Chapter 9 - A Mother’s Peace
The downfall of the Moretti Syndicate and the Vance family was absolute. By the next morning, federal authorities had raided every stronghold belonging to Enzo Moretti based on evidence provided anonymously by the Calloway network. Enzo and his son were locked away in a maximum-security prison, ensuring they would never see the light of day again.
Two months later, the chaos had completely cleared. The city was quiet, the underworld firmly under Royce’s undisputed control, though he had begun transitioning his assets entirely into legitimate, legal enterprises for the sake of the future he wanted to build.
Della’s pregnancy had reached its eighth month. Her belly was a beautiful, prominent round swell, and her health had completely stabilized.
She sat in a rocking chair in the newly constructed nursery at the estate, the walls painted in soft cream and pastel yellow. She was folding a small cotton onesie when Royce walked in. He had stopped wearing his black suits around the house; today he wore a simple charcoal sweater, looking more like a devoted husband than a mafia don.
He knelt beside her chair, resting his large, tattooed hand gently over the swell of her stomach. As if recognizing his touch, the baby gave a firm, energetic kick right against his palm.
Royce’s face broke into a wide, breathtaking smile—a expression so rare and beautiful that it made Della’s heart skip a beat.
"He’s strong," Royce murmured, his eyes looking up to meet hers. "Just like his mother."
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"Royce," Della said softly, reaching up to trace the line of his jaw. "We’ve been through so much. I used to be terrified of your world. But when I look at you now... I don't see a monster. I see the man who saved me, just like I saved him."
"I love you, Della," Royce whispered, his voice thick with an emotion he had never permitted himself to feel before. "You gave me a life worth living four years ago. Now, you’re giving me a family. I swear to you, nothing will ever harm either of you again."
