Filed to story: Falling for My Ex's Mafia Dad Novel Free PDF (Fay Alden & Kent Lippert)
â??Yeah,â? I say, nodding and holding the puppy tight.
â??Good,â? he says. And then with a sigh he reaches into his back pocket and produces, of all things, my phone.
â??You still have this?â? I gasp, grabbing it out of his hand. I quickly press the buttons to turn it on.
â??I was going to destroy it,â? he sighs. â??Butâ?¦your sister sent you some texts that said nice things. Andâ?¦â?
I look up at his pause, surprised.
He twists his lips as if deciding whether or not to say it. â??Andâ?¦I put my number in there. In caseâ?¦things get weird. With your mom. She wasâ?¦more unpredictable today than I thought sheâ??d be. And crueler. Iâ??m sorry. If I had known she was going to handle it like that, Iâ??d have done it differently.â?
â??Soâ?¦are you trying to say you want to get me out of this deal?â? I ask quietly. While he considers it I quickly flip through my apps, pretending Iâ??m looking for the texts from my sister when Iâ??m actually turning the phone to silent and ensuring that the lock screen stays black.
â??Iâ??m not,â? Ivan says, his voice serious. â??Just. You know. In case you ever need it? Youâ??ll be able to get in touch.â?
I smile at him, letting my hand drop down by my side. â??In case I ever need that ride to Europe?â?
â??Just in case.â?
And he smiles back, his face genuinely warm, and I canâ??t help it â?? I quickly put the puppy on the floor of the car, and lean forward, wrapping one arm around him in a tight hug. Ivan wraps both arms around me and gives me a little squeeze, pressing his cheek to my hair.
As he does, I slip my phone deep into the crack behind the cushion of my seat, pressing it in tight so that itâ??s wedged firmly in there.
â??Thank you for being a nice kidnapper, Ivan,â? I murmur. â??I donâ??t hate you. I hope you know that.â?
â??Right back at you, kid,â? he sighs. And then we pull apart, and I smile at him one last time before I reach down for the puppy whose paws are on my knees, trying to jump back into my lap. I gather him back up in my arms. Ivan unlocks the door and I push it open, climbing out.
â??Got your phone?â? he asks.
I smile at him and tap my tiny purse with my fingers. â??Right here,â? I say. â??Thanks.â?
He nods to me once after I close the door, and then I see him sigh before he focuses on the road and pulls away. I watch the car drive until it disappears, crossing my fingers that he doesnâ??t bother to check my seat.
Then I sigh myself and turn to the gate, entering the code that makes it swing open.
â??Come on, Lil Kent,â? I say, hoisting the puppy up in my arms so that weâ??re face-to-face. I grin into his confused, adorable little puppy eyes. â??Letâ??s go meet your new daddy.â?
And then I step through the gate and start down the long drive towards my house. As I walk, three figures stumble out onto the front porch and I immediately recognize them as Daniel, Jerome, and my dad.
â??Fay!â? Daniel shouts, starting to sprint down the drive, and tears again prick my eyes even as a low pain throbs in my stomach.
Because Iâ??m so, so glad to be home, back with my family.
Especially because I thinkâ?¦well, I think the newest addition to this family isnâ??t far behind.
I wipe away my tears and give Daniel a big smile as the gate swings shut behind us and he skids to a stop in front of me, throwing his arms around me and holding me tight for a long moment.
â??Oh my god,â? he whispers, his voice shaking. â??Are you â?? are you all right!?â?
â??Iâ??m fine, Daniel,â? I say back, laughing a little. â??Honestly, donâ??t worry â??â??
â??Donâ??t worry!?â? he gasps, pulling away a little and looking at me like Iâ??m insane. I laugh when he gently pats at my hair, clearly looking for head trauma. â??Fay, what â??â??
â??No, seriously,â? I say, smiling up at him and reaching up a hand to cup his cheek. â??Iâ??m fine â?? Ivan was very considerate â??â??
â??IVAN?!â? he gasps, his eyes going wide. â??Oh my god, are you serious? It was Ivan?â?
â??Well,â? I say, biting my lip and then sighing as I realize that Iâ??ve got quite a story to tell, and if I spill it all to Daniel now Iâ??m just going to have to tell it five more times to everyone else.
I peek beyond Daniel for a moment, looking for Kent, my eyes falling on Jerome, who is already on the phone, and then my dad. And my stomach drops as I realize that he, really, deserves to know first.
â??Fay?â? Daniel asks, worried at my pause.
â??Iâ??m really okay,â? I say softly, laying a hand flat on his chest. â??Just â?? let me tell everyone at once, all right? Where â?? whereâ??s Kent?â?
â??Heâ??s â??â?? Daniel turns, starting to walk me back to the house, but then Lil Kent gives a sad little yip in my arms and Daniel gasps, his eyes going wide as he stares down at the puppy. â??Oh my god, Fay,â? Daniel murmurs, stopping in his tracks, â??you still have the dog!?â?
â??Yes, poor baby,â? I murmur, hoisting him up to Danielâ??s eye level so he can see him more closely. â??Say hello to your new brother!â?
Daniel stands stock-still for a moment, staring at the dog, and then he bursts into a hysterical little laugh when the dog pushes his tiny snout forward and gives Daniel a tentative lick on the nose. â??Youâ??re insane,â? Daniel sighs, brushing a fond hand over the dogâ??s head and shaking his head at me. â??Come on.â?
My husband wraps an arm around my shoulders and escorts me the short distance to the front steps.
â??Fay,â? Jerome says, his shoulders trembling a little as he hops down the front steps and wraps me in a warm hug, â??Iâ??m so sorry â?? Kentâ??s coming back â?? he went out looking for you â??â??
â??Okay,â? I say, smiling him, though my eyes keep drifting back to my dad, who doesnâ??t bother to wipe away the tears that stream down his face. Jerome lets me go, knowing where I want to be, and I quickly climb the steps, letting my dad wrap me in his arms too.
I close my eyes, putting my head down on my dadâ??s shoulder as he rocks me slowly back and forth, placing his head against my hair. â??We were so worried for you, baby,â? he murmurs, his voice cracking. And something about it â?? the real love there, such a true contrast to the coldness my biological mother showed me this morning â??
It breaks something in me, and I start to cry in earnest, the entire day washing over me at once. The real fear of being snatched away into a van, of having to confront a ghost, of having a terrible ultimatum hung over my head, and twenty-four hours to decide how to respond?
I cry, hard, for a long time. Dad holds me through it, shushing to me like he did when I was a little girl, murmuring nice things about how itâ??s okay. And after a whileâ?¦it really is okay. Because my dad is here, and weâ??re together with the little family that weâ??ve chosen, and thatâ??sâ?¦
Well? Itâ??s the only thing that matters, isnâ??t it?
I laugh a little as the puppy starts to squirm in my arms, lifting his nose so he can lick the tears that are dripping off my chin. I sniff and pull my head up, smiling at my dad as he wipes at my cheeks with his thumb.
â??I should be the one telling you itâ??s okay,â? I sigh, shaking my head at him. â??Youâ??re the one who had to sit here, worrying.â?
â??No, Fay,â? he says, smiling and shaking his head at me. â??Itâ??s my job to tell you that â?? Iâ??m an old man now. Donâ??t take the one last thing I can do away from me.â?
â??Donâ??t be ridiculous,â? I sigh, giving him a shaky smile. â??You can do lots of things.â?
He nods once to me, moving on from it, and reaches out to stroke the little puppyâ??s head. â??And who is this? Did your kidnapper give you a parting gift?â?
â??Nah, this I accidentally stole from a farmer,â? I say, laughing a little at the ridiculousness of my day. â??Dad, meet Lil Kent.â?
My dad laughs at the name and looks up at me with a raised eyebrow. â??Does this family really need another Kent, Fay?â? he asks, his voice dry. I burst into laughter and hug my dad again. I can feel his laugh too, shaking in his chest as he holds me tight for a moment before letting me go. â??Come inside, little girl,â? he says, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. â??Letâ??s get you warm.â?
I nod to him, letting him lead me inside with Daniel and Jerome following behind.