Chapter 40 - The Drive Through the Estate
The transit from the grand library to the main residential wing of the Moretti estate felt less like moving through a building and more like crossing an entire landscape of memory. As Vince wheeled Dominic down the high-ceilinged corridor, the sunlight streaming through the tall arched windows painted bright, warm patches across the Persian rugs. Every painting on the wall, every marble bust resting on its pedestal, and every carved mahogany molding carried the weight of a dynasty that had shaped the underworld of the eastern seaboard for nearly a century.
Yet, for the first time in Dominic’s memory, the estate didn't feel like a fortified prison disguised as a home. It felt like what it was meant to be: a house.
"Shall I have the groundskeepers clear out the east wing garage, Boss?" Vince asked as they approached the private elevator that descended to the ground-level courtyard garage. "The old fleet hasn't been moved in months. With the federal warrants officially rescinded, we can streamline the transport logistics."
"No, Vince," Dominic replied, his expression calm, his hands resting easily on his lap. "Leave the vehicles where they are. We aren't preparing for a siege anymore. We don't need a fleet of reinforced sedans parked out back like we're expecting an infantry charge. Keep one car active for daily errands. The rest can sit."
Vince blinked, a rare flicker of surprise crossing his stoic features, before a slow, approving nod settled his expression. "Understood, Boss. Standard transport only."
The elevator doors glided open with a silent, hydraulic hiss. Dominic maneuvered his chair inside, and Vince followed, pressing the button for the subterranean level where the private motor court connected the estate to the coastal highway. As the car descended, Dominic felt a profound physical sensation of lightness. The armor he had worn every single day of his adult life—mental, emotional, and tactical—felt as though it had finally unbuckled and fallen away.
When the elevator doors opened once more, they stepped out into the sunlit motor court. The salty breeze from the Sound drifted in through the open archways, carrying the fresh, clean scent of saltwater, wet asphalt, and pine needles. A single black luxury sedan sat parked in the center of the spacious concrete courtyard, gleaming under the morning sky, completely unescorted by backup vehicles or armed outriders.
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For years, stepping into a vehicle had required a tactical assessment, route planning, encrypted radio checks, and a security detail trailing fifty yards behind. Today, there was just the open road, the bright morning sky, and the quiet promise of an ordinary day.
"Drive, Vince," Dominic said simply, wheeling himself smoothly toward the passenger side of the sedan as Vince hurried forward to assist with the transfer. "Let's see what the city looks like when nobody is shooting at us."
