Chapter 6 - The Promise Dominic Couldn't Escape
Three months later, The Foundry looked different.
The cage was gone.
Dominic had ordered it removed.
In its place stood a dance floor and tables.
Knox hated it.
“I was champion.”
“You lost to a waitress,” Dominic reminded him.
“One time.”
Sadie walked past.
“Want a rematch?”
Knox immediately lifted both hands.
“I am retired.”
Sadie smiled.
Her father's gym had reopened too.
Not because Dominic bought it for her.
Sadie refused that.
Instead, Dominic invested in it under a contract Sadie had spent three days rewriting.
She owned seventy percent.
Dominic owned thirty.
“You negotiate like a criminal,” he'd complained.
“You taught me.”
The gym became profitable within weeks.
Sadie taught self-defense classes.
Knox trained competitive fighters.
Dominic pretended he wasn't proud of both of them.
Then one evening, Sadie arrived at The Foundry after closing.
Dominic sat alone at the same table where everything had begun.
“What are you doing?”
“Waiting.”
“For?”
“You.”
She approached.
Dominic placed something on the table.
A ring.
Sadie stopped.
“No.”
Dominic frowned.
“I haven't asked yet.”
“That thing probably costs more than my building.”
“It doesn't.”
She stared at him.
“It costs more.”
“Dominic.”
“Sit down.”
She did.
He picked up the ring.
“The first time I offered to marry you, I did it because I thought you were powerless.”
Sadie smiled slightly.
“Bad assessment.”
“Catastrophic.”
He continued.
“You embarrassed me in front of everyone.”
“You deserved it.”
“Yes.”
Dominic looked at her.
“But that wasn't when I fell in love with you.”
Sadie's teasing expression softened.
“It happened when you could've used my name, my money, everything I owned—and you wanted none of it.”
He reached across the table.
“You wanted your own life.”
Sadie looked at their hands.
“And somehow you made room for me in it.”
Dominic took a breath.
“So this time there is no audience.”
“No joke.”
“No champion.”
From somewhere behind the bar came a loud crash.
Dominic closed his eyes.
“Knox.”
Silence.
Sadie laughed.
Dominic called out:
“Get out.”
Knox appeared.
“I wanted champagne.”
“Out.”
Knox left.
Dominic looked back at Sadie.
“Where was I?”
“Struggling.”
“Right.”
He lifted the ring.
“Sadie Miller, will you marry me?”
She stared at him.
“You sure?”
“Absolutely.”
“Because I'm difficult.”
“I know.”
“I argue.”
“Constantly.”
“I won't obey you.”
“I've abandoned that fantasy.”
She laughed.
Then she became serious.
“There's one condition.”
Dominic sighed.
“Of course there is.”
“No more jokes involving marriage.”
“Agreed.”
“And Knox walks me down the aisle.”
Dominic stared at her.
From behind the door came Knox's voice.
“Yes!”
Dominic shouted:
“Were you listening?”
“No!”
Sadie was laughing now.
Dominic looked at her.
“You haven't answered.”
She leaned forward.
“Yes.”
He stopped.
“Really?”
“Yes, Dominic.”
She kissed him.
May you like
“I'll marry you.”
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