Page 93 of Bound By Blood and Lies

I tighten my hold on Fiona slightly before pulling back, forcing a small smile as I nod.

“Okay,” I say quietly.

Roman appears beside us just as I step back from Fiona. I can always feel his presence before I see him. He’s just so solid in a grounding way that I didn’t realise how much I needed until I had it. His hand finds the small of my back.

“Mum,” he nods, bending to press a kiss to her cheek.

“Roman,” she smiles up at him. “Or should I call you Mr Longstaff now you’re the boss?”

“Ugh,” he says, pulling back with a mock shiver. “I’m too young for that. Didn’t you hear? I’m just a child.” He smirks, and his mum flicks her gaze to me, giving a quick wink.

“Oh, I heard,” she chuckles. “I’ll have to speak to the Prime Minister. Having these twenty-something children running around voting and drinking is a disgrace to the country.”

“Hmm, well I better whisk Fae away now before you revoke my driving licence.”

I shake my head, smiling at them both. I love watching Roman with Fiona. There’s a freedom in him when he’s with her. It’s in the way he carries himself and the way he laughs or jokes. He gets this twinkle in his eye every time she is around. Roman smiles down at her as he leans in again, pressing another kiss to her cheek before guiding me toward the car.

“Drive safe,” she calls lightly.

“You too,” we answer at the same time, and we both glance at each other. I narrow my eyes, and he mirrors it instantly before a smirk pulls at his mouth. I shake my head as a soft laugh slips out.

A few more quick goodbyes pass between everyone as they begin to split off. Movement picks up around us, but I barely register any of it. My attention stays fixed on him.

“Get in, Tink,” he murmurs, guiding me gently toward the passenger door before opening it.

I slide into the seat and he leans in, reaching across to fasten my seatbelt. I breathe in the familiar scent of his jasmineand cashmere aftershave as he lingers before pulling back and closing the door. Roman rounds the car and climbs in beside me, before starting the engine and pulling away from the car park leaving the others behind. There’s a stillness to him that I don’t expect, and I feel myself relaxing into the seat. Roman glances at me, something flickers in his eyes before his gaze softens, and he rests his hand on my small bump. I snigger. He made it over an hour without touching it. That’s almost a record at this point.

“What are you chuckling at?” he fake frowns at me.

“You made it an hour without touching the peanut, I’m impressed!” Roman rolls his eyes before rubbing gentle circles on my stomach.

“Worst hour of my fucking life,” he grumbles and I giggle again as he glances at me. “Are you up for a drive?”

My giggle cuts off as I frown. He’s been wound tight for weeks. Every decision has been calculated to the point of pain. We literally had to plan for eight days before I was allowed to go to the hospital for our scan. Any time I leave the house, I half expect Roman and Felix to have a coronary. Between the two of them, my route and timing are mapped down to the second. The thought of something spontaneous, something normal, settles into me and I turn, studying the sharp line of his profile.

“Yes, let’s do it,” I say as a smile breaks across my face and a flicker of excitement pushes through. “Where are we going?”

“It’s a surprise,” he says, looking my way just long enough for me to catch the twinkle in his eyes.

I narrow my eyes at him but don’t push it. Instead, I settle back into my seat as the car moves steadily through the back roads. I’m surprised when I don’t hear the click of the radio. He usually has something playing, but I don’t question it, letting myself sink into the quiet instead. Tipping my head back against the headrest, I close my eyes as the exhaustion of the day catches up with me. The blogs weren’t lying when they said the firsttrimester is tiring. I get a few good hours and then I’m done, running on fumes for the rest of the day.

Still, my thoughts don’t quiet as easily. They circle back to Fiona, to the plan, to everything we’ve set in motion behind his back. My stomach tightens as my hand drifts to rest over his where it stays on my belly. Will he forgive me? I know what this looks like from the outside. I know how it feels to be shut out, to be the last one to know, and when this is over… when he finds out…I don’t know if he’ll see it the way I do.

I must drift off because, when I blink my eyes open, the car is already slowing as we turn into a car park. My head lifts and I turn to him with a grin breaking across my face.

“The beach?” I breathe.

He glances at me, and there’s so much love in his eyes I have to swallow the emotion.

“Our beach,” he confirms, and something in the way he says it makes my chest tighten.

I let out a small squeal as he chuckles, his hand rubbing over my stomach one final time before he pulls it away to change gears. The car rolls into the car park as he brings us to a stop and even though I can’t see it yet, I know just beyond that field the sea stretches out ahead of us.

“Wait here,” he says, shooting me a sharp look.

I give him a two-finger salute. “Yes, sir.”

Roman growls low under his breath and I giggle. “We can go home and do other things if you’d prefer.”