Free Roman: Book 1 by Kimber S. Dawn Page A

former occupation.  Count yourself among the fortunate, Heather because for the first time ever, I find myself conflicted. You have piqued my interest and I can’t determine if it’s you, your pureness, or some other thing I have yet to identify. I want to keep you, my little mouse. You possess something the other women lacked; however I have concerns I may find myself swept away in the moment and in the end you’ll meet the same fate as the others “
    I attempt to gain information, treading very carefully as I am acutely aware of Roman’s volatility, “The others,” I hesitate, “What happened to them, was it their fault for not keeping your attention, or was their fate caused by your decision to end it?”
    He shoots to his feet as he grabs his plate hurtling it directly towards my head. I jerk just enough to the right sending it to shatter against the wall behind me.
    His voice thunders, “The “twelve” DO NOT concern you, goddamn it!” He stalks over to where I remain trembling on the table and towers over me, putting his face close enough to growl the words into my ear, “Ask about them one more time Heather!  One more fucking time and this…this little experiment ends. Is that what you want? Do you want your life to end by my hands, under my control and at your fault?”
    I adamantly shake my head and whimper, “No.”
    “Then don’t fuck up.” The calmness in his voice is more intimidating than his shouting.
    Without speaking another word he spins towards the door with an air of royalty and strides from the room still completely undressed and smeared in blood.

    Roman Payne keeps me secluded in my gilded cage refusing my pleas to feel the sun on my face or breathe in fresh air for months.
    At least by what I’m able to discern from counting how many times the sun rises and sets.
    After he left me alone in the dining hall I remained unable to move. Even my eyes stayed on the doorway Roman walked out of until Dolores came in and helped me from the table to the steaming bath I assume she made before coming to get me. I’m not sure how I’ve remained alive as long as I have given the number of times my smart mouth and attitude has resulted in the punishment Roman promised. I do know the only reason my sanity remains is because of one reason and one reason alone…The twenty minute weekly phone call Roman allows me with my brothers.
    The initial phone conversation answered the questions I’d been afraid to ask Roman. They were not frantic at my disappearance, Roman had seen to that and my heart constricts when I hear all three of my brothers voices telling me excitedly how happy they were of me for taking a leave of absence and finally getting away from all the negative that had been eating away at me since our father’s death. It is impossible to hold back the tears as I pretend I’m learning of our uncles disappearance for the first time. The oldest two gave up hope of ever finding him after two weeks, but not Bobby, he remains adamant that Jay is alive and will be found soon. My weekly phone call with them, hearing their voices, becomes like food to a starving man. I listen voraciously as they regale me with the details of their lives. Some weeks the conversations feel like physical blows to my chest when I realize how much of my brothers lives I’m missing out on as they tell me about the lives they continue living outside my prison.  Two of them found love and Cody had finally asked his girlfriend of three years, Jennifer to marry him. It’s bitter sweet when I hear my oldest brother is starting a family of his own. During every conversation I sit under Roman’s glare from his seat on the high winged back chair in front of me where he sits unmoving without speaking a word.
    With each call my irritation grows and my usual calmness and obedience dwindles as I begin to become irrationally furious at the circumstances I’ve allowed myself to become accustomed to leading me to become