Chapter 12
Frankie
Ididn’t even know it was happening. I honestly never dreamed it was even a possibility.
He wasn’t the kind of man I would’ve ever thought I’d fall for.
We were from two different worlds. We had two completely different outlooks on life.
Not only was he big and rugged, but he was a member of a dangerous biker club, and his brothers called him Widow.
You would think that in itself was enough to have me running for the hills.
Even after hearing about his horrific childhood and seeing the anguish in his face as he spoke about his father, I didn’t run.
Instead, I found myself even more drawn to him.
I couldn’t explain it. Maybe it was the fact that he too had felt the same soul-crushing sense of helplessness I’d felt for so many years.
Maybe that was why the storm that raged inside of me stilled whenever he was near, giving me a sense calm like I’d never known before.
He had a way of making my insecurities and doubts fade away.
That was enough for me to be drawn to him, but there was more.
So much more. The way his dark eyes would lock on me made me feel beautiful and desired, and his touch set me on fire.
I had no idea what would come of us or if there ever would be an ‘us’, but I couldn’t deny the hold he had on me.
It had been several days since our conversation at his house, and I hadn’t heard anything from him.
No calls. No texts. Nothing. By the time the kids went back to their dad’s, I’d figured he’d decided against taking a chance on us and gave up on hearing from him.
I won’t lie. It hurt. It hurt a lot. Hoping to distract myself from the empty, sinking feeling that had taken root in the pit of my stomach, I threw on my favorite pair of sweats, turned on some music, and started cleaning the house.
I’d just finished vacuuming and was about to mop the floor when there was a knock at the door.
Thinking it was Sydney stopping by, I shouted, “Come on in!”
I started filling my mop bucket with water but quickly turned it off when I heard a man’s voice. “You know, you should keep that front door locked. Otherwise, anyone could just walk right in.”
“Roman?” I whipped around and found him standing in the doorway of my kitchen. He was wearing his black leather jacket with a black fitted t-shirt and jeans, and the very sight of him sent a warm rush surging through my entire body. I straightened my t-shirt as I asked, “What are you doing here?”
“Came to see you.”
I crossed my arms as I leaned back against my counter. “And why is that?”
“Well, I was kinda hoping with the boys at their dad’s, you would’ve broken out the wine again.” A sexy smirk crossed his handsome face as he continued, “Don’t get me wrong. I’m not disappointed. You’re looking pretty hot in those fucking mom-sweats.”
“The man has jokes tonight.”
“You know why I’m here, Frankie.”
I turned around and pulled the bucket of water out of the sink. As I placed it on the floor, I told him, “No. Actually, I don’t.”
“I hoped we could talk.” He took a step towards me as he said, “I would’ve come sooner, but things have been a little crazy at the club.”
“Um-hmm.”
“That doesn’t mean I haven’t been thinking about you.” He stepped even closer. “Because I have. I’ve thought about you more than I care to admit, and I’ve done a lot of thinking about what you said at the house the other day.”
“And did you come to a decision?”
My breath hitched, and I could feel my body start to tense as I waited for him to answer. “Yes, but it wasn’t an easy decision. I’ve been with a lot of women, Frankie, but I’ve never been in a relationship, at least not the kind you’d expect from me.”
“You have no idea what I’d expect.”
“Oh, I think I do.” He lifted his hand to my face, softly brushing his calloused thumb across my cheek.
“You’d want me to love, protect, and take care of you...
and your boys. You’d expect me to cherish you and only you.
” His thumb raked across my bottom lip as he said, “You’d want me to make love to you, to touch you...
fuck you, make your body feel things it’s never felt before.
To make you feel alive in ways you’ve never dreamed of... Am I close?”
“Um-hmm,” was the only answer I could give.
I was too entranced by those dark eyes and the feel of his hand on my body.
His words burned through me, setting every nerve in my body on fire.
I inhaled a quick breath, trying my best to break the spell he’d put me under, but it was no use. I was too far gone.
“That’s what I thought.” His eyes turned fierce as he said, “You know, it would be one thing if that was all that you’d expect from me, but it’s not.
You’d want me to let you in, you’d want to try and break the demons that have taken root inside of me.
You’d want to heal me, but Frankie, there’s no healing a man like me. You need to know that.”
“I have demons of my own, Roman. They might be different from yours, but they’re still there. And at times, they can be as big and scary as yours.”
“So, we’re two broken souls. Do you really think you and I could ever make this thing work?”
In just a short time, he’d taken my world by storm, making me feel things I never dreamed possible, and as much as it scared me, I wanted it. I wanted him. “I’m willing to try. The question is, are you?”
Without any further hesitation, he reached for me, pulling me closer to him as his mouth found mine.
An eager moan echoed through the room when his tongue brushed against mine.
My hands roamed across the ridges of his chest as he deepened the kiss.
I’d never felt such a strong desire for a man.
With just a simple touch he sent a surge of heat coursing through my body, burning me to my very core.
When he looked at me, I could see the yearning in his eyes, and I’d never felt so beautiful.
He made me feel craved, wanted beyond belief.
The kiss was quickly becoming heated, and I knew it wouldn’t be long before we reached the point of no return.
Realizing I wasn’t exactly prepared for that, I placed my hand on his chest as I said, “Hold on...You’re going to have to give me a minute. ”
Before he had a chance to stop me, I rushed to my bedroom, grabbed my favorite bra and panty set, and rushed to the bathroom.
After I undressed, I took a shower and shaved.
As soon as I was done, I dried off and put on my pink lace bra and panties with a white cotton t-shirt.
I’d just started brushing my hair when I noticed Roman standing in the doorway.
He’d taken off his leather jacket and boots and was leaning against the door frame with a hungry look in his eyes.
“No point in getting dolled up, babe. I’m just going to dirty ya up. ”
I immediately dropped the brush into the sink.
A thrill shot through me as I stepped closer to him, feeling the heat of his stare burn against my flesh.
When I was face-to-face with him, I placed my palms flat against his chest, trying to steady myself from my shaky knees.
His hands dropped to my waist, pulling me closer.
He leaned over me, his lips trailing kisses down my neck.
He reached for the hem of my t-shirt, quickly pulling it over my head.
As soon as my favorite pink bra hit the floor, he kissed me—an aggressive, bruising, mind-blowing kiss.
I wasn’t patient. I needed to feel him against my body to ease the growing desire that was building in my stomach.
My fingers slid up under his shirt, feeling the muscles of his stomach grow taut against the touch of my fingertips.
I eased the soft fabric over his head and tossed it to the floor.
Neither of us had gotten completely undressed the first time we had sex, so I was surprised to find that his chest was covered in tattoos.
I couldn’t stop myself from reaching out to touch him.
He watched silently as my fingers trailed along the intricate lines of his ink.
I was utterly enthralled by the beautiful Celtic design with various words and images intertwined.
My fingers continued to work their way up his chest but quickly stopped when I felt several raised scars hidden beneath the ink.
Roman remained perfectly still, watching silently as I moved my hand across the various scars.
Some were small, while others were thick and gnarled.
I looked up at him, my mind filled with questions, but the words were stuck in my throat.
When my fingers reached his back, I gasped, “Roman.”
“The scars you see aren’t the ones you have to worry about, Frankie. They healed a long time ago...It’s the ones buried deep that are going to be the hardest to heal.”
I knew he was right. While they were not nearly as horrific as his, I had scars of my own.
I didn’t even notice them anymore. It was Marc’s cruel words that cut the deepest and lingered in the back of my mind.
They haunted me, filling me with insecurities.
I placed the palm of my hand on his chest, feeling his heartbeat against my hand as I said, “I’m sorry anyone ever made you feel like you weren’t good enough, that you weren’t worthy of love, because you are.
You just have to believe it, Roman. Let me be the one to show you. ”
“You deserve so much more than a man like me.”
“But it’s you that I want.”
“I’m not sure I can be gentle with you, Frankie. I want you too fucking much.” It was a warning, but I didn’t want to stop; stopping was the last thing I wanted to do. There was something about the thought of him losing control that enticed me even more.
“I don’t want you to be gentle with me,” I confessed.