All Chapters of Dear EX: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Nina’s POVI ran all the way back to my apartment with my lungs burning and my hands shaking so badly I could barely insert my key into the lock.As soon as the door slammed shut behind me, I stripped off my clothes and threw them into the laundry hamper like they were radioactive. I jumped straight into the shower, turning the water up until it was almost scalding hot, scrubbing my skin again and again.What did I do? What on earth did I just do again?I squeezed my eyes shut as memories of last night rushed back into my brain—Roman's dark eyes, his hot breath on my skin, the way he held me, the way I had begged him not to stop. I had betrayed my sister. I had slept with her rich brother-in-law, the man engaged to another woman, the man who had broken my heart three years ago."You are an idiot, Nina," I sobbed silently into the streaming water, pressing my forehead against the damp tiles. "A complete, utter idiot."I had exactly forty-five minutes to pull myself together. Amelia and

Nina’s POV My throat felt completely tight. My mind was screaming at me to lie, to look Roman in the eye and tell him that I hated him, that last night meant nothing. But looking into his dark, intense eyes, the lie got stuck in my throat."I... I can't do this, Roman," I whispered, tears welling up in my eyes. "Please. If you care about me even a little bit, just unlock the door."Roman stared at me, his thumb gently resting against my jawline. "You didn't answer my question, Nina. Say the words. Tell me you don't love me.""It doesn't matter how I feel!" I cried out, my voice breaking as I pulled my face away from his hand. "Amelia loves Damien! Julianna is your fiancé! I won't ruin my sister's family! I won't be the reason everything breaks apart!"A long, heavy silence stretched between us inside the dark SUV. Roman didn't move. He just watched me as a tear finally spilled over my eyelashes and rolled down my cheek.Slowly, Roman pulled his hand back. He reached over and pressed

Nina’s POV Victoria Blake stood in the open doorway, her cold blue eyes cutting through the small room like two sharp knives.My heart stopped beating entirely. I pressed myself flat against the cold wooden wall behind me, wishing the floor would open up and swallow me whole."I asked a question," Victoria repeated, her lethal voice dropping into a deadly, quiet register. "What is the meaning of this?"Julianna’s shoulders shook violently. A single tear slipped down her pale cheek, and her lips parted, ready to let out a hysterical scream.Before she could utter a single word, Roman stepped smoothly in front of us both, placing himself right in his mother’s line of sight."Julianna dropped her champagne glass, Mother," Roman said, his voice so calm and effortless you would think he was talking about the weather. "She spilled it all over her dress right before her foundation presentation and got overwhelmed. Nina was just helping her clean it up."Victoria didn't move an inch. Her sha

Roman’s POV The low, heavy rumble of my sports car’s engine was the only sound in the dark cabin.New York streetlights blurred past the tinted windows in long streaks of gold. Beside me, Julianna sat with her arms crossed tightly over her green dress, her chest heaving as she stared out the window."Are you going to say something, Roman?" Julianna asked, her voice shaking with rage. "Or are you going to keep driving in silence after everything that happened tonight?""We're almost at your building, Julianna," I said flatly, my hands gripping the leather steering wheel."I don't care about my building!" she shrieked, turning her head sharply toward me, tears glistening in her eyes. "I caught you kissing Nina on that balcony! I watched you hold her! And then your mother walked out on stage and announced our engagement in front of two hundred reporters! You owe me an explanation!"I pulled the car over to the curb a block away from her apartment, beneath the shadows of the tall oak tre

Nina’s POV"Do not answer that!" I squeaked, my hand flying out toward the counter.Roman’s eyes lit up with a wicked, mischievous glint. He snatched the buzzing phone off the marble counter before I could grab it, holding it high over his head with a lazy smirk."Why not?" Roman teased softly, his chest gleaming under the kitchen lights. "I could just tell your sister that her little sister is currently hostage in my arms. Save us a lot of secret-keeping, don't you think?""Roman Blake, give me that phone right now!" I gasped, scrambling on top of the kitchen stool to reach his hand. "If Amelia sees you in my kitchen at one in the morning, she will have a heart attack!""Let her," Roman chuckled, stepping backward. "I'm tired of hiding you already, Babe.""Give it—"I lunged forward, throwing my arms around his neck to pull his arm down. We tumbled against the edge of the island, laughing and breathless, our bare skin sliding together. My hand slapped frantically against the screen a