Chapter Twelve - Wild Desire

I look up from the couch when the front door opens at eight o'clock. Roman walks in and his emerald eyes lock with mine as he throws his keys and wallet on the table. I smile brightly when I spot the two pizza boxes he carries which causes him to chuckle. He walks over without a word and settles down on the couch beside me.

I swat his hand when he tries to take the remote. "Just binge watch Friends with me instead of putting on the news!"

"I want to see if there are any updates with the recent murder." He huffs before taking a slice of pizza from the box.

"Nothing yet. He should really start moving west if he doesn't want to be caught."

"We have agents there waiting for him if he does." He shrugs in reply.

"We don't know what he looks like though."

"Yes, but we can stop anyone suspicious trying to escape the state or country." He replies before sitting up slightly. "He's been using the pendants more."

"About that...I realized those mean nothing and he's probably trying to confuse us. Like throwing more work at us instead of focusing solely on him which might put us off track." I explain and he hums in agreement. "They found nothing on it, not even a fingerprint. A pendant is supposed to be around his neck and he didn't wear it that way."

"It's nothing more than a symbol of his first heartbreak then?"

"Exactly! You catch on quick Rome and we make a good team you know." I nudge his side with a grin which makes him chuckle. "So...when can I start helping you guys with the investigation again?"

His emerald eyes roam my figure lazily and ignite a delicious heat within me. "You're not healed yet."

"Roman!" I whine with a glare. "Come on! I'm so bored here! Can't I work from the office and help that way?"

"Nope. I think you need to rest a little bit more." He hands me another slice before standing. "Now, I'm off to take a shower and I don't want you convincing me on letting you join us again from outside the door like last time."

"I can sit on the toilet instead." I mutter under my breath before bursting into laughter when he whacks my head lightly with a cushion.

Sighing I straighten my legs back out on the couch again. I know he won't let me back out onto the field again until D.S. is either rotting in jail or six feet under. But I doubt that serial killer will walk inside an FBI monitored operation just to get to me.

I munch on the pizza and manage to finish the entire box as I watch two episodes. By that time, I hear the water turn off which indicates that he's done with his shower. Walking into the kitchen I throw away the box when my eyes land on the telephone. Remembering that someone called earlier looking for him I make my way to the bedroom to let him know before it slips my mind again.

"Rome, I forgot to tell you that someone called – what the fuck happened to you?!" I exclaim when I see his shoulder and side bandaged.

He freezes with his shirt in his hands before sighing, as if he didn't want me knowing. My gaze wanders across his torso to see parts of it littered with tattoos. I almost check to see if I'm drooling because he just became ten times hotter to me. Had I never caught him topless I would have never known that he's inked. He's always worn at least a t-shirt around me.

"It's nothing. D.S. and his men are just shooting at us now."

"Are you crazy?! You call that nothing?!" I snap before biting my lip with worry. "This is too dangerous."

"And that's why I'd rather you stay here...where it's safe." He stresses as I walk up to him.

"Then you should stay here too." I argue back which makes him sigh.

He chuckles before taking a seat on the bed and pulling me close. "Elena, I'm an agent for the FBI. I've been shot many times before. It comes with the job."

"Well...it's a stupid job." I mumble under my breath.

"So is being a journalist." He retorts with a cheeky smile.

"Hey! Without me you wouldn't be able to come home and get updates on murders!" I grin widely as I grab his shirt to help him put it on.

"Well without me you wouldn't be safe out there."

"Touché." I roll my eyes with a playful huff. "I love your tattoos."

"Really?" He murmurs lowly as my fingertips trace the designs. "I'm glad."

He has large wings in the center underneath his collarbone with a rose to the right, praying hands covering his left ribs on the side while an angel covers the other. I also spot a series of roman numerals by his right hip and a hand on the left with a spider dangling from the fingers by a web. He grabs my hands in his warm ones before kissing each fingertip and a delicious heat shoots straight to my core. God, I want him so bad.

I inhale shakily before biting my lip as if that'll stop me from doing something stupid. "Just when I thought you couldn't possibly look any better."

"You think I look good?" He smirks cheekily as he struggles to get his arm through the hole of t-shirt.

"Have you seen yourself?" I deadpan with a roll of my eyes as I help him. "I'm sorry, this is all my fault."

"What?" He frowns and tugs me back to him when I step away.

"He's after me and he wouldn't be if I had just stayed out of it. You wouldn't have been hurt – he's hurting you because of me." I whisper and tears well up in my eyes as heavy guilt blooms across my chest. "I know I'm irrational most of the time and get myself in dangerous situations but...nothing has ever been this bad. I shouldn't have been so stupid and now I've got you all in this mess so –"

"Hush." He presses a finger to my lips as he pulls me down onto his lap. "Yes, you're stupid."

"You have such a way with words, truly. I feel so much better about myself –" My breath hitches loudly when he dips his head down and his lips are inches away from mine. If I tilt my head upwards slightly I could be kissing him.

"I wasn't finished." His lips quirk at the corners as his emerald eyes gaze into mine. "You should've just let it go but we're right on his tail because of you. We're closer to catching him and he's panicking, he's getting clumsy and reckless. Although I hate the fact that you are now involved in a dangerous situation it has helped us greatly."

I smile a little as he wipes away my tears. "You don't blame me?"

"No, nobody does." He chuckles as he presses a firm yet lingering kiss to my forehead. I inhale deeply as his arms tighten around me and find myself hoping that I stay in his embrace a little longer. "As long as you stay here where it's safe everything will be okay."

I sigh in defeat but nod before looking up at him. "Okay, thanks Rome."

He nods slowly before I catch his eyes flicker to my lips. My heart leaps in anticipation and I become still as I watch him. I want him to kiss me so badly. I want to feel him, all of him but does he want the same thing?

My heart races when he pushes further and I want to squeal in delight when his soft lips brush against mine hesitantly. His touch is feather-light but it's enough to send a flurry of wild butterflies to my stomach. He cups my cheek before his lips skim against the corner of my mouth. I wind my arm around his good shoulder and tug at the ends of his hair which makes him groan deeply. His arms wrap around my waist and pull me impossibly closer.

Then the doorbell rings.

I freeze before a frustrated breath escapes me when he pulls away before we can go further. His eyes hold a hint of lust in them as he looks at me before picking up his phone to check the cameras. I get off him and chuckle breathlessly when he curses Mac to the depths of hell.

Following him out of the bedroom I flop back onto the couch as Roman opens the door. I hear him step out for a moment before the door opens again. Looking up I meet Mac's warm brown eyes as he smiles at me. My gaze flickers to the manila folders in Roman's hands but I'm quickly distracted by Mac's question.

"Hey Blondie, feeling any better?"

"Good, I don't have to wear bandages anymore!" I cheer with a fist pump to the air.

"Great to hear!" He grins before sitting beside me and handing me a bag. "Here's some get well soon gifts from me and the team. We miss your crazy ass out on the field."

"Y-You guys got me g-gifts?" I sniffle as my eyes brim with tears again.

"Uh...yeah. We thought it might cheer you up." He frowns at me in confusion while his eyes are wide with caution, as if he doesn't know what to do around a crying woman.

"Don't mind her, Elena's just emotional because she thinks we blame her for D.S. and his men attacking us." Roman mutters from the armchair as he flicks through the files.

"Aw Blondie, don't cry over that!" Mac coos as he pulls me into his arms. "We don't blame you, honest! This stuff happens all the time, right Roman?"

I nod against his chest as I wipe my tears before I notice Roman glaring at Mac...or more specifically his arms wrapped around my body. A smug smirk on Mac's lips as he tightens his hold to cuddle me further against himself. I roll my eyes at their behavior before pulling away.

"Thanks Mac, can you thank the others for me too? And tell them I miss them." I smile as I run a hand through my hair.

"Of course! Now, open up the gifts!"

A wide smile is stuck on my face for the next few minutes as I receive a teddy bear, chocolates, movies and cards. I hug Mac tightly much to Roman's displeasure before sharing some of my chocolate with them. Mac eventually finds the box of pizza that Roman didn't eat and he brings it back to the couch. I pop a movie in when I realize he's going to be here for a while since Roman is asking him questions that are too vague and short for me to understand. I assume the files are to do with D.S. and I've talked about him too much for one night so I lay off.

Me and Mac chatter away during the movie before Roman finishes twenty minutes later and joins us on the couch. I bite back a smile when he drapes an arm over my shoulder and tugs me against his body. Mac eyes us knowingly with a teasing smirk on his lips that makes me blush and avert my eyes back to the TV.

About ten more minutes in I start feeling sleepy and wrap an arm around Roman's waist. He drapes a blanket over me as I cuddle up to him with a yawn. Closing my eyes, I let my head fall onto his chest while loving the feel of his fingertips either running up and down my arm or stroking my hair. It's so soothing that it makes me sleepy within seconds and I'm drifting off to dreamland.

They talk to each other in hushed tones as I fall asleep and I'm unable to make out what they're saying. But I do hear my name in the mix along with "protect," "guards" and "recordings." A slight sense of fear tugs at my heart at the last one before it's soothed away by Roman's touch.

I feel him move and wake up momentarily to see him leading Mac to the door. Sighing I settle back down only to be picked up seconds later. A sleepy hum escapes me as I wrap my arm around his neck. But he stiffens slightly when my fingertips brush against the bare skin of the hollow of his neck before relaxing. He lays me down on the bed before pulling the blanket over me. I hold onto his wrist as he brushes my hair away from my face before kissing my cheek gently.

"Goodnight Elena." He whispers before pecking the corner of my mouth and eliciting a smile.

"Night Rome."

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- R.W. ♡