Chapter 11 - Shadows over the Bay
The flight across the Atlantic was smooth, but as the private jet began its descent toward the private airstrip overlooking the harbor city, a heavy knot began to form in Nora’s stomach.
She stood in the master suite of Dante’s fortress-like estate, unpacking her clothes into the walk-in closet. The room was just as she had left it—dark oak panels, charcoal-grey linens, and the massive floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over the churning black waters of the bay.
The door clicked open, and Dante walked in, rolling up his shirt sleeves. He noticed the slight tension in her shoulders before she could hide it.
“You’re thinking about the past,” he said quietly, stepping up behind her and resting his hands gently on her shoulders.
“I’m thinking about how fragile all of this is,” Nora admitted, turning around to face him. “Cameron’s father is in federal prison, and Cameron is locked up, but... your world doesn't just stop because one syndicate falls, Dante. There are others. People who know who you are, who know I’m here.”
Dante’s expression hardened instantly, the warmth in his eyes replaced by cold, absolute steel.
“Let them look,” he said, his voice dropping into a low, terrifyingly calm register. “Let every rival syndicate, every low-life smuggler, and every ghost from your past know this: anyone who sets foot on my land, anyone who looks at you with anything less than absolute respect, will not survive the week. I built this empire to protect what is mine, Nora. And nothing—nothing—takes you away from me again.”
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Nora reached up, her small hands resting against his chest, feeling the steady, rhythmic beat of his heart. She knew he wasn't exaggerating. Dante Alatorre was a warlord of the modern underworld, but right now, his armor was entirely for her.
“I know,” she whispered, leaning her head against his shoulder. “I’m not afraid anymore.”
