“Never thought I’d become a statistic,” he muttered, pounding his fists on the picnic table where he sat. He needed to stop pouting and get to work. It was his decision, one of the hardest ones he’d made in his life, to tell his version of forever goodbye, but Club Valentine was his baby and needed to be taken care of right then.
He called Marco on the way to the club, telling him in no uncertain terms was Alexandra allowed in the building, regardless of what Quinn said. This was his club, and it was a dick move, but he needed to give himself some time and space to get over her. If he saw her, in the place it all started, his resolve to stay away from her would break down. They needed distance for her to see his decision was best. Marco made disgruntled noises before his agreement, but he’d told Quinn, and Quinn’s ass would be in his office demanding what happened.
“Right on cue.” He rolled his eyes when Quinn stormed into his office later on, trying to save the day. All he was missing was a cape.
“Why did you ban Alexandra?” Quinn demanded without preamble.
“We broke up.” He figured honesty was the best policy, and the quickest way to get Quinn off his back.
“What the hell? Why did you guys break up?”
Roman rubbed his head in his hands to stem the headache he felt coming. He searched for the Ibuprofen, dry-swallowing two before answering. “We decided it was best if we parted ways for the time being.”
“You mean you decided,” Quinn corrected. He put his hands shoulder width apart on Roman’s desk, getting in his face so Roman would look him in the eye. “I saw the news. Hell, we all saw the news, but there’s no way that girl broke up with you. She looked lost today, and you don’t throw off your life raft when you’re drowning. The love she felt for you was written all over her face, especially when you told them to fuck off. Don’t feed me bullshit and try to tell me Alexandra broke up with you.”
Roman’s head was pounding despite the pills he’d taken. Suffer in silence.
“There’s no way she should have to sacrifice her job to be with me, but she would, Quinn. She would give me the world if I asked, and I couldn’t. I love this girl, and her sacrifice is so damn noble it makes me equal measures proud and ashamed. She would give it up for me, and I can’t let her do that. She’s worked too hard to get where she is to throw it away on a fling.”
Quinn shook his head, looking at Roman like he’d told him the sky was shooting purple stars. “You think what you guys had was a fling? Because I’m sure she’d see it differently. Hell, I see it differently. We both know I was skeptical because of the history you didn’t divulge to her, and you’ve never entered any relationship like this. All I thought was she had to be a sorcerer to bewitch my brother to break his own cardinal rule. But then I met her, and she is gregarious, tenacious, and a perfect fit for you. I didn’t worry, even when you told her about our birth mom, figured you’d recognized something I hadn’t since she wasn’t my person. You don’t throw away your person, regardless of the circumstances.”
“Like you didn’t?” Roman sneered, the low blow a sucker punch to the brother who was only trying to help.
“Different circumstances, asshole, because my person slept with someone else. Did I fight for her? Yes, because you don’t throw something like what we had away. I wasn’t good enough for her, and she chose the douchebag she cheated on me with. Which further proves you’re an idiot, because you’re throwing away the one woman who was made for you.”
“I’m not throwing her away. I’m setting her aside for her own benefit, so she can get the partnership she wanted and keep her job.”
“Rejection is rejection, regardless of the circumstances or delivery. You rejected her, and don’t try and bullshit me with this ‘I’m setting her aside’ nonsense. You’re so damn noble, willing to sacrifice yourself for someone else’s happiness, even if it’s not what they may want.” Quinn was right; Roman protected what was his, and that extended to Alexandra. It was ingrained in him, as natural as breathing. If his presence would hurt her he would remove himself from her life. This was best, at least until the situation calmed down.
Roman was a “get it done” kind of guy, but he didn’t act without thinking. “What do you mean?”
“I mean Trina, our birth mother. You think anyone in this family is fooled by the fact you own a sex club? Don’t get me wrong, the money’s great, and I enjoy where I work, but you’ve never been obsessed with sex. You’re the kind of guy who would try a sex club, but you created this club as a kind of preconceived penance for all the people who wronged her when you weren’t there to protect her. Including Alexandra’s dad. Do you think Trina would care? She never did when we were younger. You love this club, but it wasn’t your passion. I’m not saying it’s wrong, because this is the perfect place for you. I’m just saying everybody’s problems don’t have to fall on you.”
“You don’t understand,” he defended even as the sliver of doubt crept in. “Alexandra didn’t want to be in a relationship with me. She was hesitant, and I should have let her go then. But I couldn’t. I pursued her, went after her, and made her mine. The minute she came in here, she was mine. And now she’s where she doesn’t want to be, having to defend her relationship with me to everyone in her life.”
“Look, I’m not saying it’s not hard, or there won’t be bumps in the road, but she wants to be with you. Alexandra Kane is not one who allows people to boss her around, including your dumb ass. You might want to think about that the next time you make rash decisions and kick someone to the curb so you can be a white knight. Get off your high horse and go get your girl!” he shouted over his shoulder before he slammed the door.
***
Roman walked into the courtroom the next week, pretending his girl wasn’t sitting at the defense table waiting for him. She looked impeccable, her hair tied up, black suit and red heels exuding power. She turned her head when she heard his approach, and her normally bright brown eyes looked listless. Pinching her lips, she turned her eyes back to the paperwork laid out in front of her.
And there we have it, he thought, sitting beside her. “How are you?” he asked when the silence threatened to smother him.
“Let’s think.” She chuckled. “I had my personal life splashed all over the papers, so the guy I was seeing decided to break up with me, making me look like a fool to the nation. I have to go into work today for what may be the last time, and I have to defend said guy because I can’t get out of this hearing since I’m invested in its outcome. Other than all those circumstances, I’m amazing. Do you want to continue with small talk or sit there silently until the judge gets here?”
“Alexandra,” he began, wanting to tell her something, anything, to wipe the pain from her eyes. This was his fault, but he couldn’t think of any other way to fix it.
“Save it. I don’t want to hear any bullshit you’re about to spew about how you did what was best for me, as though I’m some child who doesn’t know her own mind. You were right all along; you’re bad news, but I just barreled through like some idiot who saw the dead-end street signs and believed they could forge a new path. Let’s not pretend like you care now, when you handled me so carelessly the other day.”
The judge interrupted any response Roman had planned with his entrance. Roman’s whole life boiled down to the next fifteen minutes. The judge went through his whole process, the cases that had set a precedent that determined his decision. Roman sat on pins and needles, the wait like serving up salad to a starving man who wanted steak.
Finally, Roman thought when the judge pronounced his reasoning. “When the members of Club Valentine sign their agreement, they do so in good faith their information will be protected. In order to have access to that information, there needs to be a legitimate reason. You are asking me to violate the privacy of every member of the club, some who may have never met your wife. None of them have a stake in your divorce proceedings, and I’m inclined to believe Miss Kane when she said this is nothing more than a fishing expedition. This court is not available for your disposal to do what you want, Mr. Arrow.