Filed to story: Falling for My Ex's Mafia Dad Novel Free PDF (Fay Alden & Kent Lippert)
Janeen bursts into a stuttering little laugh. “Oh dad,” she says, putting a hand on his shoulder and grinning around at us, enjoying every moment of this. “You don’t even know the half of it ”
“Janeen,” I growl, swatting at her, but she evades me and loops her arm in dad’s. “Come on,” she says, tugging him towards the kitchen. “Let’s get our guest some iced tea.”
Daniel takes a step closer to us, closing the circle.
“Do you mind,” Ivan says to him through clenched teeth, “if I have a moment alone with Fay?”
“Hell yes I mind,” Daniel snaps, crossing his arms over his chest. I do the same, likewise glaring at Ivan and wanting Daniel there.
“Why are you being so ridiculous, Fay?” Ivan says, losing his temper again almost immediately. I consider him, realizing that I’ve never seen him this worked up not even that day in the stable. “I did this for you for ” he glances at Daniel, “for us ”
“What!?” I exclaim, shocked. “Ivan, you did this for you for your fucking job, for your father ”
“That was the start of it,” he agrees, staring intensely down at me, not looking at anyone else anymore. “But the end of it moving now, getting him out now? I was setting you free ”
I take a step closer to Ivan, glaring up into his face and speaking between clenched teeth. “I did not ask you to set me free I am not some ridiculous caged bird! I wanted to be there ”
“He had you locked up!” Ivan exclaims, getting heated now, “tied into that ridiculous contract!”
“Contract?” I hear Daniel ask, but I ignore him.
“That’s all bullshit, Ivan,” I say, placing a hand on his chest and shoving, hard. “I made my choice weeks ago. I picked him.”
Ivan stumbles back then, staring at me and it’s not just my shove that pushed him away. It’s also his disbelief that…even with Kent out of the picture. I still pick him.
He glances down at my stomach. “Is this because you’re…”
“No!” I shout, advancing on him again and going pale as I glance towards my dad in the kitchen, who I still haven’t told.
“Because he’s never getting out Fay,” Ivan says all in a rush, his eyes wide now, almost as if he’s trying to explain my freedom to me as if I think I’m still wrapped up under Kent’s control.
“You’ve got some kind of Stockholm Syndrome bullshit but Lippert is so wrapped up in all of this that he’s never getting out he’s going down ” Ivan steps forward and takes me by the shoulders, staring closely into my face to make sure I hear him. “There’s no bail the judge refused it. And he’s they’re going to ask for the death penalty, Fay. The best he can hope for ever, even with a plea, is several life terms in prison. He’s not getting out.”
Ivan studies my face as I go pale as he waits for me to realize that I am free
But he’s going to be waiting a damn long time for that, because no one was forcing me to stay in the Lippert house. I wanted to be there I tied my life to Kent and to Daniel because I want them. Because they’re my family.
“I will help you raise this baby,” Ivan murmurs, stepping closer to me now.
“That’s fucking enough,” Daniel growls, stepping forward to intercede, but I put up a hand to stop him.
“How did you do it,” I say, my voice hard, as I stare up into Ivan’s face. “Because we both know you don’t have enough on Kent to get him six life sentences.”
Kent confessed to me some horrible crimes that night in my bed and Ivan has a recording of that but I’m well aware that kind of pillow talk isn’t going to hold up in court. So, there’s got to be something else.
Ivan sighs and glances at Daniel, not wanting to say. But I stare up at him, waiting.
“Other testimony,” Ivan sighs, looking away I think, somehow, a little ashamed. “Other bosses are coming forward, testifying against Kent in exchange for immunity. They’re…they’re loading him up, Fay. That was the deal: Kent takes the blame for some other boss’ crimes and the city gets a huge part of their organized crime wiped out the entire Lippert enterprise, liquidated.”
“Who,” I whisper. “Who else, besides you.”
Ivan just shakes his head at me.
“Who!” I demand.
“You already know, Fay,” he says, gritting his teeth.
“My father,” I whisper, staring up at him, needing the confirmation.
Slowly, Ivan nods.
And then he takes a step closer to me, as if to take me in his arms
But I step back and I turn away, wrapping my arms around myself and moving slowly towards the back deck, where I stare at the sea.
“Fay,” he calls after me, but I just shake my head.
“You should go, Detective Kaminski,” I say quietly, the name feeling odd on my tongue. But he’s not Ivan anymore not the one I knew.
He says my name again, pleading this time. But I don’t reply.
I hear footsteps, a little protest, maybe even a light scuffle. But then a single set of footsteps echoes behind me. “I’ll give you time,” Ivan says, “to realize that this is right. I’ll be back, Fay.”
“I’d prefer it if you didn’t,” I murmur, heaving a little sigh. But I don’t look back at him, and he doesn’t touch me. Instead, the footsteps just fade away behind me. And when they’re gone, I just rest my head against the door frame and close my eyes.
And then I spend the next half hour wondering how the hell I’m going to deal with the fact that I’m probably never going to see Kent ever again.
“Hey, kid.”
I open my eyes when I hear Daniel’s soft voice behind me. Slowly I turn and look at him.
“You all right?”
I don’t answer his question. Instead, I keep my face impassive, forcing myself to move on, wanting desperately to do something. So, I act. “Call the lawyer,” I say, pulling myself up straight with an effort and uncrossing my arms.
“What?” he asks, confused.
“Ivan said Kent’s bail or lack thereof has been determined,” I explain, looking at him seriously. “Maybe Jerome’s has too. We can at least do that.”
“Fay,” Daniel says, turning his head the side, his face dropping with sorrow. “We don’t need to do that now we can ”
“We need to do something now, Daniel,” I snap, looking at him a little desperately. “Or else I’m going to go insane. Okay? So can you please just go call the lawyers?”
Slowly, Daniel nods to me, agreeing. “What are you going to do?”
“I’m going to get changed,” I murmur, looking down at the pink pajamas Janeen brought me from our old house. I just feel too…silly, and sweet, and girly in them. I need to feel…
Well, if I’m going to take charge, and do something? I need to feel like a boss.
Without another word, I walk away to my room and close the door behind me, wanting to be alone.