Ch. 111..115: Fall For My Ex’s Mafia Dad Chapter 111-115

Chapter 111

"What!" I shriek, shocked, a noise that makes Kent laugh.

"Kent!" I hiss in a whisper, remembering that this is apparently a secret and that I should be quiet, "put me down! I need my pants!"

"No, you don't," he replies, laughing a little with derision as he climbs. "Those ugly shorts - where did you get those anyway?" "They're comfortable!" I protest.

Kent shocks me then by delivering a punishing little smack on my a*s, making me yelp. He laughs again and I can feel his head moving against my hip, shaking from side to side in frustration. "All the resources in the world," he mutters, "and you order polyester pajamas - honestly Fay -"

"They're cute!" I retort, shocked and a little offended as he continues to carry me up the steps slung over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"They're horrible," he mutters, pushing open a door and passing through it. As Kent turns to close the door behind him, I look around and am mildly surprised to see that we're in his bedroom. "I'm going to put those clothes in the incinerator first thing in the morning," Kent informs me, pulling me off his shoulder and lowering me down to my place in his bed.

"Rude," I retort, laying back against Kent's pillows and narrowing my eyes at him. A little smile grows on my face when I see him pause, looking over my naked body. "If you burn my clothes, what will I wear?"

"Nothing," he drawls, sliding his hands into his pockets and looking hungrily down at me. "Ever again, if I have anything to say about it."

I laugh, then, and am pleased when I see him smile. "I'll get cold," I protest, giving a little pout.

"We'll wrap you up," he retorts, bending down to pull back the comforter and sheets and tuck me into them, his hands lingering unnecessarily long on my a*s as he does. Then, that done, Kent picks a book up from the nightstand - my nightstand, apparently, and a book I didn't place there - and tosses it to me to keep me occupied while he turns and heads to the closet.

As Kent pulls the closet door open and disappears inside, I cock my head, considering...does Kent Lippert have pajamas?

What do they look like?

Biting my lip in anticipation of finding out, I look down at the book, a well-loved hardcover with a gilt title that reads Control and Manipulation. I flip it open, wondering if Kent just tossed me the first book he found to keep me occupied, or if he picked this for me... I look up, distracted, when Kent comes out of the closet again wearing nothing but his underwear. I can't help the way my eyes follow him as he crosses the room, as I admire his well-muscled form, his eight-pack abs, his strong legs and his round a*s. I'm still watching him, unable to tear my eyes away, as he moves to his side of the bed, picking up his alarm clock. "Kent?" I ask quietly.

"Hmm?" he replies, only paying half attention to me as he sets his alarm.

"When do you work out? And like...where?"

Kent snaps his head to me, baffled, and I grin. I like him like this - when I can see the always-controlled Kent thrown off by something I say that he wasn't expecting. "What?" he breathes, frowning at me in confusion.

"Well, this," I say, waving a general hand at his physique, "this isn't genetics. And I don't think you go to like, the community center to make it happen. So? Where's your gym?"

Kent smirks and shakes his head, finishing with the clock and placing it on his bedside table before he sits on the bed, sliding close to me.

"Why?" he asks, putting an arm around my shoulders and tugging me close. "Are you going to start working out with me? Want me to put you through your paces, Fay?"

"God no," I say, hastily sticking out my tongue to let him know precisely what I think about that idea. "Just," I tilt my head, considering. "This house is gigantic, and I haven't seen half of it - and I just found out that there's a secret passage to the dungeons in the back of my wardrobe, so," I shrug. "I just want to know what else is in the Lippert House of Mysteries. To begin, do you have a gym where you spend many hours lifting weights? Or is this physique the result of...I don't know. Beating people up in back allies?" Kent laughs at me, shaking his head. But then he surprises me by pulling my body close so that I'm pressed tight against him, as if he doesn't want any space between us at all. "I have a gym, Fay," he tells me quietly. "No back alley beat-downs. I'm past that part of my life. The gym is private - just mine. It's in that corridor that you just passed through, behind one of those grey doors. It can only be accessed through the door in this room, and well, the door in the back of your wardrobe. Which I suppose counts as an entrance, now that you know about it."

"You know that's weird, right," I ask, looking up into his face, my eyebrows raised. "That it's weird that you had a secret entrance to my room this whole time and never told me? What, did you like, sneak in and..."

Kent laughs then, shaking his head at me. "No, Fay," he scolds, but I can tell he's amused more than offended. "I never snuck in and watched you sleep. I'm not a pervert."

I raise one eyebrow at him, skeptical, and he laughs harder, but moves in to kiss me.

Before he can, though, I swat him away.

"Wha-" he says, surprised when I scootch away from him, brandishing my book like a defensive weapon.

"No way, Kent!" I protest. "You don't just get to wipe away all of my anger with really good s*x, and then throw books at me to distract me, and expect all of the reasons for that anger to go away as well!"

I see a smirk form on his lips, telling me that was indeed what he was hoping would happen. I hold up a scolding finger and point it at his face. "I admit," I continue, "it was a good plan. It almost worked. But we have to talk."

"Fine, Fay," Kent murmurs, grabbing the offending finger in his gigantic hand and bringing my hand close to his face to kiss it before releasing me. "We'll talk. I know why I was pissed off tonight," he says, his habitual glower coming back to his face as he and I remember - perhaps simultaneously - my little stolen moment with Ivan. "Why are you?"

"Because, Kent," I say, my bravado collapsing a little bit as I remember everything I've been feeling these past two days. My anger wiped it away for a moment - or perhaps focused it into a burning thing rather than a nagging, sad one but...it's been a difficult couple of days.

"Right before Natalia and Alessi came," I begin, raising a hand to twist in the ends of my hair, "you basically told me that I'm your dirty little secret, and that this -" I point between us - "can never be more than this," I finish, waving around at Kent's secret lair, where he's hidden me away.

"Do you want it to be more than this, Fay?" Kent asks quietly, and I sense, somehow, that the question is not a trap. He genuinely wants to know.

 

 

Chapter 112

I blink, realizing that I never thought about it, about the question of what I want to be to Kent. And wh I mean, Kent is overwhelming - even just learning to be around him is a lot, let alone considering if I His-

"It's all right, Fay," Kent whispers, moving closer to me and putting a gentle hand on my cheek, probab "Okay," I say, biting my lip. "I don't know - but Kent, I don't want to live my life in secret. I don't want t "Who?" Kent asks, frowning. I hesitate but he glares at me a little, so I give in.

"Well, Daniel, obviously," I say and he tilts his head, because he knows by my tone that there's more. "Jerome?" Kent asks, surprised.

"Jerome is smarter than you give him credit for," I say, raising my eyebrows. "He's...perceptive."

"He's also obsessed with you," Kent mutters angrily, looking away, his expression mildly murderous no to me, curious, but I shake my head a little as I smile, letting him know that I'm keeping this secret. He "Fay," Kent says quietly after a moment of silence. "I'm sorry."

My mouth falls open a little bit in shock. An apology? From Kent?

He takes a deep breath. "This hasn't been fair on you - you're right. We should - and we can make... I know exactly what's caused it.

"Natalia," I whisper. And I only mention her because I know that while Alessi is Bianci's son...Natalia is "It's...too precarious, Fay," Kent whispers to me, holding my gaze so that I can see how serious he is. "I head, letting me see just how close we are to the edge of the cliff.

"Is it that bad?" I ask, worried now. Slowly, he nods.

nt him to be to me.

be with him. I mean, is that even what I would want, if it was a possibility? Do I want to be more than Kent's mafia mistress? Do I want to be his girlfriend?

ng me think it through and freak out a little bit. "You don't have to know now."

to scurry around like a little rat, worried about who is going to find out. I don't want to have to lie - and people are going to find out - they already have!"

rome."

rst out into a little laugh now because - well, because I'm not the member of this household who Jerome is actually obsessed with. Kent snaps my gaze back and lets me.

s. Be more flexible. I don't want you to feel like I'm ashamed of this. Because I'm not. But Fay," Kent tilts his head to the side and I see him worried now. And

l threat here.

such shaky ground with them already. If they find out this - that my relationship with Alden hangs in the balance because of this, with you..." he shakes his

"They could destroy us. Alden would take it as a grave insult that I've...despoiled you." He sighs and coats his face with his hand, looking ashamed of himself. "And he'd be right, Fay - another boss wouldn't marry you now -"

I feel myself smirk at this, thinking that that's not quite right - that Ivan might - but then I wipe my face before he sees it.

Kent drags the hand from his face and looks at me again. "If Bianci discovered that I've put my business with Alden at risk - given Alden every legitimate reason to declare war on me -" Kent pauses, seeking the words, apparently at a loss to describe the magnitude of it. "Bianci and Alden could unite and just...wipe me off the face of the earth. And Daniel. And everything I've built. And...you."

My eyes go wide as I realize how serious he is. How serious this is.

"Kent," I whisper, staring at him. "Why don't you just let me go? If the risk is that high?"

Kent goes dead still as he looks into my face, silent for too long. His next works shock me to my core. "Fay," he whispers. "Don't you think I've tried?"

The two of us are very, very still for the next few moments, and as it turns out I'm the one who can't take it. I break the silence, the stillness, taking a sharp inhale of breath and moving closer to him and pressing my body up against his.

Because - despite everything - despite the threat -

I don't think I can stop either.

"Okay," I breathe, wrapping my arms around Kent and tucking my head under his chin, pressing my ear to his chest and listening to his heartbeat. Kent pauses for a moment and then folds his arms around me, holding me lightly to him, a gentle grip that lets me know that if I want to run from him...I can.

"All right," I sigh, giving in. "Until they leave, Kent. Until it's settled, until they're gone, I'll be your secret, and you'll be mine. And then, we'll...decide."

"All right," Kent agrees, tightening his hold on me in such a way that feels like...relief, more than affection, or ownership. Like he has finally relaxed. "But Kent?" I ask, turning my head up towards him.

"Hmm?" he replies, encouraging me to ask.

"Can you just be like...a little nicer to me?"

Kent laughs at this, apparently surprised. He looks at me curiously. "What? Have I been mean to you?"

"Well, no," I murmur, wiggling a little discontentedly beside him. "But Natalia - she is a..." I blow out a breath there, letting him know precisely what I think Natalia is without having to say it. Kent laughs and hugs me tighter, pleased.

"Natalia is a dragon," he remarks. "I thought you've been doing quite well against her, Fay - especially tonight, when you didn't cry or run away after she told me about your little interlude with him -"

"She's making my life a living hell!" I protest, ignoring his mention of Ivan. "She's so mean to me Kent - you don't see half of it, because she saves it for when you're not around! Which is always! I have to spend all day with her and it's just insult, insult, insult!" I shake my head, amazed and frustrated.

Kent just laughs at me further. "All right, Fay," he concedes. "I'll do a better job of being on your side, when I can. But I can't be around all the time, and if you're going to play the role of Daniel's fiancé it's your job to entertain his guests -"

"I never knew that!" I retort, pulling my hand up and smacking him on the chest. "No one told me - no one prepared me for any of this! I told her I can't cook pasta, and she looked at me like I said I committed a war crime! I would have learned to cook pasta! I mean, it can't be hard - you just boil it, right?"

Kent laughs harder at this, at me, but not in a way that makes me feel bad. Instead, I feel heard by him, and like he's helping me see the lighter side of it. I can't help the little smile that blooms on my face as I laugh at it too.

"She's walking all over you, Fay," Kent murmurs, bringing his face close to mine, "because you're letting her."

"I'm letting her -"I gasp, "you're letting her! And Daniel!"

"It's not our job to defend you," he pushes back, shaking his head, "not against the words of a clever woman, a rival."

"Oh! Yes, a rival!" I say, crossing my arms and pulling away from him a little, though he tightens his grip on me, not wanting me to move away. "And don't think Daniel didn't tell me about that -"

"What?" Kent asks, a little grin on his lips, because he already knows where I'm going with this.

"About this," I say, lifting my left hand and waving it at his face, my engagement ring still perched on it. "And whose finger it sat on before mine!"

 

Chapter 113

"Just briefly," Kent murmurs, grabbing my left hand and pulling it to his mouth, kissing my knuckles like a prince and then turning my hand over and starting to drag kisses up the length of my forearm. "Not as long as it's been on your hand, even," he murmurs against my skin, trying to distract me. "A youthful mistake." "Mistake!" I cry, aghast, ignoring the tingles on my skin where Kent has placed his lips. "Kent, you loved her."

Kent looks up at me seriously, then. "I thought I did," he replies, lifting my arm and pulling it forward to loop it around his neck, where he wants it. "Natalia was...light and fire, so alive and passionate in comparison to Lenai's cool disdain. ...misunderstood how she made me feel. I thought it was love." Kent hesitates and then shrugs. "It's complicated, Fay. And it was a long time ago."

I study him for a moment and then nod, not pressing him any further. He'll tell me if he wants me to know. Otherwise, I can press Daniel for more information if I need it.

"Either way," Kent smoothly moves on, a little smile coming to his lips now as he nods to the book of military strategy that's fallen on the bed next to me. "There are ways to counter her, Fay. She's not smarter, or more powerful, or better supplied with resources than you. If she's walking all over you, Fay, it is because you're letting her."

I open my mouth to protest but then I realize that Kent is just saying to me precisely what I thought to myself, tonight, when Natalia caught me with Ivan. Right before I told her to shove it, which was one of the more satisfying moments of my life. Slowly, I close my mouth, thinking, and then I look back at Kent.

"All right," I say. "So what do I do?"

"You study," he says, reaching out to tap the book. "And you plan. And you learn her moves, and figure out ways to counter them."

I cock my head to the side, considering this. That I've...never quite thought, concretely, about making a larger plan regarding how I move through Kent's world, four or five steps ahead rather than just one or two. So far, I've mostly been acting on impulse - and it's worked, as far as it goes.

But what would happen if...

Suddenly eager to get started, I drop my arm from Kent's neck and reach for the book -

But before I can grab it, he swats it out of my reach.

"No," Kent groans, laying down and pulling me on top of him. "Start tomorrow. Tonight is for sleep." I glance at the clock and laugh, realizing that it's nearly one in the morning. "You're exhausted, we're exhausted. For one day..." he sighs as I settle against him, my head on his chest, "it's enough."

"Okay," I agree, closing my eyes and finding myself yawning a little bit, realizing that he's right. Even if my mind is on fire to begin strategizing, my body is ready to sleep.

A few minutes pass and I feel Kent's breathing soften, hear his heartbeat slow.

But I can't help myself as my mind continues to turn.

"Kent," I whisper, nuzzling my face a little against his warm chest. "Can I ask you something?"

"No," he murmurs, laughing a tired little laugh. "You get six thousand questions each day, Fay, and today, as usual, you've used them all up."

But I smile and press on anyway, ignoring him. "Kent," I ask, "if Natalia was light and fire, and Lenai was cool distain...what am I?"

"Irritating," he grumbles. "Loud. Awake, when you should be asleep."

I laugh, shaking my head, but not really bothered. It wasn't a fair question anyway. I know that I'll never be on Lenai's level - can never be. She was his first and only love. As I think it, something twists low in me - but I push the feeling away, not letting myself address it.

And then I close my eyes, ready for sleep, and am surprised when Kent raises a hand, bringing it up to gently stroke his fingers down the length of my hair.

"My refuge, Fay," Kent answers, his words hardly more than a whisper. "You're peace."

The next morning I'm not startled awake as I was before, but instead slowly awoken to the feeling of Kent's warm hand sliding up my stomach to cup my breast. And, as I stretch a little and turn curiously towards him, I feel Kent's mouth on mine, gentle and sweet. "Hey," I murmur, smiling and turning my body towards him. "No horrible shrieking today?"

"We've got about two minutes before that," Kent replies, his voice still rough with sleep as he takes a deep breath, sliding his hand back down my belly and using the pressure of it to pull me tight against him.

"What?" I ask, confused, still blinking awake.

"It's 5:58. Alarm's set for six."

"What!?" I cry, and then I tilt my head back and groan. "Seriously, Kent? You wake up before your alarm? After five hours of sleep?"

"I almost always wake up before my alarm," Kent murmurs, burying his face against my neck, dragging kisses along the length of it. "Complete diligence. Like a hawk."

"You're more like a bat," I sigh in response, not making much sense in my half-asleep state as I look anxiously towards the alarm, "I'm starting to suspect that you don't sleep at all and you just wait for me to fall asleep and then you hang from the ceiling -" "What?" Kent asks, picking up his head and laughing at me.

"And stare at me all night, obsession in your eyes -"

"You wish," he mutters, shaking his head at me as he brings his lips back to my shoulder.

"Kent, please," I beg, still looking anxiously towards the clock, "turn it off before it goes - I'm still half asleep -"

"Up!" Kent commands, giving me a smack on my ass that makes me yelp as he obligingly leans over to grab the clock before it goes off. It starts to ring against his hand just as he grabs it and I give a little shriek and cover my ears. Kent just laughs at me, though, tossing the clock aside and pulling me back to him as I turn away from the racket.

"Seriously, Kent," I moan, tucking my head against him and sighing. "Can't I sleep? It's only been five hours..."

"No," he replies, and I can feel him shake his head even if I can't see it. "You have to go back to your room before someone notices that you're missing."

I groan and wrap my arms around him, defiant and determined not to move. I even lock my legs around his like a little sloth clinging to a tree, which makes him laugh again.

"Come on, Fay," Kent coaxes gently, nudging me with his nose. "If it were up to me, we'd stay in bed all day. But we have things to do."

"Yes, but mine are way worse," I murmur. "I have to go shopping with Natalia."

Kent chuckles at me, a low and pleasant sound, and I glare at him a little bitterly, my expression clearly communicating glad you're getting such enjoyment out of this, Kent. He just laughs harder and nudges me with his nose.

"If you're good," he whispers, "I'll send you through the passage with a coffee."

"Really?" I ask, perking up. Then I blink and sit up all the way. "You have coffee here?"

"I have everything here," Kent murmurs in reply, sitting up with me and pulling me back against his chest like he doesn't want to get me go. And I let him, for a moment, trying to decide what I want more... Coffee? Or a little bit of Kent for breakfast?

 

Chapter 114

"Hey," I protest, smiling up at Kent as he brushes a thumb against the underside of my b****t. "I thought you wanted me to get up?"

"I wanted you to wake up," he replies, sighing a little contented breath through his nose. "Out of bed is...harder."

"Fine by me," I murmur, turning my face up towards his, but Kent sighs and loosens his grip around me.

"No," he says, shaking his head and groaning as he moves away from me. "I'm already two hours late. If I get started doing what I actually want to do this morning, we won't make it to breakfast until eight."

"Fine," I sigh, watching him get up with a little pout. "But then I demand coffee," I quip, looking around again for this miraculous coffee machine while I wrap the sheets around my chest, a little cold and not wanting to be quite as naked as I am right now if nothing is going to come of it. "Where is it?"

Kent stands up from the bed and I bite my lip and grin a little as I watch him cross the room in nothing but his tight little boxer briefs. Then, to my surprise, he presses against a little section of the wall that, like the back of my wardrobe, has a hidden magnetic clasp that clicks and then -

My mouth drops open a little as the wall spins, revealing a perfect little Italian coffee bar hidden on the other side, complete with an espresso machine, and a tiny fridge with cream, and perfect little white cups -

"Oh!" I say, my eyes going wide, completely charmed by it. Before I can think I'm up and moving towards it, clutching Kent's sheets to my chest and dragging them with me as I hurry over. "Fay," Kent sighs, "you're messing up the whole bed -"

I flick a lightning-fast eye roll his way and then reach out towards the machine, wanting to press all of the little buttons, my mouth watering a little at the thought of a nice espresso to start the morning-

"Don't touch," Kent scolds, slapping my hand away territorially. I gasp and glare at him but he just laughs, putting a hand on my lower back and nudging me towards the closet. "Go put on something warm, Fay, so you can go back through the tunnel. I'll make you something for your trip."

A little chagrined, but not really minding - Kent and Daniel's coffees are always better than mine- I do as Kent says and head over to the closet, dropping the sheets on the floor along the way because I know it will both piss Kent off to have his linens on the ground and to give him a look at what he passed up in the name of responsibility. As I pass into the closet and glimpse over my shoulder, I'm rewarded by the sight of Kent groaning and passing a hand down over his face, shaking his head both at my sloppiness and my cute butt.

When I come out a minute or two later, dressed in a Kent-approved pajama set with matching slippers, I'm rewarded by the sight of my delicious coffee waiting in the hands of my very handsome...what? I look up at him consideringly as I walk over to him. My boss? My boyfriend? My lover? I smirk at the thought of the last word, feeling like that's...too dramatic a term, even though it's probably the most accurate.

Kent looks at me curiously as he hands me the coffee before shaking his head and looking away. "I don't even want to know, Fay," he says, fighting the smile I bring to his face.

"Probably not," I quip, taking a sip and making a pleased little noise. As I lower the tiny cup to its tiny saucer, Kent puts an arm around my waist and pulls me close, making me tilt my face up to look into his.

"I'll see you tonight?" he murmurs, his voice soft and dark with promise in a way that makes my stomach twist in anticipation.

"Okay," I whisper, pleased. "Are you going to be mean to me all day before then?" I ask, tilting my head to the side.

"If you deserve it," he growls, narrowing his eyes at me a little, daring me to try. I can't help but grin, which makes him laugh. "I can't even scare you into good behavior anymore," he sighs.

I shrug. "It's not my fault if I like you a little scary. Very scowly and dark. Just my type, apparently."

"Really?" Kent asks, lifting a brow as he studies me and leaning back a little, though he keeps the arm around my waist. "I thought you were into blondes these days."

I blush a little, looking down at my cup, but I can't help but smile - a little - at the hint of jealousy in his voice. "Terrifying doesn't have a default hair color," I say lightly, trying to be funny. But I raise my eyes again to Kent in surprise when he takes his hand from my waist and crosses his arms over his chest.

"I don't want you to see him anymore, Fay," Kent declares, looking down at me sternly.

"What?" I ask, shocked.

"I'm serious," Kent replies, shrugging and pretending a casualness I know he doesn't feel. "It's getting too dangerous - and you've already got the information from him that we need -“

"Kent," I cut in, glaring. "You know this isn't about danger, or information."

"Fine," he snaps, his expression matching mine. "I don't want his hands on you anymore, Fay. I don't like it."

"Oh?" I say, moving to cross my arms and nearly spiling my coffee everywhere. Kent curses and catches the cup before I knock it over, taking it from me and giving me an exhausted look. I grimace in apology but then continue.

"Seriously, Kent?" I ask, more perturbed by him making this demand than by the actual result of it. I may not have admitted it to myself in words yet - not completely - but I'm very aware of the fact that Kent has my attention now, romantically. Ivan and I have a connection but -

I sigh a little bit, dismissing the thought from my mind and making myself concentrate on the situation at hand.

"Seriously, Fay," Kent replies, re-crossing his arms while holding the coffee in a way that I could not. "End it with him."

"And what about you?" I ask, a little impulsive as well as angry. "Are you going to be exclusive with me?"

Kent blinks at me in surprise but doesn't answer. Instead, he just glares down into my face, not giving anything away. I let a few heartbeats pass and then laugh a little as I realize that he has no intention of answering my question, let alone promising fidelity. "Whatever, Kent," I say, a little pissed and reaching out to take my coffee back from his hand. "I'll answer your question with the same response you gave me."

And then, snatching my coffee away from him, I head for the door that I now know leads to the stone steps and the downstairs passage.

"Fay," Kent calls after me, and I turn at the door. "What do you want for it?"

"For what?" I ask, confused.

"To leave him," he clarifies. "What will it take?"

 

Chapter 115

I stare at Kent for a second, shocked and confused. What, really, is he asking me?

"I'm serious, Fay," Kent continues. "What's your price? An adjustment to the contract? Money? A condo in Milan?"

I go still for a moment, considering that a condo in Milan sounds amazing -

But then I turn fully to him, frowning. "Kent, do you ever consider that my continuing to communicate with Ivan might benefit you too? That I might be doing it for your sake?" "Really," Kent says, his voice rich with sarcasm. "You kissed Ivan last night for my sake."

"One," I say, taking a few quick steps closer to him, "I did not kiss Ivan last night -" I grimace a little inwardly, thinking that Kent doesn't really know that I was definitely going to kiss Ivan last night had Natalia not interrupted - "and two," I continue, interrupting Kent before he can object, "that last night Ivan told me some really interesting stuff that you might want to know."

Kent snaps his mouth shut and considers me for a moment. "Fine," he says, giving in. "What did he tell you that was so worth it?"

"Kent," I hesitate, coming to stand in front of him again and look up into his face, wanting to see how he reacts. "Ivan asked me again to come to his side. He insisted - insisted that you're going down. I don't know why he wants me to do it - if it's because he has feelings for me, or wants the allegiance to my dad, I don't know - but Kent," I pause, shaking my head and hoping he hears me, "Ivan was sure. He says it's dangerous for me to stay in this house. He wants me out."

Kent grits his teeth and looks away from me, his eyes going vague as he processes this news. "It doesn't mean anything, Fay," he mutters. "I can protect you."

"I know," I say, putting a hand on his arm and making him look down at me again. "But Kent, if you let me talk to him, maybe I can find out more. Don't cut off this connection. We can get more from it."

"Fine," Kent growls, leaning down and surprising me by pressing a kiss to my mouth, a lingering one that floods my stomach with heat. "But Fay," he says when he pulls away. "No hands. All right?"

"You know Kent," I murmur, looking up at him from under my eyelashes. "If you were just willing to admit that you didn't want him touching me because you have feelings for me," I whisper, smirking, "I might be obliged to do it for free."

Kent glares at me, but I see the smile starting on his lips as he considers my counter-offer. "Two condos, Fay. Milan and Paris."

I laugh, shoving away from him and wrinkling my nose. "Show me the property listings," I say, giving him a little wink and turning to head back to the door. "And we'll talk."

I finish my tiny coffee by the time I finish climbing the winding iron stair and, after I push through the back of the wardrobe and duck back into my room, I place the empty cup on my bedside table as I yawn and head for the shower. Honestly, after five hours of sleep, one cup doesn't cut it.

I smirk as I turn the shower on and, stripping off my barely-worn pajamas, I consider whether I can convince Kent to let me install a fancy little coffee bar of my own in my room...

By the time I come of the bathroom, though, I'm feeling much more awake. I'm also pleased to see that my clothes for the day have been delivered. I move to them, unfolding them quickly and finding that a frown comes to my face as I consider the perky little white sundress that Kent has sent me for the day - patterned with sunflowers and tied with yellow ribbons at the shoulders.

I mean it's...just not quite right.

I mean, I didn't get into any of the strategic books that Kent recommended for me, but my mind is starting to mull over some of the things that Kent said last night, especially now that I've got a little espresso in me to fuel my thoughts.

And while this little sundress is very cute, and fashionable, and the perfect dress for a day of summer shopping...it also feeds into everything Natalia says about me that makes me feel bad about myself.

Natalia already talks to me like I'm a stupid little girl whose role in this family is strictly as an ornament, if that. In many ways she looks at me as less than that - as a weight, a detriment, someone who cannot take care of Daniel (which she implies is my job) and a silly little nothing who distracts the men from their duties.

So showing up to breakfast today in sunflowers and ribbons?

It only reinforces what Natalia already thinks of me.

Very suddenly, I shake my head and re-fold the dress, moving to my wardrobe to tuck it away for a better moment. Then I sort through the selection of clothing that Kent keeps stocked in my wardrobe at all times, pulling out a simple pair of tight black cigarette pants, a black belt, and a form-fitting green turtle neck as well as my favorite pair of comfortable black pumps.

My outfit chosen, I move towards my vanity and suddenly notice the little manila folder sitting on my bed which was apparently tucked under the clothes that Kent sent. Curious, I pick it up and flip it open, laughing when I see a printed real estate listing for a ridiculously gorgeous, ridiculously expensive flat in Paris overlooking the Sienne. At the top of the page, in Kent's neat and precise handwriting, is written "in exchange for no hands."

I toss the little folder away on my bed, shaking my head, taking it for the joke that it is.

Honestly, Kent's much funnier now that he's getting laid consistently.

I sit myself down in front of my mirror and quickly braid my hair so that it falls straight down my back. That done, I apply very simple, very serious makeup and quickly dress, glancing at the clock and realizing that I'm about five minutes late for breakfast. Perfect, I think, slipping on my shoes and smirking a little as I head for the door.

As I push through the door into the kitchen, I see that Daniel, Alessi, and Natalia are already seated at our little table for two, which has been expanded recently to make room for our guests. Daniel is the only one facing the kitchen door and his eyes go wide with surprise when I walk in. I give him a little wink and then walk cooly past our table, heading directly for the espresso machine. There, I take my time making a double and then - in a move I've never been brave enough to make before I stop by the table of old men who are always in the corner at breakfast time.

They greet me warmly, as if I do this every day, and I slide one hand cooly into the pocket of my tight pants as I ask how they are and talk playfully with them about their plans for the day as well as my own.

"Little Fay," one of them says - an uncle on Kent's side, though I don't know his name and feel guilty about it, after all these months. I make a mental note to ask Daniel. "You come see us more often, okay?" He gently pats my arm before tapping his cheek, asking for a little kiss, which I give him with a laugh. "Knock 'em dead," says Anthony, another of the crew.

"Especially that flashy one," growls the last - the eldest - glaring over at Natalia.

"I'll do my best," I promise, giving him a big smile before walking casually away and bringing my coffee over to my seat next to Daniel.

"Well, Fay," Alessi says, grinning at me. "You are looking very beautiful today."

"Beautiful," Natalia concedes, looking me up and down, "but inappropriate for our day of shopping. Fay, what is wrong with you? You don't know how to dress?"

Daniel opens his mouth to defend me but I speak over him, still not sitting down.

"Sorry, Natalia," I say, tilting my head to the side in an apology I definitely don't feel. "My plans have changed - I have a meeting today with a very important man. You'll have to go shopping on your own. Do you think you can manage? I can show you where to pick up the bus that takes you to the shopping center."