Chapter 9 - THE SHADOWS OF THE EMPIREThree months later.
The Hale empire had expanded threefold following the collapse of Victor Vance’s syndicate. The ports were secure, the shipping lanes were clear, and no one—absolutely no one—dared challenge the master of the East Coast.
Inside the private study, the antique clock ticked rhythmically against the mahogany wall.
Dominic sat behind his massive desk, signing off on a new series of international trade agreements.
The door opened without a knock, and little Lily waddled in, holding her stuffed rabbit in one arm and a shiny new mechanical toy in the other.
She walked straight up to Dominic’s desk, climbed onto the heavy leather chair beside him, and stared up at his face.
"Mr. Hale?" she whispered conspiratorially.
Dominic looked up, a rare, faint smile touching the corner of his lips. He closed his pen.
"Yes, Lily?"
"The clock isn't blinking green anymore," the little girl reported seriously. "It's blinking blue. Does that mean the house is happy now?"
Dominic reached out, gently patting the top of her head.
"It means the house is safe, Lily," Dominic said, looking toward the hallway where Claire was walking past, carrying a tray of coffee and smiling at him through the glass door. "And in this house, blue means nobody gets past the gates."
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Lily nodded sagely, hugged her rabbit tighter, and hopped down from the chair to run back outside.
Dominic turned back to his desk, took a sip of his coffee, and smiled. The war was over. The traitors were gone. And the most feared crime boss on the East Coast had finally found a queen who knew how to load a gun just as well as she wore a wedding dress.
