Chapter 6 - The Sanctuary of the King
Elias brought Maggie back to his penthouse, refusing to let her go back to her apartment above the smoke-damaged bakery. He assigned a private doctor to check her lungs and ensure she had no burns.
For the next two days, Maggie lived in a world of silent luxury, but her spirit was restless. She couldn't sleep. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the flames.
On the third night, she found herself wandering into Elias's massive kitchen. She needed to work. She needed the familiar comfort of creation to ground her. She found some basic ingredients in his pantry—flour, sugar, butter, and a basket of fresh lemons.
She began to make a simple lemon curd tart, her movements slow but therapeutic.
"You should be resting," a voice said from the doorway.
Elias stood there, wearing a loose black shirt, his eyes dark as he watched her.
"I can't rest when my hands are empty," Maggie said, keeping her eyes on the lemon juice she was whisking. "Cooking is the only thing that makes me feel like I’m in control."
Elias walked over, standing close enough that she could feel the heat radiating from his body. "You are safe here, Maggie. I have taken precautions. The people who ordered the attack have been... neutralized. They will never trouble you again."
Maggie stopped whisking. She looked up at him, searching his dark eyes. "What did you do, Elias?"
"I protected what is mine," he said softly, his voice dropping an octave. He reached out, his hand resting on her waist, his fingers pressing into the soft curves of her hip. "From the moment I saw you in that ballroom, standing tall against those who wished to make you small, I knew. You are a queen, Maggie. You deserve a kingdom, not a battlefield."
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Maggie’s breath hitched. She looked down at his hand on her hip, then back up at his face. "Elias, I’m a plus-size baker from the South Side. I don't fit into your world of shadows and power."
"You define my world," Elias whispered. He leaned down, his lips brushing against hers in a gentle, tentative kiss that quickly deepened into something fierce and hungry. Maggie let out a soft sigh, her arms wrapping around his neck, pulling him closer as she surrendered to the safety of his embrace.
