why?”
“Because I care about you.”
I looked away.
“You barely know me.”
“I know you saved my life.”
“That isn't enough.”
“No.”
He paused.
“I also know you work too much, worry constantly, hide when you're scared, and pretend you don't need help.”
I smiled.
“You've been paying attention.”
“Yes.”
“That's dangerous.”
“For me?”
“For both of us.”
He smiled.
“I know.”
That night, Leo called.
I answered.
“Mommy?”
“Hi, baby.”
“Are you coming home?”
I looked at Roman.
“Yes.”
Roman watched me with an expression I'd never seen before.
Tenderness.
Something inside me shifted.
May you like
I realized I wasn't only afraid of losing my job anymore.
I was afraid of losing him.
