Page 21 of The Dante (Those (Damn!) Texas Dantes #1)

JAZZ TREMBLED beneath him, her fingers skimming over his back, and he felt her pause for just a second—like she wanted to speak. Like she wanted to break the silence betweenthem.

Her breath hitched, her fingers tightening against his skin, hesitation flickering in the way she held herself, in the way her body froze beneath him.

He could almost hear the words forming in her mind, the questions, the doubts, the fragmented pieces of trust that hadn’t yet settled back into place.

He knew if she spoke now, it would be a plea or a demand, something he couldn’t answer, not with words. And he couldn’t let that happen. Not now, not when he was already losing her, not when everything between them felt like it was balanced on the edge of a blade.

So he kissed her before she could speak, before the heaviness of what was unspoken crushed them both. Because he knew what she was about to ask, could see it in the way her lips parted, in the tremble in her breath.

Do I even matter to you? Was this all alie?

The words hovered between them, achasm he couldn’t let her cross. Not yet. Not when she wouldn’t believe the answer. So he silenced her with his mouth, with his hands, with the only truth he could give her right now—this, them, the way she melted against him even when she didn’t trust him anymore.

He poured everything into that kiss—every silent apology, every unspoken promise, every raw, desperate need to keep her close. And when she melted against him, when she let go of whatever she’d been about to say and kissed him back just as fiercely, he knew this was all they had tonight.

And she let itgo.

She let go of all the questions, all the doubt, all the hurt, and simply felt .

They moved together, slow and desperate, every touch a silent plea, ademand, an unspoken question neither of them dared voice aloud.

Each brush of his hands against her skin, each answering press of her body against his, was a battle waged between fury and longing, between betrayal and need.

The air around them was thick with heat, with tension, with something deeper than lust—something neither of them could name, yet both felt like a force threatening to consume them whole.

He traced his lips over the curve of her throat, drinking in the sharp inhale she couldn’t contain, the way her fingers dug into his back, holding him there, indulging herself in him even when everything else felt unsteady.

She met him with equal force, her touch both demanding and hesitant, as if searching for an answer she wasn’t ready tohear.

But this wasn’t about answers. Not tonight.

It was the quiet surrender in the way their mouths met, the pleading in every unspoken touch, the fire in every lingering press of their bodies.

They weren’t just seeking pleasure; they were clinging to each other, trying to rewrite the fractures in their foundation with every gasp, every whispered name, every shuddering breath.

And maybe, just maybe, it was enough to keep them from breaking.

To hold them together for one more night, before reality came crashingdown.

When she shattered, she took him withher.

And for the first time all night, the silence between them wasn’t empty.

It was everything.

THE BED felt cold when Jazz wokeup .

Titus was gone.

She stretched beneath the sheets, breathing deeply, catching the faintest trace of his scent lingering on the pillows.

Normally, she would savor the warmth, the residual comfort of his presence, but this morning, her mind was too full.

Last night’s conversation with Vex echoed in her thoughts, twisting around her like acrid smoke, refusing to dissipate.

She pressed a hand to her stomach, her palm resting over the tiny life growing inside her, the secret she hadn’t yet found the courage to share.

The weight of it was different today—heavier, somehow.

Not because she doubted the baby’s place in her life, but because she now understood the forces pressing in aroundthem.

Vex was pulling Titus into something illegal.

She had known he wasn’t innocent, that he’d built his empire with cunning and pure ambition, but last night made it real.

And now, she wasn’t just his wife—she was carrying his child.

Achild that would be born into his world whether she liked it ornot.

Her fingers slid across her abdomen, as if she could shield the baby from everything outside this room. As if she could keep them both safe by sheer will alone. But the world didn’t work thatway.

Power moved in shadows, shaping futures before anyone had a say in them.

Hadn’t Titus confirmed that love didn’t protect people in his world, power did?

And now, she carried a future she hadn’t yet told Titus about, afuture that others—like Vex, like the Feds—would see as leverage rather thanlife.

That thought made her throat tighten. No, she couldn’t shield this baby from the world. But she could fight forit.

Exhaling slowly, she sat up, running a hand through her hair as she tried to shake off the heaviness pressing against her chest. She had barely slept, her mind tangled in the conflicting emotions of what she knew, what she feared, and what she had to face.

Dwelling on it wouldn’t change anything, but ignoring it wouldn’t either.

She needed to focus, to take one step forward at a time, even if she wasn’t sure where it wouldlead.

She had a doctor’s appointment. And she didn’t want anyone to know where she was going.

Entering the bathroom, Jazz stepped into the shower, letting the warm water wash away the tension clinging to her skin.

She took her time, massaging shampoo through her hair, breathing in the clean scent of lavender and citrus.

The heat helped loosen the tightness in her chest, but it couldn’t clear the thoughts swirling in herhead.

By the time she stepped out and wrapped herself in a towel, she felt a little steadier. Not much, but enough to remind herself that she could take charge of something, even if it was just the rhythm of her breathing, the warmth of the steam clinging to herskin.

She lingered for a moment, pressing the towel against her face, inhaling the scent. The warmth of the plush cotton wrapped around her, the clean simplicity of it a fleeting comfort. It grounded her more than she expected.

But the moment couldn’t last. The gravity of the day pressed in around her again, and she knew she had to keep moving. Keep going. There was too much to think about, too many decisions ahead. She had to face them. One step at atime.

She dressed quickly, choosing something comfortable and understated, fastening her phoenix necklace around her neck, as always.

She didn’t want attention today. Her usual driver—her shadow, more like—would insist on taking her, but not today.

Today, she needed space. Time to think. Time to breathe without the stress of the Dante name on her shoulders.

She grabbed her keys and moved through the house quietly.

The staff was present, but they were discreet, knowing better than to question her movements.

That was something she was still getting used to—the way everyone in this house operated like an extension of Titus’s will.

They wouldn’t stop her. But they would report back tohim.

Her pulse quickened as she neared the garage.

Every step felt heavier, astrange mix of urgency and apprehension twisting inside her.

She needed to get out before someone alerted him.

Before she had to explain where she was going, why she was going alone, and why she hadn’t told him.

Because if she had to stop, if she had to look into his eyes and weave a careful excuse, she might hesitate.

And hesitation meant questions—questions she wasn’t ready to answer justyet.

Slipping inside the garage, she closed the connecting door behind her.

The air felt cooler here, tinged with the faint scent of motor oil and leather.

The line of sleek, expensive vehicles stood in silent rows, each a reminder of the life she now lived, alife of wealth and sovereignty—his presence woven into every detail of it.

But today, she needed to reclaim something of her own, even if it was just a drive.

Jazz moved swiftly, pressing the key fob until the SUV’s lights flickered in response. She pulled the door open, sliding into the driver’s seat, gripping the wheel like it was the only solid thing in her world. She struggled to force the tension from her shoulders.

Then, with a steadying breath, she started the engine and pulled out, leaving the estate behind.

The drive went smoothly, the familiar hum of the engine beneath her soothing her more than she expected. It had been a long time since she’d driven herself anywhere. Along time since she’d had even this small measure of independence.

She never noticed the sleek, nondescript sedan that pulled in behind her, following at a careful distance.

It kept pace with her every turn, slowing when she did, speeding up just enough to remain unobtrusive.

Even when she switched lanes, it never drifted too far.

At a red light, its driver seemed to hesitate a second too long before pulling forward, but Jazz’s mind remained too clouded with thoughts of Titus and the baby to give it a second thought.

The city passed by in a blur, sunlight spilling over rooftops, cutting across the pavement in long golden streaks. People bustled along the sidewalks, lost in their own lives, oblivious to the storm brewing just beneath the surface ofhers.

She should feel free. But her mind wouldn’t stop spinning.

Should she tell Titus about the baby today? Her pulse kicked up at the thought, her fingers flexing against the wheel. She had almost told him before—more thanonce.