Chapter 6 - WHISPERS IN THE DARK
The penthouse at the top of Vale Tower was the safest place in New York City. The entire building had been locked down; nobody entered or exited without Sebastian’s direct authorization. For the past three days, I had watched from the floor-to-ceiling windows as the city moved on, unaware of the bloody mafia war tearing through its underworld.
The kids were playing on a massive Persian rug, happily distracted by a mountain of new toys. I was sitting on the leather sofa, nursing a cup of tea, when Sebastian walked in. He looked exhausted. He had stripped off his suit jacket and tie, and the dark circles under his eyes told me he hadn’t slept since the attack in the Hamptons.
He sat down heavily beside me, letting out a long, ragged sigh.
"How bad is it?" I asked softly.
"The Five Families are divided," he admitted, rubbing his temples. "Half of them side with my grandfather, believing in the old ways, believing that I have gone soft because of you and the children. The other half side with me, knowing I am the only one who can keep the syndicates profitable." He turned his head to look at me, his gray eyes searching mine. "But we are winning. It is only a matter of time."
I reached out, hesitantly, and placed my hand over his. He flipped his hand over, intertwining his fingers with mine. The electric spark between us, the undeniable chemistry that had drawn me to him years ago, was still there, burning hotter than ever.
"Sebastian," I murmured, "that day at the courthouse... you said there was never an us. Did you mean it?"
He closed his eyes, a look of profound regret washing over his face. "Maya, I was a twenty-four-year-old heir trying to survive a snake pit. My grandfather told me that if I didn't marry Clarissa, if I didn't cast you aside, he would have you eliminated. He said you were a distraction. I said those things to push you away, to make you hate me, so you would run and be safe. I never stopped loving you. Not for a single second."
Tears pricked my eyes. Four years of pain, of resentment, of struggling alone—all built on a foundation of lies and twisted protection. "I hated you," I confessed, my voice breaking. "I hated you so much."
May you like
Sebastian leaned in, resting his forehead against mine. "I know. And I deserved it. But I am begging you, Maya. Give me the chance to fix it. Give me the chance to be the father they deserve, and the husband you deserved."
Before I could answer, he kissed me. It wasn't a gentle kiss; it was desperate, hungry, and filled with four years of pent-up longing. I melted into him, my hands pulling him closer. In that moment, surrounded by the chaos of a mafia war, I finally felt like I was exactly where I belonged.
