Chapter 16 - The Cost of Peace
The next morning, the Boston underworld woke up to a new reality. The Iron Skulls had been decimated. Ramon was dead. The remaining gang members scattered or absorbed into Julian’s syndicate. The streets were quiet.
Julian sat in his study, staring at the fireplace. His shoulder was aching, but the pain in his heart was heavier. He had killed, tortured, and destroyed to keep Clara and Lily safe. But he knew that as long as he was the king of Boston, they would always be targets.
Clara walked into the study, holding two mugs of black tea. She handed him one and sat in the leather chair beside him.
"It's over," Julian said quietly. "Ramon’s crew is gone. You can go back to the East End. I'll have the bakery rebuilt. You'll have twenty-four-hour protection."
Clara stared at her tea. "Are you sending us away?"
"I am trying to save you from me," Julian looked at her, his eyes full of sorrow. "You saw what I did last night. You saw what I am capable of. I am not a good man, Clara. This world will taint you. It will taint Lily."
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Clara set her mug down and stood up. She walked over to him, straddling his lap, careful of his injured shoulder. She took his face in both her hands, forcing him to look at her.
"You saved my daughter," Clara said fiercely. "You saved me. You built a fortress around us when the rest of the world turned its back. I don't care about your past, Julian. I care about the man holding me right now. I am not leaving you."
