Chapter 2 - The Wife Nobody Asked For
The first thing Sadi noticed about the Russo estate was the silence.
Money usually made noise.
At least, that was what she had assumed.
Rich people had fountains, parties, music, engines roaring in circular driveways.
The Russo mansion had none of those things.
It sat behind layers of iron fencing and cameras, surrounded by dark trees and stone walls.
It looked beautiful from a distance.
Up close, it looked fortified.
Dominic stepped from the SUV first.
He opened Sadi’s door.
She hesitated.
“You can still walk?”
“I survived four bullets.”
“I know.”
“Then yes.”
Dominic held out his hand.
Sadi stared at it.
She had spent enough time in his company to recognize something strange.
He never touched her without permission.
His reputation suggested the opposite.
His behavior did not.
She took his hand.
Inside the foyer, six people stopped talking.
A housekeeper.
Two security guards.
A chef.
An older woman in a navy dress.
And a young man who looked at Sadi as if someone had dropped a raccoon into the ballroom.
Dominic’s voice became cold.
“This is Sadi Russo.”
Nobody spoke.
“She is my wife.”
The older woman looked Sadi up and down.
“Your wife?”
Dominic’s eyes narrowed.
“Yes, Elena.”
The woman was clearly accustomed to Dominic obeying her.
He had no intention of starting now.
Elena lowered her gaze.
“My apologies.”
Sadi smiled awkwardly.
“You don’t have to apologize. I’m confused too.”
The housekeeper almost smiled.
Dominic looked at Sadi.
“Your room is upstairs.”
“Our room?”
“My room.”
“My room?”
He paused.
“Your room.”
Sadi pointed upstairs.
“Good.”
Dominic almost smiled.
Then Rosa entered.
She moved slowly, still recovering.
Her eyes immediately softened.
“My girl.”
Sadi hugged her carefully.
“You nearly died.”
“So did you.”
“I had a head start.”
Rosa laughed.
That laugh changed the atmosphere in the room.
For the first time, Sadi felt less like an intruder.
But the illusion lasted only a few hours.
At dinner, Elena sat across from her.
“You came from a diner.”
Sadi put down her fork.
“Yes.”
“And now you live here.”
“Yes.”
“What exactly does Dominic expect you to do?”
Sadi looked at Dominic.
He was silently cutting his steak.
“I’m not sure.”
Elena scoffed.
“Neither am I.”
Dominic set down his knife.
“Elena.”
“She needs to understand the family.”
“She understands enough.”
Sadi glanced between them.
“What family rules am I supposed to know?”
Dominic looked directly at her.
“Never open a door without security checking it first.”
“Okay.”
“Never tell anyone where you are going.”
“Fine.”
“Never enter a car alone.”
“Fine.”
“Never accept food or drinks from anyone outside this house.”
Sadi frowned.
“That sounds excessive.”
“It is.”
“And?”
“If you are uncomfortable, tell me.”
She stared at him.
“That’s a rule?”
“It is now.”
Something warm moved unexpectedly through her chest.
Then the telephone rang.
Dominic answered.
His entire expression changed.
“Repeat that.”
A pause.
“Where?”
Another pause.
“Do not touch anything. I’m coming.”
He hung up.
Rosa knew before anyone else.
“What happened?”
“My warehouse was breached.”
Sadi watched him stand.
“You think it’s the Morettis?”
“I know it is.”
He left.
Three hours passed.
Sadi stayed awake.
She told herself she was only curious.
That was a lie.
At 1:30 a.m., the front door opened.
Dominic returned.
His shirt sleeve was torn.
There was blood on his collar.
Sadi stood.
“You’re hurt.”
“It’s not mine.”
“That is not comforting.”
He looked exhausted.
“You should be sleeping.”
“So should you.”
He moved toward the stairs.
She followed.
“Dominic.”
He stopped.
She held out a clean towel.
“Your collar.”
He accepted it.
Their fingers touched.
Neither moved.
“You don’t have to be afraid of me,” he said.
“I’m not.”
“You are.”
“Of your world.”
His eyes hardened.
“That is reasonable.”
Sadi swallowed.
“You said your wife would be safe.”
“She will.”
“Then why do I feel like every person here is waiting for me to fail?”
Dominic was silent.
“Because some of them are.”
The honesty surprised her.
“Why?”
“Because powerful families do not like surprises.”
Sadi folded her arms.
“I’m becoming one?”
“You already are.”
For the next week, Sadi remained mostly inside.
She discovered the library.
The greenhouse.
The kitchen.
The enormous dining room nobody used.
And Dominic’s study.
She was told not to enter it.
Naturally, curiosity grew.
One afternoon, she found Rosa in the greenhouse.
The older woman was cutting roses.
“You love flowers.”
“I love things that survive pruning.”
Sadi smiled.
Rosa studied her.
“Do you love my son?”
Sadi nearly dropped the gardening scissors.
“What?”
“It is a simple question.”
“It has been two weeks.”
“People can fall in love quickly.”
“We are not people. We are a legal arrangement with armed guards.”
Rosa laughed.
Then her expression became serious.
“Dominic has forgotten what it means to trust.”
Sadi looked down.
“I’m not asking him to.”
“No.”
Rosa touched a rosebud.
“But you already make him question things.”
That evening, Dominic came home earlier than usual.
Sadi found him standing in the kitchen.
He had taken off his jacket.
His sleeves were rolled up.
He looked almost normal.
“You cook?”
“Sometimes.”
“Did you make this?”
“Yes.”
She tasted the sauce.
She raised one eyebrow.
“This is terrible.”
Dominic stared.
Nobody spoke to him that way.
Then he laughed.
It was quiet.
Short.
But genuine.
Sadi smiled.
“There. You are human.”
“Do not spread that rumor.”
Their laughter faded.
Then the lights went out.
The mansion plunged into darkness.
Security alarms screamed.
Dominic moved instantly.
He grabbed Sadi and pushed her behind him.
Doors slammed.
Men shouted.
A window shattered upstairs.
Dominic drew his weapon.
“Sadi, stay here.”
She grabbed his sleeve.
“Where are you going?”
“To make sure nobody gets to you.”
“That sounds dangerous.”
“It is.”
He disappeared.
Minutes later, the lights returned.
A security officer entered.
“Sir.”
“What?”
“We found something.”
He handed Dominic a plastic evidence bag.
Inside was a photograph.
Sadi froze.
The picture showed her outside Sal’s Diner.
Taken days before the shooting.
On the back, written in black marker, were four words:
SHE WASN’T THE TARGET.
Dominic looked at Sadi.
All warmth left his face.
May you like
The question hit him like a physical blow.
Why had the Morettis been watching a waitress before the shooting ever happened?
