His forehead presses to mine, breath warm against my skin.
"I won't miss this," he murmurs. "Not a second."
I shake my head, smiling through it.
"You'd better not."
His mouth curves slightly.
"I won't."
And I believe him.
"Come," he says after a moment, already reaching for my hand again.
"Where are we going?"
His eyes darken, something softer underneath. "To tell our son he's going to be a brother."
My heart flips. I squeeze his hand. "Okay."
This time, when he pulls me forward, I follow.
EPILOGUE
The city sleeps differentlywhen you own it. Las Vegas at night isn't quiet—never has been—but there's a rhythm to it now that I recognize. A steadiness. Order restored, at least on the surface. I stand on the balcony of my penthouse, jacket draped over a chair behind me, the glow of the Strip bleeding into the glass like a living thing. Inside, Jenna sleeps.
My wife.
The word still lands heavy. Sacred.
Amauri is down the hall, sprawled sideways across his bed, one arm flung over a stuffed animal that looks like it's seen better days. The sight of him like that—safe, unguarded—doessomething permanent to a man like me. This is what they'd take from me if they could.
Which is why they won't.
The phone in my hand vibrates once. Gabe. He's been busy lately taking care of the freshly widowed Audra Hale. I'm not crazy about the war he started with one of the Mexican cartels, but if anyone can understand the crazy shit love makes you do, it's me. I answer without a word.
"You're not going to like this," he warns.
A corner of my mouth lifts. "I rarely do."
"Alessio finished peeling back the layers on the call network," Gabe continues. "El Recaudador didn't just reach out to our people. He's trying to buy them."
That gets my attention. "Explain."
"He's recruiting," Gabe says flatly. "Not aggressively. Not loudly. He's planting seeds. Offering exits. Futures. Protection." A pause. "Choice."
I look out over the city again, jaw tightening. "And?"
"And someone answered," Gabe hisses through his teeth. "No one from our inner circle. Yet. But close enough to matter." His voice sharpens. "This isn't a power move, Massimo. This is a test."
"Of you," I say.
"Of loyalty," he corrects. "And of me."
That's when I understand what he hasn't said yet.
"El Recaudador didn't call you because he wants my empire," I conclude slowly. "He called because he wants one ofyou. He wants to infiltrate my inner circle. He wants to turn my friends against me.
