Chapter 10 - Dawn Over the Hargrove EstateThe sun broke over the horizon, painting the waters of the lake in shades of gold and bruised purple.
The fires in the east wing had been extinguished. Federal agents and local authorities swarmed the courtyard, hauling away the remnants of the Blackwood Syndicate mercenaries and securing Tristan in the back of an armored transport vehicle.
In the master courtyard, Weston Hargrove stood beside the training ring, his charcoal overcoat draped loosely over his shoulders.
Holly Bennett stood a few feet away, her scuffed boots resting in the dirt. The faded gray thrift-store sweater still slipped slightly from her shoulder, but the air around her had changed. The ghost of Seattle was finally putting her past to rest.
Weston looked at her, his dark eyes filled with a complex mixture of gratitude, respect, and something much deeper he couldn't yet name.
"You're leaving," Weston stated, not as a question, but as a certainty.
Holly turned the glass of warm milk she had carried upstairs earlier—now untouched—between her hands before setting it gently on the fence post.
"My job here is done, Mr. Hargrove," Holly said softly, adjusting her hair with the old elastic band. "Mary is safe. The audit files are on your desk. And your estate has a new head of security who won't be easily replaced." She glanced toward Midnight, who stood calmly grazing near the rail.
Weston stepped closer, blocking her path toward the estate gates. His voice was no longer the cold command of a mafia boss, but the quiet plea of a man learning how to feel again.
"The nanny position is vacant," Weston said quietly. "And... the Hargrove empire has a habit of needing people who aren't afraid of monsters."
Holly looked up, meeting his intense gaze for a long, lingering moment. A faint, genuine smile touched the corners of her lips—the first true smile he had ever seen from her.
"I charge a very high salary, Mr. Hargrove," Holly replied, her eyes twinkling with a challenge.
May you like
Weston offered a rare, hard-won smile of his own, extending his hand.
"Name your price."
