Filed to story: Falling for My Ex's Mafia Dad Novel Free PDF (Fay Alden & Kent Lippert)
Ivan goes still, staring at me, waiting for me to continue.
“I mean,” I start awkwardly, looking down at my beer. “I know that the dive bar that you took me to was filled with people from all of the underworld families. That was embarrassing for me and it caused a real rift between me and Daniel when he heard, from multiple sources, that I was out flirting with you. And whatever Daniel and I are to each other, I do care about him.”
I look up into Ivan’s face with real hurt in my eyes and see guilt pass through his own. He’s either a crazy good actor or…maybe he actually feels bad, actually cares, at least a little, about how I feel.
“I like you, Ivan,” I whisper, the truth spilling out despite myself. “I like you…maybe a lot? But I don’t know if I can trust you, or if any of this is real, or if you’re just using me to get a leg up on Kent.”
Ivan nods, breathing out of his nose and looking down at his feet. He gives a sharp shake of his head. “You’re right, Fay,” he sighs. “I shouldn’t have done that. It was…a little bit of a coup for me, to be able to shove it in Kent’s face like that.” Ivan looks up at me again, giving me a little smirk. “And I know you enjoyed that part a little bit too.”
I blush, looking down at my beer as I remember what resulted from me shoving that day in Kent’s face like that. I remember Kent pushing me up against the door, his lips hot on mine I remember moaning into his mouth and pulling him tight against me, wanting more. Ivan probably doesn’t know precisely how much I enjoyed it.
“But I’m sorry,” he continues, using one finger under my chin to turn my face gently back to his. “If it means that I lost your trust, then I wish I hadn’t done it. Because, whatever’s here, Fay…” he shakes his head lightly, and I know that that little shake contains a wealth of emotion, “it’s real for me. And I hope it is for you too.”
I bite my lip, not wanting him to know that…well, that it’s real for me too, despite myself.
“Damn it, Fay,” he whispers, his eyes on my mouth again, where my teeth press into my lower lip. “You make it hard for a guy to be chivalrous when you do that.”
Slowly, I let my lip drag out from beneath my teeth, my mouth open just a tiny bit. I swear a very tiny shudder passes through him.
“Whatever you want, Fay,” he murmurs, bringing his eyes back to mine with an effort. “It’s on your terms now. I promise, anything that happens between us is just for us.” He takes a moment and then repeats his vow. “I promise. It’s whatever you want.”
And suddenly, I know precisely what I want.
I raise my hand and place it, gently, on the side of his neck, my skin humming at the touch of his own against my palm. And then I pull his mouth to mine.
Ivan drops me off almost precisely at midnight.
In the car, he leans over to give me one last kiss goodnight, but I put a hand out to stop him.
“Please,” I say, my eyes sad. He pulls back, surprised, but then his eyes flick up to the house, maybe thinking about Daniel my apparent fiancé waiting inside.
“All right,” he whispers, giving me a warm little smile. Then he takes my hand in his and raises it to his lips, pressing a lingering kiss against my knuckles, just as he did that time at the bar. “I want to see you again, Fay. Soon.”
I nod, giving him a half smile, but I don’t say anything as I step out of the car, my mood strange and taciturn. I wave as Ivan pulls away but I don’t turn and head into the house immediately. Because frankly, I’m not sure I want to be here, and I know what’s waiting for me inside.
Because tonight, with Ivan?
Tonight was just…amazing.
Ivan and I spent the entire night outside the taco truck, not needing anything more than some good food and cheap beers to fuel an entire night of conversation. Or at least, we spent a lot of it talking.
We also spent a great deal of the time making out. And it was great.
It’s just I didn’t realize how much I wanted a night like tonight with a guy like Ivan, and how much I had missed it, even though I’ve never really had it before except in my imagination. Ivan never, ever would have fit my image of Prince Charming his tattoos, his dangerous job, and crazy lifestyle definitely would have put him out of the running. But in other ways? He…kind of fits the bill.
I mean, tonight? We laughed, and we kissed, and I could tell that he wanted more but he never, ever pushed me to go further than I wanted to. Instead, he let me explore the contours of him at my own pace, and I liked it.
I liked pulling his face down to mine, opening my mouth to him. I liked the feel of him exploring me with his tongue and his hands. I liked the way he pulled me closer to him, letting me know that there’s more here to for the taking if I want it, but only if I want it and at my own pace. By the end of the night he’d had me feeling so comfortable that I’d somehow found myself sitting in his lap, running my fingertips through his bleach-blonde hair, his broad hand slipping down the outside of my thigh and getting dangerously close to my ass as he made me laugh so hard my face hurt.
And the whole time, I never felt on the edge of anything never felt scared, or pushed. Just felt…well, amazing.
And as I turn to stare up at the door to this house I realize…that it’s nothing like the way Kent makes me feel. At all, ever.
And I have no idea if that’s good or bad.
Or, frankly, which one I like more.
I steel myself as a shiver runs through me. Realizing that I’m starting to get cold standing out here pondering life, love, and relationships, I start up the steps and pull the jacket more tightly around my shoulders
And then gasp. Oh my god.
I’m still wearing Ivan’s jacket.
I groan and quickly shrug it off I can’t walk into Kent’s house, for our…our appointment
Wearing some other guy’s jacket
I look around, desperate. Should I just like, shove it behind a bush or something? But no the gardeners will find it there, and word will get back to Kent somehow
I quickly ball the fabric up and stick it under my arm, realizing that my only choice now is to take it with me. Silently, I pray that nobody’s in the foyer when I step into the house.
I get lucky no one’s around as I run up the stairs, my stupid heels clacking loudly as I go. I hurry into my room, pressing the door closed before I dash to the wardrobe and shove Ivan’s jacket into the back corner. I mean, it’s by no means a secret there but…whatever. It’s all I can do right now.
I take a deep breath as I sit on my bed, reaching down to unbuckle the clasp of my shoe and eyeing the lingerie still sitting on blankets. How the hell am I supposed to even get a corset on with no one to lace it
“Welcome home, Fay.”
I shriek and leap up from my bed, spinning around looking for the source of the voice, which has a slight mechanical tone but there’s no one here
“Please get changed,” the voice says again, and I recognize it as Kent’s voice as I narrow in on the source the intercom on the wall, by the door. God, I hadn’t even known that it worked. “When you’re ready, go upstairs to the third floor. I’ll meet you there in fifteen minutes.”
I go perfectly still, my eyes wide as I stare at the intercom and start to comprehend his words.
The…the third floor? With the locked door?
What the hell is up there?
There’s a long pause and then the voice comes again.
“Are you there, Fay? Do you understand?”
I stumble into action, crossing the room and hesitating as I push the red button on the intercom, hoping it’s the right one. “Um,” I say awkwardly. “Okay? Sure?”
“Good,” he replies immediately, pleased. There’s a long pause before he continues. “I’m looking forward to it.”
My hands are shaking as I step back from the speaker. Hell, my whole body is shaking now.
Because as great as my night with Ivan was, it was always leading to…this.
Kent.