Filed to story: Falling for My Ex's Mafia Dad Novel Free PDF (Fay Alden & Kent Lippert)
And god â?? after so much sleep, you wouldnâ??t think that Iâ??d be this tired â?? but I am completely exhausted. I move to take a confident, self-composed step forward but I surprise myself by stumbling awkwardly to the side.
â??Gio,â? Kent calls, holding me steady with one hand as his nephew comes forward. Kent offers Gio the baby and I frown to see my son handed off again â?? I just want him with me right now. â??Can you help the baby into his carseat? Iâ??m going to help Fay get dressed.â?
I sigh, accepting the help as Kent wraps an arm around my waist.
â??Bring the coffee,â? I mutter as Gio turns towards the door and Kent starts to guide me to the closet. Kent nods, laughing, and reaches for the coffee on the bedside table. â??And whereâ??s my dog?â?
Kent just laughs then at that, handing me my cup and shaking his head at me. â??So many demands all at once.â?
â??Well, I wanted to stay home and be a new mom today,â? I say, glaring at him as we walk together into the closet and I find my balance again. â??But someone is requiring me to play mafia instead. So, you reap what you sow, Kent.â?
â??Yes, little donna,â? he murmurs, pressing a kiss to my head. â??Come on. Your clothes are all laid out.â?
Thirty minutes later, I look around our packed silver SUV, kind of baffled by the strange crew weâ??ve amassed here.
â??All right, baby?â? dad asks from the other back seat, Dominicâ??s little carrier strapped into the middle seat between us. Titus, in dadâ??s lap, peers curiously into the newborn car seat, maybe wondering if he can fit in there too.
â??Yeah,â? I say, glancing forward at Gio in the driverâ??s seat and Kent in the passenger, and then backwards over our luggage through the back window to see Janeen in the front seat of her little Porsche. â??Are you sure you want to come, dad?â? I ask, hesitant. He has previously not really been interested in the business side of our family.
â??Oh, Iâ??m sure,â? he says, smiling happily at his grandson. â??Iâ??m not letting you all leave me all alone in that house â?? especially not when I got my new buddy here to hang out with.â?
I smile a little, looking down at Dominic in the little blue Yankees beanie that my dad mysteriously produced this morning, which of course made me instantly burst into tears.
â??Iâ??m glad youâ??re here, dad,â? I say softly, and my he reaches out a hand to stroke softly over my hair.
â??Me too, Fay,â? he whispers. â??Iâ??ll help you out, and the baby will be just fine. Especially when weâ??ve got Janeenâ??s nice doctor in the front seat.â?
I grin at him then, catching the way dad called Gio Janeenâ??s nice doctor. He winks at me, letting me know it was intentional.
I glance in the driverâ??s seat and wonder if thatâ??s a blush on Gioâ??s cheek? Or just the pink light of the rising sun.
â??All good?â? Kent asks, turning from the passenger seat to look at us, his eyes warm and worried at once. â??Do you need anything?â?
â??Nope,â? I say, smiling at him and doing my best to keep my voice cheerful even though dread curls in me. â??Letâ??s hit the road.â?
Kent just looks at me for a long, fond moment, and then turns back to the front of the car. â??Hit it, Gio.â? And then he leans his head back on the headrest of the car as Gio starts to drive. â??Wake me up when we get there.â?
â??Here we go, little baby,â? I whisper to Dominic, unable to keep the smile from my face as he turns his head towards me. â??Babyâ??s first road trip, followed by babyâ??s first mafia negotiation! Big day for you!â?
And I canâ??t help but laugh, just a little, as Dominic yawns and closes his eyes, turning his head away as if thatâ??s just a little bit too boring for him.
I sigh, content, and then spend the next few hours in and out of a daze, half sleeping, half staring at my beautiful son and chatting with my dad, and all the time worried about what the hell is going to happen next.
I come abruptly awake with a little gasp when the car goes over a little bump outside the gates of Villa Bianci. My eyes fly open and 1 look up to see Kent already turned in his seat, looking at me. I give him a little nod, letting him know that Im all right, and then I turn to glance at my dad, who looks at me with worry, and then down at my little boy.
Dominic, thankfully, is still asleep. We stopped once on the way for a little break so that I could feed and change him, but he seems pretty settled now.
Which is good because…
Well, we’re here, aren’t we? We pass through Biancis guarded gate and start to drive slowly towards the house.
I’m a little glad that Dominic is asleep I don’t think a crying infant is going to make our negotiation go any easier.
“You all right, baby?” my dad asks, leaning towards me a little, the puppy alert in his lap and looking curiously towards the window.
“‘m okay,” I say with a yawn, doing my best to stretch my arms out in the cramped space. “I’m just so tired is this normal?”
“I think it is,” he says, giving me a little nod and a smile.” Janeen’s mom was exhausted for days after she was born.
But it gets better, and I’m here to help you.”
“You’re the best, dad,” I say, smiling at him and reaching over Dominic to squeeze his shoulder. But there’s no time to say anything else as Gio pulls up to the house and eases the car to a stop. Alessi and Valentina are standing outside, waiting quietly, their faces solemn.
We’re all silent as we start to get out of the car. Kent comes instantly around to me as Janeen pulls up behind us, and I give her a glance as I step out of the car to make sure she’s all right before turning to look up at Kent.
“Kent,” | breathe, fear starting to coil in my stomach. I was all right on the way here but now that were at the house?
About to go in, and face Bianci? “What’s what’s going to happen?”
“It’s all right,” he murmurs, cupping my cheek in his palm. ” I’ll handle it, Fay.”
I shake my head, still worried. “But what’s our plan? What are we going to say to him? How are we -“
“You don’t have to worry about this,” he murmurs, stepping closer to me and bringing his other hand to my cheek.” Please, Fay, all you have to do is stand there let me take care of this -“
I open my mouth to protest that he’s just as exhausted as I am when movement catches my eye. I take a step back, Kent’s hands falling from my cheeks as Alessi steps around the car, looking curiously at us, standing so close
s**l. s**l. In all of the distraction, I forgot the façade.
Blushing a little, I duck into the car, reaching for Dominic and starting to unbuckle him. Luckily, my dad’s there to help my fumbling hands as Kent says some cold greetings to Alessi outside the car.
“You can just take him in the car seat, Fay,” my dad says, his voice gentle.
“I know,” | sigh, finishing with his straps and lifting my baby into my arms. His little Yankees cap falls off in the process, but it let it, wanting to feel his soft hair against my cheek. ” Dad, will you take the carrier? I just want to…”
But dad just pats my hands and smiles at me, nodding to let me know he understands. I exhale a little, bolstered by my dad’s quiet, steady warmth, and then I steel myself, reminding myself of precisely who I am before I duck out of the car with the baby in my arms.
“There she is,” Alessi says, his face bursting into a warm smile I think despite himself. He puts his arms out and I take a step forward, letting him give me a small hug. “And the beautiful child,” Alessi murmurs, leaning back a little to look down at Dominic. “My first grand-nephew. He is beautiful, Fay. Congratulations.”
“Thank you, Alessi,” I say quietly as he admires my son. I glance up at Kent, who stands stoically with his hands in his pockets, watching us. Because this just feels so… weird.
Now that the baby is here, pretending that Kent is not his father? It’s not as easy as it used to be.
Valentina appears around the end of the car, Janeen at her side, and gives a little squeak when she sees the baby.
She’s instantly in motion, dashing past her son, reaching for me, reaching for the child
Haugh a little, remembering how Valentina said how much she likes children, and I tilt Dominic so that she can see him in my arms
But Alessi just sighs and takes her by the arm before she can get to me. “We have business to attend to, Valentina,” he murmurs, holding her back.