Filed to story: Falling for My Ex's Mafia Dad Novel Free PDF (Fay Alden & Kent Lippert)
â??Fay is clever but sheâ??s impulsive.â? I narrow my eyes, a little pissed off at this assessment â?? but, well, I did crawl through my own bedroom window last night, and Kent might be telling Gio what he wants to hear. â??Let me speak with Fay. Iâ??ll ensure weâ??re all on the same page.â?
â??All right,â? Gio says slowly before moving on. â??Nonno suspected youâ??d be here, Zio. He didnâ??t think that Daniel would leave you behind â?? and even said it was a good move, letting Fay negotiate your terms, if sheâ??s the one who is in charge of the industries being offered.â?
â??How did she do yesterday?â? Kent asks, abrupt. My eyebrows raise as I realize â?? quite suddenly â?? that heâ??s asking that for my benefit, so I can hear Gioâ??s honest answer. And that theyâ??re having this conversation in English for my benefit as well.
I smile slowly, grateful for my considerate man. I listen carefully for Gioâ??s reply.
â??She did well,â? Gio says, his voice honestly impressed. â??Nonno â?? he doesnâ??t think women should be in business, but he learned about her before she came. And then, the little stunt she played with Natalia â??â?? Gio laughs a little. â??He was impressed by that.â?
â??What stunt?â? Kent asks, suspicious, and I wrinkle my nose a bit becauseâ?¦well, because I may have left that out.
Gio quickly summarizes and Kent laughs darkly. â??I admit,â? Kent says. â??Iâ??d have liked to have been there to see that. Well?â? he says, moving on. â??Whatâ??s next?â?
â??Nonno said that if you were here, I was to bring you to dinner. Tonight.â?
Thereâ??s a long silence in the room before Kent replies.
â??All right,â? he says. â??So, weâ??ll go to dinner tonight. What can I expect?â?
â??A great deal of negotiation,â? Gio replies. â??And thenâ?¦a counter offer.â?
â??Do you know the details of that?â?
I listen carefully, but thereâ??s no reply â?? I curse inwardly, wishing I could see Gioâ??s face right now, know if heâ??s nodding or shaking his head.
â??All right,â? Kent says slowly, and then silence reigns for a long moment. â??What else is going on, Gio?â? he asks when he speaks again, his tone suddenly sharp.
â??I donâ??t know if I should ask,â? Gio says.
â??Out with it, kid,â? Kent says, his voice softer now. â??I taught you how to kick a football. If thereâ??s something you need, ask me for it.â?
â??I was intrigued by the deal Fay laid out,â? Gio says on a sigh. â??I wasâ?¦jealous.â?
My eyebrows go up and I imagine that Kentâ??s do as well. But he doesnâ??t say anything.
â??I wondered,â? Gio says quietly, hesitant. â??If thereâ??s any way you couldâ?¦bring me in on it. Get me out of this business as well, no ties to the family except that of a son to his mother.â?
â??How do I know this isnâ??t a trap?â? Kent asks, careful. â??That Bianci isnâ??t testing my loyalties, seeing if Iâ??d take his heir from him?â?
â??Why would he do that?â? Gio asks, confused. â??He already knows I tried to leave when I went to medical school. Zio â?? please, I donâ??t want this for my life. I asked to be the one to follow Daniel and Fay yesterday. Iâ??ll go home and do my job, but if you can offer me way out of this? To make my father pass the job to my brother instead of me?â?
Thereâ??s a long pause where Gio lets Kent answer the question for himself.
â??All right, Gio,â? Kent says, his voice soft and sympathetic. â??I canâ??t promise anything. But if you are willing to join our side in this game? I will see what I can do.â?
Thereâ??s a deep sigh from Gio and then the expression of what I think are many Italian thanks.
â??All right, kid,â? Kent says, laughing. I hear a patting sound as well as the two get to their feet, presumably a hug before they move towards the door. â??Give me a minute to pull myself together, and then Iâ??ll come out and see you off.â?
â??And youâ??ll come to dinner tonight?â? Gio asks, his voice cheerful.
â??Yes, Iâ??ll come to dinner,â? Kent says, his voice sounding like heâ??s dreading it. â??Go make me another cup of coffee, Iâ??ll be out in a second.â?
â??All of you, Kent,â? Gio says, his voice wary. â??He wants all of you to come to dinner.â?
Thereâ??s another long pause.
â??All right,â? Kent says, his words clipped. â??Then all of us will come to dinner tonight at Bianci House.â?
The door shuts and Kentâ??s footsteps cross the room again. In a heartbeat heâ??s through the closet door, looking down at me, at the phone in my hand.
Quickly, he reaches out and presses the record button on the screen, ending the recording before taking the phone from my hand and placing it carefully on a nearby shelf. Then he takes my face in his hands and I exhale a long, shaky breath.
â??Didâ?¦did he know I was here?â? I ask, looking up into Kentâ??s gorgeous green eyes.
â??I donâ??t know,â? Kent murmurs, staring down into my face. â??Did you record it all?â?
Quickly I nod, letting him know that I did it all right â?? everything he asked â??
And then his mouth is on mine, and I let my eyes drift shut as I lean into him, letting a little moan drift from my lips as Kent wraps his arms around me and holds me, and kisses me, and sweeps me away in his own relief.
When Kent pulls away a few minutes later I blink my eyes slowly open, a bit in a daze, and he laughs lightly at me.
Which, of course, wakes me right up and makes me glare at him.
â??Donâ??t get any ideas, Kent, youâ??re not that good of a kisser,â? I grumble. â??I just havenâ??t had my coffee yet.â?
â??Thatâ??s a lie,â? Kent says, smirking at me, â??but help yourself, Fay.â? He keeps one arm wrapped around me while he gestures to the coffee maker behind him with an open hand.
I pout. â??Can you make it for me? You do it better than I do.â?
Kent laughs, shaking his head, but he escorts me over to the coffee maker where he presses another kiss to my lips before letting me go and starting to make me a cup. â??We donâ??t have long,â? he says as he works. â??We have to get you back into Danielâ??s room and out that door before Gio leaves. I want the lie to be as seamless as we can make it.â?
â??Presuming, of course,â? I say, my voice dry, â??that Janeen didnâ??t just throw herself into Gioâ??s lap the moment she woke up.â?
Kent smirks as the espresso machine buzzes, and then he bends to get a little jug of milk out of the refrigerator below, pouring a little into an electric steamer. â??Janeen knows whatâ??s at stake. Sheâ??ll behave.â?
I smile, watching him, pleased he trusts my sister. â??So, what do you think?â? I ask quietly, tucking my hands into the sleeves of Kentâ??s sweatshirt as he finishes up the coffee. â??Does Gio really want out? Or is it a trick?â?
â??I donâ??t know yet,â? Kent murmurs, moving over to my boxes of clothing as the milk finishes heating. â??I want to talk to Daniel, get his perspective. Butâ?¦if you asked me? Iâ??d say Gio meant it. He and Daniel have always beenâ?¦well, theyâ??ve both had the bad luck of being poorly suited to their status of being first-born males in old families like these.â?
â??Or,â? I say, watching as Kent pulls out a cute little day dress for me, floral and pretty, tossing a matching set of brand new underwear on top. â??They have the good luck of having a father and uncle who is willing to fight for them to get out.â? Kent smirks, I know pleased at my words but working to not show it as he scoops up a pair of sandals to match the dress, handing them out to me.
â??Really?â? I ask, frowning at the clothing as I accept them. â??You want me to wear a day dress to dinner?â?
Kent freezes for a second, looking at me like Iâ??m insane. â??Weâ??ll dress for dinner, Fay,â? he says, his face appalled, â??this is just for today!â?
I burst out laughing, shaking my head at the ridiculous idea that I now live in a world where I need a whole outfit just to sneak across the front of the house to my husbandâ??s room.
Kent rolls his eyes at me and turns away, pulling on his own set of day clothes as I quickly swap his sweatshirt for the outfit he chose for me. As I finish pulling the sandals on, Kent appears before me with my coffee.