Filed to story: Falling for My Ex's Mafia Dad Novel Free PDF (Fay Alden & Kent Lippert)
â??And what would you think was better?â? I ask, my voice soft and slow. â??Sneaking across the living room, risking a peckish Gio catching me while he went to the fridge for a midnight snack?â?
â??I would advise any method,â? Kent says, giving me a half-hearted glare, â??that doesnâ??t surprise me and make me reach for a gun.â?
â??Well, thatâ??s just your trauma response,â? I murmur, reaching up a hand to brush my palm over his stubbly cheek, butterflies rolling in my stomach at the feel of it against my fingers. â??We can work on that.â?
Kent huffs a tiny laugh and shakes his head at me. I bite my lip a little, marveling at him a bit as he holds me closer. He is just so incredibly handsome, and sweet, and good to me. How did I get so lucky?
His eyes hold mine as one of his hand shifts to my stomach, running softly over my baby bump. â??How is the little peanut doing?â? he asks.
â??Bigger than a peanut now,â? I say, bursting into a grin. â??Almost an heirloom tomato.â?
â??Really,â? Kentâ??s eyebrows going up as he shifts his gaze to my belly with a clear smile. â??Now this I can get on board with. A good Italian fruit.â?
I laugh, snuggling closer and looking down at my belly, adding my own hand. â??Be careful, baby,â? I say softly. â??Daddyâ??s going to be very tempted to turn you into a sauce â??â??
â??A delicious sauce,â? he adds with a nod. â??The best.â?
I murmur something noncommittal and Kent scowls at me, gripping me tighter until I laugh and admit that his marinara is the best Iâ??ve ever tasted. But then he grins at me, and I know weâ??re both pleased to have a light moment to joke.
â??Really, though,â? I murmur, running a finger down the length of his bare chest. â??Do you think tonight went okay?â?
â??I think it went as well as it was going to go,â? he replies. â??We are, I think, a little lucky that Bianci sent Gio instead of Alessi or anyone else.â?
â??Thatâ??s what Daniel said,â? I say, giving a little frown. â??Why do you both think that?â?
â??Because,â? Kent replies. â??Giovanni has always been the least content with what our family does â?? the most eager to rebel. I suspect that he asked Bianci for the opportunity to come and spy on us today â?? that maybe he sees Daniel and I as a lifeline to get out, if Iâ??m trying to get out. Or,â? he says, giving a little shrug, â??Gioâ??s just very good at his job and telling us what we want to hear so we trust him. I canâ??t tell.â?
â??Well,â? I say, raising my eyebrows. â??The fact that you canâ??t tell perhaps suggests how good at his job he really is. Youâ??re excellent at reading people.â?
â??Well, heâ??s Alessiâ??s son,â? Kent says consideringly. But then he continues, a little bitterness working into his tone. â??And Iâ??m not so good at reading. I missed Ivan and Alden. And Daniel and Jerome.â?
â??Well, the first two were actively trying to deceive you,â? I murmur, â??and the latterâ?¦maybe you just have terrible gaydar.â? I shrug.
Kent laughs openly at this and I grin when I realize that maybe no one has ever said the word â??gaydarâ? to him in his entire life.
â??Really, Fay?â? he says, and Kentâ??s smile is so genuine that a deep and real pleasure combines with the heat already turning within me. â??You think my gaydar is the problem here, the thing putting my family at risk?â?
â??Yes, Kent,â? I say, nodding too seriously. â??In fact, Iâ??ve been meaning to break something to you about my own sexual identity â?¦â?
Kent begins to glare at me even as he smiles, anticipating the joke. I click my tongue and shake my head, looking away.
â??I mean,â? I continue, twisting my fingers together in a false awkwardness, â??your perfect male form just doesnâ??t do it for me â?? Iâ??ve tried, but youâ??re just so unappealing â??â??
Kent growls then, pulling me close against him as he rolls onto his back, making me give a little shriek of laughter as I go with him. â??Bullshit,â? Kent says, pulling me tight against his side and sinking his fingers into my hair as he brings his face close to mine. â??My gaydar might be off, but my Faydar â??â??
I burst into laughter at the term, making him laugh as well.
â??That,â? he continues, smiling at me, â??is unfailingly accurate.â?
â??All right, mind reader,â? I say, wrapping one leg over his hip and using the leverage to turn him so that weâ??re face to face, my stomach pressed against his. â??If youâ??re so clever, what is it that I want now?â?
â??Easy,â? Kent replies. â??I can read you like a book, Fay. My favorite book, that Iâ??ve read a thousand times and can never get enough of.â? And then he presses his mouth to mine, answering my question with his actions instead of his words.
My eyes fly open when Kentâ??s arm tightens around me the next morning, but it wasnâ??t his touch that woke me.
Instead, it was the knock at the door.
â??Shit,â? Kent growls, still not moving and holding me close, clearly working at once to wake the hell up and decide what to do.
â??Maybe itâ??s Daniel?â? I squeak softly, my voice hardly higher than breath. Kent shushes me anyway.
The knock comes again.
â??Zio?â? a voice calls, and Kentâ??s arm tightens around me again.
I spin frantically beneath Kentâ??s arm as I recognize the voice as Gioâ??s, trying to read Kent face and figure out what he wants â?? me to go out the window? Toâ?¦to jump off the balcony? What -â??No time,â? he whispers, his voice soft. Then he lifts his head. â??A second, Gio!â? he calls, moving faster and snatching me up into his arms, carrying me with fast steps into the closet, snatching his phone off the bedstand as he goes. When we get into the closet, Kent puts me on my feet and presses me up against the wall closest to the door.
Over my shoulder, I hear Gio call back his assent, but my eyes stay focused on Kent.
â??Stay completely quiet, Fay,â? Kent instructs, holding my eyes so I see how damn serious he is. Then he opens his phone and presses a few buttons, handing it to me when he pulls up the sound recording feature. â??Record every word of this conversation, all right? And donâ??t even breathe loud enough to be heard.â? I nod fervently, taking the phone even as I start to shiver a little bit, though I canâ??t tell if itâ??s from adrenaline or cold.
Kent clicks his tongue in frustration and pity before moving to his shelves of clothing, tossing a big sweatshirt at me before pulling on a pair of sweatpants. I pull the sweatshirt on as he hauls a black t-shirt over his head â??
And, by the way, damn â?? because I actually donâ??t see him in a t-shirt very often and suddenly wish that I did â??
But before I can even pat down my admiration Kent strides out of the closet, crossing to the door. As instructed, I press back against the wall and donâ??t move an inch.
Listening carefully, I hear the door unbolt and then swing open. As soon as I hear that, I press the record button on the phone and do my best to hold my breath. Gio says something in Italian, his tone apologetic, but Kent speaks over him in dismissive English.
â??Itâ??s fine, Gio,â? he says, and I hear the door shut again before they begin to walk into the room. â??You didnâ??t wake me.â?
A lie, butâ?¦well, we did stay up late.
â??I brought you a little coffee,â? Gio says, and a jealousy ridiculously rolls through me. As much as adrenaline has me instantly awake, I, too, would like a coffee if Iâ??m going to be standing barefoot in this freezing closet.
â??Thank you,â? Kent murmurs, and I hear the two of them sit on the bed.
â??I wanted to talk privately,â? Gio says, his voice hesitant. â??About what is coming next.â?
â??Why privately?â? Kent asks, and I hear his tone easily fall into its interrogation mode. Even if Kent was asleep and wrapped around me less than a minute ago, heâ??s all business now.
â??Because,â? Gio says, and I can imagine him giving a very Italian little shrug. â??You know that I love Daniel, but I get the impression that he isâ?¦not as much involved in the business as is his wife.â?
â??True,â? Kent says. â??What about Fay? Did you speak with her?â?
â??Iâ??ll speak with her next â??â??
â??Donâ??t,â? Kent snaps. â??Let me speak to her.â?
Thereâ??s a long pause. â??Why?â?