Chapter 23

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Isabella

As she lowers the camera, I see the tension in her shoulders ease. We're not out of the woods yet after Javier's death, but she's accomplished what she set out to do. Determination is etched in the lines of her face, and I know she's ready to face whatever comes next.

She can do this.

We can do this.

The silence in the room is almost deafening, the air thick with the weight of our actions. I glance at her, wary yet relieved.

"No remorse for your brother?" I ask, studying her face.

"None," she replies without hesitation. "Lingering doubt? Remorse for my brother?" She scoffs, tossing her head. "It's like you don't know me at all. This was an end to an era that needed ending. My brother was a terrible human who deserved none of the power or accolades he garnered." Her eyes are cold, resolute. "I hated what I had to do, but he would only hurt more people." She shakes her head. "It had to be done."

"I understand," I say softly. "I'm sorry it came to that, but I'm proud of you. Do you think he had any loyal followers left?"

"Time will tell, but I suspect not," she says. "He was the type of leader others wanted dead."

She looks exhausted, and I can see the weight of everything starting to bear down on her. "Now, Lev," she says with a heavy sigh. "Take me home. Please."

I hold her gaze, feeling a surge of protectiveness. "Which home, beautiful?" I ask, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

Her eyes flutter closed at the kiss. "The one here in America first. We'll have to will travel to Columbia next."

I nod, wrapping an arm around her protectively. "The clean-up crew is coming. Any special requests for the body?"

She casts one last lingering glance at her brother's lifeless form. "Make sure he is buried. My mother would want that."

We head towards the exit, stepping over the remnants of the battle. In the end, he was just flesh and bone, no longer holding any power over her—or anyone.

And as we step into the night, I know we've crossed a line there's no coming back from. But together, we'll face whatever comes next.

As we approach the exit, my phone rings. Viktor .

"Everything secure?" I ask him.

"All clear, Lev. No signs of any more threats."

I blow out a breath. My wife was right. They destroyed themselves internally first. We only dealt the final blow.

Still, tonight's meeting should be interesting.

We step out into the dark of late night, a convoy of black SUVs waiting, engines idling.

Good. It's about damn time somebody else recognizes my wife is royalty.

I help Isabella into the nearest vehicle, sliding in beside her.

The ride back to our house is silent, each of us lost in our thoughts. Isabella leans her head against my shoulder, and I can feel the tension slowly leaving her body. I check to see if she's still awake. Barely, but she's holding her own. She's strong, but even the strongest need a moment to breathe.

As we pull up to our house, the moon is beginning to rise. Our men quickly secure the perimeter, and we make our way inside. On instinct, I check to see if we're safe, but no one's followed us.

There's no one left who would.

Once inside, I lead Isabella to our room. She sits on the edge of the bed, her eyes distant. I kneel in front of her, taking her hands in mine.

"You did great, Isabella," I say softly. "You did great."

She nods, a small, tired smile playing on her lips. "We're not done yet, Lev. Tonight, we must face them. But for now…" Her voice trails off. "I just need a moment. A little rest."

I brush a strand of hair from her face and kiss her forehead. "Rest. I'll be right here."

She lies back on the bed, and I sit beside her, watching as her breathing evens out and she drifts into a much-needed nap. I stay vigilant, my mind already strategizing for the evening meeting. I have Aria send us a list of all men loyal to the LSD.

An hour later, Isabella stirs. She sits up, looking more determined than ever. "Is it time?"

"It's time, beautiful. Hungry? Thirsty?"

"Mmm."

"Let me."

I make her some buttered toast and a cup of hot tea, two of her favorites.

We prepare ourselves for the meeting. She sets us up in the office and starts the video conference call. We patch Mikhail and Aleks in as well.

The atmosphere is charged with anticipation. The members of the Los Sangre Dorada Cartel stare in silence.

Isabella takes a deep breath and steps forward. "As of today, everything changes," she announces. "We are no longer bound by the old ways. Under my leadership, we will rise stronger. Those who wish to continue under my leadership may present their case to me. I will determine who will and who will not continue with me after a series of interviews and tests."

Oh. Smooth move. She will only take men she determines are loyal.

I stand beside her, my presence reinforcing her words. Together, we lay out a vision for the future where loyalty and strength will lead us to unprecedented power.

By the end of the meeting, it feels like the room is filled with a renewed sense of purpose.

"Tomorrow, I will be in contact with each of you. As you are aware, my marriage to Lev Romanov puts us in a unique position of leadership across countries. Do not consider any type of retaliation. The Romanovs are willing and able to defend. Those loyal to my brother are disloyal to me."

Some of them pay homage to her, and others leave quietly. All on the roster are accounted for. She isn't worried.

"Before I left Colombia, I established strong relationships with every one of them. Loyal dogs don't bite the hand that feeds them, you know."

I stare at her in disbelief. "How did you do that?"

She shrugs. "I had some money. My father didn't leave me penniless. I paid off gambling debts. Medical bills. I had a few mortgages taken care of and erased the history of some of those on my brother's shit list. It took time, but it was worth it. Did you sense any open hostility among them?"

I shake my head. "No, and I couldn't puzzle why not. I see now." I thought they were just better at hiding it. We end all calls and collapse together back in our bedroom.

Isabella grips my hand tightly. "We've done it, Lev," she whispers. "This is just the beginning."

I nod, feeling the weight of what we've accomplished and what still lies ahead.

"We did. Together ."