Chapter 30 Dillan
DILLAN
Now what?
Now we make up for all the years
I should have been kissing you.
—Text from Dillan to Rome
“Jesus Christ, what?” Rome groans, pulling me closer and burying his head in my neck as I laugh. “You think it’s funny?” he asks as his hands skim up my waist, hitting every ticklish spot I have before his mouth closes around my nipple and his teeth graze the tight peak.
Laughing stops.
Breathing stops.
This man has made it his mission in life to make me come as many times as possible this morning, even if he’s refusing to allow me to return the favor. Something about weak knees and testosterone.
“Roman—” Olivia calls through the locked door, followed by another pound of her fist.
“She sounds serious,” I gasp as he presses his knee between my legs. “Oh God.”
“Not God, baby.”
Liv pounds again, and I drop my head to the pillow and whimper. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but go find out what she wants.”
“Baby,” he whines, and it’s actually sexy as hell. Who knew?
“Nope.” I push at his bare chest. “Go find out what she wants.”
He crosses the room, his gray sweats hanging low on deliciously lean hips, and my mouth waters. I cannot wait to get my mouth on this man tonight.
It takes me a minute to find my tee and slip it on before I cross the room and fit myself against Rome’s side. “What’s going on, guys?”
Olivia walks by both of us right into the room and crinkles her nose. “Gross, it smells like sex in here.”
Oh, you have got to be kidding me.
I tilt my chin up to Rome and smile. “Not exactly accurate.”
He laughs and kisses me, and I swear Liv gags.
“Oh my God. Shoot me now. Stop. Sweet baby Jesus, stop.” She throws the drapes open and lets in the sun, reminding us that it’s got to be at least noon by now. “And seriously, Dillan. Put on pants.”
“Fine,” I grumble and grab the first pair of leggings I find. “They’re on. Better?”
She looks me up and down, like she’s already exasperated and I’m just another annoyance in a long list of what she’s already dealt with today.
But then—
“You feeling okay, Livvy? You look like you’re almost . . . smiling.”
Oh my God. She is. What starts as a small smile turns into something almost diabolical.
Shit. She’s a little scary.
“We got her.”
Wait . . . What?
“Got who?” Rome asks, asking what we’re both thinking.
“Seriously?” She arches a perfectly waxed brow and holds out a black folder I hadn’t noticed in her hands. “We found the woman in the sex tape, who also happens to be the woman blackmailing you.”
“Woman?” Rome wraps an arm around my waist. “Really?”
“Tell me you’re not doubting that a woman could be a criminal mastermind.”
Jesus. These two fight more like brother and sister than cousins.
“Focus,” I grumble at them both. “You found a woman, and you think she’s behind everything . . . Who is she? How did she do it? Why?”
“She’s actually Benny the Beast’s baby momma.” Liv looks around the room like she’s searching for a place to sit where our naked bodies haven’t touched.
I mean, anywhere other than the bed is safe. But I’m not about to tell her that. “So she’s Benny’s girlfriend? Wife?”
“No. Benny doesn’t have a girlfriend or a wife,” Rome tells me as his grip on my hip tightens. “But he’s got five kids with three different women.”
“She’s the last baby momma, the one whose kid is still an actual baby.” Liv opens the folder and points to a printout of a text thread, and I recognize one of those numbers.
“Whose number—”
Liv interrupts me. “Your new agent was actually who helped us figure it out, Dillan. If you had come up for air before now, you’d have noticed the missed calls. She called your mother when she couldn’t get you, and Nattie told her to call me.”
“How did she—” Rome looks at me, and Liv interrupts again, this time with her hand up, but I don’t give her a chance to speak
“My team was looking into it yesterday. Trying to determine who knew I’d written the book.” I look down at the printout again. “That’s my editor’s number, isn’t it?”
“It is,” Liv confirms. “Your editor is Benny’s baby’s mom’s—”
“Christ, Liv. Does she have a name?” I ask, disgusted.
“Elana,” she tells us. “Your editor is Elana’s older sister.
We don’t think your editor was in on any of it.
But the connection is pretty damning. Benny hadn’t paid any child support in over a year, and nearly every account Elana has is in collections.
It was all about money. It doesn’t seem like Benny had anything to do with it.
Rome was the target until you stepped into the picture.
Once we refused to engage in the extortion attempt, she found a different way.
The police are talking to the sisters now. ”
“So that’s it?” I ask, leaning into Rome. “It’s over? You’re safe to fight tonight? You’re safe to win?”
“You’re fucking right I’m gonna win.”
And ten hours later, with me standing between Ryker and Lucky, screaming for the love of my life, that’s exactly what he does.
It’s like Rome spends the entire first round taunting Benny.
Every kick Benny throws, Rome sidesteps.
Every punch, he dodges.
I think Rome’s playing with him.
Torturing him the way his ex tortured us.
And then I’m bouncing on my feet and screaming because Benny just took Rome down to the mat.
Wait—no. Rome went down, but he’s in control.
He bridges up, jumps back to his feet, and brings his knee up and shoulder down in a horrifically beautiful move that lands Benny on the mat, unconscious.
The ref drops to his knees and calls the fight immediately.
He stands, holding Rome’s hand in the air. “And the new heavyweight champion, Rome, the Titan, Beneventi . . .” he announces in a loud, announcer voice that sounds so official, I could cry. He did it. He won.
“He won,” I say over a happy sob, and Lucky wraps an arm around me, squeezing as tight as he can. “He did it.”
“Let’s get you up there,” Ryker says and signs before tugging me behind him with Lucky behind me.
We make our way around Rome’s team, and I run up to him and throw myself in his arms. “You did it, psycho! You won,” I squeal and pepper kisses all over his sweaty face.
His hand slides to my ass, supporting all my weight, and I can’t even bring myself to care how many people are here or how many people will see pictures of us online. “I love you. I’m so proud of you.”
“More than all the stars in the sky, Dillan. Now let’s go celebrate.”