Chapter 7 - The New Dawn
Three weeks later.
The morning sun broke over the waters of Lake Geneva, casting long, golden shafts of light across the manicured lawns and stone terraces of the Moretti estate.
The chill of late autumn was in the air, but inside the sunroom, the floor-to-ceiling glass windows kept the room as warm as midsummer.
I sat at a long teak table, drinking coffee and watching my brother, Leo, throw a tennis ball across the lawn for Bruno.
Bruno wasn't running—his hip dysplasia wouldn't allow that—but he was trotting with a happy, energetic rhythm, his tail wagging furiously as he retrieved the ball and brought it back to Leo, who laughed and patted his gray head.
My mother sat across from me, knitting a wool scarf, looking healthier and more rested than I had seen her in ten years. The lines of worry that had carved themselves into her forehead from years of working double shifts at the laundry had completely smoothed out.
"Emma, darling," my mother said, looking up from her knitting with a knowing smile. "Are you going to stare out that window all morning, or are you going to answer Mr. Moretti’s letter?"
I flushed red, looking down at the heavy cream-colored envelope sitting beside my coffee cup.
It had arrived by private courier two hours ago from Chicago.
Inside was a single sheet of heavy parchment, written in Luca’s sharp, elegant cursive:
Emma,
The restructuring of the Moretti Foundation is complete. The board has voted unanimously to establish the Vincenzo & Bruno Animal Rescue & Rehabilitation Center in South Chicago—a forty-acre sanctuary dedicated to rescuing abused, neglected, and senior animals.
I require a Chief Executive Officer. Someone who cannot be bought. Someone who knows the value of a life.
The salary is three hundred thousand dollars a year, with full autonomy.
Your office is waiting.
Luca
"He's giving you a company, Emma," Leo shouted from the lawn, jogging through the sunroom glass doors with Bruno trotting happily beside him. "You're gonna be a CEO!"
"It's not just a company, Leo," I said, holding the letter close to my chest, my heart swelling with emotion. "It's a sanctuary."
"And what about Mr. Moretti?" my mother asked softly, setting her knitting needles in her lap. "He's coming here today, isn't he?"
I looked out at the long driveway. "Yes. He said he'd be here by noon."
Right on cue, a sleek black Mercedes sedan pulled through the iron gates, gliding quietly up the gravel driveway.
My stomach did that familiar, wonderful flip it always did when Luca was near.
I stood up, smoothed down my sweater, and walked out onto the stone terrace.
The car door opened, and Luca stepped out into the crisp autumn sunlight.
He wasn't wearing a tuxedo, nor was he wearing the cold, dark suits of his mob persona. He wore a simple dark blue sweater, jeans, and leather boots. He looked relaxed, healthy, and strikingly handsome.
When he saw me standing on the terrace, his grey eyes lit up with a warmth that completely transformed his face.
Bruno trotted over to the edge of the terrace, letting out a deep, happy bark.
Luca walked up the stone steps, dropping to his knees to greet the old dog, rubbing his neck and letting Bruno lick his cheek before standing up to face me.
"Good morning, Emma," Luca said, his voice deep and smooth.
"Good morning, Mr. Moretti," I said, a playful smile touching my lips.
Luca raised an eyebrow. "Mr. Moretti? After everything we've been through?"
"Old habits," I laughed softly.
Luca walked closer, stopping just inches from me. He reached out and touched the edge of the parchment letter in my hand.
"Did you read it?" he asked softly.
"I did," I answered, looking up into his grey eyes. "It's an incredible offer, Luca. But... are you sure I'm qualified to run a foundation like that?"
Luca stepped closer, his hands reaching out to gently wrap around my waist, pulling me slightly toward him.
"Emma," he said, his voice dropping into a low, intimate register that made my knees feel weak. "You saved a life when everyone else turned away. You stood up to a room full of killers to do what was right. You have more courage and integrity than any executive in this country."
He leaned down, his forehead resting gently against mine.
"I don't just want you to run the foundation, Emma," Luca whispered, his warm breath fanning across my lips. "I want you in my life. Every day. By my side."
My heart hammered frantically against my ribs. "Luca..."
"I'm not the man I used to be," Luca swore softly, his grey eyes locked onto mine with absolute honesty. "The old business is gone. I sold the docks, I severed the old ties, and I am building something clean. Something my father would be proud of. But I can't do it alone."
He reached into his pocket, pulled out a small, simple velvet box, and opened it.
Inside sat a delicate gold ring holding a single, flawless, pale grey diamond—the color of his eyes, the color of the dawn.
"No pressure," Luca murmured, a soft, rare grin touching his lips. "It's not an engagement ring. Not yet. It's a promise."
"A promise of what?" I whispered, tears of joy filling my eyes.
"A promise that no one will ever lock you in the dark again," Luca said gently. "A promise that you and your family will always be safe. And a promise that I will spend the rest of my life earning your heart."
I looked down at the sparkling grey diamond, then up into the face of the man who had turned his entire world upside down for truth, honor, and love.
I reached out, sliding my hand around his neck, pulling him down to me.
"I accept the job," I whispered against his lips. "And I accept the promise."
May you like
Luca let out a low, happy laugh, wrapping his arms tight around my waist, lifting me slightly off my feet as he pulled me into a deep, passionate kiss beneath the warm autumn sun.
Beside us, Bruno let out a loud, thumping bark of approval, sitting proudly on the sunny terrace, his long watch over his master's heart finally complete.
