Twenty Three
Dean drove Roman over to his parents' home after work.
Both Hunter and Stephanie were more than happy to have his gentle Samoan boyfriend as their guest.
Realising what a stressful day it must have been, they gave both men their privacy in the dining room, serving tasmanian salmon fillet with herb marinade and some chocolate truffles for something sweet to munch on.
"So what's your next move?" Roman asked.
The auburn haired cop shrugged as he opened his bottle of Acqua Panna. "I haven't figured it out." Which was a lie. Dean knew exactly what he was going to do and that was to lure Zack into a warehouse and finish it off there with him.
There would be no fan fare or theatrics - just two men going for each other till someone died.
That someone wasn't going to be Dean.
"Dean, don't lie to me," Roman stated. "You look quite determined-"
"Roman, it's my job. Let me work on how to catch my lying ex "late" boyfriend, okay?"
"But… you've… I hope you don't have something crazy planned, Dean. I don't want to lose you."
"You won't," he quietly assured him.
They settled down in bed a while later in the scruffy cop's old bedroom. Dean made love to Roman gently, his blue eyes not leaving Roman's brown ones. "I love you, Roman. You know that, right?"
"I love you too," Roman half moaned when Dean hit his prostate. "Always."
This beautiful man beneath him was his and Dean wanted nothing more than to protect him.
Even if it meant sacrificing his life.
Dean was stumbling while holding on to his wound, gasping. He was bleeding profusely at his stomach.
The auburn haired cop finally fell on the ground. Zack stood over him with a gun aimed straight for his head-
Roman woke up with a start.
His brown eyes adjusted to his surroundings in the dark and when he rolled over, he found his boyfriend missing.
Panicking, he sat up, eyes scanning and found Dean staring out his full length window.
He was okay.
He was okay.
His feet lightly on the floor, he spun the auburn haired man into his arms and held him tight.
"Can't sleep?" Dean asked softly.
"I should be asking you that," Roman chuckled and pressed his lips softly against his boyfriend's forehead.
"Roman, if things go awry with Zack and me-"
He didn't like where this was going. "Dean-"
"I need you to move on with your life, you understand me? Find someone who will love and treat you the way you deserve to."
The Samoan chef shook his head. "No. Don't talk like that. It's you that I want."
"Roman-"
"No! I don't want to hear such talk."
"You have to be realistic. I-"
He dropped kisses all over his boyfriend's face. "I'll save you myself if I have to."
Dean laughed. "Because you speared someone, babe?"
"It's not funny. I nearly knocked him out of his Jordans. If Zack wants to hurt you, he's going to have to go through me."
Dean sighed. "Let's go to bed."
"I mean it, Dean. I'm not going to find someone else. It's you that I want."
"Fine. Now can we go to sleep?"
Roman pulled him back to the bed, cuddling close and whispering sweet things in his ear. No. He couldn't lose Dean.
Zack wouldn't get away with this.
Roman would have his revenge for what Zack did to him. Dwayne too.
His boyfriend had pulled him closer and started to grind their bare lengths together. The pastry chef placed barely there kisses on Dean's face, neck and shoulders.
A string of praises and promises left the blue eyed cop's lips.
"You're mine and I'm yours," Roman replied in broken gasps. "Always."
Dean didn't seemed to have anything to protest against that. "I need you, Roman," he begged.
Roman reached for the lubricated condom on the night table and slowly thrust into him. Dean squeezed his eyes shut and moaned. "Again, babe."
It was all the encouragement he needed.
Their world came undone by their lovemaking, slow and tender it was. He couldn't quit Dean; didn't want to either.
He was the best thing to happen to the brown eyed Samoan, hot headed and all.
Dean spilled in between their joined bodies, a soft cry from his lips. Roman couldn't hold back and gave into his own pleasure, vowing to love and protect him always.
He tried to catch his breath. That was their most intense lovemaking to date. He wondered if they could top that.
A light snore interrupted his thoughts. Dean had fallen asleep in his arms.
"I love you. I will defend you with everything I have."
Dean had barely gotten out of his car the next morning when he spotted Zack standing by the stoop of the police station, a smirk on his face.
"Your boyfriend's feisty," the crooked cop commented. "He injured Shane. Now I'm supposed to pay back millions of dollars-"
"I don't give a fuck how much you have to pay," Dean growled. "It's going down, Zack. Me and you."
"Dean, Dean, Dean. Love has clouded your judgement. You know it doesn't work that way."
"Obviously since you lost your balls in your death."
Zack laughed. "You used to love those balls as I recalled-"
Dean squeezed his right testicle which left him crying out loud. Zack pushed his hands away, whimpering. "Yeah still love hearing you cry like the bitch you are."
"You asshole. When I'm done with your boyfriend-"
He never got to finish his sentence, with Dean's hard fist knocking him off balance. "It'll be a pleasure meeting you again, Zack. And this time, you'll really be dead."
Zack glared at him. "Fuck-"
Dean stomped a foot on his chest. "I'll see you in hell soon, bastard." He picked Zack up and tossed his body across the pavement.
Zack's growl quietened down and Dean followed his eyes. Captain Calaway had just arrived for work.
"Uncle… Uncle Mark…" He tried to stand up.
"You're dead to this family, Zack," Captain proclaimed. "Even to your mum and dad. If Dean wants you dead, he'll have our support."
Zack wiped the trickle of blood from the corner of his lip. "We'll see about that," he promised.
Dean smiled at him.
"You let him off," Captain Calaway immediately said when Zack was far away from them.
"I told you what I want," came Dean's insistent reply.
"That's-"
"Suicide. I know. But he went for Roman and I'm not about to let that go."
"Speaking of which, where's Roman?"
"My dad's chauffeur is sending him and picking him from work. Till this whole thing is over. He's not accepting the fact that this may end badly."
"That's only natural, Dean."
The auburn haired cop followed his Captain into the station. When he saw John munching on a jelly donut, he braced himself for the news he was about to deliver.
"John," he greeted as he sat down.
His partner grinned. "How was make up sex?"
"What? How did you-"
"We all know that Roman and you belong together, Dean. Everyone can see that."
Dean leaned against his chair. "John, do you want to go for a drive?"
"Sure."
They bought coffee and more donuts along the way from a drive thru. Dean missed Roman's cream cheese buns. He settled for three pieces glazed sweet potato donut.
"Those look yummy," John remarked. "Can I want to have one later?"
"No problem."
Dean chose an old playground by an abandoned school that had no one in sight. The school had been vacated due to a merger with another middle school not too far away.
The two policemen sat down on a wooden bench facing the swings. They made idle chit chat about work and the future.
"So what's up?" John asked, sipping his drink.
"Well, Roman got betrayed by two people," Dean started. "Into getting sold."
"Who? Wasn't one of them his brother?"
"Yes. The other's…" the auburn haired man swallowed. "The other's Dwayne, John."
John stared at him. His eyes were locked on Dean's, lips parted slightly.
"John?"
His partner shook his head. "No, it can't be. Not Dwayne."
"He was there boasting about it, John. Roman told me this."
"But it makes no sense. Why would he do such a thing?"
"For the money."
"Money? Are you kidding me, Dean? He had enough and with what I bring home-"
"I wish I was. Zack and him were having an affair behind our backs. We've been betrayed, John. "
John suddenly threw his styrofoam cup across the playground. "Fuck!" He started kicking the bench and cursing in broken sentences.
Dean pulled him into his arms and hugged him. "It's okay."
"No, it's not!" John shoved him away. "How could they? The both of them! I loved Dwayne! I loved him, Dean. I wanted to spend my life with him! And he-!"
"I feel like crap myself, John. But we have to focus on bringing both of them down."
"Why, Dean? Why wasn't I enough?"
"I can't answer that."
And he wished at that moment he could. He had always thought that Zack was happy with him but clearly he had another source of comfort.
John let out a strangled cry and Dean put his arm around him. "I'm sorry, John."
He didn't know how long they were in the playground. He rocked John back and forth, letting his friend pour his heart out.
When John had quieted down, he rubbed his eyes. "I'm sorry, Dean. I thought that Dwayne would protect-"
"John, you have nothing to apologise for. Dwayne's going to get his the way Zack will."
"Dean, what are you up to?"
He kept quiet. "Just help me keep a lookout on Roman, okay? He should be moving on with his life. That's all I ask."
"You don't think you'll make it."
"I'm not sure what to expect. I'm just planning ahead."
Roman made sure to bake some cream cheese multi grain bread for Dean at work, knowing how much his boyfriend loved them.
He had told Chris about what had happened to him, submitting the police report as proof. His chef had been concerned, insisting he take time off but Roman chose to work instead.
Dean stopped by for lunch. He had brought some turkey rye sandwiches and juices for them both.
When Roman gave him the cream cheese buns, his face lit up. "Gosh I miss these."
"I figured you would," Roman beamed.
They watched a comedy movie over the auburn haired man's phone with occasional kisses in between.
The Samoan chef realised that Dean and him only had one date. He wished they had more the way other couples had.
"Dean?" Roman suddenly asked when the thought hit him. "Maybe we should go on vacation once this thing is over."
"I have a surprise for you actually. I called Chris on the way here to ask for permission to give you a few days off starting tomorrow and he agreed especially after what happened to you. I'd like to take you out… somewhere nearby just for us to relax. What do you say?"
"Are you serious?"
His boyfriend grinned. "Yes."
"Dean, I'd love that! Where are we going?"
"Somerville. You'll love it. I promise. Just check into their hotel, do some sightseeing and shopping..."
"Okay."
Roman was excited. A chance for them to date and enjoy one another's company. A chance to just unwind after the chaos.
"Maybe I can entice you to go to a spa too," his boyfriend added.
Roman made a face. "Only if you're right there with me."
"I'll be there."
"Then okay. A massage would be nice. What's Somerville like?"
"Its infrastructure is of French influence. They were colonised by the French till early 1900's. Expect lots of shops where people try to converse to you in French."
"That's okay. I speak basic French. I picked it up in school."
Dean looked like he was proud. "Well. I'm already looking forward to our trip."
"Me too."
When he returned back from break, he thanked Chris over and over. "It's okay," his chef assured him. "You need this. So enjoy yourself. Okay?"
"Okay."
He was blessed with amazing colleagues, a great boss… and an incredible boyfriend.
He could barely contain himself the next day when their ferry reached its destination.
Somerville had a certain charm to the place. Roman adored the architecture and the hospitality of its residents.
Dean had booked them a deluxe suite at Somerville Palace, a five star luxury hotel located in the centre of town.
Because of their early arrival, they had a hearty breakfast in bed consisting of tea, freshly pressed orange juice, homemade pastries, bircher muesli with fresh sliced fruits, blueberry yogurt, cheese, smoked salmon and eggs with lobster.
"I'm stuffed," Roman said as he slumped against the pillow. "I don't think I can move."
Dean, who had left the in room dining table in the hall, laughed as he joined Roman in bed. "Fine by me."
Roman pulled him close till he was nestled in the Samoan man's arms. "Thank you for this."
"I'm just glad you'll get a much needed rest."
"Dean? You were really mad at me when you thought I was cheating on you. But you're calm about Zack's infidelity."
"Because I don't love him. And I think it tears him apart that I didn't too."
"But why didn't you?"
"To be honest, Roman, I have no idea. I guess subconsciously I realised he only wanted me to show off. That's all." He claimed Roman's lips tenderly. "But with you, I got it right."
Roman smiled and slowly got up, nudging Dean's thighs. "I feel exactly the same. I love you, Dean Ambrose."
"I love you, Roman Reigns."
A/N Thank you for the favorites, follows and reviews. :-)