All Chapters of Contracted To The Col-Hearted Bilionaire: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

Dante's POV The road stretched endlessly in front of me, I couldn’t remember the last turn I had taken or how fast I was going. My hands were on the wheel, but my mind was still trapped in courtrooms and crime scene photos, in whispered testimonies and the single name that refused to leave my head, Nicho. My phone rang distracting me from my thoughts . My heart jerked hard against my ribs before I even saw the name. It was Clarissa.“Maybe she was calling to apologize.” I thought.A cold feeling flooded my chest as I answered. “Clarissa?”“Dante,” she said, and I knew before she even finished that something was wrong. Her voice trembled like glass on the edge of breaking. “It’s Reed’s wife. She was in an accident.”For a second, I couldn’t breathe. “What?” My grip tightened on the steering wheel until my knuckles burned. “How bad?”“They rushed her into the ICU. They don’t know if she’s going to make it yet but they said she's stable.Reed’s with me here he’s barely holding himsel

Dante's POV“I can stand in court and pretend I’m fighting for justice,” I said, my voice dropping with pain.Reed’s voice was quieter now, but it burned. “So you’ll destroy yourself instead?”“I’ll trade myself,” I said. “If that’s what it costs.”He laughed bitterly. “You think you’re the only shield in this family? You think we can’t fight without you?”“I think I’m the target,” I said simply.For a moment, I saw it in his eyes, the memories he never spoke about, the threats he pretended never shook him. I could see everything.“You’re afraid,” he said.“Yes,” I answered without hesitation. “I am. Because this time it’s not just my name on the bullet.”He looked past me for a second, to Clarissa. Then back at me. “You’re asking me to accept that my son is giving up.”“I’m asking you to understand that I’m choosing who lives,” I said.“That’s not your choice to make.”“It already is,” I replied. “Every time I step into court.”Reed’s hands trembled slightly before he clenched them i

Clarissa’s POVDante’s hands were warm against my waist, grounding me even as my pulse fluttered wildly. The room around us was dim and his breath brushed my cheek as he pulled me closer. Just when Dante’s lips grazed my jaw, my phone rang.The sound hacked straight through the moment, startling me so hard I nearly dropped the device from the nightstand. I squeezed my eyes shut, as though that alone could silence reality. Not now. Please, not now.“Ignore it,” I muttered, curling back toward him.But Dante’s voice rumbled low near my ear. “Clarissa. Take it.”I shook my head. “I don’t want to leave you.”“You won’t,” he said firmly. His thumb lifted my chin until I had no choice but to meet his gaze. “But you should answer. Someone’s calling you for a reason.”He was right, and God, I hated that he was right. I reached out with a reluctant hand, swiping the screen. The caller ID glowed bright.Unknown number.My stomach tightened. “This better not be another reporter,” I whispered.“O

Dante’s POVI didn’t recognize the number when my phone buzzed. For a moment, I considered ignoring it, too many reporters had been trying to reach me since the incident at the hospital. But something in my chest tugged, and I answered.“Dante.”The voice was low, rough around the edges, like someone who had been running or hiding.“Reed?” I straightened immediately. Clarissa looked up from the couch, reading my expression before I could speak.“It’s me,” he said, exhaling shakily. “Listen, I didn’t leave the hospital because I was paranoid or ungrateful. Someone traced my location. I was told there was going to be an attack. On me and on my wife. I had to move fast.”The room tilted for a moment. “What? When? Reed,why the hell didn’t you call sooner?”“I couldn’t take a risk,” he said. “If they tapped my phone… if they were close… I couldn’t lead them to you. That’s why I used this number.”Clarissa was instantly at my side, her hand gripping my forearm. I didn’t reassure her, I did

Clarissa’s POV “Dante,” I murmured, “you don’t quit something you were brilliant at without a reason…like the reason you have now.”Dante turned toward the stove, avoiding my eyes. “Drop it.”“Why?” my voice trembled. “Are you afraid I won’t understand? Or afraid I will?”The knife clattered a little too hard onto the counter. “Enough, Clarissa.” “Fine,” I said, exhaling slowly. “I’ll stop pressing. For now.”I moved to stand beside him again, quietly helping prepare the rest of the ingredients. While we were working, I noticed his eyes didn't leave my lips and there was something about those looks that made me nervous.“ There's something on your cheek.” He whispered, slowly but it was enough to turn me wild.My whole body stiffened as he touched me lightly, it felt like something was burning inside me.“I'm sorry for everything.” He said, reaching out and taking my hand and for the first time our eyes met with sincerity.“Maybe you should cuddle me then.” I said with a shaky voic