Bound by Deceit to the Mafia's Heir.

The Unexpected Heir

Chapter Two

The Unexpected Heir

Shantex

A few days had passed since that night, but the feeling of Alex’s touch still lingered on my skin. I couldn’t shake the memory of him—the way he held me, how he kissed me, how he took what he wanted with such raw intensity. It was supposed to be a one-time thing. A passion-filled night that I would forget about by morning. But it wasn’t that simple. Not now.

I sat on the edge of the small, dingy bathroom sink, staring at the little white test in my hands. The result was unmistakable. Positive.

I blinked, the room spinning around me, my heartbeat hammering in my ears. The reality of it hit me all at once. I was pregnant.

The breath left my lungs in a slow, shaky exhale. I didn’t know what to do. What could I do? My life—already complicated and chaotic—was about to change. And I wasn’t sure I was ready for that kind of change. Not this kind of change.

I quickly stuffed the test into my purse and walked out of the bathroom, my mind a mess of thoughts. I needed to talk to someone. Someone who could maybe make sense of it all.

Reah was the first person I thought of. She’d always been there for me, ever since I started at the club. She wasn’t just my boss; she was the closest thing I had to a mother. She had her own troubles, her own scars, but she was strong, always steady. And she’d seen things I could never even imagine.

I found her in her office, sitting at her desk with her legs crossed, tapping a pen against a notebook. She looked up when I stepped inside, her eyes immediately softening when she saw the look on my face.

“What’s wrong, baby girl?” Reah asked, her voice full of concern.

I didn’t know how to say it, but I knew I had to. I dropped my purse on the floor and slid into the chair across from her. My hands were shaking as I finally spoke. “Reah, I—I’m pregnant.”

Her eyes widened, then softened even more, and she let out a slow breath, as if she was preparing herself for the worst. “And you’re not sure what to do?”

I shook my head. “I don’t even know where to start. I’m not ready for this, Reah. I can’t—” I stopped myself, not even sure what I was about to say.

Reah leaned back in her chair, her gaze thoughtful. After a long moment, she spoke again, her tone quieter now, almost like she was weighing her words carefully. “You know who the father is, right?”

I nodded. “Alex. I don’t even know what to think about him. We didn’t exactly have... a normal night.”

She didn’t smile, but there was something in her eyes that flickered, something I couldn’t quite read. “Shantex, you need to listen to me, because this isn’t just some random guy you had a fling with. Alex? He’s not what you think.”

I frowned, confused. “What do you mean? What do you know about him?”

Reah’s gaze shifted, like she was deciding how much to reveal. “Alex is the only son of Estavon Lucas.”

The name hit me like a punch to the gut. I’d heard of Estavon Lucas, of course. The man was a legend, the ruthless boss of the Lucas crime empire. The stories surrounding him were enough to send a chill down anyone’s spine. But Alex? His son?

“You’re telling me... he’s the heir?” I whispered, the words barely making sense as they left my mouth.

Reah nodded slowly, her expression unreadable. “That’s right. He’s the heir to the entire empire. And when I say that empire is huge, I mean it. The power, the money, the connections... all of it. Alex is part of that world, whether he wants to be or not. He doesn’t come from a normal family, Shantex. He’s tied to that life, to everything that comes with it.”

I swallowed hard, the weight of her words sinking in. The man I’d shared a night of wild passion with was the heir to a criminal empire. Suddenly, my situation didn’t feel so... accidental. There was something more here, something bigger than just a mistake.

Reah watched me closely, her gaze steady. “You need to think about what this means, baby girl. This isn’t just about you anymore. It’s about that kid inside you. And if you’re gonna have it, you need to be prepared for what comes next.”

A cold rush of clarity hit me. My mind spun with possibilities—opportunities. I couldn’t just let this go. I couldn’t ignore what had happened, what this meant. For me. For the child. I might not have planned for this, but this could change everything.

“I’m going to the Lucas mansion,” I said before I even realized the words were out of my mouth. My heart was already racing, but now there was something new inside me—determination. “I’m going to tell Alex. I’m going to make him take responsibility for this. He can’t just walk away from it.”

Reah’s gaze softened, but there was something in her eyes that warned me. “Just be careful, Shantex. You’re stepping into a world that doesn’t play by your rules.”

But I didn’t care. The world I knew was small. And Alex? He was my way out.

Alex

The study reeked of aged whiskey and cigar smoke, the weight of my father’s presence making the air feel heavier than it already was. Estavon sat in his high-backed chair like a king on a throne, his sharp eyes drilling into me as if he could force submission through sheer will.

"This is your inheritance, Alex," he said, low, but under it all was a distinct coldness. "The name Lucas carries weight, for the empire I laid down. And you-you are just pathetically asking for how to take it all ahead."

I leaned against the desk, arms crossed, keeping a lid on my temper. "I didn't ask for it, Dad. I never wanted this. The 'empire' that you so crow over? Built on blood and lies. I want no part of it."

Estavon's jaw tightened, lines deepened into his face as his hands turned into tight fists. "You're being childish," he growled. "You think anything out there in the world will ever give you peace? You think anyone will see you as anything other than my son, the heir to the Lucas empire? This life isn't something you can walk away from. It is you, Alex."

I pushed myself from the desk and paced my way to the window. I needed to be far away. Below, the city lay spread, the lights glittering like a false promise. "I didn't choose this life, and I won't let it define who I am. You made your choices. Let me make mine."

"You think you're free to choose?"His voice rose, hard and cold like a blade."You're a Lucas. Every decision you make will affect the family, the business, all I have worked for. Running away doesn't erase that."You're part of this whether you want to or not."

“The heat rose in my chest, and I turned to face him, fists clenched at my sides. ‘You have spent your lifetime controlling everything about everyone surrounding you. You have made them walk to your vision of this empire. But, Dad, I am not one of your pawns; you can’t make me become you.'”

The room thickened with silence, not breathable. Estavon leaned back in the chair as his cold gaze studied me much like a predator in calculation, giving me the shivers. “Soon enough, you’ll see, Alex,” he said, softer now but with no less edge. “The world could care less about your dreams. All it cares about is power. Without it, you’re nothing.”

Before I could even respond, there was a knock on the door. ” Luis, one of the estate’s staff, stepped inside. He had a calm, unreadable expression on his face. “Mr. Lucas, you’ve got a guest. She says it’s urgent.”

I was frowning. A guest? My father’s eyes flicked to me, sharp with curiosity, but he said nothing. I nodded to Luis, anxious as hell to escape. “I’ll take care of it.”

The hallway felt as refreshing as an inhale of air compared to the suffocating study, though it still left a bad taste in my mouth. The gist of whoever this guest was better be pretty sound for being so forthright about things.

Upon arrival in the foyer, I came to a staggering halt.

There was Shantex. Somehow, at this point in the grand entryway, she looked out of place, but then again, she was the kind of girl who could attract attention just by being there. Her hairstyle was up and her makeup was minimal but tight. The look of that old jacket told me this was not simply a drop-in visit. Her hands twitched at her sides, yet her chin was awfully high, her demeanor cool and unreadable.

It took me a second to recover. "Shantex?"

Her eyes met mine, and for a brief moment, I saw something—hesitation, maybe even a flicker of doubt. But it was gone as quickly as it appeared. “We need to talk,” she said, her voice steady.

I stepped closer, my brows knitting together. “What are you doing here?”

She glanced around at the towering ceilings and polished marble floors, her lips pressing into a thin line. “Nice place. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. You don’t exactly blend in with the crowd, do you?”

“Shantex,” I said, my tone firmer now, “what’s this about?”

She squared her shoulders and locked eyes with me, her expression hardening. “I’m pregnant, Alex. And it’s yours.”