Chapter 89: Stop
"I said put me down! We can’t just leave her there!" Patricia protested, glaring hard at Roman as she twisted in his arms, glancing back to see if Zara had come out. Roman ignored her completely, his grip unyielding as he started down the stairs. She froze her struggle, realizing that fighting him there could topple them both.
As furious as she was at him, risking injury wasn’t worth it. By the time they reached the ground floor, heads had already turned. Dozens of eyes followed them, and Patricia’s cheeks burned under the weight of their stares.
"What a lucky girl!" Someone seated muttered, and the whispers spread. A few smiles were tossed their way, making Patricia’s face heat even more. She buried her face into Roman’s chest, trying to shield herself from their eyes.
The small action only made him feel stronger. She was using him as her shield, depending on him and he loved it. His steps grew slower, deliberately dragging out the moment. It had been too long since he held her like this, and though "too long" was just last night, it felt unbearable to him. He couldn’t let her push him away again. He would force her out of this mess if he had to, drag her with him, make her listen. No more delays. He was going to explain everything now and clear the misunderstandings.
Once they stepped outside, his voice came low and commanding. "Don’t move." He already knew she would try to resist again.
She stayed still, but her silence set off alarms in his head. That stillness wasn’t surrender, it was planning. Tightening his grip, he carried her to his car and headed straight for the driver’s side.
"We can’t sit here together," she blurted quickly, her words confirming exactly what he had suspected she was plotting.
"I know." He opened the door, and set her down in the driver’s seat.
The second he let go of her, she scrambled across the seat, her hand clutching the door handle. She yanked hard, only for the door to refuse to open. Her face fell into a deep frown.
"I saw that coming," Roman muttered, his tone heavy with amusement. Her eyes darted to his hand, resting firmly on the central lock switch. No wonder he placed her in through the driver’s side, it gave him just enough time to lock the doors before she could slip away.
Defeated, she dropped back into the seat with a sharp exhale, arms folding tight against her chest as she turned her face toward the window.
"My phone is inside Kay’s car. Can you help me with it?" She asked coldly.
Roman pulled a phone from the back seat and held it out to her. Patricia’s eyes widened, her mouth parting in shock. He had already planned this. He was always several steps ahead of her which annoyed her to the core.
Snatching the phone from him with more force than necessary, she turned away again, refusing to meet his eyes. The angry pout on her lips only deepened his smile. There was something intoxicating about her when she was mad. She was always stubborn, fiery, and alive. He loved seeing this side of her, even if she didn’t realize it.
"Your seatbelt," he ordered.
She ignored him completely, acting as though he wasn’t there at all.
Roman’s smirk grew. He unbuckled his own belt and leaned across her. The sudden closeness made Patricia stiffen against the chair, eyes wide, her pulse leaping.
"What are you about to do?" She asked, suspicion heavy in her voice as her gaze locked on his.
His gaze lingered on her for a few seconds, slow and deliberate, before he finally lowered it to her seatbelt. Without asking, his hand reached across, brushing dangerously close to her chest as he tugged at the strap. Patricia’s eyes flicked up, by mistake, straight to his lips.
Her throat tightened, and she swallowed hard, shamelessly gulping. Her heartbeat pounded like a drum. Why was it so hard to forget that night? If only she were as wild as Zara, maybe the memory would have already faded. But no, her body still wanted him, even after he had cheated. Just one look at his lips and she was already aching for his touch again, already craving the feel of those soft, plump lips on her...
"This," Roman said suddenly, snapping her from her thoughts.
"What?" She muttered, caught off guard. His smirk told her everything, he noticed.
Heat rushed to her cheeks as realization sank in. She had been openly fantasizing, shamelessly staring at him. Like a child caught stealing candy, she averted her gaze, face burning.
"You can stare as much as you want. It’s yours," he murmured, leaning back in his seat, his voice low and deliberate.
"I wasn’t staring!" She snapped defensively, her voice louder than she intended.
His smirk deepened, unbothered, as he turned the ignition. Embarrassed, she whipped her gaze away, scolding herself inwardly for entertaining such dirty thoughts. Shameful, she was craving his touch when she should have hated him.
The drive stretched in silence until they finally pulled up to their destination: the sea. It was quiet, with only a few people scattered in the distance.
"What are we here to do?" She asked, frowning, her mind racing over who they might be meeting.
"I wanted to bring you here to see the most beautiful sunrise," he admitted. "But since we are here now... let’s watch the sunset instead. We have a few minutes before it sets. Do you want to watch from inside the car, or outside?"
Patricia sighed, irritated. "Is that why you brought me here?" She couldn’t believe he was acting as though her anger didn’t matter. No apology. No explanation. Just this. Then again, in his defense, he had tried to speak to her earlier today. But still, he should not give up so soon.
"Silver and I were not a thing in high school," Roman began, his voice calm, steady. "My father’s family tried to push us together, so she stayed around. People assumed. That’s all."
Patricia’s eyes widened as she whipped her head toward him. "Then why did she say you enjoyed her... touch?" She stumbled over the word, looking away in embarrassment.
His answer was blunt. "We did have a thing but only once. I didn’t think of it back then because I never planned to love anyone. I am sorry if you don’t like it."
Her heart twisted. Anger flared inside her, though she knew she had no right. It had happened before she ever came into the picture. Still, his words stuck: I never planned to love anyone. Did that mean he loved her now?
"Then why does she keep calling you two ’a thing,’ if you never were?" She pressed, still not satisfied.
"To get my father’s family off my back, I had to play along. I let her tell everyone we were a thing," he admitted.
"Ohh," she muttered, the pieces finally clicking.
"You are both grown now. Why does she still do it?" Patricia scoffed, though her voice carried more accusation than curiosity.
"I will have her stop." Roman’s promise was firm, his tone leaving no room for doubt.
Her heart skipped, traitorous and weak, at the weight of his words.