Chapter 6 Ch6 - Let go of her

Luna was a regular at the bar, and she ordered a sweet cocktail for Sofia. Given her hangover from the night before, Sofia only took a small sip.

From the moment they entered until they sat down, curious glances followed them.

Luna sized Sofia up and quickly pulled off her jacket. "Why are you hiding such a great figure?" Before Sofia could stop her, Luna had tossed the jacket aside, leaving only the V-neck camisole underneath.

As expected, it didn't take long for a man to approach them.

Unlike Luna's wild and seductive vibe, it seemed this man preferred Sofia's gentle and unpolished charm, like an uncut gem.

"Hi, how's your night going?" He was handsome but a bit oily, confidently sitting next to Sofia right after speaking.

Sofia wasn't used to rejecting people directly. She gave a polite smile and responded, "I'm enjoying my time with my friends tonight, but it was nice meeting you."

Most people would take the hint and leave, but not this man. "It's just the two of you girls here. I can protect you from other guys eyeing you," he said, still lingering.

Luna, now irritated, pulled Sofia closer to her. "No need. Our dates are arriving soon."

The man, not convinced, smirked. He'd heard that excuse too many times. "Really? You're just making that up, aren't you?"

Luna wasn't one to back down, so she randomly pointed toward the door. "He's right over there."

Everyone followed her finger's direction and saw a man entering with an entourage. He had an air of cold sophistication, with a high-bridged nose and a strong jawline, exuding mystery and danger.

Luna gasped audibly-of all people, she had pointed out Rome, the son of the powerful Beckett family, notoriously known for his icy demeanor. Her confidence instantly wavered, but the man bothering them just scoffed. "Oh, please, someone like that is out of anyone's league."

He leaned closer to Sofia. "How about I buy you a drink?" He grabbed her wrist as she tried to stand.

"Let go of me!" Sofia demanded, but her voice lacked authority, like a kitten baring its claws.

As Luna was about to step in, a strong hand suddenly landed on the man's shoulder, a cold voice cutting through the air. "She told you to let go."

Sofia's heart skipped a beat. It was Rome.

Luna was also frozen in shock as Rome's gaze darkened with anger. The man grimaced in pain from the grip on his shoulder, now realizing it was Rome standing up for Sofia. Stunned, he muttered, "We were just joking around, man."

"Joking?" Rome glanced at Sofia's tear-filled eyes, his face instantly growing more severe.

"Yeah, no harm, right?" the man said, trying to signal to Sofia with a look that promised trouble for her if she didn't back him up.

Rome's voice was icy and deliberate. "You think it's appropriate to joke with my wife?"

The room fell dead silent.

The man's face turned ashen, nearly dropping to his knees. How could she be his wife? He hadn't heard any news of the Beckett being married, but now Rome had said it himself...

Sofia's heart raced.

Luna looked as if she'd been hit on the head with a bat.

One of Rome's companions, Henry, came over and gave the bodyguards a nod. "Make sure to escort our friend here out properly-he seems to enjoy jokes."

The bodyguards, ignoring the man's protests and struggles, hauled him away without a word.

Henry chuckled, "Well, well, the hardhearted man is really married. I thought you were joking. Aren't you going to introduce your wife?"

Rome ignored his friend, his eyes sweeping over Sofia's exposed shoulders. With a single motion, he shrugged off his suit jacket and draped it over her. He then threw a quick, "Another time," to Henry before striding out of the bar.

Sofia was startled by his thoughtful gesture, enveloped in the faint scent of his woodsy cologne. By the time she gathered her thoughts, Rome was already leaving. She quickly turned to Luna, who looked baffled, "Luna, I'm sorry about tonight. I'll explain everything later."

After giving a quick nod to Henry, she hurried after Rome.

When she caught up, he was already in the back seat of the car. The driver, recognizing Sofia, respectfully opened the door for her. She slowly got in, and the driver, sensing the tension, raised the partition between the front and back seats.

The car fell into a heavy silence.

Sofia broke the ice. "Thank you for earlier."

Rome's gaze fell on her empty ring finger, an inexplicable frustration welling up inside him.

Noticing his stare, Sofia looked down, confused.

"Did you lose your ring?" he asked.

"No, I left it at home," Sofia replied, unaware that Rome was displeased by her lack of a wedding band.

"You're a member of the Beckett family. You should be mindful of your image when you're out."

Sofia thought he was referring to the scene with the man earlier. "I don't know that guy at all. I was just out for a drink with my friend."

"If you can't handle your alcohol, you should be more careful."

Sofia was puzzled by how he knew she couldn't hold her liquor. "It's fine, my friend was watching out for me."

Rome remained silent.

Sofia turned to look out the window, but as she moved, the suit jacket slid off her shoulder. She reached to pull it back up, but suddenly her hand was yanked back, bringing her closer to him.

The jacket fell.

Her breath caught in her throat as Rome's deep, unreadable eyes stared into hers, the space between them shrinking. His fingers gently brushed against her cheek, its so soft and warm.

In the confined space, every sensation was heightened, causing her to shiver slightly.

Her lips parted, as if to say something, but no words came out.

Rome's eyes fixated on her juicy red lips, a surge of desire rushing through him.

The tension between them grew thick.

Resisting the urge to kiss her, he instead grazed his rough thumb over her lips, as if his touch could replace the kiss he longed for. The coarse sensation sent a jolt through her body, her heart pounding wildly.

"Rome?" Her soft voice snapped him back to reality.

By then, the car had pulled into the underground garage. His expression darkened briefly before he released her, getting out of the car with swift, determined steps.