Filed to story: Falling for My Ex's Mafia Dad Novel Free PDF (Fay Alden & Kent Lippert)
Ivan groans now, leaning his head back and closing his eyes, clenching his teeth clearly torn between wanting to do his job and wanting to promise me that Daniel who he knows means so much to me will be okay.
“I’ll do everything I can, Fay,” Ivan murmurs, covering his eyes with his hand. “I promise. But you’ve got to tell me everything you know.”
“Promise me, Ivan,” I beg, tugging on his shirt, making him look at me. He obliges me, staring into my eyes with his own serious grey gaze. “Promise you’ll keep him safe.”
“I promise,” he agrees, sincere. “Now tell me.”
“I don’t know much,” I murmur. “But they said something. About about a perimeter on the state penitentiary. About a coffee shop, and an intersection? About…some flaw in the process and how…how they think they can get him. Tomorrow.”
“Shit,” Ivan growls, letting out a frustrated huff. And then, as I predicted, he starts to stand up. But I don’t let him, tugging him back into his chair with my hands wrapped in his shirt. “Let go, Fay,” Ivan says, his voice serious. “I have…I have to get back to work. We have to prep for this.”
“Please don’t tell him I told you,” I beg, scared, letting my lower lip tremble. “I it would break his heart to know, Ivan,” I say, shaking my head. “He can’t know I betrayed him, like…like I did Kent ”
“Fay,” Ivan whispers, putting his hand on my cheek. “You didn’t betray Kent. You didn’t know.”
“But I did just betray Daniel, didn’t I?” I say, guilt in every word. I allow my lower lip to tremble, just a bit.
“You did it because it’s right,” Ivan murmurs, leaning closer to me. “You have a good heart, Fay. I see it in you.”
“Promise me it will all turn out all right,” I whisper, desperate.
“I promise,” he says, his face inches from mine now. “It will all come out right. And I’ll…we’ll…”
But I don’t let him finish, because I lean forward, and I kiss him.
I kiss Ivan like I can’t help it, like I give into what I’ve wanted for a long time now. And it kills me, a little, to hear him moan softly as he kisses me back, as he buries his fingers in my hair and rests a hand on my cheek like I’m the most precious thing in the world to him. He breaks the kiss sooner than I thought he would, shaking his head at me. “I have to go. But Fay you did the right thing, okay? I’ll make sure that this turns out right. For us.”
“Okay,” I whisper, nodding to him.And then he kisses me again, swiftly, and gets up, and heads into the house. I watch him go. And when he walks down the stairs, I drag my forearm across my lips, wiping the taste of him away. Because Ivan thinks that I’m good, and that I’m right, but he’s forgetting one essential thing:That I was born into one mafia family, and that I married into another, and that I’ve got a mafia baby growing in my stomach.And as much as Ivan sees the good in me, sees the fawn?He’s missing the viper.
But that part of me is there as well. Kent never made that crucial mistake. He sees all of me, and loves it all of it. Ivan just sees half. “I’m coming for you, Kent,” I murmur, taking a moment to turn my heart to steel, because I have long hours ahead of me and they’re going to take everything I have to see them through.
I take a deep breath and place a hand on my stomach. “We both are.”Janeen, seeing me standing alone in the dark on the back deck, staring into space, comes outside and shuts the door behind her. “Well,” she says, raising her eyebrows at me. “That was good and steamy. Did you guys just kiss?””Yeah,” I say, screwing my lips to the side, a little ashamed. “Kinda. Just a little bit.
“”So proud of you, sis,” she murmurs, coming and wrapping an arm around my waist. “You know, I never thought you’d make a good stripper ”I gasp, insulted, and turn to stare at Janeen, who laughs at me.”Let me finish!” she says, shaking her head at me and putting a hand up.”Why did you think I’d be bad at it!?” I ask, frowning.”Because one, you have no rhythm,” she says, and she just speaks over me when I start to protest, “and two! Because I thought you’d probably fall in love with your clients.
But what I realized tonight is that you’re a stone cold bitch, baby,” she says, pulling me tight against her, “and I love that for you! I’m proud.”I laugh a little but then look down at the floor, shaking my head. “You don’t…think I’m a terrible person?” I ask, quiet. Because…well, honestly, after everything I put into action these past few months, I do know that I’m a terrible person. And after what I do tomorrow… “I’m definitely going to hell.””Well, then at least I’ll have someone to keep me company,” she says, making me laugh darkly. But then, as I stare at the floor of the deck, doubting myself, Janeen puts her finger under my chin and makes me look at her. “Hey,” she says. “You all right?””I just…” I say, shaking my head at her. “I’m in so deep, Janeen. And the closer we get, the scarier it is and I’m a person ””You are ,” she insists, and I cock my head at her, raising my eyebrows. Because she knows my plan she knows what’s coming up. But she just shakes her head at me again. “You’re playing by different rules than the rest of society, Fay,” she says quietly, “and you didn’t start this game you were into it. What does a good person get, in your world?” she asks, and I cock my head to the side, thinking about it.”That’s right,” she whispers. “If you were a little mafia girl, you’d be married off to whoever your dad picked out for you, a miserable little pawn for them to play with. But ?” she says softly, “my brave, smart sister? You took this game into your own hands. People did you wrong, and now you’re giving it back to them. So stop judging yourself for surviving for thriving, okay? Kent wouldn’t judge himself for doing the same. Neither would your father. Neither does Ivan, for that matter who is just as cold and calculating as the rest of them, even if he has a shiny badge that lets him pretend he’s a good guy.”I stare at my sister in surprise because…I definitely didn’t think of it that way before.
“When did you get so perceptive,” I murmur, looking her up and down. “Oh, I’ve this perceptive,” she says, grinning at me and squeezing my waist, pulling me towards the house. “I’ve just been hanging out with you for long enough now that I have the vocab to tell you about it.”I burst into laughter at this, and I’m still laughing when I come into the house. Daniel and Jerome stand up from their spots on the couch, smiling at us. “It’s good to see you looking so cheerful,” Daniel says, crossing his arms over his chest. “I think it was Ivan’s kiss that did it,” Jerome says, smirking at me, teasing. “Don’t be gross,” I murmur, shoving his shoulder. “That kiss was part of the ””I’m just saying,” Jerome says, holding up his hands innocently, “it have been a hug someone was getting their last taste before
“But I give a little shriek of protest and smack him again, making him laugh and give it up. Then I take a deep breath, looking around at my team, and my dad in the kitchen, who declines to join us. “Okay,” I say after a moment, looking around at them. “So…this is it. Only a couple of hours now. Everything is in place and all that’s left to do is…rest.””Yeah, like you’re going to be able to sleep, Fay,” Daniel says, smirking at me. “Well, no,” I sigh. “But you should, if you can. You all should.”They’re all quiet for a moment before Jerome speaks. “Well, I’m going to stay up,” he says, grinning at me. I look at him in surprise, but he shrugs. “I never went to college, never got to do the all-nighter thing, so. Why not give it a try?””Ohh, me too!” Janeen says, suddenly eager. “What do we do? Take a bunch of amphetamines?”I look at her in horror but she just laughs at me, shaking her head.
“Seriously, Fay, everything that you have planned and you’re appalled by the idea of some stimulants to help us stay up?””Excuse you,” I reply, joining my hands below my pregnant belly, a little shocked to notice that it’s starting to get difficult to do that, “of us are pregnant.””My scary little pregnant mafia wife,” Daniel says, laughing and putting an arm around me, leading me into the kitchen. “We’ll get a snack. And then the rest of us will indulge in some nice caffeine supplements.
“I smile and let him lead me away, Jerome and Janeen smiling as they follow behind. When we get into the kitchen, dad reaches out an arm for me and I go to him, letting him wrap me in a big hug. “How you doing, little girl?” he murmurs, rocking me back and forth the way he always did when I was a kid. “You all right?””I’m okay,” I reply, and then I look up at him. “Did you think about it, dad? About what you want to do?””I’m still thinking on it kid,” he says, his lips twisting a little with apology. “I’m afraid it might come down to a game-time decision. I’m sorry about that but…it’s a big choice.”
“I understand,” I say, nodding.”You know I support you, though, right?” He asks, rubbing his hand warmly up and down my arm. “In everything you’ve got planned, baby. I stand by you.”My eyes fill with tears to hear him say it because while I know Janeen and Jerome and Daniel understand what I’m doing? It’s a little different to tell your dad that you’re about to commit several felonies and ruin some lives. “Really?” I ask, kind of baffled by it.”I trust you, daughter,” he says, kissing my forehead. “If you decided to do it…it must be the only thing you could do. And I’d rather see you cut them all down then let them do it to you.
“”Thanks, dad,” I murmur, burying my face against him. Because that might be the last little bit of support I need to push me through to the end. “Please think about it about coming with us.””Oh, I am, kiddo,” he says with a sigh. “I’m thinking.”But before we can go anywhere else with the conversation, we hear a set of heavy footsteps coming up the stairs.
I turn with a smile to see Donnie’s tanned face at the top of the stairs, looking curiously around. “Hey!” he says, lifting up a box in his hand. “Nice house. I brought pizza!””Oh Donnie,” I say, laughing and walking forward to take the box from him and stand on my tiptoes to give him a kiss on the cheek. “You’re the best. Thank you so much for coming.”
“No problem,” he says, grinning at me. “I’ve never made an easier ten grand in my life.”And then everyone else comes forward to say hello to our final guest before we all head into the living room to while away the next few hours together.
As predicted, no one sleeps no one’s able to. Instead, there’s a lot of happy chatter about nothing.I’m the only one who’s really quiet, though Daniel next to me gives me a run for my money.Because as much as everyone else knows that these are the last few normal hours we’re going to have for a long time…I think that for Daniel and me? It’s the most real. We look at each other as 2:00 AM draws closer, and I know that the same thought echoes in both of our heads. That this is it. That tomorrow or today now, at this point it all ends. And something new begins.
At 2:30 in the morning, I stand up and take a deep breath. The conversation awkwardly fades out around me, but I wave my hands at everyone. “I’m just going to go take a shower,” I say, smiling around. “Ignore me keep going ”
“No, that’s a good idea,” Daniel says, looking over at Jerome. “I’m going to go get ready too.”
“I’ll help you, Fay,” Janeen says, standing up and coming to my side.
Donnie, still sitting on the couch with my dad who fell asleep hours ago gives us a thumbs up and grabs for the remote. “I’ll just hang here!”
“You don’t need to help me,” I say to Janeen, frowning a little, “I’m not that pregnant ”
“Well then I’ll just stare at your beautiful face,” she says, raising her hands to my face and smushing my cheeks between her palms.
I scowl and swat her hands away, but she laughs and gives me a little shove towards my room.
Then, my sister and I very quietly get me ready for what is surely going to be the most stressful day of my life. I shower, and then put on very carefully-selected makeup while Janeen lays out my clothes. Of course, everything of importance is already packed and out of the house. Even if I wanted to decide on a change of clothing, this is the only dress that I have left.
“Black,” she says, looking down at the prim little maternity dress spread out on the bed. “Appropriate. Very goth. Very…black widow. Very Regina George with the burn book.”
I laugh at my sister, whose mind sometimes goes places I don’t understand. But then again…who am I to talk.
“I’m a badass mafia donna now,” I murmur as I comb out my wet hair, hoping it dries into pretty curls instead of the crazy frizzy mess it sometimes chooses. “I have to wear black, or else no one will take me seriously.”
Janeen helps me apply my eyeliner she’s always been better at makeup than me and then slips my black pumps onto my feet before helping me stand up.
“All set, baby?” she murmurs, looking me up and down.
“I am,” I say, sure of it. Because I have to be.
“For what it’s worth, you look beautiful,” she says with a shrug and a smile.
“Janeen,” I say, my face serious as I put a hand on her shoulder. “Come with us.”
“I have to talk to dad,” she replies, her smile falling from her face as she glances towards the doorway. “I can’t leave him alone.”
“Okay,” I say, nodding my understanding. “Just…convince him to come too. It will be good, I promise.”
“Oh, color me tempted, Fay Thompson,” she says, leaning in to kiss my cheek and wrapping an arm around mine as we walk to the door. “I’m on board but yeah, I’ll talk to him.”
“Fay Lippert, now,” I say as we step out of my room and my handsome husband turns to me, neatly dressed in his own black suit.
“Damn right you are, little wife,” he says, smirking at me and opening his arm to me. I hurry my steps a little to get to his side, letting him pull me close.
“Wait,” Donnie says from the couch, leaning forward and frowning at us. “Yous two…you’re married?”
We laugh and nod to him. “It’s complicated,” I say, wrinkling my nose in his direction. “Don’t worry about it.”