Filed to story: Falling for My Ex's Mafia Dad Novel Free PDF (Fay Alden & Kent Lippert)
The Donâ??s smile deepens even further. â??And why are you telling me all of this, Alden?â? he says, and I donâ??t miss that he drops my first name, addressing me as he would the head of any other family. â??Why come all the way to Italy, to my home, to lay it out so plainly? Are you seeking to renew the connection between our families, though your power now rivals my own?â?
â??No, Don Bianci,â? I say quietly, leaning forward and looking him in the eye. And then I pause, just to make sure that heâ??s listening.
When I see the corners of his eyes crinkle with interest, I say what I came here to say.
â??I came here today to give it all to you.â?
The Don sits back in his chair, his white eyebrows almost at his hairline. And then he laughs, surprised and pleased.
I straighten up and take a deep breath, knowing that weâ??re in the thick of the game now. And Iâ??ve just gained quite a bit of credit, I think. Don Bianci isnâ??t someone who is used to being surprised.
â??And why, donna,â? he murmurs, settling back into his chair, his eyes now greedy, wanting what it is that I have laid on the table for him. â??Is the price of all of this?â?
â??Nothing material,â? I murmur, giving a little shrug of my shoulder and looking up at Daniel, who nods at me, encouraging me to continue. â??Justâ?¦a little matter between family.â?
â??And the connections,â? Bianci pushes, speaking more quickly now, wanting the details. â??If youâ??re here, playing the little mother in Italy, who is in America running your family? Your father and all of his capos are dead.â?
â??My cousin,â? I say, my answer immediate. â??Fiona Dâ??Agostino. Sheâ??s an Alden on her fatherâ??s side.â?
The Don raises an eyebrow at me. â??Quite a coterie of women youâ??re building here,â? he murmurs.
â??Is that a problem for you?â? I ask, raising the same eyebrow, mirroring him.
â??It is not,â? he murmurs, his eyes flashing to my stomach. â??As long as you are not hysterical.â?
â??Donâ??t worry,â? I say, snapping a little, my voice low. â??The money will flow.â?
â??And will it flow to me?â? he asks, his question instant, his voice sharp. â??Kent did a great deal of work these past months convincing Natalia and Alessi to reinvest with Alden, largely for your benefit, girl. To keep an engagement between his son and Aldenâ??s daughter â?? an apparent love match. But I am not such a romantic that I did it for you â?? I want what I was promised.â?
â??Fiona is loyal to me,â? I say quietly. â??She will be happy to work with you if I ask her to. But my hope is that after I hand my industries to you that she will transfer her loyalties as well â?? become your girl in America, not mine.â?
The Don tilts his head at me now, curious again. â??So, is that your price? Freedom from this, from all of it? To simply beâ?¦the little mother, instead of the donna of the Alden and the Lippert families?â?
â??It is,â? I say quietly, â??though not the price in full.â?
He nods to me, pleased to get to the meat of it now. And I take a deep breath, because this is the moment when it all comes together or falls apart.
â??Freedom,â? I say, holding his gaze again. â??For Daniel, for me, for our childâ?¦and for Kent.â?
A slow smile spreads across the Donâ??s face here, because the first threeâ?¦well, weâ??re easy, arenâ??t we? Heâ??s well aware that while I currently hold the Alden and Lippert organization in name, that Iâ??m in no way capable of actually running a criminal organization â?? I donâ??t have the experience.
But Kent?
Kentâ??s been Bianciâ??s golden goose for twenty years now, making him millions in America while he reigns here in his Italian villa.
Kentâ??s freedom â?? forgiving the life debt he owes to the Bianci family. That is the real ask here.
And Iâ??d give anything, anything to get it.
And so thatâ??s what Iâ??ve come here today to offer: absolutely everything I have, everything Iâ??ve stolen and killed for, in exchange for Kent.
â??You should take the deal, nonno,â? Daniel says softly. â??It will make you the most powerful man on two continents.â?
â??Iâ??m aware of the stakes, Daniele,â? Bianci growls, glaring a little at his grandchild, clearly not seeking his advice.
Still, he leans back in the chair and studies us, clearly considering it. He lets us hang for a long time, so long that Daniel shifts his weight beside me. But I stay perfectly still, waiting, knowing that Iâ??ve played my not-insubstantial cards to the best of my ability.
And also aware â?? very aware â?? that it is a good offer. And that Don Bianci wants it very much.
But he didnâ??t get to be as powerful as he already is by being a calm, grateful man.
No, greed is in his bones. And if thereâ??s a chance he can get more, if he can have all of this and keep Kent too?
Heâ??ll try for it.
â??Iâ??ll think about it,â? the Don says with a gentle shrug before reaching a hand to his side. Gio is there in a moment, offering his own hand to help his grandfather stand from the chair.
Then, as the Don drops his grandsonâ??s hands and moves towards us, his face shifts completely, becoming the familial patriarch instead of the calculating criminal King. Bianci moves to Daniel first, taking his face between his hands and smiling at him before leaning forward â?? Iâ??m surprised, a little, to see that Daniel is actually taller â?? and kissing Daniel on both cheeks.
â??Daniele,â? he murmurs, â??it is good to have you home. You should stay, yes? We will find you a role in the family, help you raise this child.â?
Daniel frowns a little bit but nods, not accepting the invitation but acknowledging the generous offer it includes.
Then the Don turns to me, coming close and slipping a finger under my chin to turn my face up to him, studying me. â??It was a pleasure, Fay,â? he murmurs, his voice genuinely pleased, â??and a curiosity to met you. I must say, I did not expect our Daniele to marry so well.â?
I blink rapidly at what is surely high praise, and then smile a little as the Don leans forward and gently kisses both of my cheeks as well.
â??You will stay for dinner?â? he asks, taking a step away and looking between us.
â??Not tonight,â? Daniel says with a sigh, running his hand through his hair. â??We haveâ?¦plans.â?
We donâ??t have plans, unless you count getting yelled at by Kent. But, well. We do have to go do that, and it will indeed take most of the day.
â??Then you will come back soon,â? the Don says, turning away and stepping towards the fire. â??My wife will want to feed you, and you should spend time with family. And Iâ??m sure we will need to have moreâ?¦chats.â? His words are less an invitation than an order. He waves a hand and Gio steps towards us, gesturing towards the door, clearly understanding our dismissal.
Daniel calls some words of farewell over his shoulder, assuring his grandfather that weâ??ll be back soon, but I donâ??t say anything, my mind racing over everything that happened as we step out the door.
Because â?? well, it went well, didnâ??t it?
Or did it?
I mean â?? he didnâ??t give us an answer, didnâ??t agree to my termsâ?¦
But he didnâ??t say no?
Should I have gone in a different way â?? should I have gone in asking for more, so that when Bianci counters I can ask for less but still keep the one thing that really matters to me, Kentâ??s freedom, on the table?
Should I â??
But Iâ??m so distracted in my thoughts that I trip, stumbling a little down the formal staircase that I suddenly realize weâ??re walking down.