Chapter 5 - THE RECONCILIATION AT SUNSETLater that evening, as the sun began to dip below the horizon, painting the sky in breathtaking strokes of violet, amber, and deep crimson, Dominic walked out onto the stone patio overlooking the crashing Atlantic waves.

Footsteps crunched softly on the gravel behind him.
He didn't need to turn around to know who it was.
Emma Collins—or rather, Emma Mercer-Vance—stepped up beside him, leaning her forearms against the stone balustrade and breathing in the crisp, salt-laden evening air.
“You know,” Emma said lightly, breaking the quiet, “for a high-powered syndicate boss, you’re remarkably easy to manipulate when it comes to your family.”
Dominic glanced sideways at her, a faint, wry smile touching his lips. “Is that right?”
“Completely,” Emma teased, turning to face him. “You left for London on two days' notice because you thought Natalie sounded stressed on the phone, and you flew back in the middle of the night because a nine-year-old boy cried about a house. If your enemies ever figure out that your family is your only real weakness, they won't even need guns to take you down.”
Dominic reached out, pulling a loose strand of dark hair away from her face with surprising gentleness.
“Let them try,” Dominic said softly, his voice carrying an absolute, unshakeable finality. “That’s why I have you watching my back.”
May you like
Emma smiled, leaning her head against his shoulder as they watched the last sliver of the sun sink beneath the horizon.
The storm had passed. The vipers had been driven out of the house. And for the first time in six months, the Mercer estate was truly safe, anchored by a loyalty that no amount of money could ever buy.