Roman

I kept my hand on Savannah's back as we slipped out of our little rendezvous, her perfume a faint trail in the cool night air. The warmth of her body still lingered against my palm, but the further we walked from the shadows, the more reality pressed in.

She was still talking, her voice airy and teasing. "I always knew I'd strike gold before thirty." She giggled like a teenager. "I met a fortune teller online many years ago. She ripped me off twenty dollars, but she did say that I was meant for bigger things. I'm certain that this is it, Roman." She was one second away from jumping up and down.

I let out a low laugh. "You're the only woman I know who admits that without blinking."

"I hate pretense. It's immature," she added. "I'm not conceited, so if you offer, then best believe I'm going to jump on it."

I'd half-expected her to turn me down like she had before—run the other way, put walls up. But she hadn't. She'd taken my offer and then, like it was nothing, made a demand on top of it.

I can never predict you, Savannah. What a strange woman.

"I'm going to bleed you dry, Blackwood," she giggled.

As if that were possible. "You're welcome to try."

"I can do a lot of damage, you know," she said jokingly. "Put a good solid dent in that bank account."

"I won't stop you from attempting." I smiled.

She stopped suddenly, pivoting to face me. "How much are you worth, exactly?" She slowly tilted her head to the side. "I've known you for years, and I've never seen you wear the same suit twice."

I smirked, sidestepping the question. "Let's go, Sav. People are probably looking for you."

Her smile dimmed. "As if they noticed I was gone. They're probably patting Henry on the back right now."

I instantly clenched my fists. The name alone made my jaw lock. A good beating would be too kind. He deserves something stronger.

"I doubt that."

"If you knew them like I did, you wouldn't."

"You can talk to me," I said before I could stop myself. I don't pry—it's a rule in my world. Asking questions gives people an excuse to ask back. They demand honesty, which I'm not ready to give. But with Savannah, I keep breaking my own rules.

Her shoulders stiffened. "No. You'd just see me like they do."

"Why do you think that?"

"I know it."

"Nothing's going to change the way I treat you, Savannah."

Her gaze lifted, eyes glistening under the dim garden lights. "That's what you think."

"Savannah—"

"Let's not ruin the moment," she cut in, forcing a smile.

I let it go. She'd tell me one day. And when she did, I'd make sure whoever had hurt her regretted it.

The sound of the orchestra swelled as we neared the entrance. Her grip on my hand tightened, as if she wasn't ready to let the quiet go.

Alyssa spotted us first, hurrying over with urgency in her steps. "Sav, where were you guys? I've been looking everywhere for you two. I even thought that you'd left."

"We just stepped out for some air," Savannah said softly. "I needed a break, or I'd have impaled Henry with a steak knife."

Alyssa almost laughed. "He's always been an arse. Come on—Mom's been losing her mind looking for you."

My phone vibrated in my pocket just as Savannah turned to me. "Are you coming?"

"You go ahead," I told her. "I'll be right behind you. Just need to make a call."

She nodded. "Don't take too long."

I pressed a brief kiss to her lips before Alyssa towed her back into the madness inside. Once they were gone, I pulled out my phone and dialed his number. He picked up on the first ring, the faint sound of music bleeding into his voice.

"Meet me outside. Left side. By the hedges," I said. My tone left no room for discussion.

The night air was cool, the manicured garden casting deep shadows under the white glow of floodlights. A few minutes later, the prick emerged from the venue. He glanced over his shoulder twice before reaching me, like a man afraid of being followed.

"Sorry, I had to—" he began, but I cut him off.

"Give me the phone."

His lips curved into a mocking half-smile. "Show me proof first."

I pulled up the receipt of the transfer and held it out. "Do I have to say it twice?"

Reluctantly, he pulled out an older, heavier phone. He handed it over, and I scrolled. There it was. The video. My thumb hovered over delete. Deleting it now would mean trusting him, and I trusted Dean about as far as I could throw him.

"Are there any copies of this?"

"No. Just that."

"For the sake of your legs, I hope there aren't any hidden copies, Dean."

He swallowed but forced a chuckle. "I didn't think I'd need to. I just kept it... as a reminder of how much fun we used to have."

My fist connected with his stomach before I'd even decided to swing. The breath left him in a rough grunt as he folded over, dry-heaving.

"Keep talking, and the next will be lower," I said quietly. "See how you explain that to your bride tonight."

He straightened slowly, face pale. "You know... I never thought Savannah would find someone who treats her like you do."

I stayed silent. He was trying to hit a nerve.

"She was wild," he went on, his voice dripping with unwanted nostalgia. "Uninhibited. That's why I liked her. But honestly? I only dated her to get close to Chloe. I've always had my eyes on her."

Anger exploded like molten lava inside me.

"The chemistry we had was the only thing that kept me around as long as it did. Don't act so righteous, Roman. You’ve seen the video. You know exactly what she’s capable of behind closed doors." His laugh was ugly. "That footage served me well on lonely nights. Most guys would've called off an engagement after seeing her like that."

I smiled, slow and deliberate. "Still working on breaking us apart?"

That knocked the cockiness out of him.

"I know exactly what you're trying to do," I said, my voice low. "And tonight? Hoping I'd make a scene? It's not going to work."

"You're walking into a storm, Roman. She's a mistake."

I slid the phone into my pocket and stepped in close enough for him to smell the quiet promise of violence.

"Congratulations on your wedding," I murmured. "Enjoy the honeymoon. But if I ever find out there's another copy... I won't be coming for your phone next time."

I left him in the shadows, his pride in tatters. Behind me, the music felt like it belonged to another world entirely.