Chapter 9 - Dawn Over the City
The sun began to crest over the eastern horizon, painting the skyscrapers of the city in brilliant strokes of gold and amber.
Up in the penthouse suite, the heavy velvet curtains were pulled wide open, letting the morning light flood into rooms that had remained shrouded in shadow for three long years. The air smelled fresh, clean of the stale ghosts of the past.
Lucía stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows, holding a cup of steaming coffee in her hands, looking out at the awakening world below. The chaos of the boardroom showdown was behind them; the corrupt board members had been escorted off the property by federal authorities before dawn, and Marcus Vance was already facing multiple felony indictments for fraud and coercion.
A pair of warm arms wrapped around her waist from behind, and a chin rested softly on her shoulder.
You're awfully quiet, morning angel, Adrian murmured, his voice rich with a happiness he hadn't felt in a lifetime.
I'm just making sure I'm not dreaming, Lucía said softly, leaning back against his chest. Yesterday, I was just a terrified cleaning woman trying to keep her job. And today...
Today, you're the co-owner of half my world, Adrian interrupted gently, turning her around to face him. And more importantly, you're the woman who kept my son safe through a nightmare I should have protected you both from.
On the plush rug nearby, eight-month-old Mateo was crawling furiously toward a shiny silver spoon, babbling happily as he chased his own reflection in the polished chrome leg of a coffee table.
We have a lot of catching up to do, Adrian said, looking down at the baby with a smile that completely transformed his face. Vacations, a real home, a family that doesn't have to hide in the shadows of a hotel cleaning cart.
May you like
Do you think he'll miss the towels? Lucía teased, a bright, genuine laugh bubbling up from her chest for the first time in years.
Adrian laughed, pulling her closer against him. I think he'll survive, he whispered, pressing his lips to her forehead. After all, he's a Cole. He knows how to survive anything.
