Page 47 of The Syndicater (Dark Verse 6)

Chapter 16

Amara, Tenebrae City

Clouds rolled on thehorizon of the hills.

Amara sat in the gazebo, looking at the darkening sky, her phone in her hands, her heart full.

They had found her.

After decades, years and years of searching, Tristan had finally found a glimpse of peace. Amara felt like her heart would burst for the man she considered a brother, a man who had been her silent, vigilant protector as a boy, her only companion in a strange city when she'd been exiled, her closest confidant of one of her secrets for such a long time. If there was one man she knew who deserved peace and happiness, it was Tristan. Morana and her love had brought some semblance of both into his life, but now, with his sister found, he could finally feel the completion he had been chasing all his life.

The wind picked up, rustling the leaves in the garden, and her eyes landed on the tree she had planted just a few months ago. A magnolia so small it looked like a stronger gust of wind wouldblow it away. But it had taken roots, gripped into the soil, and was growing, little by little, every single day. Her little Serenity.

"When are they getting back, Mumu?" Her mother sat with her, rocking a sleeping Tempest side to side. Amara didn't know what she would have done without her mother, not just in life and her own healing but now, as a new mother. On days when she got overwhelmed, her mother just knew and stepped in, easily plucking her granddaughter and taking her care over for the day, giving Amara a moment to justbreathe.

And as of late, the moments of being overwhelmed had been more than not. Juggling her roles of mother and wife, mafia queen, psychologist, rehabilitation center owner, friend, and everything in between, she felt like she was drowning some days. While Dante and her mother did so much, she didn't know if it was enough.

As if sensing her anxiety, Lulu climbed on her lap, put her front paws on her chest, and began topurr.

The rumbly motor-like noise relaxed her immediately, and she gave the feline head scratches just as she liked, intensifying the purring. The little feline, who had been with her for so many years, knew when her mama needed her love. Taking a deep breath in, cuddling the cat who was still so small though she was old now, she answered her mother. "They just got on the jet. They'll be coming here."

Tempest began to fuss slightly, and her mother patted her back, naturally quieting her down. "Not Shadow Port?" she asked in a low voice, trying not to wake up the sleeping child. "I would have thought Tristan would take her there immediately."

She had thought the same, but Dante had been the one to suggest bringing Luna here first. Though Tristan had a massive penthouse he called home, it could be too overwhelming for the girl to suddenly be there. They had no idea if she was afraid of heights or claustrophobia that apartments could give somepeople. The compound, in contrast, was more open and less suffocating, just in case. There was also incredible security here, as well as Amara, who was an expert at assessing trauma and just seeing how she would be. Tristan hadn't protested to that, a mark of how much he trusted her and Dante to take care of them.

"Dante thought she might be more comfortable here at first," Amara explained. "It's a neutral territory in a way and a good place for transitions for both Tristan and Luna."

Her mother nodded, her age now more evident on her face with the crow's feet and mouth lines that were embedded deeper into her skin. Her heart gave a pang at seeing her beloved mother get older, but she acknowledged what a privilege it was. Her friends didn't have mothers they could spend time with and see grow into their older ages, no one except Zephyr, and she was currently in a conflict with hers. It made her even more grateful for the relationship and bond she and her mother always had, one Amara hoped she and Tempest would also have one day.

Her coming into their lives had changed everything so much. It had not only changed them all as people but also their ambitions and what they wanted to do in the world. Both she and Dante were on the same page about wanting to make their dark world a better place for her to grow up in, so even if she saw all the darkness, she could see the light too. The only thing she hoped, having seen it too often with friends and clients, was not to give her any sort of parental trauma. It wasn't in their control but she could hope.

"Do you want me to have his cottage ready?" her mother asked. Amara looked in the direction of the lake, though she couldn't see it. Tristan's cottage had sat empty since she and Morana had left. They came visiting occasionally and stayedthere, so she had the staff keep it clean, but for the special guest they were bringing, she didn't know.

Going with instinct, she looked at her mother and shook her head. "I got it cleaned last week, so it's ready for them. But I'm thinking of giving Luna the guest room in the west wing. That way, they could live close to each other and have enough space. In case she wanted to stay at the cottage, she would have the choice."

Her mother nodded, starting to get up but Amara stood before she did, depositing Lulu on the space she'd vacated. The cat immediately curled up, ready to nap.

"I'll check things," she reassured her mother. "You enjoy your time with your grandbaby."

"My little Tutu," her mother kissed the baby's head, her nickname for her matching Amara's. Amara smiled and headed out of the gazebo, brushing her hand over the leaves of the magnolia and moving toward the mansion.

Over the last year, a lot had changed in their home but a lot hadn't. Structurally, it was still the same stunning marvel that it had always been, the heritage and history of the place preserved in its walls. But energetically, it felt different.

For one, she paid her staff a lot better than her mother had ever been paid. That, in turn, had not only made the staff happier but more loyal to her and Dante. And her mother, who had been well-respected by them for years, had taken over managing any issues. It had brought forth a much better work environment for them, and a much better home for her family.

The security had also been changed, men loyal to Dante promoted into better positions and those loyal to Lorenzo cut out. Though Dante was soft with his family, he was a badass with his men, something she saw every day that they looked up to him to lead them. He'd been cleaning up the businesses, getting out of all the shitty contracts and deals his father had been a part of,and though they were still mafia, it wasn't the same as Lorenzo's time.

And the extended Maroni family, the one that leeched off of them, had been kicked to the curb, including Chiara, much to Morana's delight. Adding Tempest to the mix of an already great atmosphere had just put a burst life into the place that hadn't been there before. Everyone, and she meanteveryone, doted on the little girl. One gummy smile from her and the harshest of trained guards melted. She had literally seen a man she'd never seen smile wave at her daughter the other day when she waved at him enthusiastically from her pram.

Entering the kitchen, Amara informed the head chef about the additional guests they were expecting and to prepare a fabulous dinner for all of them. She then instructed the housekeeper to have the guest room prepared and the smaller family dining room ready for their meal together. Done with those, she looked down at her phone at a notification that had come in and frowned.

Hi Dr. Maroni. Sorry to disturb you but you asked me to inform you in case anything odd happened with Lex. Please call me when you have time. It's not urgent – Nellie

Immediately, she dialed the number. The phone rang twice before being picked up.

"Dr. Maroni," Nellie greeted.

"What happened?" Amara demanded, walking out of the kitchen and down the corridor into the main living area.

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