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Chapter Twenty-Nine: Jade

I was pacing the penthouse kitchen when the realization hit me like a cold splash—Christmas was just around the corner and with it, my family. The last time I had seen them felt like a lifetime ago, not merely the few weeks that had slipped by since the tumultuous events that had upended my world. Since I had run back into Dante’s arms.

I hadn’t gone back to work. I couldn’t face Ellie.

But my decision hadn’t been made: I had been working a little, here and there. The lab in Dante’s house was good, but I mostly did consultations and analyzed data remotely for BioHQ. Dante had been surprisingly accommodating, delivering samples to me that I needed for my work. The first couple of times, I had to stifle a laugh at the sight of the Mafia kingpin playing delivery boy.

In the early morning quiet, the sprawling city below seemed almost peaceful, a stark contrast to the whirlwind of emotions churning inside me. Excitement mingled with anxiety as I thought of their impending visit. It wasn’t just any Christmas; this year held the weight of introductions and unspoken hopes. My fingers brushed against the swell of my belly, a secret reminder of what was at stake.

“Jade,” Dante’s voice cut through the silence, his presence grounding me. “It’s going to be okay.”

I stilled, turning to face him, the man who’d become the unexpected anchor in my life. His dark hair was tousled from sleep, and there was a softness in his gaze reserved only for moments like these—private, vulnerable, real.

“Look at you, Mr. Optimist,” I quipped, a half-hearted attempt to ease the knot in my gut. “What happened to brooding and mysterious?”

A ghost of a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “For you, I can be anything.”

And just like that, with those simple words, the penthouse felt warmer, less imposing—a refuge from the chaos outside its walls. But even as we stood there, a silent promise passing between us, I couldn’t help wondering how my family would fit into this picture we were desperately trying to paint. Would they see what I saw in Dante? Could they understand the love that had taken root in the darkest of places?

“Let’s tackle one thing at a time,” Dante said, reading my thoughts. “Starting with breakfast.”

“Right,” I breathed out, focusing on the immediate task. “Because feeding the Bentley clan is no small feat. We should probably stock up on coffee now to avoid a crisis.”

“Your parents are big coffee drinkers?”

“You have no idea,” I chuckled in response, picturing the horrified look on my father’s face when he once discovered we were out of coffee one cold Christmas morning. “It’s practically a Bentley survival trait.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Dante said, a note of amusement in his voice. He crossed the room and gently wrapped his arms around me from behind, pressing a kiss against my hair. “But you need to eat first. Let’s make breakfast.”

I heard my phone vibrate. “Your father’s calling,” Dante noted from his spot at the kitchen counter, holding out my phone with a casual gesture.

“Thanks.” I took it, flicking my thumb over the screen and bringing it to my ear. “Hi, Dad.”

“Jade! Good morning, sweetheart. Did I wake you?”

“No, no, we’ve been up for a while.” A smile found its way onto my lips as I walked back towards Dante, who returned to his task of crafting an omelet with a chef’s precision.

“Who’s we?”

I swallowed. “Uh, we have a lot to talk about.”

“Okay,” my father’s voice came through, concern edging his tone. “Is everything alright, Jade?”

“Yes, Dad, everything’s fine actually—“ better than fine in fact. I met Dante’s questioning gaze across the counter, feeling a warmth spread within me as he subtly shifted closer.

“I’m just with someone,” I added nonchalantly, trying to sound casual but knowing full well that no family conversation ever was.

“Someone special?” The amusement in my father’s voice was unmistakable. It wasn’t often that our strict scientist daughter got mixed up in social matters.

“You could say that.” The words slipped out before I could stop them and Dante paused, a ghost of a smile playing on his lips. Obviously, they had to meet him–they would see I was pregnant and wonder what that was about. “But anyway. Tell me about your plans. Where’s Mom?”

“She’s in the shower. She told me to call you before I forgot. So listen, I have some news. Emily and Tom are coming to New York with us for Christmas. The whole family will be together!”

“Really?” My voice pitched up a notch, a tangle of excitement and nerves knotting in my stomach. “That’s amazing, Dad. I can’t wait to see everyone.”

“Your mother is already planning the dinner menu,” he chuckled, the sound warm and familiar. “And how are things with you? Work going okay?”

I rubbed my temple. “Let’s catch up when you’re here,” I said. I hung up the phone and stared at Dante, who was sipping his coffee and looking at me with a question in his eyes.

“That sounds like it went okay.”

“My siblings are coming too. Which might mean their partners are coming and…I think we need to talk about Christmas.”

“Jade, it’s early and I’m not awake enough to figure out what you mean before the coffee kicks in. What’s on your mind?”

“Family,” I said, biting my lip. “You know they’re coming to town. It’s important to me that you’re there when they arrive.”

He ran a hand through his tousled hair, considering. “I’ve never been one for family gatherings, tesoro. You know how complicated my own ties are.”

“But they’re not just my family anymore,” I insisted softly. “They’re yours too, now. They’ll want to meet the man who’s...” My voice trailed off, the reality of our intertwined lives settling between us.

Dante sighed, the sheets rustling as he shifted to face me fully. “Alright. For you, Jade, I’ll do it. I can’t promise it will go smoothly, but I won’t leave you to handle it alone.”

“Thank you.” Relief washed over me, and I reached out to squeeze his hand. “It means everything to me. That means…I mean, is it okay if they come here?”

“Yes? You live here? What kind of question is that?”

I smiled, went over to him and kissed him on the cheek.

As the morning unfolded, my excitement grew. I draped garlands of evergreen and holly across the mantle, the fragrance mingling with the scent of fresh pine from the tree I had decorated the night before. The twinkling lights cast a warm, inviting glow over the room, and I couldn’t help but imagine my family’s faces as they stepped into this winter wonderland.

“Looks like Santa’s workshop in here,” Dante remarked as he emerged from the bedroom, now fully dressed. His casual attire did nothing to diminish the air of authority he carried with him, the very essence of a man not to be trifled with.

“Only the best for my family,” I said, tying the final bow. “I want their first Christmas here to be memorable.”

“Memorable,” Dante echoed, a ghost of a smile tugging at his lips. “Don’t you think the fact that you’re pregnant will be memorable enough?”

I waved him off. “Are you ready to meet them?” I asked, pausing to look up at him.

Dante leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed. “Let’s just say I’m curious to see the kind of people who raised a woman as extraordinary as you.”

“Flattery will get you everywhere,” I teased, standing to plant a swift kiss on his cheek. “Especially with my family.”

“Then let’s hope I’m as charming as you think I am,” he said, his smirk fading into something more genuine. “For your sake.”

“Trust me,” I murmured, glancing around the festive penthouse. “This is going to be a Christmas none of us will ever forget.”

***

It was only a few days later. We were ready—at least I thought we were ready—but I was still worried, thinking about how they were going to react when they saw my belly.

My parents didn’t know Dante, they didn’t know I was pregnant.

My siblings definitely didn’t know I was pregnant. And, well, my mother had gotten that phone call from me asking for help…and that was probably all the information she had, so she had every reason to be skeptical of Dante himself.

And Dante…he looked good, but I could tell he was nervous.

“Just remember to breathe,” I told him, smoothing out the lines of his charcoal-grey sweater.

“I’ll do my best,” he replied, a hint of laughter in his voice to dim the veil of tension. But the echo of unease was still there, mirrored in my own restlessness.

The chime of the doorbell cut through the hushed silence of Dante’s penthouse, slicing the moment with a sharpness that mirrored my jumbled nerves. I drew in a breath, smoothed down my sweater, and let them in.

After a short elevator ride, there they were—my family, wrapped in winter coats, their faces flushed with cold and beaming smiles.

“Jade!” Emily lunged forward, her hug nearly sending us both to the floor. My dad held back, his eyes sweeping over the threshold into Dante’s world with an appraiser’s caution. Tom stood by, a skeptical arch to his brow as he took in the opulence around him.

“Come on, come on, you must be freezing,” I ushered them inside, stealing a glance at Dante standing across the room, a statue of composure.

“Mom, Dad, Em, Tom—this is Dante,” I said, gesturing toward him. My voice was steady, betraying none of the frantic beat drumming in my chest.

“Dr. and Mrs. Bentley, Emily, Tom,” Dante nodded, his deep voice rolling smoothly through the space between us.

“Please, call me Richard.” Dad extended a hand, his grip firm as he assessed Dante, the protective father etched into every line on his face.

“Emily,” my sister chirped, stepping up with bright-eyed curiosity that ignored the unspoken rules of cautious introduction.

“And Tom,” my brother added coolly, his handshake with Dante more perfunctory than welcoming, as if measuring the man before him against an invisible scale.

“Please, make yourselves comfortable,” Dante motioned toward the living room, where the morning light spilled over the velvet cushions and glistened off the glass ornaments that adorned the Christmas tree.

“Quite the place you’ve got here,” Tom remarked, his tone edged with a skepticism that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

“Jade has made it feel like home,” Dante replied, his gaze briefly meeting mine with an unspoken reassurance. “I hope you’ll find it welcoming.”

“Thank you, Dante.” Mom’s voice was warm, defusing the subtle tension as she admired the decorations I had meticulously placed. “You’ve both done a wonderful job.”

“Would anyone like coffee? Breakfast?” I offered, eager to slip into the familiar role of hostess. They hadn’t clocked the pregnancy belly yet—or if they had, they were polite enough not to mention it—and I was grateful for that.

“Sounds wonderful, dear,” Mom accepted with an appreciative smile, herding Emily toward the couch.

“Black for me,” Richard chimed in, still watching Dante closely.

“Same here,” Tom added, finally pulling off his coat and revealing a guarded curiosity beneath his initial reserve.

Dante moved to assist me, our domesticity momentarily overshadowing the darker threads woven into our lives. The scent of brewing coffee mingled with the piney freshness of the tree, crafting a semblance of normalcy amid the intricate dance of first impressions.

My sister joined me in the kitchen as Dante brought out the coffees.

“Okay,” she said, dropping her voice to a whisper. “Is tall, dark and handsome in there the reason you’ve been so hard to get a hold of lately?”

“Yes,” I admitted, keeping my eyes focused on the mugs in front of me. “Dante is...part of the reason.” The silence that followed was heavy, pregnant with a myriad of questions that Emily had yet to voice.

“Jade,” she began cautiously, finally breaking the silence. “What aren’t you telling me?”

I sighed and turned to face her. Her eyes were wide and filled with worry, mirroring my own. “I’m pregnant, Em,” I confessed softly.

Her eyes widened. “With his baby?”

“No, I invited you guys to meet him because he had nothing to do with this.”

My sarcasm seemed to cut through some of the tension as Emily let out a half-hearted chuckle, her hand coming to rest on my arm in a comforting touch. “I just… How did all this happen? And when were you planning on telling us?”

“I didn’t know how to,” I admitted. “That’s why everyone is here now… to meet him and… to see this.” I gestured towards my belly and watched as she paled.

“Mom and Dad are going to flip,” she said finally, her voice barely perceptible over the soft hiss of brewing coffee. I nodded, a lump forming in my throat.

I just hoped she meant it in a good way.