Chapter 9 - The Choice
Twenty-four hours later, the storm had finally passed.
I sat on the balcony of a private, high-security penthouse in Gold Coast, watching the sun rise over Lake Michigan. The penthouse belonged to David, but it was completely isolated from his business operations—no armed thugs in the hallway, no wiretaps, just quiet luxury and panoramic views of the water.
Inside the living room, Chloe was sitting on a plush sofa, fast asleep, wrapped in a fleece blanket after a long day of playing with a new puppy David had bought for her.
The glass door opened, and David walked out onto the balcony, holding two steaming mugs of coffee.
He wore a soft cashmere sweater and jeans—looking more like a normal man than the crime boss who had reclaimed an empire yesterday. He still moved a bit slowly due to his surgical wounds, but his color had returned, his blue eyes clear and peaceful.
He handed me a mug and leaned against the balcony railing beside me.
"She’s asleep," David murmured, looking back through the glass at Chloe.
"She loves the puppy, David," I said softly, taking a sip of the warm coffee. "You’re spoiling her."
"I have eight years of spoiling to make up for," David said quietly, his voice filled with a gentle melancholy.
We stood in silence for a long moment, watching the morning light reflect off the calm blue surface of the lake.
"What happens now, David?" I asked softly, looking up at him. "Julian is gone. Your family is secure. But I have a job in Madison. Chloe has her school, her friends, her life."
David turned to face me, setting his coffee mug down on the railing. He reached out and took my free hand in his, his large, warm fingers wrapping gently around mine.
"I promised myself eight years ago that if I ever found you again, I would never let you go," David whispered, looking deeply into my eyes. "But I know I can't force you into my world. I saw the terror in your eyes at the hospital. I saw how much you hate the blood and the violence."
"I don't hate you, David," I confessed softly, tears glistening in my eyes. "I never hated you. I was just terrified for her."
"I know," David said gently. "Which is why I made a decision last night."
I looked at him, surprised. "What decision?"
"I’m stepping down, Natasha," David revealed softly.
My jaw dropped. "What?"
"I handed control of the Carter legal logistics and real estate holdings to Sal Moretti and a trust board," David explained, a small, genuine smile appearing on his face. "I am liquidating my private assets into an independent trust for Chloe. I’m stepping away from the syndicate entirely. Marcus is taking over security operations, but the illegal supply lines are being dismantled."
"David... your father built that empire," I stammered, completely shocked. "You gave up your life for it."
"No," David said softly, reaching up to gently cup my cheek with his warm hand. "My life was sitting in a hospital waiting room coloring a purple horse. My life was standing in front of me saving my soul with her blood."
Tears spilled over my lashes, and this time, I didn't wipe them away.
"I bought a house," David continued softly, his thumb gently wiping a tear from my cheek. "A quiet estate outside Madison. Near the lake. Close to your school. Far away from Chicago."
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"David..." I gasped, my heart hammering in my chest.
"I’m not asking you to marry me today, Natasha," David whispered, leaning down until his forehead rested against mine. "I’m just asking for a chance. A chance to be a father to Chloe. A chance to be the man you deserved eight years ago."
