Chapter 6 - The Art of Healing
Back in the penthouse, the fireplace crackled, casting a warm, golden glow across the room. Sadi sat by the window, watching the rain streak down the glass. The city looked beautiful from up here. Peaceful. Untouchable.
She heard the soft tread of Roman’s footsteps. He walked up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his chin on the top of her head. He smelled like ozone, rain, and safety.
“Is it done?” Sadi asked quietly.
“He is a ghost,” Roman murmured, his voice a low, soothing hum against her skin. “He will never cross your path again.”
Sadi leaned back against his solid chest, closing her eyes. Part of her, the old Sadi who had lived in fear and scraped for pennies, felt a twinge of pity. But the new Sadi, the woman who had learned her own worth, felt nothing but a profound sense of closure.
Trevor hadn't just stolen her money three years ago; he had stolen her dignity. He had made her believe she was unlovable, unworthy of respect. And yesterday, he had tried to do it again. But the spell was broken.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
Roman turned her around, his hands gently framing her face. His eyes, usually so cold and guarded to the rest of the world, were entirely open to her. “You never have to thank me for protecting what is mine, Sadi. You are the only real thing in my life.”
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet box. He opened it, revealing the rhodium cufflinks she had been looking at in the boutique.
Sadi blinked in surprise. “I told Laurent to send those up. How did you…”
“I intercepted them,” Roman smiled faintly. He took one of the cufflinks out, turning his wrist. “Put them on me.”
May you like
Sadi smiled, a genuine, radiant expression that lit up the room. She took the small piece of metal, her fingers brushing against his warm skin as she fastened it to his cuff.
Trevor was right about one thing. Sadi didn't belong in the dirt. She belonged right here, in the arms of the city’s most dangerous man, the only man who knew that true power wasn't about tearing people down. True power was having the strength to protect the ones you love, in absolute, unbroken silence.
