Fall For My Ex’s Mafia Dad
Chapter 139

Kent and I fall asleep peacefully that night, his right arm wrapped tight around me, his left arm stretc My eyes flash around the room as I try to figure out where I am - to find the men who were breaking in But as I look gasping around I see that...everything is fine.

That it's just the two of us, still alone in Kent's cool, dark room.

"Fay," he murmurs sleepily, his voice tense as I moan and curl up next to him, still shaken by the night "I'm okay," I whisper back, shaking my head, feeling guilty about having woken him over something so Kent tsks sympathetically and tugs at my shoulder, a silent request for me to turn. So I do, and he pul about?"

"Nothing," I murmur, shaking my head.

"Tell me," he urges, taking a deep breath as his body again starts to relax.

"It was nothing," I lie, pressing myself tight against him, wanting to be close as possible, to feel the liv it. Because I really don't want to tell him - don't want to be worried about me being worried about hi But as Kent's breathing deepens next to me, and I can feel the slowing beat of his heart, I know that d ...that what Ivan told me is still haunting me. And as much as Kent wants me to forget about it, and Da I can't do it.

I have to do something. I have to act.

And so I fall asleep again with a new resolve burning in my heart.

When Kent wakes up the next morning, I don't think he remembers my nightmare. But I'm awake first, Kent drops a kiss to my neck before turning over to turn it off, but he's back in a moment, his arm wra

I smile and turn my face up to him but he frowns down at me, pulling away to look at me. "Are you all, insult and I squeak, covering my face, which just makes him laugh.

t beneath me so I can use his bicep as a pillow. But about three hours later I'm gasping awake, my whole body shaking in fear. house - who were killing them - killing us all - cutting Daniel's throat, shooting at Kent - who already laid Jerome out on the floor, leaking blood -

Are you okay? What's -"

. "It was just a nightmare - I'm sorry -"

ight against him so that my stomach and chest are tight against his. "Poor Fay," he murmurs, pressing a kiss to my forehead and then my hair. "What was it

eathing reality of him, to let him chase away the fright. Kent murmurs more comforting things to me, but I can tell that he's barely awake, and I'm grateful for all of last night's very pleasant distractions...

ants me to let Kent handle it...

only dipped in and out of sleep for the rest of the night. So, when the alarm clock begins its horrible noise, I barely even flinch. round me. "Good morning," he murmurs, pulling me close.

ay?" he asks. When my smile drops away he laughs a little. "I mean, I'm sorry - you just don't look as...fresh as you usually do." My jaw drops in horror at his

"No, Fay," he chuckles, gathering me close. "You're gorgeous as usual, stop. Just - you don't look like you got any sleep. Are you okay?"

"I didn't sleep well," I confess, pulling my hands away from my face with a sigh, pressing a kiss to his chest before looking up at him again. "I had indigestion," I lie, and then I narrow my eyes at him. "Natalia poised me. I'm sure of it." "I wouldn't put it past her," he murmurs, pressing a light kiss to my mouth. Then, he pulls back again, considering me. "Stay here," he suggests, nodding to the bed. "Just sleep. I'll make sure you're not disturbed."

And, as tempted as I am, I sigh and shake my head. "No," I murmur, starting to sit up. Kent sits up with me as I run my fingers through my tangled hair. "I have things I want to do today. And Daniel will miss me at breakfast." "You worry too much about that boy," Kent says, running his knuckles fondly down my cheek. "He can handle himself."

"No, he can't," I sigh, giving Kent a dubious little look as I climb out of bed and go searching for my slippers and robe. "Which is why I have to tag-team his emotions with his boyfr-"

And I freeze mid-sentence, realizing what I just said. And that Kent and I have never had that conversation before.

"Really," Kent says, leaning back against the pillows as I turn towards him, grimacing. A wide, eager smile spreads across Kent's face. "So. Daniel's got a boyfriend, hmm?"

"I said nothing," I say, crossing my arms and glaring at him.

"Who is it?" Kent asks, his grin growing.

"Nothing," I say, raising my eyebrows. "I am a lockbox of secrets."

"Fay," Kent says, leaning forward and laughing at me. "You are at best a basket of secrets. With a very loose weave."

"That's not true!" I gasp, my hands falling. "I kept Daniel's boyfriend secret for months!"

"So, he's had a boyfriend for months," Kent says, clasping his hands victoriously behind his head and leaning further back against the pillows.

"That's it," I say, slicing my hand through the air and turning away from him. "No more interrogations when I am sleepy!" And then I lean down to snatch my robe off the floor, pulling it hastily over my body.

"I'll give you a coffee if you tell me," Kent offers. "Do I know him?"

I glance between Kent and the coffee cabinet, tempted, but then I hold my chin up high, pretending a grace I do not feel. "My loyalty to Daniel is more important than coffee," I say loftily. And then Kent laughs at me as I slip my feet into my moccasins and head to the door to the passage, pulling it open.

"I'll get it out of you, Fay!" Kent calls after me, laughing. "Sooner or later!"

"Make it worth my while, Kent," I say, sending him a little wink over my shoulder. "And...maybe I'll let that little piece slip." Then I blow him a cheeky kiss and head down the passage, his laughter ringing out behind me.

I move quickly through the basement corridor, feeling a little guilty that I've let Daniel's secret slip, but I feel less guilty as I realize that it's nothing that Kent probably didn't already know. I mean, if he really cared to know who Daniel has been sleeping with, all he'd have to do is scroll through a couple of month's worth of security tapes in the upstairs hallway to see Jerome sneaking in and out of Daniel's room.

If Kent doesn't know already, it's because he doesn't want to.

Cheered a bit at this realization, I climb up the winding staircase to my room and push open the wardrobe door. I'm a little disappointed that Daniel isn't there waiting for me - I want to make things right with him again, uncomfortable that we ended last night on a fight. But I'm also a little cheered, as I realize that it makes my next steps easier.

Because despite my cute wakeup with Kent, I'm still shaken by my nightmare, and still resolved to do something to make a change, to save our lives even if Kent and Daniel seem to be willing to turn a blind eye to Ivan's warnings.

So, I grab my little burner phone out of my desk and, after sending off some quick replies to my dad and Janeen, I open my messages to Ivan.

Hey, I type out, my fingers flying over the screen. I want to talk. I'm sorry about how everything happened yesterday. Please - I think we can make a deal.

And then, feeling relieved that I've done something, I put the phone away and turn towards my bathroom. But I turn when I hear a little knock at my door. Curious, I quickly cross the room and pull the door open, my face breaking into my smile when I see a little tray with a tiny cup of espresso and a chocolate croissant waiting for me there.

Pleased, I bend down to pick it up, my mouth already watering as I turn back into my room and kick my door shut behind me.