Chapter 27
Valentina rushed out of the office, her footsteps echoing down the hallway as she went to collect her son. Domenico stood alone in the quiet room, the heavy burden of the past week finally settling onto his broad shoulders. He had protected his empire, but more importantly, he had protected his blood. He poured the bourbon down his throat, the burn grounding him in the present. The estate was quiet again, the cinematic lighting restored to the grand atrium below, the velvet ropes packed away, the blood washed from the marble. It was a fortress of solitude and power, a testament to the violent will of its master. But Domenico knew the peace was fragile. In his world, there were always new wolves circling the perimeter, waiting for a moment of weakness. He walked to the large window, watching the black SUV carrying Valentina and Ethan drive away into the night, disappearing through the repaired western gates. He felt no triumph in her exile, only a cold, necessary finality. The chapter of the Cole alliance was permanently closed in blood and fire. He turned away from the glass, his mind already shifting to the future, to the rebuilding of his supply lines and the strengthening of his borders.
