by Bethany-Kris
Instead, she laid her head down on his chest where she could hear his heartbeat. He stroked her damp hair, and she kissed his skin, tasting salt and man while he was still thick between her aching thighs.
“I just want you,” she said in a sigh.
Roman said nothing, only took a deep breath that lifted and lowered her with his chest.
Hot water and bubbles surrounded them like a soft bed. Karine could lay like that with him forever, if the world would let her.
But how long would their forever last?
Even though she tried not to let her mind go there, she knew her past was going to catch up with her soon. Roman had to know it, too. Unless they kept running ... was that the plan?
Would they use her new, forged identity to escape somewhere? Leave the country, maybe?
Something told her—Roman wasn’t the kind of man to run away. He wouldn’t leave his family behind. Not even for her.
FOUR
It was five days of bliss.
That’s what he gave her.
Five days of him—of life without restraint or worry. She didn’t have to do or be anything but exactly what she wanted and who she was.
Paradise, really.
No doubt, it wasn’t the honeymoon she had been expecting. Instead, she was handed a dream, one she’d never forget.
It was like Roman had somehow peeked into her mind and figured out those fears and insecurities that sometimes kept her up at night. All she really wanted was to be alone with him—just because she loved him didn’t mean she knew him. Parts of him, yes. And the peeks of the man under his exterior had kept her close for this long.
It just wasn’t enough.
She wanted all of him.
That was exactly what he gave her, tucked away in a Vegas hotel suite with the heart of a city below acting as their nightlight in the midst of those conversations in tangled sheets.
To top it off—he’d showed her Vegas. A feverish dream of a city, bleeding life out of every bright light. Chaos in neon, just like her mind. The melting pot of people and culture welcomed her skittish oddness even when she walked down the street. She didn't want to miss a thing. For the first time in her life, she’d found somewhere that sort of felt like home. She’d never wanted to go back anywhere. And one couldn’t quite call their prisons home, right?
Here, Karine felt like nothing could go wrong.
She may not have had the wedding of other women’s dreams, but she certainly had the man they all fantasized about. Wrapped around her pinky finger, content to be warm in her bed, deathly gorgeous, and entirely hers.
It was all that mattered to Karine.
On the fifth day, she woke up in their hotel bed because the smell of delicious food was the only thing besides Roman between her thighs that could pull her from her dreams. Lately, anyway. Happiness seemed to bring calm to Karine’s otherwise chaotic mind. Finally, she was resting.
Her first instinct was to reach for Roman as she awoke. When she couldn’t find him in the soft sheets of empty space next to her—Karine’s eyelids fluttered open in an instant.
He wasn’t in bed, but the door to the bedroom opened just then. Roman, stark naked but for a sexy smirk and a white silk robe that he left open—walked into the room pushing a silver trolley of food.
“What’s all this?” Karine asked, smiling as she sat up in bed while he positioned the trolley on her side.
He uncovered the plates underneath the silver domes without a word. A pile of breakfast danishes, French toast, waffles and stacks of pancakes sat artfully displayed under the biggest. More fruit than she had ever seen or eaten, a big bowl of chocolate chips, a variety of different sweet syrups and cakes waited under the others.
“And don’t worry, I got the coffee,” he added with a chuckle.
There was a tall carafe of freshly brewed coffee and two mugs with flared bases that allowed someone’s hands to hug the cups from the bottom up. Karine shook her head in disbelief at Roman.
“Do you really think we’re going to eat all this between the two of us?”
Roman shrugged before slipping into bed beside her. “You don’t have to eat it all, just promise that you’ll take a bite out of everything. Try anything you haven’t before. Figure out what’s your favorite so I can make it for you on Sunday mornings, or something.”
That made her laugh.
Karine made two plates, filling them with most of the offerings on the trolley. She handed one to Roman, and tore into hers while taking the occasional bite he offered to her. Making sure to let her lips linger on the tips of his fingers every chance she could. Even better when she was able to lick some chocolate syrup from the side of his thumb.
The waffles were divinely sugary, topped with maple syrup and a mixed berry jam. She moaned with genuine pleasure at every bite.
Roman had a plate of food practically identical to hers, but he paid it very little mind. More interested in watching her. Eventually, his lingering attention had her blushing. No matter that she should have been used to it by now.
“Are you just going to sit and stare—what about your coffee?” she asked.
“I just—” Roman’s gaze darted to the window for a second where it paused before coming back to her. “Trying to remember all of this. You.”
There was something about the way he said that—maybe it was how his gaze didn’t stay right on hers at the end—but it gave her a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach.
“Is something wrong?”
Roman’s jaw worked as he chewed on his thoughts, and she thought he might actually tell her what it was. Just for a second, she really did. But then he breathed in deeply, and shook his head.
“You have nothing to worry about, my beautiful girl. Come here,” he said, tugging on her wrist until she was close enough for him to kiss. It was too quick, but it still took her breath away all the same. Only, it hurt a little more. Roman smiled lopsidedly, lifting one shoulder when he added, “It’s not like I can really forget this anyway—I couldn’t forget you if I tried.”
That, she did believe.
*
After breakfast, Karine headed for the shower, needing to wash off the remnants of the night before. With her back turned to the bathroom door, she didn’t see Roman come in, and his footsteps were so quiet she hadn’t heard them until his last one.
By then, she was already engulfed in his embrace. Her giggles muffled into the crooks of his arms as he nuzzled her head to the side, getting access to her throat that he loved with his mouth in the best kind of way.
She melted into him while the rainfall shower overhead inside the large, tiled stall shot down in a steaming, steady stream. Her toes just touched the threshold to step inside the stall, but he’d caught her before she did.
Roman’s kisses ended on the pulse point in her throat, and then he rested his chin on her right shoulder. Letting his arms fall around her waist, with nothing but his silk robe between them, he said nothing.
“You know, for nothing being wrong,” she said quietly, “you’re broodier than usual.”
He kissed her neck once more, then slowly flipped her around so she could see him.
“Are you getting in with me?” she asked, looking down to find him semi-hard already.
Roman cocked a brow. “Likely.”
“Hmm.”
“Let’s not pretend we’re fucking sad about it.”
Fair point.
“I just wanted to touch you,” he added, quieter. “I came in, you were there—there was a time not too long ago when you could barely run yourself a bath without someone being right at your side. Do you realize that? I saw you and thought ... I don’t think she knows how many days it’s been. So, yeah, I just wanted to touch you. I’ve never really been amazed at something before, but I am with you. Obsessively, maddeningly, constantly amazed with you.”
“Roman—”
“I don’t really think I deserve you.”
He didn’t give her t
ime to absorb the impact of his words before he’d moved on to his next task—dropping the robe and stepping past her into the large stall. Karine followed him in, letting him tug her under the waterfall of water for a kiss that melted her into his arms all over again.
When he released her, moving to grab the hotel’s provided bodywash and the fresh washcloth on the tiled shelf, she searched his face for answers to the questions she didn’t want to ask. There was something definitely different about today. Like he wanted to tell her something he didn’t have the words for. Was their time in Vegas coming to an end?
“How about we do something adventurous today?” he suggested, breaking through her thoughts.
“I’ve never been bungee jumping.”
But it sounded like fun.
Roman threw his head back and laughed. Hard. “Do you really think I’m going to stand back and watch you being pushed off a fucking cliff? Honest question.”
She rolled her eyes. “Okay, so what kind of an adventure are you talking about?”
“How about a spa day?”
It was Karine’s turn to laugh now.
“You’re not serious.”
“What’s wrong with that?” he asked.
“A spa day is Roman Avdonin’s idea of a big adventure?”
Her giggles had his face darkening just enough to make her wink. He shrugged back. It wasn’t often Karine got a rise out of Roman, and she enjoyed it.
Very much.
“It’s not like we’ll have the opportunity to keep doing shit like this—spending the day together at a spa, relaxing. Not when we have to go back soo—”
She cut him off, pressing her palm brutishly to his mouth to keep him from finishing that sentence.
Karine didn’t want to hear it.
That made it real.
“Okay, yes, let’s go. It’ll be fun,” she said quickly.
Roman sighed as he took her hand away with two kisses to her palm. “I really just want you to have a nice day, Karine.”
She smiled as she took the bottle of bodywash from his hand. “I always have a nice day when I’m with you, Roman.”
*
The private property where they had to travel outside of the city to reach looked like a resort, but Karine hadn’t seen any large signage on the outside of the gates as they’d driven through. The small plaque was too small for her to discern the writing when Roman pulled beyond security. She didn’t know where they were but the weaving, long driveway that led to the welcoming lobby style entrance was a beautiful distraction.
Karine didn’t mind the long drive. There was nowhere else in the world she’d rather be than with Roman, the top down and wind in her hair. If she closed her eyes, it was almost like she was flying.
Free.
Roman had watched her closely during the drive, smiling the whole time. He even joined in when she started singing to a song on the radio that she had heard enough times to at least know most of the verses. He had a good singing voice. Deep and sexy.
Unsurprisingly, he ignored her compliment when she told him so.
His only comment had been a teasing, growled threat of, “If you mention this to anyone...”
All it took to quiet his grumbling was Karine leaning into him, pressing her red lipstick-painted mouth to the shell of his ear while her hands wandered over his muscular thighs, asking. “What Roman? What will you do to me if I tell the world about your secret musical talents?”
He’d taken his eyes off the road to stare at her, a sinfully dark promise at the ready to make her shiver.
“If you want it to hurt—I can do that. And you’ll like it. Test me.”
She bit down on her lip at that, and he had turned away with a smile. The urge to do just that—test him—teased her self-control, but she had to quell it. They’d arrived at that point.
Roman parked right at the front door’s steps, under the large carport. A valet appeared, offering to take the car to a designated parking spot as Karine stared through the wall-to-wall glass that looked into a modernly designed black, white and navy-blue lobby. A uniformed man helped Karine out of the car with a smile and a hello—he also used her first name, but she didn’t think much of it. This felt like exactly the kind of place that would want those details ahead of time for guests to be welcomed.
The sprawling grounds featured white pebble walkways, and water features with designated sitting areas at each, and left its guests soothed by the quiet, calm atmosphere.
The place was as impressive—and likely as expensive—as their hotel suite back in the city.
Roman offered her his arm, and she took it as they walked to greet the others who had come to the doors in their basic black dresses that seemed strangely uniform.
The one said her name was Mel—she did seem sweet—and that she was one of the managers. Roman introduced the others to her, only giving her their first names.
Mel brought them into the lounge area that was innately serene while soft piano played somewhere from up above. There was something crisp in the air—something that had Karine breathing deeper the second time—that added to the space.
While Mel spoke—giving them a guided tour of the various rooms on the ground floor, Karine leaned towards Roman.
“This was a good call. I definitely need a massage. You’re a work out.”
The smile on his face was weak and almost half-hearted. That sinking pit in her stomach returned fast. Like he was keeping something from her.
“Don’t you like the place—you booked it,” she said, too quiet for their guide to hear.
Roman forced a happier expression on his face, shaking his head. “No. Of course, I don’t want to leave. This is good. It’s great, babe. We both need to relax a little, right?”
“Only if you want to.”
“I do,” he assured.
So, why didn’t it feel like it?
*
One of the final rooms on the ground floor that Mel brought them to was one she said could be used for meditation, and immediately Karine’s mood brightened.
She hadn’t meditated since she’d left the lodge in Vermont, opting to spend her mornings on top or underneath Roman. Not a bad trade, all in all. Even so, she still missed it.
“Maybe we can do it together. I can show you,” she said, turning to Roman. He looked apprehensive as she knew he would be, his feet stuck like cement to the ground even as she tugged on his hand. “Come on, it’ll be fun. There’s no wrong or right way of doing it. Either way, you’ll feel better after, I promise.”
Roman looked away from her, and Mel interjected their conversation.
“We have instructors and other residents who would be happy to join you in your meditation sessions,” she suggested.
Karine smiled politely but shook her head. “I didn’t come here to be around other people. Thanks, but it’s okay. We’re not staying long enough for that. And why do you call your guests residents?”
“We find people respond better to that than patien—”
“Karine, I don’t want to meditate,” Roman said abruptly, the firmness in his words startling her attention back to him.
Mel cleared her throat when she heard Karine say, “Okay, you don’t have to do it. Relax. We can just go to the spa. You booked something, right?”
When he didn’t answer right away, she looked over her shoulder to the only other person in the room for one. At first Mel’s confused gaze darted from Karine to Roman, but then she smiled and nodded. “Of course.”
When she thought Karine wasn’t still staring, the woman turned her glare back on Roman. It was like they had some secret between themselves that they were trying to communicate without words.
That’s when Karine got a feeling ...
One she didn’t like at all.
Putting a hand on Roman’s arm, she pulled him slightly toward the corner of the room for some semblance of privacy. Her voice dropped to a whisper.
“Roman—”
�
�Babe, calm down,” he murmured.
Calm down?
That didn’t actually make her want to calm down.
“What is this place?” she demanded. “You said a spa. I figured massages, or saunas ... except I don’t think you—”
Over Roman’s shoulder she could see Mel staring at them. She could likely hear some of their conversation, but Karine didn’t really care.
He reached for her, putting his hands on her shoulders. She always delighted at his touch—it reminded her of who she was now; his wife—and this time was no different.
“Yeah, I got us a spot, which was what I said, and I didn’t lie about what this place looks like and basically is,” he said quickly. “And no, I haven’t changed my mind about this. We’re not going back to the hotel.”
Somehow, Karine had gotten this all wrong.
She felt it in her bones as he stared at her, being very careful to choose his words and not lie, but cutting her deep all the same.
“Karine,” he said softly.
Roman had been studying her every move with his eagle eye, and maybe he’d seen the lightbulb switch on inside her head, too.
God knew it was bright.
Blindingly so.
“Roman, what is going on?” she snapped.
FIVE
Roman wished for nothing more than the ability to be completely honest with Karine. She was his wife, after all—it was the very least she deserved. The woman, maybe the only person, whom he owed anything to. His father and grandfather had both set the precedent, as Avdonin men, to treat their women right. In a way that they would want to be treated by their wives, too, because if they could demand so much from the women they proclaimed to love, there was no excuse.
He hoped she would always tell him the truth, but on this, he had not offered her the same respect. Her clear, burning anger was justified.
Roman wanted to tell Karine the truth from the beginning about the private psychiatric facility, but he had to hide it from her for her own sake. There was no way that disclosing his plans to her would lead to anything good. More like, an incident he couldn’t handle alone.
