Savannah

The night air was cool and sharp, smelling faintly of rain as I slipped away from the suffocating atmosphere of the rehearsal dinner. The laughter and clinking glasses faded, replaced by the hush of the gardens and the heavy throb of my pulse. I leaned against the stone wall of the restaurant, trying to draw in a breath that felt stuck in my lungs.

I heard him before I saw him—the steady, unhurried rhythm of his steps. He knew exactly where to find me.

"Sav." His voice was low, threaded with a dangerous edge. He stepped in close, his warmth bracing against my back. His hand found me, palm firm and steadying. "You're not okay."

The touch felt like a match to dry wood. My skin prickled with heat. "I'm fine," I lied, my voice barely a whisper.

"You're clearly not." He turned me to face him, holding my gaze captive. "Who was that guy?"

"Henry. One of Dean's lackeys." My throat tightened at the memory of the toast.

"I should kill him," he said. It wasn't a casual threat; it was a cold promise.

"No need," I murmured, though my heart spiked. "He’s always been an asshole. I couldn't stand him back in college."

"He humiliated you. Being an asshole isn't an excuse." His jaw flexed, and his eyes dropped to my mouth for a fraction of a second. "Why do you let people walk all over you?"

"Because..." My voice caught. "...it's easier to stay down than to keep getting kicked back there."

Something dark flickered in his eyes. He stepped into my space, close enough that I could feel the rise and fall of his chest. "You're an unusual woman, Savannah."

"And you're one overprotective fake fiancé," I teased, though my body was betraying every word, reacting to his proximity with an ache that was becoming impossible to ignore.

"You're driving me insane," he growled. His hand lingered on my hip, his thumb brushing my waist. The spark shot straight through me. I told myself to walk away, to preserve the friendship, but my fingers were already curling into the fabric of his jacket.

"You should go," I whispered.

He smirked, his breath warm against my ear. "Do you really want me to?"

I didn't answer with words, but the way my lips parted and my knees weakened gave him all the confirmation he needed. His eyes darkened with a mix of want and frustration. "I've been wanting to do this all night," he rasped.

Then his mouth was on mine. It was fierce and possessive, a collision that stole my breath. He pinned my hands above my head against the cold stone, and I arched into him, seeking every ounce of that heat. When he broke the kiss, I almost whined in protest.

"Come with me," he commanded.

He led me through a side door and down a dim corridor smelling of spice and smoke. He didn't stop until we were caged behind a stack of wine crates in a shadowed corner. He braced his hands on either side of my head, his chest brushing mine.

"I want you, Savannah," he said, his voice rough and deep. "The first time was supposed to get these thoughts out of my head. Instead, it ruined me. Now I want every inch of you, every damn day, until your body knows it belongs to me."

My throat ran dry. The deep hunger in his eyes was hypnotic.

"Roman..."

"You have no idea what you've done to me," he said, his hand sliding to my jaw. "I've been replaying every sound you made. I'm not letting that go. I'm not letting you go. Fuck the friendship. I want you."

A defiant part of my brain screamed about the risks, about the mess this would leave behind, but I was looking at him through a haze of need.

"I don't just want to fuck you—I want to keep you," he murmured, his lips twitching into a dark smile. "You're my favorite sin, and I'll commit it again and again until you understand you're mine. You've always been mine, Savannah."

He stepped between my legs, settling in with a sense of absolute right. I stood there, mesmerized by those green eyes.

"I've been starving for you since that night. And until I've had you so many times you can't remember your own name, I won't stop."

I stepped forward, every part of me trembling. "There's nothing stopping you now."