Chapter 10 - The Horizon Beyond
Three days later, The Pacific Empress docked smoothly against the pier in Southampton under a pale, watery English sun.
The international media swarm waiting at the terminal was unprecedented. Helicopters hovered overhead like angry hornets, and dozens of reporters thrust microphones toward the gangplank as the federal authorities led Arthur Russo, Vivien Russo, and Julian Vance away in handcuffs.
Inside the private owner’s suite on Deck Fifteen, the world felt a million miles away from the chaos of the ballroom.
Lena stood by the curved glass window, watching the green hills of the English countryside roll past in the distance. The black leather desk was clear of conspiracy boards and encrypted terminals. The only thing resting on the wood was a single, elegant key with a serpent-and-crown crest.
A pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist from behind, pulling her back against a warm, solid chest.
“Penny for your thoughts,” Matteo murmured, resting his chin gently on her shoulder.
Lena leaned back into his embrace, her hands resting over his arms. “I was just thinking about Queens. About my apartment, my mother, and my brother. It feels like a lifetime ago that I was scrubbing carpets on Deck Eleven.”
“You’ll never have to scrub a carpet again, Lena,” Matteo promised, his voice low and fierce. “The federal government has returned our family’s legitimate assets, and the Romano shipping lines are being restructured from the ground up. With an honest compliance officer at the helm.”
Lena turned in his arms, looking up at him with a raised eyebrow. “Are you offering me a job, Mr. Romano?”
“I’m offering you a partnership,” Matteo corrected, leaning down to press a soft, lingering kiss to her lips. “And if you ever try to quit, I’ll just buy your contract again.”
May you like
Lena laughed—a bright, genuine sound that chased away the last lingering shadows of the past three years.
Outside, the ship’s foghorn sounded a deep, resonant note, signaling the end of one voyage and the beginning of another. Hand in hand, they walked toward the private elevator, leaving the past behind them as the horizon opened wide and clear ahead.
