Chapter 116 #116
Chapter 116
~Dante’s Pov~
She's thinking about leaving me.
The thought hit like ice water.
I stared at her, my hands still gripping hers, trying to read her face in the dim light. When she doesn't reply me, I spoke to her again.
"Shailyn," I said, softer now. "Listen to me."
"Dante—"
"No. Let me talk." I pulled her closer, gentler this time. "I know I haven't been available. Especially after everything that happened. The hospital. The stress. Work."
"It's not just that—"
"I know. I know I've been distant. But don't ever doubt how I feel about you." I cupped her face, forcing her to look at me. "You're everything to me. Everything."
Her eyes searched mine, uncertain.
"I love you," I said firmly. "More than anything. More than this company. More than any of it. You and our baby—you're my entire world."
"Dante—"
"You can't leave me, Shailyn. You can't." My voice cracked slightly. Genuine. Raw. "I wouldn't survive it. I need you."
Something in her expression softened.
Good.
"I'm not going anywhere," she said quietly.
"Promise me."
"Dante—"
"Promise me, Shailyn. Say it."
She hesitated. Then nodded. "I promise."
Relief flooded through me.
I pulled her into my arms, holding her tight against my chest.
Movement caught my eye over her shoulder.
Dwayne.
Standing by the window inside the house, watching us through the glass.
His expression was unreadable. Dark. Tense.
I met his eyes directly.
Then I tilted Shailyn's face up and kissed her.
Deep. Possessive. Claiming.
She stiffened in surprise, not responding immediately.
But I didn't stop.
I kissed her harder, my hand sliding down to her waist, pulling her flush against me.
She made a small sound, and finally, finally, she started kissing back.
My other hand moved lower, gripping her ass, pulling her even closer.
God, I wanted more.
She'd been denying me for too long. Weeks of excuses. Headaches. Tiredness. The babies.
Always the babies.
But right now, she was kissing me. Responding. Her body pressed against mine.
I deepened the kiss, tongue sliding against hers, hand tightening on her hip.
She suddenly pulled back, breathless.
"Dante, stop."
"What's wrong?"
"The babies. They're—" She pressed a hand to her stomach. "They're moving a lot. It's uncomfortable."
Of course.
Always something.
"Okay," I said, forcing calm into my voice. "Okay. Let's get you inside."
"I'm sorry—"
"Don't apologize. Come on."
I glanced back toward the window.
Dwayne was gone.
Good.
\---
Inside, I guided Shailyn to the bedroom, my arm around her waist.
"You should rest," I said.
"I'm fine."
"You're not fine. You just had a dizzy spell."
"It wasn't a dizzy spell. The babies were just active."
"Still. Rest."
She sighed but didn't argue.
I helped her onto the bed, pulling the blankets over her.
Then I lay down beside her, pulling her against my chest.
"This is nice," I said softly.
"Yeah."
"I miss this. Just holding you."
"Me too."
"Tell me about the party," I said instead. "How's the planning going?"
"It's fine. Hannah's helping."
"Good. She's reliable." I didn't say anything that can trigger her. Seems like the Hannah girl always find her place
"She is."
"What's the theme again?"
"Dress like your new beginning."
"I like that. Very optimistic."
"That's the idea."
I stroked her hair absently. "Gramps is really excited. He keeps asking me about details."
"I'm sure he is."
"He wants everything perfect. Says it's important for the company image."
"He has expressed that since I started planning"
I laughed. "True."
We lay there in silence for a while.
Her breathing gradually slowed. Deepened.
Asleep.
I waited another ten minutes to be sure.
Then I carefully slid out from beside her, tucking the blankets around her shoulders.
She didn't stir.
I watched her for a moment.
Beautiful. Even exhausted and distant, she was still the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen.
Mine.
She was mine.
And I wasn't letting anyone take her from me.
Especially not Dwayne.
\---
I walked quietly down the hallway to my study.
Locked the door behind me.
Sat down at my desk and pulled out my burner phone.
The contact was saved as Frederick. My good friend that helps me with underground matters
I dialed.
He picked up on the third ring. "Yeah."
"It's me."
"I know. What do you need?"
"We need to move faster."
"On?"
"The brother situation."
Silence. Then: "You sure about this?"
"Completely."
"It's risky. He's family."
"I don't care. He's a problem. And problems need to be eliminated."
"Eliminated how?"
"I want him warned first. Something serious. Something that makes him back off."
"And if he doesn't?"
"Then we escalate."
"How far?"
I leaned back in my chair, staring at the ceiling.
"As far as it takes."
"You want him dead?"
"No. Not yet. Just... incapacitated. An accident. Something that keeps him out of the way permanently."
"Like what?"
"Run him over. Make it look random. Hit and run. He survives but he's disabled. Wheelchair-bound. Can't interfere anymore."
"Jesus, Dante."
"Can you do it or not?"
"I can do it. But it's going to cost."
"I don't care about cost. I care about results."
"When?"
"Soon. In a week. After the party."
"That's tight."
"Then work fast."
"Fine. I'll scope out his routine. Find the right moment."
"Good. And Fred?"
"Yeah?"
"Make sure it can't be traced back to me. At all."
"Never is."
"I'm serious."
"So am I. Relax. I'm a professional."
"You better be."
I hung up and set the phone down on the desk.
My heart was pounding. Adrenaline coursing through me.
This was necessary.
Dwayne was getting too close. Looking at Shailyn too much. Being too available. Too caring.
She was starting to notice him.
And I couldn't allow that.
Not when I'd worked this hard to keep her.
Not when everything depended on her staying exactly where she was.
Compliant. Controlled. Mine.
I stood and paced the room, mind racing through scenarios.
The warning first. Something public but subtle. A near-miss. A message.
And if that didn't work?
Then the accident.
Quick. Clean. Effective.
Dwayne would survive. Probably. But he'd be broken enough that he couldn't be a threat anymore.
Problem solved.
I smiled slightly, feeling calmer now.
Yes.
This would work.
This had to work.
"Nothing's taking her from me," I muttered. "Nothing and no one."
I say unaware of the camera pointed at me, that captured everything that I had said.