Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 66649 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 333(@200wpm)___ 267(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66649 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 333(@200wpm)___ 267(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
By the time he could think again, Roman had removed his fingers and had his muscular arms crossed under his head, a picture of masculine nonchalance and cool confidence, bordering on smugness.
“I hate you,” Luke said with feeling, his voice wrecked and raspy. He wasn’t even sure why he felt on the verge of tears. “Kiss me,” he heard himself say. “Please.”
Roman eyed him for a moment, his face inscrutable, before rolling them onto their sides and capturing Luke’s mouth in a soft, tender kiss. Luke melted into it, his hand burying in Roman’s short hair and pulling him closer, on top of him, shivers of need rippling through him.
He whined in displeasure when Roman stopped kissing him.
“I’m leaving for Switzerland,” Roman said, looking down at him. “I’ll be gone for six days.”
Luke felt his stomach churn. He just…he just wasn’t looking forward to staring at the same four walls for another week.
Roman’s thumb brushed his lip. “You will come with me.”
Oh.
“Okay,” he whispered, a small smile tugging at his lips.
Chapter 15
Vlad burst into Roman’s office. “You can’t be serious!”
Only when his boss raised his unimpressed eyes from the computer, did Vlad realize what a blunder he’d made.
“Excuse me?” Roman said.
Vlad forced himself to meet his gaze unflinchingly. “I’m sorry, Roman Danilovich, but I can’t agree with your decision to take the boy to Switzerland. It’s a huge security risk—he might be spotted at the airport or—”
“Do I need to remind you we’ll use my private plane?” Roman said. “No one will dare check it. You will personally ensure it.”
“Of course,” Vlad said, swallowing his protests.
Roman’s gaze turned sharp and penetrating. “If you have something to say, do it.”
Vlad hesitated, unsure how to bring up the subject. “You’re fucking Whitford’s brat.”
There wasn’t a flicker of surprise or shame in Roman’s pale eyes. Roman’s face betrayed nothing. “Yes,” he said. “Your point being?”
Vlad didn’t think he’d ever felt so uncomfortable in Roman’s presence. “I didn’t know you were…into men.”
“I didn’t know I was supposed to inform you of my sex life, Vlad,” Roman said amicably, the look in his eyes anything but amicable.
Gulping, Vlad took a step back. “Of course not—”
“But in case you’re wondering, I’m not interested in men.”
Vlad frowned. “But—but what about the boy?”
Lighting a cigarette, Roman leaned back in his chair and regarded him coolly. “By the end of the year, Whitford Industries will be mine. Anything I do with Luke Whitford is done with that in mind. That’s all I will say on the matter. Is that understood?”
“Yes,” Vlad said, hiding his relieved smile. He had been an idiot to doubt Roman even for a moment. Of course Roman wasn’t enamored with the boy. The mere idea seemed laughable now. Roman wasn’t a homo.
Though, he still didn’t understand why it was necessary to drag the boy to Switzerland.
“Where are we even going to keep him?” Vlad asked. “You’ll be with Anastasia and—”
“He’ll stay at my lake house.”
Vlad blanched. “You can’t be serious. What if your—”
“He’ll stay at my house,” Roman repeated, his tone final.
“Understood,” Vlad said, reluctantly. “But I just want you to know I think it’s a very bad idea. For security and other reasons.”
“Noted,” Roman said, returning his gaze to his computer.
Taking it for the dismissal it was, Vlad turned to leave.
“Vladislav.”
He stopped, looked back at Roman, and flinched upon meeting his eyes.
Roman said softly, “If you ever snoop on me again, I might forget about the loyalty you have showed me in the past fifteen years. No one is indispensable. Not even you.”
Vlad gave a curt nod and left the room as fast as he could.
As he strode down the corridor, he couldn’t shake off the uneasy feeling in his gut. Roman may not be enamored with the boy, but he certainly acted fucking strange when it came to him. Ever since that English kid appeared in this house, Roman’s trust in Vlad seemed to be on a downward spiral.
It was all Luke Whitford’s fault.
Chapter 16
Lake Geneva was beautiful—at least the part Luke could see from the window in his bedroom. Well, technically, it was Roman’s bedroom, but since Roman was usually absent for most of the day, returning only late in the evening, Luke had come to think of the room as his.
He stared wistfully at the beautiful mountains in the distance. He wasn’t sure why Roman had even brought him to Switzerland. He was alone all day long.
He had to escape. He had to.
Because he was scared. Scared of what was happening to him. Scared because with each passing week, it was getting harder to explain away the way he felt around Roman. Scared of waking up tomorrow and forgetting that he had a life back home. The life he wanted to return to. He was scared of losing himself.
Scared it was too late.