Filed to story: Falling for My Ex's Mafia Dad Novel Free PDF (Fay Alden & Kent Lippert)
He growls, surprising me by spinning me around. I stand facing the wall for a second, not understanding â?? but then I hear Kent grab another bottle from the little shelf and hear him squeeze something in his hand. And then I smile, biting my lip a little, as I feel Kent begin to apply conditioner to my hair before starting to speak again.
â??The route to freedom, Fay,â? he murmurs, working the conditioner through my hair firmly but gently, â??was not to go to Bianci.â?
â??Explain that to me, Kent,â? I say on a sigh, tilting my head back a little and taking a step closer to him, unable to stop myself from reaching behind me and wrapping my hands around his hips. â??If you still â??oweâ?? him, and couldnâ??t leave the criminal element behind because he wouldnâ??t let you, then what else is there to do but offer him something worth letting you go?â?
â??Because he has no intention of ever letting me go,â? Kent murmurs, using his fingers to work the conditioner completely through my hair. â??And now, with this baby, and this deal, youâ??ve given him everything he needs to wrap you and Daniel up in it too.â?
I shake my head, not believing it. â??We wonâ??t let that happen, Kent,â? I say, assured.
He turns me again, and I open my eyes to look at him as he again tilts my head back, rinsing my hair clean. â??You already have, Fay,â? he says, shaking his head. â??I think thatâ?¦â?
He sighs and wraps his arms around me, truly holding me for the first time today as he looks down into my face. Steam puffs in the shower all around us as I look up into his eyes, and very suddenly it feels like the only things that exist in this world right now are Kent and me. That everything outside of this room isâ?¦illusory.
And as he studies me, his eyes roving over the details of my face as he presses me tightly to him, I thinkâ?¦well, I think he must feel precisely the same.
â??The only way out of this, Fay,â? he whispers. â??Was to run. To avoid him at all costs.â?
â??Then why did we come to Sicily, Kent?â? I ask, my voice as soft as his.
And he shakes his head at me, as if Iâ??ve caught him there. Or as if he really doesnâ??t know.
I raise my hands to his cheeks then, hoping he hears me. Because as mad as he is, and as good as his points are, I donâ??t regret a single thing I did today.
â??Kent,â? I whisper, â??there was no running. He was going to find us. The right move was going to him first.â?
â??Fine,â? Kent growls, baring his teeth at me just a little bit. â??But then you should have let me be the one to go.â?
â??I had more to offer than you,â? I counter, shaking my head.
â??You offered too much,â? he says, getting mad again. â??And you gave him too much information, making the offer for me -â?
â??What?â? I ask, confused.
â??Donâ??t you see it?â? he asks, his face close to mine now, the water dripping down his cheeks and off his nose. And damn it, I canâ??t help it, but my hands raise, my fingers sinking into his hair.
â??No,â? I whisper, as I stroke his hair back from where it has fallen into his face. â??Please,â? I ask, my face close to his now as heat begins to pulse in my core. â??I donâ??t understand â?? what did I miss?â?
â??That Daniel and I have always been at odds,â? Kent murmurs, his head dipping just a little now as he begins to give in. â??That Daniel â?? my freedom would never be enough for him to ask you to give up everything. Not for me.â?
â??Oh,â? I say, blinking a little as I realize what heâ??s saying. I start to fall back a step, but he doesnâ??t let me. â??You mean,â? I continue, speaking the words as I think them, â??it wouldnâ??t make sense for me to give it all up for youâ?¦if I am already safe with Daniel and the child.â?
Kent hums a little in confirmation when I finally get it, but I just curse and cover my face with my hands.
â??Shit,â? I whisper, realizing that heâ??s right â?? that Iâ?¦I gave too much.
And Bianci â?? heâ??s too clever to have missed it.
So, what on earth will his counter-move be?
Kent clicks his tongue in sympathy and I look up at him, my eyes wide with regret. He just shakes his head at me. â??It wasnâ??t a bad plan, Fay,â? he murmurs, holding me tight. â??Youâ??re justâ?¦playing chess with the grand masters now. Youâ??re kind of bound to be outmatched.â?
I frown at him a little bit. â??Are you suggesting that what I did in the months while you were in jail was easy?â?
He shakes his head, his face perfectly serious. â??Donâ??t accuse me of things I donâ??t mean just to get the upper hand, Fay,â? he murmurs, and I sigh, realizing thatâ?¦well, maybe I was doing that a little bit. â??But your dad wasâ?¦never a top tier player, even if he lucked into some of the right moves with Ivanâ??s help â??â??
â??Took you out,â? I mutter, a little bitter.
Kent gives a short laugh and shakes his head. â??And you donâ??t have the element of surprise anymore, Fay, which you have to admit was a big part of your plan to get me free and escape the country. They know your name now â?? Bianci, he has a reason to see you coming.â?
I sigh again, resting my head against his chest, frustrated. â??So, what was the right move?â?
â??The right move,â? he says, tightening his arms around my me and resting his head against mine as the water pours around us, â??was coming to me with this idea and working together to figure it out.â?
I pull away a bit and frown up at him. â??And youâ??d have let me do that? Youâ??dâ?¦work with me? Let me be part of the planning?â?
Kent stares down into my face and lifts a hand to my cheek, stroking it with his thumb. â??Youâ??ve proven yourself capable, Fay,â? he answers. â??More than capable â?? a talented strategic mind. Iâ??d be stupid to turn you away â?? what, because youâ??re young? A woman? Pregnant?â? he shakes his head at me. â??Give me more credit than that.â?
I narrow my eyes at him, not quite believing it. Not yet. â??You always shut the door on me before.â?
â??Yeah,â? he sighs, his hand slipping down my back now. â??That was before you put together a fairly brilliant plan to get me out of jail that went off without a hitch. That was frankly dull with its perfection â?? honestly, not a single shot fired, Fay â??â??
And I laugh now, shaking my head up at him, my heart raising a little bit.
â??So did I totally fuck it up?â? I whisper, anxious.
â??You did not,â? he murmurs, his hand slipping lower now to take a firm grip of my ass. â??Weâ??ll work it out, Fay. Itâ??s not what Iâ??d have chosen, and you acted sooner than Iâ??d have chosen to act butâ?¦youâ??re not wrong that weâ??d have had to face him eventually. And your first move was not a bad one.â?
I start to smile a little but hesitate when he frowns, narrowing his eyes at me, his hand tightening its grip and pulling me closer against him.
â??But thatâ??s not what we really need to talk about right now,â? he murmurs, his voice deepening, darkening.
â??Itâ??s â?? itâ??s not?â? I ask, my eyes going wide with anticipation and a little bit of anxiety. Because whatâ?¦
But suddenly I give a little gasp as Kent uses his grip on my ass to pull me hard against him and then lifts, sliding my wet body up along his until Iâ??m lifted up firmly against him. He glares at me again before striding three steps forward until my back presses against the cool tiles of the shower wall.
â??We have to talk,â? he growls, â??about you lying to me, and sneaking out of the house, with Daniel of all people â??â??
And I smirk a little â?? I canâ??t help it â?? because this? This fight is more familiar territory. This I can handle.
But Kent just shakes his head at me, narrowing his eyes until the smirk falls from my face.
â??Iâ??m serious, Fay,â? he says, pressing me back against the wall. â??Weâ??re not going to do it like this, with you doing whatever the hell you want and just swanning back into the house and taking your clothes off until Iâ??m not mad anymore. I admit â?? it worked this time. But thatâ??s the end of it.â?
And I hesitate, not really wanting to agree to this becauseâ?¦
I mean. This worked out pretty great for me.
And so I loop my arms around his neck and move myself closer, letting the wet skin of my breasts press against his chest. â??Well then what will we do instead?â? I murmur, lifting my mouth to his.
But, to my surprise, he just shakes his head at me again. â??No,â? he snaps. â??Iâ??m serious, Fay, this is the end of it. That is the last lie you tell me, and the last time you do something behind my back. We agree â?? I wonâ??t do it to you, and you wonâ??t do it to me. Or else this is done.â?