Page 72 of Legacy (The Sovereigns #2)

Adriana Scarlet

Three Months Later

T he sign above the glass doors glints in the morning sun like a promise fulfilled:

Amato & Reyes Law Group.

My fingers tremble slightly as I smooth my palms down my silk blouse, staring at the polished gold lettering. My name. My future. Ours.

Vanessa bursts out of the doors before I can gather myself, her curls bouncing, a grin spread wide across her face. “You coming in or you planning to stare at your name all day like a lunatic?”

I laugh, breathless with disbelief. “Maybe both.”

We step into the office together, and I don’t even try to hide the giddy smile on my face. The space is fresh, the smell of paint and potential in the air. It’s all glass and dark wood and elegance, but not in that sterile, cold way. I wanted warmth.

Power.

A place where domestic abuse survivors didn’t feel like they were on trial the second they walked through the door.

And now I have it.

Our receptionist is setting up at the front, and one of the interns is unpacking law books in the side office. Vanessa breaks off to check in with her paralegals, and I step in to my office— mine —when the door swings open behind me .

“La Serenata!” Angelo announces as he strides into my office, two takeout bags in hand like they’re treasure. “Personally packed by yours truly. I made the chef remake the tart because the first one didn’t look perfect enough for you.”

I arch a brow, smirking. “You bullied your own chef over dessert?”

He shrugs, shameless. “No. I reminded him who owns the building. The tart was just extra.”

I roll my eyes but take the bag, already smiling. “You really didn’t have to come all the way here, you know.”

“You opened your own law firm.” His eyes darken, voice quieter. “Of course I did.”

My heart flutters. I try to fight the warmth swelling in my chest, but it’s useless. He always knows how to disarm me, when to show up, when to soften. When to bite.

I dig into the bag while he casually scans the room. “Where’s Enzo?” he asks, and I groan.

“Outside,” I mutter, chewing. “Still lurking. I told him he doesn’t need to escort me every day.”

Angelo raises a brow. “That’s cute. Too bad.”

I blink. “Excuse me?”

He leans against the edge of my desk, calm as ever. “He stays. You don’t get to argue with me about security when you’ve got my ring on your finger and now a target on your back for putting violent men behind bars.”

I scowl, but only because he’s right. “Still annoying.”

“You’ll live.” He snatches the strawberry tart without asking and takes a bite. “How’d the fitting go?”

I let the irritation fade, the memory making me smile. “Cassandra is a dream. The dress is everything I wanted and more. Where did Santo even find her?”

Angelo shrugs. “She was blacklisted. Some client groped her, she filed a report, made it public. They cut her out of everything. ”

My jaw tightens. “Of course they did.”

“Santo saw her portfolio, asked questions. When he found out what happened, he pulled her in. Put her on our payroll.”

I soften. “He’s such a sucker for strays.”

Angelo smirks. “You’re one to talk. You took Ruby in like she was a lost kitten.”

“She was a lost kitten,” I say, mock-defensive. “And don’t act like you don’t like her now. She reorganized your files.”

“She reorganized my kill files,” he mutters. “ Alphabetically . Who the hell sorts hits by last name?”

I laugh, then step close, lowering my voice. “Don’t be late to the townhouse tonight. All the women were asking for you. They want more stories about your mom.”

His gaze softens. “I won’t be. But don’t you be late either. You’re the one they adore.”

“I wouldn’t miss it,” I whisper and I mean it with every breath.

Because those nights—those women, the townhomes built for survivors like his mother… that’s where my heart beats the loudest. Where I get to hand over a key and say you’re safe now. Where girls with hollow eyes start to smile again.

It’s where I found purpose.

Just like this firm is a dream I never thought I’d reach.

And all of it— every piece of it, was born from something I thought would destroy me.

I thought I lost everything the day Angelo arranged our marriage. I thought I was a pawn. A name to be traded. A weapon to be used.

But instead… I got everything.

The love of my life.

The career I was made for.

A home.

A future.

Angelo Amato didn’t wreck me. He rebuilt me .

And I’ve never felt more powerful than I do standing in this office, with his love folded around me like armor.