Chapter 14 - A Different Kind of Home
Six months passed.
The Castellano mansion changed.
Security was rebuilt.
Medical access was restricted.
Servants were treated with respect.
Margarite stepped away from household management.
Elena returned to work after taking time to recover.
Dr. Lane remained Rafe's physician.
And Sloan?
She didn't become a maid.
She became head of private security investigations.
Rafe gave her complete authority to investigate anyone—including him.
She loved that part.
“You're enjoying this,” Rafe said one evening.
Sloan looked at the security report.
“You hired me.”
“I know.”
“You regret it?”
“Frequently.”
She smiled.
Margarite entered the room.
She wore the same black velvet gown style she had worn the night everything changed.
But her expression was softer.
She carried a silver tray.
Sloan stared.
“You're making tea?”
Margarite smiled.
“I can learn.”
Rafe laughed.
Margarite looked at Sloan.
“I owe you an apology.”
Sloan stood.
“You don't.”
“I do.”
She placed the tray down.
“I judged you because I thought you were another threat.”
“You had reasons.”
“That doesn't excuse me.”
Sloan smiled.
“Then we're even.”
Margarite looked at her son.
Then at Sloan.
“You make him different.”
Sloan glanced at Rafe.
“He was always capable of being different.”
Rafe smiled.
For the first time, the mansion didn't feel like a fortress.
It felt like a home.
Then Rafe placed something on the table.
A small velvet box.
Sloan stared.
“What is that?”
“Something I've been carrying for three months.”
She opened it.
Inside was a simple silver key.
“To what?”
Rafe smiled.
“The front door.”
She looked at him.
“You're giving me a key?”
“No.”
May you like
He took her hand.
“I'm giving you a choice.”
