Chapter 13 - Ashes to Amber
By dawn, the underground arena in Queens was a memory of smoke and sirens—federal law enforcement units, secretly coordinated by Nina’s intelligence network, arrived just in time to haul away Petrov and his surviving men under a blanket of federal RICO indictments that would ensure they never saw daylight again. The criminal underworld of the East Coast was finally, truly cleansed. There were no rivals left, no threats hiding in the shadows, no vendettas waiting to be settled. Three days later, standing on the private deck of a luxury yacht cruising across the crystal-blue waters of the Mediterranean near the Amalfi Coast, Nina felt the warm sea breeze tangle in her hair. Leo was sleeping peacefully in his stroller, exhausted from chasing Italian seashells, while the golden morning sun washed over the deck in brilliant shades of amber and rose.
Luca walked up behind her, wrapping his strong, warm arms around her waist and resting his chin gently on her shoulder. He looked out over the endless horizon where the sea met the sky, feeling a profound, unimaginable peace he had never known was possible. "The accounts are closed, Nina," Luca murmured softly against her ear. "The last of the shipping conglomerates has been legally transitioned into a charitable maritime foundation bearing your name. We are completely, permanently clean." Nina leaned back against his chest, closing her eyes and breathing in the scent of salt water and sandalwood. "Good," she whispered, turning around in his arms to wrap her hands around his neck. "Because I was getting tired of managing underground fight clubs in Queens." Luca chuckled, a deep, rich sound of pure happiness, and leaned down to press his lips softly against hers.
