Filed to story: Bound by Honor (Aria & Luca) Drama Story
Dante’s eyes flew down to my stomach. “You are pregnant with Luca’s child?”
I wasn’t sure, but everything pointed toward it. I straightened despite my nausea and dizziness. “Yes.”
“I hope you understand that I can’t take your word on the matter,” Dante said in a hard voice.
I blinked. “What do you mean?”
“I want proof.”
“Proof?” I echoed. “And what if my words are proven true?”
“That’s for me to decide then.” Dante’s face was an impenetrable mask. “Get back into the car, Aria.”
Dante took me to a pharmacy but I had to stay in the locked car as he bought a pregnancy test. I was starting to think that I’d had made a huge mistake by telling Dante I was pregnant. If the test proved I was pregnant, he’d have even more leverage against Luca, and if the test proved I’d lied, he’d be less inclined to spare me in any way. Sometimes I thought I could play these power games because I’d seen Luca and Matteo play them, but our men had years of experience on us.
I closed my eyes and pressed my palm against my still flat stomach, not sure what I should hope for. I opened my eyes when the door opened and Dante got in. His eyes went down to my hand on my stomach and I pulled it away.
He held out the packet and closed the door.
“Where am I supposed to take the test?”
“I can’t take you anywhere public. I’d loathe encountering someone who recognizes you.”
Because it would force his hand.
He pulled away from the curb and drove us back to an abandoned parking lot near the water.
“Here?” I asked.
“Here. I can’t take your modesty into consideration.” He left the car and I followed. I looked around, shivering.
“Hide behind the trunk; I will wait here. If you do anything to raise my suspicions, I will watch you, understood?” Dante narrowed his eyes at me and I gave a terse nod, then I walked around to the back and unzipped my jeans. Dante turned his back to me and I pulled down my jeans and panties before I crouched down and awkwardly held the test stick between my legs. It took a while before I could relax enough to let go, but Dante didn’t say anything.
I straightened and set the test down on the trunk then got dressed. “Done,” I said.
Dante turned, reached into his car, then walked toward me, and held out wipes.
“You are prepared,” I said with a bitter laugh.
“Usually it’s blood I’m cleaning off with them.”
I searched his face. Was he trying to intimidate me or only being honest? I couldn’t tell, didn’t know him well enough for that.
We waited the remaining time in silence until Dante nodded. I reached for the test with trembling fingers and opened the cap.
I stared down at the test and began crying.
Pregnant.
Dante watched me silently. I showed the test to him, but he knew. More silence followed.
“Luca doesn’t know,” Dante said.
I nodded in confirmation. I gripped the edge of the car. I was pregnant with Luca’s child. A baby. I stared down at myself, and terror unlike anything I’d ever known took hold of me. I had come to Chicago, to enemy territory, with Luca’s baby in me. I was so stupid, so very stupid.
“Aria.” Dante’s voice was softer than it had been all evening and I looked back up at him, and for several moments neither of us moved. I wasn’t sure what to do.
“I know you must think of the Outfit,” I whispered, but he silenced me with his raised palm.
“I will let you go. Luca is my enemy. I don’t think that will change anytime soon, but you are an innocent woman, and you carry his child. I hope he’d do the same if Valentina ever fell into his hands, which she won’t.” Fierceness flashed in his eyes. Protective like Luca. Valentina was Dante’s weakness like I was Luca’s.
I wasn’t sure what Luca would have done if he were in Dante’s position. I wanted to believe that he would have made the same choice.
“But Aria make no mistake: if I ever run across Luca, I will kill him, and it won’t be quick.”
I shuddered because I believed him.
“You won’t tell Luca about this,” he said, an order.
“I won’t, believe me.” If Luca found out about this, he’d lose his mind.
He gave a terse nod.