Page 27 of Ivory Legacy

She scooted back, releasing my hand, and folded her arms across her chest—a shield against the whirlwind threatening to engulf her. "If you go," she started, her voice steady as always, "whatthen? You return to your life, and I just... what? Wait for a news report that you've been arrested, or worse?"

"Is that what you think will happen?" My question hung in the air, mingling with the fading warmth of the afternoon sun filtering through the window.

"Isn't it likely?" She stood up and paced to the window, gazing out over Harbor Cove, where the water mirrored the sky's descent into dusk. She was beginning to show and she looked fucking beautiful. "Your family, Dante, they're not known for letting go easily."

"True."

"Being apart won't change the danger," she said, more to herself than to me. Her analytical mind dissected each scenario, seeking a solution as if it were a complex equation rather than the mess of our intertwined fates.

"Jade," I tried again, taking a cautious step toward her. "I'm not worth the risk—"

"Stop." She turned suddenly, her eyes blazing with a determination that rivaled any I'd seen in the boardrooms of BioHQ. "Don't make decisions for me, Dante Moretti. Don’t ever do that again or I’ll disappear from your life quicker than you know. I’ve spent my life calculating risks. If there’s one thing I know, it’s that some variables can't be quantified—they're felt."

Her words punched through the fog of my uncertainty. She crossed the room, closing the gap between us with purposeful strides. Standing before me, she lifted her chin, and I saw the firethat burned within her—the same fire that had drawn me to her from the moment we met.

"I want you to stay." The declaration was simple yet carried the weight of all our unspoken promises and fears.

"Jade—" I began, but she cut me off.

"Because despite everything, my life is better with you in it. And I’m choosing to face whatever comes, together.” Her voice wasn’t just clear; it was resolute.

I should have told her I couldn’t stay. I should’ve said that I was pretty sure the FBI was building a RICO case, that the Carusos were waiting to pounce on us, that they had probably followed me to Harbor Cove.

That just being here was enough to put her and our unborn child in danger.

I didn’t.

Instead, I caught her face in my hands, the warmth of her breath on my skin grounding me in the reality of her words.

"Okay," I murmured, hardly daring to believe that she would tether her fate to mine. And then I lied to her. "I'll stay."

Chapter Fourteen: Dante

Iwanted her so much. I had desperately wanted her since the last time I had seen her.

I pressed my lips against hers, softly at first, then with a desperation born from the knowledge that every moment was precious, and every choice came with a cost. Her lips moved against mine, hesitant at first but growing bolder with each caress, her hands clutching the lapels of my coat as if anchoring herself in the turbulent sea that was our situation.

My mouth away from hers, and I slowly slid my mouth down her chin, nestling into the sweet spot where her pulse throbbed against her neck. Her scent, the familiar melody of oranges and cinnamon, stirred up a maelstrom within me. As my lips traced the curve of her throat, soft sighs escaped her lips, her fingers threading through my hair.

“Dante,” she breathed, her voice a soft plea tangled with desire and uncertainty.

My hands slipped down to the small of her back, pulling her tighter against me, the swell of her stomach pressing against mine. The reality of our unborn child caught between us.

Gently, I pulled back, my gaze dropping to her rounded stomach. My hand moved naturally there, as if it was drawn to the tiny life that grew inside her. Jade watched me silently, her eyes shining with tears, and the faintest hint of a smile tugging at her lips.

“You’re starting to show,” I said.

“Maybe I’ve just been eating my feelings.”

I chuckled at her dry humor, a sound that felt unfamiliar to my own ears. “You’re beautiful,” I told her, my hand still resting on her belly, the warmth seeping through the fabric of her clothes.

“Thanks. It’s hard to feel it right now.”

I shook my head, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “My beautiful Jade,” I said. “Let me remind you.”

Before she could protest, I swept her into my arms, her soft gasp echoing in the stillness of the room. I moved slowly, taking in every inch of her flushed face, every flicker of anticipation that danced in her eyes. I peppered kisses onto her neck, drawing a shaky breath from her lips.

“Dante,” she whispered, her voice trembled, a mix of surprise and pleasure.

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