Beatrice's POV
Ryuu sat in one of the grand chairs, legs spread wide in a deliberate display of dominance—the kind only men who feared nothing could pull off. He exuded power, the untouchable mafia king. If he weren’t my husband, I probably would have kept my distance tonight.
Instead, he pulled me into his space, settling me onto his thigh. The intimacy of it felt almost indecent for such a public setting, a statement to everyone watching. His hand rested firmly on my exposed knee, the high slit of my dress doing nothing to conceal his touch. My pulse quickened, every nerve on edge.
Whispers rippled through the room, barely hushed.
“Maybe we should leave,” I murmured, not meeting his gaze, keeping my voice just loud enough for him to hear. My fingers drifted over his
Beatrice's POVWe left for Loretta’s house alone. Bion and the others had to stay—Giorgio’s orders. They were still under his control, while Ryuu and I managed to slip away.Inside the limousine, I sat across from Ryuu, trying to undo the delicate buckles on my heels. With every movement, pain flared in my feet, and I was certain that if I wore these shoes for another minute, my feet would simply give up.“Need help?” Ryuu’s voice was soft as he leaned toward me. I let out a relieved sigh when I finally freed my left foot.“Thanks,” I murmured, allowing him to take my right leg and rest it on his lap. He carefully removed the second heel, and I couldn’t suppress the small sound that escaped when his fingers massaged the arch of my foot. His touch was rare—gentle, deliberate—and despite my exhaustion, I savored it.The ride back to Loretta’s would take over an hour, but as Ryuu continued easing the tension from my feet, it became harder to keep my eyes open. After a moment, he stopped
Ryuu's POVWith Beatrice asleep in my arms, it was hard to believe she had allowed this closeness. The warmth of her body against mine was a reality I feared losing at any moment. She wanted me. That was new. And unsettling. The woman who once despised me was now here, vulnerable, trusting. I hadn’t realized until now how much I needed that—her desire, her acceptance.All I could do was hope that, come morning, she wouldn’t regret it. One more step back, another wall rebuilt, and I wasn’t sure I could handle it. Gaining her trust had been a brutal fight. Now, with her defenses down, I allowed myself to relax—just enough. Never completely. I couldn’t afford that.A soft knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts."Who is it?" My voice was low, controlled.
Beatrice's POV"Beatrice!" Ryuu's voice sliced through the chaos as he yanked me back, hard. Only then did I realize I was screaming, my own voice distant beneath the high-pitched ringing in my ears. His grip on my arms was bruising, but I felt nothing except the rising tide of panic.He dragged me away from the table, my steps clumsy, stumbling over the floor as I fought against his pull. I could barely breathe. Espósito... he wasn’t moving. Guards swarmed around him while others rushed toward us. No time to think. A car screeched to a halt just ahead, and before I could process what was happening, Ryuu shoved me inside.The world inside the car felt unreal. My body was flush against Ryuu’s, my fingers digging into his blood-streaked shirt. I couldn’t tell if the blood was his or mine. My entire body trembled, l
Beatrice's POV"And you didn’t take him to a hospital?" Her incredulous gaze snapped to me."I’m not going to a hospital," Ryuu muttered, his voice firm."That’s why you’re here," Anton added like it was some great relief."This isn’t as simple as stitching up a knife wound. You need imaging to determine if surgery is required. I can’t assess the damage or tell where the bullet is just by looking. Clearly, it didn’t hit a major artery or vein, given the blood loss, but the bullet is still inside you, and I can’t tell if it needs to come out.""Can it wait?" Ryuu tensed as she started cleaning the wound, the antiseptic stinging against raw flesh. Without the blood covering it, the injury looked worse.
Beatrice’s POVSilence stretched between us, heavy and suffocating. My fingers moved through Ryuu’s dark hair, the motion almost instinctive, desperate to soothe him even as my own heart pounded erratically. With every stroke, I felt his pain as if it were my own.Without thinking, I cradled his head against my stomach, holding him close in a futile attempt to shield him from the weight of everything crashing down around us. My hands trembled as they tangled in his hair, my stomach twisting at the realization of just how fragile this moment was. He still hadn’t spoken. I wanted to shake him, force him to snap out of whatever storm was raging inside him, but I knew he needed time. Too much had happened, too fast.Tears streaked his face, his bloodstained vest soaking up the moisture as he pressed agains
Beatrice’s POV“My aunt Loretta suspected. She took me to see her doctor.” A chill ran down my spine at the memory. I wet my lips before continuing. “At first, I wasn’t sure. We took tests at home—one was negative, the other positive. I felt like my world was caving in. Espósito walked in right after. I hadn’t planned to tell him, but I was so lost… I needed someone to talk to.”“And that someone couldn’t have been me?” Ryuu’s voice was low, but the quiet impact of his words made my heart stutter.It could have been. But in that moment, it hadn’t felt like an option.“I needed to be sure first,” I admitted. “I wanted the test to be wrong
Beatrice’s POV“Things were weird last time we spoke,” I admitted, watching his face carefully.“I was an idiot,” Nitta sighed, his shoulders relaxing. Behind me, I heard Fukui greet Ryuu, but I didn’t turn.“What’s new?” Fukui coughed, and Nitta shot him a glare but didn’t rise to the bait.“Whatever you have with Ryuu isn’t my business. I know I already apologized, but after our last conversation”—he hesitated, something unspoken passing between us—“I was defensive. I wasn’t sure where we stood. I’m sorry for being short with you. And as for you and Ryuu… I was selfish. It was my pride talking.”“You are a child,” Fukui cut in with a laugh.
Beatrice’s POVDespite his obvious irritation, Nitta listened. His lips pressed together in something that almost resembled a smirk, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. As he walked toward the door, he shot me one last look, as if asking if I was okay. I barely managed to return it before he was gone, the door clicking shut behind him.“Are you alright?” Ryuu asked, his tone unreadable.“You keep asking me that,” I muttered, my voice hoarse. The letter slipped from my fingers, drifting to the carpet between us.“Am I not allowed to worry?” His exhale was heavy. “You’re crying.”I wiped my face quickly, feeling stupid. Of
Ryuu’s POV I never planned on going back to the bedroom that night. The only thing running through my mind was that Beatrice was safer without me. The past few weeks had dragged me into a pit I couldn’t climb out of. The anonymous threat against her, the pregnancy—everything weighed on me like lead, pressing down harder with every passing day. And today, after the appointment with Dr. Takagi, the reality finally hit me like a punch to the gut. That ultrasound image in my hands… I was going to be a father. The thought terrified me. How the hell was I—someone built from violence, shaped by control—supposed to be anything other than a disaster for this child? My father had failed me at every turn. What made me think I’d be any different? I shouldn’t have poured that first glass of whiskey in the dark silence of my office. But I didn’t stop at one. Or two. Or three. Or four. Now, all that was left was the bitter aftertaste and the emptiness growing with every sip
Beatrice’s POVI didn’t know what to say.The words stuck in my throat as I watched Sophia, her pain hidden behind that forced smile. A part of me felt like a terrible friend for unloading my own burdens on her, completely oblivious to the fact that hers might be far heavier.“I…” She hesitated, fidgeting with her fingers. “I didn’t handle it well afterward. I broke up with Fukui right after… and we never talked about it. I’ve never talked about it with anyone, actually.”Silence settled between us, thick and suffocating.“Are you…” My tongue felt dry as I searched for the right words. “Are you okay?&rd
Beatrice’s POVTwo weeks. That’s how long we’d been back in America.And yet, as I stared out the window of the black car, I still felt like I was in limbo. My reflection in the glass was pale, tense—just another ghost trapped in this endless cycle of uncertainty. Ryuu sat beside me, silent, his presence looming but unreadable.We were on our way to Dr. Takagi’s office.Today was my first ultrasound.The weight of that reality felt suffocating.Ryuu had arranged everything, just like he always did. And, to my surprise, he had kept his promise—staying by my side almost every day while I recovered.
Beatrice’s POVDespite his obvious irritation, Nitta listened. His lips pressed together in something that almost resembled a smirk, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. As he walked toward the door, he shot me one last look, as if asking if I was okay. I barely managed to return it before he was gone, the door clicking shut behind him.“Are you alright?” Ryuu asked, his tone unreadable.“You keep asking me that,” I muttered, my voice hoarse. The letter slipped from my fingers, drifting to the carpet between us.“Am I not allowed to worry?” His exhale was heavy. “You’re crying.”I wiped my face quickly, feeling stupid. Of
Beatrice’s POV“Things were weird last time we spoke,” I admitted, watching his face carefully.“I was an idiot,” Nitta sighed, his shoulders relaxing. Behind me, I heard Fukui greet Ryuu, but I didn’t turn.“What’s new?” Fukui coughed, and Nitta shot him a glare but didn’t rise to the bait.“Whatever you have with Ryuu isn’t my business. I know I already apologized, but after our last conversation”—he hesitated, something unspoken passing between us—“I was defensive. I wasn’t sure where we stood. I’m sorry for being short with you. And as for you and Ryuu… I was selfish. It was my pride talking.”“You are a child,” Fukui cut in with a laugh.
Beatrice’s POV“My aunt Loretta suspected. She took me to see her doctor.” A chill ran down my spine at the memory. I wet my lips before continuing. “At first, I wasn’t sure. We took tests at home—one was negative, the other positive. I felt like my world was caving in. Espósito walked in right after. I hadn’t planned to tell him, but I was so lost… I needed someone to talk to.”“And that someone couldn’t have been me?” Ryuu’s voice was low, but the quiet impact of his words made my heart stutter.It could have been. But in that moment, it hadn’t felt like an option.“I needed to be sure first,” I admitted. “I wanted the test to be wrong
Beatrice’s POVSilence stretched between us, heavy and suffocating. My fingers moved through Ryuu’s dark hair, the motion almost instinctive, desperate to soothe him even as my own heart pounded erratically. With every stroke, I felt his pain as if it were my own.Without thinking, I cradled his head against my stomach, holding him close in a futile attempt to shield him from the weight of everything crashing down around us. My hands trembled as they tangled in his hair, my stomach twisting at the realization of just how fragile this moment was. He still hadn’t spoken. I wanted to shake him, force him to snap out of whatever storm was raging inside him, but I knew he needed time. Too much had happened, too fast.Tears streaked his face, his bloodstained vest soaking up the moisture as he pressed agains
Beatrice's POV"And you didn’t take him to a hospital?" Her incredulous gaze snapped to me."I’m not going to a hospital," Ryuu muttered, his voice firm."That’s why you’re here," Anton added like it was some great relief."This isn’t as simple as stitching up a knife wound. You need imaging to determine if surgery is required. I can’t assess the damage or tell where the bullet is just by looking. Clearly, it didn’t hit a major artery or vein, given the blood loss, but the bullet is still inside you, and I can’t tell if it needs to come out.""Can it wait?" Ryuu tensed as she started cleaning the wound, the antiseptic stinging against raw flesh. Without the blood covering it, the injury looked worse.
Beatrice's POV"Beatrice!" Ryuu's voice sliced through the chaos as he yanked me back, hard. Only then did I realize I was screaming, my own voice distant beneath the high-pitched ringing in my ears. His grip on my arms was bruising, but I felt nothing except the rising tide of panic.He dragged me away from the table, my steps clumsy, stumbling over the floor as I fought against his pull. I could barely breathe. Espósito... he wasn’t moving. Guards swarmed around him while others rushed toward us. No time to think. A car screeched to a halt just ahead, and before I could process what was happening, Ryuu shoved me inside.The world inside the car felt unreal. My body was flush against Ryuu’s, my fingers digging into his blood-streaked shirt. I couldn’t tell if the blood was his or mine. My entire body trembled, l