Chapter 28
The reconstruction of the Falcone operations was swift and brutal. Domenico installed fiercely loyal lieutenants into the vacancies left by the Cole syndicate, rewarding those who had stood by him during the siege with unprecedented wealth and territory. He ruled with a firmer grip than ever before, his reputation as a merciless tactician keeping the rival families completely docile. The city hummed with a tense, profitable peace. Weeks turned into months. The scars of the battle on the estate grounds were repaired, the scorched grass replaced, the blasted gates rebuilt thicker and stronger. Domenico spent his days managing the sprawling empire, navigating the complex politics of the underworld with a cold, detached brilliance. But his nights belonged entirely to Ruby. He made it a point to be home before she went to sleep, no matter the crisis or the demand on his time. He was a terrifying ghost to his enemies, a phantom of violence and retribution, but to his daughter, he was the center of the universe. The dichotomy of his existence was absolute, but he navigated it with a fierce, unwavering dedication to the little girl who had inadvertently sparked a war.
