Leah's POV
The night pressed against me, heavy and thick, like a beast breathing down my neck. I slumped on the sofa, the leather creaking under my weight, a glass of something sharp and amber cradled in my hand. It burned going down, slow and deliberate, a quiet fire licking at the edges of my thoughts. In front of me, Darren sprawled across the floor, his body limp, chest rising and falling in the deep, drugged sleep Leo's sedative had forced on him. One shot, and the wildness in him had crumpled, leaving behind this shell—calm, almost human again. I stared at him, the faint scars on his arms catching the dim light, and wondered how long that peace would hold before the monster clawed its way back.
The growl of a scooter cut through the stillness, a jagged sound that scraped against the silence. Seth. I didn't need to hear the door slam open to know it was him—his presence always hit like a storm, chaotic and unapologetic. He burst in, all sharp edges and restless energy, his eyes pinning me before flicking to the glass in my hand. In three quick strides, he was on me, sliding up close, snatching the drink from my fingers like it was a live grenade. "Sorry, boss," he said, his voice rough with that cocky reverence he wore like armor, "but in our human world, pregnant women don't get to drown themselves in booze. Ask the chemistry geek next door if you don't believe me."
I tilted my head, a smirk tugging at my lips, bitter and dry. "Our bodies aren't the same," I shot back, letting my voice rasp just enough to sting. "Quit shoving your human rules down my throat."
He didn't argue, just flopped onto the sofa beside me, sprawling across my lap like a pup too big for its own skin. His head tipped back, those wide, earnest eyes locking onto mine. "News from the high seas," he said, the playfulness draining from his tone. "The ship Al Cosa was on? Coast Guard blew it to hell with artillery. Every last head of the Cosa family's rotting at the bottom of the ocean. And the judge - he's cracking open Carlo's case in public now." He paused, a grin splitting his face, sharp and hungry. "I snagged all their shit for you, cheap as dirt. Catering, logistics, entertainment joints, casinos, nightclubs, even Pier 16 port. So, what's your next move, boss?"
I sucked in a breath, the weight of it all settling into my bones. "Next," I said, my voice low, steady, "I'm making you chairperson of Quick Silver. But the clean stuff - the legit industries - handing those over to Liam to run."
His eyes flared, a wild glint sparking in them. "So I get the dirty work?" he asked, half-laughing, half-daring me to say it. "I'll be the biggest badass on the East Coast?"
I let out a rough chuckle, the sound scraping my throat. "You can keep running those shady rackets as the bad guy, or clean them up and go straight. Your call."
He leaned back, chewing on it, then nodded, firm and fierce. "I'll stay the villain. Read The Prince - Machiavelli said it's better to be feared than loved. I want the NSA pissing themselves at the thought of crossing me."
I snorted, shaking my head. "Speaking of The Prince," I said, my tone shifting, "I saw my brother today. He knows Darren's stashed in the basement by us. You think our security's got eyes on it?"
Seth bolted upright, his body taut, eyes wide with panic. "What?!" he barked, his voice cracking like a whip. "No way! No human alive could crack the system I built!" Then he froze, realization sinking in, and his tone softened, desperate. "Boss, I'd never sell you out. The only thing I've done wrong was… that shit in front of your bedroom camera. But you can't blame me - you're too damn hot. I can't help it."
I pressed a hand to my forehead, the ache blooming behind my eyes. "Seth," I muttered, voice tight, "keep that mess to yourself. And for your own sake, don't ever go spilling what you've done in your bedroom to the world."
He bristled, chin jutting out. "I own what I do," he snapped. "I won't cop to shit I didn't pull."
"Didn't say you did," I said, calm but cold. "I just can't figure out how my brother's watching us."
He jerked his head toward Darren's limp form. "Him?"
I shook my head, sharp and final. "He's been out of his mind. No way he's leaking anything."
Seth shrugged, tension easing from his shoulders. "Then it's Liam or Talia."
"Not Liam," I cut in, my voice like iron.
He stared at me, confusion twisting his face. "Boss, what's the deal with you and Liam? You've handed him everything. What's it for?"
The question hit like a blade, slicing through the noise in my head. I went still, the silence stretching taut between us. "I had a kid once," I said at last, the words raw, barely audible. "Couldn't save him. Maybe helping Liam's my way of clawing back some kind of forgiveness."
Seth's eyes softened, and he leaned in, resting his head against my belly, warm and solid. "Boss," he murmured, "I'll be your kid. You can be my mom. Never had one, but I'd kill for a badass mom like you. I'll listen, I'll be good, I'll keep you safe. I'll always be around when you need me. I'll be with you forever!"
I ran my fingers through his hair, the gesture soft against the hardness of the moment. "Nothing lasts forever," I said, my voice heavy with old wounds. "Everything shifts, everyone changes. We let it happen, and we figure out why later by ourselves. If you go dark, I'll still remember the good in you. When I'm gone, you hold onto this."
He looked up, eyes big and wet, like a lost pup finding home. "I will," he promised.
I exhaled, the tension bleeding out of me. "You want to run your own game? Get off the damn computer. The ones who make it big - they get people, not numbers. Numbers are cold, clean, sure. People? They're messy, warm, unpredictable. They choose, they feel, they fuck up. That's why human nature's so goddamn beautiful."
Seth wrapped his arms around my waist, tight and fierce, pressing a kiss to my belly. "Got it, Mom," he whispered, voice thick with something raw and real.
The night closed in again, but for a moment, with his warmth against me and Darren's quiet breaths filling the room, I felt the weight lift - just a little. In this fucked-up world of claws and shadows, maybe there was still something worth holding onto.