Chapter 9 - the vow at twilight
The boardroom was dead silent.
Dominic turned his gaze to the council bosses, who remained standing, waiting for their leader’s final command.
"Julian's son, Leo, is now officially under my name," Dominic declared, his voice echoing with absolute authority. "He is my legal heir. Any man who looks at that boy with anything less than total loyalty will answer to me personally."
"Understood, Boss," Salvatore said, bowing his head. The other men followed suit immediately.
Dominic turned his eyes toward Grace, who was standing beside the table, her head held high, looking as regal and composed as any queen who had ever ruled by a king's side.
"And Nurse Bennett," Dominic added, his tone softening just enough for the council to understand the gravity of his words, "is under my personal protection. She is untouchable."
He reached out his hand.
Grace looked at his open palm, remembering the moment he had woken up in room four-twelve and reached for her amidst the chaos. She placed her hand in his. His warm fingers closed around hers, sealing a bond that would never be broken.
"Meeting adjourned," Dominic said.
Thirty minutes later, the private elevator carried Dominic and Grace down to the quiet lower terrace of the penthouse, which opened to a private garden overlooking the calm expanse of Lake Michigan.
The rain had finally cleared, leaving the sky painted in breathtaking hues of twilight purple, crimson, and gold. The crisp autumn breeze brushed Grace’s cheeks, bringing a rosy, healthy glow to her face.
Grace leaned against the stone balustrade, looking out at the endless horizon.
"It's over," she whispered softly.
Dominic stood beside her, his tall, muscular frame leaning against the railing, his dark eyes watching her profile instead of the view.
"The war is over," Dominic said. "The rebuilding begins."
Grace smiled faintly, looking down at her hands. "I should probably call St. Jude. Tell the chief of nursing that I'm ready to return to my shift tomorrow."
Dominic shifted closer, his hand coming to rest over hers on the cold stone. "Do you really want to go back to twelve-hour graveyard shifts, Grace?"
Grace turned to look at him, her heart beating faster at his proximity. "It’s who I am, Dominic. I heal people. I protect lives."
"Then stay here and protect mine," Dominic murmured, his voice thick with an intensity that made the world around them fade away. "Stay with me. Stay with Leo."
Grace looked up into his handsome, rugged face—the light stubble, the sharp, aristocratic jawline, the piercing dark eyes that had looked death in the face and never flinched.
"Dominic," she breathed softly. "Your world... it's dangerous. It's violent."
"I will tear this entire city apart before I ever let danger touch you again," Dominic vowed, stepping into her space, his large hands gently framing her face. His thumbs caressed her cheekbones with breathtaking gentleness. "When I was lying on that table, drowning in the dark, the only thing that pulled me back was the sound of your voice telling me to breathe. You gave me back my life, Grace."
"Dominic..."
"I don't love easily," he whispered, his lips hovering inches from hers, his dark eyes searching hers with complete vulnerability. "In my world, love is a weakness that gets you killed. But with you... it's the only thing that makes me feel human."
Grace didn't pull away. The walls she had built around her heart, the cautious professionalism that had guarded her for years, crumbled completely under the warmth of his gaze.
"I didn't just save a mafia boss," Grace whispered, her rosy lips parting in a soft, tender smile. "I saved you."
Dominic leaned down and kissed her.
May you like
The kiss was slow, deep, and intoxicating, carrying all the heat, the danger, and the unspoken promises of the days they had survived together. Grace wound her arms around his broad neck, feeling the strength of his muscular frame, the steady, powerful rhythm of the heart she had fought so hard to keep beating.
Beneath the twilight sky of Chicago, the king had found his queen.
