Chapter 4 - The Price of Protection
I slept for ten hours in the massive, plush four-poster bed of the guest suite.
When I woke up, the afternoon sun was streaming through the heavy velvet curtains, illuminating a room larger than my entire apartment in the West End.
On the armchair sat a stack of high-end clothing—cashmere sweaters, tailored trousers, silk blouses, and leather boots—all in my exact size, provided by Dominic’s staff.
I bathed, dressed in a soft grey sweater and black pants, and walked down the grand staircase.
The house was bustling with quiet, efficient activity. Armed men in dark suits walked through the corridors, holding encrypted radios, while household staff moved silently with trays and linen.
In the dining room, Chloe was sitting at the long oak table, looking vastly better than she had the night before. Her hair was washed, her bruises treated, and a warm bowl of soup sat before her.
"Sadie!" Chloe smiled warmly, gesturing for me to take the seat beside her. "The doctor checked the baby. He's completely fine. Heartbeat is strong."
A wave of immense relief washed over me. I sat down, offering her a genuine smile. "I'm so glad, Chloe. Truly."
"My brother wants to see you in the garden," Chloe added, taking a sip of tea. "He's been working since five in the morning."
I walked out through the French doors onto the broad stone terrace overlooking the terraced gardens.
Dominic was standing near a marble fountain, wearing a black dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing strong, corded forearms and a dark tattoo of a crest on his wrist. He was speaking quietly into a satellite phone.
"...if Vance steps onto the docks in Genoa, sink the cargo," Dominic said into the receiver. "I don't care about the loss. Teach him a lesson."
He ended the call, sliding the phone into his pocket, and turned around as he heard my footsteps against the stone.
"You slept well," he noted, his dark eyes sweeping over me, approving of the soft clothes his staff had provided.
"I did," I said, leaning against the stone balustrade. "Chloe told me the baby is okay."
"Thanks to you," Dominic said, walking over to stand beside me. He looked out over the vast gardens, his jaw tight. "Marco Vance sent an ultimatum an hour ago."
I froze. "What kind of ultimatum?"
"He wants three things," Dominic said calmly. "First, he wants full access to our shipping terminals in the North Harbor. Second, he wants ten million dollars in compensation for his nephew’s medical expenses."
"And third?" I asked, my heart hammering in my chest.
Dominic turned his dark head toward me, his expression icy and unyielding.
"He wants the girl who broke his nephew’s knee," Dominic said softly. "He wants you handed over to his men by midnight."
A cold dread spread through my stomach, making it hard to breathe. "And... what did you tell him?"
Dominic reached out, his long, calloused fingers catching a strand of my dark hair that had blown across my face, gently tucking it behind my ear. His touch was surprisingly soft, completely at odds with his terrifying reputation.
"I told him," Dominic whispered, his voice dark and deadly, "that if he mentions your name again, I will personally burn his entire family line into ash."
My breath hitched in my throat. I looked up into his intense dark eyes, seeing no hesitation, no doubt, and no fear.
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"Why are you doing this for me?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. "I'm just a waitress. I'm nobody."
"You are the woman who risked her life to save my sister," Dominic said firmly. "In my world, that makes you royalty. You are under the protection of the Costa family now, Sadie. And I never abandon what belongs to me."
