Filed to story: Falling for My Ex's Mafia Dad Novel Free PDF (Fay Alden & Kent Lippert)
And I hesitate, looking out over the cars because…
Damn it. Even though Daniel said the name of one of them thirty seconds ago…
I scowl, knowing I’ve been beat.
“Fine,” I say, pouting and leaning against him. “But you’re getting me one. As soon as I learn the names of these,” I say, pointing around at them.
“Any one you want,” he murmurs, pulling me close and kissing my head. “But honestly, Fay, don’t be offended I just thought Janeen…”
He hesitates a little and I look up at him.
“Well,” he says, looking back down at me with a shrug. “She likes her independence, doesn’t she? And she’s been a good sport these past few weeks, but if we’re going to make her live in a farmhouse by the sea, she’s going to need a way to get around.”
“Well, why that one?” I ask, pondering it because it’s certainly not a new car, even though I’m sure he didn’t buy her anything unsafe.
“Because,” he says quietly. “If your sister is going to be driving alone around this country, I want everyone who sees her to know that she comes from people who take care of her. People will think twice about messing with a girl in a vintage Porsche. A classic car for a classic girl,” he says with a determined nod. “It suits her. She deserves the best, and I want everyone who sees her to know it.”
I shake my head as I stare at Kent for a moment, because that is…so incredibly sweet and thoughtful. He smiles down at me, perhaps intuiting my thoughts.
“Don’t give me too much credit,” he murmurs, pulling me close again and tucking me under his chin as I wrap my arms around his waist. “I want this house empty as often as possible, so I can ”
“Stop it,” I mutter, smacking him lightly on the chest and blushing again to remember what Janeen said about the ship having thin walls. “Someone will hear you.”
“Precisely my point,” he murmurs, and then he laughs to see how red my cheeks are and he kisses me like he can’t help it. And I kiss him back, not caring who sees, because…well, because I guess he’s right.
They are just going to have to get used to it.
Because this man? I can’t keep my hands off him, and I have no intention of trying anytime soon.
Even though…well, even though I plan to betray him tomorrow.
But just a very tiny little bit.
We all stay up very late that night, gathered around a fire pit just off to the left of the pool. I’m curled up next to Kent, his arm around me on a little outdoor loveseat as my family laughs and chats around the fire. As the night grows darker and the stars start to come out, I find myself thinking about how grateful I am for Kent, who is so secretly thoughtful about details he never takes credit for.
For instance, this fire pit was ready to go, fully stocked with wood and lighter fluid, and even marshmallows and little sticks to roast them on, because I mentioned once months ago that I liked them. And everyone’s favorite drinks are already here on ice. I mean, he, Jerome, and Daniel were all easy they all drink the same whiskey but my dad’s American beer and Janeen’s rum and diet coke with lime? How the hell did he have that here, waiting for us?
So, I curl up closer to him, and his arm tightens around me, and a little ball of happiness in my chest just grows and grows.
But honestly, as my family celebrates with more drinks as the night passes, I’m a little grateful that I’m pregnant. Because even though I’m jealous and want to be celebrating alongside them in this particular way, I know that tomorrow I’m going to need my wits.
And Daniel, even though he’s drinking, is showing more restraint than he usually does. He meets my eyes at one point, giving me a little nod, letting me know that he understand that he has to keep it under control.
Because we are getting up early, and he’s my driver.
But, despite that, the party goes long into the night with a lot of joy and laughter as we sit by our little farmhouse by the sea. Kent turns to me as I stifle my third yawn.
“Come on,” he says, starting to stand up. “Let’s get you to bed.”
“No!” I protest, trying to hold him down with my weight even though I know it’s not going to work. “I don’t want to break up the party!”
“You’re tired,” he says, standing and bending to pick me up, but I swat his hands away and stand up myself, wanting to stretch my legs.
“Fine, fine,” I sigh, but then I groan as the others start to get up too. “No!” I protest. “No, don’t go to bed just because I am!”
“We’re sleepy too, Fay,” Dad says, leaning in to give me a kiss on the cheek. “You’re not breaking anything up.”
And I scowl, not really believing him, but I give in as Daniel pours some water on the fire and we all begin to troop into the house. When Kent moves away from me for a moment, cleaning some stuff up in the kitchen before we turn in, Daniel is instantly at my side.
“We still on?” Daniel asks, raising an eyebrow.
“5 am,” I whisper with a little nod, brushing his arm with my hand. “I’ll come to your room. You all ready?”
“Sure am,” he says, and then without another word he strides away. Because we don’t need to say anything else. We’ve been planning this for weeks.
I reach out a hand for Kent as he finishes up, and he takes it, and we walk quietly over to our room. To my surprise, Kent is more subdued than I’ve seen him before. We quietly go through the business of getting ready for bed brushing teeth, me changing into pajamas and him stripping down to his underwear. But to my shock, Kent leaves his clothes in a heap on the floor before he moves to the bed. I stare at the clothes and then at his back as he walks away
Because Kent? I have never seen him be messy before.
How much did he have to drink? Am I finally meeting drunk Kent?
Shrugging it off because he seems fine, honestly, just super tired I leave the clothes where they are and move to the bed myself. But again to my surprise, Kent is basically asleep when I get there. He pulls me close against him, my back to his front, but instead of moving his hands across my body like he usually does…
Kent just tucks his head against my shoulder and falls asleep.
“Wow,” I murmur, my eyebrows going up in surprise as well as I’ll admit it a little disappointment. But I shrug, not bothering to think about it much because I really am sleepy too.
And so I close my eyes, and fall asleep, knowing that the little watch Daniel secretly gave me is going to beep at 4:55 in the morning.
But also knowing that I’m going to be awake before it.
Because tomorrow is an important day, and mob bosses? We wake up before our alarms.
I prove myself correct a few hours later when my eyes sleepily open. But I’m awake almost instantly, my anxiety for the day immediately taking the reins. I lean over, my hand going to the wristwatch on the bedside table, and when I flip it over I see that it’s 4:46. Perfect. I hastily switch off the alarm function.
Moving slowly so as not to jostle him, I turn over to look at Kent. But as my eyes fall on him, I realize that being careful was completely unnecessary.
Kent continues to sleep more deeply than I think I’ve ever seen him sleep before. I mean, I swear that sometimes I’ve woken him up just by looking at him. But today?
Today, Kent’s mouth is a little open, his face pillowed against his own bicep, and he’s completely out.
I resist the urge to run my fingers through his hair and kiss his cheek, not wanting to tempt fate. Instead, I just sigh a little and slowly get out of bed, moving for the door the moment my feet touch the tiles. Our bedroom door gives a little creek when I pull it open, but when I look over my shoulder I realize that not even that woke him.
With a little shrug of gratitude for my good luck honestly, I thought I’d have to be way sneakier than this I hurry out of the room and pull the door shut behind me, grimacing a little at the click that sounds.
Then I hurry through the empty, quiet house, padding down the hall to the corridor where the rest of the bedrooms are. When I reach the first door on the left the room I know is Daniel and Jerome’s I’m pleased to see a light already on inside.
Slowly, I push open the door and peek in.
“Oh, thank god,” Daniel says, sighing when he sees me.