Fall For My Ex’s Mafia Dad
Chapter 112

I blink, realizing that I never thought about it, about the question of what I want to be to Kent. And wh I mean, Kent is overwhelming - even just learning to be around him is a lot, let alone considering if I His-

"It's all right, Fay," Kent whispers, moving closer to me and putting a gentle hand on my cheek, probab "Okay," I say, biting my lip. "I don't know - but Kent, I don't want to live my life in secret. I don't want t "Who?" Kent asks, frowning. I hesitate but he glares at me a little, so I give in.

"Well, Daniel, obviously," I say and he tilts his head, because he knows by my tone that there's more. "Jerome?" Kent asks, surprised.

"Jerome is smarter than you give him credit for," I say, raising my eyebrows. "He's...perceptive."

"He's also obsessed with you," Kent mutters angrily, looking away, his expression mildly murderous no to me, curious, but I shake my head a little as I smile, letting him know that I'm keeping this secret. He "Fay," Kent says quietly after a moment of silence. "I'm sorry."

My mouth falls open a little bit in shock. An apology? From Kent?

He takes a deep breath. "This hasn't been fair on you - you're right. We should - and we can make... I know exactly what's caused it.

"Natalia," I whisper. And I only mention her because I know that while Alessi is Bianci's son...Natalia is "It's...too precarious, Fay," Kent whispers to me, holding my gaze so that I can see how serious he is. "I head, letting me see just how close we are to the edge of the cliff.

"Is it that bad?" I ask, worried now. Slowly, he nods.

nt him to be to me.

be with him. I mean, is that even what I would want, if it was a possibility? Do I want to be more than Kent's mafia mistress? Do I want to be his girlfriend?

ng me think it through and freak out a little bit. "You don't have to know now."

to scurry around like a little rat, worried about who is going to find out. I don't want to have to lie - and people are going to find out - they already have!"

rome."

rst out into a little laugh now because - well, because I'm not the member of this household who Jerome is actually obsessed with. Kent snaps my gaze back and lets me.

s. Be more flexible. I don't want you to feel like I'm ashamed of this. Because I'm not. But Fay," Kent tilts his head to the side and I see him worried now. And

l threat here.

such shaky ground with them already. If they find out this - that my relationship with Alden hangs in the balance because of this, with you..." he shakes his

"They could destroy us. Alden would take it as a grave insult that I've...despoiled you." He sighs and coats his face with his hand, looking ashamed of himself. "And he'd be right, Fay - another boss wouldn't marry you now -"

I feel myself smirk at this, thinking that that's not quite right - that Ivan might - but then I wipe my face before he sees it.

Kent drags the hand from his face and looks at me again. "If Bianci discovered that I've put my business with Alden at risk - given Alden every legitimate reason to declare war on me -" Kent pauses, seeking the words, apparently at a loss to describe the magnitude of it. "Bianci and Alden could unite and just...wipe me off the face of the earth. And Daniel. And everything I've built. And...you."

My eyes go wide as I realize how serious he is. How serious this is.

"Kent," I whisper, staring at him. "Why don't you just let me go? If the risk is that high?"

Kent goes dead still as he looks into my face, silent for too long. His next works shock me to my core. "Fay," he whispers. "Don't you think I've tried?"

The two of us are very, very still for the next few moments, and as it turns out I'm the one who can't take it. I break the silence, the stillness, taking a sharp inhale of breath and moving closer to him and pressing my body up against his.

Because - despite everything - despite the threat -

I don't think I can stop either.

"Okay," I breathe, wrapping my arms around Kent and tucking my head under his chin, pressing my ear to his chest and listening to his heartbeat. Kent pauses for a moment and then folds his arms around me, holding me lightly to him, a gentle grip that lets me know that if I want to run from him...I can.

"All right," I sigh, giving in. "Until they leave, Kent. Until it's settled, until they're gone, I'll be your secret, and you'll be mine. And then, we'll...decide."

"All right," Kent agrees, tightening his hold on me in such a way that feels like...relief, more than affection, or ownership. Like he has finally relaxed. "But Kent?" I ask, turning my head up towards him.

"Hmm?" he replies, encouraging me to ask.

"Can you just be like...a little nicer to me?"

Kent laughs at this, apparently surprised. He looks at me curiously. "What? Have I been mean to you?"

"Well, no," I murmur, wiggling a little discontentedly beside him. "But Natalia - she is a..." I blow out a breath there, letting him know precisely what I think Natalia is without having to say it. Kent laughs and hugs me tighter, pleased.

"Natalia is a dragon," he remarks. "I thought you've been doing quite well against her, Fay - especially tonight, when you didn't cry or run away after she told me about your little interlude with him -"

"She's making my life a living hell!" I protest, ignoring his mention of Ivan. "She's so mean to me Kent - you don't see half of it, because she saves it for when you're not around! Which is always! I have to spend all day with her and it's just insult, insult, insult!" I shake my head, amazed and frustrated.

Kent just laughs at me further. "All right, Fay," he concedes. "I'll do a better job of being on your side, when I can. But I can't be around all the time, and if you're going to play the role of Daniel's fiancé it's your job to entertain his guests -"

"I never knew that!" I retort, pulling my hand up and smacking him on the chest. "No one told me - no one prepared me for any of this! I told her I can't cook pasta, and she looked at me like I said I committed a war crime! I would have learned to cook pasta! I mean, it can't be hard - you just boil it, right?"

Kent laughs harder at this, at me, but not in a way that makes me feel bad. Instead, I feel heard by him, and like he's helping me see the lighter side of it. I can't help the little smile that blooms on my face as I laugh at it too.

"She's walking all over you, Fay," Kent murmurs, bringing his face close to mine, "because you're letting her."

"I'm letting her -"I gasp, "you're letting her! And Daniel!"

"It's not our job to defend you," he pushes back, shaking his head, "not against the words of a clever woman, a rival."

"Oh! Yes, a rival!" I say, crossing my arms and pulling away from him a little, though he tightens his grip on me, not wanting me to move away. "And don't think Daniel didn't tell me about that -"

"What?" Kent asks, a little grin on his lips, because he already knows where I'm going with this.

"About this," I say, lifting my left hand and waving it at his face, my engagement ring still perched on it. "And whose finger it sat on before mine!"