Born to be Bad (International Bad Boys Book 3) by Carol Marinelli Read Free Book Online

some nightmare about his father beating him, instead Milly had been about to slap him.
    Deservedly so?
    She had walked into his suite so willingly, Roman told himself.
    But she left it angry and confused, came the rare sound of his conscience speaking.
    Usually Roman felt little remorse the morning after the night before—he would be living in a state of perpetual guilt otherwise.
    There was a reason though that he chose not to bed virgins. He knew his own powers of seduction, he knew that women had a tendency to get hung up him. By his own admission, he was so far from perfect, but he did not deliberately set out to hurt others.
    He recalled her line about making the rent, his promise to be discreet. Surely, he had warned Milly adequately—he could remember telling her that he wanted straight sex.
    Then Roman winced when he realised he’d used the term making love.
    His phone rang and he saw that it was Isaak.
    “Hey,” Roman answered.
    “Before you start,” Isaak said, “you just have to trust that I’m doing the right thing with Kate and go along with it.”
    “What on earth are you thinking? You’ve never even mentioned this Kate and now suddenly you are engaged to marry. Who is she?”
    “She was working with Ivor,” Isaak said. “Did you notice the ring she was wearing?”
    “Not really.” Roman shrugged because he never noticed such things, but then he leant back on the pillows and tried to deny to himself that he had noticed when Milly wore one.
    “It was given to Ivor by our grandmother, along with other jewels and money.”
    “How?” Roman frowned, it simply wasn’t possible. Danya Zaretsky, their grandmother, had led a hellish existence—their grandfather had regularly beaten her and both brothers knew he had spent time in gaol for attacking women—and they had been dirt poor.
    “I don’t know,” Roman said. “That is what Ivor was trying to find out before he died. I’m going to look into it with Kate.”
    “And you have to marry her to do that?”
    “There’s more to it,” Isaak said, “but I’m not going into it now. Just keep Saturday free two weeks from now and show up for the wedding.”
    “Do I have to get a present?” Roman asked. “It sounds like I should keep the receipt if I do.”
    “Yes, you might as well keep the receipt,” Isaak said and Roman smiled, but not for long, as Isaak pushed on. “Hopefully this wedding will give you a break from the press.”
    “Don’t marry her for my sake. Nothing is going to keep the press away. The coroner’s report gets released next week and they’re going to pounce when they find out that Ava wasn’t pregnant.”
    “Just tell them that she lied to you.”
    “I can’t do that to her,” Roman said.
    “Why do you insist on defending Ava?”
    “I don’t know,” Roman admitted. “She was my wife.”
    “You only married her because she lied and said she was pregnant.”
    “She was my wife,” Roman said again. “And Ava’s not here to defend herself. I don’t want her name being dragged through press and I don’t want her family to suffer further. Be careful when you put that ring on Kate’s finger, Isaak,” Roman warned. “You don’t always get to simply walk away.”
    “I’m always careful.” Isaak said and Roman let out a sigh, he knew his older brother wouldn’t take his advice on this and for now Roman gave in, he actually wanted Isaak’s advice.
    “Last night, I brought a woman back . . . ” Roman said.
    “So, what’s new?”
    Roman let out a breath and very loosely told Isaak what had happened and that he had inadvertently bedded a virgin and, to Roman’s annoyance, Isaak started to laugh.
    “How pissed were you?” Isaak asked. “How could you not know till the morning . . . ”
    “ Zatknis !” Roman told him to shut up. “She works here, I don’t know if should say something . . . ”
    “Then she’ll think you’re serious about her,” Isaak said. “Just leave it,