Chapter 21
The weeks following the absolute destruction of the New York Commission settled into a tense, heavily fortified peace. The sprawling new Caruso compound was an impenetrable fortress, bathed in bright, cinematic sunlight that filtered through the bulletproof glass windows. There were no dark corners here; the aesthetic was pristine, vivid, and completely secure. Evelyn’s recovery progressed miraculously. Her fair, rosy complexion fully returned, erasing the haunting pallor of her four-year imprisonment behind the false ventilation panel. She walked through the grand living room, her steps growing stronger each day, draped in an elegant, tailored cashmere sweater. Vincent watched her from the doorway of his new study, his sharp, movie-star handsome face softening with profound devotion. He had burned the world to ashes to bring her back into the light, and seeing her smile as Clara played on the marble floor was his ultimate victory. However, the crown of the American mafia was heavy. Silas stepped into the study, his American accent crisp and professional. "Boss," Silas murmured, adjusting his dark suit. "The New York territories are fully consolidated. But the transition has attracted unwanted eyes. The Sicilians are probing our eastern ports."
