Chapter 19 - The Letter|
That evening, while Mara put Elena to sleep in her bedroom, Dominic sat in his private study on the second floor.
He pulled open the bottom drawer of his mahogany desk, taking out an old, faded police report from three years ago—the file on the crash at Halston Bridge.
He stared at the photograph of the destroyed sedan resting in the dark river water.
He picked up a gold fountain pen, writing a single line across the top margin of the paper:
The dark night ended when my daughter breathed.
He folded the file, placed it inside a heavy steel lockbox, turned the key, and tossed the key into the crackling fire of his hearth.
The past was burned. The shadows were gone.
A soft knock sounded at his study door.
Mara stepped inside, wearing a long silk robe, her dark hair hanging over her shoulders. She walked over to his desk, stepping around to sit in his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"Elena is asleep," Mara murmured softly, resting her cheek against his chest.
Dominic wrapped his arms tightly around her waist, inhaling the sweet scent of jasmine and warm vanilla from her skin.
"Thank you, Mara," Dominic whispered into her hair.
May you like
"For what?" she asked, looking up into his storm-gray eyes.
"For giving me a second chance to be the man you deserved," Dominic said rasply.
