Set Free

Set Free
ROMAN

Just when I thought my day couldn't get any worse, Laura comes to see me. 

I don't even bother asking her how the hell she knew I was here. I stare at her from the other side of the visitors room, and shake my head at her. "What're you doing here?"

Laura smiles as she walks toward me. "I thought you'd need to see the face of a friend to feel better."

"You're wrong about that. You're not a friend to me. You shouldn't be here."

Laura pauses and pouts. I start toward the door and bang on it so the guards will let me out. 

"Wait!" she says. "Don't you want to hear what I have to say?"

I lose my patience completely. "I'm in jail, Laura! Is that fact registering to you at all? What could you possibly want to tell me at a time like this!?"

"Maybe how to get you out of this place, for starters?"

I narrow my eyes. "And how would you do that?"

"Easy." She folds her arms. "I know who killed Sebastian Crowe."

This captures my attention, but at the same time, makes me suspicious. Why would she know who killed him? How is she involved in any of this?

"You don't believe me."

"No."

Laura clicks her tongue against her teeth. "What a shame."

"Don't fuck with me, Laura. Do you understand me? Just tell me what you know and let's be done with this!"

"I have some conditions."

"What?"

"Divorce that little wife of yours and stay with me. You don't have to marry me; I just wanna have fun with you. Like back in the day. I never forgot you, Roman. Ever. You're the best I ever had, and I'm tired of searching for a different version of you in other men."

I stare at her, flabbergasted, and for several seconds, I don't even know what the fuck to say. "You're crazy. You're all..."

I can't finish my sentence because I start laughing and can't seem to stop. Laura watches me with narrowed eyes as I cover my face with my hand. It's all too much. It's the ridiculousness of the situation. Her words. Hell, everything. 

There's no way this is happening to me. 

These women act like my cum is liquid gold or something. 

It can't be that serious, can it?

"I'm glad I amuse you, Roman," she spits. 

"Did you think what you said would come out as a romantic confession?"

Laura shrugs. "Yes. Of course."

"Well, Laura, I have an answer for you. Are you ready to hear it? I've got enough crazy women in my life to last me a lifetime. I'd rather rot in here. I'm not leaving my life."

Disappointment is written all over her face at first, but then it's replaced by anger. "Fine. Suit yourself."

"Thanks for stopping by."

I watch as she walks past me and heads toward the exit. She then stops suddenly and looks over her shoulder at me. 

I suppress a sigh. 

"Just so you know, her life is in danger. If you care about her, then you'll do as I say."

Her words fill me with anger and fear all at once. "What kind of danger?"

"Why should I—"

I grab her arm and force her to whirl around to face me. A gasp escapes her lips. 

"Do you have any idea what you're joking around with here? What do you know about my wife? How is she in danger?" I connect the dots quickly. How would she know about any of this? Sebastian mentioned Angus's name. Angus is always up to some shit nobody can understand. How would Laura be involved in all this? "It's Angus, isn't it?"

Her facial expression doesn't change and she even smiles at me. "You're going to have to agree with my terms so I can tell you, Roman. You can't have your cake and eat it, too."

I tilt my head to the side. "Is it his son? Leonardo?"

Laura says nothing, and time is up. She leaves me with this fear and worry. I don't even know if what she said was true or just an attempt to get me to sleep with her again.  

Will this nightmare ever end?

I receive one bit of good news a few hours later, though. My bail has been set and I'm free. At last. At least. I thought I'd never be free of this place. Hell, I can't imagine how there are people who spend the rest of their lives behind bars. 

Nothing tastes better than freedom. 

Nothing. 

I meet my lawyer outside the station and he fills me in on what's going to happen next. I'll let him handle all this. I'm more focused on trying to call Nikki to give her the good news—I'm going home and we'll deal about all this another day. For now, I just want to hold her. Hell, I want to feel her close to me and kiss her all over. 

But she doesn't answer, even though her phone is ringing.

"Roman, are you listening?"

"Yeah," I tell him distractedly even though I know damn well that I'm not. 

"We'll talk about this later, then. Do you need a ride somewhere?"

"Yeah. Could you drop me off?"

I get in his car and try calling Nikki again. Though I'm trying really hard not to panic, it's impossible not to. I'm worried. There's way too much crap going on in our lives for her not to pick up my calls. 

Maybe she's sleeping? It's noon, but that's highly likely because she had terrible day yesterday. She endured things that nobody should have to. I don't understand why so many bad things are happening all at once? I feel powerless and useless. 

I can't stop these things from happening and it makes me feel less of a man. 

At last, I get home. I promise my lawyer that we'll have a call to discuss all of this, and head upstairs as quickly as I can, hoping to see her. The porter greets me normally. I'm sure he doesn't know I was arrested yesterday. It's a wonder this bit of news hasn't hit the headlines yet. 

I get there and shout her name from the door. 

No answer.