Chapter 20 - The Light at the End of the TunnelThree days after the incident at the penthouse, the Dallas syndicate was completely dismantled. Carlos Salazar and his surviving men were handed over to federal authorities on federal terrorism and RICO charges, ensuring they would never see the sun again.
The penthouse had been repaired, the broken glass swept away, and the toys put back in their proper places.
It was a Sunday evening. The golden hues of the setting sun flooded through the massive glass windows, painting the living room in warm, comforting light.
Leo was sitting on the rug, finally able to walk without his medical boot, playing a board game with Maya. Their laughter echoed off the marble walls—a sound so pure and vibrant it completely erased the ghosts of the past.
I stood by the kitchen island, holding a cup of black coffee, watching them.
My phone buzzed on the counter. It was a secure text from Marcus: All borders secure, Boss. The city is quiet. No one will ever bother your family again.
I locked the phone, placed it face down on the marble, and walked over to join the kids on the floor.
Leo looked up, grinning widely as he held out a game piece. “Your turn, Uncle Thomas! If you roll a six, you win!”
I smiled, sitting down cross-legged on the floor—something the feared mafia boss of Austin would never have done a few months ago—and rolled the dice.
Ethan had wanted to keep his children away from my dark, dangerous world. But sitting there surrounded by the laughter of the two kids who meant everything to me, I finally understood the truth.
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Some monsters don't hide in the shadows. Sometimes, the monster is the one standing at the gate, keeping the world safe so the children can finally sleep in the light.
And as long as I was breathing, nobody would ever take that light away from them again.
