just for a bloody contract | Roman Godfrey au

ch. 39 • mine

►▸note: this chapter has some pg-13? content, so if you're not comfortable, you can skip that part

This time, the wedding shut out people who didn't matter. Only Letha, Peter, Daniel. Shelley, and my mom were there. It wasn't fancy, but it was real. Roman looked like a prince. I mean, he sort of was one, but he genuinely looked like royalty. This time at the altar, he was smiling and I was too.

Roman's vows said, "Liana, I know I have been horrible to you when we first met. And I said I'd never care about you. I'm glad that proved out to be wrong. I'm not really good with words, but you're the best thing that happened to me. You helped me in ways I could never have imagined, and I strive to follow your example of kindness. Thank you for all you are. I promise I will be better than I was. And I promise I will be by you. I'll start drinking coffee for you if it means we get to sit down. And I'll try to protect you. And I'll try to not get so mad."

I laughed, teary-eyed, and said mine. "Roman, I am not going to lie, I dreaded getting married to you. But soon, I learned you weren't as bad as the tabloids and town gossip said. You care so much for Letha, for Shelley" I said looking their way. "You are so hardworking, headstrong, ready to fight with whatever was wrong, even if it was someone connected to you. I promise to stay the night every time we go out. I promise to be by you through whatever you go through. I promise I'll try to be more patient and understand you and place myself in your shoes. And no more secrets."

After the normal rituals, we decided to head home. Our home. Instead of an elaborate reception, Comway and Anna (Comway's new significant other and the lady Roman hired to finally help Comway!) made dinner of caesar salad, cordon bleu, and chocolate caramel cheesecake. It was a time of celebration and probably the first time we were all genuinely happy.

"Roman, take care of her," Mama told him.

"I will," he wrapped his arm around me and said.

After dinner, my mother was the first to leave. I insisted she stayed, but she told me she needed to go home to run some errands in the morning and promised she would come to visit. Then left Peter, Letha, and Shelley. Our wedding fell on a Saturday, which made game night for the three of them. Roman had asked what they were going to play, and when Shelley said Trivia, he did a hard pass.

Comway and Anna retreated to their quarters. Roman and I had the whole house to ourselves. For the first time, it stopped feeling like a dark, cold, hollow mansion.

After the guests all left, I went up to my room to take out what I wanted to wear for the night. It was a long day, and I was a little tired. I grabbed my silk pajamas from my room and went to Roman's one. I mean, our new room.

Roman looked at me closing the door. "I was waiting for you to come. Sleepover?" he asked.

"No, just came to use your fancy shower," I teased.

"How about we become permanent roommates? You'll get to use my bathroom a lot more then" Roman suggested with a sly smile. He looked at what was in my hands and said, "They look sexy on you, but you won't need them tonight."

This was one of those times I actually wish I could blush. "Shut up," I said.

"You look beautiful as a bride," he looked at my dress.

"And you look way too handsome for your own good," I laughed. "As pretty as this dress is, I need to be able to actually walk now," I said, going into Roman's spacious, well-lit masterpiece of a bathroom.

I came out in my pajamas and saw Roman focusing on unbuttoning his shirt. He had already taken off his vest. A sense of deja vu rushed over me. He noticed my presence.