Chapter 16 - The Aftermath
|
The cleanup was extensive, but the message sent to the underworld was clear.
With the backing of the New York Syndicate, Dominic launched a devastating counter-offensive against the Morrow family. Within seventy-two hours, Vito Morrow’s empire collapsed. His warehouses were seized, his lieutenants flipped, and Vito himself was forced into early "retirement" in a heavily guarded facility in Florida.
Vivien Morrow disappeared entirely, effectively exiled from polite society and the criminal underworld alike.
The mansion slowly returned to normal, though the scars of the attack remained in the patched bullet holes and shattered glass.
A week later, Dominic was sitting in his rebuilt study, reviewing the final damage reports. His shoulder throbbed with a dull ache, but the war was officially won.
A soft knock interrupted him.
Marin stood in the doorway, holding a tray with a pot of tea and two cups. She wore her simple navy caregiver dress, though the tension that usually tightened her shoulders was gone.
“You’re working late,” Marin said softly, stepping into the room.
“There is always work,” Dominic replied, closing the file folder. He watched her pour the tea, mesmerized by the simple, domestic grace of her movements.
She set a cup in front of him and sat down in the leather chair opposite his desk.
“Isabella is asleep,” Marin reported. “She had a good day. She wrote a whole paragraph about the garden.”
“Thank you,” Dominic said. “For everything you did that night. For keeping them calm.”
Marin looked down at her tea. “I was terrified. I thought we were going to die.”
“I would never let that happen,” Dominic vowed, his voice dropping into that intense, intimate register.
He stood up and walked around the desk, leaning against the edge near her chair.
“The war is over, Marin,” Dominic said quietly. “The Morrows are gone. The alliance with New York is secure. The mansion is safe again.”
Marin looked up at him, her brown eyes searching his face. “I’m glad.”
“But the threat is never entirely gone in my world,” Dominic continued, his jaw tightening. “You saw what they did to my house. You saw the violence I am capable of. I promised you protection, but I also dragged you into a war zone.”
May you like
Marin stood up, closing the distance between them until she was inches away. She didn't shrink from him. She tilted her head back, meeting his gaze with absolute, unshakeable courage.
“You didn't drag me anywhere, Dominic,” she whispered. “I chose to stay.”
