Chapter 10 - The Queen Of Taylor Street
The movement was explosive, violent, and utterly futile. Before Dante’s fingers could even wrap around the grip of his pistol, Marcus and three other De Luca enforcers burst through the side service doors, tackling Dante’s bodyguards to the polished marble floor with deafening crashes. Marcus hit Dante square in the jaw with a brutal, lightning-fast right hook that sent the traitor spinning backward into the glass wall, shattering a decorative vase before he crumpled into a heap on the floor, bleeding from his nose and lip. The entire confrontation lasted less than four seconds. The office descended into heavy, breathless silence once again, broken only by the groans of Dante Rossi as he tried to push himself up from the shattered glass. Matteo didn't even look down at him. He simply raised his hand, and Marcus hauled Dante up by his collar, dragging him toward the elevators like a sack of garbage. "Take him to the 22nd-floor vault," Matteo commanded coldly. "Strip him of his titles, liquidate his assets into the family trust, and put him on a freighter bound for international waters by sunset." As the elevator doors closed on the sobbing, broken traitor, Matteo turned slowly back toward Amara. The office was quiet again, the sunlight streaming through the massive windows, bathing the room in a warm, golden glow. Amara stood by the desk, her coffee cup still warm in her hand, her expression completely unshakeable. "Well," Amara said quietly, taking a calm sip. "That certainly beats clearing tables during the dinner rush." Matteo walked over, stopping just inches away from her, the corners of his mouth lifting into a genuine, admiring smile that softened the hard, ruthless lines of his face. "You saved my life in a kitchen, Amara, and you just helped me clean house in a boardroom before breakfast," Matteo said softly, his dark eyes shining with profound respect and a warmth he hadn't allowed himself to feel in years. "I think it’s safe to say you belong at the head of the table now." Amara looked up at him, meeting his gaze with a bold, steady confidence that proved she was no longer invisible to anyone. The waitress from Bellavita was gone, and the new queen of Taylor Street had officially taken her throne.
