Chapter 15 - The Last Ledger
-15-
The rain fell in a soft, steady drizzle over the sprawling grounds of the Barrington estate, washing clean the cobblestone driveways and feeding the budding spring flowers that lined the perimeter walls.
Inside the grand study, the fireplace crackled with real cedar logs, casting a warm, amber glow across the dark mahogany bookshelves.
Lena sat in the deep velvet wingback chair by the hearth, reading a bedtime story to Nora, whose eyes were heavy with sleep. In the corner of the room, Alistair sat at his massive desk, closing a heavy, leather-bound ledger with a quiet, final thud.
He picked up a gold fountain pen, opened the final page of the book, and wrote a single line across the bottom line: Ledger closed. Balance zero.
He capped the pen, stood up, and walked over to the hearth, standing quietly behind Lena’s chair as she finished the last page of the storybook.
"Is she asleep?" Alistair whispered, his baritone a soft, comforting rumble.
Lena looked down. Nora’s breathing was slow and even, her tiny hands relaxed against the velvet cushion.
"Out like a light," Lena murmured, carefully lifting her daughter and carrying her down the hall to her nursery, tucking her in beneath the heavy organic cotton blankets.
When Lena returned to the study, Alistair was waiting by the window, holding a glass of amber bourbon. He handed it to her, and she took a slow, warming sip, letting the liquor burn the chill from her throat.
"What happens to the ledger now?" Lena asked, looking at the heavy book resting on his desk.
"It goes into the safe," Alistair said, his dark eyes holding hers with absolute devotion. "We don't need ledgers anymore, Lena. The past is settled."
Lena walked over to him, setting her glass down on the side table, and slipping her arms around his waist. Alistair wrapped his strong, protective arms around her, pulling her close against his chest.
She thought back to that freezing Tuesday night—the fifteen dollars in her pocket, the dying baby in the deserted garage, the terrifying man who had stepped out of the black SUV. She had thought her life was ending that night.
Instead, it had only just begun.
"Alistair?" she whispered against his chest.
"Hmm?"
"Thank you for missing the bus."
May you like
Alistair’s chest rumbled with a deep, rich laugh as he pressed his lips to her hair.
"I never miss anything, Lena," he murmured into the quiet night. "Especially not my destiny."
