Savage

Chapter 22: Fading Into You

Ronnie: I'm going to kill you! Where the hell are you?

Ronnie: Why aren't you answering?

Ronnie: Seriously, why Monaco?

The phone rings out. A new voice message has been received.

"S. This isn't funny. You've got me worried. Not to mention Aunty Bev and Soraya. You just up and left. Jav said you came by the loft at night, well earlier this morning, and left Olaf. At night. At night. He misses you you know - Olaf I mean." Sniffles. "And so do I." Beep.

A new voice message has been received.

"I'm pregnant if you want to know. I don't know what I'm going to do without you." Beep.

A new voice message has been received.

"You and Roman running off is not okay. You're my Maid of Honour for Christ's sake. Get your ass back here in time for my wedding, Sauvignon!" Beep.

A new voice message has been received.

"Monaco of all places. It must be beautiful. Did you have to leave that kind of message with Jav? You could've told me." Sigh. "I hope you're enjoying yourselves. Please bring me back something. My friggin' wedding is in six months. Six months! Remember we have dress rehearsals. Olaf's shedding and he looks depressed please answer me."

Beep.

"Sage Angelique Sauvignon! Aunty Bev has been stressing me for you. What am I supposed to say? You left us all with the same messages."

Beep.

It wasn't that I didn't want to answer her, or Mommy's calls or texts. It was that I couldn't. I didn't know what to say to her, or Soraya or Mommy. So I shot her a voice note congratulating her and Jav on the pregnancy. Also, I didn't want her working herself up for the baby's sake. I can't believe I was going to be an aunty. Then I quickly shut the phone off. I knew I was being a bad friend, sister, and daughter. Guilt was racking me. I did leave abruptly with Roman. I just couldn't explain this to Mommy. I knew Soraya would be fine with it. She even predicted this. Ronnie, I didn't want to disappoint because I knew this trip would be cutting it close to her wedding and I had to be there. She's not just my friend, but my sister after all. Nonetheless, Roman was right. We needed time to get to know each other. This was not the most conventional way, but I do agree that we needed privacy.

This trip has been nothing but amazing. I didn't know the world had so many hidden gems. Jamaica was beautiful but Monaco had its beauty with the Mediterranean Sea lapping at its shores. Roman, on the other hand, made it a part of his duty to torment me in the most intimate way. I thought before we left was the only punishment I would receive for letting Wong into my life for only a dreadful minute. I was wrong. To this day we haven't slept with each other and he made sure of it. Being this high-strung had me snapping Roman's head every minute. It didn't even matter to him since he was the source of my discomfiture. The ass only made the situation worse. Every time I bit his head off, it heightened the moment for him and I was the fool to fall or follow every time he planted those landmines. I can't even think straight to get him back for the past month of torture. I would be lying if I said it was all torture. Roman took me to one of his homes in Monaco. It was breathtakingly beautiful. The Principality was in the Southeastern region of France and I adored the beaches on Côte d'Azur, better known to the world as the French Riviera.

As soon as we came to Monte Carlo we didn't stay long, just dropped our luggage off. On our first date, we were at the doctor's office for her to declare us with a clean bill of health a week later. After that, Roman had us whisked off to Saint Tropez onto a yacht for the first month. Then we would stay at a beautiful house partially built into the mountain in Cannes for the second month. I only know this because he showed me a large framed photo of the Cannes house on one of the walls, in the yacht we were on. After that, we would return to Monte Carlo.