Chapter 10 - The Last Slice
Late that evening, after the gallery guests had departed and the SoHo streets had grown quiet beneath a canopy of autumn stars, the Moretti estate in Westchester stood tall and silent once more.
The driveway had been repaved years ago, smooth and dark beneath the security lights. But tonight, the heavy iron gates remained open.
Inside the newly renovated kitchen, the marble countertops gleamed under warm pendant lighting.
Lily sat on a high stool at the island, swinging her legs lazily as she finished coloring the final page of a brand-new, uncreased notebook. Across from her, Dante Moretti sliced a thick, rich wedge of chocolate layer cake from a bakery three blocks away.
He slid the plate across the marble.
Lily looked down at it, then looked up at Dante, her green eyes sparkling with quiet mischief.
"You're eating more sugar lately," she noted, tapping her pencil against her chin. "My mom says that's a sign of softening."
Dante pulled up the stool beside her, picked up his own fork, and took a deliberate bite of the cake.
"Your mom doesn't know everything, Lily Blake," Dante said, the ghost of his old, lethal scowl melting into a warm, unbroken smile.
Lily grinned, lifting her fork in a silent toast.
"To the deal?" she asked.
May you like
Dante clinked his fork against hers, the sharp, clear ring echoing softly through the quiet, safe house.
"To the deal," Dante Moretti answered.
