Chapter 5 - The Warmth in the Dark
I walked over to Rocco, stepping close to him under the soft light of the desk lamp.
The scent of cedar, costly cologne, and fresh rain clung to him. He towered over me, his massive frame radiating an intense, electric heat that made my heart flutter in my chest.
"You're holding his head too low," I whispered softly, reaching out to gently adjust his hands. "Support his neck here... like this."
Our fingers brushed against each other.
Rocco froze. His dark eyes shifted from the baby down to my face.
We were standing inches apart. I could feel his deep, rhythmic breathing, could see the tiny flecks of silver in his dark gray eyes, and for the first time in eight months, I saw the profound vulnerability hidden beneath his impenetrable armor.
"I don't know how to do this, Maya," Rocco admitted, his voice barely audible over the sound of the crackling fire. "Mara was supposed to be the mother. She was supposed to teach me how to raise a child. My father taught me how to shoot, how to negotiate, how to rule... but he never taught me how to hold a six-day-old baby."
I looked down at tiny Matteo, who was now resting comfortably in his father's arms, his tiny fingers curling around Rocco's thumb.
"You're already doing it, Rocco," I said softly, looking back up into his eyes. "You listened to him when he cried. You protected him when he was in danger. That's all a father needs to do."
Rocco stared at me for a long, breathtaking second. His hand slowly reached out, his thumb gently brushing a stray lock of hair away from my forehead.
"You're a remarkable woman, Maya Vance," Rocco murmured softly. "Most people run away when they see the dark reality of my life. You stood in the middle of it and fought for my son."
Before I could answer, a quiet knock sounded at the library door.
Dante stepped into the room, holding an encrypted satellite phone.
"Boss," Dante reported quietly. "The federal prosecutors have accepted the digital evidence against Blackwood Holdings and Caleb Stone. The state police are arriving at the front gate to take Elena Vane into custody."
Rocco nodded once, his cold, authoritative demeanor returning instantly. "Tell them to take her out through the rear service entrance. I don't want flashing red lights waking up my children."
My children.
The word echoed in the quiet room with a breathtaking, beautiful resonance.
Rocco looked at Dante. "And Dante?"
"Yes, Mr. Moretti?"
"Issue an immediate press release from Moretti Enterprises. Announce that Maya Vance has been appointed as the Chief Operating Officer of the Moretti Family Foundation, effective immediately."
Dante’s scarred face broke into a broad, rare smile. "Understood, boss."
I stood frozen in utter shock. "Rocco... Chief Operating Officer? I... I don't have a corporate degree! I was managing staff schedules!"
"You managed this entire crisis better than any corporate executive I've ever hired," Rocco said firmly, setting Matteo gently back into his bassinet. "And more importantly... you are the only person in New York I trust with my family's future."
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He turned to look at Lily, who was fast asleep on the velvet sofa, holding her teddy bear close to her chest.
"Besides," Rocco added with a warm, genuine smile. "I need a full-time security consultant who can spot gold pens under potato sacks."
