Page 118 of Sinful Escape

“Si?”

“Thanks for giving me a kick up the butt. I needed it.”

He went silent, and I could almost hear him stewing over his reply. “Prego. That’s what friends are for.”

The sadness in his eyes when we’d talked about Caterina still blazed in my memory. Roman needed help to move on, just like I’d needed a boot to kick me away from the stranglehold William had over me.

We shared the same wounds.

I was the perfect person to help Roman. Roman needed me. Nobody ever needed me. I just had to convince him of that. “It’s your turn next month,” I blurted.

“What?”

“Next month, we’re going to get you laid.”

He huffed. “Really?” His question brimmed with sarcasm.

I recalled his statement back at the Moulin Rouge bar, and my hyperactive girly bits did a little jig. “Yep. Even if I have to do it myself.”

Roman’s laughter was hearty and contagious.

“It’s a dirty job.” I giggled. “But someone has to do it.” I mimicked his statement word for word.

“You’re funny, Daisy.”

“I’m also serious. You helped me this month. I’ll help you next month.”

“I can assure you, I do not need any help in that area.”

“Yes, you do. Caterina still has her claws in and it’s time to extract them.”

He went silent. Roman didn’t do silent. I wished we were together so I could see his expression. See his pain. Oh, God. Had I said something that added to his ache? “Hey, are you okay?”

He was silent.

“Roman?” Acid churned my stomach. “You okay?”

He huffed out a breath. “Si, si, I’m fine.”

He was light-years from fine. I sensed his misery. Felt it deep in my bones. I knew exactly how it felt to be utterly crushed by someone you loved.

Love was a bitch. It hurt in the most excruciating ways.

That was why I’d never fall in love again.

But, thanks to Roman, I was no longer in that sewer pit of longing. Now it was his turn. He needed the new Daisy. The one who was upbeat, and fun, and a tad on the crazy side. The new Daisy who knew it was okay to enjoy sex and sensual experiences with men who she’d only just met. The new Daisy who’d shared aspects about her disastrous childhood and even more disastrous engagement with William, a man she barely knew.

And the shocker was just how good I’d felt after I had revealed those secrets.

Sharing my nightmares had bonded Roman and me. Connected us in a way that confirmed that sometimes it was okay to open up and reveal our wounds.

I had to help fix him. I’d never forgive myself if I didn’t see him whole again.

“Hey, Roman, you were the one who told me that sex fixed everything. Remember?”

“Si.”

“Well, you were right. I really was dying on the inside. But I’m not anymore. We need to get you laid.” I said it like I was ordering him painkillers. Maybe sex was a painkiller.

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