Page 74 of Roman

Roman had been waiting in this hovel, only a few hours’ drive from Hyde Park—not nearly far enough for Roman’s taste—needing Soren’s confirmation that Luc was actually following him before he could put any real miles between him and his mate. His mate who had looked so unbelievably lovely sleeping that Roman had barely found the strength within himself to leave the bed, let alone the city.

His mate who should have been in this bed with Roman now, whimpering while he rode Roman’s cock. Not hours away and out of Roman’s reach.

He had just received the text from Soren, and he was battling with his demon, trying to resist the urge to turn back the way they’d come. Roman’s demon was never a fan of long-term planning over short-term gratification, especially now, when it came to their mate.

Roman’s phone rang, and he answered it in an instant after confirming quickly that it was the call he’d been both dreading and longing for. “Little king?”

Roman had partly hoped Soren would be able to stall Danny a little longer, cover for Roman’s absence, but maybe Danny had been feeling the pull of this separation the same way Roman had. Like an ache in his chest he couldn’t seem to rid himself of.

“Youleft?! Without even telling me?” Danny’s voice on the other end sounded just as angry and hurt as Roman had expected. Guilt surged through him.

“I am sorry, lovely. I thought it best this way. I was not sure I could go through with it otherwise.” Already his demon had made it hell for him to leave, growling its protests and throwing itself at the bars of its internal cage, trying to take over control.Wrong, wrong, wrong. It only got more restless the further he strayed from Danny’s side.

“You really thought leaving without any warning was the best way?”

“You know this is not me really leaving you. Not really, not for good.” Oh God, did Danny know that? “Tell me you know that.”

“I don’t know what I know.” Danny’s voice had lowered from shouting to barely audible, but the hurt in it remained. This would not do. Roman needed his mate to understand.

“You were right, Danny. About Luc. About me needing to deal with him. And I would never forgive myself if you were hurt in the process. I needed to be far away from you to make any sort of move.”

“How do you even know he’ll follow you?”

“He has already. I had Soren make sure of it while you were working. Luc has left Hyde Park.”

“But—but what will you do with him?”

“Talk with him, to start. Just him and myself. I have been running from it for far too long. Just as you said, little king.”

Danny groaned in exasperation. “I was tipsy and spitballing ideas. I didn’t think you’d leavethe very next day. What if talking doesn’t work?”

It was the same worry Roman had, but he didn’t want to focus on potential failure. “Then I will have Soren come join me, and we will try to take him down.”

“You could get hurt.”

Roman’s chest ached at the concern in his mate’s voice. “I could. But my body can handle quite a lot. Yours cannot.”

“Way to rub it in my face,” Danny grumbled.

Roman chuckled. “There are many things I love about your body, sweet mate. Its fragility is not one of them.”

“If I’d known you were leaving, I would have…” Danny’s voice trailed off.

“What would you have done, mon amour?”

Danny made a strangled noise. “I mean, you could get really hurt, you know? What if Luc injures you or…or worse. And I never got a chance to say— Ugh, I’m really gonna have to say it over the phone, aren’t I?”

“Say what, little king?”

“I love you, okay!” Danny was shouting again. “I love you and your dumb vampire face, and I really thought I’d get to tell you that in person.”

Roman wanted to laugh. He wanted to cry. He wanted to do a million things, none of which he could do with his mate miles away and out of his reach. “Youwilltell me in person. Very soon. This isnotgoodbye.”

“I don’t like this.”

“Neither do I. Neither I nor my demon have any interest in being away from the side of the person we love.”

“You…love me too?” The hesitance in Danny’s voice was like a knife to Roman’s chest.

---