Chapter 17 - The Empire We Built
Six months later, the view from the penthouse office was still just as grey and imposing, but the air inside had changed entirely.
The glass coffee table was no longer cluttered with emergency blueprints and underground ledgers; instead, it held architectural sketches of a new neurological research center being built in downtown Chicago—funded entirely by the Moretti Philanthropic Trust and directed, jointly, by a fully recovered Leo Vance and the Moretti family's newly appointed chief financial officer.
Ellie stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows, wearing a crisp white blouse and a navy pencil skirt, watching the afternoon traffic move along the avenue below. Behind her, the heavy oak doors opened, and footsteps approached—slow, heavy, and completely familiar.
Strong arms wrapped around her waist from behind, pulling her flush against a solid, warm chest. A familiar chin rested softly on her shoulder.
"Thinking of running away again?" Damien murmured into her ear, a low, rich rumble of amusement vibrating through his ribs.
Elena leaned back against him, closing her eyes as she let his warmth anchor her completely. She reached up and placed her hands over his, feeling the steady, powerful thud of his heart—a heart that now belonged entirely to her.
"Only if you're coming with me," she whispered with a small, triumphant smile.
May you like
Damien’s grip tightened possessively, pulling her just a fraction closer as the spring wind swept across the high glass of the tower.
"Nowhere to go," he replied softly, kissing the side of her neck. "We've already won the dark."
