Читать книгу Defiant. Tome 1. Defiant - - Страница 12

It has been a few days since the humbling duel, and the men barely saw Serena at all. She either tortured herself in the training hall, avoiding everyone, or silently spent hours on end with something to read. Whenever they saw her, she tended not to look anyone in their eyes and always seemed deep in thought. No one wanted to bother her too much, so they gave her time to recover – both from the humiliation and her wounds.

This day wasn’t very different from any other, and Serena sat at one of the halls, studying something on the information tablet in her hands.

One of the servants – or, rather, one of the people Lindon’s family and himself took in to have as their personal guards – stepped up to Serena, bowing:

«Lady Thara-Lyss, there is a visitor at the door, asking to see you.»

Serena raised her eyes from the tablet and tilted her head:

«Does this visitor have a name?»

«He said his name is Roman and you would remember him.»

The woman immediately straightened, jumping to her feet and shoving the tablet into the servant’s hands, heading to the door. She felt enraged that Roman Dorn Relas would be looking for her so early on, and even more for the fact he dared to come to Lindon’s estate without an invitation.

Approaching the door and stepping out into the sun-lit square before the estate, Serena saw the man turning to face her and his lips curling up in a mile. Bowing, the man said:

«Lady Thara-Lyss. I am honoured you decided to see me.»

«What do you want, Roman? Another duel?» Serena replied harshly.

«No, my lady. I came to apologise for my behaviour. Our duel, however unfair it was, riled me up and I forgot about manners.» the man pressed his palm to his chest. «I beg your forgiveness for tearing your blouse and unveiling the terrible scars on your back. I shouldn’t have done that.»

Serena crossed her arms and studied the deep-brown, almost black eyes of this man.

«Apology accepted.» she said a few moments later. «Anything else?»

«I would like to extend that apology in form of an invitation to dinner to discuss some business opportunities that can be beneficial to us both.»

«Roman…» Lindon’s voice sounded behind Serena.

The woman glanced over her shoulder to see him standing at the door.

«Lindon Dorn Gray-Linn…» Roman bowed, greeting the man.

Lindon slowly approached and stood by Serena’s side:

«And what business opportunities are those?»

«I have a family business that deals in shipments of medical supplies. Since Lady Serena’s expertise has supplied the Laithorian Empire with a number of medicinal mixtures safe to use within humans of non-Laithorian descent, I wish to discuss with her the possibility of offering those mixtures to the colonies that have opened trade routes with us, denying what’s left of the Terran Company their usual market.» Roman smiled.

Lindon wanted to say something, but Serena raised her hand, stopping him:

«Alright, Roman… I’ll meet with you for… dinner and business.» she said.

Roman’s smile grew wider:

«I am most happy to hear that, Lady Serena.»

«When and where?»

Roman glanced at Lindon, who frowned at this answer:

«If you are free to discuss this now, I’d love to host you at my place, where I’ll be able to show you every piece of information I have on the possible profits…» Roman gestured towards his hover-bike.

Serena glanced at Lindon, then took a deep breath and looked at Roman again:

«Very well… a dinner then…» she stepped forward, but felt Lindon stopping her, when he caught her wrist. «Lindon, its fine. The man apologised for the duel and what he had done. He wants to discuss business, I can hear him out at least.»

«Captain…» Lindon studied her face and found her being calm and collected, as he used to see her before.

«I assure you, I will not do anything to her. I give you my word. I will not touch her, unless she gives me permission to do so.» Roman bowed a bit lower.

Lindon slowly released Serena’s wrist and approached Roman, squinting at him, even though the man was taller:

«If anything happens to my Captain, I will hold you personally responsible.»

«Once we will be done with our discussion, I will accompany her back to your estate safe and sound, Lord Gray-Linn. I give you my word.»

Lindon nodded, accepting the promise, but still turned to Serena, who stood there, watching their exchange.

«Lady Serena, if the need arises, give me a call.» the man said.

Serena nodded and gave him a pat on his chest, walking past to her hover bike that was parked at the side of the square.

Roman bowed again, stepping back from Lindon:

«Have a nice evening, Lord Gray-Linn.»

«Lord Relas.» Lindon nodded in reply.

Serena flew off after Roman, who was showing her the way, and Lindon stood there, worried for the woman – not because he didn’t trust Roman, but because he feared what the meeting could lead to.

As for his Captain – she was simply allowing the unexpected acquaintance to show himself as man of his word. She didn’t think he would actually offer her anything else other than the business proposal he spoke about. Otherwise she would have a very short meeting.

When they approached Roman’s estate – a small, but comfortable building, where the Relas family resided – the man smiled at his guest, descending to the parking square. In a matter of minutes he invited her inside, and once they settled in his private part of the estate, Roman treated her to a fine bottle of wine.

Serena was glad to see him exhibiting good manners and a sense of restraint towards her, although he definitely kept glancing at the woman, as if thinking how her body could look under her clothes.

Roman raised his glass and smiled:

«I must confess I was surprised you’ve accepted my invitation to discuss business…» he said.

«You apologised, like an honourable man, Roman. I value that. I can push past whatever happened between us, if the opportunity and profit are worth it.»

«They are worth it, my lady. I am sure of it.» Roman leaned in and studied her face. «Allow me to ask one thing… when was the last time you relaxed? I apologise for such a blunt observation, but you seem… tense. Am I that intimidating?»

«Not one bit, Roman.» Serena met his gaze with a confident stare. «I’ve been recovering from my injuries so long that I’ve forgotten what it is to relax.»

«I’m sorry to hear that, but…» he took a moment to think. «Perhaps, a mineral bath would be able to soothe your body and allow you to be more at ease during our conversation? My estate is smaller than that of Lindon Dorn Gray-Linn, but I do have mineral baths that help in recovering from all kinds of injuries.»

Serena fell into thought, remembering how Lindon reacted at Roman appearing at his doorstep.

«Are those baths that good?» she asked, not to seem overly rude to be quiet for too long.

«I assure you, they’ve helped me many times.» Roman stood and offered her his hand. «I’d love to know if you feel better while we talk.»

The woman twitched her brow and took his hand, standing up:

«I hope you’re not trying to get on my good side to drag me into your bed, Roman.»

«I gave you my word, Lady Serena. We’ll just talk… unless you’ll wish something else.» he smiled charmingly. «And I will keep my promise about dinner. After we talk in the bath, I’ll please your palate with something worthy of the Crimson Blade.»

«Very well…» Serena allowed him to take charge, leading her away from the dining table and into a private little garden with a beautifully set up mineral bath.

The water bubbled from a little spring that flowed from a stone boulder, and fell into a dark round bath tub, carved from black marble. The tub was surrounded by stone tiles, which gradually ended in a tranquil little forest, created from all kinds of trees, bushes and flowers, planted with such a thought that altogether they made a perfect little safe haven.

«I see, you take your privacy seriously.» Serena couldn’t help poking at the man.

«It’s my little meditation corner. I suppose, it helps me let go of the bustling life outside these walls.» Roman replied, carrying over to the tub a couple of bottles of wine.

After setting the wine and his glass down by the tub, he turned to Serena, who stood there – only a step away – watching him with a strange, thoughtful expression on her face.

«I guess, it does have its charm, Roman…» Serena glanced at the bubbling bath that emanated a pleasant aroma of some salts and minerals, mixed with herbs.

«Lady Serena, allow me one thing today…» Roman said, stepping up to her.

The woman looked up at him, locking eyes with the man, and saw him smiling almost gently.

«And what is that thing?» she asked.

«I’d like to help you undress… And see the scars again.» he admitted. «Not to gloat, but to admire the back of someone, who didn’t think twice shielding our Empress from the explosion.»

Serena tilted her head, studying his handsome face, and slowly nodded. Roman seemed to perk up a little, happy to have been granted such a request on his end, and took her glass, setting it aside. He slowly undid her jacket, stepping around her to stand behind the woman. Pulling down the top layer of her clothing he was gentle, as if afraid his touch could cause her harm. When he did the same with her blouse, Serena heard him gasp very quietly – not in horror, but in admiration.

«My crew said they look horrible.» Serena said calmly.

«They are…» Roman ran the tips of his fingers against the scars. «Fascinating. I can only assume how painful it was getting them.»

Serena grimaced, trying to hold in a scowl:

«Only for a moment or two. My nerves were burnt during the explosion. I passed out quickly.»

«It’s fascinating… because I don’t know anyone, who would survive such an extensive damage to their bodies.» Roman caressed her back, feeling the woman shivering, until a twitch appeared in her muscles below the shoulder-bone.

«If you say so.»

«I can see why you couldn’t fight at full capacity…» Roman stepped around Serena and met her gaze once more. «Why have you accepted my challenge, knowing…»

«I fucked up, Roman.» Serena couldn’t hold in her irritation at herself. «Alright? All my life I was pushed to be stronger than others, and here I am, beaten and weak, trying to recover from these injuries that make me less of a woman than I am supposed to be.»

«They don’t make you less of a woman you are, my lady.» Roman took her hand in his, gently caressing her skin. «They make you greater than most women in all of Velutha and the Laithorian Empire.»

Serena glanced down and slowly freed her palm, stepping towards the basin and pulling down her pants to get into the water.

«Flattery won’t get you a better deal, Roman.» she growled under her breath, slowly entering the warm, pleasant water and sitting down onto the seat that ran around the whole tub.

Once the water touched her scars, she felt the twitching muscles slowly relaxing, and her tension quickly dissipating. Closing her eyes from the extremely pleasurable sensation, the woman heard Roman getting in and taking a seat as well. She then heard him pouring drinks into their glasses.

«That wasn’t flattery, Lady Serena.» Roman said, finally. «I was saying what I really think.»

Serena opened her eyes and looked at him. The man offered her one of the glasses, and as she took it, she couldn’t resist studying his body with an attentive gaze. He was exceptionally muscular – even more than Hunter, and his skin carried a well-thought through ornament of tattoos, which accentuated his every muscle.

«Enjoying the view?» Roman smirked, pleased.

Serena raised her eyes to his face and smirked in return:

«Weighing my options.» she teased the man.

«Are the options in my favour?» the man moved just a bit closer, leaning in with a smile.

«You’ll have to wait and see, Roman.» with a smile, Serena took a sip of the delicious wine he had served her. «So… let’s… discuss business.»