Chapter 6 - The Last Order Roman Gave Her
The estate became quiet again.
But it wasn't the old quiet.
That silence had been fear.
This one felt like peace.
Sadie returned to work Monday morning wearing her gray uniform.
Roman saw her crossing the foyer.
His expression immediately darkened.
“No.”
Sadie stopped.
“No what?”
“That uniform.”
She looked down.
“What about it?”
“Take it off.”
Two guards looked away so quickly it became almost comedic.
Sadie's eyebrows rose.
“Roman Costa.”
“Not here.”
He rubbed his forehead.
“I meant you're not working today.”
“Why?”
“Because you're fired.”
The foyer went silent.
Sadie stared.
“Excuse me?”
“Fired.”
“You cannot fire me because we're dating.”
“We're dating?”
Roman looked strangely pleased.
Sadie pointed at him.
“Focus.”
Roman reached inside his jacket.
He produced an envelope.
Sadie refused it.
“No.”
“You haven't opened it.”
“It's money.”
“It isn't.”
She took it suspiciously.
Inside was paperwork.
Sadie read the first page.
Then looked at him.
“What is this?”
“A lease.”
“For what?”
“The bakery on Harbor Street.”
Her mouth opened.
Roman continued.
“You told Mrs. Donnelly last year that you wanted your own café someday.”
Sadie stared.
“You heard that?”
“I hear everything in my house.”
“That's creepy.”
“Probably.”
She kept reading.
The lease was in her name.
The first year was paid.
Sadie looked furious.
“I can't accept this.”
“You can.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because I don't want to belong to you.”
Roman's face changed.
“You don't.”
“Then why are you buying me a business?”
“I'm not.”
He handed her another document.
“A loan agreement.”
Sadie read it.
Normal interest.
Normal repayment schedule.
No ownership for Roman.
No hidden clause.
“You expect me to repay you?”
“Every dollar.”
Sadie's lips twitched.
“You're charging me interest?”
“I'm a businessman.”
“You're unbelievable.”
“You wanted independence.”
Roman stepped closer.
“So I'm giving you the opportunity to build it.”
Sadie's eyes burned.
She refused to cry.
“You remembered.”
“Yes.”
“You barely spoke to me for three years.”
“I remember everything about you.”
That nearly broke her.
Roman lowered his voice.
“Sadie, I don't want you cleaning my floors because you need the paycheck.”
“What do you want?”
“You.”
Silence.
“Not as an employee.”
Roman reached for her hand.
“Not as something I own.”
His thumb moved across her knuckles.
“I want you standing beside me because you choose to.”
Sadie looked around.
Every staff member had suddenly discovered urgent reasons to disappear.
“There's one problem.”
Roman's jaw tightened.
“What?”
“You're still terrifying.”
“I'm working on it.”
“And controlling.”
“Yes.”
“Jealous.”
His expression darkened.
“Depends.”
“On?”
“Whether Toby is involved.”
Sadie laughed.
Roman finally smiled.
A real smile.
She had never seen one before.
“You should do that more often.”
“Don't tell anyone.”
“Your reputation?”
“Exactly.”
Sadie reached up and kissed him.
When they separated, Roman looked toward her gray uniform.
“So?”
“So what?”
“Can I burn that?”
“No.”
“Why?”
Sadie smiled.
“Because someday I'm going to remind you that the most feared man on Long Island fell in love with his maid.”
Roman sighed.
“You're going to be unbearable.”
“You started it.”
“With what?”
Sadie pointed toward the kitchen.
May you like
“Carnations.”
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