Chapter 10 - An Empire of Light
Two years later.
The summer sun shone brightly over a private estate on the shores of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. The forty-acre property was surrounded by rolling green hills, blooming apple orchards, and high-tech security perimeters concealed beneath rose hedges.
On the manicured lawn, six-year-old Aria and Elara were running through the sprinklers, their laughter echoing through the warm summer air.
On the wrap-around veranda, Alessio sat in a comfortable rattan chair, wearing a casual white linen shirt and trousers. On his left hand sat his silver signet ring with the bared-teeth wolf; on his right hand, a thick platinum wedding band.
Sienna stepped out from the French doors, carrying a tray of ice water and fresh fruit. She looked breathtaking in a yellow sundress, her dark hair tied back, her skin glowing with health and happiness.
She set the tray down on the table and leaned over the back of Alessio's chair, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and pressing a kiss to his neck.
"What are you thinking about, husband?" she asked softly.
Alessio reached up, covering her hands with his own. He watched his daughters chasing a golden retriever puppy across the grass.
"I was thinking about a frozen Tuesday morning in February," Alessio said, his voice deep and full of quiet contentment. "I thought I was driving to a meeting to crush an enemy. I didn't know I was driving toward my life."
Sienna smiled, pressing her cheek against his. "And the vault behind your sternum?"
Alessio turned his head, kissing her lips softly, deeply, with a tenderness that had completely replaced the cold steel of his past.
"It’s wide open," he murmured against her mouth. "And it’s full."
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Down on the lawn, Aria stopped running, looked up toward the veranda, and waved both hands wildly. "Papa! Mama! Look! The wolf caught the ball!"
Alessio laughed—a rich, genuine sound that rose into the clear summer sky—and stood up to join his family in the light.
