Chapter 10
The cinematic, bright sunlight began to shift, casting long, golden shadows across the ruined music parlor. Nolan walked slowly toward Mae. The heavy, intimidating presence of the Mafia boss seemed to soften with every step he took, revealing the vulnerable, broken man beneath the tailored three-piece suit.
He stopped a few feet away from her. He looked at Mae’s fair, rosy face, the stark black-and-white maid uniform she had been forced to wear a cruel mockery of the life they were supposed to share. He looked down at Nora, the beautiful three-year-old girl who shared his exact eyes.
"Mae," Nolan whispered, his raspy voice cracking with an overwhelming, profound sorrow.
Mae let out a choked sob. She didn't hesitate. She stepped forward, closing the distance between them, and buried her face against his chest. Nolan wrapped his strong, muscular arms around her, holding her so tightly he felt as though he might break her. He buried his face in her hair, inhaling a scent that triggered a thousand suppressed, beautiful memories in his fractured mind.
"I thought you were gone," Mae wept, her fingers clutching the fabric of his dark suit. "Every day I had to clean this house, I had to look at you, and you looked right through me."
"I am so sorry," Nolan breathed, a single tear slipping down his angular face. "I will never look through you again. I swear it on my life."
He pulled back slightly, kneeling down on the marble floor so he was eye-to-level with his daughter. Nora looked at him, her small hands nervously gripping the hem of her cardigan.
"Are you my daddy?" Nora asked, her tiny American accent innocent and clear.
Nolan smiled, a genuine, breathtaking expression that wiped away the cold, dangerous Mafia boss entirely. "Yes, sweet girl. I am your daddy. And no one is ever going to hurt you or your mommy ever again."
Nora smiled back, throwing her little arms around his neck. Nolan stood up, lifting his daughter effortlessly into his arms, keeping his other arm wrapped securely around Mae's waist.
For a brief, beautiful moment, the family was whole. But Nolan knew the peace was temporary. The Wainwright syndicate would not take the imprisonment of their heirs lightly. By nightfall, the Ashford estate would be surrounded by enemies demanding blood.
The heavy doors of the parlor opened again. His lead bodyguard stepped inside, his expression grim. "Boss. The Wainwrights just missed their check-in call. We have movement on the perimeter cameras."
May you like
Nolan’s cold, sharp, intimidating eyes returned in a flash. He looked at the doorway, the reality of his violent world crashing back down upon him.
"Take Mae and Nora to the secure bunker in the east wing," Nolan commanded his guard. He reached into his pocket, pulling out a secure communication device. "Arm every man on the property. We are going to war."
