CHAPTER 3 — Blood and Memory
The first gunshot sent the ballroom into madness.
Women screamed.
Crystal shattered.
Tables overturned as wealthy guests dove for cover, designer gowns dragging through broken glass and spilled wine. The violinist dropped his instrument and crawled behind the piano. A senator threw himself under a table. Someone near the back shouted for security.
Roman did not flinch.
He moved before the second shot came.
“DOWN!”
His voice cut through chaos like a blade.
Savannah barely had time to inhale before Roman grabbed her waist and forced her to the marble floor behind an overturned dining table.
A bullet tore through the air where her head had been half a second earlier.
The sound exploded in her ears.
She gasped.
Roman’s body covered hers instantly.
Heavy.
Warm.
Protective.
He shielded her with his full weight as more gunfire erupted.
His guards responded immediately.
Silenced pistols became thunder in the enclosed dining hall.
Two attackers dressed as catering staff dropped near the kitchen doors.
A third emerged from behind the bar.
Headshot.
Down.
But Roman’s face remained grim.
Too grim.
Savannah felt it.
This wasn’t over.
She grabbed his sleeve.
“How many?”
Roman listened.
Counting.
Always counting.
His eyes sharpened.
“More.”
Then the emergency lights died.
Darkness swallowed the restaurant.
Someone screamed again.
Phones lit the room in scattered white beams.
Then—
Red emergency backup lights flooded the hall.
Everything looked like blood.
Savannah’s heart hammered so hard it hurt.
Roman pressed one hand behind her head.
“Stay with me.”
The words triggered another memory.
Rain.
A car crash.
Roman bleeding beside her.
That same voice.
Stay with me.
Her breath hitched.
More memory crashed into place.
Las Vegas.
Eight years earlier.
She had met Roman in chaos.
Not romance.
Chaos.
Savannah had been twenty-one, reckless enough to believe life could be changed by one spontaneous trip.
Vegas had been loud, wild, ridiculous.
She had gone with friends.
Then everything changed.
A shooting outside a casino.
Panic.
Running crowds.
A man collapsing near the alley.
Roman.
Shot in the side.
Bleeding.
Half-conscious.
Most people ran away.
Savannah ran toward him.
Because that was who she had always been.
She tore off part of her dress to stop the bleeding.
He had stared at her like he couldn’t understand why she stayed.
“Why?” he asked.
She remembered answering.
“Because you’re hurt.”
That had been enough to change both their lives.
Another gunshot snapped her back.
Roman cursed.
One attacker had reached the balcony.
Sniper position.
Dangerous.
A guard dropped.
Blood spread across black fabric.
Savannah flinched.
“Oh God.”
Roman grabbed a fallen pistol.
His movements were terrifyingly precise.
Cold.
Efficient.
Nothing wasted.
He rose just enough.
Two shots.
The sniper fell backward through broken glass.
Dead.
Roman crouched again.
Savannah stared at him.
This was no rumor.
No billionaire myth.
This man had killed without hesitation.
Yet when he looked at her—
His voice softened.
“Are you hurt?”
She almost laughed from shock.
Bullets everywhere.
People screaming.
And he asked that.
“No.”
Roman touched her cheek.
The one Bianca had struck.
His thumb brushed the red mark.
Something dark entered his eyes.
“Bianca.”
He turned.
Bianca crouched behind a chair, shaking violently.
Mascara streaked.
Hands over ears.
Not elegant anymore.
Not composed.
Just terrified.
Roman’s voice froze the air.
“Come here.”
She looked up.
Terrified.
“What?”
“Now.”
She crawled toward them.
Not gracefully.
Desperately.
Roman’s gaze was merciless.
“Who knew?”
Bianca stared.
“I—I don’t know what you mean!”
His voice lowered.
Dangerous.
“Who knew Savannah was here tonight?”
Her lips trembled.
“No one!”
Roman pressed the pistol to the table edge.
Not at her.
Not yet.
But close enough.
She sobbed.
“I swear!”
Roman studied her face.
Searching for lies.
Savannah watched.
This Roman was frightening.
Not loud.
Not angry.
Worse.
Controlled.
Bianca broke.
“It was my father!”
Silence.
Roman’s jaw tightened.
Bianca cried harder.
“He asked for the guest list!”
“Please, Roman, I didn’t know why!”
Savannah’s blood ran cold.
Anthony Caruso.
Construction magnate.
Political donor.
Respectable public image.
But Roman’s expression said something else.
Roman spoke one name.
“Caruso.”
Murderous calm.
Then—
His phone vibrated.
One guard handed it over.
“Sir.”
Roman answered.
No greeting.
No wasted word.
A voice came through speaker.
Male.
Smooth.
Mocking.
Anthony Caruso.
“Well, Roman.”
Savannah stopped breathing.
Anthony chuckled.
“You found your wife.”
Roman’s voice became ice.
“Where are you?”
Anthony laughed.
“Not there.”
Gunfire echoed in background.
Not from the restaurant.
Another location.
Anthony continued.
“You know what’s funny?”
Silence.
“She remembered faster than expected.”
Roman’s grip tightened.
Anthony’s tone sharpened.
“She should’ve stayed dead.”
Savannah trembled.
Roman said nothing.
That silence felt lethal.
Anthony continued.
“You want answers?”
Pause.
“Bring Savannah.”
Roman’s eyes narrowed.
“Where?”
Anthony smiled through the phone.
“The chapel.”
Savannah froze.
The chapel.
Roman saw her reaction.
Anthony noticed.
“Yes.”
He enjoyed this.
“The same chapel.”
“Where she married you.”
Savannah felt sick.
Anthony whispered:
“Come alone.”
Click.
Call ended.
Silence.
Roman stood.
Decision made instantly.
Savannah grabbed him.
“No.”
He looked down.
She shook.
“It’s a trap.”
“Yes.”
“You’re still going?”
“Yes.”
She stared.
“Why?!”
Roman answered with brutal simplicity.
“Because he has something.”
“What?”
His eyes locked onto hers.
“The truth.”
Twenty minutes later.
A convoy tore through Washington streets.
Rain began falling.
Savannah sat in Roman’s armored SUV.
Hands shaking.
Memories returning in painful fragments.
Roman beside her.
Silent.
Focused.
Finally she whispered:
“Tell me everything.”
Roman kept watching the road.
“There isn’t enough time.”
“Make time.”
He turned.
She had tears in her eyes.
“Please.”
Something softened.
He exhaled.
“Your father owed money.”
She froze.
“What?”
Roman continued.
“To Caruso.”
“No…”
“He borrowed from dangerous people.”
Savannah’s voice broke.
“My father died in a car crash.”
Roman’s gaze hardened.
“No.”
Silence.
“He was murdered.”
Her world stopped.
“What?”
Roman continued.
“Caruso used debt to control people.”
“He used your father.”
“For transport.”
“For laundering.”
“For illegal shipments.”
Savannah shook violently.
“No…”
“When your father tried leaving…”
Roman finished.
“They killed him.”
Tears streamed down her face.
“My mother said—”
“She lied.”
The words hit like a blade.
Roman continued.
“After Vegas, Caruso discovered you married me.”
“That made you valuable.”
Savannah whispered:
“So they took me.”
“Yes.”
“Why erase my memory?”
Roman’s voice turned cold.
“To weaponize you.”
Against him.
Savannah felt sick.
Everything she believed about her life cracked.
Roman spoke again.
“But something changed.”
“What?”
He looked at her.
“You forgot me completely.”
That wasn’t supposed to happen.
The accident had caused real trauma.
Memory loss.
Unexpected.
Caruso adapted.
Built her a new identity.
Controlled records.
Watched from distance.
Waiting.
Savannah whispered:
“They watched me for eight years?”
Roman’s jaw tightened.
“Yes.”
She went pale.
Her whole adult life.
Observed.
Manipulated.
Monitored.
Roman noticed her shaking.
He removed his jacket.
Wrapped it around her.
The gesture nearly broke her.
Even now.
Even here.
He protected her.
She whispered:
“Why did you stop searching?”
Roman went still.
Then answered.
“I didn’t.”
Silence.
“For eight years.”
Her breath caught.
“I never stopped.”
Tears blurred her vision.
“Roman…”
His voice dropped.
“You were alive somewhere.”
“I knew it.”
“How?”
He stared ahead.
“Because I would have felt you die.”
Her heart shattered.
She cried silently.
Not from fear.
From the unbearable weight of being loved like that.
The chapel appeared through rain.
Small.
White.
Still.
Haunting.
The exact place where they married.
Savannah remembered now.
Everything.
The rushed vows.
Roman bleeding.
A priest terrified.
Roman had needed legal marriage protections during an international investigation.
But somewhere between survival and sunrise—
They fell in love.
Fast.
Violently.
Completely.
Three days later—
She disappeared.
Now she stood at the chapel again.
Roman beside her.
Rain soaking both.
His guards stayed back.
Per instruction.
Anthony wanted them alone.
The chapel doors opened.
Anthony Caruso stood inside.
Perfect suit.
Silver hair.
Smile like poison.
He applauded slowly.
“Well done.”
Savannah trembled.
“You.”
Anthony smiled.
“Hello, Savannah.”
Roman stepped forward.
“What do you want?”
Anthony’s smile widened.
“Closure.”
Roman’s voice became deadly.
“You destroyed eight years.”
Anthony shrugged.
“Business.”
Savannah whispered:
“Why me?”
Anthony finally looked at her.
Real interest.
“Because Roman Volkov has one weakness.”
Pause.
“You.”
Roman’s body tightened.
Anthony smiled.
“Men like Roman don’t lose control.”
“Until they love.”
Savannah clenched fists.
“You murdered my father.”
Anthony chuckled.
“Technically, others did.”
Roman moved.
Anthony raised a hand.
“Careful.”
Click.
Laser dots appeared.
Red dots.
On Savannah’s chest.
Snipers.
Roman froze.
Anthony smiled.
“There.”
“That’s better.”
Savannah’s breathing turned ragged.
Anthony spoke calmly.
“Now we finish this.”
Roman’s voice became stone.
“What do you want?”
Anthony looked delighted.
“A trade.”
Silence.
“Your empire.”
“For her life.”
Roman did not hesitate.
“Yes.”
Anthony blinked.
Even he hadn’t expected that.
“You’d surrender everything?”
Roman answered instantly.
“Yes.”
Savannah stared.
“No!”
Roman ignored her.
Anthony narrowed eyes.
“Interesting.”
He walked closer.
“You really love her.”
Roman’s silence confirmed it.
Anthony smiled darkly.
“That makes this easier.”
He pulled out a gun.
Pointed it—
At Savannah.
Roman moved.
Too fast.
Gunshot.
Savannah screamed.
Roman’s body slammed into hers.
Then warmth spread across her hands.
Blood.
Roman’s blood.
He had taken the bullet.
Her scream shattered the chapel.
“ROMAN!”
He collapsed to one knee.
Blood pouring through his shirt.
Anthony raised gun again—
Then—
A new voice echoed.
“DROP IT!”
Police flooded the chapel.
FBI tactical units.
Weapons drawn.
Anthony spun.
Too late.
Christopher Hale stepped forward.
Federal prosecutor.
Roman’s secret ally.
Anthony’s face changed.
Real fear.
Christopher smiled coldly.
“It’s over.”
Anthony fired wildly.
Agents tackled him.
Gun skidded.
Chaos erupted.
But Savannah saw only one thing.
Roman collapsing.
She dropped beside him.
Hands shaking.
“No no no no—”
Blood soaked her fingers.
Roman’s breathing weakened.
His gray eyes found hers.
Even dying—
He looked only at her.
She sobbed.
“Stay with me.”
Roman smiled faintly.
The smallest smile.
“You remembered.”
Her heart broke.
Tears fell onto his face.
“I remember everything.”
Roman’s eyes softened.
“I told you…”
Blood touched his lips.
“…you would.”
His head grew heavier.
Savannah panicked.
“No!”
She pressed harder on the wound.
“Roman!”
His hand found hers.
Weak.
Warm.
Then he whispered words that destroyed her.
“If I die…”
Her scream broke.
“No!”
Roman continued.
“…I loved being your husband.”
Her sob became uncontrollable.
“Don’t say goodbye!”
Roman’s eyes began closing.
Savannah bent over him.
Shaking.
Crying.
Broken.
Then she said the words she had buried for eight years.
“I love you.”
Roman’s eyes reopened.
Barely.
Shock.
Hope.
Life.
She cried harder.
“I love you, Roman.”
“I always did.”
Sirens screamed outside.
Medics rushed in.
Roman’s lips moved.
One final whisper.
May you like
“Good.”
Then darkness took him.
