Chapter 24
Sage
We were walking through a sea of people, and it was like everyone knew Roman.
“Great job.”
“Good to see you back.”
“Can I have your autograph?”
“How about a picture?”
Roman was like a karate rock star.
“Hey, Roman.” We both looked to our right, and all I saw was boobs. Round, perky, perfect boobs about to spill out a white shirt that had the letters SKW scrawled out across it. “I’m Lauren Radcliffe. I’m with SKW.”
“Nice to meet you.” He shook her hand and turned to me. “This is Sage.”
Her gaze traveled over my body, and a smug smile spread across her lips. “Nice to meet you. I wasn’t aware Roman was seeing someone.”
Yeah, I was just someone. I did not like this woman. She was fake from head to toe, and it seemed she couldn’t take her eyes off Roman for more than ten seconds. “Hello,” I murmured when I shook her hand.
“Congratulations on three first-place finishes today. You’re making SKW very proud today.”
Roman blushed. “Um, thanks. I’m just doing what they’re paying me to do.”
“Well, keep up the good work, and I’ll see you in Miami next month.” She faded into the crowd, but not before she looked over her shoulder at Roman, and I had the urge to wring the woman’s neck.
“She seemed…nice.” Not.
“I suppose.”
We continued to move through the crowd toward the doors, and Roman held it open for me.
“Have you met her before?”
Roman looked down at me and shook his head. “No. In Chicago, there was a guy I met.”
“That’s interesting.”
“Not really. SKW has a representative at every tournament.”
Yeah, but did they all look like Princess Fake Tits we had just met? I highly doubted it.
Roman pulled me to his side. “What are you thinking?”
“That I didn’t like the way she looked at you.”
He laughed and threaded his fingers through mine. “You’re worrying about nothing, baby. I didn’t even look at her.”
That had to be a big fat ole lie. How could anyone not look at her? She may be fake, but she was still pretty. “Next time you lie to me, try feeding me beforehand, so I’m more susceptible to believe you.”
“I’ll remember that, but I didn’t lie to you then, and I have no plans on lying to you in the future.”
I rolled my eyes and pointed down the long hallway. “I smell pizza. You go get warmed up, and I’m gonna go feed the baby.” It had been three hours since the last time I had eaten. I was surely wasting away.
Roman pulled us to the wall, pressing me against it, and caging me in with his arms. “Kiss me.”
I pressed a quick peck against his lips.
“Sage, try kissing me like I’m not your brother” he growled.
“All right, all right,” I mumbled.
I wrapped my arms around his neck, and everything around us faded out. The kiss started soft and sweet but ended heated with both of us wanting more.
“Now that is a kiss.”
I ran my fingers down his cheek and smiled. “Go get ready.”
“There’s a seat in the front row saved for you. It’s right next to Marcus’ mom.”
“So, I’m in the mom section?” I laughed.
“Also known as the front row.”
“Fancy.”
“Only the best for you, baby.”
I pulled out of his arms and faded into the crowd that was milling around in front of the doors where the night show was going to be. There were various vendors set up selling weapons and basically anything you would need for karate.
The night show started in forty-five minutes, and Roman needed time to get ready without being distracted by me. I wandered around, looking at all the tables as I made my way down to the delicious smelling food.
“Anything I can help you find, miss?”
I glanced up at the man and smiled. “Just looking for something a four-year-old would like.”
“Boy or girl?”
“Boy. He just started karate, so no crazy weapons,” I laughed.
“I got just the thing you need.” He reached under the table and pulled out a black round pillow that looked like a ninja with a red mask.
Now that was right up Sam’s alley. “I’ll take it.”
I forked over the twenty-five dollars and hooked the handles of the bag around my wrist. “How about a shirt for the little guy? We got a deal going on High Stakes Open shirts. Buy one get one free.”
It was like the guy knew my weakness. “Do I have sucker written on my forehead?” I laughed.
“No, no,” he chuckled. “I just figured you’d want a shirt for you or your husband.”
“Uh, no husband.” But I did have a Roman.
He shrugged and motioned to the shirts. “Well, then you and your son can match.”
A karate shirt wasn’t really up my alley. “I’ll take a kid’s small and a men’s medium.”
The guy smirked and grabbed my money. “See, I knew you had a guy in your life. A pretty girl like you probably has guys knocking your door down.”
“I wouldn’t go that far,” I laughed. “Is there anything else you’re going to pull out of your bag of tricks I’ll want to buy?”
He held up his finger and smiled. “I have one more thing your little guy is going to love. Who knows, you might want to get one for your mister too.”
After ten minutes, I walked away with the pillow, two shirts, two fidget spinners, and a sweatshirt for myself. He tried to talk me into a pair of soft foam nunchucks for Sam, but I figured I would leave the weaponry to Roman.
My phone dinged, and I juggled the bags in my arms to pull it out of my pocket.
You get lost?
I stepped off to the side. I got bamboozled at the SKW table.
LMAO
Just gonna grab a slice of pizza and I’ll be there.
Need any help.
I should be good. I only bought half of what he had.
See you soon.
I shoved my phone into my pocket and got in the short line for pizza. The crowd in the lobby was thinning out with most people taking their seats. Thankfully, Roman had thought ahead to save me a seat.
By the time I made it back to the doors, I had two slices of pizza, two bags, and my wallet was considerably lighter.
Roman’s head peaked out the door, and a goofy smile crossed his lips. “They saw you coming from a mile away,” he laughed. He grabbed the two bags and pressed a kiss to my cheek. “I’m assuming you stocked Sam up on High Stakes Open goodies.”
I sighed and took a bite of pizza. There wasn’t time to talk when I was about to pass out from starvation. “This is so good,” I mumbled. I was adding pizza to the list of my cravings. The list was growing daily. It was safe to say, I just craved food in general. “You haven’t eaten lately. You want me to track down a smoothie or like something super healthy yet tasteless?”
Roman shook his head and chuckled. “I’ll be good ‘til this is over, baby. Pretty sure if I ate anything right now, I’ll puke it up all over the mat.”
“Hmm, that’s a vivid picture.”
The lights flickered, and I shoved half of the pizza into my mouth. Being pregnant just brought the class out in me.
“Come on. I’ll take you to your seat and introduce you to Agnes.”
We made our way to the stage and weaved our way through the people and chairs to the front row. Roman stowed my bags under my chair and pulled me close. “Agnes, this is Sage.”
A petite woman with graying hair smiled at us. “It is so good to meet you. Roman told me so much about you.”
He had? “It’s great to meet you, too.” I licked my lips, making sure I hadn’t been a pig while inhaling my pizza.
Roman pressed a kiss to the side of my head and rested a hand on my stomach. He always seemed to need to touch the baby or me. “You’ll be okay here, right?”
I was in an aisle seat, Agnes seemed super nice, and I had another slice of pizza to eat. I was more than okay. “All good. Go do your ninja stuff.”
Agnes snorted, and Roman shook his head. “Crazy, but mine,” he mumbled.
I plopped down in the chair next to Agnes and sighed.
“These tournaments are exhausting, aren’t they?” she asked.
“This is my first one I’ve ever been to. I didn’t realize how large they were. This whole ninja business is all quite fascinating.”
She laughed and patted my leg. “From what I hear, you’re doing just fine.”
Wait, what? “Um, I’m doing just fine?”
A soft, knowing smile slid across her lips. “You’re dating Roman Yeck, honey. Your name has been on the lips of at least half of the people here tonight.”
That was rather daunting. “And why would that be?” I laughed nervously.
“Because you managed to snag the man no one could touch.”
“I wouldn’t say snag, per say.”
She glanced down at my stomach. “Trust me, honey. You snagged him, and he couldn’t have chosen better.”
I leaned close. “I don’t know what to say to that, Agnes.”
“There ain’t nothing to say, honey. I’m just letting you know.”
I sat back in my seat and took a bite of pizza. That was something I could have gone without knowing. At least it seemed like she approved of me. That was something, right?
Except now it felt like everyone was watching me, while before, I was oblivious.
She patted my leg and smiled. “Don’t worry. I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“Not upset, just very aware now,” I laughed. Very aware.
The lights dimmed, and the crowd quieted. “Here we go,” Agnes sang.
Here we go indeed.
*