Savior (BWWM)

Ten

ROMAN'S POV

I fired my gun without hesitation the second Blake hit the floor.

Rage tore through me, white hot and wild. She looked terrified. Fragile. I couldn't believe we missed one of them. Couldn't believe I let this happen right under my nose.

It felt like my brother all over again.

Jared crumpled to the floor, howling in pain, clutching his bleeding arm. I aimed low on purpose. He wasn't getting the easy way out, not after this.

"Grab him. He's coming with us," I ordered, my voice cold and final.

But my focus was only on her.

This is on me.
I made her vulnerable by bringing her into my world. And now I was going to be the one to fix it, this time, I'd save the one I couldn't before.

"Fuck," I growled, dropping to my knees beside her. "What the fuck did he do to you?"

Then I saw it.

A needle, sticking out of her side.

"Get the car!" I snapped to Colton. I was trying to think, trying to stay sharp, but my mind was spinning. What kind of twisted motive was this? Kidnap her? Inject her with something? For what?

"Kill the others," I said through clenched teeth, glaring at Jared as he writhed on the floor. "I just want him."

I scooped Blake into my arms and ran. There was only one place to take her, my empire. The main estate. Where my doctors were. Where no one could get to her. Luis wouldn't even breathe in her direction once she was inside those gates.

As I burst through the doors, Rae came running toward me, panic written all over her face.

"Is she okay? Oh my god, Blake!" she cried. "What happened? Was she shot? I heard gunshot-..."

"No," I barked, scanning for the car. "She's coming with me. She's not safe here."

Rae followed beside me, frantic. "I need to make sure she's okay, I have to go with her, she's my best friend, Roman! I'm all she has!"

I stopped and turned to face her, sharply.

"No." My tone left no room for argument. "One of my men will update you."

I didn't trust anyone but my own. I didn't care if Rae meant well. If I didn't know her, she was a liability.

"She's my only family, you bastard!" she screamed.

I almost lost it. But I didn't have time to put her in her place. Not right now. I pushed past her as Colton skidded up with the car.

I laid Blake carefully in the back seat and got in beside her.

"Take us to the estate," I said, my eyes on her chest, watching for the rise and fall. Still breathing.

"You sure, boss?" Colton asked, glancing at me in the mirror. "You haven't been back there in a while."

"I said drive."

The estate, my empire, was forty five minutes outside the city. Four thousand acres. Heavily armed. Secure. My people lived there, worked there. My parents, my sister. It was a fortress.

But I hadn't stayed there in months. I had my own place across town for a reason. The weight of the empire was too much sometimes. I needed space from all the responsibility.

But not tonight.

Tonight, she needed the safest place I had.

I looked down at her in the dark. Pale skin. Soft breathing. That same stubborn, fearless expression even in unconsciousness. And there it was, guilt. Heavy in my chest. A feeling I hadn't let myself feel since my brother.

It burned.

We finally pulled in just past midnight. My guards opened the gates without a word. Colton knew the drill.

I checked her pulse again, still strong.

"Are the doctors ready?" I asked as I lifted her into my arms.

"Yeah. First floor. Same as always."

I gave him a look. Was he trying to test me? Remind me how long I'd been gone?

Didn't matter.

I carried Blake through the back entrance. Guards posted up along the walls kept their mouths shut, just like they were trained to.

~~~~~~~

"Is this her?" Dr. Krue asked as she moved toward the exam table.

I nodded, placing Blake down gently. "Will she be okay?"

It shocked me, asking that out loud. But I didn't care.

Dr. Krue looked up at me, brows raised. "Never thought I'd see the day you cared about someone."

She examined Blake while talking. "What happened? You want me to wipe her memory? Make her forget you two ever met?" She gave me a pointed look. "Did you do this to her?"

I clenched my jaw. I've done a lot of evil shit. But not this.

"I don't have time for this," I snapped, though I didn't let it go further. She was the best I had. I needed her on Blake's case.

"Keep me updated," I said, turning for the door. "Let me know the second she wakes up."

~~~~~~~~~~

Colton and Mike waited outside.

"Shit," Colton muttered. "Didn't think Luis had a daughter. He hid that well."

I realized I never told them. Geraldo had given me that intel, but with everything going on, I never shared it.

I filled them in on what I knew as we walked to my office.

"Damn," Colton said. "Her life must've been hell."

"No kidding," I muttered.

"What's our next move?" Mike asked.

We reached my office. Cold. Untouched. Just the way I left it.

"I say we return the favor."

They nodded.

Luis had sent men to my club, during business hours, while I was there. That wasn't a threat, it was a declaration of war.

And I was going to answer.

"Think Jared was serious?" Mike asked. "About the bounty? About men coming for her? Maybe we should just... hand her over. Cut our losses."

I shot him a glare so sharp he shut up instantly.

"You realize how much leverage we have right now?" I asked calmly.

Colton nodded. "If you marry her, you could take half of Luis's empire. From the inside. That'd be checkmate."

I hadn't thought that far.

Mike perked up. "Should we get the paperwork started, boss?"

My shoulders stiffened. Marriage?

I mean, yeah, I created this scenario. But that's just strategy. That doesn't mean I actually want to marry someone.

I like to fuck. And leave. No ties. No commitments.

I opened my mouth to shut them down when Verona stepped in without knocking.

"Boss, we got him in the basement," she said, her voice soft and sultry like always.

I swear, she never learned.

Mike and Colton laughed as they passed her, knowing exactly what that look on her face meant.

"No, Verona," I said flatly. "I'm good."

I watched her pout as she left, then dropped into my chair, running a hand over my face.

It was time to get answers.

And after I got them, I was going to kill Jared. Slowly.

For what he did to Blake..

And I wasn't holding back.

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