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

after you came back inside. Cold. Pulled back. Like someone flipped a damn

moved, how tense he looked even

“Maybe I’m just tired.”

once, no humor in

“Roman-”

what I think?” He stepped in close, way too close, backing her against the wall. “I think something happened tonight. And now you’re shutting

of her head. She was

not shutting you out. No one said anything,”

now. “Then tell me why you haven’t

Her stomach dropped. “What?”

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

start to rise. Of course he

said,

her jaw, gentle and careful even now. “From where I’m standing,

She had to end this. Had to distract

So she kissed him.

soft. It wasn’t romantic. It was desperate and rough, meant to shut him up and shut everything down. Her

a second. Then he

in her hair, and his mouth was on hers like he was starving. Like he was furious. Like kissing

work,”

“What isn’t?”

sex to

already on her body, sliding down over silk like he couldn’t stop

that spot at her neck

teeth grazing her skin. “You’re trying

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Chapter 81

his fingers found the zipper on her

“Maybe,” she admitted.

sliding it down

floor. She was left in black lace and heels. Roman looked at her

Blair. You’re going to be the death of

happy,” she whispered,

caught her wrists and pinned them above her

he growled. “Upstairs.

warning, carried her up like she weighed nothing.

you,” she

love you too. But

“Yeah?”

isn’t over. You

sank, but she shoved it aside. Morning

the edge of the bed and

he said.

breath shallow, as he unbuttoned his shirt one button at a time. The air between them thickened with every second. Her wrists still tingled from where he’d held

came undone with that sharp