Chapter 8
Three months later.
The house was small by Dominic’s standards—a renovated brownstone in Brooklyn with a garden in the back and neighbors who didn’t ask questions.
Tessa stood in the kitchen, unpacking boxes, when strong arms wrapped around her waist from behind.
“Leave it,” Dominic murmured, pressing a kiss to her neck. “We’ll finish tomorrow.”
“We said that yesterday.”
“And I’ll say it again tomorrow.”
Tessa leaned back against him, smiling.
Life had settled into something almost normal.
Dominic had kept his promise. He’d stepped back from the day-to-day chaos, delegating operations to trusted lieutenants.
He still took meetings. Still made decisions.
But he came home every night. And that made all the difference.
Tessa had gone back to school—pharmacy school this time, using the money Dominic had quietly deposited into an account under her name.
She’d fought him on it at first. But he’d countered with calm logic.
“You earned this. Not from me. From years of surviving. Let me give you the freedom to do more than survive.”
So she’d accepted.
And for the first time in her life, she wasn’t just surviving.
She was living.
“Gemma called,” Dominic said, releasing her reluctantly. “She wants to come over for dinner next week.”
“Did you tell her we still don’t have furniture?”
“She said she’d bring wine and sit on the floor.”
Tessa laughed. “Of course she did.”
Dominic turned her around, his expression shifting to something more serious.
“I have something for you.”
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet box.
Tessa’s heart stopped.
“Dominic—”
“It’s not what you think. Not yet, anyway.”
He opened the box.
Inside was a delicate silver key on a chain.
“It’s to this house. Our house.”
He took the necklace out, fastening it around her neck.
“I know you’re not ready for forever yet. But I wanted you to have this. So you’d know that this place, this life—it’s yours. No matter what happens. You have a home here. With me.”
Tessa touched the key, eyes filling with tears.
“I don’t know what I did to deserve you.”
“You existed,” Dominic said simply. “You walked into my life and refused to flinch. That’s all it took.”
He cupped her face, thumbs brushing away the tears that had started to fall.
“I spent my whole life thinking love was a weakness. Something that made men soft. Vulnerable. But loving you doesn’t make me weak, Tessa. It makes me stronger. Because now I have something worth protecting. Something worth living for.”
Tessa pulled him down into a kiss—deep and slow and filled with everything she couldn’t put into words.
When they finally broke apart, she whispered against his lips, “Ask me again in a year.”
“Ask you what?”
“You know what.”
Dominic’s eyes blazed.
“In a year, I’m putting a ring on your finger. You know that, right?”
“I’m counting on it.”
He kissed her again, lifting her onto the counter—the same move he’d made in the penthouse kitchen three months ago.
But this time, there was no fear. No uncertainty.
Just them.
Just love.
Outside, the Brooklyn street hummed with evening life—car horns, distant music, the laughter of children playing.
Inside, Tessa and Dominic built their future one kiss, one promise, one day at a time.
The girl who’d spent twenty-three years protecting herself from attachment had finally found someone worth the risk.
And the man who’d built an empire on violence had finally found something worth more than power.
Each other.
A year later, Dominic kept his promise.
They were in the garden—the small patch of green behind their brownstone that Tessa had spent months turning into something beautiful.
Fairy lights strung between the trees. Gemma and a handful of close friends gathered around.
Dominic got down on one knee.
“Tessa, you walked into my life when I didn’t know I needed saving. You saw the monster and loved him anyway. You gave me a reason to be more than what I was born into. Will you marry me?”
The ring was simple. Elegant. Perfect.
Tessa looked at the man kneeling in front of her—the man who’d protected her, challenged her, loved her with a fierce, unwavering devotion she’d never thought possible.
“Yes.”
The word came out as a whisper, then a laugh, then a shout.
“Yes! Yes, of course yes!”
Dominic slid the ring onto her finger and stood, pulling her into his arms and spinning her around while their friends cheered.
When he set her down, he leaned close, voice low enough that only she could hear.
“I love you, Tessa Costa.”
She grinned. “I’m not a Costa yet.”
“You’ve been one since the night you walked into Gemma’s apartment and didn’t run when you saw me in the dark. The paperwork is just a formality.”
Tessa kissed him—long and deep and full of promise.
Twenty-four years old.
No longer a virgin.
No longer afraid.
No longer alone.
She’d fallen in love with a monster and discovered he was just a man—flawed, fierce, and utterly devoted.
And that was more than enough.
The night deepened around them.
Music played. Laughter echoed through the garden.
And in the quiet spaces between, Tessa and Dominic held each other close, knowing they’d found something rare and precious.
They’d found home.
May you like
Not in a place.
In each other.
