Destined | 18+

Part 40 - Yes

Roman's POV

While the vacation with Isla ended on a serious note, overall it was a trip I would never forget. My Isla, my Queen, my woman spent every second with me after such an intense separation. As if shy, she asked me what my plans were and I wanted her to ask me to stay, even though I had absolutely no plans to go back to LA anytime soon.

I wanted, no, I needed to spend as much time with her as possible to be able to forget about the pain I experienced this past fall.

"So will you stay? With me? For a bit? I don't want you to go and I can't leave..." she looked up into my smiling face once we made it back to her apartment. I couldn't contain my happiness at her question.

"Yes. I can be like your stay at home husband, and cook dinner for you while you're out in the world." I joked and made her laugh which was my favourite past time.

"I think you may want to take some cooking lessons. I'm not sure I can survive only on toast and peanut butter." Isla wrapped her arms around my neck and I lifted her up and sat her down on the window ledge. I leaned in for a kiss but my eye caught a glimpse of a car outside. The same car I saw parked on her street right before we left.

There was someone smoking inside and as soon as Isla's head turned toward it, the slightly open driver's seat window slowly closed.

This wasn't Kirill's men, this wasn't my men, but it was definitely someone's.

"Have you ever seen this car before?" I asked her while a thousand possibilities swirled in my head but landed on just one: Sergei. At the same time, I knew he wouldn't ever become this brazen, to spy on me.

The photos we received in St. Bart's were unnerving but they were annoying more than actual threats although I knew that Isla was definitely frightened.

It was also strange that the only photos that we received were from our time together. If Sergei was behind this, I knew he would take a different approach and I was already prepared for it.

No. This felt...foreign. And I really didn't like that. I would have to keep an eye on it, it was for the best that I would personally be here.

While Isla had the time off, we spent it furnishing her apartment and just living together. Without any stress, no breakups, no drama, just pure household bliss. Almost like that time when she first ended up in my house but now, it felt a thousand times better.

Isla did throw a housewarming party right before New Year's and invited her university friends over. I had a good time but I felt how much older I was than her. Her friends looked like kids although some were in their late twenties. It wasn't the age, it was how our 'professions' and lifestyles clashed.

I was, and would forever be, an outcast. Not mainstream, not accepted, feared, and despised. Especially in America, my background added even more negativity to my whole existence.

The ring was completed and I only had to pick it up and pop the question but I started having doubts. Not about Isla, God, never about her, but about dragging her into my dark world. At the same time, besides Sergei there wasn't anyone on the radar that posed any risk. The car never showed up again and my men never reported anything suspicious.

It was December 31 and it was all ready. We went out for dinner and it was a majestic night but mostly because I was shaking in anticipation of asking her, finally. It actually snowed, just like back home and Isla was a bit tipsy and the most precious diamond I ever laid my eyes on.

"Where on earth are you taking me?!" She giggled through her complaints while she misstepped in the dark hallway of her building. I caught her right in time and helped her up.