Chapter 58 Deal With Russo
Elena
He chuckles. “Thanks for the sandwich, darn it. Maybe next time you can make me something else. Something complicated.”
“Sure.”
He runs a hand through his hair. “About what happened there? In the kitchen.”
My pulse quickens.
“It was a mistake,” I blurt out.
Roman pauses, looking at me.
“You don’t need to talk about it. It was just something that happened in the heat of the moment. It’s nothing serious,” I say quickly.
His eyes narrow.
“A mistake? Elena, the last time we made a mistake like that, you got pregnant.”
I'm stuck in a breath.
“Of course not,” he says, his expression softening. “I just think we should talk about it.”
“No.” There’s nothing to talk about,” I say stubbornly.
Whatever it is between us, I’m not going to probe or question it. We have no right to entertain such thoughts. I know he knows it, too.
Roman’s jaw is clenched. He’s about to say something else, maybe argue, when the door opens from the outside, and Kiara walks in, pocketing the key. She stumbles and stops, taking in the sight before her.
“Roman,” she drawls. “It was nice to see you here.”
“I’m just leaving,” he mumbles, rising to his feet. “I’ll text you, Elena.”
He leaves without another word, and I let out a quiet breath. Kiara sets her purse down on the table and sits down next to me.
“What the hell happened?”
“We kissed,” I admit immediately, needing to get this feeling out of my system.
“You did what?” Kiara screams.
I wince.
“Easy, Ki. The baby,” I remind her.
“You kissed? When? Why? What?” she asks, confused.
“I cut myself, and he was treating my cut, and one thing led to another, and I kissed him… or did he kiss me? Either way, we kissed.”
Kiara looks at me.
“And how did that make you feel?”
“I-I don’t know.”
She leans her head back against the couch, watching me.
“I’m going to be honest with you, Elena, this situation is complicated enough without you two adding your unresolved emotions to it.”
“I know,” I say quietly.
“Guys, this isn’t just about you; it’s about Cassie. You have to do the right thing for her.”
“I know that.”
“Okay. I'm just clarifying. Although I'll never understand the two of you. If you love each other, just do it. This stupid "hate-love" game has been going on for years, and frankly, I'm sick of it.”
I cross my arms over my chest, deciding to ignore it.
“You at least talked about telling your fiancé, 'Is that true?" Kiara asks with a sigh.
My eyes widen as I realize we never actually had that conversation. I shake my head, and Kiara groans.
"So what did you do today? Besides lock lips?"
"We were talking about Cassie," I mumble defensively.
She pinches the bridge of her nose in frustration.
"You two need to get your act together. I was with Michael earlier, and he kept going on about how weird Roman is. It's only a matter of time before he finds out. Trust me, Elena, you don’t want any of them to find out about this before you tell them the truth.”
I grimace.
“Yeah, I know. We’ll figure it out.”
“Okay, I’m going to check on Cassie before bed,” she tells me, standing up. “Goodnight, baby.”
“Goodnight,” I whisper.
Russo
In war, the most respected generals are those who know when it's time to end the war. To sound the alarm to retreat. These men are smart enough to choose the battles that will ultimately help them achieve victory. I'm glad Roman is one of those men.
His jaw clenches as he signs the documents that essentially seal his sister's fate and secure our partnership. It's clear he's not happy about it. But being responsible means making difficult decisions.
As soon as we finish signing the papers, I stand up and offer my hand, which he reluctantly accepts.
"I look forward to a fruitful union," I tell him.
"Yes, yes," he mutters. "Hurt my sister, and you will regret it for the rest of your life. Which, I guarantee, will be painfully short."
The threat is delivered in a cold, confident tone. I smirk. "I will take care of Rose."
He nods, exhales, and runs a hand through his hair. We are the only ones here. Roman's left and right hands are nowhere to be found, and Jace is waiting for me in the car. I study him for a few seconds.
"Is there a reason you're so agitated?"
His gaze meets mine sharply. "Besides the fact that I feel like I'm selling my sister?"
"That's stupid. She's not cattle to be bought or sold." I said.
"Spoken by the man who's literally buying her," Roman says dryly.
"Does she think that? That she's being sold? I assume you told her about the arrangement and got her permission before you signed the contract. How does she feel about it?" I asked.
Roman pauses. "I don't know. She hasn't spoken to me for a week. Not since I told her about it. She agreed, but I can tell it was painful for her to do so. She's avoiding me, and I'm not sure I'm ready to face her either.”
Sympathy wells up inside me. For him. While I care for my family, I'm incredibly distant from their feelings and emotions. I barely know them. Isabella and I may have grown up together, but my departure as a teenager marked the end of any relationship we had built.
I wasn't there for the twins' births. So, while we may call ourselves family, there's no inner connection between us.
Roman doesn't have that luxury. He can't afford to be callous about their feelings because he loves them, and that reinforces what I've always known. This love is a weakness. Or perhaps a luxury I can't afford.
"I'm sure she'll come to terms with her situation soon enough. Especially since she'll have to move in with me later this week," I declare. That was one of the conditions. The words I expressed when closing the deal.
Roman's dark gaze abruptly lands on mine. I raise an eyebrow at his expression. "I haven't told her about this yet," he informs me. "I'll leave that task to you. After all, she is your future wife."
"Hm. And when do you think I'll tell her?" I asked.
"My niece's birthday is tomorrow. You're invited. It will give you a chance to meet the family, and also talk to Rosa." Roman said.
I nod. "Okay. Then I guess I'll see you tomorrow."
The De Luca house is a large mansion, secluded in a neighborhood that provides them with privacy and a sense of security. It's very similar to the Russo house. The house is simple, understated, with smooth walls and modern furniture.
Around the house are many works of art, mostly sculptures and clay figurines. I'm drawn to them; I'm sure these pieces were created by Rosa. Amazingly, her hands can create such intricately beautiful things, like the vase before me.