Chapter 15 - The Dynasty of the New Era
The spring sun was warm when we returned to the penthouse in Manhattan, the city below us glittering like a field of diamonds through the pristine bulletproof glass.
The old world of the mafia—the world of back-alley deals, poison, and desperate car bombs—had been completely dismantled. The Blackwood syndicate was no longer just a criminal enterprise; it was a legitimate global dynasty, protected by law, funded by billions, and ruled by a family that couldn't be broken.
I stood in the center of the massive living room, looking toward the custom-built mahogany crib that sat near the window.
Inside, the triplets were sleeping soundly. Leo, the boy, was in the middle, his small fist tucked under his chin. Clara, named after her grandmother, was on his left, her dark fuzz of hair already turning into soft curls. And the youngest, little Vivien, was on the right, her tiny foot kicking restlessly against the blanket.
My mother stood beside the crib, her hand resting on the polished wood, a soft, content smile on her face. Her life's work was complete. She was no longer running.
Adrian walked up behind me, his strong arms wrapping around my waist, his chin resting gently on my shoulder as we looked down at our children. He looked younger now, the dark circles under his eyes completely gone, his gray eyes filled with a deep, peaceful warmth.
"The global capos signed the final unification papers this morning," Adrian whispered, his lips brushing against my neck. "They've agreed to the new terms. The monopoly is complete. The three of them will inherit a world with no enemies left to fight."
"They'll still have to fight," I smiled, turning around in his arms to face him. "They have your blood, Adrian. They won't know how to sit still."
"Then we'll teach them how to rule," he replied, his gaze locking onto mine with an intensity that still made my heart skip a beat.
I looked out the window at the sprawling expanse of New York City. Six months ago, I was a broke waitress with thirty-two dollars in my checking account, crying in a diner bathroom because the world felt too heavy to carry. Now, I was the matriarch of the most powerful empire on the eastern seaboard, standing beside the man who had torn down the underworld just to keep me safe.
We had survived the guns, the cartels, the poisons, and the ghosts of our pasts.
"Are you ready for what comes next, Vivien?" Adrian asked softly, lifting my hand to press a kiss against the signet ring that now sat on my finger.
I looked back at our three little miracles sleeping in the sun, and then up into the beautiful, storm-gray eyes of my wolf.
May you like
"Never better," I said.
And as the golden afternoon light flooded the room, the long, bloody night of the Blackwood family finally came to a perfect, absolute end.
