Chapter 4 - THE FIRST DATE THAT WAS ACTUALLY A DATE
Roman waited thirty-two days.
Paige counted because she was petty.
On day thirty-three, her phone lit up.
Dinner?
She smiled.
Then replied:
Public. You do not own it. No private room.
Roman:
I understand the rules.
Paige:
You understand some rules.
Roman:
Cruel.
Good.
They met at a family-owned Italian restaurant across town.
Paige checked the ownership first.
Roman found out.
“Did you investigate the restaurant?”
“I used Google.”
“That is not investigation.”
“Depends how bad you are at Google.”
He laughed.
Then the host recognized Roman.
Paige heard it in the sudden change of voice.
“Mr. Gallow.”
Too careful.
Roman noticed too.
He said:
“Reservation for two. Under Roman.”
No special table.
Good.
The host still gave them the best corner.
Power was not fully removable.
Paige noticed.
She did not punish him for existing.
Then menus.
Roman asked:
“Do you want wine?”
“Yes.”
No moral meaning.
They ordered.
Then Roman said:
“I owe you an answer.”
“To what?”
“Why I invited you to the estate.”
Paige looked up.
“You already apologized.”
“That is not the same as explaining.”
Fair.
Then:
“I was angry at Arthur.”
“Why?”
“He was prepared to fire you instantly because he feared me.”
There.
Roman had watched Arthur sacrifice Paige before Roman asked.
He disliked it.
Then he made a worse decision:
keep her employed and make her work for him as symbolic debt.
Why?
Because in Roman’s world debts created structure.
A damaged suit.
labor.
balance.
Simple.
Except the person owing had not agreed.
Then Roman said:
“I thought making the debt finite made it fair.”
Paige stared.
“That is almost impressively wrong.”
“Yes.”
Good.
Then she asked:
“Why poker?”
“I needed event staff.”
“Bullshit.”
Roman smiled faintly.
Then:
“I also wanted to see if you would come.”
There.
Paige’s jaw tightened.
“Because?”
“You spilled water on me and did not perform fear correctly.”
That was a terrible answer.
Interesting.
Then:
“So it was a test.”
“Yes.”
“Also wrong.”
“Yes.”
Good.
No excuses.
Then Paige asked:
“Do you test everyone?”
“I used to.”
“Employees?”
“Yes.”
“Friends?”
“I did not have many.”
There.
Then:
“Women?”
Roman’s expression changed.
“Sometimes.”
Paige leaned back.
“Meaning?”
He explained:
lavish gifts.
last-minute plans.
security.
cars.
restaurants he owned.
If someone adapted instantly, he assumed loyalty.
If they resisted, he assumed distrust.
That was not relationship.
It was compliance dressed as compatibility.
Then:
“When did you realize?”
“Prison was not subtle.”
Paige laughed.
Good.
Then her turn.
Roman asked:
“Why did you stay at Onyx so long?”
Paige bristled.
Then stopped.
Good question can still feel accusatory.
“Money.”
Then:
health insurance,
tips,
schedule flexibility while school failed first time,
fear of starting over.
Also:
she was good at it.
People respected good service until something broke.
Then she said:
“And because Arthur was not terrible every day.”
There.
He could be:
funny,
flexible,
good during emergencies.
Then cruel under pressure.
Mixed.
Roman nodded.
No monster simplification.
Then:
“Did you ever think about suing me over that first night?”
“Yes.”
He blinked.
“Why didn’t you?”
“My lawyer said wage correction and documentation resolved the labor piece better than a separate claim unless more damage showed up.”
Good.
Then:
“Disappointed?”
“No.”
She smiled.
“A little.”
Roman laughed.
Then dinner arrived.
They ate.
No crisis.
Then the subject of money.
Roman reached for bill.
Paige said:
“You invited.”
“Yes.”
“Then you pay.”
He paused.
No argument.
Good.
After dinner:
“Can I walk you to your car?”
“Yes.”
Paige now had a used hatchback.
Bought herself after promotion.
No chauffeur.
They walked.
Roman’s security detail stayed across street.
Disclosed.
Then car.
“Can I kiss you?”
Paige’s body tightened.
Not because she did not want it.
Because first night:
Roman had used fear without touching her.
This was different.
She had car.
job.
home.
keys.
choice.
“Yes.”
The kiss was brief.
Then Roman stepped back.
Good.
No hand at waist.
Paige smiled.
“Too careful.”
His eyebrow lifted.
She touched his sleeve.
“You can touch me if you ask.”
“May I?”
“Waist.”
He did.
Second kiss.
Better.
Then Paige got in car.
No follow vehicle.
Good.
Then dates.
Coffee.
museum.
a terrible comedy.
one walk by harbor.
Roman did not take her to Gallow estate for two months.
When he asked:
“Would you come for dinner?”
Paige said:
“Who is working?”
Roman paused.
Then understood.
“Two household employees scheduled normally. No special event.”
“Are they there because I am coming?”
“No.”
Good.
Then she went.
Same gates.
Different feeling.
Luca opened door.
“Paige.”
“Luca.”
No pat-down.
Because she was guest.
Good.
Then:
“Security policy says guests still go through screening if event risk requires.”
“Tonight?”
“No.”
Good.
Rules, not status games.
Then dinner.
Roman cooked?
No.
House chef cooked on regular shift.
Important.
Paige thanked chef directly.
No invisible labor.
Then the oak poker room.
Door closed.
Paige asked:
“Do you still use it?”
“No gambling.”
“What now?”
“Board meetings sometimes.”
She laughed.
“Worse.”
Good.
Then Roman opened door.
The table remained.
No chips.
No cigar smoke.
Just papers.
Paige stood at threshold.
Her wrist remembered.
Body memory.
Roman noticed.
“Do you want to leave?”
“No.”
Then:
“Do you want me to stay?”
“Yes.”
Good.
They entered.
Paige sat in the same chair Luca had pulled for her.
Then Roman said:
“I thought about removing the table.”
“Why?”
“Because of that night.”
Paige looked at him.
“Do not redesign your house around my nervous system.”
He nodded.
Good.
Then:
“Also it is ugly.”
Roman looked offended.
Better.
Then their first real argument.
A week later Roman sent a gift to Paige’s apartment.
A watch.
Beautiful.
expensive.
No ask.
Paige called.
“What is this?”
“A gift.”
“Why?”
“You passed your finance exam.”
“How much?”
Silence.
Bad.
Then:
“Too much.”
Roman knew.
Paige said:
“Return it.”
He went quiet.
Then:
“Okay.”
Good.
No:
you deserve it.
No:
don’t be difficult.
He returned.
Then asked:
“What would have been okay?”
Paige thought.
“Dinner.”
“You already eat.”
“Flowers.”
“You dislike flowers.”
“One plant.”
“You kill plants.”
“Exactly. Low stakes.”
He laughed.
Then bought nothing.
Good.
A week later, Paige bought herself a $35 plant.
Killed it.
Roman said:
“I told you.”
“Do not become unbearable.”
Too late.
Then school.
Paige graduated the following spring with an associate degree in hospitality management.
No gala.
Community college auditorium.
plastic chairs.
families yelling.
Lena came.
Noel came.
Paige’s mother? Need family. Let's establish mother lives two states away and came. Her name Denise Monroe? Let's choose Paige Monroe surname? We haven't stated. Add: Paige Monroe. Good.
Her mother, Elaine Monroe, came.
Roman asked if Paige wanted him there.
She thought.
“Yes.”
Then:
“No security wall.”
“One man outside.”
“Fine.”
He sat in back.
Not front.
Good.
When Paige crossed stage, her mother screamed.
Roman clapped.
No headlines.
Then after:
pizza.
cheap champagne.
Roman did not buy restaurant.
Good.
Then career offer.
Conference center promoted Paige to operations manager.
Panel decision.
salary.
benefits.
She accepted.
Then Roman said:
“Congratulations.”
No money.
Good.
Then one night, six months into dating, Paige asked:
“Do you still run anything illegal?”
Roman stared.
“No.”
“Do you still know people who do?”
“Yes.”
“Do you help them?”
“No.”
“Do they ask?”
“Yes.”
“What do you say?”
“No.”
Good.
Then:
“Does that make you safe?”
Roman thought.
“No.”
Better.
Reputation remains.
past remains.
wealth remains.
Safety is behavior and systems, not label.
Then Paige asked:
“Does being with you make me safer?”
Roman looked unhappy.
“In some ways.”
“And less safe in others?”
“Yes.”
There.
Public association could create attention.
Threats.
Then:
security assessment.
not permanent surveillance.
Paige said:
“I want to know if risk changes.”
“You will.”
Good.
Then one actual threat.
Anonymous message after a tabloid photo:
Waitress thinks she owns the king.
Gross.
Security and police assessed.
No specific location.
no capability.
likely harassment.
Roman wanted car detail.
Paige said no.
Independent security professional recommended:
temporary digital monitoring of public threats,
no physical coverage.
Good.
They followed.
Nothing happened.
Two weeks later monitoring ended.
Fear did not get permanent architecture.
Then Roman asked:
“Are you scared?”
Paige thought.
“Sometimes.”
“Of me?”
“Sometimes.”
He went still.
Then:
“Do you want to leave?”
“No.”
“Do you want me to know when?”
“Yes.”
Good.
That was intimacy.
Not pretending history had vanished.
Naming what remained.
The first-date period also taught Paige something about expensive places.
She had assumed saying yes to Roman’s money meant surrender.
Then one night he asked:
“Do you want to go to Paris for a weekend?”
She laughed.
“That is absurd.”
“Yes.”
“Can I say yes without owing you anything?”
Roman’s face changed.
“Yes.”
Then:
“Can you?”
Good question.
Paige thought.
Not yet.
She said no.
Six months later, they traveled somewhere less dramatic.
He paid more.
She paid some.
No ledger.
That mattered.
Then Roman once said:
“I like taking care of you.”
Paige stopped.
“Define.”
He laughed.
Then understood she was serious.
“Dinner. Making sure the car has gas. Bringing soup when you’re sick.”
“Fine.”
“Calling your boss?”
“No.”
“Paying your rent?”
“No.”
“Buying your company?”
“Absolutely not.”
May you like
Good.
Care became specific instead of limitless.
