Fall For My Ex’s Mafia Dad
Chapter 77

Jerome and I come back a few hours later after an afternoon of light chat. We kept it easy, neither of us wanting to address the elephant between us. Instead, we talk mostly about horses. When we enter the house we're too busy laughing, the dregs of our

milkshakes still in our hands, to notice Kent standing in the hallway staring at us.

Jerome notices first, stopping in his tracks and clearing his throat, the smile dropping from his face. Kent says nothing, just slowly puts his hands in his pockets and shifts his weight to his back foot, giving us both a long stare.

Something about it - I don't know what, maybe the arrogance in his stance, or the way that he stopped us both in our tracks just by standing there - makes me roll my eyes. Despite everything - all of the trauma of the afternoon, and the crazy intimidation I felt on the third floor last night - Kent's macho bullshit still makes me want to push back.

"My dad wasn't in the mood to feed me," I report calmly, "so Jerome took me to get cheeseburgers and milkshakes. You want some?" Innocently, I hold my milkshake out to him, straw first.

Kent's eyes flick to the milkshake and then back up to my face. "No, Fay," he responds, his voice low. Then he nods to Jerome, dismissing him. Jerome is gone before I can even see him move.

"Your father called me," Kent says, prowling close enough to touch. I refuse to move an inch. "He says you were...disrespectful." Slowly, he raises a hand to my face, his thumb brushing over the red mark that lingered after my father slapped me. I flinch. Kent drops his hand.

"Why do I get the feeling that you're giving me the PG version of what he actually said?" I reply, my voice low.

"Because," Kent replies, still standing close to me. "I didn't think you'd like it very much if I told you that he called you a conceited, spoiled, ungrateful whore."

I can't help the smile that tugs at my lips as I look up into Kent's face. But I am surprised to see Kent give me one in return. My stomach turns over at the sight of this, at the discovery that I've...pleased him. And that I quite liked doing it. Suddenly, I want to please him again.

But then, just as suddenly, I am hit with flashes of the memories of last night - of how frightened I was when he moved his hand low on my body, touching places no one has touched before. And I flinch away, knowing - deep down - that I'm...I'm just not ready for it. Not now.

"Fay," Kent says, his voice oddly choked as I take a step back from him, looking at the floor.

"Um," I say, buying time as I step to the side and work to move past him. "I'm just going to go upstairs -"

"Fay," Kent says again, insistent, placing a hand on my waist in a plea to stop. I hesitate at his gentle hand and look up at him. "Please," he says, his eyes uncharacteristically wide. "Let me make it up to you..."

"Um," I reply, hesitating again because I don't really know what he means. Make what up to me? The horrible lunch he forced me to go to? The embarrassment of Daniel finding out?

But in my heart, I know precisely what he wants to make up for.

I'm just not sure I'm ready to hear it.

So, I push past him, a little surprised when he lets me go, his hand dragging lightly across my stomach as I pull away and move towards the stairs.

"Fay," Kent calls after me when I'm halfway up the steps, his voice scolding. I look down at him to see the Kent I know has returned, his hands in his pockets, his gaze perfectly controlled. "Don't forget that we have a contract. And I intend to collect."

I surprise myself with my wicked grin, then, as I look down at him. Because this, at least - this cat and mouse game? It's familiar ground. And really, I do know, after last night, that Kent isn't going to enforce that contract if I don't want him to. He wants me to want it. And, if I'm honest? After a day to think about it, and looking at him right now, staring up at me with his muscular arms crossed, his diamond-cut jaw clenched, all power, and all at my command?

I still do.

I want it.

Just...on my terms, like Janeen said.

"We have a contract, Kent," I say, my smile growing as I lean over the banister to get a better look at him. "But that contract had no specific timeline. So, I guess..." I shrug. "We'll just have to see." Then, without a look back, I jog the rest of the way up the stairs.

At around eight o'clock, a knock comes at my door, making my stomach plummet almost to my feet. I hesitate, knowing it could be one of only a few things. I'd pushed Kent this afternoon - so it could be him, ready to push me back - but...

I take a deep breath in through my nose and steel myself, moving towards the door. It's better to know, I think, than to sit on my bed for fifteen minutes speculating about it. Which is something I know I am perfectly capable of doing. But...I've got to be brave. So, I pull my door open and hear a little plop as something falls flat at my feet.

Surprised, I look down to see a box there, tied with a white ribbon tonight. I lean down and scoop it up into my arms, closing my door behind me as I hurry to the bed. Eagerly, I untie the bow and shake the box open.

I'm absolutely stunned by what I see.

Slowly, I unpack the box, marveling at the incredible softness of the little silk pajama shorts and matching camisole, each embroidered with the most delicate lily details along their edges. Then, I gasp when beneath it I find the most luxurious robe I've ever seen - cut short, but trimmed at the neck and the cuffs with soft white fur.

I glance back at the box then and marvel again at the last gift - a pair of the most delicate white moccasins I've seen with fur lining the inside and the most incredible beadwork on the top. I line these treasures up on the bed and take a moment to stare at them, a finger curled on my chin, curious.

This was...well, it was still lingerie, I supposed. But it was not anything like the lace teddy he sent me the first night, or the corset he made me wear yesterday, which were each designed to intimidate me. This collection, alternately...

Well, it seems like Kent really wants me to be comfortable. I feel a little twinge inside me at the...well, the sweetness of that sentiment. I have to admit myself shocked and surprised.

I turn this all over as I carry my new clothes into the bathroom, tying my hair into a knot so that I can take a quick shower without getting my hair wet. What did it all mean? Was he...not going to ask me to go to the third floor with him tonight? Did he want something...different?

As I step out of the shower and towel myself off, I wonder what new challenge Kent is setting up for me. How are we supposed to play cat and mouse when the cat is...being really cute? And perhaps even trying to romance the mouse?

I admit I feel some anxiety at this change as I slip the silky pajamas onto my body and pull the chillingly-soft robe over my arms. I'm still marveling at the luxurious comfort when a knock comes at the door.

I pull the moccasins onto my feet and move slowly towards the sound, not really knowing how to feel about it all. The cruel, controlled Kent I know how to handle. But this Kent...

I pull the door open, curious to face him, but then blink in surprise when I see Daniel standing there.

"Oh," I say, my eyes wide as I look up at him. "Daniel."

He smirks, leaning against my doorframe with a basket full of supplies in his arms. "What. Expecting someone else?"

I laugh a little and look down at the basket, filled with popcorn and movie supplies. "What are you doing here?"

"Movie night," he reminds me, perhaps a little too cheerfully. Then he looks beyond me, expectant. "Can I come in?"

I bite my lip, not really knowing how to say "no, thank you, please go away, your dad I think wants to take my virginity tonight and be quite nice about it." But Daniel doesn't wait for my reply anyway, pushing past me.

"I was thinking some 90's classics tonight," he says, looking at me with a grin as he settles onto my bed. "Start with Clueless?"

"Sure," I say, giving him a smile and leaning on the wall as I watch him pull his laptop from the basket and open it so that we can watch the movie in here. After a few moments, Daniel notices me watching him from the open doorway, and pauses his action. "I'm trying, Fay," he says quietly, looking at me gently. "I still want this."

"Why?" I breathe, shaking my head, not understanding him. "Daniel, you don't even like me - and what about Jerome, shouldn't you be on this date with him?"

Daniel purses his lip and looks at the door, as if Jerome will show up in the hallway at any moment. "I have to marry someone, Fay. And in this world, it can't be a man." He shifts his gaze to mine. "I want it to be you - I care about you in my own way. Won't you please let me try to convince you that this could be good?"

"Daniel," I sigh, looking down at the floor. "I just don't know..."

"Please, Fay," he begs, and I look up at him when I hear his voice catch. God damn it, but I can't let my friend cry. "Just...can we please just do this? Can you please let me try?"

"Okay," I whisper, pushing the door shut and coming over to the bed. I climb in next to my friend, leaning against the pillows and putting my head on his shoulder. "But you have to rank each of the guys on screen on a scale from 1 to 10, and you have to be honest about it."

"Paul Rudd is the only ten," Daniel murmurs, pressing play on the computer and then grabbing a bag of popcorn from the basket, offering it to me. I laugh as I accept it, and then, comfortable, begin to watch the film.

About an hour in, a knock comes at the door. I go still when I hear it, cursing myself for - stupidly letting Daniel's drama make me forget that, duh, Kent sent all of these clothes for a reason.

"I'll get it," Daniel says, hopping out of bed before I can even move. As if he was....waiting for it.

"Daniel, no " I call, trying to grab the edge of his shirt as he moves towards the door. But he's too fast for me.

Daniel pulls the door open and leans casually against the wall when he sees his dad standing there. "Hey dad," Daniel says, arrogant. "What's up."

I groan and put my hand over my face. As if he didn't know.

"Well," Kent says. "Isn't this a surprise."