Chapter 10 - The Queen’s Vow
One year later, the Costa estate looked completely different from the cold, sterile fortress Norah had once known. The limestone walls were bathed in warm golden light, and the gardens were overflowing with blooming white roses and vibrant lavender. The dark, fearful silence that had once gripped the hallways had been replaced by the sound of music, laughter, and genuine life.
Norah stood on the master bedroom balcony, looking out over the sparkling blue waters of the coastline. The morning breeze gently ruffled the sheer white fabric of her silk robe. She rested her hands gently on the gentle, blossoming swell of her belly, smiling with a profound sense of peace she had once thought impossible.
Heavy, familiar arms wrapped tenderly around her waist from behind. Roman pulled her back against his broad chest, resting his chin on her shoulder and placing his large, warm hands over hers on their unborn child.
""You're up early, my love,"" Roman murmured softly, his lips brushing the sensitive skin below her ear, sending a delicious shiver down her spine.
""The baby was kicking,"" Norah replied, turning her head to give him a sweet, lingering kiss. ""I think he’s going to be just as stubborn and commanding as his father.""
Roman chuckled—a deep, genuine sound that was now heard frequently throughout the house. He turned her gently in his arms, his dark eyes gazing into hers with the same fierce, breathless devotion that had started the moment he heard her laugh in that kitchen so long ago.
""If he has your heart and your courage, he will be a far better man than I ever was,"" Roman said softly, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
""You are a good man, Roman,"" Norah said tenderly, tracing the sharp line of his jaw with her fingertips. ""You saved me from the darkness. You gave me freedom, a family, and a love that conquered the world.""
Roman smiled, leaning down to capture her lips in a deep, passionate kiss that tasted of sweet promises and an unbreakable future. When they parted, he reached into his pocket and placed something small and metallic into her palm.
Norah looked down, laughing out loud.
Sitting in her hand was a brand-new, polished brass gasket for an espresso machine.
""What is this?"" she asked, her eyes sparkling with amusement.
Roman smirked, the dangerous mafia kingpin completely disarmed by the woman he adored. ""A reminder. That if the coffee machine ever breaks again, you call me. Because you are never, under any circumstances, allowed to call another man handsome in this house ever again.""
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Norah threw her arms around his neck, burying her face into his chest as her joyful laughter echoed across the sunlit estate.
""I don't need to look at any other man, Roman,"" she whispered against his lips, her heart beating in perfect rhythm with his. ""Because I already have the king."""
