Beneath Her Bastard Boss

Chapter 81

The car ride home felt like she was suffocating slowly.

Every red light stretched out what she knew was coming. Roman was like a dog with a bone.

Blair could feel his eyes on her. It made her hands clenched in her lap. She felt the need to fill the silence.

“That was a nice evening,” she said, tight and way too casual.

“Was it?” Roman didn’t turn and look at her but kept his eyes on the road. He sounded chill, but she knew that voice. “Because you looked like you wanted to kill someone the last two hours.”

Her stomach twisted. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“Don’t you?”

It wasn’t the words–it was how he said them. It made her skin crawl in a way she hated, like he already knew the answer and was just waiting for her to admit it.

Roman pulled into the driveway and shut the car off, but neither of them moved. The silence was thick, stretching long enough to feel like it might snap.

“Blair.” His voice was quiet, low, but not soft. It carried that dangerous calm he got when he was just barely holding it together. “Look at me.”

She didn’t want to. But she did. Slowly.

His eyes were dark and steady, and she felt that look straight in her chest.

“We’re going inside,” he said, like it was a decision he’d already made for both of them. “And you’re going to tell me what the hell happened tonight?”

“Nothing happened-”

“Don’t.” That one word was sharp. Final. “Don’t lie to me. Not now. Not after everything.”

Blair opened the door and got out before she could think twice. Her legs felt shaky, and she didn’t need to look behind her to know he was following. He always followed.

Her hands fumbled with the keys at the front door.

“Having trouble?” His breath was warm against her neck.

“I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not.” His hands closed over hers, steady and grounding in a way that just made it worse. “You’re wound so tight I can feel it from here. The question is why.”

She didn’t answer. Just pushed the door open and walked inside, kicking off her heels like that would somehow help her feel normal again.

Roman shut the door behind them with a quiet click. The sound felt way too loud in the silence.

“Talk to me.”

“There’s nothing to talk about.”

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Chapter 81

with rough hands. “You changed after you came back inside. Cold. Pulled

hands, mostly–how they moved, how tense he looked

“Maybe I’m just tired.”

no humor in

“Roman-”

way too close, backing her against the wall. “I think something happened tonight. And now you’re shutting me out. Did someone

to the wall, one on either side of her head. She was trapped, even though she could’ve walked

you out. No one said anything,”

face was inches from hers now. “Then tell me why you haven’t

Her stomach dropped. “What?”

heard me. Something happened. Did someone say something to Sutton and you won’t tell me? Then there was the

to rise. Of course he

said, but

clenched. His thumb brushed her jaw, gentle and careful even now. “From where I’m standing, it looks like you’re hiding

was so fast it hurt. She had to end this. Had to distract him. Had to stop him from seeing more than

So she kissed him.

wasn’t romantic. It was desperate and rough, meant to shut him up and shut everything down. Her hands. gripped his shirt, pulling him in like it was the only way to

froze for half a

and his mouth was on hers like he was starving. Like he was furious. Like kissing her might fix whatever this was or tear

isn’t going to work,” he said against

“What isn’t?”

sex to

already on her body, sliding down over silk

spot at her neck that turned her brain

her skin. “You’re trying

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Chapter 81

his fingers found the zipper on

“Maybe,” she admitted.

congratulations,” he said, sliding it

Roman looked at her like he might

Blair. You’re going to be the

least you’ll die happy,” she whispered, reaching for

wrists and pinned them above

he growled. “Upstairs.

warning, carried her up like she weighed nothing. Her arms looped around

you,” she

love you too. But

“Yeah?”

conversation isn’t over. You didn’t win. This

she shoved it aside. Morning could wait. Right

set her down at the edge of

he said.

one button at a time. The air between them thickened with every second. Her wrists still tingled

with that sharp sound that made her