I pull Keira toward me, cradling her face between my hands. Our eyes lock for a breathless moment before I lower my mouth to hers. This kiss is nothing like the angry, possessive ones I forced on her days ago. This is a promise, a beginning, an apology, and a declaration all at once.
I pour everything into it, my regret for the years lost, my gratitude for her strength, my awe at the family she preserved despite impossible odds, and most of all, the love that never truly died, even when buried under years of rage and pain.
Keira melts against me, her hands gripping my lapels as she kisses me back with equal fervor. For the first time since I returned to Boston, I feel truly whole. The broken, vengeful man who stormed into her life days ago is gone, transformed by the truth and by her unwavering courage.
When we finally break apart, the room erupts in applause. Keira's cheeks flush pink, but her eyes shine with happiness as she looks up at me.
I turn to Brigit, who's watching us with a wide smile. I bend down and press a gentle kiss to her cheek.
"Are you happy, Daddy?" she asks, her little hand reaching up to touch my face.
"Daddy." Each time she says it, I feel my heart grow a little bit more.
"Yes, sweetheart," I manage to say past the lump in my throat. "I've never been happier in my entire life."
And it's true. All the power I've reclaimed, all the respect I've demanded from Boston's underworld. None of it compares to this moment, to marrying this magnificent woman and being called "Daddy" by this perfect little girl.
As the celebration swirls around us, I hold Keira and Brigit close, unable to believe this moment is real.
"Are you okay?" Keira whispers, her fingers gently squeezing mine.
"More than okay," I murmur back. "I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be."
And it's true. For the first time in ten years, I feel centered. Complete. The jagged edges of my soul that never quite fit together have finally found their missing pieces in Keira and Brigit.
My brothers approach with their wives, all smiling. I see genuine joy in their eyes, not just for themselves, but for me. They've all found their happiness already, and they've been waiting for me to find mine.
"Uncle Ash!" Brigit calls, still testing out the new titles that have suddenly entered her life. "Did you see me drop the flowers? I did it perfect!"
Ash kneels down to her level. "You were the most beautiful flower girl I've ever seen."
As they chat, I pull Keira closer, resting my forehead against hers.
"I don't deserve this," I whisper. "Any of it."
She cups my face in her hands, her eyes fierce with conviction. "Yes, you do. We all do. We've suffered enough, Phoenix. It's time to be happy."
Looking into her eyes, I make a silent vow. The empire I've reclaimed, the power I now wield, it will all serve one purpose—protecting this precious second chance we've been given. I'll build a world where Brigit grows up safe and loved, where Keira never has to fear again, where my brothers and their families can thrive.
“As long as you’re happy, I’m happy,” I tell her.
“Well then, you must be blissfully happy because that’s what I am.” She lifts on her toes and gives me a kiss.
For the first time in a decade, I step toward the future with love as my compass rather than revenge. With this woman by my side, I’m invincible.
EPILOGUE
Keira - Three months later
Irest my chin in my palm, watching Phoenix cut Brigit's grilled cheese into perfect triangles, the way she insists they taste better. It’s just us in the kitchen. Most of the house staff and Nanny Fiona have the evening off. Only guards are on duty, and they’re mostly outside the house.
"Daddy, you're supposed to dip it like this." Brigit demonstrates her soup-dunking technique with exaggerated precision.
Phoenix's eyes crinkle at the corners. "Forgive me, Princess. I clearly need more practice." He mimics her movements exactly, earning a giggle.
I hide my smile behind my mug of tea. Who would have thought the feared Phoenix Ifrinn would take grilled cheese etiquette so seriously?
"Mama, you're doing it wrong too!" Brigit points accusingly at my untouched sandwich.
