Page 80 of Ivory Crown

“I believe you,” I replied, meeting his eyes again. They were lit with an emotion that stole my breath away - pure, unequivocal love.

“I would give you anything, Jade.”

I nodded, trying for a smile, my thoughts all jumbled up.

Yeah. I did believe him. I believed he would do anything but let me leave.

Chapter Forty-Six: Dante

Iknew keeping her here was the right choice, but she didn’t look happy.

I watched her, every frenetic step and sharp turn, as she paced the length of the penthouse. The morning light spilled through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting a harsh glare on the opulence that felt more like a gilded cage each passing day. Jade was a tempest in a white shirt and leggings, her dark hair a wild cascade against the clinical sterility of our hideout.

“You’re still going stir-crazy, huh?”

“Your place is very nice,” she said. “But I think I need some fresh air.”

“So you want to go out.”

“More than you know,” she responded, her voice a mix of defiance and desperation. I knew then we had to get out, even just for an hour or two.

“Let’s grab lunch outside these walls,” I suggested, already calculating the risks and exits. “We’ll take the subway, go to Manhattan.”

She smiled at me. “You sure?”

“Yeah,” I said. “It’s the weekend. What’s keeping us here?”

She smiled at me. “Okay.”

On the train, I kept close, watching her relax inch by cautious inch. We played at normalcy, trading barbs and laughs like any other couple heading out for a bite, but my mind never stopped scanning for threats.

We wove through the throngs of Manhattan, hands entwined, a semblance of normalcy in a life that was far from it.

“Feels good to be just...part of the crowd,” Jade murmured, her breath visible in the crisp fall air.

“Enjoy it while it lasts,” I replied, my voice low, my gaze darting. “We’re never just part of the crowd.”

Her coat strained subtly against her growing belly. She caught me looking and sighed, her hand moving protectively to the fabric. “I just wish my parents could have found out differently,” she said, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “They’re gonna notice the moment they lay eyes on me.”

I squeezed her hand tighter, feeling the weight of my promised protection settling on my shoulders, heavier with each passing day. “They’ll understand,” I lied. It was a necessary lie, the kind you tell when the truth is too sharp.

I had no idea how her parents would feel.

“Will they?” Her voice cracked. “Because I hardly do.”

Before I could answer, she paled. I could see a wave of nausea as it swept across her face. She staggered into a nearby alleyway, her free hand pressed to her mouth.

“Jade?” I followed her, ready to shield her from more than the prying eyes of pedestrians.

“Give me a minute,” she gasped, leaning against the cold brick wall.

My heart clenched as I watched her struggle, the woman who dealt with complex biological equations reduced to battling her own body’s rebellion.

I kept one hand on her back and the other reached inside my jacket, resting on the cold grip of the blade concealed there. Old habits die hard, and mine were etched into my bones.

“Better?” I asked after a moment, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside me.

“A little.” Jade straightened up, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

---