One Night, Endless Secrets

Chapter 4: A Dangerous Game

Their conversation remained a tense silence filled with things left unspoken between them. His face tensed for a moment as he fought the indecision before his face relaxed, and he looked back at her. And then he just breathed out and looked like the exhausted man he was behind all the fine words and the well-groomed exterior.

“Okay then,” he continued, his words full of resolve. “But insure yourself that this can change everything.”

“I’m ready,” Isla answered, her breath became shorter and her hands shaking a wee bit.

Roman stepped near him; he whispered. I am occupied in a family business that is legitimate as well as implicated in the illicit. We do have friends outside the city. To be precise, we have enemies out there too. They are out there to destroy you, to steal whatever is to your life. And if you’re with me, that danger could come to you too.”

Still staring at him, Isla took in everything that he said. “What do you understand regarding ‘family business’?”

He took some time to respond. My family is in the real estate business, the finance business, but I must tell you, some of them are into some ill-gotten wealth. As much as possible, I have tried to steer myself away from those aspects, but it isn’t very simple. The fortunes of your birth cannot be overcome.

Listening to those strange noises, Isla shivered nervously. The glitter which she had seen in Roman was now seen wearing a sort of Behind the glitz and the glamor was something else. But there was something about his tone, an air of responsibility which made her feel pathetic for not being able to help him. “You can’t control what others do,” she would say softly to him. “It means that one can select his or her own course.”

“I might be,” was his response and he sounded somewhat skeptical. However, there seems to be a tendency to make me feel that being around me makes one vulnerable.

Isla looked straight at the chancellor, her eyes reflecting her determination. “Well then, let me decide if I want to take that risk. I have no fear of danger, Roman you must know that fact by now. I have only ever existed in the realm of the unknown. I know how to survive.”

He relaxed and there was genuine affection in his eyes. In group work, he begins to assert, “You are so strong, Isla.” It’s one of the things that made me come here to you.”

They went back to the usual chit-chat, but none could lighten the mood because the words that Roman let out changed them. They tell each other dreams and nightmares for hours, becoming tethered with each story they hear.

The longer the evening went on, the stronger Isla felt the need to close the space between her and Ethan. It was getting thick, an understanding that had been made but had not quite been put into action.

Finally, he could hold himself no longer, and grabbing the cup of coffee, his hand came near the belt of the girl. The simple touch made him feel a little current running through her body. “Isla,” he whispered, and holding her stare, “this is not a frivolous thing for me.” You’re special to me.”

Isla could barely breathe when he touched her hand, merely using his thumb. “I feel the same way,” she whispered the last words she had thought in her head, her heartbeat throbbing. They stared at each other for a moment, their breaths heaving expectant and heavy.

At that point, the real world seemed to disappear. Isla unconsciously moved closer to him, desire seeping in through her veins and she stopped just short of kissing him. Even though they stopped dancing she could sense the temperature of his body, smell the silk of his skin, and count his beats as they became one with each other. “Roman…” she whispered, and their eyes met with a heavy sound of her pulse in her ears.

And not saying a word, Roman leaned closer, taking her lips with his in a passionate kiss. Nothing existed for them except that flame burning between them, the sheer s****l heat that overwhelmed them with each charged breath.

When they disentangled themselves, the full return of the real struck them with full force. Isla’s heart beat fast, understanding that they were standing before the crossroads that would define their future. The night that started off as simply a date had become a shared moment of attraction and passion that had become a dangerous game between two lovers.