Fall For My Ex’s Mafia Dad
Chapter 169

Janeen, Jerome, and Daniel all watch through the glass of the back door as Fay and her dad sit on the couch, having a long chat during which she explains a lot of stuff that...he probably doesn't want to know. They've been watching the myriad of emotions cross his face, but Janeen is finally relieved to see him smiling, clearly excited about his first grandchild. Janeen smiles herself, finally feeling a little bit at ease now. Because as far as she's concerned, even though Kent is out of the picture her dad is very much in. It's good to finally see the final member of Team Baby on the page.

"What do you think," Daniel murmurs to her, anxiously biting the nail of his thumb as he stares through the door. "Is he gonna...kill me? Kill her? Break into prison and kill Kent?"

"Nah," Janeen says with a sigh, turning away from the window and towards the beer that's waiting for her on the table. "Papa Thompson is a big softie. Why would he be mad at you, anyway?"

"Because I got her into this," Daniel sighs, taking Janeen's cue and likewise sitting down at the table, joined by Jerome.

"Yeah," Janeen says, giving him a weird look as she raises her beer to her lips. "You guys are like...weirdly close for ex's. What even is she to you now? Your fake fiancée slash new mom?"

Daniel grimaces.

"Nah these two are besties," Jerome sighs, looking at Janeen with a small smile. "Daniel and Fay are two peas in a fucked-up pod - they talk the same, think the same. Even have the same boring-a*s hobbies. Books, puzzles. It's the worst." Janeen laughs at this, turning bright eyes on Daniel. "So, are you a horse girl too?"

"Absolutely not," Daniel says, shuddering. "Horrible animals."

They all laugh then, taking a much-needed mutual sip of their beers. Things go quiet then, each of them thinking their own independent thoughts on the same subject.

"So, tell me the truth," Janeen says quietly, and Daniel looks up to see her eyes fixed on him. "Your dad. Does he love her?"

Daniel's lips press to a thin line as he studies Janeen, deciding what to say. But then he just gives it up and huffs an ironic little laugh before letting his head hang a little.

"Yeah, Janeen," he sighs, pressing his fingers tight against the bridge of his nose - a motion that makes Jerome smirk because it's something he's seen Kent do a thousand times. "Yeah, he loves the crap out of her. He...he hasn't said it, not to her. But dad's..." "Closed off? Fucked up? Emotionally stunted and withholding?"

"Yes, yes, and yes?" Daniel says, lifting his head to look her in the eye. "But she's his kryptonite. I've never seen someone break down dad's walls like she does. I can't explain it."

"I can," she returns instantly, turning to look through the window at her little sister. Daniel smiles to see the very real loyalty and dedication on Janeen's face.

"Me too," Jerome says, and then he leans forward and smacks Daniel on the shoulder. "What are you, blind, you idiot?"

Daniel laughs and shrugs. "It was a turn of phrase! Hyperbole!"

"Oh gross, are you and Fay going to use big words all the time?" Janeen asks, turning to sneer at him. Jerome laughs again and Daniel just narrows his eyes at her, but he can't help his smile.

"All of that aside," Jerome says, his voice oddly serious enough for the other two to look his way. "Our whole job now is that girl in there," he says, nodding towards her. "I don't know if you two have figured it out yet," he says softly, quietly, "but she's head of the family now."

He looks to Daniel then, with a little bit of apology on his face. Because, obviously, Daniel should be the one inheriting that title in Kent's absence. But they're all aware - and Jerome's just the first to say it.

"To the boss," Daniel says, sighing and lifting his beer towards the center of the table. The other two raise theirs, clinking them all together and repeating his words. "May she be a benevolent dictator," Daniel murmurs after taking a long swig.

"Seriously," Janeen says, surprising him so that he snaps his eyes up to hers. "Cut it with the word shit, okay?"

They're all still laughing when the glass door slides open.

"Hey," Fay says, stepping outside and pushing it closed behind her. "What's so funny?"

"We're deciding what to name the baby," Janeen says, patting the chair next to her and smoothly changing the subject. "Come help."

"Um," Fay says, frowning at her, "don't I get the majority say in this decision?"

"We're thinking Jerome the Second," Jerome says, ignoring her and making Daniel laugh. "Very royal, very elegant."

Fay wrinkles her nose at him and laughs, sitting back against the cushions, clearly enjoying the ease of the group. Janeen still sees a tension in Fay's shoulders but...she smiles, knowing that Fay is doing far, far better than she was yesterday. With all of her family around her now - even in the absence of the man she loves, who apparently loves her back - she's finally starting to feel safe.

Which, really, is all Janeen wants for her little sister right now.

Fay sighs and looks askance at the three beers sitting mostly-empty on the table. "I'd kill for one of those right now," she murmurs, rubbing a hand absently across her belly.

Smirking, Jerome pushes his beer bottle towards her, and she glares at him. "What?" he says, grinning. "It's not like you didn't pickle the baby in tequila for the first month of your pregnancy."

With a little growl, Fay leans forward and smacks him on the arm, glaring. "I didn't know, Jerome!"

"Eh, a little more won't hurt," he replies, laughing and nudging the bottle closer, but Fay just closes her eyes and tilts her head back, resting it against the cushion on the back of her chair, relaxing and catching up on her thoughts.

They all sit quietly for a long moment, doing the same as Fay and sorting through their thoughts, their priorities, their suddenly-changed lives. Because as much as they all know they're dedicated to the same cause, they're also aware that they have very different roles within it.

After a long moment of staring out at the dark night settling over the sea, searching for the place where the sky meets the waves, Daniel turns his attention back to Fay.

"So, Donna Lippert," he says with a sigh. "What's next?"

Fay sits silently for a moment longer before lifting her head back up and opening her eyes, looking straight at him. "Well," she says slowly, and then she sighs. "I think it's time you called your uncle,"

Daniel blinks rapidly in surprise while Jerome's eyes go wide. "What?"

"And Natalia too," she says, sighing again, harder this time, "much as I am loathe to bring her back."

"That fucking vocab again," Janeen mutters, shaking her head. Fay ignores her.

"Wha - why on earth do you want them back?" Daniel asks, shocked. "Plus, I don't even know if they will - dad's been all tied up in the justice system now, they will not want to get their hands dirty trying to get him out."

"I don't want them to try to help your dad," Fay says, frowning at him. She waves a dismissive hand. "That's - I mean, don't we think that's a lost cause? Isn't that what the lawyers say - that Kent's probably going away for life, with all they've got him on now?" Daniel nods slowly. "Yeah," he says, his eyebrows going up. "So...why are you looking to get Natalia and Alessi back?"

"For the wedding," she says simply, her eyes wide as if she doesn't understand why he doesn't get it. Her hand - still wearing its engagement ring - still continues to rub back and forth across her lower stomach. "After all, Alessi will want to be one of the first to know about his great-nephew. And I'm sure Don Bianci will be interested to hear about what I assume is his first great-grandchild?"

Daniel's jaw drops open - and so does Jerome's - as they figure out what she's saying.

"Plus," Fay says with a little sigh, looking down at the table. "My father will be interested to discuss the new family ties and their implications for future business."

"What?" Janeen asks, her face twisted with confusion. "Dad wants to -"

"Not dad," Fay snaps, flicking her eyes to Janeen and holding her gaze. "My father."

"Oh," Janeen says, understanding, her own eyes going wide now to match the boys.

"Fay," Daniel breathes, his shoulders suddenly tense. "Are you...are you serious? We're...going forward with this?"

"Would you like to back out of the engagement, Daniel?" Fay asks, her voice cold. "Abandon me when I'm pregnant?"

"I mean...no," he says, hesitating. "If that's...if that's what you want, I'll marry you, Fay. I'll marry you tomorrow, if you want."

"Probably next week is better," she murmurs, looking out over the sea, making Janeen's mouth drop open and Jerome laugh a dry little laugh.

Daniel turns to stare at his boyfriend, wondering what the hell is so funny about this. "Nothing," Jerome replies to the unasked question, just shrugging. "Donna Lippert just doesn't take long to act, does she?" "There's no time to waste," Fay murmurs, still not looking at them. "There's...way too much to do. We've got to get started right now."

"Fay," Daniel whispers, staring at his beautiful redhaired fiancé, who in turn is staring into the night as if she could take on the darkness itself. "What the hell do you have planned?

But Fay doesn't answer.

She, like Kent, has learned to keep her secrets to herself.

She'll tell them what they need to know when they need to know it.