Page 50 of Mafia Heir's Broken Vows

Serafina sits beside me. Leo is coloring in a book she packed to keep him entertained. It's filled with pictures of planes, trains, and cars. His favorite things—anything that goes. His chatter fills the cabin, a constant stream of facts and questions. His energy is endless, and I almost wish I could train Google to answer him directly because I can't keep up with the speed of his curiosity.

Her eyes are closed, but I can tell she's not asleep. She's just resting, smiling as she listens to us talk about supersonic jets and planes with six wings. The sight of her, so calm and serene, is a sharp contrast to the storm we just escaped.

I lean back in my seat, but my mind won't rest. The briefcase at my feet is filled with everything I could salvage—property deeds, bank accounts, legitimate investments. Nothing tied to the blood money I'm leaving behind. No dirty money. No shady deals. Only clean ventures now. For the first time, I feel like I've started to cut those chains. My new life won't be tainted by the past. I won't owe them anything—they can't ever have a reason to 'collect.'

It's not about wealth. I can make more money. It's about creating something pure, untouched by the legacy of violence and control. It's about building a new legacy. Something I can be proud of.

I glance at Serafina, her face soft in the dim cabin light. Her profile is peaceful, her breathing even, but I remember the flicker of fear in her eyes when I told her we were leaving. Theway hope had fought to take its place. She gave me her trust. I won't waste it.

I reach over and cover her hand with mine. She opens her eyes, blinking away sleep, and gives me a sexy little smile. That smile—it does something to me, something I can't even put into words.

"We're almost there," I whisper.

Her smile grows, small but genuine. "I know."

The villa rests on a hillside,bathed in the golden light of the late afternoon sun. White walls are bright against the blue sky, terracotta rooftop makes it look like a postcard. The ocean stretches out in the distance, waves glittering cresting white. The opposite of anywhere I have lived before.

Serafina gets out of the car first, holding Leo's hand as they walk up the winding stone path to the blue front door. Her eyes are wide as saucers while she takes in the sprawling fruit orchards, and the tall cypress trees swaying gently in the breeze.

Leo tugs at her hand, he's beaming. He's pulling her along.

"Is this our new house? We have got a beach and a pool?" We have got everything he could ever want.

I kneel beside him, ruffling his dark hair. "Yeah, little man. This is home now." We haven't explained to him that I'm his dad—not yet. Now that we're here we can be a family, and he will know I'm his father.

Serafina turns to me, her expression unreadable. "Alessandro…this is… more than I ever expected." She thought we'd struggle, that I'd be left with nothing—I am not a stupid man. I've always had an exit plan. A fail-safe for when I needed it.

I shrug, a small smile tugging at my lips. "It'll do." I laugh, "I wanted our home to be somewhere idyllic." Nothing like the life we had. I wanted quiet, and slow. Where we could appreciate the small things.

She lets out a laugh, looking around as if still waiting to wake up. But this is real. No more guarded halls, no more threats lurking in the shadows. No guns, and high walls, with cameras and gates. Just open air and the ocean.

We walk through the wide, arched doorway into sun-drenched rooms, with enormous windows overlooking the sea. The walls are warm, painted in soft, earthy tones. There are no hidden rooms here. No locked doors. Only light.

I watch Serafina as she traces her fingers along the edge of the wooden banister. The rustic charm of the coastal villa suits her lighter personality.

"It's perfect," she breathes.

I slip my hand into hers.

"So are you."

We siton the stone terrace, overlooking the darkening sea. Sipping cocktails, we mixed ourselves in the new kitchen. They're terrible, but not great—we'll get better at it. The air is cooler now in the evening, the scent of salt and jasmine drifting on the breeze.

Leo is asleep upstairs, safe and happy—exhausted from the trip, and the beach. He's so happy and carefree, I imagine being a child again. His excitement was contagious, it was as if I experienced the ocean again for the first time through his eyes.

Serafina leans against me, her head resting on my shoulder.

"Do you think we can really hide here?" she asks softly.

I wrap my arm around her, pulling her closer.

"We're not hiding. We're living."

She is quiet for a long moment. Then she lifts her head, studying me.

"You gave up everything. Your name. Your family. Everything you knew."

I brush my thumb along her jaw, tilting her face to mine.

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