Precious Legacy (The Notorious Legacy #1)

Chapter 27

TWENTY-SEVEN

R oman’s blonde hair sticks to his face, his tattoos highlighted by the sweat coating his skin. He looks heart-stoppingly dangerous and so fucking beautiful that I swear my heart skips a beat when he offers me that devilish smile of his.

I didn’t hear him come home last night, but he was determined to wake me up this morning with his head between my legs, just to prove he could. I’m not exactly complaining since he tore a soul shattering orgasm from me that echoed around the room with just his mouth before he fucked me so hard into the mattress that I’m certain there are indents.

“Are you sure you don’t want a ride?” Roman asks as he nuzzles my neck and peppers wet kisses along my throat and shoulder. His cock is still hard, buried inside of me, and I sense he’s asking himself the same question I am right now. Can’t we just stay like this all day?

“I told you,” I pant back, still riding the high of my third orgasm. “I need to do this alone.”

A deep chuckle reverberates from his chest, bouncing against my own. “If you’re embarrassed to?—”

I yank him towards me and crash my lips onto his in a kiss that steals my soul all over again. It’s really not a case of being embarrassed. Once upon a time, maybe I would have been ashamed to be caught with him. Since everyone knows about my long-standing hate towards the guy, I’d be a walking contradiction if I got caught waltzing around holding hands with him.

Then again, not even my dad was surprised to see him here a few weeks ago, and my brother doesn’t seem bothered by our rekindled relationship—if you can call it that.

Over the past few weeks, things between Roman and I have gotten more and more serious. Five years ago, I would have been squealing at the thought of us still wrapped up in each other’s company. He was my world and I believed I was his, but I’m not that girl anymore. It feels strange not to hate him, at least not as much as I used to. Sometimes I catch myself watching him, observing him as he sleeps soundly beside me, and it pisses me off that even after what I told him, he can still close his eyes and get a restful night’s sleep. But then he looks at me, like I’m the only other person in this fucked up world, and that anger dissipates.

He breaks away from the kiss I’ve been lost in, looking down at me with so much lust in his eyes it’s inescapable. “You’re something else, Presh,” Roman murmurs.

“Oh, yeah?” I laugh, slinking my arms around his neck.

“You have no fucking idea,” he grumbles, planting a soft kiss on my lips.

I wince as he pulls out of me, leaving the ghost of his impressive and very satisfactory cock lingering. He pushes off the bed and heads into the bathroom, giving me the best view of his ass. I could sit and watch him all day, just walking around naked, maybe cooking me some food in that little apron that conceals absolutely nothing.

I snicker to myself as my phone buzzes beside me, Savannah’s name flashing on the screen.

Sav: On my way. See you in 15.

Shit .

I’ve been so lost in Roman this morning that I’m running behind. Since Savannah only lives five blocks over, we’ve been sharing rides for the better part of three weeks. We’ve established a friendship I didn’t think was possible, at least not with the family I have. She still doesn’t know about my link to The Five, and I don’t intend on divulging that the last name I was born with isn’t Caruthers.

Rushing out of bed, I bypass Roman taking a piss and dive under the shower he was warming up for himself. The cold water douses the anxious heat slithering through my body, and it’s a brief reprieve before the warmth soothes the chill. I soak my hair, not bothering with washing it because I really don’t have time. Even when Roman steps in with me, I have to force myself to keep at least three feet away because apparently my self-control is non-existent when it comes to him.

I run through the motions of a quick wash, toweling off and getting dressed in record time. My apartment buzzer sounds just as I’m shoving my feet into my shoes and my heart rate kicks up a notch as I glance at the time. I spin around to find an amused Roman leaning against the wall in the hallway with just a towel wrapped around his waist.

He knows what he’s doing with his taut, slick abs on show, his chest muscles bunching beneath his toned biceps. He knows I’d crawl straight back into bed with him given half the chance.

“What?” I snap.

A brow lifts at the same time he offers me a lop-sided smile. “What are you trying to hide, Presh?”

You, I want to say, but I keep my mouth shut as my phone rings in my pocket. Savannah.

“Nothing,” I scowl. “I’m just late.”

“Uh huh,” he muses. “Nothing to do with your new friend, then?”

Ugh, I hate how well he can read me. I don’t admit a thing to him, though. There’s nothing more annoying than feeding his ego, so I give him the finger and slip out the door before he can say another word.

Downstairs, Savannah leans against the door of our rideshare, her arms folded as she glares at me.

“What?” I huff as I swing my bag over my shoulder.

She’s surveying me, silently judging me. I can tell because over the past few weeks I’ve gotten to know her, there’s one thing she can’t hide; her suspicion.

“Late night?” she smirks.

“Something like that.”

I’m breathless as I slip into the backseat. I don’t think I’ve ever rushed around as much as I have this morning. Though I can’t say the wake up wasn’t a nice alarm, it’s left me feeling like I’ve forgotten something. I know I haven’t because I always pack my bag the night before, but the unease I feel is unavoidable.

After half an hour of Savannah pinning me with a glare, I finally look her in the eyes. “What?” I snap.

“So you’re not going to tell me who he is?” she accuses.

Shock freezes in my veins and I suddenly don’t know where to look anymore.

“Oh, come on,” she scoffs. “You really think I’m going to believe that the glow on your face isn’t from being fucked magnificently?”

I don’t know why, but I feel the heat of my embarrassment paint my cheeks. Sex isn’t something I’m ever ashamed to talk about, but sex with Roman might just be up there on the list of things I want to avoid when talking to a potential officer of the law.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I say, ignoring the pang of guilt that settles in the pit of my stomach.

“Sure,” she replies sarcastically, though she doesn’t get to finish her retort because our cab stops in front of the academy and I’m rushing out before she can interrogate me further.

Only eight hours to go .

E xhausted—that’s how I feel as I step outside the academy gates with Savannah in tow. It’s not just the fact that today we had the most grueling physical training session where I had to suffer through Prescott’s presence, but I’ve spent most of the day actively trying to avoid Savannah’s questions about my ‘mystery’ boyfriend.

It’d be laughable if I wasn’t so afraid of her knowing about Roman, or Haldon, or my brother. They’re my family, and it’s really hard to avoid talking about them in social situations, especially when your fellow trainees are sharing nostalgic stories about the tire swing their old man built in their backyard at eight years old.

I can’t relate to those stories because my childhood wasn’t their kind of normal. My childhood consisted of having my dad’s soldiers driving us around, watching our every move. Alvaro had a gun by the age of twelve—much to mom’s disapproval—whereas I just earned more protection because god forbid I was able to protect myself. I always wondered about that part of my life; why our dad trusted my brother to hold a gun but not me? Why he entrusted my safety with others instead of allowing me to learn to protect myself, despite the role he clearly wants me to have in the family. At least Roman was willing to help me out with that, giving me tips on fighting until Lexie taught me how to really defend myself.

Distracting me from my running thoughts, I glance down at my vibrating phone. My hand shakes as I turn it over, praying it isn’t Roman. The last thing I want Savannah to see is his name on my screen, because it won’t take long for her to put the pieces together. She’s a smart girl, more than capable of becoming a detective. Which is why I hold my breath as I glance at the screen, long enough to see Haven’s name light it up.

Haven: Girl’s night. You, me, Gracie, and a whole lot of tequila.

A smile graces my lips at the same time I exhale my relief. I could probably do with a night out with just the girls, though I have no doubt the guys will come crashing it at some point. Gracie has been so busy with her tattoo shop that she hasn’t been spending much time with us recently, so I’m excited to be able to spend some time with her. She’s like the big sister I never had.

“Oh, girl’s night?!” Savannah squeals over my shoulder, making me wince. “Can I come? Please?” She peers back at me, soft brown eyes rounding. I can’t even be mad at her for looking over my shoulder when she appears so sweet and innocent.

I want to say no, but that’d raise suspicion, and I can’t find it in my heart to reject her. “I don’t know,” I murmur. “I’m not sure I’m in the mood.”

“Girl, those are the best nights!” She shoves me playfully. “Besides, you owe me.”

My brows furrow as I try to work out what she means. Half the time what Savannah says is a jumbled up mess of thoughts I have to sift through because she likes to start conversations in her head and finish them aloud. “How d’ya work that out?”

“Because you haven’t told me who gave you that massive love bite on your neck.”

Fuck. Have I been walking around with this all day?

I mindlessly reach for my throat, unsure where her focus is because she has a shit-eating grin on her face that tells me I have no choice. It’s not that I don’t want her to come out and meet my friends. There’s just a big risk with her finding out who I’m related to and what my family does. It could spell trouble if I’m not careful.

Judging from the look she gives me, she’s not about to back down or accept any type of excuse, so I nod and smile, praying that Haven can find us a club where we won’t be bothered by the guys.

Me: Sure, but maybe we can go some place different?

Since most of the clubs in the city are owned by her brother—or Gambino Enterprises—and the rest are questionable to say the least, we’re hard pressed on places to go where the guys won’t track us down.

Luckily, Savannah mentions there’s a newly refurbished place on the East Side that does epic cocktails, and suddenly, my day is finally starting to look up.

Since it’s Friday and they’ll all be busy with Roman’s fight night, it’s probably our only option where we can get a few dances in before they make an appearance. All I need to do is make sure that Savannah and the guys don’t collide.

I’ve given Haven and Gracie the heads-up on the situation, which they’re more than on board with. I didn’t even need to explain because they know as well as I do that letting anyone inside our friendship group is a huge risk.

Savannah and I make our way into the city, where I reluctantly agree to go shopping with her. We have time to kill before we head out tonight, and she wants to get something that’ll make her ‘stand out’. As much as I want to tell her that standing out is exactly what I don’t want, she’s got a giddy, girly expression on her face that I don’t want to ruin, so I let her tug me into various stores until she finds ‘the perfect dress’.

From the way she rambles on, I get the sense that Savannah doesn’t do this much, and if she does, it probably isn’t as fun on her own. She doesn’t talk about other friends. In fact, I don’t recall her ever mentioning other people in her life aside from her family. She’s close with her dad, I know that much. It’s sweet that she dotes on the man who raised her and forged her into the person she is today; I just wish I could have a relationship like that with my own.

After two hours of browsing outfits and finally settling on a blue number, we’re ambling down the sidewalk, heading towards a coffee shop she recommended, when I suddenly get a weird feeling. It’s not the sensation of someone following me, but rather that I should be following someone.

Savannah is too busy talking about some guy in our class to notice me stopping in the middle of the sidewalk.

My gaze is locked on a restaurant across the road from us with large windows and an obnoxious sign. I narrow my gaze and something in the pit of my stomach twists.

“Is that… the chief?” Savannah interjects, shock suspending us both as she follows my gaze. “He looks so different out of uniform,” she jokes.

I swallow back the lump of nerves building in my throat, because I’m not only gaping at the Chief, but at the man he’s shaking hands with like long-lost friends.

“Oohhh… who’s that? He’s hot!”

My heart stutters in my chest because I can’t be certain of what I’m looking at. Whatever it is, it doesn’t bode well for my brother, surely. I don’t know much about Alvaro’s situation, but from what Roman has told me, Milo is someone I need to steer clear of. Whether he knows Milo is in contact with not just the police, but Chief Madden, is another thing entirely.

“I wonder if he’s single?” Savannah questions excitedly.

I reach for my phone in my bag, huffing when I can’t find it in the first pocket. “Pretty sure he’s too dangerous to be wondering that,” I comment as I search the next pocket.

“How can you tell?” Savannah asks with a disappointed frown.

Finally, I locate my phone and a wave of relief washes over me. When I look back at her, she’s wearing an accusatory look.

I shrug, because I’m so close to exposing so many secrets. Secrets she can’t know. “Just a gut feeling.”

A madeus is a club that definitely lives up to its reputation for the best cocktails. It even puts Club Palma to shame, and I’m not the biggest fan of cocktails to begin with. The atmosphere is light, the songs are bouncing, and there’s just an overall fun theme surrounding us.

I wasn’t really in the mood to come out tonight, but Savannah was right; those make the best nights. I don’t think I’ve laughed half as much as I have with these girls, and Savannah fits in so well with Gracie and Haven. I’ve sung to my heart’s content, danced until my feet sting. and as I collapse into the booth we commandeered from a bachelorette party earlier, I actually feel relaxed for the first time in forever.

Savannah drops into the seat next to me, sipping on her Pi?a Colada, her cheeks flushed from exertion. “You having a good time, babe?”

“Yeah,” I smile widely. “I am.”

“Erm… Lani?” Haven grimaces as she heads towards the booth. She has that look on her face, a worried one that has my insides churning. She glances over her shoulder, and that’s when I see them.

All three guys who were told to leave us alone tonight are standing on the balcony overlooking the dance floor. Roman’s eyes, as usual, are locked on me, his lips curling into a heart-stopping smile. Despite how fucking irresistible he looks in his suit, I’m pissed that I’m even looking at him.

“Uh oh,” Gracie teases as my heart hammers against my chest. “You’re in trouble.”

“Who are they?” Savannah gushes.

“You don’t?—”

I glare at Haven.

“My brother and his friends,” she finishes.

I silently thank her for not exposing us too much, but I’m still a nervous wreck when Roman points a finger at me, beckoning me to come to him. I glare back. Everything within me wants to defy him. Every single cell in my body wants to send him the middle finger because he knows he shouldn’t be here. But the last thing I want to do is make a scene right now, and from where I’m sitting, he has that devilish glint in his eye that tells me he will make me regret pushing him.

“Looks like we’re being summoned,” Savannah giggles, wasting no time in grabbing her bag and sliding out of the booth.

I give one last look at my friends, hoping they’ll show me some support, but they just shrug back. Clearly, they’re not going to help me here, though Gracie does offer me some words of encouragement.

“Maybe she won’t remember tonight?” she suggests as we make our way up the stairs to the balcony. “She’s had a lot to drink.”

“I hope you’re right,” I murmur.

As soon as we reach the balcony, I glare at my brother, but he’s far too comfortable in his seat to be perturbed by my silent threat. I never told them we were here, and I sure as shit made it clear to Roman not to bother us tonight. So why the fuck are they here?

Haven is the first to introduce Savannah to everyone. She does well to keep it brief, making sure not to divulge too much information about the guys we’re keeping company with. All the while, I look like a spare part, standing between the oversized couches everyone is getting comfortable on and wishing I could be anywhere but here.

“I like him,” Savannah swoons.

My brows crease together. “Who?”

“Alvaro,” she whispers, though it’s not as quiet as she thinks because my brother snorts a laugh.

“He’s gay,” I remark, grabbing the bottle of beer from his clutches and sinking it back. When it’s empty, I slam it on the table and stab him with a deathlike stare.

Savannah whines something inaudible, slipping into the seat next to my brother. “Why are all the good-looking guys gay or off-limits?”

Oh shit. My eyes blow wide and I gulp back the nerves that threaten to spill into panic.

“Who else is gay?” Varo asks hopefully, shifting in his seat.

There goes the panic . My heart feels like it’s about to explode in my chest. Sweat trickles down my spine and I’m certain it’s not from the dancing.

I messaged my brother earlier to say we needed to talk; I didn’t think it was appropriate to have Milo’s name spread across messages. But between then and now, I’ve been distracted, and he’s now looking at me like I have the worst kept secret.

Before I can respond, my body is yanked sideways and I’m falling into Roman’s lap. He runs his nose through my hair, inhaling roughly as his hands grip my hips in place, making zero effort to conceal the attraction between us.

“I think Presh can attest that I am certainly not gay.” His hold on me is possessive, suffocating me in a way that feels too safe.

I peer back at him, but his expression is unreadable.

“ Presh,” Savannah repeats with a dreamy look in her eyes. “Cute! So this is the guy?”

I nod slowly, still unsure what I can say right now to deflect from what’s happening here. I was sure this wouldn’t happen. I was assured the guys wouldn’t bother us. They have no business being here, yet they’ll probably find an excuse.

“Relax,” Roman growls in my ear, his fingertips digging into my hips.

I turn my face so that my hair covers it and lean down level with his ear. “Don’t tell me to relax when you promised you wouldn’t bother us.”

He captures my face in his rough palm, the softness of his eyes soothing the hot anger bubbling beneath the surface. Not only is he risking being caught, but he’s risking us. I don’t know which hurts more, the lack of thought or the lack of loyalty.

“Take that scowl off your face or I’ll fuck it off.”

Fuck! That dirty talk. I can’t even fight the smile that appears when he presses his lips to mine, the heat of his body enveloping me like a blanket and instantly soothing my worries.

“Well,” Haldon speaks up, handing out fruity cocktails that look like a glow stick threw up inside. His focus is solely on Savannah, who blushes when their fingers brush. He leans down, but his words are clear enough to hear. “Vee might bat for the other team, but I’m all yours, baby.”