Chapter 10 - The Sovereign Queen
Three months later.
The grand estate in Lincoln Park was bathed in the golden glow of a quiet Chicago snowstorm. Large white flakes drifted softly past the floor-to-ceiling windows of the master library, landing gently on the manicured gardens below.
Inside, a massive stone fireplace roared with crackling birch logs, filling the room with the warm scent of cedar and woodsmoke.
Sadi sat in a high-backed leather armchair near the fire, wearing a soft, oversized cashmere sweater that draped off one shoulder, her bare legs curled up beneath her. She held a crystal mug of hot tea in her hands, her skin glowing in the firelight.
On the massive mahogany desk in the center of the library, Roman’s leather-bound files lay open. But for the first time in fifteen years, Roman Rossi wasn't looking at corporate ledgers or security reports.
He stood behind Sadi’s chair, his massive hands resting gently on her shoulders, his thumb slowly stroking her neck.
His phone buzzed on the desk. A high-priority encrypted call from his chief lieutenant in the city.
Roman didn't even look at it. He reached out and flipped the phone facedown, shutting off the ringer completely.
Sadi looked up at him, a soft, teasing smile gracing her lips. "Wasn't that important, Mr. Rossi?"
Roman stepped around the leather chair, dropping to one knee beside her. The ruthless don, the feared mob boss, the untouchable titan of Chicago, knelt on the hardwood floor before a woman who had once whispered a pathetic wish into an empty sink.
He reached out, taking her soft, broad hand in his, lifting her knuckles to his lips and pressing a slow, reverent kiss against her skin.
"Nothing in this city is more important than what is inside this room," Roman said quietly, his pale gray eyes burning with an absolute, unyielding devotion.
Sadi looked down at him—at the sharp jawline, the scarred knuckles, and the fierce, protective love in his eyes. She reached out with her free hand, running her fingers through his dark hair, leaning down until her lips brushed softly against his.
"I used to think I took up too much space in the world," Sadi whispered into his mouth, her heart overflowing with peace.
Roman pulled her down into his arms, lifting her out of the leather chair and into his lap as he sat on the plush rug before the roaring fire, holding her broad, beautiful body tightly against his chest.
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"You occupy my entire world, Sadi," Roman rumbled, burying his face in the soft curve of her neck. "And I will spend the rest of my life making sure you have all the room you need."
Outside, the snow continued to fall quietly over the city of Chicago, locking out the noise, the violence, and the shadows of the world below. But inside the fortress, in the warmth of the fire, the maid and her boss sat together in absolute, unbreakable peace—a sovereign queen and the monster who guarded her throne.
