Chapter 4 - The Sanctuary of the Hills
The Calloway estate, known in the underworld as the Iron Sanctuary, sat high in the secluded hills overlooking the northern coastline. It was a massive, modern fortress built from reinforced concrete, tinted glass, and steel, surrounded by a twenty-foot stone wall patrolled by heavily armed guards and trained attack K9s.
Della sat on a plush velvet chaise lounge in the master sunroom, her eyes wide as she looked around the space. The room was larger than her entire studio apartment in the East Ward. A massive stone fireplace crackled quietly in the corner, and a table beside her was piled high with fresh organic fruits, imported chocolates, and a selection of the finest prenatal vitamins money could buy.
She wore a soft, oversized cashmere sweater that Royce’s staff had placed in her wardrobe, the premium fabric feeling like a warm cloud against her sensitive skin.
The glass doors slid open, and Royce walked in. He had discarded his formal suit, wearing only a simple black t-shirt and dark trousers, making him look slightly less like a corporate titan and more like the dangerous, powerful predator he truly was. He carried a silver tray with a cup of warm chamomile tea.
"You look comfortable," Royce said, a rare, faint smile touching the corners of his lips as he set the tea down beside her.
"It’s... it’s too much, Mr. Calloway," Della said softly, her cheeks flushing as she tucked a strand of amber hair behind her ear. "I’m used to a small room and a creaky mattress. This place... I feel like I’m trespassing in a palace."
"You are the guest of honor, Della," Royce said, sitting on the edge of the low table opposite her, his intense blue eyes locking onto hers. "For five years, I lived in luxury while the woman who saved me was struggling to pay rent in the slums. Every meal I ate, every dollar I made, felt like a theft because I hadn't repaid my debt to you. You belong here."
Della looked down at her cup, her fingers tracing the delicate porcelain. "The man who got me pregnant... his name was Richard. He was a regular customer at the restaurant. He told me he loved me, but the moment the test turned positive, he blocked my number and vanished. He told me a baby would ruin his career. I felt so worthless, Royce. Like I was just an inconvenience to the world."
Royce reached out, his large, calloused hand gently cupping her chin, forcing her to look up into his piercing eyes. The raw, possessive heat in his gaze made her breath hitch.
"The man who left you is a coward who didn't deserve the ground you walk on," Royce said, his voice dropping into a deep, ferocious rumble. "A woman who has the courage to stand against killers to protect a stranger is worth more than all the gold in this city. If I ever find this Richard, I will ensure he regrets the day he was born. But until then... you are under my wing, Della. Your child will have the Calloway name, and no one will ever look down on you again."
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Della stared at him, the fear and loneliness that had consumed her for the past five months suddenly beginning to melt away, replaced by a strange, profound sense of safety she had never felt in her entire life. She reached out, her small, bandaged hand gently resting over his wrist, right over the dark coils of his dragon tattoo.
"Thank you, Royce," she whispered, a tear of pure relief slipping down her cheek. "Thank you for finding me."
