Chapter 9
The heavy steel deadbolts clicked instantly, echoing loudly in the quiet corridor. The heavy door swung open, revealing Althea 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 raw terror and desperate hope.
When she saw Leander standing there, his white shirt dusted with ash but otherwise standing tall, a ragged sob tore from her throat.
She didn't hesitate. She threw herself forward, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck. Leander caught her instantly with his strong right arm, his powerful, muscular frame enveloping her delicate body, 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 acrid smell of gunpowder and smoke.
"You came back," Althea wept, her tears soaking into the collar of his shirt.
"Did you truly believe I could ever leave you alone in this world?" Leander asked, his voice a low, desperate rumble against her ear.
He pulled back slightly, looking down into her beautiful face. He raised his uninjured hand, the artistic tattoos stark against her fair, rosy skin, and gently wiped the tears from her cheeks with his thumb.
"Are you unharmed, Althea?" he asked softly, his dark eyes scanning her delicate features for any sign of distress.
"I’m fine. I’m just so glad you’re safe," she whispered, leaning into his warm palm. She looked down at his left arm, still secured tightly in the medical sling. She remembered the brutal way Oswald had gripped his fractured bone earlier in the evening. "Does your arm hurt terribly?"
"Do you think I can feel any pain at all while I am looking at you?" Leander asked, a faint, genuine smile touching his lips, the sharp angles of his face softening entirely.
Althea’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, Leander?" Althea asked, her voice trembling slightly at the thought of the violent future. "The alliance is ruined. The family is divided. Oswald is locked in a cell downstairs."
"Did you honestly believe I was ever going to allow this family to be ruled by poison and treason?" Leander asked, his thumb gently tracing the delicate line of her jaw. "Do you think I built this empire just to live my life according to the demands of lesser men and treacherous relatives?"
Althea stared at him, her heart soaring as the implication of his words settled over her. The fear that had gripped her all night was finally melting away, replaced by an undeniable, profound certainty.
"Will you stay with me, Althea?" Leander asked, his deep voice dropping into a register of profound, raw vulnerability that no one else in the world had ever heard. "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 again?"
Althea didn't need to think. She reached up, her small hands resting gently against his chest, right over his racing heart.
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"I will stay with you forever, Leander," she whispered, her expressive eyes shining with tears of joy.
Leander 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, Leander knew that the true reign of his empire had finally begun.
