Chapter 11 - A NEW FOUNDATION
Six Months Later.
The summer breeze carried the scent of blooming jasmine and sea salt. They were standing on the lawn of their new home—a stunning, airy estate in the Hamptons, far away from the fortress in Westchester. There were no high walls here. No heavily armed guards patrolling the perimeter. Just the sound of the ocean and the laughter of a child.
Nora stood in a simple, flowing white dress, holding a bouquet of wildflowers.
It wasn't a grand gala. It was a private ceremony on the beach. Marcus, fully recovered and now happily employed as the estate's legitimate head of security, stood as Damon's best man, dabbing at his eyes with a handkerchief when he thought no one was looking.
Milo, looking dashing in a miniature tuxedo, was the ring bearer. He ran up the sandy aisle, completely ignoring decorum, and threw himself at Nora's legs.
"I got them, Mom!" he announced proudly, holding up the pillow.
Mom. The word still sent a jolt of pure warmth through Nora's chest.
Damon looked at them, the wind ruffling his dark hair. The harsh, cruel lines that used to define his face were completely gone, replaced by a deep, enduring peace. He reached down, ruffling Milo's hair, before taking Nora's hand.
As they exchanged their vows, Nora looked out at the ocean, thinking about the cramped apartment in Queens, the unpaid bills, and the shattered wine glass at The Aurelian. She had risked everything to comfort a crying child in the dark.
And in return, she had found her family in the light.
Damon slid the wedding band onto her finger, lifting her hand to kiss her knuckles gently.
May you like
"To breaking the rules," he whispered, a devastatingly handsome smile breaking across his face.
"To breaking the rules," Nora echoed, pulling her husband in for a kiss as the sun set over the water, promising them a lifetime of beautiful, hard-won peace.
