Chapter 10 - The Choice Before Us
Three months later.
The snow had melted away from the Hudson Valley, replaced by the vibrant, blooming greens of an early New York spring.
The iron gates of the Westchester estate still featured armed security guards, but the patrols were quieter, more routine. The federal indictments against the syndicate had dropped two weeks ago, front-page news across every major paper in the country. The men who had hunted Elena’s secrets were sitting in federal holding cells awaiting trial.
Inside the limestone mansion, the heavy, oppressive gloom that had hung over the halls for two years had finally lifted.
In the sunroom, Mia sat on the floor with a new box of crayons, drawing a picture of a house with four people standing in the front yard. Leo sat beside her, helping her shade the roof in bright red.
I stood by the French doors, watching them while holding a cup of coffee.
Footsteps approached from behind, and a familiar, comforting warmth settled around my shoulders as a heavy wool jacket was draped over my back.
“You’re going to catch a cold standing by the drafty glass,” Dante said softly, wrapping his arms around my waist from behind and resting his chin gently on my shoulder.
“I’m fine,” I smiled, leaning back against his chest. “Just watching the kids. Leo actually smiled at breakfast today without me having to bribe him with extra pancakes.”
“That’s because he knows you’re not leaving,” Dante murmured, pressing a warm kiss to the side of my neck.
I turned around within his embrace, wrapping my arms around his neck. The man who was once feared across New York as a ruthless billionaire now looked at me with a tenderness that still occasionally took my breath away.
My checking account was no longer sitting at seventy-four dollars. My old Honda Civic was gone, replaced by a reliable sedan parked safely in the estate’s secure garage. But more importantly, the eviction notice was a distant memory.
I hadn't just found a job.
I had found a family. And for the first time in my life, I didn't need to count the days until the departure.
“Margaret is downstairs,” Dante whispered, a faint smile touching his lips. “She’s downstairs complaining that we haven't officially updated your HR title from ‘Live-in Nanny’ to anything more permanent.”
“What title does she suggest?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.
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“She suggested ‘Co-CEO of the Sterling Household’,” Dante chuckled, his dark eyes sparkling. “Though I personally prefer ‘Wife and Mother’.”
I laughed, pulling him down into a deep, certain kiss as the spring sunlight poured through the glass, illuminating a home that was finally, truly safe.
