Chapter 11 - SYMPHONY
Six months later, the Onyx Room operated under new rules.
There was no more careless violence. There were no more drunken captains harassing the staff. The syndicate ran like a Swiss watch, absolute, terrifying, and completely devoted to the new Don.
Liam sat in the elevated corner booth, a fresh glass of bourbon at his elbow. The jazz band played, sending deep vibrations through the polished floorboards. He felt the rhythm in his boots. He read the room, watching the money flow, watching the fear and respect in the eyes of the politicians who came to pay tribute.
Then, he felt a soft hand on his shoulder.
He didn't need to look up.
"The mayor's envoy just left," Ava's voice hummed in his mind, rich and warm like sunlight breaking through winter clouds. "He agreed to the zoning permits."
Liam turned. Ava wore a stunning emerald dress, the diamonds at her throat reflecting the low light of the lounge. She wasn't a waitress anymore. She was the Queen of Chicago, the only person on earth the Don listened to.
He pulled her down into the booth beside him, wrapping an arm around her waist. She leaned her head against his shoulder.
May you like
"You're staring at me," she whispered in his head, a smile playing on her lips.
Liam poured her a drink, his eyes filled with a peace he had never known in his violent life. He couldn't hear the jazz, or the clinking glasses, or the dangerous whispers of the underworld. He didn't care. As long as he had her voice in the dark, the rest of the world could burn in absolute silence.
