The penthouse glowed with the soft flicker of candlelight, the city lights casting a shimmering backdrop through the floor-to-ceiling windows as Sayrn Sauns and Daniel Isiah returned from the warm chaos of his parents’ South Side home. The laughter of his family—Maria, Joseph, Nico, and the four sisters, joined by Mia’s unexpected presence—still lingered in Sayrn’s mind, a fleeting shield against the shadow of Rocco Varga’s threat. At twenty-eight, with her RN degree earned earlier this year, Sayrn was accustomed to the high-pressure world of Chicago General’s ER, but living in Daniel’s penthouse—stitching up his men, deepening their bond under the Velvet Contract—had woven her life into his dangerous empire. Tonight, their official relationship burned brighter than ever.
Daniel locked th
