Chapter 7 - The Empire's New Foundations
The Continental looked entirely different in broad daylight. Without the neon lights and the lingering haze of midnight cigarette smoke, the mahogany bar gleamed with a warm, amber polish under the morning sun. The heavy velvet curtains were pulled back, flooding the empty lounge with golden light.
Vincent sat alone in his usual corner booth, though the thick ledger books and burner phones that usually littered the table were gone, replaced by a single porcelain cup of steaming black coffee. As Sadi’s heels clicked softly against the hardwood floor, he looked up. His dark eyes softened instantly, a subtle shift that only she would ever be privileged to witness.
"You left your favorite silver bracelet on my nightstand," Vincent said softly as she slid into the booth opposite him.
Sadi’s cheeks flushed warm. She instinctively reached up to touch her bare wrist. "I didn't realize I dropped it."
"Everything you touch seems to find a permanent home with me, Sadi," he murmured, leaning forward and resting his elbows on the table. He reached across the polished wood, his large, calloused hand gently encompassing hers. "Did Paulie deliver the briefcase?"
"He did. And I'm giving it back, Vincent," she said firmly, though her voice lacked any real hostility. "I want the cafe, yes—if I can work for it, earn it, and pay you back every single cent. But I won't take charity."
May you like
Vincent chuckled, a deep, resonant sound that vibrated through the quiet room. "You have the most stubborn pride of anyone in this city, Sadi. Very well. We draw up a contract. You run the cafe, you pay me back in monthly installments, and you dine with me every single Friday night. Non-negotiable."
She smiled, the last remaining walls around her heart crumbling completely. "That sounds like a fair trade, Mr. Costa."
