Chapter 12 – I Got You

Kira had a permanent smile screwed onto her face as she was cleaning up the back of the bar at the restaurant. Matt smirked. He knew from talking with Roman that they had been spending a lot of extra time together and he'd finally kissed her to give her the not so subtle hint that he liked her more than he was really willing to admit. Matt had never seen his baby brother in this like; even when he was with Marie he never looked truly happy. He smiled but it wasn't a genuine smile. But it couldn't beat the smile on Kira's face right now.

"So any particular reason you've had the same smile on your face for hours? I mean you're cheeks have got to be hurting." Matt stated honestly.

Kira looked to the right and saw Matt standing next to her. She laid her head on his arm and laughed. "I know you know. I'm not stupid. You're Roman's go to listener when he needs to talk. Just like Sydney, Elsa and Melissa are mine."

"What did I do now?" Sydney asked when she heard her name being mentioned.

Kira laughed. "Nothing sweets; I was just telling Mattie that you and the girls are my go to listeners like he is for Roman."

Sydney smiled. "What are you seeing your hunky Samoan again?" She asked as Matt rolled his eyes.

"Some conversations just shouldn't be heard from you guys." Matt grumbled as he walked away.

Kira laughed. "Tomorrow. It's been a week since we first kissed – well since he first kissed me."

"Yea I know and then you fell asleep in his arms. Just let me know when you guys start rocking the boat. Because I'm very curious how that man is in bed. Hell I'm curious how all three of those stable mates are in bed. Though I'm sure they can't hold a candle to my punkers. That man is multiple orgasm city." Sydney admitted.

"That good huh?" Kira asked curiously.

"My thighs start shaking and my knees go weak and it feels like this white hot light is bursting through my limbs and out the ends of my fingers and toes and that's only from him licking the kitty. Can you imagine what happens when we are finally doing it?" Sydney stated nonchalantly.

Matt groaned from behind the grill in the back. "Seriously, you two; no more sexual discussions."

The girls laughed as they restocked the ice behind the bar and continued to clean. "So did you tell your brother's or cousins yet?" Kira asked quietly.

Sydney shook her head. "No, but Jimmy and Jey are going to be home and Phil is coming here tomorrow and were going to take the Amtrak down to Tampa and talk with them. I can't keep it from them anymore. I fell in love with my little tattooed straight edged hottie and it's been going on for months. I'm just going to have to bite the bullet; besides Phil asked me to marry him."

"I thought you always said you didn't want to get married?" Kira asked honestly.

Sydney shook her head. "I don't – or didn't that is. I thought about it so much that if I was going to ever get married…it would be Phil I'd take a chance on. Every guy in my past has been a dick to me. If they didn't try to get rough with me enough for Jimmy and Jey to kick their asses then they would cheat on me. Phil is just different. He's different about everything. He's gentle, he's rough, he's sweet, he's everything I want and need in my life. I thought it was just a fuck buddy game when we first started whatever it is that we do two years ago. Apparently, I was wrong – when he showed up at my apartment last Tuesday with a three stoned diamond ring and my name tattooed along the top of his left collar bone."

Kira smiled softly. "So diamonds and fresh ink do it for you huh?"

Sydney chuckled. "It's a start; though it does help that he has a body that won't quite. I have traced every tattoo with my tongue including his newest edition on that left collar bone and of course those hip dents lead to the promise land 24/7."

"Well the diamonds and ink will give you all the motivation you need to tell Jimmy and Jey." Kira stated honestly as she was pulled from her conversation as she felt her cell phone buzz in her back pocket. She pulled it from her jeans and hit the unlock button for the screen.

Roman: Hey I'm getting home early tonight about 10. Feel like coming over and joining me for pizza and beer?

Kira: Absolutely! It will give me time to go home and freshen up a bit; order the pizza and I'll stop and get the beer.

Kira hit the send button; the smile reappearing on her face again as she continued working.

Kira still couldn't keep the smile off her face when she got to her apartment and showered. Once she dressed and got her waist length hair under control and tangle free. She took off to Roman's but stopped and grabbed him a six pack of beer and grabbed a four pack of Mike's Hard Lemonade – Black Cherry flavor for herself. She wasn't much of a beer drinker.

Kira was glad she got both beverages in the cooler section that way they didn't have to be refrigerated. She knocked on the door again and could hear Roman grumbling in the house. She couldn't help laughing as he pulled the back door open and growled at her.

"Again with the knocking woman; you've got a key and a pass code woman - use it." Roman chuckled as he grabbed her hand and pulled her into the house; closing and locking the door behind her.

Kira placed the bag on the counter with the drinks before she turned around and her eyes widened. "Oh my God, Roman what happened to your eye?" His left eye was swollen and bruised.

Roman watched as she frowned and leaned down slightly as she reached out and inspect it. He gripped her hips as he lifted and placed her on the counter of the kitchen island and let her do as she pleased to him. "So the TLC Pay Pre-View on Sunday was a little more brutal than I thought it would be. Actually I just projected myself to hard and sent my body sailing over the announcers table and my eye into a chair's armrest."

Kira's hands came up as her thumbs gently traced the angry bruise around his left eye. "It looks so bad. Tell me you had it checked out?" She questioned.

Roman smiled as he nodded. "Of course; the WWE has some of the best Medical people on staff for us. Whatever they can't provide for us we get shipped to a local ER for anything else not covered." He could see the frown on her beautiful face and didn't like it, but he did however like that she was THAT concerned for him.

Kira was very careful about touching his eye. She stared into his grey orbs as felt them warm her from the inside of her core out. She bit her bottom lip slightly before she leaned forward and carefully kissed the skin under his eye before slowly moving her lips around the shape of his entire eye even softly kissing along his eyebrow.

Roman's eyes were closed as his hands gripped her hips tightly; he couldn't help enjoying the sweet torture of feeling her soft lips as they brushed against the circumference of his left eye. Sweet torture that he truly hoped would never end. Her scent of Sunflowers perfume was making his body heady. His tongue came out and wet his top lip before he rolled both of his lips together; never moving an inch from where Kira wanted him. Her hands were cupping his jaw holding him in place. Her soft fingertips holding him still as her thumbs softly rubbing against his jaw line and against the scruff of his slowly growing five o'clock shadow.

All good things must come to an end and Roman growled softly as the doorbell rang; obviously signaling the pizza was there. Kira couldn't help giggling softly at Roman's growl of protest at the terrible timing the pizza delivery guy had. "It's okay big man; there's plenty more where that came from I promise."

Roman nodded before he leaned down and brushed his lips chastely against hers as he stepped back a little and lifted her from the counter and placed her on her feet in front of him. "I'll go ring his neck." He chuckled when Kira swatted his arm. "I mean get the pizza." He walked away to the front door; which was just off the living room.

Kira laughed as she watched Roman walk away. She grabbed two bottles a piece for them and put the rest of the beer and Mike's in the fridge to keep it cold. She grabbed some napkins and a couple of paper plates and walked into the living room and could see he already had a movie loaded and paused waiting to start it with her. Kira sat down and watched as Roman brought the pizza over and tossed it onto the coffee table before opening it.

"Ladies first…" He stated as he took the plate she handed him before sitting down and opening one of his beers. She always read his mind; bottled Stella beer chilled and two with pizza. He watched as she put three pieces of pizza on her plate before she sunk back into the fullness of the couch and started eating the pepperoni off of it first. They'd had pizza enough for him to know it was either pepperoni or Canadian bacon for her. He loaded his plate and then placed it on the table as he lifted both her feet into his lap and then removed her sneakers and socks before placing her shoes next to the couch.

Kira smiled softly as he caressed the top of her foot gently; he'd already learned once not to touch the sides or bottoms because they were super sensitive and extremely ticklish. "Thank you." She watched as he winked at her.

Before grabbing his plate; Roman her bottle of Mike's which was her drink of choice since she couldn't stand the taste of beer and twisted the top off of it and handed it back to her. He stifled a groan when she placed it between her jean covered thighs and continued picking the pepperoni off her plated pizza. He sat back and started to movie as he started eating as well.

Once the movie was over Roman and Kira cleaned up their mess and had gone back to the couch. It was deemed a 'safe' zone. They sat talking for a while before Roman couldn't help himself and pulled her over to him and caught her lips in a passionate kiss. Her hands cupping his jaw again as he slowly pulled her to straddle his lap and his hands gripped her thighs.

Roman's tongue traced her bottom lip and then her top lip as she sighed into the feeling it opened her lips slightly and he took that as an invitation as his tongue slipped past her lips and into her mouth as his tongue caressed hers. He swallowed a moan from her as his fingers tightened around her hips once more. He could literally sit here all night and kiss her. His hands slowly slid up until they breached the hem of her t-shirt. He was dying to feel her skin. Honestly, he wasn't trying to get in her pants because he knew it was WAY too soon for that.

The second Kira felt Roman's fingertips brushed against the skin of her torso under her t-shirt she pulled away and then suddenly backed away from him almost to the other end of the couch as she felt tears fill her eyes and she wiped her mouth with her hand; as if she was getting rid of any evidence that she'd kissed him.

Roman felt the instant change in the atmosphere. "Where did you go Kira?" Roman asked in a soft but deep voice.

Kira blinked a couple of times before her tear filled violet eyes met Roman's concerned laced grey eyes. "I need to tell you – I mean I'm ready to talk to you, because you deserve to know what kind of fuck up you're getting yourself into before we go any further with this or us."

Roman leaned over and grabbed a napkin off the coffee table before he moved over to the middle of the couch and reached the rest of the way to her as he dabbed her eyes gently letting the silent tears that were streaming down her cheeks and continuously re-filling and falling from her eyes; absorb into the napkin. "Just take a couple of deep breathes for me sweetheart. I'm not going anywhere and I'm certainly not judging you. I'll listen to whatever it is you need to say."

Kira nodded slowly. "I've uh – I've been running my whole life. I used to run away when my parents would fight because I didn't want to hear the screaming. They were toxic together. If I ran it was always to protect myself. My parents divorced when I was 10 and my mother immediately got remarried to a man named Tom Ballard. The entire situation became physically abusive very quickly. My mother learned as long as she kept her mouth shut Tom took his frustrations out on me. From the age of 10 to 17 I had 213 hospital and doctor's visits for broken bones, sprains, separations black eyes and concussions. The last time he attacked me we had gotten into a fight he told me not to talk to my father that way and I told him he wasn't my father. He twisted my left hand up between my shoulder blades and broke my wrist. It was the last time I ever saw either of them."

Roman frowned as he reached over and took her left hand into his before letting his soft fingertips glide over the skin of her wrist; pulling her left hand to his mouth he placed soft kisses around her left wrist. "Continue…" He encouraged. He didn't want to say much for fear she would stop and he honestly didn't want her to have to go through the daunting task if trying to explain the whole thing in spurts. He wanted her to get it all out right now tonight so he could hopefully help her move on from whatever it was she was running from.

"Jackson James was a different story. I met him when I had barely turned 20. He had been on the Sherriff's department for three years when I met him and he was working his way into becoming a detective. The first three years was actually pretty great. He made detective and suddenly he was slated to go undercover to catch some drug transportation ring in Seattle. Before he left he asked me to marry him and I couldn't say no. I was so in love with him. I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. He was undercover for 3 months; no contact, no phones calls, no coming home at the end of his shift at night."

Kira let out a shaky breath. "The only way I knew he was still alive was his partner Mike. He would call and give me updates when he could. The night he came home after the bust I had never been so happy to see him…but he was different. He wasn't the same man I fell in love with. Apparently to get close to the head of the drug transportation there were certain things he had to do and 9 times out of 10 he had to sample the product that was being moved. Cocaine and Angel Dust was right there at his fingertips and apparently he gotten himself addicted to both. Don't get me wrong when Jack was sober he was all about us; when he was high he was all about him and how he could dominate me in the bedroom."

"Dominate you?" Roman asked as he narrowed his eyes. He hadn't meant to stop her in mid-thought but he had to ask.

Kira nodded. "Yea, suddenly we weren't making love anymore – when he was high it turned into a BDSM and it was very painful to have to endure for two years. Jagged metal nipple clips, ropes so tight if you move even a little you get burned, hand cuffs cutting into the flesh. After one of his dominating sessions I usually passed out to the point of not moving for 12 solid hours. I heard nothing I saw nothing. I was physically exhausted and drained and literally couldn't even move. One morning after a particularly exhausting session I could smell something burning and I felt like my sides were on FIRE. I tried to move and the pain increased."

Kira swallowed hard as she pulled her fingers through her hair. "You see the night before we'd been out with friends but I could tell he was coming down and needed a fix. I didn't know it at the time but he had taken to stealing evidence from the Sherriff department's evidence locker. On the way home he stopped at the department and we walked inside and in front of me he got into the locker and stole more evidence. He got so unbelievably high that night. That we were going at it for 6 hours; I mean I can do a marathon of love making but he was pissed off because he was so high he couldn't cum. So he took it out on me. When I woke up the next day with the burning pain in my side; he branded me – literally." She could feel the tears still sliding down her cheeks.

"What do you mean he branded you?" Roman asked. He could tell it wasn't good. It was not good at all. Roman watched as she stood and moved to stand in front of him she turned to the side and slowly lifted her t-shirt and suddenly Roman felt very sick to his stomach. He moved to sit on the edge of the couch as kept Kira standing between his legs. When she said he branded her – she really WASN'T kidding; she had been branded with a branding iron and it looked like it was his own personal stamp; Property of Jackson James. He could understand now why he hadn't seen her without her shirt on at the pool party.

Kira could feel her body shaking as she was attempting to hold her breath. "I've uh – I've been try to save money to get them removed. Apparently removing an actual brand from your skin is harder to remove than a tattoo. It was p-pretty much the last s-straw. His partner Mike hooked me up with someone who could change my name legally and get me a legal Social Security number and then Mike called Dain because apparently Mike we to college with him and Mattie. Next thing I know I'm driving from Seattle Washington to Pensacola, Florida. The DEA is doing the investigation and once they arrest Jack I have to go back and testify against him."

"Them?" He caught it when she said it. He should've known when she meant when she said it, but he watched as she turned around and she's not only been branded on her right side but her left as well. Both brands were asymmetrical and on the skin between her ribs and hips. Roman's soft fingertips touched the scorched skin; he didn't miss her whole body flinching at his touch.

Kira watched as Roman reached over to the table and turned the TV off with the remote before he leaned over and lifted her into his arms. She wasn't expecting it but wrapped her arms around his neck. "What are we doing?"

"Doesn't matter you're coming along for the ride." Roman smiled softly as he brushed his lips across hers as he walked upstairs and placed her on his bed. He walked over and shut the door before turning off the lights; the moonlight was filtering through the windows and was the only source of light in the big room. Once he was back over and lying in bed with her wrapped in his arms. He could still feel her trembling slightly. He looked down with her facing him; they could see each other with the moonlight in the room. "We'll get them removed Kira."

Kira's eyes widened. "What?" She knew what she heard him say; but she had to ask. "Roman I didn't tell you all of them just to…" She trailed off when Roman shook his head.

"I know you didn't, but I'm telling you right now; well get them removed. I don't care what it costs or where we have to go to get them taken off your skin." Roman stated honestly and in a firm voice which left no room for argument. He could see the tears gathering in her eyes again.

"Has anyone ever told you; you're the sweetest man on the planet?" Kira asked as she buried her face in his t-shirt covered chest.

Roman chuckled as he softly kissed the top of his head. "I'm not and I certainly never expected to hear those words come from your mouth. But I'm definitely working on it sweetheart. For now I want you to relax and let yourself go, but I got you. I'm not letting go and no one is ever going to hurt you again." Roman stated with all the honesty shining in his eyes as he looked down and those violet eyes pulled him in again.

Kira felt Roman's arms tighten around her. His declaration of protection wrapped her in a cocoon as she inhaled his scent and let herself fall into the first peaceful sleep she'd hand in weeks.

Roman watched Kira sleep for a couple of hours before he let the slumber take him under as well.