Chapter 16 - A Light in the Dark
The hunt for Dante lasted for three agonizing days.
Gunther barely slept, pacing the halls of the estate like a caged tiger.
He hated that the violence he thought he had left behind had followed him into his new life.
He walked into the master suite late on a Thursday night, completely exhausted.
Kayla was sitting up in bed, reading a book by the soft light of the bedside lamp.
She looked so peaceful, entirely untouched by the brutality of the world outside their walls.
Gunther stripped off his suit jacket and sat on the edge of the mattress.
He buried his face in his hands, a heavy sigh escaping his lips.
"I wanted to give you a clean life," Gunther whispered, the guilt finally bleeding into his voice.
"I wanted to build an empire that would not require me to be a monster."
Kayla closed her book and set it on the nightstand.
She slid across the plush sheets and wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders from behind.
"You are not a monster, Gunther," she murmured, pressing a kiss to his tense neck.
"You are a king protecting his kingdom."
Gunther turned around and pulled her into his lap.
He buried his face in the crook of her neck, letting her warmth anchor him to reality.
"I am terrified of losing you," he confessed, his voice rough with emotion.
"You will never lose me," Kayla promised fiercely, holding his face in her hands.
"But we have something else we need to protect now."
Gunther pulled back slightly, his dark eyes searching her face in confusion.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
Kayla smiled, tears welling up in her beautiful brown eyes.
She reached down and placed his large, warm hand completely flat against her stomach.
"I am pregnant, Gunther."
The ruthless boss of the city’s underworld froze entirely.
He stared at her stomach, his mind struggling to process the impossible miracle.
He looked up at her face, tears finally spilling over his dark eyelashes.
May you like
He pulled her into a desperate, crushing embrace, sobbing quietly against her shoulder.
He had spent his life dealing in death, and now, the woman he loved was giving him life.
