Chapter 3: Breaking Boundaries
Midnight.
Beatrice couldn’t sleep. Her stomach was roaring in protest because she had only picked at a tiny salad during dinner, too intimidated by the silent butler serving her. Figuring everyone was asleep, she threw on a baggy hoodie and crept down into the dark kitchen to forage.
The kitchen was pitch black, illuminated only by the light spilling from the massive stainless-steel refrigerator as she opened it. She let out a tiny gasp of victory when she spotted a leftover ham and cheese sandwich.
"Late-night snacking is bad for your digestion, Miss Miller."
"Ah!" Beatrice shrieked, nearly sending the plate flying.
Dominic was sitting at the kitchen island, shrouded in the shadows. On the counter sat a glass of amber amber liquid and a matte-black handgun, completely disassembled for cleaning.
Beatrice swallowed hard, her knees turning to jelly at the sight of the weapon. "I’m... I’m sorry, Mr. Romano. I was just hungry. I’ll go back upstairs."
"Sit," Dominic commanded, gesturing to the barstool next to him.
Beatrice timidly slid onto the stool, pulling her hoodie over her knees to take up as little space as possible. Dominic slid a glass of ice water toward her, his hands flawlessly snapping the slide of the gun back into place. The sharp, mechanical clack echoed loudly in the quiet night, making Beatrice’s heart hammer against her ribs.
"Are you afraid of me?" Dominic asked, his eyes focused on the weapon.
"A little," Beatrice admitted honestly. "The papers say you're a dangerous man."
"They aren't lying," Dominic said, finally looking up. His dark gaze pinned her to the spot. "I run the underground of this city. My hands are dirty. My enemies are everywhere. That’s why Cassandra and every woman before her tried so hard to be flawless. They wanted the money, and they wanted the power of being 'Mrs. Romano'."
Dominic set the gun down and leaned in close. The proximity was dizzying; Beatrice could feel the heat radiating from his chest beneath his thin linen shirt.
"But you’re different, Beatrice. You don't look at me with ambition. You look at my son with real, uncorrupted love. And you..." Dominic reached out, his rough, calloused thumb gently wiping a speck of stray sauce from the corner of her lip. The gesture was so intensely intimate it made her breath hitch. "...you don't hide your flaws. You are real."
Beatrice flushed crimson. "I’m... I’m just an ordinary girl. I’m big, I’m clumsy, I have nothing to offer..."
"Don't degrade yourself," Dominic interrupted, his voice dropping into a low, possessive growl that sent shivers down her spine. "The men in your past were fools if they couldn't see how beautiful you are. I’m sick of plastic dolls. I prefer your warmth."
He stood up, towering over her, but before he walked out of the kitchen, he leaned down, his lips brushing the shell of her ear.
May you like
"Enjoy your supper, Beatrice. From tomorrow on, you never apologize to anyone in this house again. Because you are under Dominic Romano’s protection now."
He walked away into the dark, leaving Beatrice sitting breathless at the counter, her heart beating so hard she thought it might burst through her chest. She knew right then—her quiet, ordinary life was officially over.
