Chapter 6 - Whispers of the Past
Inside the master suite, the storm had begun to subside, the fierce howling winds softening into a steady, rhythmic patter against the reinforced glass. Adeline sat propped against the velvet pillows, holding the baby—Rosie—close to her chest. When the heavy oak door creaked open, she flinched, her eyes darting anxiously toward the entrance.
Elias walked in, his shirt still stained with mud and rain, his knuckles bruised. He looked every bit the dangerous criminal the city whispered about, yet as his dark eyes locked onto her and the infant, the harsh lines of his face melted away.
"Is it over?" Adeline whispered, her voice trembling slightly.
"Marcus was working with the syndicate," Elias said quietly, walking over to the edge of the bed. He knelt down, bringing himself to eye level with her, careful not to startle the sleeping baby. "He helped stage your disappearance three years ago. He thought he was tying up loose ends."
Adeline let out a shaky breath, a tear slipping down her cheek. "They threatened to kill my family if I ever came back. I had to disappear, Elias. I had no choice."
"You don't have to run anymore," Elias said, reaching out to gently brush a strand of damp hair away from her face. His calloused fingers brushed her skin with a tenderness he hadn't shown anyone in years. "The men who hunted you are going to pay for every single day you spent in hiding. Grayport is going to learn what happens when they touch what's mine."
Adeline looked into his eyes, seeing the fierce, unyielding devotion that had first made her fall in love with him years ago. "They'll come after us, Elias. The syndicate is powerful. They have politicians in their pockets."
May you like
"Let them try," Elias replied, a dark, confident smile touching the corner of his lips. "Starting tonight, the Falcone empire is fully awake. No one takes my family."
He leaned forward, gently pressing a kiss to the baby's forehead before pressing his lips softly against Adeline's. It was a seal of a promise written in blood and survival.
