Chapter 7 - The Gilded Cage
By Friday evening, Sadie Hayes’s entire worldly possessions—packed into two cardboard boxes—were sitting in the trunk of a bulletproof Mercedes Benz parked outside a sprawling limestone mansion on Rittenhouse Square.
The transition from a drafty one-bedroom apartment with a broken radiator to a multi-million-dollar estate guarded by armed patrols was disorienting, to say the least.
Her new bedroom was larger than her entire old apartment, featuring a king-sized bed with silk sheets, a private marble bathroom, and a balcony overlooking a manicured private courtyard.
Yet, as she sat on the edge of the mattress staring at the antique wardrobe, she felt like a prisoner in a very expensive cage.
A knock sounded at her door.
Marcus, the silver-haired enforcer, poked his head into the room. "Ms. Hayes? The boss requests your presence in the study. He has a wardrobe delivery for tonight's charity gala."
Sadie sighed, standing up and smoothing down her jeans. "Tell him I'll be down in a minute."
When she pushed open the heavy oak doors of Gabriel’s study ten minutes later, a rack of designer dresses stood in the center of the room, accompanied by a personal stylist looking terrified.
Gabriel sat at his desk, looking up as she entered. He appraised her oversized flannel shirt and faded jeans with a critical eye.
"We're attending the Mayor’s Winter Gala tonight," Gabriel said smoothly. "You need to look the part. Pick something."
"I am a bartender from South Philly, Gabriel," Sadie snapped, refusing to call him Mr. Rossi anymore out of sheer stubbornness. "I don't do charity galas. I don't know how to hold a champagne glass without spilling it on a senator."
"You're learning," he replied unbothered, standing up and walking over to the rack. He ran his fingers along the hangers, pulling out a breathtaking, floor-length gown of deep, midnight-blue silk with a subtle shimmer. "Try this one."
"I'm not wearing a dress that costs more than my car," she crossed her arms.
Gabriel stopped, turning to face her. The playful amusement had vanished from his eyes, replaced by that quiet, terrifying authority. He closed the distance between them, his presence overwhelming the spacious room.
"Sadie," he said softly, his voice dropping to a low rumble. "You entered my world the night you stepped into that alley. Tonight, you walk into mine as my guest. You don't have to pretend to be someone else. You just have to stand beside me. Can you do that?"
May you like
She looked up into those striking gray eyes, finding herself completely lost in their depth.
"Yes," she whispered against her better judgment. "I can do that."
