Chapter 6 - The Reunion at Dawn
By 5:30 a.m., the snowstorm had begun to clear, leaving a pristine, silent sheet of white across the grounds of the Moretti estate.
I carried Sarah through the front entrance of the mansion. She was wrapped in my heavy wool coat, her bruises tended to by my personal medical team who had met us at the estate gate.
When we reached the top of the grand staircase, Emma was standing in the hallway, holding her plush bear, staring at us with wide, sleepy eyes.
"Mommy?" Emma whispered.
Sarah dropped to her knees on the thick oriental rug, extending her arms. "Emma! Oh God, my sweet girl!"
Emma dropped her bear and sprinted down the hallway, throwing her small arms around her mother's neck with such force that both of them tumbled backward onto the rug.
I stood against the mahogany wall, my hands tucked into my pockets, watching the mother and daughter weep and cling to each other under the warm light of the crystal chandelier.
Maria stood nearby, wiping tears from her apron with a handkerchief. Marco leaned against the doorframe, a soft, rare smile breaking through his scarred face.
Sarah raised her head, looking up at me through a blur of tears.
"How can I ever repay you, Mr. Moretti?" Sarah whispered, her voice trembling with deep, profound gratitude. "I have no money... no power..."
"You repaid me six hours ago, Sarah," I said gently, walking over to pick up Emma's dropped plush bear. "Your daughter walked into my bakery and reminded me why I fought so hard to control this city in the first place."
I knelt down, handing the bear back to Emma.
May you like
Emma looked up at me, reached out her tiny hand, and gently patted my bruised cheek. "You're a hero, Mr. Calder."
I let out a soft, low laugh—a sound my men hadn't heard in ten years. "Don't spread that rumor around Brooklyn, little one. It's bad for my reputation."
