Epilogue
Six months later
Erin
The sun is setting over the city, turning the sky into a sea of gold and lavender. The first city lights are twinkling here and there like scattered stars.
I clutch my bouquet a little tighter as my heart flutters in my chest like a bird trying to fly out of my throat.
I am nervous…I am happy.
I am marrying the man I love.
On top of The Bastion, the rooftop has been transformed into a lush garden.
Ivy climbs trellises around the perimeter, shielding us from the rest of the world.
The air is sweet with the scent of jasmine and wisteria.
At the center of the rooftop, a stone path lined with hundreds of candles leads to the altar.
The gauzy white fabric draped over it dances in the breeze.
I glance to my left and see Lily cradling baby Dante in her arms. Damiano is standing tall and proud beside her, one hand on her back.
Facing them, Chiara is already dabbing at her eyes, whispering something that makes Lucas smile beside her.
Lydia is here too, looking radiant in a deep green dress, her fingers laced with Jade’s.
Both have become my friends, and they are beaming at me through tearful eyes.
At their feet sits Rosie the Rottweiler—that’s how we named her—with a pink bow around her neck and a matching leash.
Jade and Lydia had adopted her after Lydia first met her at the animal shelter she was brought to after I dismantled the dogfighting ring.
Lydia had been participating in a program to help her overcome her trauma by caring for animals, and Rosie became part of the journey.
Together, Lydia and Rosie had helped each other heal, proving that love and trust can prevail.
I still can’t believe how lucky I am to have them all here with me, on this day.
My friends, my family.
The music starts to play, soft and ethereal. My breath catches in my throat and my feet move on their own, each step down the aisle feeling like a heartbeat.
Then I see him.
Matteo.
He is waiting at the end of the path, dressed in a black suit that hugs his powerful body.
He is wearing no tie and the first two buttons of his white shirt are undone.
His dark hair is slicked back, but a lock escaped to hang over his forehead as if he had repeatedly raked his fingers through the strands.
He looks every bit the Mafia enforcer he is—big, dangerous, in control. And breathtakingly handsome.
But what makes my heart stop is the look in his eyes. They are locked on me, burning with something raw and real.
I step slowly in front of him and take his outstretched hand, my knees feeling weak.
He doesn’t smile. He devours me with his gaze, like I am his world.
And just like that, the storm inside me settles. For the first time in my life, I feel like I belong.
Hours later, the ceremony has melted into celebration and the rooftop echoes with warmth and laughter.
The sky has turned inky black, people are laughing and dancing under the glow of fairy lights.
I am sitting with Lily and Chiara in a quiet corner with my heels off and baby Dante cradled in my arms.
“He’s so…perfect.” I breathe. He is the spitting image of his father, with an already impressive mop of black hair and a ferocious scowl when his bottle is not offered fast enough. But now, he is asleep in my arms with an angelic face and I feel something deep tug at my heart.
Then I feel him. I look up to see Matteo’s scorching gaze locked on me from across the rooftop where he is talking with Damiano and Lucas.
When he sees me watching, he steps away from the conversation and stalks toward me without breaking eye contact. Then he is standing in front of me.
“Dance with me, amore ,” he rasps.
Lily takes Dante from my arms, grinning from ear to ear.
I stand up and take Matteo’s hand to let him lead me to the dance floor for another slow dance. All evening, we circled the garden, talking, laughing with the guests, sometimes drifting apart. But every time, we were drawn to each other again like gravity pulling us in.
His arms wrap around me, possessive and protective.
His lips brush my ear. “One day soon, little ghost, I’ll put my baby in your belly.”
I shiver from the husky rasp of his voice against my skin.
“Then you will never be able to leave me.”
This man … “What kind of caveman logic is that?” I look up into his earnest face with a dramatic snort and smack his shoulder playfully. “And you do know that people with children can get divorced, don’t you?”
The look he gives me is dark and forbidding. I suppress a laugh when I see the muscle in his jaw start jumping.
“Not us, never,” he growls. “You’ll have to bleed me out before I let you go.”
I can’t hold back my laugh anymore. “Well,” I say lightly, grinning up at him. “That can be arranged, I happen to know where to find the biggest, sharpest knives.”
His smoldering gaze is a promise of retribution.
One I am looking forward to.
* * * *
Meanwhile, somewhere on the darknet
[Secure Node // Encrypted Channel // Handshake Complete]
DAEDALUS: Status report. We have a problem
CHIMERA: Define problem
DAEDALUS: The shipment didn’t reach destination. It got intercepted by the enforcer.
CHIMERA: I see.
DAEDALUS: We covered our tracks but the situation is unstable. They got too close.
CHIMERA: Are we compromised?
DAEDALUS: Still assessing. Our last counterpart was exposed. Unclear how much he gave up before he disappeared, but several major players already got removed.
CHIMERA: If he continues digging, he will find more than you can bury.
DAEDALUS: What are your orders?
CHIMERA: No more messages. No more excuses. I’m coming in person. We’ll correct the course…permanently.
[Connection Terminated // Channel Purged]