Chapter 7 - The Reunion
The sun was just rising over the Atlantic Ocean when our private jet touched down on the tarmac at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey.
The morning air was crisp and fresh. Inside the private hangar, two black SUVs were waiting, surrounded by twenty of my most loyal Moretti guards. Standing beside the lead vehicle was Elena, holding little Leo wrapped in a warm yellow blanket.
The hydraulic stairs of the jet lowered with a heavy hiss.
I walked down the steps first, carrying Mateo on my hip. He was wearing an oversized black hoodie of mine, his small hands resting comfortably on my shoulder, looking curiously around at the big city sky he hadn't seen since he was a baby.
When Elena saw us, she let out a loud gasp, tears instantly springing to her eyes. She covered her mouth with her hand, dropping to her knees right there on the cold concrete.
"Mateo..." she wept. "Oh, God... Mateo!"
Mateo looked down at her, a faint flicker of recognition crossing his little face. "Nurse Elena?"
"Yes, sweetie! It's me!" she sobbed, looking up at me with profound, eternal gratitude. "You saved him, Mr. Moretti. You really brought him back."
I stepped down onto the tarmac and walked over to her. "Stand up, Elena."
She stood up, wiping her tears, and gently adjusted the yellow blanket in her arms, revealing eight-month-old Leo.
Mateo leaned over from my shoulder, staring down at the tiny baby. Leo woke up, blinking his big, dark gray eyes against the morning sunlight, letting out a soft babble as he saw his brother.
Mateo reached out a tiny finger, gently touching Leo’s cheek—right near the crescent-shaped birthmark.
"He looks like me," Mateo said, his eyes wide with childlike wonder.
"He is you, Mateo," I said, my voice thick with emotion as I knelt down so both my sons were at eye level. "This is your little brother, Leo. You two are twins."
Leo reached out his tiny hand and grabbed Mateo's finger, letting out a bright, joyful laugh that rang through the quiet hangar. Mateo giggled—a clear, beautiful sound that washed away three years of blood, grief, and terror from my soul.
I reached out with my free arm, pulling Elena, Leo, and Mateo into a tight embrace.
"We're home now," I whispered against my sons' hair. "Nobody will ever hurt this family again."
Dominic walked up, stopping a respectful distance away, his face holding a rare, soft smile. "Boss. What about Marcus?"
May you like
My smile faded slightly, replaced by a cold, resolute resolve.
"Take Mateo and Leo to the estate," I ordered Elena softly. "Keep them in the master suite. Dominic, you and I have one final piece of business in the dungeon."
