Chapter 10 - Under His Skin
The aftermath of the dawn attack was swift, total, and uncompromising.
By noon, the Moretti syndicate had ceased to exist.
With Enzo Moretti dead and Victor Moretti captured by Gabriel’s enforcers, the remaining rival capos surrendered unconditionally, handing over their territory, shipping manifests, and bank accounts to House Costa.
The city’s underworld had been unified under one sovereign throne.
Inside the estate, a private army of restoration crews worked tirelessly, replacing glass, repairing walls, and scrubbing every trace of the morning’s violence from the stone.
In the master suite on the top floor—untouched by the conflict—Harper stood on the private balcony, watching the calm blue ocean beneath the afternoon sun.
She wore a soft, cream-colored silk robe, her damp hair resting over her shoulders.
The air felt clean. Lighter. As if a toxic fog had been permanently lifted from the earth.
The bedroom door clicked shut.
Gabriel entered, wearing a fresh black dress shirt and dark trousers. His wound had been re-examined and cleared by Doctor Vance, and though he moved with slight stiffness, his aura of absolute, unyielding power remained intact.
He walked out onto the balcony, stopping behind Harper.
He didn't touch her immediately. He simply stood beside her, offering his presence.
“Dante confirmed it,” Gabriel said softly. “Victor Moretti has signed the surrender documents and has been exiled to Sicily. Trent Miller will never be seen again. The city is quiet.”
Harper turned to look at him.
Her hazel eyes were bright, clear, and filled with deep, overwhelming emotion.
“Are you alright, Gabriel?” she asked, reaching out to gently touch the edge of his collar.
Gabriel looked down at her small hand, then up into her eyes.
A rare, vulnerable expression softened his sharp features.
“For fifteen years, I believed that control was the only thing that mattered,” Gabriel murmured, his voice thick with emotion. “I built walls around this house, around my business, and around my heart. I thought that keeping everyone at a distance was the only way to survive.”
He stepped closer, his large, warm hands gently cupping her face.
“Then a quiet girl walked into my club with bruised skin and gold in her soul,” Gabriel whispered, his thumbs stroking her cheekbones. “And for the first time in my life... I found something worth burning the world to protect.”
Tears of pure happiness welled in Harper’s eyes.
“You saved me, Gabriel,” she said softly.
“No, little bird,” Gabriel replied, his dark eyes burning with fierce, undying devotion. “You saved me from becoming a monster.”
Gabriel leaned down, pressing his lips to hers in a slow, deep, breathtaking kiss.
There was no fear.
No shadows.
May you like
No makeup to hide behind.
In his arms, Harper surrendered to the overwhelming tide of love, passion, and safety that bound their souls together forever.
