Chapter 9 - The New Order
The death of Sal Castellano sent shockwaves through the American underworld.
Within forty-eight hours, the remaining captains of the Castellano family surrendered their territories to the Russo syndicate. Dominic seized control of the docks, the shipping lanes, and the high-stakes gambling operations across the tri-state area.
He became the undisputed King of New York.
A week after the night at Red Hook, I sat in the grand library of the Westchester estate. The sun was streaming through the high arched windows, illuminating the warm wood and rows of gold-embossed books.
A legal document lay open on the desk before me.
It was a full release of liability, along with a deed to a luxury condominium in Manhattan and a trust account containing two million dollars in my name.
Dominic walked into the library, wearing a dark gray suit. His arm was in a black sling, but he walked with his usual absolute authority.
He stopped beside the desk, looking down at the papers.
"What is this?" I asked, looking up at him.
"Your freedom," Dominic said flatly. His voice was calm, but his icy blue eyes were guarded, holding a deep, hidden tension. "Castellano is dead. His family is broken. Your father's debts are canceled, and your name is completely cleared across the city."
I stared at the deed and the trust fund papers. "You're giving me two million dollars?"
"It's enough to pay for university, buy a home, and live comfortably anywhere in the world," Dominic said, walking toward the window, looking out over the green estate. "A private car is waiting outside to take you wherever you want to go. You don't owe me anything, Lydia."
The room was quiet, save for the ticking of the grandfather clock in the corner.
He was giving me everything I had spent six months praying for. Freedom. Money. Security. A life completely divorced from crime, violence, and debt.
I stood up slowly, walking across the oriental rug until I was standing right behind him.
"And if I leave," I asked softly, "what happens to you?"
Dominic didn't turn around. "I go back to running my empire."
"Alone?"
Dominic went rigid. "Lydia... I am a mob boss. My life is blood, war, and dark rooms. I brought you into a world where people tried to poison me and shoot you. You deserve a quiet life."
I reached out, resting my hand against his back, feeling the solid, steady strength of the man beneath the wool suit.
"I spent six months living in fear of loan sharks, hiding in a tiny apartment, serving drinks to men who treated me like garbage," I said, my voice rich with conviction. "I was invisible, Dominic. I was dying slowly every day."
I stepped around him, forcing him to look down at me.
"The only time I ever felt truly alive," I continued, holding his gaze, "was when I looked into your eyes across that table at the Onyx Room. The only time I felt safe was when you held me while the world was burning around us."
Dominic stared at me, his breath catching in his throat. The cold, unshakeable Don was trembling.
"You don't know what you're asking for, Lydia," he growled softly, his hand rising to gently trace my jaw. "If you stay, there is no going back. You will be the Queen of the Russo family. Every enemy I have will target you."
"Then we'll carve an X on their napkins," I said, a small, fierce smile touching my lips.
May you like
A low, breathtaking laugh broke from Dominic's lips. He pulled me into his arms, his mouth capturing mine in a deep, possessive kiss that wiped away every lingering doubt.
He tore the legal papers on the desk in half, tossing the scraps into the fireplace, where they dissolved into golden ashes.
