Chapter 10 - A New Empire
Two weeks later.
The war was over. The Valenti crime syndicate had been completely dismantled overnight, their turf absorbed, their bosses forced into hiding or exile. Dominic Moretti’s reign over Chicago was now absolute and unchallenged.
The Moretti estate had been fully restored, brighter now, filled with soft light, fresh flowers, and the sweet sound of a baby cooing.
Sophie stood on the balcony overlooking the manicured gardens, holding Julian, who was now a healthy, chubby one-month-old.
Heavy, familiar footsteps sounded behind her. Dominic stepped onto the balcony, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder. He looked rested, powerful, and deeply at peace.
He slid a black velvet box onto the marble railing in front of her.
Sophie opened it. Inside was a key and a thick stack of legal documents.
“What is this?” she asked softly.
“A trust fund in your name. Ten million dollars. A estate in Florida, far away from Chicago,” Dominic said quietly into her ear. “It’s your freedom, Sophie. You saved my nephew. You saved me. You’ve paid whatever debt you thought you owed the world. You can leave today, safe and rich.”
Sophie looked down at the paper, then turned around in his arms to look into his dark, intense eyes.
“Are you kicking me out, Dominic?”
“I’m giving you a choice,” Dominic murmured, his thumb gently tracing her cheekbone. “I am a dangerous man, Sophie. My world is filled with blood and shadows. You deserve a quiet, peaceful life.”
Sophie took his hand and placed it over her heart, right where little Julian was resting comfortably between them.
“My life was quiet before I met you,” Sophie whispered, looking up at him with unyielding love and certainty. “It was quiet, cold, and dead. You and this baby gave me a reason to feel again. I don't want Florida. I don't want a quiet life.”
Dominic’s breath caught in his throat. “What do you want, Sophie?”
“I want to stay,” she said clearly. “I want to raise Julian with you. I want to be right here.”
Dominic smiled—a genuine, breathless, beautiful smile that erased every shadow on his face. He leaned down, placing his lips softly against hers in a slow, deep, promising kiss.
May you like
“Then you stay,” Dominic whispered against her lips. “Not as the nurse. As my wife. As the Queen of Chicago.”
And for the first time in four years, as Sophie kissed the mafia boss back while holding the baby tightly between them, she finally felt like she was home.
