Chapter 6 - The Unspoken Contract
By Monday morning, the Rossi estate had returned to its usual icy routine.
At 5:15 AM, Sadi walked into the vast, polished kitchen. She wore her standard uniform: drab black trousers, a loose cotton shirt, and her heavy white apron. Her hair was pulled back into a neat bun. Yet, as she filled the copper espresso machine with dark beans, she felt entirely different inside her own skin.
She wasn't shrinking anymore. She walked taller, her broad shoulders back, her chest held high.
Precisely at 5:30 AM, footsteps echoed down the hallway—heavy, deliberate, measured.
Roman entered the kitchen. He wore a sharp steel-gray suit, a black silk tie, and crisp leather shoes. He looked every bit the untouchable mob boss, his face carved from granite.
He stopped at the island. His pale gray eyes swept over her face, noting the change in her posture, the faint pink flush on her cheeks.
"Good morning, Mr. Rossi," Sadi said, setting a porcelain cup of dark espresso on the marble before him, complete with a single pinch of sea salt resting on the rim.
Roman picked up the small cup. He took a slow sip, his gaze locked onto her eyes over the rim. "Good morning, Sadi."
He set the cup down with a soft click. "The wedding is on Saturday."
Sadi paused, a dish towel in her hands. "Yes, sir. My sister’s ceremony."
"I have cleared my afternoon schedule," Roman stated casually, pulling a pair of dark leather gloves from his suit pocket. "I will pick you up at 2:00 PM."
Sadi stared at him, her mouth parting slightly. "The... the wedding? But the alibi was for the rehearsal dinner. You don't need an alibi for Saturday."
Roman pulled the leather glove over his large right hand, flexing his fingers with a crisp snap. He stepped closer to the island, leaning over the marble surface until he was staring directly into her dark brown eyes.
"I didn't say I needed an alibi, Sadi," he said, his voice dropping into that thick, raspy growl that made her knees turn to water. "I said I cleared my schedule."
"Roman..." she whispered, her heart hammering against her ribs. "We can't keep doing this. My family thinks we're engaged or something. My mother sent me six emails yesterday asking about your family's estate in Lake Forest."
"Tell her we are discussing prenuptial agreements," Roman replied deadpan.
A hysterical laugh escaped Sadi’s throat before she could catch it. "You are completely insane!"
"I am pragmatic," Roman corrected smoothly. He pulled a heavy black velvet box from his inner coat pocket and tossed it onto the marble island. It slid across the smooth stone, stopping right against her hands. "Open it."
Sadi looked down at the box, her fingers trembling as she flipped open the brass clasp.
Inside, resting on black velvet, was a vintage diamond necklace—a thick platinum chain supporting a flawless, teardrop-cut canary yellow diamond the size of a pigeon's egg. It caught the recessed kitchen lights, blazing like a tiny, captured star.
Sadi choked on her breath, stepping back as if the box were on fire. "No! Absolutely not! I can't take that!"
"It belongs to the Rossi family vault," Roman said coldly, picking up the box and stepping around the island toward her. "My mother wore it. You are attending a formal wedding on my arm, Sadi. You will wear my family's jewels. It communicates to everyone in that room precisely who you belong to."
Before she could protest, Roman stepped directly behind her. He pulled the heavy platinum necklace from the velvet, his broad hands reaching around her neck. His warm fingers brushed against the soft skin of her nape, sending a wild shiver straight down her spine.
He fastened the heavy clasp at the back of her neck. The cool platinum rested heavily against her collarbone, the massive yellow diamond catching the light at her chest.
Roman’s hands didn't withdraw. His broad palms rested lightly on her shoulders, squeezing her soft skin through her cotton uniform shirt. He leaned down, his chin hovering inches from her ear.
"You look exquisite," he murmured softly. "Even in that awful uniform."
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Sadi looked down at the blazing diamond on her chest, her heaving breaths making the gem sparkle violently. "Roman... what are we doing?"
"We are establishing boundaries, Sadi," Roman whispered, his dark lips brushing against the side of her neck, making her gasp aloud. "And right now, my boundary is that no one in Chicago looks at you without seeing my mark."
