Chapter 14 - THE ASHES OF THE PAST
Matteo ignored the groaning thugs, running straight to Lena and slicing through the plastic zip-ties with a pocketknife. Free at last, Lena threw her arms around his neck, burying her face in his shoulder as the adrenaline finally gave way to overwhelming relief. Matteo held her tight, pressing kiss after kiss into her blonde hair.
“Are you alright?” he asked frantically, checking her over for injuries.
“I’m fine,” she breathed, pulling back to look into his eyes with a brilliant, tearful smile. “You came back for me.”
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“Always,” Matteo whispered fiercely. He turned around, walking slowly over to where Salvatore Rossi was being hauled to his feet by Vince. Matteo looked down at the fallen mafia boss with cold, uncompromising judgment. “You thought you could touch my wife and destroy my home,” Matteo said softly. “You forgot why they called me the Black Lion.”
Salvatore was dragged out into the waiting transport vehicles, his criminal empire shattered permanently. The ghost of Matteo’s past had finally been exorcised, not by running away, but by standing firm and protecting what mattered most.
