Chapter 7 - The Blood Covenant
Three days later, the Moretti estate was transformed.
The scorch marks on the lawn had been repaired by landscaping crews, the shattered glass replaced with ballistic smart-pane, and the bloodstains scrubbed from the marble foyer. To the outside world, nothing had happened. But within the high-society circles of New York, shockwaves were rippling through the underworld.
The Russian syndicate had collapsed overnight. And Alessandro Moretti was getting married.
The wedding was not a grand public affair. It took place inside the private glass conservatory at the rear of the estate, illuminated by hundreds of white candles and filled with fresh white roses.
Only twenty people were present—Alessandro’s top lieutenants, legal counsel, and Marco, who stood as best man.
I stood before a private judge wearing an exquisite ivory silk gown that Alessandro’s personal tailors had brought to the estate. My dark hair was swept up in an elegant updo, white pearls adorning my neck.
Beside me stood Lily, looking like a tiny angel in a miniature lace dress, holding a small bouquet of buttercups, smiling happily as she watched the candles flicker.
And beside her stood Alessandro.
He wore a tailored black tuxedo that highlighted his broad chest and commanding stature. He looked every bit the ruthless king of New York, yet his eyes never left my face as the judge read the formal vows.
"Do you, Alessandro Moretti," the judge’s voice echoed gently in the conservatory, "take Grace Miller to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, until death do you part?"
Alessandro reached out, taking my right hand in his massive, warm grasp. His dark eyes locked onto mine, burning with a vow far deeper than legal words.
"I do," Alessandro said, his voice deep and absolute.
"And do you, Grace Miller," the judge turned to me, "take Alessandro Moretti to be your lawfully wedded husband?"
I looked into the eyes of the man who had shielded my daughter from bullets, who had torn down an empire to keep us safe, and who offered us a future free from fear.
"I do," I said firmly.
"By the power vested in me by the State of New York," the judge announced, "I now pronounce you husband and wife."
The judge signed the official legal documents—including the formal adoption papers that officially declared Lily as Alessandro’s legal daughter and heir.
Alessandro pulled a sleek velvet box from his pocket. He slipped a breathtaking five-carat oval diamond ring onto my finger, accompanied by a solid platinum band.
"You may kiss the bride," the judge smiled.
Alessandro stepped into my space. He reached up, his long fingers gently cupping the back of my neck, tilting my head up toward his. He leaned down, his lips touching mine in a slow, deep, breathtaking kiss that sealed our fates together.
The kiss wasn't forced or transactional; it was warm, possessive, and filled with a raw, undeniable passion that set my skin on fire.
When he pulled back, both of us breathing slightly faster, he looked down at Lily, who was tugging gently on his trousers.
"Daddy?" Lily piped up, her small voice echoing in the quiet conservatory.
My heart skipped a beat. She had never called anyone 'Daddy' before.
Alessandro dropped to one knee right there on the marble floor, completely unbothered by his tailored tuxedo. He looked at Lily, his dark eyes softening into pure affection.
"Yes, little one?" Alessandro asked gently.
Lily reached out, placing her tiny hands on both sides of his face. "Are you our pillow forever now?"
A rich, deep laugh burst from Alessandro’s chest—a sound so full of genuine joy that even Marco stared in disbelief.
May you like
Alessandro gathered Lily into his arms, lifting her onto his shoulder, while reaching out his free arm to wrap securely around my waist, pulling me tight against his side.
"Yes, Lily," Alessandro whispered, kissing my temple as he held us both tight. "Forever."
