Chapter 6 - Dawn over the Harbor
Three months later.
The rain over Baltimore had finally stopped, leaving the city washed in the golden, brilliant light of an autumn sunrise.
Inside the sprawling clifftop estate, the sounds of violence and gunfire were nothing more than a fading memory. The Chicago cartel had been permanently eradicated, the corrupt city council members were standing trial in federal court, and Russo Enterprises had transitioned into a legitimate, formidable holding corporation.
On the veranda overlooking the harbor, Harper stood wearing a simple cream-colored sundress, holding a cup of fresh black coffee.
Footsteps crunched softly on the gravel behind her.
Roman stepped out onto the balcony, wearing a relaxed linen shirt, the old scars on his hands and collarbone a testament to a war they had both survived. He walked up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his chin gently on her shoulder.
“Leo called,” Roman murmured, pressing a soft kiss to her neck. “His tuition is fully paid through his master's degree, and he just accepted an engineering internship at one of our civil infrastructure firms.”
Harper smiled, leaning back against his chest. “You didn't have to buy the firm for him, Roman.”
“I didn't buy it for him. I bought it for you,” Roman replied softly. “Everything I built... everything I was willing to kill and die for... finally has a purpose that matters.”
He turned her in his arms, his gray eyes shining with an absolute, unshakeable devotion.
“You came into my life like a storm, little bird,” Roman said, tracing her jawline with a thumb that had once held a gun to an empire’s throat. “And you changed everything.”
Harper reached up, placing her hand over his heart, feeling the steady, powerful rhythm beneath his shirt.
May you like
“Blood used to taste like pennies and bad decisions,” Harper whispered, a radiant smile touching her lips. “Now... it just tastes like home.”
Roman pulled her close, sealing their future with a deep, tender kiss as the sun rose fully over the harbor, illuminating a world they had conquered together.
