Chapter 12 - THE FINAL COMMAND
The red and blue lights of the police cruisers illuminated the shattered glass of the Moretti estate.
Within minutes, the FBI swarmed the property. But there was no shootout. The remaining Commission men had surrendered peacefully, their weapons piled neatly in the center of the foyer.
The agent in charge—the same man from Pier 44—walked through the front door, taking in the scene. The destroyed drywall, the dead mafia boss on the floor, and the twenty-five-year-old woman standing calmly in the center of it all.
Paramedics were already tending to Luca’s shoulder. It was a clean through-and-through graze. He was going to be fine, but he refused to take his eyes off me.
“Ms. Collins,” the FBI agent said, stepping over the debris. “It seems you’ve had a busy morning.”
“It’s over, Agent,” I said quietly, my voice steady.
“Is it?” The agent looked at the men being handcuffed. “Don Salvatore was the head of the snake. With him gone, there’s a power vacuum. The regional bosses will tear the city apart trying to claim his seat.”
I reached into my pocket and pulled out the small, ornate wooden box Salvatore had left on the porch.
I opened it. The silver ring with the blood-red ruby gleamed under the harsh police lights. The ring of the Boss of Bosses.
“There won’t be a power vacuum,” I said.
I took the ring out of the box and slid it onto my right index finger. It was slightly too big, but the weight of it was undeniable.
The arrested Commission men watched me, their eyes wide with reverence.
“I am the last living heir of the Collins bloodline,” I stated clearly, ensuring every man in the room heard me. “I am the Donna of the Commission.”
The FBI agent frowned. “Are you confessing to organized crime, Ms. Collins? Because I will arrest you right now.”
“I’m not confessing to a crime,” I said, looking directly at the agent. “I am issuing my first and final command.”
I turned to face the handcuffed syndicate men.
“The Commission is dissolved,” I declared, my voice echoing with finality. “There will be no retaliation. There will be no succession. The accounts are frozen, the territories are disbanded, and the old laws are dead. If any family attempts to rebuild what fell today, I will personally hand their ledgers, their names, and their locations over to the federal government.”
The men bowed their heads. They understood. The reign of the mafia in Chicago was over. Not by force, but by a royal decree they could not disobey.
I pulled the silver ring off my finger.
I held it out to the FBI agent.
“Put this in an evidence locker,” I said softly. “And lose the key.”
The agent took the ring, a look of profound respect crossing his face. “You’re a terrifying woman, Hannah Collins. Your father would be proud.”
He turned and walked away to manage his men.
I let out a long, shuddering breath, the adrenaline finally leaving my body. My knees felt weak.
Suddenly, strong arms wrapped around me from behind, holding me steady.
“I’ve got you,” Luca murmured, resting his chin on the top of my head. His good arm was wrapped tightly around my waist, grounding me, reminding me that I wasn’t alone anymore.
“Is everyone safe?” I asked, leaning back into his solid chest.
“My mother and yours came out of the tunnel when they saw the police lights,” Luca said softly. “Leo is with them. They’re safe, Hannah. We’re all safe.”
I turned around in his arms, looking up into his dark, beautiful eyes.
“You told me you were stepping down,” I whispered, tracing the collar of his ruined shirt. “You told me you were moving to Italy.”
Luca smiled, a slow, breathtaking smile that reached his eyes.
“I said I was done with this life,” Luca corrected gently. “I didn’t say I was done with you.”
He reached into his pocket with his good hand. He didn’t pull out a weapon, or a key, or a ledger.
He pulled out the gold pocket watch.
“My father left a note inside this watch,” Luca said softly, his thumb brushing over the polished gold casing. “He told me never to confuse a woman who loves a home with a woman who only wants to own it.”
He looked around the destroyed, bullet-riddled foyer.
“This house is ruined,” Luca chuckled softly. “The windows are shattered. The doors are gone. But standing here with you... it’s the first time it’s ever felt like a home.”
Tears pricked my eyes as he gently took my left hand.
“I don’t have a ring right now,” Luca whispered, his voice thick with emotion. “But I have this watch. And I have time. For the rest of my life, every second I have belongs to you, Hannah. If you’ll have me.”
I didn’t hesitate. I didn’t care about the police, or the mess, or the terrifying events of the day.
“I’ll have you,” I cried, throwing my arms around his neck, being careful of his injured shoulder. “I love you, Luca.”
He kissed me, a promise sealed not in blood or secrets, but in truth and unconditional love.
One Year Later.
The afternoon sun poured through the massive, newly installed French doors of the dining room. The estate had been completely restored, but it felt entirely different. It was bright, warm, and filled with life.
I walked out onto the patio, carrying a tray of iced tea.
Leo was throwing a baseball in the sprawling backyard, laughing as a golden retriever chased after it. My mother and Teresa were sitting in the shade of the oak tree, arguing playfully over a crossword puzzle.
I set the tray down and looked out over the lawn.
I felt a pair of strong arms wrap around my waist, pulling my back against a warm, familiar chest.
“They look happy,” Luca murmured, kissing the side of my neck.
“They are,” I smiled, leaning into my husband’s embrace.
I reached down and rested my hand over his on my stomach. The subtle swell of my pregnancy was just beginning to show.
Luca’s hand was warm, protective, and gentle. On his wrist, ticking softly, was his father’s gold pocket watch, finally fulfilling its true purpose.
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The secrets were gone. The mafia was a ghost story of the past.
We were just a family now. And our time was just beginning.
