Chapter 12 - THE ASHES OF OUR ENEMIES BUILD OUR CASTLE
A deafening explosion shook the foundation of the estate.
The front lawn erupted in dirt, fire, and smoke.
The Romano men in the foyer were thrown backward by the shockwave.
Luca didn’t wait for the dust to settle.
He moved with terrifying speed, clearing the hallway before the intruders could recover.
I stayed hidden behind the pillar, watching the man I had fallen in love with protect my family.
David cowered next to me, weeping.
“He’s a monster,” David whispered, looking at Luca.
“No,” I said coldly, standing up. “He’s a man. You’re a ghost.”
When the smoke cleared, the estate was silent.
Luca’s security team had flooded the grounds. The remaining Romano men were zip-tied and dragged away.
Luca walked back into the foyer.
He wiped a streak of ash from his face and looked at David.
“You have two choices,” Luca said quietly.
David looked up, trembling.
“Choice one,” Luca said. “I give you to the FBI. You testify against the Romanos. You go into Witness Protection. Alone.”
“And choice two?” David asked.
“I put you back outside, and let the cartel finish what they started.”
David didn’t hesitate.
“The FBI,” he choked out. “I’ll testify.”
Luca nodded to his guards. “Take him away.”
As they pulled David to his feet, he looked at me.
“Becca… please. Tell Leo I loved him.”
“Leo thinks his father died a hero four years ago,” I said, my voice steady. “I’m not going to ruin that for him.”
They led David out the door.
I stood in the ruined hallway, shivering in the cold air blowing through the broken windows.
Luca walked up to me and took off his suit jacket, wrapping it over my shoulders.
“It’s over,” he said softly.
“Is it?” I asked, looking at the destruction.
“The Romanos are broken. Their accounts will be seized by tomorrow. Vanessa is gone.”
He reached out and gently touched my face.
“The only thing left… is us.”
The hidden panel in the wall slid open.
Leo ran out, his little face streaked with tears.
“Mommy!”
I dropped to my knees and caught him, burying my face in his hair.
Luca knelt beside us, wrapping his arms around both of us.
Leo looked up at Luca.
“Are the bad guys gone?” Leo asked.
Luca smiled. He took his father’s reclaimed gold pocket watch from his vest and placed it in Leo’s small hand.
“They’re gone, kiddo,” Luca said softly. “And they’re never coming back.”
I looked at the man who had risked everything for a housekeeper and her child.
He wasn’t just a mafia boss.
He was our home.
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And for the first time in my life, I wasn't afraid of the future.
Because the future belonged to us.
