Page 94 of Ivory Crown

“It’s for your own good, Jade.” Rodriguez’s voice was calm, soothing even. But it did nothing to water down the bitterness that had risen up in me like bile. “We’re just trying to protect you.”

“From what?” My voice was sharper than intended, too loud for the intimate setting of the café. A few heads turned our way, curiosity flashing in their eyes before being quickly averted. They didn’t really want to know what was happening; they just wanted their safe little bubbles unperturbed.

“He’s dangerous, Jade,” Ellie intervened, her voice no more than a hushed whisper meant only for me. She reached out and squeezed my hand again as if to ground me. But all I felt was a panic coil in my chest like a venomous snake ready to strike.

“I’m pregnant, Ellie,” I said. “Obviously. And it’s his so…”

Ellie's eyes widened in surprise, her mouth opening and closing in a silent expression of shock. She was speechless, a rare occurrence for the usually quick-witted scientist.

The crushing silence was broken by the sound of Dante's voice as he returned to the table. "Is everything okay?" His gaze flicked between Ellie's stricken face and my own tense one. It took a moment for him to notice Rodriguez standing there, his unflinching gaze locked onto Dante.

"Dante..." I began, my voice shaky.

Dante looked furious. Just for a second. Then he fixed his expression into cold, quiet, polite indifference. “Detective Rodriguez. I didn’t know you were joining us.”

Rodriguez fixed Dante with a steady gaze. "The pleasure's all mine," he replied, his voice coated with a layer of saccharine sweetness that failed to mask the underlying tension.

I felt the atmosphere grow more dense, both men sizing each other up like predators in a shared territory. Dante's eyes flickered briefly to mine, an unreadable expression playing on his handsome features.

That’s when the weight of the truth crashed down on me; I was carrying a mafia boss's child, and Detective Rodriguez would do anything to bring Dante down. Everyone at the table knew this was no longer just about science or the nefarious dealings of the Moretti family. Lives hung in the balance, teetering precariously on a precipice.

With every tick of the clock echoing in my ears, dread coiled tighter within me. I broke away from Dante's penetrating gaze to look at Ellie. Her features were pinched with worry as she watched me.

I could see her working things out in her mind, picturing different outcomes. I had always admired her ability to think multiple steps ahead; it had served us well in our research at BioHQ, but this was uncharted territory for us both.

When I’d decided to keep the baby, I had made a choice.

“We should go,” I told Dante. “You were right. This was a mistake.”

Dante's gaze was sharp, calculating as he studied me. He nodded once, a silent affirmation. He stood, pulling me up with him. "Pleasure seeing you again, Detective," he drawled to Rodriguez, the polite words not quite hiding the steeliness in his voice.

Rodriguez's eyes never left us as we made our exit, his expression unreadable. I didn't dare look back at Ellie; I wasn't ready to face whatever expression might be etched on her face. If anything, this revelation had only multiplied the danger we were all in.

“Wait.” Detective Rodriguez stepped forward, his eyes never leaving Dante’s face. “Do you really think running is going to solve anything, Moretti?”

Dante paused, his grip on my hand tightening. I felt a chill race down my spine as he coolly met Rodriguez's gaze. His voice was low, a dangerous undercurrent threaded through each word. “I suggest you stay out of our business, Detective.”

Rodriguez just chuckled and leaned back against the counter. The glare of the café lights caught his badge, making it glint ominously. He crossed his arms over his broad chest, looking decidedly unfazed by Dante’s thinly-veiled threat.

“And I suggest you start thinking about the consequences of your actions,” he shot back. His eyes flicked briefly over to me before returning to Dante. “For everyone’s sake.”

“Are you going to arrest me?”

"No," Rodriguez said, the single syllable hanging heavy in the air. "Not today, Moretti. But I'm watching you."

A menacing smile flirted with the corners of his mouth. It was a predator's smile - patient, calculating. And as Dante met his gaze head-on, my hand still secure in his, I felt the ground shift beneath us.

Stilted silence enclosed us again like a shroud, swallowing up the sounds of the bustling café. Rodriguez's words echoed in my mind, a chilling reminder of the dangerous game we were playing.

“That sounds incredibly inappropriate, Detective,” Dante says, winking at him. “What are you thinking about when you watch me?”

Rodriguez didn't rise to Dante's taunt. His gaze remained steady, chillingly professional. "Your move, Moretti," he simply said.

Dante's hand tightened around mine. He didn't reply, but the warning in his eyes spoke volumes. He then turned towards me, his expression softening noticeably as he brushed a loose strand of hair from my face.

"Let's go," he murmured.

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. My mind was spinning with everything that had just transpired. I knew we were stepping into dangerous territory, but the thought of not being by Dante's side felt even more perilous.

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