Isabella is waiting at the top of the stone steps when we arrive. She stands poised, wearing a sleek black dress, instantly making me feel too casual in my comfy jeans and sweater. She offers me a reserved nod.
“Eva,” she says, polite but cool. “Welcome.”
Dante stands beside me, placing a reassuring hand on the small of my back. “Mother,” he greets. “Eva and I will be staying here until things die down, as we discussed. I trust our room is ready.”
“Of course,” Isabella replies, gesturing for us to follow her inside. “I’ve had the staff prepare a suite in the east wing. I assume that’s acceptable?”
Dante give a curt nod.
I’d been so nervous the night of the dinner that I hadn’t really been able to take in the sight of the Bellacino mansion. It’s magnificent.
We head up a sweeping staircase, portraits of stern-faced ancestors along the wall. Vases filled with fresh flowers sit on marble stands along the corridor.
“This is your room,” Isabella announces as she stops outside a set of polished wooden doors leading into a large, elegant suite. There’s a sitting area with a fireplace, a four-poster king bed covered in silken linens, an ensuite, and a balcony overlooking a sprawling garden lit up with evening lighting.
“It’s beautiful,” I whisper.
Isabella gives a gracious nod, her eyes flicking briefly to my midsection. I tense, wondering if her mother’s intuition senses my pregnancy. I wait for her to say something, but she doesn’t.
Instead, she turns to Dante. “There’s a family meeting in the main dining room in an hour. We expect your presence. And Eva’s,” she adds with a cool finality that suggests it isn’t really a request.
Dante nods. “Understood.”
She turns and leaves the room, her footsteps echoing down the hall. “She’s intense.”
He smiles wryly. “That’s one way to put it. You’ll be fine here.” He steps closer, lowering his voice. “Text me if you need anything. I’ll be in my office making some calls before the meeting. The staff will bring up our bags. In the meantime, try to relax and get some rest.”
I try to muster a smile as he gives my arm a gentle squeeze before walking away.
I’m left alone in an unfamiliar yet luxurious room feeling a strange mixture of safety and uneasiness.
The knock at my door an hour later is soft but insistent, dragging me away from the small amount of clothes I’m half-heartedly attempting to unpack. One of the staff members informs me the family meeting is about to start.
Fantastic.
I smooth down my sweater and sigh. If I’d known I’d be crashing a royal court session, I might’ve packed something less casual and more professional, perhaps with a slight intimidation factor.
“Welcome to the lion’s den,” I mutter to myself as I follow the staff member down the hall.
The long mahogany table stares at me as I enter the dining room as if it could seat a U.N. delegation, causing me to feel like the meeting I’m about to partake in may not be that far off.
Dante stands near the head of the table, deep in conversation with Luca, who shoots me a look the second he notices me—equal parts annoyance and petty boyish scorn. Sarah’s perched beside him like a decorative statue, wearing a tight, brittle smile that’s supposed to pass as polite but lands somewhere between smug and constipated.
Linda sits near the middle, legs crossed, hair perfect, makeup expertly applied. She taps on her phone looking bored, like this entire ordeal is beneath her.
At the other end sits Isabella, regal as ever, spine straight, gaze unreadable. She’s flanked by two silver-haired men in sleek suits—Dante’s uncles, if I had to guess—the younger one looking like he just stepped out of an Armani catalog.
The room hushes the second I step inside.
Dante catches my eye and gives me a subtle, grounding smile. Then he addresses the entire room, saying, “Everyone, I believe you already know Eva, but I want to make things official.” His hand reaches for mine, warm and steady. “She’s my partner.”
Oh.
That lands with a weight I wasn’t quite ready for. I feel it settle into my chest like an anchor, and also, strangely, like a parachute. Not quite girlfriend but “partner.” Something in between, something more undefined. The undefined part is what feels oddly freeing.
I glance around the table, noting everyone’s reaction.
Isabella is as calm as ever, hands folded on the table, chin slightly lifted like she already knew this was coming. Classic poker face.
Luca’s jaw is clenched so tight it could crack concrete. Good. Sarah’s eyes are wide, but she maintains her default look of mild boredom. Points for effort.
Linda actually snorts, so loudly the sound ricochets across the table like a bullet.
“Partner, huh?” she says, inspecting her manicured nails. “Don’t you think you’re jumping the gun, Dante? We had one family dinner together. I’d say that hardly constitutes her earning the title.”
Dante’s eyes flash with anger. “She’s here because she’s an important part of my life. The only reason you’re here is because we have a son together. Otherwise, you could parade yourself down Broadway for all I fucking care.”
Linda surprisingly appears rattled by his words.
Dante turns to the rest of the group. “Given recent events in the city, it’s crucial that everyone in this house is under the same roof. Safe. That includes Eva.”
Luca frowns. “Really? Exactly how important is she?”
Dante narrows his gaze. “Important enough to be here. I owe you no other explanation.”
The older of Dante’s uncles clears his throat. “We’ve heard rumors, Dante. Something’s brewing among the syndicates. The Russians, the Lombardis, maybe others. They’ve noticed your interest in certain expansions.”
Dante nods, eyes flicking to me and then back to the table. “We suspect a power shift. Somebody is orchestrating hits and sending messages. I’m not sure Luca is ready to step in if things escalate.”
Luca frowns. “Why wouldn’t I be? I’m your son.”
Linda lifts her chin. “Dante, you have no choice but to let Luca lead in the future. He’s your only heir. Might as well bring him into the fold sooner rather than later.”
Dante’s gaze darkens. “Luca has much to prove before I can trust him to lead or be involved in any crucial matters.”
Linda scoffs, flipping her hair. “That’s ridiculous. He’s your heir, whether you like it or not.”
Before Dante can snap back, Isabella steps in. “Patience, Linda. You forget I have a say in this family’s leadership, too.” She glances at Luca with cool assessment. “So far, my grandson has shown little backbone. Not only where it concerns what Dante just mentioned, but in many aspects of his life.”
Linda starts to retort, but Isabella silences her with a raised palm. She turns her gaze to me and makes an abrupt announcement. “We also have reason to believe that Eva will soon provide Dante with another heir.”
My heart lodges in my throat. Did she just announce my pregnancy?
The room falls silent. Linda’s face twists in shock then outrage. Luca’s eyes widen as Sarah’s mouth drops open. Dante stiffens beside me, anger radiating from him as he levels a furious glare at his mother. I swallow hard, feeling my cheeks burn.
Luca recovers first. “Wait, you got my ex-girlfriend pregnant?” He practically chokes on the words. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
Sarah’s eyes dart between Dante and me, her mouth still wide open. Linda sneers, letting out an acidic laugh. “Well, isn’t that convenient? She’s really making sure she secures her place here, isn’t she? She couldn’t satisfy Luca, so she hopped into bed with his father.”
Before I can say a word, Dante shoots back, “You will do well to watch your mouth or that stroll down Broadway can be arranged.”
Linda recoils and leans back in her chair, a smug grin on her face. Shots fired.
Dante turns to his mother. “Mother, that was not your secret to share.”
Isabella raises an eyebrow. “Such secrets only breed more chaos in a family already feuding with animosity. Better to put it all out on the table.”
A chill runs down my spine. What am I getting into?
Linda rises from the table and storms off, her stilettos clacking against the marble like gunfire.
Luca and Sarah exchange a glance before Luca mutters, “I need some air.” He gets up and follows his mother, a blank expression on his face. Sarah hesitates, watching me with a flicker of disdain, or perhaps pity, then silently slips after them.
Dante’s uncles also rise, each murmuring their own excuses. In seconds, the table empties, leaving me alone with Dante and Isabella. My chest feels tight, like I’ve just gone through an emotional spin cycle.
Dante’s jaw is still set, furious. Isabella looks almost bored by the drama, resting her hands gently on the table. “You can thank me later,” she says dryly.
“Thank you?” Dante growls. “You blindsided us.”
Isabella lifts a shoulder. “You were going to keep it a secret. That only invites rumors. Better to deal with it head-on, no matter how messy.” She glances at me, her expression softer. “I apologize if this caused you distress, Eva. But it’s for the best.”
I’m too stunned to respond. I manage a nod, my heart hammering in my chest.
Isabella stands, smoothing her dress. “We’ll talk about business later. For now, do yourselves a favor and get some rest. You’re both under a lot of stress.”
She sweeps out, leaving Dante and me alone in the now suffocating dining room. He exhales sharply, raking a hand through his hair. “I’m sorry,” he mutters. “My mother does what she wants.”
I let out a shaky laugh. “Yeah, I’m gathering that.” I glance at the door Linda stormed through. “They’re all going to hate me. Even more than they already do.”
His eyes fill with concern. “I’m sorry,” he repeats, stepping closer. “I never wanted you to feel attacked, or for them to find out this way.”
I try to muster a reassuring smile. “I appreciate that, I do. Maybe it’s better that it’s in the open now. No more secrets, right?”
Dante looks at me as if to say, well maybe just the one… then reaches for my hand, squeezing it gently. “Let’s get you back to the room. You need to rest. We’ll deal with Linda and Luca later.”
“I agree. I think I’ve hit my drama quota for the day.”
He offers a faint smirk. “Welcome to the family, Eva.”
As we walk, I can’t help noticing the tension in Dante’s posture, the protective way he keeps me close to his side. My thoughts tumble like laundry: Linda’s scorn, Isabella’s meddling, Luca’s hostility. But also, Dante’s determination to shield me from all of it.
I cling to that, because as much as I feel out of place in this mansion, surrounded by a family that sees me as an intruder, I’m still carrying Dante’s child. That alone ties me to him, whether I’m ready or not. My heart thrums with a mix of fear and fragile hope.
When we reach our suite, Dante lingers in the doorway. “You sure you’ll be okay if I go get some work done?”
I take a deep breath, letting the tension drain from my shoulders. “I’ll be fine. I might just call it a night and pray that tomorrow doesn’t throw even bigger bombs at us.”
He grins before leaning in to press a tender kiss to my temple. “If you need me, you know where I am.”
I watch him go, the echo of his footsteps on the marble gradually fading away. Then I step into our room—my new home, for better or worse—and close the door behind me. The quiet envelops me, and I finally allow myself to relax.
Sinking onto the edge of the lavish bed, I rest my hand over my belly. A surge of protectiveness wells up. I’m going to keep you safe, little one, no matter what Linda or Luca or anyone else says.
I’m not going to let this family scare me off.
With that thought, I lie back against the pillows, letting exhaustion take over.
