Chapter 10
The heavy steel deadbolts clicked instantly, echoing in the quiet corridor. The heavy door swung open, revealing Annalise standing in the dim light of the bunker. Her sophisticated black maid dress was slightly rumpled, and her expressive eyes were wide with a mixture of terror and hope.
When she saw Lachlan standing there, unharmed, his white shirt dusted with ash but otherwise perfect, a ragged sob tore from her throat.
She didn't hesitate. She threw herself forward, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck. Lachlan caught her instantly, his powerful, muscular arms enveloping her delicate frame, pulling her flush against his chest. He buried his face in her neatly pinned hair, inhaling the clean, sweet scent of her, letting it wash away the smell of gunpowder and smoke.
“You came back,” Annalise wept, her tears soaking into the collar of his shirt.
“Did you truly believe I could ever leave you alone in this world?” Lachlan asked, his voice a low, desperate rumble against her ear.
He pulled back slightly, looking down into her beautiful face. He raised his hands, the artistic tattoos stark against her fair, rosy skin, and gently wiped the tears from her cheeks.
“Are you unharmed, Annalise?” he asked softly.
“I’m fine. I’m just so glad you’re safe,” she whispered, leaning into his warm palms. She looked at his hands, remembering the brutal way Clive had pinned his wrist earlier in the evening. “Does your hand hurt?”
“Do you think I can feel any pain at all while I am looking at you?” Lachlan asked, a faint, genuine smile touching his lips.
Annalise’s breath hitched. She looked up into his dark, intense eyes, seeing the absolute, unwavering devotion burning there. The terrifying mafia boss had stripped away every layer of his armor for her.
“What happens now, Lachlan?” Annalise asked, her voice trembling slightly at the thought of the future. “The wedding is ruined. The family is divided. Clive is in a cell.”
“Did you honestly believe I was ever going to marry a woman chosen by a syndicate committee?” Lachlan asked, his thumb gently tracing the line of her jaw. “Do you think I built this empire just to live my life according to the demands of lesser men?”
Annalise stared at him, her heart soaring as the implication of his words settled over her.
“Will you stay with me, Annalise?” Lachlan asked, his deep voice dropping into a register of profound, raw vulnerability. “Will you let me take care of you, and build a life with you that no one in this city will ever dare to threaten?”
Annalise didn't need to think. She reached up, her small hands resting gently against his chest, right over his heart.
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“I will stay with you forever, Lachlan,” she whispered.
Lachlan leaned down, closing the distance between them entirely, and pressed a deep, lingering kiss to her lips. The war was over, the traitors were caged, and as he held the brave, beautiful woman in his arms, Lachlan knew that the true reign of his empire had finally begun.
