Page 34 of Dom 3
Carmen nodded. I stayed standing beside her, with my hands in my pockets, but my chest felt tight as hell. The doctor dimmed the lights, turned on the machine, and squeezed a bit of cold gel across Carmen’s stomach causing her to wince and softly laugh.
“Cold,” she said.
Dr. Alvarez smiled. “Sorry about that. Let’s take a look.” The screen flickered a few times, and then there it was… a small flicker in the middle of a shadow. “That right there,” the doctor said, pointing to the heartbeat. “That’s your baby.”
The sound filled the room, and it was a quick, strong rhythm. It was tiny and fast, like real fuckin’ fast. Carmen gasped and covered her mouth. Tears slid silently slid down her cheek, I didn’t even realize I was holding my breath until the doctor smiled at me. I had never seen Carmen cry until now.
“You want to sit, Mr. Royal?”
I shook my head with my eyes still locked on that screen. “I’m good right here.”
That heartbeat hit different right now. I’d seen men die, seen money move, seen cities fold to my name too, but nothing ever felt like that sound. That little echo beating inside her was louder than every gunshot I’d ever heard in my life. I’d lay down my life for my baby.
Dr. Alvarez printed a few pictures and wiped the gel away. “You’re measuring about nine weeks,” she said. “Everything looks healthy. I’ll send your labs to the portal when they’re ready. In the meantime, enjoy your pregnancy to the fullest. Congratulations again.”
“Thank you,” Carmen said, in a shaky but happy voice. The doctor smiled, handed her the sonogram pictures, and left us alone for a moment.
Carmen turned to me, holding up the printout. “Look at that,” she whispered. “That’s our baby.”
I sat on the edge of the bed and kissed her hand then her forehead. “That’s our blessing.”
For a while, neither of us said nothing. We just sat there with her leaning into me, as I held her while we processed it all because this was deep and I felt peace… the kind I hadn’t felt since before I ever picked up a gun. When we left the building, the sun was shining a little bit differently. The sun hit hard now, reflecting off the cars and our skin. I opened the door for her, and just as she stepped out, a voice shouted from across the street.
“Yo, that’s Dom Royal!”
Two paparazzi turned their lenses toward us from outside a rooftop brunch spot where they were hosting some kind of celebrity brunch. Cameras started flashing like strobe lights. One of them zoomed straight in on Carmen’s hand that held the sonogram pictures.
“Yo, is that a baby photo?!” another yelled.
My people moved fast, stepping between us and the street, blocking every angle. One of them growled, “Cut that camera, now!” The paparazzi kept shooting anyway. Carmen’s arm tightened around mine, but she didn’t panic, if anything she wanted to shoot and so did I. I was known of course, we were the Royals, but it wasn’t often I had a camera flashing in my face because of it. I didn’t need that kind of press in my face, especially after this shit with El Blanca.
I guided her straight into the truck, shut the door, and signaled the driver to take off. The second the engine started going my people handled the rest. By the time we pulled off, I could see one of the photographers getting his camera snatched.
Carmen chuckled beside me. “Well,” she said, “so much for keeping it lowkey.”
I looked over at her, still holding the sonogram. “They were bound to find out sooner or later.”
She smiled, resting her hand on her stomach. “Guess it’s time we tell the family.”
“Not just the family,” I said, pulling out my phone. I opened the encrypted network we used to reach every Royal soldier worldwide. The app was black screen and gold font, built by our own coder. I typed the message slow, made sure every word hit because I’d rather them hear it from us rather than a story being leaked just in case.
Text: To all Royals worldwide, the line continues. Carmen’s carrying the next generation. Protect what’s ours.
I attached the picture of the sonogram, encrypted it twice, and hit send. Within seconds, the notification pinged across the map from Miami, Houston, Colombia, London, the islands. A message that couldn’t be traced but would be felt everywhere.
Carmen leaned her head on my shoulder smiling. “You really just told the world.”
“I told our world,” I said, kissing her forehead.
She closed her eyes as the truck cruised the street. We had a future to prepare for with a baby to protect with our life.
Istood by the floor-to-ceiling window, sipping on iced café con leche, watching the yachts drift by gliding across the water, and the sky was clear too. I had been up all-night pacing, thinking, and crying but Dom had only given me until this morning to make the decision and right now it was made. I was staying in Miami. I moved through the penthouse quietly, humming under my breath as I tied my robe. I sat my coffee on the counter, still steaming beside my half-eaten croissant. The morning news was on in the background, but I wasn’t paying attention because no matter what it said, my mind was made up.
Miami was supposed to be temporary. Now it was mine. I’d traded my bloodline for survival, and I wasn’t about to let fear undo me. Today, I’d get dressed, step out, and live. Shopping sounded good. Maybe something new to wear, maybe something that made me feel like I belonged in this version of my life.
I slipped into beige slacks, a silk cream blouse, and gold bangles that fit perfectly on my wrist. The perfume I sprayed wassweet smelling like vanilla and honey. I looked in the mirror and smiled. I didn’t look like a fugitive. I looked like power, adjusting her crown, which is exactly how I always wanted to look. I knew I was beautiful, and no one could take that away from me.
When I stepped out of the elevator, the black truck was already waiting downstairs. Three of Dom’s men stood by it, and alert like always wearing black polos and plain jeans. They weren’t really talkers but sometimes they weren’t so rude that they didn’t speak.
