The aftermath of the attack led to a complete overhaul of Bella's security, but more importantly, it changed the nature of her relationship with Roman. The power dynamic remained—Bella still loved the discipline, the structure, and the feeling of belonging to him—but it was no longer a game of training a recruit. It was the bond between two people who had faced death together.
A month later, they were back in the penthouse. The lilies were gone, replaced by a few simple, strong plants. The gold leaf seemed less important now.
Bella was standing by the window, looking out at the city. She was wearing one of Roman's oversized black t-shirts and nothing else. She felt the familiar presence behind her before she heard him.
Roman wrapped his arms around her, his large hands splaying across h
