Roman

She froze instantly. Like ice—the kind that crackles with a warning before it shatters into a thousand pieces.

"Sav?" I breathed against her ear, my voice low and deliberate. "Time’s ticking. Who is Professor Kingston?"

Her lashes fluttered, snapping her out of whatever memory had gripped her. "Where did you hear that name? Who told you that?"

I leaned back, a slow shrug rolling through my shoulders. "The walls have ears in this town, Sav... and sometimes, they talk."

Her glare sharpened, the confusion in her eyes replaced by a defensive spark. "Don't give me that bullshit, Roman. If you know that name, then someone in this house must have told you."

I let a lazy smile curve my mouth. "Don't forget the rules, love. I drop the clues, you play the detective."

"I’m not sure I’m getting this game anymore," she whispered.

"I’ll explain it one last time." I locked eyes with her, ensuring she felt the weight of my intent. "I drop a clue in the form of a question. If you evade or lie, I collect a kiss—wherever I choose. If you answer truthfully, you get to ask me anything. And if I evade your question, you collect payment in the form of a touch. No boundaries. Do you understand?"

She nodded defiantly, though her breathing was far from steady.

"Now, answer. Who was he?"

Her shoulders rose and fell as she struggled to appear calm. "He was my professor in college," she said, her voice clipped and too measured.

Bad liar. I knew there was more—what I’d found when I went digging into her past suggested a connection that went far beyond a syllabus. But I let her think she’d gotten away with the half-truth. The game was sweeter when the stakes were hidden.

"Okay. Your turn."

She pounced immediately. "What did Dean say to you last night that made you stay silent?"

I’d been expecting that. She didn't like playing by my rules, but she was desperate for the answer. "He has leverage on someone I love," I admitted, the truth sliding out quieter than I intended.

Her eyes widened, the sharp edges of her suspicion softening. "What does he have? Maybe I can help you fix it?"

"Tsk, that’s two questions. You're breaking the rules, love." I flashed a wicked grin. "My turn. Who is Dean Archer to you?"

Her jaw tightened. "He’s... my brother-in-law."

Victory surged through me. "I was hoping you’d say that. But it's not the answer I wanted today." I leaned in, my lips grazing the sensitive skin of her jawline. "So, I’ll collect my payment."

I flipped her onto her stomach with ease, her gasp muffled by the pillows. I pressed my chest against her back, keeping her pinned as I placed a slow, deliberate kiss on the small of her back, right where her skin met the silk of her shorts.

"Keep your head in the game, Sav," I whispered against her skin. "Piece the clues together."

I rolled her onto her back again, her skin flushed and her eyes hazy with a mix of warning and want. "Your turn."

"Are you ever going to give me a heads-up before tossing me around like a rag doll?" she muttered.

I laughed low. "Cute question... but the answer is no."

"That wasn't my question!" she protested, pouting.

"Sounded like one to me. My turn," I countered. "What was Chloe doing at the hospital?"

Her brows furrowed as she focused. "Chloe? She... she was filming herself in Emily’s room. Using the situation for her social media."

"Bingo, baby."

A small, genuine smile bloomed on her face, and she did a little victory wiggle that punched straight through my emotional armor. "Yes!"

"Ask away," I invited.

She didn't hesitate this time. "Why don't you want to settle down? Or have children? I’m still curious about the real reason."

It caught me off guard. I’d expected a question about the blackmail or my family secrets. Not... my future. I kept my face a mask of indifference. "They’re too much work. They drift people apart. It’s not for me," I lied.

Her gaze cut through the lie like a blade. "I don't believe you. You just described me—and you're still here, dealing with my 'too much work' ass every day."

I was stunned. She didn't know it, but that sentence had teeth. Sharp ones. I clapped slowly. "Smart girl. You're catching on."

"Now, it's time for my payment," she reminded me, her eyes dropping to the zipper of my jeans. Her tongue flicked over her bottom lip, and my pulse jumped. "Undo them."

I hesitated for a heartbeat before sliding the zipper down, the metallic rasp loud in the quiet room. She leaned in, her bound wrists resting near my chest, her breath brushing my jaw.

"You like playing games, Roman?" she whispered.

"Only with you," I growled.

She let her fingers ghost over the line of my tension through the denim—slow, testing, a dare wrapped in a touch. She was trying to take control, and for a moment, I let her believe she had it.

"You're distracting me," I murmured.

"That's the point."

I caught her chin, forcing her eyes back to mine. "Cute. But you’re forgetting something, Sav. The game is still mine."

In one swift motion, I shifted the dynamic. The atmosphere in the room changed from a playful interrogation to something far more primal. I leaned down, my mouth hovering just inches from the sensitive skin of her inner thigh.

"Roman—"

"Shhh." I pressed a kiss there, slow and lingering, until her hips trembled against me. It wasn't just a kiss; it was a distraction meant to steal her breath.

"That's... that's cheating," she gasped, her fingers fisting in the sheets.

"No, it’s strategy. You lose focus, you lose answers." I looked up through my lashes, my gaze locking onto hers. "Now, back to the game. Focus, Savannah."

She was breathing hard now, her skin vibrating with need. "Ask."

"What did we really do last night, Sav?" My tone was too casual, dripping with a knowledge that made her eyes widen in realization.