Chapter 7 - The Sunrise Over GreenwichBy 5:30 AM, the winter sky over Greenwich began to bleed a pale, bruised violet along the horizon.
The fleet of black sedans rolled smoothly up the snow-dusted driveway of the Kane Estate, escorted by local police cruisers that now answered to a very different kind of authority. Inside the lead vehicle, Harper looked out the window as the massive iron gates of her new home swung open automatically.
Dominic sat beside her, his expression serene, resting his arm along the back of the leather seat without touching her injured side.
“Are you tired?” he asked softly.
“Exhausted,” Harper admitted, leaning her head back against the upholstery. Then, a small, genuine smile touched her lips. “And entirely bewildered. I feel like I woke up in a different century.”
“You woke up from a nightmare,” Dominic corrected gently as the car came to a smooth halt beneath the grand portico of the Kane mansion.
The heavy oak doors opened instantly, revealing a row of household staff standing at attention, led by the elderly head butler, Thomas, who bowed respectfully as they stepped inside.
“Welcome home, Mrs. Kane,” Thomas said warmly, his eyes filled with genuine concern as he noticed her bandaged hand and the faint fading bruise on her cheek. “The private apartments have been prepared, and Dr. Vance left specific instructions for your pain management.”
Harper looked at Thomas, then turned her gaze toward Dominic, who stood beside her like an immovable fortress.
“Thank you, Thomas,” Harper said, her voice steady and clear, devoid of the fragile terror she had felt just hours ago in her father’s library.
As they walked up the grand staircase toward the master wing, Dominic stopped outside double mahogany doors and gently took her uninjured hand in his.
“You never have to run, hide, or pick up a hidden landline ever again, Harper,” Dominic said, his voice dropping to a low, intense register that vibrated straight through her soul. “Ravenshore is yours now. Everything they built on lies has been stripped away. From this moment on, nobody touches you.”
May you like
Harper looked up into his slate-gray eyes, feeling the last remnants of her past dissolve into ash.
“I know, Dominic,” she whispered, squeezing his hand back with fierce, quiet strength. “I know.”
