Chapter 10 - A New Empire and a Happy Ending
Three months later, the Chicago riverfront warehouse was just a distant, fading memory. The sun was setting over the glittering city skyline, casting a warm, golden hue across the sprawling lawns of the Castellano estate. The marble columns and crystal chandeliers no longer felt cold and intimidating; they felt like home.
The transformation of the estate was complete. Out in the back gardens, a state-of-the-art animal rehabilitation center had been built—funded entirely by Dominic, and run completely by me. Rescue dogs of all shapes and sizes ran happily across the green grass, chasing balls and playing without a single trace of fear in their eyes.
And leading the pack was Zeus.
He was no longer the anxious, aggressive, traumatized fighting dog who had once terrorized the dining room. His blue-gray coat shone in the sunlight, thick and healthy, and his tail wagged constantly as he bounded across the lawn toward the back porch.
I stood leaning against the porch railing, sipping a cup of herbal tea, watching Zeus play. A pair of strong, familiar arms wrapped around my waist from behind, pulling me backward against a warm, solid chest.
"You know, the rescue shelter called today," Dominic murmured softly into my hair, pressing a gentle kiss against my temple. "They wanted to know if our chief animal behaviorist was ever coming back to minimum wage."
I smiled, leaning back into his embrace, turning my head to look up into his warm, espresso-colored eyes. "And what did you tell them?"
"I told them she was much too busy running my estate, rehabilitating my soul, and keeping a very dangerous mafia boss wrapped securely around her little finger," Dominic whispered, a rare, breathtaking smile spreading across his handsome face.
He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small, velvet black box, slowly flipping it open. Inside rested a magnificent diamond ring that sparkled brilliantly in the fading twilight—elegant, bold, and entirely breathtaking.
"Addison," Dominic said, his voice dropping into a tone of raw, undeniable devotion. "You walked into my life as a server with discount shoes and saved my dog. Then you saved my life, my sister, and my entire empire. Will you stay here? For good?"
Down on the lawn, Zeus stopped running, turned to look at us, let out a happy little bark, and sat down patiently, as if waiting for the exact same answer.
I laughed, tears of pure joy pricking the corners of my eyes, and threw my arms around Dominic's neck.
May you like
"Yes," I whispered against his lips. "A thousand times, yes."
The mafia boss smiled, kissed me deeply as the Chicago stars began to twinkle above us, and proved that even the most broken souls—and the most dangerous dogs—could finally find their way home.
