Fall For My Ex’s Mafia Dad
Chapter 261

"Kent!" Daniel shouts into the phone as Jerome drives frantically down the road, blazing through intersections, weaving around and between cars. "Someone - someone f*****g took her!"

They'd done their best to follow the van, but it had already been too late. By the time that they realized that Fay was gone from the side of the road - that she'd been snatched and wasn't just hiding or something - the van was already out of sight, driving like a maniac. The farmer had screamed for them to go after her and they'd gotten into the car as fast as they could -

But by the time they were on the road after it?

The trail was completely cold. They had absolutely no idea where it had gone.

They'd done their best, of course, to find any trace -

But it was a lost cause. Now they're speeding home, trying to get to Kent, because he'll know what to do. Jerome glances anxiously at Daniel, trying to listen to the conversation as Daniel stumbles out an explanation of what happened as best he can. Daniel's voice shakes throughout the entire call and Jerome can tell that he's close to frantic tears. Jerome presses further on the gas pedal, trying to get home as fast as possible.

Kent, Jerome thinks to himself, nodding tensely. Kent will know what to do. But I...

He shakes his head at himself, cursing because...

Fuck. Fuck. He should have told everyone sooner...

But there's no time to think on it now. Jerome barely slows as he pulls up to the gates of the house, pressing frantically at the button at the top of the car that opens the gate. Daniel snaps to Kent that they're home, just come outside, they'll explain everything - As the gate barely opens wide enough, Jerome squeezes the car through and flies down the driveway, skidding to a stop at the end.

Kent's already out the front door, storming towards them.

"What the fuck happened!?" Kent roars, ripping open Daniel's door and grabbing his son by the collar, hauling him out. "Why the fuck weren't you at her side!?"

"Dad -" Daniel stumbles, trying to get his footing while he looks up at his father with such guilt on his face. Jerome's throat tightens to see Daniel like that - because this is - this is his fault, not Daniel's - "Kent," Jerome starts, stepping forward. "It was a complete surprise -"

"She was across the street!?" Kent shouts, dropping Daniel and taking a step towards Jerome now, focusing his rage on him. "By herself!? Why the fuck would you let her go anywhere alone - you idiots -" Thompson comes out of the house now, looking with wide eyes at the commotion at the front of the house. He takes a sharp, deep breath when he looks around and realizes that Fay isn't there.

"What," Thompson gasps, his eyes widening. "Where..." But his words fade away, almost as if he doesn't want to ask, because he knows the answer is going to wreck him.

"David," Daniel says, moving towards the older man, his voice breaking. Thompson just shakes his head at Daniel, stepping away from him, not wanting to hear it. Daniel continues to move forward, putting his hands on Thompson's shoulders and starting to explain to him as carefully as he can what happened.

Jerome watches for a second, but his attention breaks when he sees the seething mob boss striding towards him.

"You're coming with me," Kent growls grabbing Jerome by the scruff of his neck and hauling him inside. Jerome gasps but does not protest as Kent shoves him through the door. "Weapons, now," he growls, pointing towards the master bedroom, where Jerome knows there's an arsenal of guns behind the false back of the closet. Because, of course, Kent wants complete control and to keep them safe.

Gio, standing in the kitchen, looks at them with wide eyes. "Gio!" Kent barks, "You too! Let's go!"

Kent pushes Jerome ahead of him into the room and then into the closet, Gio striding closely behind as Kent mutters to Gio the short details of what happened to Fay. When Kent presses the code into the lock at the back of the closet and the secret door swings open, Jerome glances back at Gio and is unsurprised to see the young man looking very, very pale.

Kent gets immediately to work, taking guns off the wall and tossing them on the table at the center of the room alongside appropriate ammunition. "Load them, Jerome," he snaps, and Jerome gets to work in silence - because he's been trained for precisely this moment.Kent finishes picking his last weapons and slams them on the table, turning to Gio, who flinches.

"Tell me right now," Kent growls, his words low and gravelly as he snaps a clip full of bullets into a handgun that he holds tense at his side, "if Bianci is behind this."

"No!" Gio says instantly, shaking his head and going rigid with fear as he realizes that, any second, that gun could be pointed at him. And considering the stakes of this? He could be dead in minutes if he says the wrong thing.

"Tell me the truth, Gio," Kent growls, narrowing his eyes and taking a dangerous step toward his nephew.

"I am, Kent!" Gio insists. "He would have told me if he was - or at least used me for recon, to know where she was going to be and when. But he didn't- and I didn't even know Fay was gone until her father told me where she went! Just ten minutes ago!" "He's not lying, Kent," Jerome adds, his voice soft as he continues packing guns with bullets. "Gio was nowhere around when we decided to go to the grocery store - and asking Fay to come along was a spur-of-the-moment decision. He didn't know." "And where were you," Kent growls, looming over his nephew now, glaring down at him, dangerous.

"I was," he hesitates and then shrugs his shoulders, "I was....in my room. I was talking to Janeen, on the phone." He shrugs again, clearly anxious, not knowing what to do. "You can ask her - you can check my calls, I swear."

Kent backs away a little bit, studying his nephew, seeing his real surprise and fear, the way he stutters over his words.

"Besides," Gio says, shaking his head at Kent, "what would Bianci's motive be? I have reported everything about the progress of the heist, he knows it's tomorrow - he knows it has a high chance of success and being incredibly profitable - I see no reason for him to want to throw you off those plans by kidnapping Fay -"

"Neither do I," Kent snaps, turning away from Gio finally and letting him off the hook, at least for the moment.

Kent sighs sharply and ducks down to grab three black duffel bags, tossing them on the table with the guns. "Fill those up," he snaps, nodding to them. "We're moving out. Wherever she is, we're going to get her."

Gio nods, moving forward to the table, but before he can touch a gun Jerome puts a hand on Gio's arm, stopping him.

"Let me pack, Gio," Jerome says, his hand and his voice shaking a little bit. "Give me and Kent a minute."

Gio pauses and looks at Jerome, confusion all of her his face. But then he shifts his gaze to his uncle, who gives him a sharp nod, even though Kent's eyes don't leave Jerome.

Gio hesitates for just a second but then turns and leaves the room, closing the door behind him.

Jerome takes a deep, shaky breath, his eyes focusing on the gun in Kent's hand.

"Jerome," Kent says, his growl livid, his fingers tightening around his weapon. "What the f**k aren't you telling me?"