Chapter 20 - The Final Step
Midnight at the estate was peaceful. The iron gates stood open just enough for the cool spring breeze to sweep across the manicured lawns.
Out on the sprawling stone balcony overlooking the harbor, Massimo and I stood side by side, watching the distant lights of cargo ships cutting through the dark water.
Massimo raised a crystal glass of bourbon, clinking it gently against my glass of wine.
“To empires built from the ground up,” he toasted softly, his eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that burned brighter than any city light.
“And to never needing a wheelchair again,” I added with a smile, leaning my shoulder against his broad chest.
May you like
Massimo set his glass down on the stone railing, wrapping both arms securely around my waist, pulling me flush against him as we danced slowly to the music playing softly from the suite inside. His step was flawless, his strength absolute, a living testament to the fire we had walked through together.
The past was buried in federal cells and burned ledgers. Our future was wide open, written in the steady beat of our hearts and the unbreakable bond of a debt that could never be repaid—because neither of us ever wanted to walk away.
