Page 30 of Tainted Ties

Slipping my phone into my back pocket, I opened the door and stepped out of the bedroom.

My stomach twisted into knots as I made my way down the stairs.

Like a phantom bite, a faint sting still lingered on my lip, aching along with the sensation of howhissoft mouth molded against mine.

Avoiding Roman, I entered the dining room, feeling his eyes touch every inch of me.

Luckily, the only other chair was set at the end of the table, opposite him and not next to him.

I settled in my seat, taking in the meal before me—Margarita pizza.

I was taken aback, not because I didn’t love this dish, but because it wasn’t something I expected Roman to eat. I assumed he was a complex man in every aspect of his life.

“Is there something wrong with your food?”

His voice traveled the distance between us, reminding me of his intolerable presence. Not that it went unnoticed.

Grinding my teeth together, I looked up. “Not as much as the company.”

He shook his head, eyes alight with mischief before picking up a slice of his pizza.

My stomach grumbled as the aromas of the oily goodness invaded my nose.

Starving wouldn’t do me any good. I needed the strength to fight back if it came to that.

Slowly, I pulled a slice from the pie before bringing it to my mouth. The flavors of garlic and basil burst on my tongue from the first bite.

It wasdelicious.

We chewed our food in silence, sneaking glances at one another from across the table, the air buzzing from thick tension.

Roman cleared his throat and leaned back in his chair with one hand resting atop the armrest. “Your lip has healed.”

My stomach clenched. He must have been watching me closely if he had noticed that.

I wiped my mouth with my napkin. “It has and it’ll be the last time you do anything like that again.” That and the kiss.

“It won’t be the last time,anima mia.” His eyes pierced into me, darkening a fraction more. “I like to think each mark I leave upon you will be a constant reminder of me.”

Bastard of a man.

He didn’t need to mark me as a reminder of his corrupted presence. He only needed toexist.

“It doesn’t surprise me that you’re a narcissist.”

Pushing his buttons was probably not the most logical thing to do, but it came naturally when he vexed me beyond belief.

If my response amused him, I couldn’t tell with the way his jaw ticked. “Perhaps I’ll bite your tongue next.”

That subtle threat shouldn’t have evoked the warmth rushing to my core, but it had, and I hated that my body betrayed my heart.

Realizing this conversation could lead to his teeth sinking down on yet another part of me, I changed the subject. “Am I allowed visitors?”

Roman raised his brows at me, looking at me with feigned curiosity. “It would,” he enunciated. “Save me the trouble of tracking down your little friend.”

The weight of his words covered me in a sheath of ice. “You tapped into my phone?”

“Don’t sound surprised.” He pulled invisible lint off the sleeve of his dress shirt. “Your phone calls were entertaining, to say the least.”

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