Chapter 13: The Ghost of the King

The victory over Sterling bought us time, but it did not erase the reality of my past.

Every other Sunday, the heavy iron gates of the estate opened to admit a single black SUV. It was the only compromise I had made with the federal prosecutors during the dismantling of the syndicate.

Lucian’s supervised visitations with Nico.

I stood on the wraparound porch, my arms crossed, watching the vehicle pull up the circular driveway. Marcus stood three feet to my right, his hand resting casually near his waist. Two other security contractors flanked the perimeter.

Lucian stepped out of the SUV.

He was no longer the terrifying, immaculate mafia king who used to dictate my every breath. He wore a simple, dark cashmere sweater and slacks. The arrogance that used to radiate from him had been replaced by a heavy, profound exhaustion. The federal trial was draining him, piece by piece.

He walked up the steps, stopping a respectful distance away from me. He didn't try to close the gap. He knew the boundaries.

"Serena," Lucian said, his dark eyes lingering on my face. There was a desperate, agonizing hunger in his gaze—a man looking at the empire he had thrown away.

"He's in the sunroom with Elena," I said, my voice entirely devoid of emotion. "You have one hour. Marcus will be in the room with you."

Lucian nodded, accepting the terms without argument. But before he walked past me, he hesitated.

"I heard about the fluctuation in Sterling Global's stock this week," Lucian murmured, keeping his voice low. "The streets in New York are talking. They say Alexander Sterling tried to corner you, and you broke his jaw with a keyboard."

"Sterling made a miscalculation," I replied coldly. "I corrected it."

Lucian looked at me, a complex mixture of sorrow and profound awe crossing his features. "When I married you, I thought you were fragile. I thought I had to lock you in a tower to keep you safe from my world. I never realized that you were the most dangerous person in the room."

"I was never dangerous, Lucian," I corrected him. "I was just observant. I watched you rule with fear, and I learned that fear is a terrible foundation. It always cracks."

Lucian looked down at his hands—hands that had ordered the deaths of men, hands that were now empty. "Sterling isn't going to stop, Serena. Losing twelve percent of his stock won't deter him. It will enrage him. He is hosting the Winter Solstice Gala at the Pierre Hotel next weekend. He invited every major political and corporate player in the state. He intends to use the event to publicly legitimize his new acquisitions and establish himself as the undisputed king of the ports."

"And?" I asked.

"And," Lucian looked back up, his eyes hardening with a ghost of his former intensity. "If you let him take that throne, he will eventually use his new political capital to crush your foundation. You have to cut the head off the snake before it strikes."

"I appreciate the tactical advice," I said, stepping aside to let him pass. "But I don't need you to protect me anymore, Lucian. Enjoy your hour with your son."

I watched him walk into the house, closely shadowed by Marcus.

May you like

NBC MAKES UNEXPECTED FINAL DECISION REGARDING JENNA BUSH HAGER

After days of chaotic rumors, backstage meltdowns, and speculation that left fans fearing the worst—the silence has been broken. N...

My Stepson Smashed My Son’s Handmade Airplane and Said I Wasn’t His Real...

My Parents Left Me With a $12,000 Restaurant Bill to Prove I Was a Failu...

Lucian was right about one thing. Sterling was a threat that needed to be permanently neutralized. If he wanted to use a high-society gala to crown himself king, I was going to have to attend the coronation.

And I was going to have to burn the castle down.