Accidentally Pregnant With The Billionaire Heir

*** SILAS ***

The Vanguard City pavement practically melts beneath the soles of my expensive Italian leather shoes.

I push the heavy door of the black Mercedes wide open and step out into the suffocating afternoon heat. The air is thick with vehicle exhaust and the smell of hot asphalt. I adjust the lapels of my tailored suit, projecting absolute authority. Two of my best enforcers step out of the vehicle right behind me, their bulky frames blocking the pedestrian traffic on the sidewalk. I ignore the annoyed glares of the passing medical students.

I spot her standing near the massive stone archway of the university. Emily Vance. She looks entirely out of place among the rushing academics, carrying an aura of cold, uncompromising defiance.

I also spot the massive, stone-faced wall of muscle standing directly beside her.

The guy wears pitch-black athletic gear. His broad shoulders and thick neck scream military training. I look at his rigid posture and the calculated way his dark eyes scan my men. The rumors rolling through the underground circles stated clearly that Emily married a lowly security guard to escape her family’s arranged marriage. I look at the giant standing next to her and sneer. This has to be the famous husband.

A sharp spike of irritation hits my chest. She rejected me and chose a glorified bouncer instead. I would never be able to get over that.

I bury the annoyance deep under a mask of arrogant confidence. I pull a thick, imported Cuban cigar from my breast pocket. I clamp it firmly between my teeth, strike a match, and inhale deeply. The rich, heavy smoke fills my lungs. I exhale a thick gray cloud into the humid air and begin a slow, deliberate stroll toward her.

"Emily!" I call out loudly, making sure several pedestrians turn their heads.

I stop a few feet away from her. The giant in black takes a subtle half-step forward, inserting himself slightly between us. I blow another cloud of thick smoke into the space separating us.

Emily immediately wrinkles her nose. Her dark eyes narrow in sharp disgust. She takes a very distinct, rapid step backward, waving a hand in front of her face to clear the gray fog. She is pregnant. Expecting mothers despise the smell of burning tobacco so I’m sure the smell is affecting her somehow.

The realization hits my brain instantly. I pull the expensive cigar from my mouth without a second thought. I toss it directly into the street gutter.

My two enforcers gape at me. Their jaws practically drop to the concrete. I never throw away an unlit Cuban, and I certainly never alter my behavior for anyone. I’m sure they are wondering where this change is coming from, and honestly, even I don’t know the complete answer to that. I ignore their shocked expressions. Emily secured the top cardiac surgeon in the entire city for my mother this morning. Dr. Aris performed a flawless operation. She saved my mother, so she gets a pass on the smoke.

I turn my attention back to the massive security guard. I point a finger directly at his broad chest.

"So," I say, letting a mocking grin stretch across my face. "Is this the famous bodyguard husband I keep hearing about?"

Emily looks at him and then opens her mouth to speak, but a loud noise interrupts her. A sedan pulls up to the curb just a few yards away. The passenger doors swing open quickly.

"Emily, we are here!" a female voice shouts.

I turn my head toward the sound. Two young women step out of the vehicle. I recognize the first one immediately. She has a bouncy auburn ponytail and soft, round features. It is Aunt Cherry’s daughter. Fiona.

Fiona turns around and spots me standing on the sidewalk.

The color drains entirely from her face in a single second. Her skin turns the color of spoiled milk. She goes completely rigid, gripping the edge of the car door so tightly her knuckles turn stark white. Her entire body begins to tremble violently. The girl with the sharp dark bob standing next to her follows Fiona’s gaze. The second girl freezes in pure, unadulterated terror.

*** EMILY ***

The sheer, absolute panic radiating from Fiona is entirely visible from twenty feet away.

I watch her tremble uncontrollably against the side of the parked sedan. Her wide, terrified eyes stay locked onto Silas. The brutal reality of his violent reputation comes rushing back to the forefront of my mind. He aggressively threatened to ruin her life. He brought a crew of armed thugs into her mother’s shop and nearly destroyed their entire livelihood. Bringing her here was a massive oversight on my part.

I offer Silas a curt, mandatory nod of greeting. I turn my back on him immediately and walk quickly toward the terrified girls.

Zoe grabs my arm the very second I reach them. Her fingers dig painfully into my sleeve. She drops her voice to a harsh, frantic whisper.

"Emily, what is going on?" Zoe asks. She glances nervously over my shoulder. "Why in the world are you standing with Silas Hunt?"

"He is the contact I mentioned over the phone," I say. I keep my voice steady, projecting absolute, unwavering calm. "He controls the commercial leases in this exact district."

Fiona lets out a choked, terrified gasp. She presses her back flat against the exterior of the car. Zoe stares at me with wide, horrified eyes.

"You can’t be serious," Zoe whispers rapidly. "He is a violent criminal. He runs extortion rackets. He definitely has ulterior motives for helping you. You can’t do business with a monster."

"I know exactly what he is," I assure them both. I keep my posture relaxed and non-threatening. "But he is also fiercely loyal to his mother. I secured a life-saving cardiac surgery for her this morning through a private connection. The operation was successful. He owes me a massive personal debt, and I’m calling it in right now to get us a building. It’s a calculated gamble."

Zoe searches my face for a long, quiet second. She processes the complex logic behind the decision. She exhales a shaky breath and slowly nods. She chooses to trust my judgment.

Fiona is still shaking violently. A thin sheen of cold sweat covers her forehead.

I reach out and place a gentle hand on her trembling shoulder. "You don’t have to be anywhere near him," I instruct her softly. "Get back in the car and lock the heavy doors. Roll the windows up. Zoe and I will handle the property viewing. You are completely safe."

Fiona nods quickly. She scrambles into the backseat of the sedan, pulling the heavy door shut. The locks engage with a loud, definitive click.

I turn around and walk back toward the university archway. Zoe flanks my right side, matching my confident stride. Leo stands exactly where I left him, serving as a silent, intimidating barrier between us and the local thugs.

Silas watches us approach. He narrows his eyes, clearly displeased by the secretive whispering. His gaze darts rapidly from me to Leo. He takes a slow step forward and points a finger directly at Leo’s chest.

"I’m going to ask you one more time," Silas says. A nasty, arrogant smirk twists his mouth. "Is this the glorified security guard you actually married?"

I open my mouth to correct his ridiculous assumption, but Leo completely ignores the question.

Leo doesn’t offer a single word of confirmation or denial. He simply looks down at Silas with absolute, crushing apathy. He stares at the local crime boss with the exact same dismissive, bored expression a person gives a piece of trash sitting on the sidewalk. He doesn’t view Silas as a valid threat. He views him as an annoying insect.

That complete and utter lack of respect infuriates Silas instantly.

The smug smile vanishes entirely from his face. The veins in his thick neck bulge against his shirt collar. His fragile ego cannot handle the silent contempt radiating from the larger man. Silas takes a highly aggressive step toward Leo, squaring his shoulders and invading his personal space.

"You listen to me very carefully, tough guy," Silas threatens. His voice drops into a low, dangerous growl. He glares up at Leo’s stoic face. "You are going to divorce her immediately. Sign the legal papers and walk away today, or you will spend the rest of your short life regretting you ever crossed me."