People walked past us on the sidewalk, nodding politely.

They did not see a dangerous syndicate boss; they saw a family.

When we reached our gate, Mrs. Patel was waiting on the porch.

“She was an angel today,” Mrs. Patel said, handing Lily back to me.

“Thank you, Mrs. Patel,” I said, hugging her.

Inside, the house was warm and quiet.

I carried Lily upstairs and put her in her crib.

She fell asleep immediately, her tiny fist tucked under her chin.

I stood by the crib for a long time, watching her chest rise and fall.

I felt a deep, quiet peace that I had never known before.

When I went downstairs, Dante was standing on the back patio.

The city skyline rose in the distance, a wall of glowing yellow windows.

I walked out and stood beside him, leaning against the wooden railing.

He wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me close.

“Are you happy, Sophia?” he asked.

“I am,” I said, looking up at him.

“I promised you protection,” he said softly. “This is what it looks like.”

I realized then that his offer had never been about keeping me in his world.

It had been about building a new one for us.

I rested my head against his shoulder, watching the lights of Chicago flicker in the dark.

For the first time in my life, I was not running.

I was home.