The visitor’s room at the federal detention center was cold, smelling of cheap floor cleaner and stale coffee.
Thick bulletproof glass separated the plastic chairs on our side from the steel stools on the other.
Lucian stood near the door with his arms crossed, while Vin sat on the stool right next to me.
Shawn had stayed in the car downstairs with the final court orders.
The heavy steel door on the opposite side buzzed open.
A guard led Conrad out in an orange jumpsuit.
His hair was messy, dark circles sat heavy under his eyes, and the left side of his jaw was dark yellow and purple where Vin had hit him two nights ago.
He sat down on the stool, his hands cuffed in front of him.
He picked up the heavy black phone receiver, his eyes fixing on me with a mix of anger and desperation.
I picked up my phone, holding it to my ear.
“Are you happy now, Lyra?” Conrad’s voice came through the speaker, raspy and thin.
“You destroyed everything.
Our family name, the company, the estate.
You handed it all over to the men who tried to ruin me.” “You ruined yourself, Conrad,” I said.
My voice was steady.
I felt no fear looking at him through the glass.
“You poisoned my mother.
You stole my trust.
You kept me locked in that house like a servant for five years.
You don’t have a family name anymore.
The board voted this morning to drop the Vance name from all your personal holdings.” Conrad slammed his cuffed hands against the counter.
The guard behind him immediately stepped forward, placing a heavy hand on his shoulder until Conrad relaxed.
“I gave you a roof over your head!” Conrad spat into the receiver.
“You would have been nothing without me!” I picked up the manila folder sitting on the counter and pressed it against the glass.
Inside was the final court decree, revoking his guardianship records, stripping him of all legal rights to the estate, and confirming his trial date for first-degree murder.
“You’re going to prison for the rest of your life, Conrad,” I told him quietly.
“And when you’re sitting in your cell every night, I want you to remember that it was the quiet maid who put you there.” I set the phone down on the hook.
Conrad shouted something behind the glass, banging his fists against the partition, but the guards yanked his arms back and dragged him through the steel door.
I stood up, turning my back on him for the last time.
Lucian opened the door for me, his hand resting warm against the small of my back as we walked out into the corridor.
An hour later, the black SUV pulled up along the quiet stone path of Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn.
The sun was breaking through the heavy grey clouds, casting soft yellow light across the manicured lawns and marble headstones.
The city noise was muffled here, replaced by the wind blowing through the old oak trees.
Shawn held an umbrella over my head, even though the rain had stopped, while Vin carried a bouquet of fresh white lilies he had picked up from the florist down the street.
We walked up the small hill until we stopped in front of a white marble headstone shaded by a large maple tree.
Eleanor Vance.
Beloved Mother and Visionary.
1974–2021.
I dropped to my knees on the damp grass, not caring if my dark dress got dirty.
I laid the white lilies across the base of the stone.
Then I reached into my pocket, pulling out the silver flower locket we had retrieved from the estate the day before.
I set the locket gently against the cold marble right beside her name.
“I did it, Mom,” I whispered, the wind pulling at loose strands of my hair.
“He’s gone.
The company is safe, and nobody can hurt us anymore.” Lucian knelt on the grass beside me.
He didn’t say anything fancy.
He just reached out, his hand sliding over mine, resting our joint hands against the base of the headstone.
Shawn and Vin stood right behind us, their heavy shadows wrapping around us like a shield.
“She would be proud of you, Lyra,” Lucian said softly, his voice full of quiet respect.
“You fought harder than anyone I’ve ever known.” I leaned my head against Lucian’s shoulder, letting out a deep breath.
The anger that had fueled me for five long years finally drained away, replaced by a quiet sense of peace.
My mother was resting, Conrad was behind bars, and the men standing beside me were never letting go.
When we got back to the penthouse late that afternoon, the apartment felt warm and quiet.
The sun was setting over the Hudson River, turning the sky shades of deep purple and gold.
I took off my black coat, hanging it in the closet, and kicked off my shoes.
Shawn went into the kitchen to pour a glass of cold juice, while Vin walked into the bedroom to strip off his suit jacket and vest.
Lucian caught my hand in the hallway, pulling me softly into his chest.
He looked down at my face, his thumb gently tracing the smooth skin under my eyes.
“No more court dates,” Lucian said quietly.
“No more lawyers.
Just us.” “Just us,” I agreed.
He leaned down and kissed me.
It wasn’t hard or rushed.
It was a slow, deep kiss that tasted warm and sweet.
My arms went around his neck, my fingers running through the short hair at the back of his head as I pressed myself flat against him.
Shawn walked out of the kitchen, setting his glass on the counter.
He didn’t say a word as he came up behind me, his arms wrapping around my waist, his face burying into the curve of my shoulder.
He kissed my skin right above my collar, his warm breath making me shiver nicely.
“Let’s go to bed,” Shawn murmured against my skin.
We walked into the master bedroom together.
The large bed was already made with clean, soft sheets.
Vin was standing by the foot of the bed, wearing only his dark grey lounge pants, his bare chest broad and strong in the dim light.
Lucian reached around me, unbuttoning the front of my silk blouse.
He slid the fabric off my shoulders, letting it fall to the floor.
Shawn reached down, unzipping my skirt and letting it drop around my ankles, leaving me in just my simple black bra and underwear.
There was no pressure or anger in the room.
They guided me down onto the center of the soft mattress.
Vin crawled onto the bed first, sitting up against the padded headboard.
He pulled me up into his lap, his big arms wrapping around my waist so my back rested flat against his broad chest.
His skin was hot against mine, his chin resting gently on my shoulder.
Shawn lay on my right, his hand sliding over my thigh, his thumb making soft circles on my skin.
Lucian lay on my left, his face close to mine, his long fingers undoing the clasp of my bra and tossing it aside.
Lucian leaned down, taking my mouth in another long, easy kiss while his hand slid down over my flat stomach.
His fingers pushed under the elastic band of my underwear, sliding them down my legs until I was completely bare between them.
I opened my legs naturally, resting one leg over Shawn’s hip while Vin held my waist steady from behind.
Lucian didn’t wait.
He unbuttoned his pants, freeing his hard, thick shaft, and positioned himself at my entrance.
He looked into my eyes, making sure I was ready, before pushing inside me in one smooth, continuous motion.
I let out a soft sigh, my inner muscles stretching open to take him in.
He filled me up completely, warm and deep, until his hips rested flush against mine.
“You feel so good, Lyra,” Lucian whispered, his mouth moving down to kiss my throat while he began a slow, steady stroke.
He moved inside me with an easy, deep pace.
Every push was smooth, filling my core completely without any harshness.
Behind me, Vin’s big hands held my hips steady, his chest moving against my back as he breathed in time with Lucian’s movements.
Shawn reached over, his hand resting over my bare breast, his thumb lightly stroking my hardened nipple while he kissed my cheek and jaw.
“Look at how beautiful she is,” Shawn said softly, his voice full of warmth as he watched Lucian slide deep inside me over and over.
The physical feeling was warm, thick, and completely comforting.
My body relaxed into the mattress, my hips moving naturally to meet Lucian’s slow pushes.
My inner walls gripped him tight, slick and hot around his thick shape.
Vin reached his hand down between my stomach and Lucian’s waist, his fingers finding my wet peak.
He rubbed his thumb over my clitoris in a soft, steady rhythm that matched Lucian’s deep strokes.
The simple, direct touch built up a sweet, heavy pressure in my lower belly.
I didn’t have to fight it or hold back.
I let my head roll back against Vin’s shoulder, my breath coming faster as the feeling grew tighter and tighter.
“That’s it, sweet girl,” Vin rumbled in my ear, his breath warm against my skin as his thumb kept up the steady rub.
“Just let it happen.” My body tightened up hard.
A warm, smooth wave of pleasure spread out from my core, making my inner muscles pulse tightly around Lucian’s length.
I let out a low, sweet moan, my whole body shaking as the peak washed over me from head to toe.
Lucian kept his steady pace through my release, his own breath catching in his chest as he pushed deep inside one last time.
He grunted softly, his hips holding tight against mine as he released his own warmth deep inside me.
When he slowly pulled back, he didn’t move away.
He lay down right beside me, pulling my head onto his shoulder.
Shawn pulled the heavy duvet over all four of us, tucking it around my bare shoulders.
Vin’s big arm came over my waist, locking me tight between them in the dark, warm bed.
I closed my eyes, resting my hand flat over Lucian’s heart, feeling its steady, strong thud under my palm.
The storm outside was completely gone.
The bedroom was quiet, warm, and filled with the breathing of the three men who loved me.
I was home, and I was finally safe.