Chapter 3 - The Sanctuary in River NorthThe matte-black luxury SUV glided silently through the rain-soaked streets of Chicago, stopping outside a quiet, high-end pharmacy in River North.
One of Roman's men stepped out into the rain, returning three minutes later with a sealed bag containing the high-potency antibiotics, pain relievers, and pediatric vitamins required for Leo's ear infection.
Twenty minutes later, the SUV pulled up to my small, modest two-bedroom apartment building in West Town.
My sitter, Mrs. Gable—an elderly neighbor who had been watching Leo while I worked—opened the door with a worried expression on her face.
"Megan! Oh, thank God," Mrs. Gable gasped, taking in the massive, immaculate man in the charcoal suit standing behind me in the hallway. "Leo was crying an hour ago, but the warm compress helped his ear—"
"Mommy!" a small, sweet voice shouted from the living room.
Five-year-old Leo came running down the hallway in his blue superhero pajamas, his messy dark curls bouncing as he threw his small arms around my knees.
I dropped to my knees on the hallway carpet, pulling my son tight against my chest, pressing a hundred warm kisses into his forehead, tears streaming down my face.
"I'm here, baby," I whispered, holding him tight. "Mommy's right here. I brought your medicine."
Leo pulled back slightly, his bright hazel eyes widening in absolute awe as he looked past my shoulder at the six-foot-three man standing in our small doorway.
"Mommy... is that a giant?" Leo whispered loudly, his small finger pointing directly at Roman.
A low, genuine laugh escaped Roman’s chest—a sound so warm and breathtaking that it illuminated the dim hallway.
Roman dropped to one knee right there on the worn carpet, bringing himself down to Leo's eye level.
"I'm not a giant, Leo," Roman smiled, holding out his broad, calloused hand. "My name is Roman. I'm a friend of your mommy's."
Leo looked at Roman's large hand, then reached out his tiny fingers, wrapping them around Roman's thumb with fearless, innocent trust.
"Did you help my mommy bring my ear medicine?" Leo asked cleanly.
"I did," Roman promised softly, his gray eyes shining with an intense, quiet warmth as he looked from Leo's face up to mine. "And I'm going to make sure your mommy never has to worry about medicine again."
Mrs. Gable took the pharmacy bag into the kitchen to prepare the first dose, leaving Roman, Leo, and me standing in the living room.
Roman stood up slowly, keeping his hand resting lightly near his waist, his posture fluid, sovereign, and protective.
"You should get some rest, Megan," Roman said softly, stepping toward the door. "My driver will be parked downstairs twenty-four hours a day. If you or Leo need anything... anything at all... just tell Marco."
"Roman... wait," I called out, stepping closer to him near the doorframe. "Why are you doing all of this? You don't owe me a life."
Roman stopped, turning his head slowly to look down at me.
"In my world, Megan," Roman murmured, his baritone thick with raw, unreserved truth, "people only touch you when they want to take something from you. You held my wound in a filthy alley when you had everything to lose. You gave me my life back."
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He touched the lapel of the heavy cashmere coat still draped over my shoulders.
"Tomorrow morning at ten o'clock," Roman revealed softly, "a car will bring you to the Moretti Building downtown. We have a new enterprise to discuss."
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