Page 20 of Ivory Legacy

My heart skipped, but I managed a nod. This information was a tangible link to the life growing inside me—a life entwined with Dante’s whether I liked it or not.

“It’s a boy,” she said softly, watching my face closely for a reaction.

A boy. A tiny surge of wonder eclipsed my fears. Images of a small version of Dante, with his dark hair and maybe even his guarded eyes, flickered across my mind. It was both terrifying and exhilarating.

“Jade?” her voice brought me back.

“Sorry, I just...” I trailed off, unsure how to express the storm of emotions swirling within me.

“Take all the time you need,” she reassured me, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder.

“Thank you,” I whispered, touching my belly as if to connect with the little boy whose heartbeat had become the most significant sound in my world.

Dr. Pineda left, and I lingered in the quiet of the exam room, fingers tracing a path over my belly, where the thrum of a tiny heartbeat resonated like a secret promise. A boy. Dante’s son. My son. The reality of it hung heavy in the air, thick as the winter clouds outside the hospital window.

I had no idea whether I should tell Dante. I had no idea how I would even tell him.

But for the time being, this knowledge was mine. Only mine.

And, right then, that felt good enough that I didn’t want to change it. Even if I wasn’t sure whether it was the right thing to do.

Chapter Ten: Dante

Ipaced my office like a caged animal, the silk of my pajamas rustling with each turn. Jade’s face haunted me, her absence a constant ache in my chest. Three weeks. No word. No sign. And she was pregnant with my child.

“Where the fuck are you?” I muttered, running a hand through my disheveled hair.

My mind raced with possibilities, each worse than the last. Had she been taken? Was she hurt? Or had she simply decided to vanish, to keep our baby away from the dangerous world I lived in?

The thought made my stomach churn. I couldn’t blame her if she had, but the idea of never seeing her again, never meeting our child...it was unbearable.

A sharp knock interrupted my spiral. “Come in,” I barked, collapsing into the chair behind my desk.

Sal entered. His face was grim. “Boss, we’ve got a problem.”

I leaned forward, forcing myself to focus. “What is it?”

“The feds are closing in. They’ve doubled surveillance on all our operations. We lost two shipments this week alone.”

“Tell me you mean the NYPD,” I said.

“Looks like they’re working together,” Sal said, rubbing his hand on his face.

Fuck. This was really bad. I still needed to hear him confirm it. “So…how bad is this?”

Sal’s eyes darted nervously. “Bad, boss. If we don’t find a way to throw them off soon, we’re looking at serious jail time. All of us.”

The weight of responsibility settled heavy on my shoulders. I had an empire to protect, men who depended on me. But all I could think about was Jade.

“We need to lay low for a while,” I said, rubbing my temples. “Tell the boys to halt all major operations. Stick to the legal businesses for now.”

Sal nodded, but hesitated. “Boss, there’s something else. The Carusos are making moves. They smell blood in the water.”

I cursed under my breath. Just what I needed - vultures circling while I was distracted.

“Keep an eye on them,” I ordered. “If they try anything, we hit back hard. Make an example.”

“Got it, boss.” Sal paused, eyeing my rumpled pajamas. “You okay? You look like shit.”

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