Chapter 9 - The Claiming
Two weeks later.
The threat of the Rossi syndicate had been completely wiped from the city. The remaining captains of the Chicago underworld had hastily convened an emergency council, unanimously voting to recognize Luca Moretti as the undisputed, absolute King of the entire metropolitan territory.
At the estate in Lake Forest, the atmosphere was one of profound peace.
It was a soft, sunny afternoon. Elena sat in a plush armchair inside the grand sunroom on the main floor, wearing a stunning, soft white cashmere maternity gown. The sunlight poured through the floor-to-ceiling windows, illuminating her healthy, glowing skin and her dark blue eyes.
Milo was playing on the carpet nearby, happily assembling a massive wooden train set that Luca had bought for him earlier that week.
The heavy glass doors opened, and Luca stepped into the sunroom.
He wore a tailored dark grey three-piece suit, his silver-touched temples catching the sunlight. In his hand, he carried a long velvet jeweler’s box.
He walked over to Elena’s chair, sitting down on the low wooden stool beside her, taking her hand gently into his.
"How are you feeling today, Elena?" Luca asked softly.
"I'm wonderful, Luca," Elena said, a genuine, radiant smile illuminating her face. "Dr. Vance checked me this morning. He says Clara will be here in less than three weeks."
Luca looked down at their joined hands, his thumb gently caressing her knuckles.
"Elena," Luca said, his voice dropping into a serious, grounded tone that made her heart skip a beat. "I have something I need to ask you."
He opened the velvet box in his hand.
Inside lay a breathtaking ring—a rare, flawless three-carat blue diamond set in a band of paved platinum, glowing like a drop of captured ocean water.
Elena gasped softly, her hand flying to her mouth. "Luca..."
"This city knows me as a dangerous man," Luca said, his obsidian eyes looking directly into hers with a vulnerability he had never shown to another living soul. "And they are right to fear me. But to you, and to Milo, and to little Clara... I want to be something else. I want to be your shield. Your partner. Your husband."
Elena felt tears of pure, overwhelming happiness spill over her lashes.
"You don't have to marry me to protect us, Luca," she whispered, her voice trembling. "You've already given us everything."
"I'm not doing this out of duty, Elena," Luca confessed softly, reaching up to cup her cheek with his warm, strong hand. "I fell in love with you the second you broke that cup to save my life. You showed me what true courage looks like. I want to build a life with you."
Milo looked up from his train set, hopping up and running over to the chair.
"Are you gonna be my real dad now, Luca?" Milo asked, his eyes wide with hope.
Luca turned his head, smiling warmly at the boy, reaching out his other arm to wrap around Milo’s shoulders. "Only if you'll have me, kid."
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"YES!" Milo cheered, throwing his small arms around Luca’s neck.
Elena laughed through her tears, leaning forward to press her lips against Luca’s in a soft, deep, passionate kiss that sealed their hearts together forever.
