Chapter 4 - Shadows in the PenthouseMidnight at the DeLuca penthouse overlooking Lake Michigan was an exercise in absolute luxury and chilling isolation. Floor-to-ceiling glass windows framed the glittering skyline of Chicago, a city that bowed its head whenever Roman’s name was mentioned in boardrooms or precinct houses.
Maya stood by the glass, holding a cup of herbal tea, watching the distant lights of the South Loop.
Footsteps padded softly across the imported Italian marble. Roman wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, resting his chin gently on her shoulder.
“You’re still thinking about what he said,” Roman murmured, his breath warm against her neck.
“I’m thinking about how fragile it all is,” Maya confessed softly, leaning back into his embrace. “For three years, Ethan made me believe I was nothing without him. Tonight... seeing him panic, seeing how quickly his entire world unraveled because of a single phone call from you... it scared me, Roman.”
Roman’s grip tightened slightly, protective and fierce. “He spent years trying to break you, Maya. I spent eight months making sure no one would ever touch you again. That isn't fear. That’s architecture.”
“Don't joke about this,” she turned in his arms, looking up into his dark, unreadable eyes. “You pull strings like a phantom, Roman. Federal investigators spent fifteen years trying to pin you down because you operate in the gray spaces. What happens when your enemies decide to use me to get to you?”
“Let them try,” Roman said, his voice dropping an octave, carrying a terrifying promise. “Nobody touches my wife. Nobody.”
Before Maya could reply, a sharp, urgent chime echoed through the penthouse—the private security relay at the ground floor entrance.
Roman’s phone vibrated on the coffee table. He glanced at the screen, and for the first time all evening, Maya saw a flicker of genuine dark surprise cross his features.
May you like
“What is it?” Maya asked, sensing the shift in the room's atmosphere.
Roman looked up from his phone, his jaw tight. “It’s Ethan. He’s downstairs in the lobby. And he’s not alone.”
