BLAKE'S POV
If I could explain the law firm: Huge. Very huge. Remembering everything I saw was too much for my brain to handle. I couldn't believe that's where I'll be working.
Hell, I couldn't believe everything that's happened in the last few days led me to my dream job. I blocked out the fact I'd be working for criminals. I didn't want to think about that right now. The fact I was going to put my degree to use was all I cared about.
I finished a delicious steak that Roman's chief cooked for me. It was best taste I've had in my mouth in a while.
Roman. I couldn't get our kiss out of my head. He was such a good kisser. I couldn't believe I let myself give in to him. I can't let that happen anymore. I just can't.
I sat at the kitchen table as I was on the phone with Rae telling her about everything that happened so far.
"You're kidding! You kissed Roman Ferrari." She yelled into my ear. " Roman Ferrari!"
"It wasn't like that. It wasn't supposed to happen." I said rubbing my neck.
She ignored my defense. "And the whole fiancé thing is crazy! You're about to be the richest bitch and I'm so jealous." She laughed.
"Yeah, that's more than crazy. It's unexpected and just a stunt, it's not like we're actually getting married. I don't know what's going through Roman's head right now."
"Obviously you." I could tell she was grinning through the phone.
I laughed. "Yeah whatever. I'm going to try and see if he'll allow you over. I miss you!"
"A guy named Colton gave me some key card to show the guys at the gate. Roman allowed it."
My mouthed opened with surprise. "Wow. I didn't know that."
"I'm starting to love this fiancé of yours." She giggled.
"Fake fiancé." I reminded her.
She laughed. "I heard about your father. I can't believe he'd do something like this."
I hesitated, I wondered who told her, probably Colton. But I didn't want to talk about him. I just couldn't think about him right now. By my silence Rae caught on pretty fast.
"Any hot men there I could grab onto? Colton is pretty hot too."
She sure did know how to make me laugh. We talked for an hour about movies and new songs that came out. We never had to force any kind of conversation, we connected easily.
"How's the club doing?"
"More booming than ever. Ever since what happened, people are showing up expecting a gun fight staring Roman Ferrari." She exaggerated with a laugh.
I shook my head. Are people that crazy to want to be involved in a gun fight.
"Wow. I can't believe that." I said shaking my head.
"Believe it sister. I have a shift in a couple hours. Call you tomorrow?"
"Of course. I'll be looking forward to it."
"Alright. Love you."
"I love you." I smiled as I hung up the phone.
I closed my eyes as I tilted my head back. I didn't believe how a person's life could change in a matter of days, I thought it only happened in movies, but this was most definitely not a fairytale. It was real.
I jumped as I felt a pair of hands touch my shoulders.
"Relax."
I knew that voice from anywhere.
"I thought you had some business to attend to?" I turned facing Roman.
"Ended early. I need to prep you for tonight anyways."
"How are you going to do that exactly."
"Check your phone." He said as he continued massaging my shoulders. It felt so good.
I see a text from his number that he put in himself. It was a message with every detail about him and more.
From his favorite color to his favorite food. I wasn't surprised to see his favorite color was black, but I was surprised about his favorite food being cheesecake.
I swallowed hard as I seen a made-up paragraph of how we met. It gave details about him sweeping me off my feet at a club and how I couldn't resist his good looks. Bullshit.
"Seriously? I'm not saying this." I pointed to the paragraph.
He chuckled. "And why not? I think it sounds pretty good."
"Yeah, in your brain. How about we just say we met a club and hit it off. Short and simple."
Can't believe I'm going along with this in the first place.
"Yeah, but that's boring."
"Roman." I crossed my arms.
"Fine, whatever you want. Another thing, I need you to stand beside me firmly and seem supportive."
"I'm a great actor." I rolled my eyes, but he couldn't see that. He was still massaging my shoulders softly.
"I need you to make sure you go over that list about me, I don't need you fucking up."
"And what about me?" I turned to face him. "You should know a little about me also."
"I already know the basics." He said nonchalantly.
"How? Don't tell me you looked me up!"
All he did was smirk. "I'll have Nora take you shopping and do whatever girls do to find clothes."
I liked the sound of that. I could finally get out of the house. Roman wouldn't allow me to even walk around the empire alone, but he's allowing me out of it to go shopping. I didn't complain though, I was excited.
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"This is my favorite store." Nora grabbed my hand as we walked into the fancy boutique.
The empire wasn't far from the mall we were at. We had a personal driver, and two bodyguards follow behind us. With my father being after me, I knew there was no way I could go out on my own without some sort of protection.
"This shirt, on you." Nora held a black crop top against me. "Hot."
I giggled. Nora still surprises me. I wonder how she fits into the family. Roman was the heartless guy who runs the family business and Nora was... what. What part did she play?
"So, what do you do?"
Nora looked up at me confused. I guess I should've worded that differently.
"What do you mean?"
"Like Roman runs the family's empire, what do you do."
"Oh." She laughed. "I'm in school, I want to be a doctor, but as of right now I take care of intel."
"Intel?" I asked as I looked through a row of clothes.
"Yeah. We have some females who go into our rivals' clubs and get intel. I basically collect it all and give a report to Roman. Soon I'll try taking over our doctor's unit, since Krue's gone, I have a chance, but once I finish medical school of course which is taking forever." She gave a sly smile.
Her life didn't seem boring at all. I like Nora, she was different. I'm sure her and Rae would connect easily too.
"Here try this on." She held up a tight, strapless yellow dress.
Yellow was indeed my favorite color. "Alright." I grabbed the dress and walked into the dressing room. I slipped off romans clothes as his cologne hit my nose. It made me miss him. I shook my head. No, I don't. It's the damn kiss I miss, not him. The way he'd kiss me deeply as he moved his body into mine made me melt.
Blake stop it. I don't need to think about him right now. I need to be thinking about getting clothes. I pulled the tight-fitting dress up my body, hitting every curve. I stared at myself in the mirror for a long time while my brown skin shined with the dress. Yellow was definitely my color.
I admired myself in the mirror more until Nora came running inside the dressing room, "We have to go, there's two men calling your name and they have fucking guns."
"Wait what?" I frantically said.
I heard the sound of guns going off. "What the hell is going on." I said as I stepped out the dressing room.
I noticed two guys coming inside the store. They had guns in their hands as they looked around hecticly.
"We need to hide now." Nora said as she grabbed my hand pulling me back into the dressing room.
The dressing room wasn't the best hiding spot in my opinion. It was out in the open, they could easily check each one and find us.
"You look good in that dress by the way. Yellow is most definitely your color girl!"
"Nora! Right now, isn't the time!"
She laughed. "Right, right."
"Blake. The daughter of Luis don't hide now. We only want to talk." An unappealing voice yelled out.
I bit my lip. Maybe it was a bad idea to leave the empire. How did they even find me? Panic filled my entire body.
There was no way out. They were blocking our only way out the store.
"I'll handle this." She told me as she pulled a gun out her purse. "Just stay here."
"Nora!" I said as I seen her gun. I had no idea Nora carried a gun around. Well, she is the sister of Roman Ferrari, but it was still a shock.
"Better safe than sorry." She shrugged. "Don't worry, I know how to use this thing."
"Where's the bodyguards. Shouldn't they have taken them out or did something by now."
I was panicking. I was nervous. I was going through a hell of emotions. There are people out there trying to kill me.
She shook her head. "This isn't some movie, Blake. We're in a public area and Roman gave them orders not to shoot unless harm is done to one of us, but he didn't give me those orders." She smirked.
The look she gave me told me she was about to do something stupid. "What are you about to do Nora."
"Don't worry." She opened the door to the dressing room as two guns shots went off before she stepped out. I closed my eyes from the loud noise. God why is this happening to me.
I opened my eyes to see Kade and Matt, our bodyguards with their guns drawn on the men. The two men groaned in pain as Matt kicked their guns away. I slowly walked out behind Nora. My body was trembling.
"Roman gave us order to shoot." Kade yelled at us from across the store.
"How come you guys got to do all the fun, I wanted to." Nora pouted.
She's more ruthless than I thought.
"You're crazy Nora." Matt chuckled as he stood one of the men up strapping zip ties around his wrist. Both men were shot in their arm and leg. I guess they weren't trying to kill them.
"Roman will be here soon. He gave us orders to stay in the store." Kade said. "So, stay put."
He mostly said those words to Nora.
All the people in the mall's attention we're directed toward the store now. Some had their phones out and some were whispering. Mall security was talking to Matt like nothing had happened. It's like when Roman Ferrari is involved the law somewhat disappears.
I sat in a chair, close to puking. I never knew my father could be like this. He's actually sending men out to kill me. I thought that guy was lying.
He's no father. Fathers don't do this to their daughters.
I needed to calm down.
30 minutes went by before Roman came rushing into the store.
"Are you okay?" He crouched beside me.
I didn't answer. I couldn't form the words to speak. I was still in shock. I felt tears burning to come out, but I didn't dare let them fall. I couldn't and wouldn't look weak in front of him.
"What happened." He asked quietly even though I knew he knew what happened.
"I just want to go."
He didn't argue. "Come on." He grabbed my hand.
He stopped beside Kade before we walked out. "I want them in the basement."
Kade gave a single nod.
Pictures were being taken of us by many people and Roman didn't seem to care, but I ducked my head. I didn't want to be seen. I didn't want the attention. But I'm sure we'd be the next thing on headlines by tomorrow.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Roman took care of me the rest of the day. I didn't mean to act like I couldn't turn the tv on or couldn't make it to the kitchen. I was still in shock of everything that happened today, but I was slowly understanding this wasn't a game and my father was coming after me.
I felt unsafe after today's event. I feel like I can't go anywhere without someone trying to gun me down. Roman told me that the guys watched outside his empire and followed until they seen Nora and I going into the mall. Now security was tighter than ever. Men were outside the gates patrolling for unknown cars and people.
My life has changed so quickly. This is literally my life now and it's hard for me to grasp it all.
I checked my phone to see a text from Rae.
Rae: Why are you trending all over social media right now!??
Rae sent a couple links attached to her messages. Most of them were blog pages with our pictures posted. My mouth widened. This cannot be happening right now.
Roman walked in from the bathroom and I cut my phone off quickly.
He stared at me while he was getting dressed for the town meeting and boy did he look good. "You sure you don't want to come?" He asked. "You look fine to me."
I took another scoop out of my container of ice cream. "You always dress up to speak in front of your people?" I ignored his question.
"Dress to impress princess."
"Mhmm." I took another scoop. I loved the way he'd called me princess. It made butterflies form in my stomach.
He walked over to me. "You're coming. I can't go alone." He made a sad face. I laughed.
He crossed his arms. "What's so funny?"
"You. I've never seen your face look so... sad."
"Get up, you're coming." He pulled me out of bed.
"Hey!" My ice cream fell, hitting the ground.
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