Chapter 18 - Ashes to Empire
The smoke cleared from the smelting chamber, drifting slowly up toward the high steel rafters. Paul and our enforcer detail poured into the room from the upper catenary bridges, securing the perimeter and rounding up the remaining New York loyalists without firing another shot.
Liam slumped against a concrete pillar, breathing heavily, clutching his bruised wrists while staring at the fallen mob boss in utter disbelief.
Victor slowly lowered his weapon, sliding it back into his leather holster. He turned around, his dark eyes locking entirely onto mine, softening as he crossed the distance between us in two long strides.
Without a word, he grabbed me by the waist and pulled me flush against his chest, burying his face in my hair as a deep, shuddering sigh escaped his lips.
"You never cease to terrify me," Victor murmured against my neck, his voice trembling with a rare vulnerability that only I was ever allowed to see.
"You taught me how to survive," I whispered back, resting my cheek against his solid, powerful chest—the exact same place I had fallen asleep months ago as a terrified maid. "Now we don't just survive. We rule."
Liam cleared his throat awkwardly, standing up and brushing the dust off his jacket. "So... does this mean I can finally go back to Switzerland and stay away from gambling?"
Victor looked over my shoulder at Liam, a dangerous, razor-thin smile touching the corner of his mouth.
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"If you ever touch a deck of cards again, Liam," Victor said evenly, "I won't just exile you to Zurich. I'll make you head of accounting for our international shipping ports."
Liam gulped hard, holding up his hands in surrender. "Point taken. I'm retiring to a monastery."
