Filed to story: Falling for My Ex's Mafia Dad Novel Free PDF (Fay Alden & Kent Lippert)
My feet hit first and I tumble back onto my ass, rolling back a little on my back just a little bit onto some soft grass. I gasp a little, because I landed right on my tailbone, butâ?¦
I open my eyes, assessing myself and realizing that Iâ??m completely fine. I scowl a little, feeling a little stupid as I get to my feet and look upward butâ?¦
Kentâ??s already gone.
So, I pull myself together, dusting grass off my robe and rubbing my ass, and then I make my way around to the pool, marveling at the fact that less than five minutes ago Kent and I were having a perfectly delicious shower and heading to the bed for a little moreâ?¦
â??Fucking Gio,â? I mutter, stepping onto the smooth flagstones next to the pool and running my fingers through my hair, trying to put it in some kind of order as I climb the steps.
When I finally get to the door of the house, I see that most of my family is already gathered in the living room, greeting our not-so-welcome guest. Kent, for some reason I canâ??t discern, isnâ??t there yet even though he had a much shorter distance to cross than me. Where the hell is he? Janeen sees me first, turning towards me in shock.
â??Fay,â? she says, frowning in confusion. â??How the hell did you â??â??
â??Gio!â? I say, interrupting her cheerfully and moving across the room.
Janeen figures it out in a moment, shutting her mouth and starting to grin a little as she realizes that something more complicated is afoot here than just a cousinâ??s visit.
Gio turns and smiles at me, looking me over with interest. â??Fay,â? he says, holding a hand out to me. When I take it, he pulls me close and gives me a set of twin kisses on my cheeks. â??I was just being introduced to your lovely family.â?
â??Well,â? I say, stepping quickly to Danielâ??s side and wrapping an arm around his waist. â??I was just taking a dip in the pool. So refreshing, on a day like this.â? Dad and Jerome look at me like Iâ??m a little crazy, still not putting it together, but they know enough now to intuit something is up. Like the good soldiers they are, they keep their mouths shut.
â??Really,â? Gio says, grinning a little. â??I would think it was rather cold.â?
I open my mouth to reply as Daniel wraps an arm around my shoulder, but before I can the door to the master bedroom opens up and Kent steps through.
Gioâ??s grin deepens as he turns towards Kent and I watch him carefully. Iâ??m a little disappointed to see that Gio doesnâ??t look surprised at all he just shakes his head a little, moving quickly to his uncle with open arms.
â??My Uncle,â? he says, laughing as Kent returns his smile and wraps his nephew in a warm hug. â??I wondered if Iâ??d see you here.â?
â??Yup,â? Kent replies, letting Gio go and patting his cheek fondly before ruffling his hair. â??Looks like the catâ??s out of the bag on this one. Iâ??m home.â?
â??For good, I hope,â? Gio says, stepping away and seeming genuinely pleased to see his uncle.
â??That depends,â? Kent says, sliding his hands into his pockets and studying his nephew. â??On who sent you, and why.â?
Gio laughs warmly and tilts his head to the side, giving Kent a self-deprecating grin that makes me blink in surprise at how damn charming it is. I shoot a glance at Janeen and smirk inwardly to see one side of her mouth pulling up, looking him up and down like a hungry cat. Clearly, his charm is not lost on her, though Kent continues to stare at his nephew with a stony expression.
â??Oh, Zio,â? Gio says, continuing to smile as he spreads his hands wide. â??You cannot blame me for this. Honestly, Daniel shows up unannounced with his new bride, who makes a fascinating offer, and you expect nonno to whatâ?¦just let them go? Of course he sent me behind!â?
â??So, what?â? Kent asks, slipping his hands into his pockets. â??Youâ??re here as his spy?â?
â??I am here,â? Gio says, looking around at all of us with a warmth in his expression thatâ??s kind of incredible in the face of Kentâ??s withering glare, â??as your nephew. I want to hear more of your life, I want to catch up with my favorite cousin!â? Gio claps Daniel on the shoulder, and I can tell that Daniel canâ??t help the smile that breaks out onto his face.
But Kent just raises an eyebrow.
Gio turns his gaze back to Kent. â??Am I going to be required to make a report back to my grandfather? Yes.â? I blink a little at the blandness with which Gio admits that heâ??s a spy. â??But,â? Gio continues, his voice a little cagier now, â??precisely what I report, and how much, isâ?¦â? he shrugs here, nonchalant, â??up to me. Is it not?â?
My eyes move immediately at Kentâ??s because I, for one, am totally shocked at Gioâ??s interesting offer. I mean, whatâ??s he playing at?
I see Kentâ??s eyebrows raise, reflecting my curiosity and surprise. â??Well, Gio,â? Kent says slowly, stepping forward and slipping his arm around his nephewâ??s shoulder. â??I guess we can talk about all of that in the morning, canâ??t we? Youâ??ll stay overnight, yes?â?
â??Of course!â? Gio says, reaching down to pull a bottle of wine out of the bag at his feet. â??I will not be going back on the road after drinking this, after all.â? He hands the bottle to Kent, who smiles with genuine pleasure â?? which means it must be a rare vintage.
A vintage which I, of course, cannot taste. I scowl a little, jealous.
â??Come in,â? Kent says, smiling again at Gio and leading him towards the kitchen, scooping up the bag of wine on his way. â??Itâ??s a night for celebration! Iâ??m glad to see you, kid.â?
The ice officially broken, my family all moves towards the kitchen to make our guest â?? who is also Bianciâ??s spy â?? feel welcome. Daniel walks alongside Kent and Gio, and Dad likewise moves into the kitchen, peering into the bag of wine bottles that Gio brought as if he has any idea what the labels mean. Janeen quickly takes Danielâ??s place at my side as I follow more slowly. Jerome falls in with us, not quite knowing his role in all of this just yet.
â??So,â? Janeen says, her voice soft, her eyes never leaving the Gio in the kitchen as Kent opens the bottle of wine and Daniel sets out glasses. â??Tell me everything.â?
â??I donâ??t really know everything yet,â? I reply quietly, slowing my pace and letting the loud chatter in the kitchen cover my words. â??Heâ??s a doctor â??â??
â??A doctor,â? she says, her smile deepening, like I just told her Christmas is tomorrow.
â??Janeen,â? Jerome scoffs, giving her shoulder a shrug, â??you left a perfectly good doctor back in America.â?
â??Who?â? she asks, frowning at him.
â??The guy who switched our DNA sample?â? I murmur, my hand going immediately to my stomach so she knows precisely who I mean.
â??Oh!â? she says, laughing now. â??Dr. Banks. Yeah, he was a nice guy â?? asked me to marry him, actually but come on, Jerome,â? she says, glancing over at him and rolling her eyes. â??He was no Italian Mafia prince with a car like that â??â??
â??You have a vintage Porsche, Janeen,â? Jerome points out with a scoff, â??you donâ??t need another fancy car.â?
They continue to bicker a little as we finally make our way to the kitchen, and as I lean on the counter Kent lifts his eyes to mine, raising his eyebrow just a little and flicking his eyes between Janeen and Jerome.
I give a little shrug, letting him know that I donâ??t have any idea how they were introduced to Gio before I came into the room. He scowls a little as he pours the wine, but luckily Gio makes it easy on us, turning and leaning on the counter to smile at Jerome and Janeen.
â??Apologies, all of this family talk got in the way of introductions,â? Gio says, turning to smile at Janeen and Jerome. â??Fayâ??s father I met, butâ?¦â?
Kent slides smoothly in here, taking control. â??This is Janeen,â? Kent says, handing her a glass of wine as she turns her mega-wat smile on Gio, â??Fayâ??s sister. And this,â? Kent says, handing a glass along to Jerome, â??is Jerome. Janeenâ??s fiancé.â?
Jerome falters just for a second as he takes the glass of wine, flashing his eyes to Kent as his face falls. I almost laugh in surprise but I hold myself back as Jerome recovers fast, smiling at Gio and slipping an arm around Janeenâ??s shoulders. â??Just happy to be along for the ride,â? he says, grinning and raising the glass in our guestâ??s direction. â??Nice to meet you, Gio. Thanks for bringing the wine.â?
Janeenâ??s mouth pops open when she realizes what Kent has done, but her expression quickly turns into a scowl as she glances at Jerome before taking a big swig of her wine. I bite my lip a little to keep from laughing, because while itâ??s clear that she understands her role in this little farce, itâ??s also clear that sheâ??s not happy about it.
â??So nice to meet you both,â? Gio murmurs, sipping his own glass of wine and looking carefully around at all of us. When his eyes meet mine his smile deepens and he holds my gaze. I stand up and hold his eyes, well aware that he realizes that something is off about our little family.
But I raise my chin, letting him know that I have no intention of letting him get the upper hand.
Gio grins and nods to me as Kent begins to pull food out of the refrigerator, letting a cutting board clatter loudly on the granite counter top and drawing Gioâ??s attention before placing cheese on top and beginning to ask Gio friendly questions about his life, easily distracting him from asking Jerome and Janeen any awkward questions about how they met.The next few hours areâ?¦masterful. I take mental notes as I watch Kent carefully orchestrate every single moment of the night. Heâ??s a charming host, making Gio perfectly at ease, but I do not miss that Kent dominates the conversation with Gio, continuing to ask questions so that we learn a great deal more about Gio and the Biancis than he does about us. We all chip in on the conversation as dinner is prepared â?? Daniel asking questions about old friends, Jerome asking about where Gio went to school â?? but Kent quickly gives us all jobs so that our hands are busy in the kitchen and Gio has no opportunity to steal one of us away for a private chat.
I scowl a little when Kent plops a single onion in front of me with a cutting board and a knife. â??Slice,â? he quietly orders, starting to move away.
â??Canâ??t I do cheese?â? I ask, glancing over at where Janeen is grating a large block of parmesan and laughing a little too hard at Gioâ??s jokes.
Kent just smirks as he raises an eyebrow at me. â??You can graduate to cheese,â? he says, â??when you demonstrate that you can properly slice an onion.â?
I scowl, picking up the knife and starting to saw the onion in half. Gioâ??s eyes shift to me even as he chats nightlife with Janeen, and I donâ??t miss the huge smile that breaks onto his face.