Ryan never expected his roommate wanted ad to attract Rob, a heavily tattooed ex-con with a dangerous past. Every warning sign tells the young accountant to keep his distance, yet he can’t deny the magnetism. Rob’s rough edges, protective instincts, and quiet dominance awaken something in Ryan he’s never allowed himself to explore.
What begins as cautious curiosity quickly deepens into a searing romance that pushes them both to their limits. Loving Rob means stepping into a world shaped by old debts, betrayals, and unforgiving enemies. When gang enforcers close in and family interference twists into sabotage, Ryan must decide what -- and who -- he’s willing to fight for.
“So, what’s your question?” Rob asked, leaning back in his chair.
“Oh, yeah,” I said. “Well, kind of personal. You said you had girlfriends before you went to prison?”
“Yeah, Tricia. She was a user, and I thought I could save her. I think she might have just been using me for the drugs I dealt. But while I was in, she got sober and married a woman. Before her, it was Amy. Cocaine addict who’s probably still using. And then I had a revolving door of girls in high school. So, yeah, what about them?”
“I guess I’m just wondering ... you mentioned that you had boys in prison. And you can tell me if I am way off here, I might be. But I’m assuming you may have wanted more from them than just a few errands? Again, I’m being horribly intrusive here. You don’t have to answer. God I’m stupid. I ...”
“Nope, I like it that you ask what’s on your mind. You’ll know when you’ve crossed a line with me. I think what you’re really asking is whether I’m straight, right?”
“Yeah, that’s what I’m curious about.”
“Always liked women. Like everything about them. Especially the sex. But also realized something in prison. I like my boys. They tend to be more submissive and can better handle me. My boys need it from me almost as much as I’m able to give it to them.”
My mouth went dry, vision blurry, palms sweaty.
Ryan, this is happening. Like tonight. No question.
“Truth for truth. My turn. I want to know why you don’t have a boyfriend.”
“I don’t know. I went on some dates in college. My friend Christina was always trying to get me to go out, to meet somebody and give it a try. But it always felt like I was trying to give a jump to a dead battery. I figured it was just being overwhelmed with school, like I could never give enough time to focus on it.”
“Does Christina know you have a roommate?”
“Oh yeah, I told her. You’ll have to thank her when she comes to visit. She told me to do ... Shit, I just realized I told you what to do. Sorry, I won’t do that again. But anyway, she told me you would be a good fit when I explained the situation.”
“Nice. But about the boyfriends. I don’t buy it Ryan.”
“What do you mean?”
“Please, it’s too obvious. Do you really not see it? You haven’t dated anybody because you haven’t found the kind of guy you actually want. It’s the same kind of guy that you’re terrified of.”
“Okay, I’m intrigued. Can you say more?”
“You’re just like the boys I had in the pen. They were like little rabbits that were terrified that they would be eaten by wolves. And yet they wanted a wolf who wouldn’t eat them, who would take care of them but also keep them in their place. I knew this about you five minutes into our first conversation.”
That felt weirdly insulting. But also ... right? I think?
“Feeling kind of exposed here,” I said and attempted a laugh.
“Dude, there’s no shame in it. Like I said, you never have to apologize for what you want. And I know what you want. The shower was my little test. Your eyes were stuck on me like rubber cement.”
“So, Rob, I guess ... my question is ... what is it that you want? Do you think that you want to go back to having a girlfriend? Or do you ...”
“Learned one thing while I was shut up in there. Learned that I’m a wolf. And always will be. So I guess you can answer this for me. What do wolves want?”
“Well, to go with your metaphor, they want rabbits.”
“And what are you?”
“I feel stupid admitting it, but there’s no way around it. I’m a rabbit.”
“Well, you have your answer,” he said and took a bite of the chicken, gaze fixed on me. He said it with the same kind of casual interest with which he would talk about the weather. Like he knew this whole time it would go down like this. Like he was just watching the inevitable unfold.
Okay then, I said to myself, that settles it. I felt like now I just had to relax into it. He was clearly in charge. There was no question about that. The rabbit didn’t make the call about when the wolf would eat him. It happened when the wolf felt like it. And I knew, I knew somewhere deep in my guts, that I was going to enjoy every single bite he took.
