Chapter 20 - The King and His Queen
One year later.
The air in the cathedral was thick with the scent of lilies and old wax. The pews were filled with the most dangerous men in America, all dressed in tailored tuxedos, sitting in absolute silence.
At the altar stood Sebastian Lombardi. He wore no leg braces today. Through a year of agonizing daily therapy with Claire, sheer willpower, and a cutting-edge spinal implant, he could stand unsupported for exactly twenty minutes.
He leaned slightly on an ornate cane, waiting.
The organ music swelled. The heavy oak doors opened.
Claire walked down the aisle, breathtaking in a sleek white gown. Beside her walked Leo, healthy, flushed, and smiling, acting as the ring bearer.
Gabriel stood beside Sebastian as his best man, wiping a single, discreet tear from his eye before returning to a scowl.
As Claire reached the altar, Sebastian handed his cane to Gabriel. He took a step forward, completely unassisted, and took Claire's hands in his.
"You look beautiful," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion.
"You look tall," she teased back, her eyes shining.
They exchanged vows in front of God, the mafia, and a little boy who finally had a father. When the priest pronounced them husband and wife, Sebastian pulled her in for a kiss that made the hardened criminals in the audience cheer.
May you like
As they walked back down the aisle together, Sebastian leaned on his cane, but his head was held high. He had spent twenty years in a cage of steel and scar tissue. But as he looked at the woman holding his arm, he knew the truth.
The apex predator of the Midwest hadn't just learned to walk again. He had finally learned how to live.
