Chapter 19 - The Midnight Audit
The music from the grand ballroom drifted up through the reinforced floors of the Magnolia Grand, muffled and sweet like a distant dream, but inside the private executive suite on the top floor, the atmosphere was quiet and intensely personal.
Maya kicked off her crimson designer heels, letting out a soft sigh of relief as her stockinged feet touched the cool white oak flooring. She walked over to the floor-to-ceiling windows, looking out over the glittering expanse of the Chicago skyline, her silhouette framed by the distant city lights.
A moment later, strong, familiar arms wrapped around her waist from behind, pulling her back against a warm, solid chest. Ethan rested his chin gently on her shoulder, breathing in the scent of jasmine and champagne that lingered in her hair.
“You’ve been quiet all evening,” Ethan murmured, his voice a low, soothing hum against her skin. “Did one of the European bankers try to bypass your firewall during the dessert course?”
Maya let out a soft, amused laugh, turning within his embrace to wrap her arms loosely around his neck.
“No,” she smiled, looking up into his dark eyes. “I was just thinking about where we were six months ago. You sitting in a dark study convinced everyone had betrayed you, and me sitting in a cramped apartment trying to balance a budget that didn't have enough zeros.”
“And now?” Ethan asked, his gaze softening into something fiercely tender.
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“And now,” Maya whispered, pressing her forehead against his chest, “we own the hotel, the ports, the skyline, and a very successful children’s charity foundation. Not bad for an accountant and a mafia boss.”
“We own it together,” Ethan corrected firmly, his hand cupping the back of her head, pulling her flush against him. “Every ledger, every asset, every breath. Never forget that, Maya.”
