30. Chapter 29
Chapter 29
Eden
S urrounded by the smell of sweet kettle corn and rich caramel, children run around the festival grounds with armfuls of tickets. Wearing a pair of shades and a beanie, Roman looks like any other hipster that I’d see in the coffee shop.
Wearing a cropped shirt and a black skirt, a lot of the skin on my arms and legs is exposed, making me more uncomfortable than I’d like to admit.
"There's a reason people say self-harm is done for attention," I whisper. "The stares you get when people see the scars is why."
"Fuck them," Roman smiles. "Today is a day to unwind. So what if a few people stare," Grabbing my wrists, he raises them to his mouth, gently kissing the skin. "I think you look kind of badass."
Smiling, I nudge his shoulder, fighting back the urge to lace my fingers with his as we walk.
"So, what are we doing first?" He questions, tugging down his sunglasses to get a good look at everything .
Focusing on the carnival games, he actually looks excited.
"Do you have a secret competitive side, Father?" I question, watching his shoulders shrug with embarrassment.
"I don't like losing. Even some rigged, carney game."
Looking around, I watch a couple throw darts into a wall of balloons. I grab his hand to drag him over to the game.
"Give us ten darts each," I exclaim. The booth attendant stares at my arms, taking his time to grab the darts.
"That will be twenty bucks-"
"Ten for not keeping your eyes to yourself," Roman says causally, sliding over a ten to the man. "Stare any longer, and you’ll end up with one of these darts in your eye.”
Taking several steps back, the both attendant fixes his collar, moving on to the next set of customers.
"Ready to get your ass whooped?" He questions, nudging me playfully.
"Depends. What does the winner get?" I question, balancing the darts in my palm.
"Hopefully to feel you tugging my hair while moaning my name," Roman whispers, my cheeks immediately heating.
Aiming at the balloons, he hits the first three dead on. Trying to mimic his movements, I miss the first two, getting the third by some miracle.
"Not bad," Roman jokes.
"You gotta aim like this," He smiles, taking a stand behind me.
Guiding my arms from behind, he bends down, resting his chin on my head.
"Drag your arm back and focus on where you want it to land. "
Placing his hand atop my own, he guides my arm back, keeping his free hand on my waist.
"Which one do you want?"
"The pink one, up top," I grin.
Helping me aim, he moves his hand away from atop my own, landing a kiss on the side of my neck.
"Extra encouragement, Angel. Now let it fly."
Tossing the dart, it hits the balloon right in the center.
"See, you're a pro-"
"Father?" Someone calls, both of us looking away from the booth.
A trio of women from the church approaches, their eyes lingering on Roman’s casual attire with an unsettling mixture of curiosity and admiration. Their gaze shifts to me, their disapproval thinly veiled.
“Ladies,” Roman says, his voice betraying a hint of discomfort as he keeps close to me.
“I didn’t think we’d see you at an event like this,” The woman in front says, her grin wide and deliberately provocative as she loosens a few buttons on her blouse. Her flirtation is as blatant as it is unwelcome.
“Just taking Eden out to reward all her hard work at the church,” Roman replies with a grin, his arm draped awkwardly around my shoulders in a gesture that feels more like ownership than affection.
“I didn’t realize you took your servers out for such things. Am I too old to redo my altar server training?” She quips, her tone dripping with double entendre. “I’m sure I know a few things about getting the job done—”
Ignoring the comment, I snatch my remaining darts and hurl them at the balloons with a ferocity that matches the anger simmering within me. Each dart’s sharp trajectory is a release of the frustration I feel, particularly the urge to make a scene in front of these women.
“Eden is doing just fine,” Roman says, watching me with a mixture of concern and appreciation as I retrieve his darts from the ground.
“Well, if you ever need anything—” The woman continues, her gaze lingering on Roman with unwelcome intent.
“He doesn’t,” I cut her off, my voice sharp. “I’m sure your husband is looking for you somewhere that’s not here.”
The woman’s head swivels towards me, her face a mask of shock and indignation.
“What—”
“I’m sorry,” I snap, my tone icy. “Are we really going to stand here pretending you aren’t staring at Father Briar’s crotch?”
Her eyes widen in disbelief, the stares from the small crowd around us amplifying the tension. Roman’s grip on my shoulder tightens, his own unease palpable as he takes in the unfolding confrontation.
The woman’s face contorts with a mix of disbelief and irritation as she removes her glasses, her gaze now fixed on me with renewed sharpness. She tries to hide a smirk behind her hand, but it’s clear she’s riled.
“I know you’re not speaking to me like that when your arms look—”
“What?” I cut her off, my voice cold and unwavering. “Like I cut? Newsflash: I do. Usually, it's to keep people like you at a distance. Are you going to keep pretending I’m wrong, or are you going to sulk away to the person you’re flaunting that massive ring for?”
The woman’s face pales as she looks at Roman, her shock evident.
“Eden, you’re being incredibly disrespectful—”
“Yeah, Father?” I retort, the words dripping with intentional provocation. “You gonna do something about it, or are you going to keep standing there holding your—”
Roman’s eyes widen, a look of genuine surprise crossing his face. He seems momentarily stunned by my audacity.
“Well, I’ve never—”
“Eden, come with me right now,” Roman commands, his tone shifting to one of stern authority. He steps closer, his voice low but intense. “We are done playing games.”
He grabs my wrist with a firm grip, pulling me away from the game with an almost palpable sense of urgency. A triumphant smirk tugs at the corners of my lips as we leave the gossiping crowd behind.
“No wonder David asked Father to get her in check,” I hear someone whisper, their words laced with the lies Roman fed my father.
Roman leads me to a photo booth, away from prying eyes. As he slides the door open and nudges me inside, I lean back against the wall, my eyes locked on him with a smirk of defiance. He closes and locks the door, a decisive click echoing in the small space.
“What?” I ask, my tone taunting. “Can’t I have a little fun? ”
“Fun is exactly why we’re here, Eden,” Roman replies, his voice firm, almost reverent in its gravity. “Now, get on your knees for me.”
I study him with a mixture of challenge and curiosity, my mind racing as I weigh my next move.
“What I did was entirely justified.”
“You were angry because you saw the way those women were looking at me,” He responds, stepping closer. “You were jealous. Jealous of their gaze, of their curiosity about what’s in my pants. So why don’t you show me just how much you value what you’ve been given?” His voice grows low, a hint of arousal unmistakable in his tone.
The heat between my legs intensifies, a shiver of anticipation running through me. I bite my bottom lip, the desire building.
“And if someone needs the booth?” I tease, a mischievous glint in my eyes.
“Guess they’ll have to wait,” Roman replies, his gaze darkening with promise. “Now show me.”
I smile, pushing his chest firmly, watching him stagger back before catching himself, just stopping short of falling into the seat.
Guiding him to sit down, Roman’s eyes flash with understanding as I look down at the bulge in his pants. He helps me with his belt, unfastening his zipper, his hardened length coming free. I drop to my knees before him, my tongue tracing up the base of his cock. I smile as his head tilts back, savoring the pleasure. I look up at him, my gaze innocent, as I swirl my tongue around the head of his erection .
“Mmm, Eden,” He murmurs, a smirk playing on his lips. “Why don’t you come up here and let me taste those pretty lips?”
Without hesitation, I shift to sit on his lap, wrapping my arms around his neck as his hands find my waist. He slides his hand up my thigh and moves aside my underwear with a deft touch. His fingers caress the lace that clings to me, his expression one of pleased satisfaction.
“Just for me?” He asks, a note of possessiveness in his voice.
"Always," I grin, feeling his head align with my entrance.
Connecting his lips with mine, I turn fully to straddle him, his mouth capturing my moan. His hands are on my hip, guiding me down until I'm fully seated on his cock, filling me up and stretching me to my limits.
He bites my lip hard, drawing blood, lapping it up hungrily as I rock my hips against him. He moves his tongue from my lower lip to my neck, coating my skin in a warm mix of his saliva and my blood. His hands slam me down hard onto his cock.
"Is this what you wanted, pretty girl?" He questions. "You wanted to feel my cock buried inside of you, reminding your pussy who it belongs to?" He questions. Rolling his fingers over my clit, he works me just right. I press my head to his chest, seconds away from release as his filthy words wash over me.
Tensing up around his dick, I latch my teeth to his shoulder, letting him feel the pain as my release coats him, catching us both off guard. Our breathless moans mix together, and I’m unsure which noises are coming from which of us. I pull myself off of his cock, lowering myself back to my knees before he can stop me. I wrap my mouth around him, licking up my sweet release from his length .
I savor the taste on my tongue, dragging back up his underwear once I’m finished. Wiping my lip clean, I readjust my clothes, watching as he does the same, his eyes glued to me.
I raise a brow at him as he pats his lap. "You think I'm not rewarding you after all of that, Angel?" He asks. "Sit down and let me take a few pictures with my girl."
Sitting on his lap, he throws a few dollar bills in the machine, clicking the ‘take photo now’ button. Kissing my neck up and down, the camera flashes.
"I love you, Eden," He whispers, causing me to look him in the eyes.
Staring at him, another flash goes off.
"I love you too, Roman," I whisper. "So do one thing for me. Don't leave me."
He tugs at a chain around his neck, his gold band hanging from it.
"I told you I made my decision," He whispers. "I choose you."
Clouded with emotion, I press my lips to his once again, kissing him with a new hunger I’ve never felt before.
Flashing one last time, the camera captures something I’ll remember for a lifetime.
The moment I knew I was truly in love with Roman Briar
1 Corinthians 13:8a: "Love bears all things, endures all things. Love never ends."