Fall For My Ex’s Mafia Dad
Chapter 170

The luncheon we have a week later is...awkward, to say the least. I say a little prayer of thanks about every ten seconds that Daniel hasn't left my side for a moment, charmingly fending off questions and making small talk with both the Biancis and the Aldens while I stay quiet, smiling prettily. I look up at my handsome fiancé and I shake my head a little at the laugh that bubbles out of his throat at something my father just said - something decidedly unfunny. But the way Daniel reacts? You'd think my father was a damn comedian. Daniel glances down at me and sends me a little wink that makes me burst into a smile.

See? I think. He's got me charmed too. These damn Lippert men.

I look around the room, taking it all in. Janeen, of course, stayed home with dad - no one here wants to acknowledge my adoptive family as anything but a footnote in my life - but everyone else of note is here. Even Jerome stands by the door in a black suit and sunglasses, playing the role of our personal body guard.

My eyes flick to Natalia and Alessi, who did indeed fly in from Italy the moment Daniel called them and asked them to come back. Alessi was characteristically thrilled when we told him about my pregnancy. He kissed me four times - twice on both cheeks - and told me I was a wonder and a Madonna. Natalia, also characteristically, had been more reserved, offering her congratulations with narrowed eyes.

As I watch them now, delicately selecting their lunch from the buffet table my father generously provided, I can see in the stern set of her features that this is not a celebration lunch for her. No, she's got something up her sleeve. And I, particularly, would like to know what it is.

"Isn't that right, Fay?" Daniel asks, and I turn my face up to him. And then I do my best to blush and pretend to be embarrassed for being distracted. "What?" I ask, turning to one of his Bianci cousins and smiling even though I honestly don't care what he said.

"Anthony was just asking if we have plans to honeymoon," Daniel says smoothly. "But I told him...probably not until the baby comes. Right?"

"Yeah," I say, grimacing and leaning into Daniel's side as if I'm the most infatuated girl on earth. "As much as I'd love to run away to Paris with this guy tomorrow, I think it's probably better to go when I can enjoy the wine and the unpasteurized cheese, right?" Daniel and his cousin laugh politely, but they're cut a little short as Natalia's voice cuts smoothly in, a barb on her tongue as usual.

"That's our Fay," she says, smiling around at us as she joins the conversation. "Always worried about where the next drink is coming from." She gives me a simpering little wink and I work hard - really hard to keep the smile on my face. "There is more to life than that, girl! But," she shrugs, "you will see."

"Yes," I sigh, placing my hand low on my stomach. "I'm sure motherhood will open many doors for me. Do you ever regret it, Natalia? Not having children?"

Daniel subtly elbows me but I don't feel any guilt as I see the smile fall from her face.

Screw her, I think, hoping she reads it in my eyes.

She's going down anyway. It's just a matter of time.

I turn and look up at Daniel, ignoring her. "Can we get something to eat?"

"Of course," he murmurs, gently running his knuckles down the length of my cheek and smiling at me fondly. Then, together, we move off to the buffet. Luckily, no one else is filling their plate just now, so we're alone. "What the hell was that," he murmurs. "We're supposed to be courting their friendship, Fay."

"We're supposed to be courting Alessi's friendship," I reply, putting my head on his shoulder as he fills a plate for me, playing the ever-considerate fiancé and dad-to-be. "Natalia can kick rocks for all I care."

Daniel sighs and shakes his head, but he doesn't fight me on it. He's falling into the old patterns his dad established: trusting the one in charge, not asking any questions.

We both turn towards the center of the room as we hear my father tapping a fork against his wine glass to get everyone's attention. I lean harder against Daniel as my father starts talking, sighing and nibbling on a strawberry as we settle in for a long speech.

My father drones on and on about the new ties between the Bianci and the Alden family, about which he is, predictably, thrilled. As he speaks I notice that no one - not a single person - mentions Daniel's actual last name, and that none of the Lippert relatives have been invited to the party. Instead, it's as if Kent has been wiped from the books entirely and Daniel has been swept up into the Bianci family.

Which, frankly, is precisely what I wanted.

But still. It makes me clench my jaw to see how easily Kent is dismissed. Kent made of these people he made filthy rich, and now they're picking at the corpse of his empire and raising their glasses to me.

My father's speech wraps up a waiter comes to take my plate and deliver a glass of champagne to Daniel and sparkling cider to me.

"To my daughter, the beautiful Fay," my father says, looking at me adoringly as he raises his glass in my direction -

Fucking snake, is all I can think. Because I know, now, precisely what he did to Kent.

"And to Daniel, her perfect match!" Around the room, everyone raises their glasses into the air. Daniel and I, smiling, follow suit. "Together they unite two old Sicilian families in a new era of commerce and joy! To the bride and groom!" Everyone echoes his last five words and then we all raise our glasses to our lips, sipping at the expensive drinks probably taken from Kent's own cellars as the spoils of war.

You damn hypocrites, I think as I sip my fizzy apple juice and force a thrilled smile onto my face. I'm going to gut you all, one by one.

The crowd turns to us then as Daniel wraps an arm around my waist. I look up at him and realize that he's leaning close and then I laugh, remembering that - of course - I'm a bride today, not a mafia donna planning everyone's destruction. Daniel smiles down at me and even bends me backwards a little bit as he kisses me soundly, the picture of the perfect romantic fiancé and the girl he adores.

I smile and kiss him back, truly loving him, grateful for Daniel by my side in every moment of this.

He pulls away while the gathered group applauds, and then I blush and laugh, looking down at my feet, shy Fay making her return.

We spend the next hour or so accepting the well-wishes of people I barely know who call us their family and friends. This is, in many ways, the reception for our wedding instead of the rehearsal dinner. Our families wanted to invite everyone to the wedding, of course, but Daniel and I insisted that we only want our very closest family to be there and no reception at all.

They nodded and murmured their understanding - Daniel father was just imprisoned, after all, throwing a pall over this happy event - but they insisted on throwing this party instead.

Still, it's almost done, I think as my cheeks start to ache with so many fake smiles.

As our guests filter out, Natalia and Alessi slowly make their way over to us, Alessi beaming at us while Natalia frowns at his side.

"Daniel, Fay," Alessi says, giving us a wide grin. "You know we are so happy for you. And so excited for tomorrow. Your grandfather - he wishes he could be here -"

"Please," Daniel says, waving a hand and dismissing it. "We know travel is hard for him - but as soon as the baby is born, we will come to Italy so that they can meet."

"That would be...so special, Daniel," Alessi says quietly, putting a fond hand on his nephew's arm. As I watch him, I realize that in all likelihood Alessi really means it - after all, Daniel is his nephew and his childhood best friend's son. I think he genuinely wants this to be real. But as I turn to Natalia, I see the reality of it: that they both, indeed, have their suspicions.

"Of course," she says carefully, turning her head to the side. "The family...would like to know. To have certain...assurances that these new ties between the Bianci's and the Aldens are..."

Daniel's face drops the moment he realizes what she's asking and Alessi inhales an awkward breath, lifting his hand from Daniel's arm.

"Seriously?" Daniel asks, suddenly furious. "You're asking me for a paternity test?"

"Daniel," Natalia says appeasingly, spreading her hands as if it's the easiest thing in the world. "Surely you must -

"Surely I what?" he snarls and I blink at him, considering that he's learned a trick or two from Kent's book.

"It is the sort of thing we want to be assured of with all of our family ties," Alessi says with a casual shrug.

"Oh?" Daniel snaps, turning on him now. "And has anyone asked you for a paternity test for your own children?"

Alessi purses his lisp and narrows his eyes, but he doesn't say anything - taking Daniel's point. Natalia opens her mouth to offer her own rebuttal, but I slide in before she can say a word.

"It's fine," I say, smiling easily and placing a supplicating hand on Daniel's arm. "We understand. In this modern world?" I shrug, mimicking their very Italian gesture, "it makes sense."

Daniel says nothing, just looking away and glowering as he leaves it to me. So I turn to Natalia and smile. "Would you like us to have the test performed tomorrow? Before the wedding?" I say, giving her a too-kind smile and pushing her to make me ruin my wedding day by going to a clinic to have my blood drawn.

"No, of course not," Natalia says smoothly, crossing her arms. "Tomorrow is a day for joy. The next day," she continues with a smile that shows all her teeth, "would be just fine."