Page 32 of Dante
"Yes, I do," she says quietly, her face pale but determined. "He was family. I need to see it."
Marco pulls a gun from inside his jacket and, without ceremony, presses it to Pietro's forehead and pulls the trigger.
The sound is surprisingly muted in the well-insulated room. Elena flinches but doesn't look away.
Within minutes, Pietro's body is removed, and the room shows no sign of what just occurred.
"So," Marco says, pouring himself a whiskey. "My sister and Dante Veneziano. The whole city will be talking by sunset."
"Let them talk," Elena says. "I'm tired of hiding who I am, what I want."
"And you want him," Marco says, a statement rather than a question.
She looks at me, something soft and fierce in her expression. "I do."
"Then God help us all," Marco says, raising his glass. "To the new order."
I lift my own glass, my other hand still holding Elena's. "To the future."
Elena smiles. "To us."
Three glasses clink together, sealing a pact that will change the landscape of our city forever. The Veneziano and Rossi families united through blood and business. Through her.
As we leave the club later, plans made and details arranged, I keep Elena close to my side.
"Home?" Raphael asks as we settle into the back seat.
I look to Elena, a question in my eyes. After everything—the violence, the revelations, the alliance forged in blood—does she still want this? Does she still want me?
She leans in, pressing a soft kiss to my lips before whispering, "Home."
And for the first time in my life, I understand exactly what that word truly means.
Epilogue - Elena
Paris at midnight has a magic all of its own.
The city of lights lives up to its name, glittering against the velvet sky, the Seine reflecting countless stars like scattered diamonds. But tonight, I'm not admiring Paris from a charming café or a balcony overlooking the river. Tonight, I'm standing in the silent, empty grandeur of the Louvre, completely alone except for the man beside me.
Well, not completely alone. I know there are security guards stationed discreetly at various points throughout the museum. I know Raphael and Franco are somewhere nearby, ever vigilant even two years into this new life I've chosen. But it feels like we're the only two people in the world as Dante leads me through the hushed galleries, the soft spotlights illuminating masterpieces that normally draw thousands of visitors.
"I still can't believe you did this," I whisper, though there's no real need to keep my voice down. My words echo slightly in the vast space. "How much did this cost?"
Dante's hand is warm in mine, his thumb tracing lazy patterns against my skin. "Does it matter?" he asks, that familiar hint of amusement in his voice.
"Yes," I insist, though we both know I don't really want the answer. Some things about Dante's world I've embraced; others I've learned to accept without examining too closely.
"Let's just say I made a substantial donation to the museum's restoration fund," he says diplomatically. "And called in a favor from an old friend."
The "old friend" is almost certainly someone with considerable influence in the French government. Dante's network spanscontinents, something I've come to understand over these past two years. What began as an alliance between two families in our city has grown into something much larger, much more powerful, with Dante at its center and, surprisingly, me at his side.
"It's worth every euro to see your face right now," he says, stopping to look at me properly. His expression softens in the way it only ever does when we're alone together. "You're beautiful in this light."
I should be used to the way he looks at me by now, like I'm the most precious artwork in this entire museum. But it still makes my heart skip, still sends warmth spreading through my veins.
"Charmer," I accuse lightly, but I lean up to kiss him briefly. "Where are we going next?"
We've already wandered through galleries of Renaissance masterpieces, ancient Greek sculptures, and priceless Egyptian artifacts. It's after 2 a.m., and while I could happily spend the entire night exploring, I'm curious about his plan.
