I straighten, the silence pressing heavily around me. I take one last look at the man who gave me life, the man that hurt so many people and then I turn for the door.
The metal door groans shut behind me, sealing the echo of his last breath inside.
Enzo is there. Right there.
He’s leaning against the brick wall, coat open, broad shoulders catching the spill of the yellow security light. His eyes lock on mine instantly, scanning my face like he’s cataloging every shift inmy expression. And then he’s moving, pushing off the wall and closing the distance between us.
I don’t even get a word out before he has me in his arms. His coat wraps around me with his body heat, his scent, that unshakable solidity that’s become the only place I can breathe.
The tears come without warning. Hot, stinging, flooding over before I can stop them.
His hand cups the back of my head, pulling me tighter against his chest. “No,” he whispers. “Don’t give that bastard your tears. Not one.”
I shake my head, my breath catching. “It’s not sadness.”
His grip doesn’t loosen. “Then what is it?”
“Relief.” My voice cracks on the word. “It’s like…I’ve been carrying him in my shadow my whole life, and now he’s just…gone. I can’t—” I suck in a shaky breath. “I can’t believe it’s over.”
Enzo leans back enough to see me, his hands framing my face. “You had the courage to take him out of the world with your own hands. That’s power, Zara. That’s yours.”
I press my lips together, my tears calming, replaced with something warmer, steadier. “It feels different now.”
He nods once. “It should.” His gaze drops to my stomach, one big palm sliding down to rest over it. “You did this for you. For us. For the little one in here who’ll only know love and peace from their family.”
Those words sink deep into my chest. My eyes sting again, but it’s not the same kind of tears—it’s gratitude, it’s love, it’s a thousand things I can’t name.
He kisses me softly like he’s grounding me back into my own body. When he pulls back, his thumb swipes the last damp trace from my cheek.
“Come on, baby,” he says. “Let’s go home.”
The elevator doors slide open,and Violette steps into the penthouse with the poise of someone who’s never once had to announce her presence. She takes in the room—the candles lit on the table, the scent of roasted garlic drifting from the kitchen, the flowers on the table that Zara insisted on earlier.
Her attention lands on the figure by the door. “Still not speaking?” she asks.
Dante offers her a single nod, nothing more.
Violette exhales, amused. “I’ve encountered statues more chatty than this one.”
I take her coat before she can press him further. “Statues can’t clear a room the way he can.”
Lars enters behind her, his gaze flicking to Dante in quiet acknowledgment. No words. Just the brief nod of two men who understand exactly what the other is capable of.
From the kitchen, Zara calls, “You’re just in time.” She appears in the doorway a moment later, wearing a soft smile that doesn’t hide the pride in her eyes. The scents trailing from the kitchen follow her—herbed pasta, warm bread, something rich and simmered low all afternoon.
She hugs Violette, then Lars, before gesturing toward the table. “Sit. Everything’s ready.”
Violette slips into her seat while I pour her a cocktail andhand Lars a glass of whiskey. Zara sets down bottles of cola and ginger ale for the two of us—her rule, not mine. Pregnancy has made her stubborn about what I drink when we’re together. I don’t argue.
The first plates hit the table, and Lars glances at Zara before turning to me with a grin. “Well, you don’t need me anymore. Woman’s feeding you like a king. I might as well stay in Texas.”
“You’re not moving to Texas,” I tell him, passing the bread.
“You’re only allowed to leave for work and come right back, Lars,” Violette says smoothly, lifting her glass. “I heard you’re heading down there to bring someone home.”
Zara’s smile falters, the weight of the words settling between them. She leans in, her hand brushing the edge of his sleeve, almost hesitant. “Thank you for going, Lars. I know it’s not simple. I know it’s not safe.”
His eyes meet hers, steady and unshaken. “Finding your sister’s worth the trip.”
