Fall For My Ex’s Mafia Dad
Chapter 273

outside.

And while I didn't walk or breathe, instead standing quietly next to the puppy, I'm pretty confident that I could do both. Bolstered with this knowledge, I cheer for the puppy as he finishes up, congratulating him heartily on being clever enough to go to the bathroom I don't bother to pick him up then, and he cheerfully gambols at my side as we go back into the house.

Kent takes a moment to look me up and down, as he always does, but when he assesses that I'm fine he moves back to his task.

"Good morning, Fay," Daniel says, opening an arm to me and pressing me tight to his side as I fill the gap. "And good morning, Lil Kent!" he says, leaning over to smile at the dog.

"We're not calling him that," Kent says dryly as Gio laughs, hearing the name for the first time.

"Then what are we calling him?" Daniel asks, turning his grin on his dad.

"Anything. Else." Kent snaps, turning to hand coffee to Gio and Daniel. He nods to me, letting me know I'm next.

Gio leans forward to give me a kiss on the cheek as my morning greeting before sipping his coffee. "So?" he says, looking around. "Am I to assume..."

"Plans have changed," Kent interrupts, all business. "Fay's mother threw a wrench in the Monaco plans - they're being postponed. You," he says, nodding to Gio, "are going to the airport to pick up Janeen."

"Oh," Gio says, surprised, looking around at all of us. I smile at him, leaning into Daniel and hoping he doesn't see through my expression. Because we're all aware that Janeen could get a very expensive cab from the airport, or take the train or a bus, or rent a car. But...quite frankly, we want Gio out of the house.

And at last minute? This was the only reasonable excuse Kent and I could think of.

"Her plane lands in two hours," I say helpfully, raising my eyebrows at him.

"Yes," Kent murmurs. "So, drink up. We need you on the road."

"What -" Daniel says, his arm slipping from my shoulders. "What is happening? Why didn't you -"

"Daniel," Kent snaps, his focus still on the coffee. "Go get dressed. Jerome too. We'll see you out here in a few minutes."

His tone brooks no compromise, and even though Daniel hesitates for a moment, he and Jerome go. Kent stops Jerome on his way, handing him a cup of coffee that makes Jerome smile far too wide. It's Kent's first kind gesture to him all night and all morning. As the two of them leave, Gio looks carefully between us. "Is everything...all right?"

"It is," Kent says, handing me my own coffee and turning to look at Gio sternly. "I'm asking you to trust me for a few hours, Gio. Our deal still stands. Are you all right with that?"

Gio's silence implies that he is decidedly not okay with that, but then he sighs, his head dipping a second before he meets Kent's eyes again. "I trust you, Zio."

"Good," Kent says, his eyebrows going up as he nods Gio back towards his room. "Go get dressed, fast. Fay wasn't kidding about Janeen's scheduled arrival."

It really isn't a ploy - we spoke with Janeen last night and she agreed to get on a plane this morning. A little thrill of happiness runs through me at the idea - because as much as I love this house full of men, it will be good to have my girl back at my side. Gio nods once, a good soldier, and heads off. I sip my coffee, looking up at Kent, who wraps an arm around me. We stand quietly for a long moment as our troops get themselves together, as Gio comes out - surprisingly first, though I suppose Daniel and Jerome are taking a minute to make peace - and says his goodbyes to us, taking the keys to Janeen's Porsche and hitting the road.

When Daniel and Jerome emerge, they look around confusedly for Gio.

"He's gone," Kent says, and I grit my teeth and lean against the counter, trying - impossibly - to look cool and nonchalant as another contraction hits.

Daniel frowns at me as he walks over to us, but I just wave him off and sip my coffee, yawning and pretending my pain is...sleepiness. I don't know. Inwardly, I sigh with frustration at myself, because I sincerely doubt I'm being very convincing.

"Dad," Daniel says, letting me off the hook and turning to Kent. "What the hell is going on?"

"We're making a move," Kent says, his words clipped. "And we need the two of you two be part of it."

Daniel looks between us, confused, but Jerome's face brightens before he turns to me and sees my scowl. "That is," I say, "if we can trust you. Jerome."

"Fay," Jerome says as my contraction finally passes. He reaches out a hand towards me. "You can trust me - honestly, the reason I never said anything was because I knew it would make you doubt that -" "Which is not an excuse," I growl.

"I know," he replies, genuine sorrow on his face. "And I know we need a longer conversation that there's no time for today - but Fay?" He holds my gaze, willing me to believe him. "Whatever you need me for today - for any day, for the rest of your life. I'm your man. I swear it."

"Good," Kent snaps, drawing all of our attention to him. "Because you're with Daniel this morning. We'll discuss the rest of her life later. And Daniel?" Kent turns his singular, not insubstantial attention on Daniel now. "If he does anything worth doubting - you're going to shoot him. All right?"

Daniel goes pale at the prospect, freezing.

My own eyes go wide. So do Jerome's.

But then Daniel looses a breath, holding his father's gaze, not glancing at Jerome. "All right," he says, nodding sharply. "If those are the stakes, dad? All right. Because I trust him, I agree to these terms."

Kent turns to Jerome then, silently asking if he agrees to this as well. Fervently, Jerome nods, which goes...a very long way towards making me trust him.

Although, honestly...I kind of did anyway. But seeing him say that he's willing to be shot by his boyfriend if he steps out of line?

Yeah. It's pretty good insurance.

"All right," Kent says, turning to me with a nod. And out of my back pocket, I pull Kent's phone.

"What we need," I say quietly, entering Kent's code and placing the phone on the counter between the four of us, "is for you two to...play fetch."

As I say the words I open the app on the phone and let Daniel and Jerome see what Kent and I already know: the location of my phone, about forty-fives minutes away.

"Fetch what?" Daniel asks, confused. "Fay, where is -"

"I left my phone in Ivan's car," I say quietly. "In the seat cushions, so he wouldn't know where it was." Jerome lifts his head and smirks at me, pleased and proud. I don't change my expression, looking between the two of them. "We want you two to go here, and only when Kent and I give you the word, we want you to take Ivan. And bring him back to this house. All right?"

Then, a little frantic, he looks between me and his dad. "What - what the hell are you two planning?"