Fall For My Ex’s Mafia Dad
Chapter 100

Daniel and I eat quickly and in silence, but as we do I can sense a shift in the energy between us. I know, somehow, that after a few minutes we're on the same team again, despite our differences. I smile at Daniel, unseen, as he pops a slice of bacon into his mouth, newly determined to do better at making sure he's okay. Once I'm finished eating I stand and move around the table, leaning down to give Daniel a kiss on the cheek. "Have a good day, Daniel," I say quietly to him, my hand on his shoulder. "We'll hangout tonight?"

Daniel looks up at me and gives me a little smile and I wrinkle my nose at him before I leave the room. As I pass through the kitchen door, though, I let my face fall, no longer needing to put on a happy expression for him. Instead, I feel my face settled into worried, anxious lines.

What the hell was that, from Kent, telling me this dress had no purpose, and I could do whatever I wanted, and he didn't care? I'm fully steamed about it as I stomp up the stairs and go to my room, closing the door behind me. I immediately peel off the dress, leaving it in a bitter little heap on the floor, and move to my wardrobe, pulling out some riding clothes and quickly changing into them, deliberately choosing the tight two-tone riding pants that particularly highlight my a*s.

Because Kent can kiss it, for all I care, after what he did to me at breakfast. I'm going to the stables to hang out with my horse, who never lets me doubt his affections. And I'm going to have a nice day, damn it.

As soon as I pull on my boots I'm out my bedroom door, clopping down the steps with my mind on the garage, wondering if I can convince Jerome to give me the keys to the Bugatti - Kent will have a fit to know that I'm driving it - when suddenly I hear my name. I pause about two steps from the bottom of the staircase as I hear it, my head whipping up to see Kent standing at his open office door, looking at me with his arms folded, his face serious.

"So, the stables then, Fay?" he asks, impassive.

I can't help the little sneer that crosses my lips then. "I thought you didn't care, Kent," I throw at him, and then I start walking again, more deliberately this time, my steps angry. He grabs my arm as I pass him, pulling me backwards off balance. Stopped in my tracks, I glare up at Kent, trying to pull my arm away, but he doesn't relent.

"What is this attitude?" he asks, glaring at me, his voice angry but low so that he won't be overheard.

"What attitude," I snap, glaring back and playing dumb, trying to pull my arm away again, harder this time.

Kent frowns and tightens his grip, pulling me closer. "This," he hisses, looking me up and down. "You're being a brat, Fay, and I -"

"Oh, whatever, Kent," I sneer. "Like you're the only one who gets to have a whole change of personality between four and seven am?"

"What are you talking about," Kent snarls, his grip tightening, perhaps guessing that if he lets me go I'm going to leave without another word. Which, to be fair, is my plan so...well done, Kent.

"I'm talking," I answer, still mad, "about you being all nice and pleasant early this morning, and then treating me like trash at breakfast! Telling me that you don't care what I do today, treating me like some weird kid Daniel had over for a sleepover instead of your -" "Shut your mouth," Kent snaps, quick, his eyes glancing around the hall. I look with him, realizing that there are people around. And then my eyes go wide as I realize that - that I'm a secret.

My mouth drops open as I stare up at Kent. I mean, I knew that we were being discreet because Daniel didn't know and it would certainly impact him, but I didn't know that he was keeping me secret from everyone - like he's ashamed of me -

After all, he let Fiona walk around in her skimpy little robes, and everyone knew she was his girlfriend -

"Oh my god," I whisper angrily through my teeth, fury pulsing through me now as I take a step closer. "Are you serious Kent? I'm your dirty little secret?"

"What the hell did you expect, Fay?" Kent whispers back, giving my arm a little shake. "That I was going to shout it from the rooftops that I'm f*****g my son's ex-fiancé? Do you know what would happen to me - to all of us - if word got back to your father!?" "My father?" I choke out, aghast. "Seriously, you're bringing my father into this? Now?"

"God damn it, Fay," Kent growls, pulling me closer again. "We have got to be more discreet - and yes, I'm going to treat you coldly in public spaces because if I don't - if people find out about this - then -"

"Then what, Kent?" I ask, shaking my head at him. "You'll lose business? Have to renegotiate your ties?"

"We'll go to war, Fay," he corrects, his own teeth clenched now as he looks furiously down at me.

My jaw drops open at this answer. War? Seriously, war? I'm important enough of a player - or object, really - that who's fucking me is serious enough that people will go to war over it?

Kent sees me process this and nods slowly, opening his mouth to give me some other kind of order when, to both of our surprise, the front door swings open. We both turn towards it, blinking in the bright sunlight that streams through, and I see two figures standing there, two suitcases next to them.

As my eyes adjust, I notice that it's a man and a woman standing side-by-side. And I realize two things about them at once: first, that I've never, ever seen them before, but that there's a certain...familiarity about them. And second, that they're both incredibly good looking.

"Ah, Kent," the woman says, her voice thick with an incredibly charming Italian accent. "So nice of you to greet us at the door." She smirks at him then, the corners of her perfectly-lined red lips turning up at the corner. I can't help staring at her - she's so beautiful, and so incredibly chic in her tight camel pants and crisp collared shirt. I glance down at her pointed leather boots, which probably cost more than my education.

Kent doesn't say a word in response and, surprised, I glance up at him. My surprise turns to shock when I see how white his face is as he stares, open-mouthed, at his two visitors. I realize suddenly that he knows them, and knows them well, and further that he does not want them here.

"What's wrong, Kent," the man laughs, a sly smile creasing his gorgeous tanned face, his accent even more pronounced than the woman's. "The cat - ah, how do you say it," he says, taking a hand out of his pocket and snapping his fingers as he tries to remember the English words. "It stole your tongue?"

This snaps Kent out of it, somehow, and he drops my arm, taking a step away from me. Both the man and the woman note this action and twin smiles grace their lips as they turn their attention to me, clearly wondering who I am. I go pale under their united gaze, realizing that I'm in the presence of two very, very dangerous people. Kent opens his mouth to speak but someone beats him to it.

"Uncle Alessi!" I hear from the landing above, and suddenly Daniel is pounding down the stairs, a huge smile on his face. "Natalia!"

The man grins proudly up at Daniel, who has showered and looks much fresher than he did at breakfast, opening his arms. The moment he reaches the landing Daniel wraps the man - his uncle, apparently - in a tight hug. I glance at Kent, seeing that he still hasn't moved, as Daniel moves on to greet Natalia just as warmly, taking her hands and placing two kisses on both of her cheeks. "It's so good to see you!" he exclaims.

The two newcomers say something quickly to him in Italian, and I'm shocked to hear Daniel reply in the same tongue - I didn't know he spoke it - and then Kent is moving forward, shaking the man's hand warmly and leaning forward to place a fond kiss on the woman's cheek. She laughs up into his face, clearly pleased to see him, and raises a hand to smack his cheek gently, familiarly.

All four of them chat pleasantly in Italian for a moment before the man - Alessi - turns to me. "And who is this one?" he asks in English, gesturing towards me, "with the beautiful red hair?"

"This," Kent says, turning towards me slowly and putting a hand out towards me in invitation for me to approach. I accept, doing my best to give them a little smile as I walk over to the group, my hand extended to take Kent's. "Is Fay Alden. Daniel's fiancé."

My steps falter as I hear Kent utter the words that place me, squarely, back in the box I thought I'd gotten out of. I don't take Kent's hand and just stare at him instead. Kent lowers his brow, shaking his head almost imperceptibly at me to let me know not to protest. Luckily, Alessi steps forward and takes my hand instead, lowering himself in a charming little bow and pressing his lips warmly to my knuckles.

"Ah, the new Donna of the Lippert Family," Alessi says, straightening up and studying me anew. "It is a pleasure to meet you, my dear."

I take a beat, but then give him my most charming smile in return. Because, after all, if I'm going to be part of this world?

I'm going to have to learn how to play the role assigned to me. And use it to my advantage.