Chapter 13 - The New Normal
Months passed, and summer arrived in New York. The Rossi estate was unrecognizable. The formal lawns were littered with soccer balls and brightly colored plastic toys. The armed guards still patrolled the perimeter, but now they occasionally threw a ball back when it went out of bounds.
Clara was officially no longer the nanny. She was the lady of the house, though she still insisted on cooking dinner and playing in the mud with the triplets.
Julian’s legitimate businesses were booming. The syndicate bosses respected his power, but they also respected his boundaries.
One Sunday afternoon, Julian stood on the terrace, watching Clara chase Roman, Rocco, and Reid through the sprinklers. Her laughter echoed across the grounds, bright and breathless.
Marcus stepped onto the terrace, holding a tablet. “Boss, the quarterly reports for the shipping docks are in. Profits are up twenty percent.”
“Put it on my desk, Marcus,” Julian said without looking away from Clara.
May you like
“You’re not going to read it?” Marcus asked, amused.
“I have more important things to do,” Julian replied, stepping off the terrace.
