Page 71 of His Son's Ex

Dante rubs his palms together nervously, something I haven’t seen him do before.He looks uncertain, which is strange, because Dante Bellacino rarely looks anything but confident.

“Eva,” he begins, “I want you in my life. I know we have a lot stacked against us. My family. Your family. Your reservations about what I do, who I am.” He hesitates for a second before continuing. “But I can’t just let you walk away without trying.”

My eyes sting, fighting back tears. “Dante,” I whisper, my heart twisting at the sincerity in his tone. “I don’t think it’s as simple as me wanting or not wanting you in my life. You saw how your family treated me.”

He closes his eyes, nodding. “I did. And I’m sorry. I won’t pretend they’re suddenly going to turn into saints. But I can and I will protect you from them.”

“But can you protect me fromallof it?” My voice trembles. “From Linda’s cruel comments, from Luca’s belittling and Sarah’s condescension, from the entire mafia spotlight that might catch on to who I really am.” I stop myself, heart pounding. “You still don’t know everything about me.”

He meets my gaze, a fierce protectiveness in his eyes. “I know enough to realize you’re in danger if the wrong people find out you’re still alive.”

My throat tightens. I know he’s right. “That’s not the only reason I tried to leave.” I rest a hand over my abdomen. “I’m also still trying to process this pregnancy.”

Dante leans closer. “It’s my child too, Eva.” He swallows hard. “And I swear to you, I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you both safe.”

Tears threaten to fall, but I blink them away, lifting my chin. “You keep saying that, Dante, and I believe you, but what does that even look like?”

He leans back, exhaling sharply. “I don’t have all the answers yet, but I promise you, I will figure it out.”

“It’s just so complicated. This goes way beyond boss knocks up employee. This is about who I really am and what it means. A Petrov having a Bellacino baby.”

He nods grimly. “We’ll deal with that. My mother, ironically, might be an ally there. She has her regrets about the war. If we keep your identity under wraps throughout the pregnancy, by the time anyone suspects, you’ll already be under my protection—our protection.”

I study his face. He’s always so powerful, so unstoppable, but now he seems vulnerable and raw, offering me a choice.

Finally, I clear my throat. “You’re asking me to trust that you’ll keep me and our baby safe, no matter what. Am I correct?”

He meets my gaze, unwavering. “That’s exactly what I’m asking. And the best way to start the process is for you to move in with me.”

I let out a shaky breath. My mind reels at the thought of living in his penthouse. But the alternative—running away pregnant andalone—terrifies me more than anything. I have to admit, a part of me wants to be near Dante, especially now. I can’t deny how I feel about him, how my heart aches when he’s not around.

I brush a tear off my cheek. “Okay,” I say softly. “I’ll do it. But I’m not promising anything beyond that. We’ll see how this goes, day by day.”

Relief flashes across his features. “That’s all I ask. A chance.”

He moves and sits beside me, lightly brushing his fingers against my arm. “One more thing… I can’t promise everything will be perfect. It won’t be. We’ll have fights. My mother will meddle. Linda will pop up like a bad rash. But I can promise I’ll do whatever it takes to protect you and our child.”

Warmth spreads through me at the way he saysour child. I rest my head on his shoulder, just for a moment, letting the tension ease.

“I never expected this, you know. I didn’t plan on… well, any of it.”

His arm wraps around me gently. “Me either,” he admits. “But here we are. And I’m not going to let you face it alone.”

I close my eyes, a swirl of anxiety, relief, and something dangerously close to happiness rushing through me. “Thank you,” I whisper. “Seriously.”

He drops a soft kiss on the top of my head. “We’ll figure it out. Together.”

Eventually, the limo slows, pulling up to my apartment building. I blink, realizing how late it is and how exhausted I am. Dante looks at me. “Do you want me to come up? We can talk more or I can wait.”

I shake my head. “No, it’s okay. I’ll need to start gathering my things soon for your place. Might as well get some rest tonight. We can start making plans tomorrow.”

His lips curl into a smile. “Tomorrow, then.”

Before I lose my nerve, I lean forward and press a gentle kiss to his cheek. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Stepping out of the limo, I pause on the sidewalk, the evening air brisk. I watch him through the open door, his eyes full of promise.

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