Chapter 3 Contracted And Collared

• Naomi's POV
• "You're late." I was startled when Roman's voice broke the thick silence as I entered the room and said, it wasn't loud, his tone of authority demanded attention.
• My breath caught as I halted, gripping my handbag hard. Roman stood beside the massive floor-to-ceiling window with his big shoulders creating a black shadow against the pale light coming in. He didn’t turn to look at me right away, and for a fleeting moment, I thought of walking back out.
• "I... I thought I was on time." I stammered, hating how small and unsure I sounded.
• “Punctuality isn’t a virtue in my world, Naomi,” he said smoothly, finally turning to face me. His sharp blue eyes pinned me in place like I was prey caught in a trap. “It’s an expectation.”
• I found myself staring at the floor because the weight of his eyes was too much to bear. "I didn't mean to—"
• “I don’t care what you meant to do,” His voice was chilly as he interrupted. "Sit."
• I paused for just a split second too long. He pointed to the leather chair on the other side of the elegant glass table as his jaw twitched in frustration. "Don't make me repeat myself."
• Before I could think, my legs moved, and I walked shakily to the chair. My palms were wet against the cool leather as I sunk into it. The room had an overpowering richness that made me feel more uneasy, with a subtle scent of leather and cedar.
• The clicking of Roman's polished shoes on the marble floor echoed like a countdown to my demise as he strolled toward the table. He placed the heavy pile of papers he held down with a deliberate l thud.
• "This is your new reality," he said, tapping the first page with his index finger.
• I looked over the papers, but I could not concentrate on the words. My heart raced at the menacing tone in his voice.
• "What does that mean?" I tried to sound steady, but my voice shook as I asked.
• A chilly smile curved Roman's lips. It means your life as you knew it is over,” he said, his voice sharp enough to cut glass.
• I recoiled as the reality of what he had said hit me like a ton of bricks. "You can't just—"
• “I can.” He interrupted me with a gaze that could extinguish a fire. "And I have."
• I tried to keep some composure as my fingers grabbed the chair's edge. "What do you want from me?"
• Roman put his palms on the table and leaned forward. I recoiled at the intensity in his eyes. "Everything,” he said plainly.
• Like a noose around my neck, the word hung in midair. "I don't get it," I whispered
• "You will," he answered in a foreboding yet decisive tone.
• He straightened and slid the contract's top sheet in my direction. "Read it."
• With my hands immobile, I gazed at the paper. "What's in it?"
• Roman's expression was unreadable as he cocked his head slightly. "Details," he said in a mysterious tone. "Regulations. Expectations. Consequences.”
• "Consequences?" I echoed, my gut churning with fear.
• Roman smirked, but there was no humor in it. “Did you think I’d let your father’s mistakes go unpunished? This isn’t charity, Naomi. This is business.”
• My throat tightened as his words hammered just how powerless I was. “But why me?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
• Roman's eyes grew gloomy. “Because you’re the perfect collateral. Compliant. Desperate. And weak.”
• The last word hit me like a slap, and tears pricked the corners of my eyes. I hated how right he was.
• "I'm not weak,” I answered, but my voice betrayed me by quivering.
• Then he chuckled, low and without humor. You’re trembling in my presence, Naomi. Do you think I’m blind?”
• The taste of embarrassment was harsh, so I bit my lip. "This is unfair," I whispered.
• "Fairness doesn't exist in my world," he stated calmly. “And if you’re smart, you’ll stop clinging to such naive notions.”
• I reached for the document with trembling hands. The legal jargon was incomprehensible as the letters flashed before my eyes. “What happens if I don’t sign it?”
• Roman grinned more broadly, but it was not a friendly grin. "You don't want to find out,” he added In a low, menacing voice.
• The threat in his tone sent a shiver down my spine. “You can’t keep me here,” I said, even though as the words left my mouth, I knew how empty they were.
• Roman’s eyes gleamed with something predatory. “Watch me.”
• I looked away, my pulse pounding in my ears. “This isn’t a marriage,” I said bitterly.
• "No," Roman agreed. “It’s a contract. And like any contract, it’s binding.”
• I tried to ignore the weight of his presence by closing my eyes. I muttered, "You're a monster."
• “And you're a pawn." He replied without missing a beat. "But Naomi, don't worry. You will adjust to it.”
• My fingers curled into fists, the urge to scream bubbling in my chest. But I couldn’t afford to lose control, not in front of him.
• Roman took a step back, his steps slow and methodical. “You have until tomorrow morning to sign it,” he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.
• "And if I don't?" My question was hardly audible above a whisper.
• Roman's cold, unwavering eyes stared into mine. “Pray you never have to find out.”
• His departure was as imposing as his presence as he turned and strode for the door. But just before he reached it, he paused and glanced back at me.
• "Oh, and Naomi?"
• With my heart in my throat, I looked up.
• “Make sure you read the fine print,” he said with a smirk. “It’s where the devil hides his best work.”
• With that, he was gone, leaving me alone with the contract and the crushing weight of my future.
• I gazed over the document, my thoughts whirling with outcomes and fears. The silence pressed down on me like a vice; the place was too silent.
• Roman had left the pen on the table, and I grabbed it up, holding it over the signature line with a shaking hand. The decision before me seemed impossible, and the ink seemed heavier than it should.
• And then, a single thought struck me, freezing me in place.
• What if Roman wasn’t bluffing?