Chapter 1 - She Admitted She Had Never Been Touched—And the Mafia Boss’s Answer Left Her Breathless
At 28, I had 2 secrets I guarded carefully.
I had never slept with anyone, and I was not ashamed of it, even when friends laughed or men lost interest.
I had never wanted convenience or an experience chosen because of social pressure. I had been waiting for a connection that felt real.
On a Friday evening, while trying to escape a persistent coworker, I collided with the most dangerous man in the city.
The library was nearly silent that late afternoon.
Only the occasional turn of a page disturbed the quiet as I organized the historical-fiction section. I sensed Derek Morrison approaching before he spoke.
For the previous 2 weeks, he had treated every polite refusal as though it were part of a game I had agreed to play.
“Thea, let’s grab a drink after work.”
He stood too close, occupying my personal space in a way that made my skin tighten.
I took a breath before turning toward him. “No, Derek. Thank you for the offer, but no.”
“Come on. Just 1 drink. I promise it’ll be fun.”
He stepped closer. I resisted the instinct to retreat.
“I’ve already said no several times.”
My voice was sharper than I intended, but my patience had begun to fail.
“Why? Do you have a boyfriend?” He crossed his arms. “I’ve never seen anyone picking you up here.”
Heat rose along my neck. “That doesn’t matter. I don’t want to go out with you. End of story.”
“You’re such a goody 2-shoes. You need to loosen up a little. Let go.”
The condescension in his voice displaced the last of my restraint.
“And you need to learn to take no for an answer.”
I walked past him with the books in my arms. “Excuse me. I need to finish my work.”
I left the library 20 minutes later. Twilight had settled over the street, turning the sky orange. I carried 3 books against my chest and drew in the cool evening air.
“Thea, wait.”
Derek’s voice cut through the quiet behind me.
My stomach dropped when I realized he had followed me. I quickened my pace and turned the corner without looking, intent only on putting distance between us.
I walked directly into something solid.
The books flew from my hands. My balance disappeared beneath me, but I did not hit the ground. Large hands caught my arms through the thin fabric of my blouse. The grip was controlled, firm enough to hold me upright without hurting me.
“Careful.”
The voice was deep and rough, marked by an accent that made the single word sound almost like a warning.
I looked up slowly, following the line of an immaculate black suit until I reached the stranger’s face.
Roman Vulov was not merely handsome. His features had the severe precision of something designed to intimidate. His eyes were an icy gray, and a small scar crossed his right eyebrow. His presence seemed to alter the air around him. The space felt narrower, heavier, as though the street itself recognized the authority he carried.
“I’m sorry. I wasn’t looking where I was going.”
He continued to hold my arms.
“Are you running from someone?”
Before I could answer, Derek reached us.
“Thea, I just wanted to talk. You don’t need to—”
He stopped when he saw Roman. The color left his face almost immediately.
Roman turned toward him with a slow, controlled movement.
“She said no several times, from what I understood.”
“I just wanted to talk,” Derek said, his voice unsteady.
“And she doesn’t want to.”
Roman released me and stepped toward him.
“You’re going to leave now, before I lose my patience.”
“Who are you?”
Derek attempted defiance, but fear weakened the question.
Roman tilted his head slightly. The faint smile on his mouth contained no warmth.
“Someone you definitely don’t want as an enemy. Leave before I change my mind about letting you go in 1 piece.”
Derek ran. His footsteps receded quickly along the sidewalk.
The silence afterward felt charged.
Roman returned to the books scattered on the pavement and crouched to gather them.
“Does he bother you like this often?”
“Lately, yes.”
I crouched beside him. Our fingers nearly touched as we reached for the same book.
“But I can handle it. You didn’t have to intervene.”
“It didn’t look as though you were handling it.”
He handed the books to me. When our eyes met again, something unfamiliar tightened inside my chest.
“You work at the library?”
“Yes.”
“What’s your name?”
“Thea Sinclair.”
“Roman Vulov.”
He studied my face for another moment.
“Do you need a ride home?”
“I don’t usually accept rides from strangers.”
Something close to amusement appeared in his eyes.
“Smart. But I just saved you from your stalker. That should count for something.”
I laughed nervously. “I suppose it should, but my apartment is close. Only a few blocks.”
“Then I’ll walk with you and make sure he doesn’t come back.”
It was not presented as a question.
I sighed, unable to prevent a small smile. “All right. Thank you.”
The walk lasted approximately 10 minutes. Roman’s presence filled the silence without making it uncomfortable.
“Do you like working with books?” he asked.
“I love it. It’s peaceful. Quiet stories.”
“Do you read?”
“Constantly. What about you?”
“Mostly history, philosophy and military strategy.”
“That makes sense.”
He glanced at me. “Why?”
“You seem strategic.”
“And you seem kind.”
Heat rose into my cheeks.
“Thank you.”
“It was a compliment, Thea.”
We reached my building sooner than I expected. I stopped in front of the entrance.
“This is it. Thank you for everything. For getting rid of Derek, for walking me home and for not being a serial killer.”
The words escaped before I could stop them.
I wanted to disappear.
“Please ignore that last part.”
Roman did not laugh, but amusement sharpened his eyes.
“I’ll consider it ignored.”
He removed a card from the inside pocket of his jacket and handed it to me.
“If Derek bothers you again, call me.”
The card contained only a telephone number.
“There’s no name or company on this.”
“It’s all you need for now.”
My suspicion finally caught up with the rest of me.
“What exactly do you do, Roman?”
“Various businesses. Nothing you need to worry about.”
“That may be the vaguest answer I’ve ever received.”
“It was a safe answer.”
He watched me for another second.
“Good night, Thea Sinclair.”
“Good night, Roman Vulov. And thank you. Really.”
He remained silent before answering.
“You’re welcome.”
For 3 days, nothing happened. Then Derek failed to report for work.
“Thea, do you know where Derek is?” one of my colleagues asked.
“No. Why?”
“He requested a transfer to another branch. In another city. Completely without warning.”
She appeared genuinely confused.
“Strange, don’t you think?”
My stomach tightened.
At the first opportunity, I went into the restroom and called the number on Roman’s card. He answered on the 2nd ring.
“Thea.”
“How did you know it was me?”
“This is an unknown number, and very few people have this contact.”
“Derek requested a transfer to another city.”
I took a breath.
“Roman, did you do something?”
“I offered him several alternatives. He chose the most intelligent one.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means he will never bother you again.”
The certainty in his voice made the statement sound less like reassurance than a guarantee.
“Are you angry with me?” he asked.
“I don’t know. Part of me is relieved, but you frightened him.”
“He was following you, Thea. He deserved to be frightened.”
I pressed a hand against my forehead.
“That may be true, but you can’t do this every time someone becomes inconvenient.”
“Why not?”
“Because you barely know me.”
“What if I want to know you better?”
His voice lowered.
My heart missed a beat.
“What?”
“Have dinner with me tomorrow night.”
“Are you asking me on a date?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re interesting. You’re different from everything in my world.”
I should have refused. Instead, I thought of the icy gray eyes that had occupied my thoughts for 3 days.
“All right. Dinner tomorrow.”
He arrived precisely at 7:00, wearing a charcoal suit that emphasized the controlled strength of his body.
“You look beautiful.”
His gaze moved over the simple navy-blue dress I had chosen.
“Thank you. You look very handsome.”
May you like
The restaurant was elegant, quiet and private. We spoke about books, my childhood and the death of my parents 5 years earlier.
Roman listened without interruption, giving each answer the same attention he might have given to something of strategic importance.
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