Chapter 20 - The Light of Day
The explosion triggered the palazzo’s emergency fire alarms, sending the entire masquerade ball into utter, panicked chaos.
Julian met us in the basement corridor, helping me support Leo’s dead weight as we fought our way through the smoke.
"The Commission is going to tear Europe apart looking for us," Julian yelled over the screaming sirens.
I pulled the black ledger from my jacket, holding it up in the red emergency lights.
"No, they won't," I said, coughing through the smoke.
"Julian, leak the first three pages to the press immediately. Send the rest to the Commission's board with a message."
Julian grinned, understanding the play perfectly.
"If they ever come after the Valenti bloodline again, the rest of the book goes public."
We reached the docks just as heavily armed Venetian police boats began swarming the Grand Canal.
We slipped into Julian’s waiting speedboat, disappearing into the fog and rain before anyone even realized the Blind King was dead.
The boat ride to the safehouse was a blur of adrenaline fading into agonizing pain.
Julian worked silently, patching up my shoulder and stabilizing Leo with military-grade medical supplies.
Two days later, we were back in Switzerland.
The threat of the ledger had worked perfectly. The High Commission, terrified of exposure, formally erased the Valenti debt and placed a permanent "do not touch" order on my family.
It was over. For good, this time.
I walked onto the back patio of the estate, my arm resting in a heavy sling.
The morning sun was reflecting brilliantly off the surface of Lake Geneva.
Leo was resting in a guest room, a team of private doctors monitoring his recovery. He was going to live.
I heard the soft padding of bare feet on the wooden deck.
Elena wrapped her arms gently around my waist from behind, mindful of my injured shoulder.
"You kept your promise," she whispered, resting her cheek against my back.
I turned around, wrapping my good arm around her, breathing in the scent of her hair.
"There are no more monsters in the dark, Elena," I said softly, looking deep into her eyes.
"Only us."
The sliding glass door opened, and Aria ran out in her pajamas, clutching a stuffed bear.
"Daddy!" she cheered, throwing her small arms around my legs.
I knelt down, wincing slightly, and picked her up, holding my daughter and my wife in the warm morning light.
I looked out at the distant tree line, where the shadows used to hide.
There was nothing there but the wind and the trees.
May you like
The Ghost of New York was finally dead.
Dominic Valenti, the father and the husband, was finally free to live.
