Chapter 11 Dumbass
Roman
A giant fucking asshole, I tell myself as Cash unlocks the Den. I knew what she wanted to ask, but instead of doing the right thing and turning her down once and for all, I hightailed it out of there like a goddamn coward.
The Den isn’t just a pub. It also serves as the Fox family headquarters. Cash has an office in the back, but since the place hasn’t opened yet, we just take the corner booth.
I should have just kept up the ruse that I didn’t recognize her outside of the gala, but then I had to go and buy that damn vanilla iced latte.
I guess a selfish part of me wanted her to know that she wasn’t mistaken, that I more than just recognized her.
That I can’t stop thinking about her. And it’s only gotten worse since she’s been in my home.
I can’t stop feeling like something is now missing.
Even now, I’m only half-listening to Cash as he rolls out a floor plan because her scent still lingers on my jacket where she hugged me. He points to two exits. “These are gonna be our weak spots.”
A sharp rap at the window has us both instinctually reaching for our guns. Cash relaxes when he sees who it is. I look over my shoulder. Unlike him, I only grow tenser.
Ren is standing outside, waving the front page of the newspaper. Cash stands up, giving me a pointed look. “Don’t be a dick,” he warns before heading to let her in.
My pulse hammers as I listen to their friendly chatting grow closer and closer.
Fuck, I’d be more at ease being shot at.
I find my nerves around this woman appalling.
I’m in dangerous situations almost daily, life-threatening ones weekly, and yet this little blonde, no more than five-four, has me shaking in my boots.
“Roman, Ren wanted to show you something,” Cash says, sliding into the booth, smiling smugly. He’s one of the only people who can clock my discomfort.
She slaps the newspaper on the table, front page up. “Are these them? Are these the guys you protected me from?”
I hesitate. If she’s asking me, it’s because she isn’t sure. If I lie, she’ll have even less reason to thank me. “Yes.”
“Well, then,” she says matter-of-factly. “You have to let me thank you. That could have been me. I could have been number nine.”
“Alright. You’re welcome,” I reply, and Cash shakes his head.
“No, I mean let me take you out to dinner to properly thank you for saving my ass.”
Fuck, my cock jumps at just her talking about her ass. This is exactly why I can’t let her.
The more time we spend together, the harder it will be to keep my distance, and I have to keep my distance. If I don’t, I’ll only end up hurting her more when I inevitably choose my job and the Foxes over her.
“That’s not necessary.” My chest aches at the thought, but I say it anyway. “I would have done it for anyone.” Her smile falters. Hurt her now to avoid hurting her worse later, I tell myself. Then bring it home with, “Is that all?”
Her face falls. “Yeah. I guess that’s all.”
She turns to leave, and Cash leans across the table to whisper scoldingly, “What the hell was that shit?” My eyes jump to Ren to see if she heard. She didn’t. Or if she did, it didn’t make her turn around.
“What do you mean?” I whisper back, playing dumb.
“I know Niamh’s got me chronically sleep-deprived, but I’m not an idiot. You think I didn’t notice that you just started getting coffee every morning? And that your newfound caffeine craving just happens to align with the same time a certain blonde gets her coffee?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about—”
“Cut the crap, Roman,” he hisses.
I sigh and begrudgingly admit, “Fine. And I didn’t just start. It’s been like, I don’t know, three months or something.”
He rolls his eyes. “Please, like you don’t know the exact date and time you first saw her.”
I throw my hands up in defeat and quietly shout, “Fine!” I fall back in the seat and cross my arms.
He smirks smugly again. He looks one second away from saying, that’s what I thought. I close my eyes and massage both my temples with one hand. I listen to the heavy front door open.
“Wait, Ren!” Cash hollers, and I bolt upright. I cut him a glare, and he just smiles before waving her over. “Come back.”
My heart pounds as she walks back over, looking unsure.
She stops in front of our table, her eyes nervously darting between the two of us. “. . . Yeah?”
“He’ll pick you up at six,” Cash says with a slick grin.
She eyes him skeptically. “What?”
“My friend here is being a dumbass, but he, in fact, likes you—quite a lot actually—and would love to have dinner with you.” He leans back, looking disgustingly pleased with himself. “So, he’ll pick you up tonight at six.”
“Um, okay.” Her cheeks pinch as she fights back a smile. She looks at me. “Roman?”
“I’ll see you at six.” I try to keep it at that, but she still looks unsure, so I sigh and add, “And he’s right—”
“That you are a dumbass,” Cash cuts me off with a laugh.
I shake my head. “That I really would like to have dinner with you.”
1. Continue playing "Calm Me"—Vin Bogart