Ch. 136..140: Fall For My Ex’s Mafia Dad Chapter 136-140

Chapter 136

Kent stares at me for a moment, going completely still not even blinking. I think he even forgets to breathe.

And then he hauls in a hard breath, choking on it a little as he take a stumbling step back. I can't help but laugh, thrilled a little at the result. It's not often that anyone sees Kent Lippert off balance, and I have to admit - I enjoyed the sight. "Seriously, Fay?" Kent asks, raising his eyebrows at me and taking one hand off my waist to cover his mouth as he coughs, recovering from his surprise. "Are you - are you serious?" "You don't want to?" I ask, frowning a little, pretending to shrink away.

"No!" he says, grabbing at my waist and pulling me back, making me smile, though I try not to make it too victorious. "I mean yes - or -" he takes a moment to steel himself, glaring down at me a little, perhaps figuring out that I've intentionally surprised him. "Believe me, Fay," Kent murmurs, his voice husky and slow now that he's recovered himself, "there's absolutely nothing I'd rather to do than teach you this particular skill." And he takes a moment, then, to let his eyes drop to my mouth, to raise a hand to my face and run his thumb lingeringly over my lower lip. "I'm just...surprised that you don't want to talk."

"About what?" I ask, perhaps too innocently, looking up at him with wide eyes.

Kent smirks a little, studying my face, on to me now. "About Natalia," he says. "I'm not unaware that you weren't thrilled to see her seated on my lap tonight, feeding me ice cream."

"Well," I say with a little shrug, pulling away a bit. "If you'd rather me go get her so that she can blow you -"

Kent laughs - a surprised, happy thing - and pulls me back against him, which makes me grin. "Not a chance," he growls. "But seriously, Fay," he continues, studying my face.

And I let my façade drop a little, letting honesty peek through. Because really, tonight? It wasn't Natalia I was jealous of. But I shove the thoughts of Lenai away. "Seriously, Kent," I say, shaking my head a little bit and putting my hands flat against his chest as he tugs me closer. "Didn't you say to trust you about Natalia?" I shrug one shoulder. "I trust you."

And then I lower my eyes to his chest and bring my hands together, starting to unbutton his shirt. Kent lets me work for a moment before pressing a finger under my chin and making me pause and look up at him. "Really, Fay?" he asks, likewise quite serious. "Because...Fay, I don't want you to hide it, if you're feeling bad about it. Or do this because you think it will make me like you more than her. There's no contest. We can - we can talk about it if you want."

I look up at him and let him see the honesty in my eyes for a moment, that I'm really not lying. And then I stand on my tiptoes so that my face is as close to his as I can get it, so that he can hear me well even though I only whisper.

"I don't want to talk, Kent," I say softly, holding his gaze the whole time. "I want something besides words in my mouth right now."

Kent goes still again, and a smile starts on my mouth -

But it doesn't have time to finish before Kent snarls and snaps me viciously off my feet, making me squeal with laughter as he wraps me up in his arms and kicks the door to the passage closed behind me.

Then, before I can think what he's doing, Kent strides across the room, only releasing a hand from me once to slam it against a wall, hitting a light switch so that the room goes dark. In an instant, he's carries me over to the fireplace.

There, he sets me down on my feet and turns me around so that I'm staring at the fire, which is burning on low heat - ridiculous in the summer, I think briefly. But the thought goes instantly away as I feel Kent stand close behind me, as I hear him start to speak. "You asked me for this favor, Fay," he murmurs, not touching me yet but sending a shiver through me regardless. "You asked me to teach you. Is that right?"

"Yes," I breathe, feeling my breath already starting to come fast.

"So, you're going to listen," he says sharply, "when I tell you what to do. Right, Fay?"

"Yes," I say again, nodding a little.

But suddenly an arm is around my waist, pulling my back tight against his chest as he growls in my ear. "Yes what, Fay?"

"Yes sir," I whisper, my pulse ratcheting up now to match my breathing.

"Good girl," Kent murmurs, stepping back from me again. Further away this time, so I don't know where he's standing. He tortures me for a moment, not saying anything, not giving me any hints, before he issues his next command.

"Take off your shoes," he murmurs, and I do, slipping out of the soft moccasins so that I can feel the soft warm rug against my feet. I smile a little, thinking that it's kind of sweet that Kent picked the softest place in the room for me to get on my knees - But I don't have time to dwell on it.

"Now the robe," he demands, and I can hear the rustle of fabric behind me as Kent removes a piece of his own clothing - his suit jacket, I guess, as there's no jingle of metal for his belt.

I untie the bet at my waist and reach up to push at the robe at my shoulders, letting it fall backwards off me to puddle against the floor.

A moment passes before I hear Kent say or do anything.

"God damn it, Fay," I hear him mutter as he takes in how my back and my ass looks in this lingerie, his voice already almost a groan.

And slowly, knowing that he doesn't want me to do it because he didn't order me to yet, I turn to face him, so that he can see all of me bared before him, my skin hidden only by this ridiculous little whisp of fabric.

Kent's eyes are so hungry I almost step back. But I will myself to hold my ground, letting him look at me in the firelight, letting him eat me up with his eyes as he unbuttons his shirt and lets it, too, fall to the floor. "Down," he orders, swallowing hard, his own breath faster now. "On your knees. Do it."

I do as he says, holding his gaze as I sink first to one knee and then the other.

"Further," he commands, nodding his chin towards my feet. "Ass against your heels. Spread your knees." I sink further down, still staring up at him, letting my hands come to rest against my thighs. I stare up at him, surprised by how much I like the view of Kent, shirtless, towering above me. Surprised at how wet it makes me for him.

Kent takes a step closer to me so that his feet come to rest almost between my knees, so that my face is quite close to his hip-level. "Undo the belt," he demands, putting his hands on his waist. "It's time for your lesson, Fay."

"Yes, sir," I say, still staring up at him, not breaking his gaze as I lift my hands and begin to undo his belt slowly.

"Faster," he orders, frustrated, but I just smirk at him and take my time, making him narrow his eyes. Then, when that's done, he nods down at me again. "Take them off," he says.

And slowly, my hands shaking a little at the newness of the experience - honestly, I'm no good with new things - I slip the button through the fabric of his slacks and then slowly, suddenly terribly anxious, I start to unzip his pants.

 

Chapter 137

d**k.

Once Kent is unzipped I fold my fingers over the edge of his pants and his boxer-briefs, tugging down, and Kent helps me, pushing at the back of his pants so that they fall all at once to the floor. And then I'm suddenly quite intimately face-to-face with his rock-hard I blink in surprise, doing my best to maintain my cool even though I'm - I'm honestly a little freaked out -

I mean, Kent's c**k is in some ways an old friend by now - a very good old friend. But we've - we've never met quite like this -

Perhaps sensing my reaction, or just wanting to get his pants away from his ankles, Kent takes two steps back, lifting his feet out of his slacks and kicking them away. As he does that, his hand goes to the base of his c**k and he runs his palm slowly up the length of it, back and forth, letting me see him do it.

I can't pull my eyes away from him, half mesmerized, half...half wondering how the hell I'm supposed to get that in my mouth. I mean, I haven't seen a lot of penises with my own eyes so I don't have a lot to compare to, and I've always been aware that Kent is large, but honestly, considering it now -

"Are you ready, Fay?" Kent asks, his voice hard, and I snap my face up to his. Seeing his dark determination there, I wipe my hesitation from my face and nod once.

He steps close to me again, sliding his hand to the base of his c**k and holding it still before me. And then his other hand comes up to my cheek, gently tucking a curl of my hair behind my ear.

"Open your mouth," he murmurs, his voice rough, though I think he's trying to be gentle for my sake. It's hard for him, though - I can tell. Kent's desire to move fast is in every twitch of his cock, which pulses now along with the beating of his heart.

Something in that settles me, I don't know what - maybe the fact that Kent is apparently feeling just as crazed as I am right now? But whatever it is, I'm grateful for it as I tilt my head back and smirk up at Kent before opening my mouth for him, just inches from his d**k, and stick out my tongue just a little bit.

He groans, then, pressing his eyes shut for a second almost as if he can't look at me. Then, after steeling himself, he looks back at me and carefully, almost gently, places the head of his dick against my tongue, beginning to slowly rub it back and forth.

I blink, surprised at the softness of it, the warmth of it, and I stick my tongue out a little further, wanting to feel more of that thick cock against it, rubbing my tongue up and down once over that tender spot on the underside of his d**k. I'm surprised to find that it's already a little wet, a little bead of moisture dripping out onto my tongue.

Kent groans again, clenching his teeth, before squeezing out a few words.

"Your hand, Fay," he murmurs, "take it. Here, at the base, where my hand is."

And I obey, lifting my hand and hesitantly replacing his at the base of his cock as Kent lifts his hand away and runs his fingers through his hair, staring at me.

And suddenly I'm in complete control, Kent's throbbing c**k hard against my tongue, my hand wrapped around the base of it and -

And I have no idea what to do.

I stare up at Kent, suddenly freaked out, and pull my tongue away as my hand tightens a little, anxious, around his c**k. "Kent," I whisper, looking between him and the d**k in my hand, "what - what am I supposed to do -"

"Whatever you want, Fay," he murmurs, clenching his teeth and shaking his head a little, clearly-clearly holding back for my sake, because I can tell just by looking at him that the last thing he wants to do is talk about this - that he wants this dick in my mouth now

-

"What!?" I gasp. "Kent!" I say, my eyes going wider. "You were supposed to teach me!"

"Fay," he groans, tilting his head back, his shoulders starting to shake with his restraint, "Trust me, if I tell you to do what I really want to do to you right now, you will be...scarred for life. I don't want to freak you out - you should just get used to the feel of it in your mouth - just lick it, see how it feels before you start to -"

"Kent!" I snap, starting to get mad, because - because I'm scared, but I want to get this right, I want him to like it. "This is not about me feeling comfortable! I'm trying to get you off!"

"Oh my god, Fay," Kent growls, staring down at me now in frustration, anger tinging his words. "I've been about ten seconds away from cumming since the moment I saw you on your knees. What you do doesn't matter - you could probably just lick it twice at this point -"

"No!" I protest, glaring up at him, starting to get mad myself, impulsively raising my other hand and letting it fly in a broad arc towards him. "I want to do it right! You were supposed to teac-" But I don't finish my word, because before I can finish my open palm smacks the side of his thigh, hard, dangerously close to his ass.

Kent's eyes go wide at the same moment as I do as we both realize that...

That I kind of spanked Kent.

But my eyes only get wider as his narrow in rage, as he takes half a step closer to me and buries his fingers deep in my hair, curling into a knot at the back of my head. "Fine!" he snaps, "Fine, Fay! Open your mouth! Put it inside!"

And I do - fast - I open my mouth and lean forward, letting Kent's d**k slide across my tongue as it did before -

Except this time, Kent moves his hips, sliding it deeper into my mouth and back along the length of my tongue. My lips close instinctively around him.

Kent lets loose a deep groan then, squeezing his eyes shut and tearing his head to the side at what I can imagine is the intensity of it. He pulses his hips a few times, sliding his d**k back and forth between my lips, and then, with an effort, he stops. "Like that, Fay," Kent grinds out from between his clenched teeth. "Back and forth. Like that."

And I obey, holding him steady with my hand still wrapped around him, and slowly, experimentally, I move my mouth backwards and forwards over his cock, my jaw set wide to accommodate all of him as I take him deeper and deeper towards the back of my throat. "Oh my god," Kent murmurs, still not opening his eyes, standing still as I experiment with the feel of him inside of my mouth, feeling him fill me in this new way, finding that I love - I love the way he feels against my tongue, the way he presses towards my throat when I take him deeper.

"Your hand, Fay," Kent instructs, his head tipped back now, his words coming between thick pants. "Use your hand - press it - press it against your lips."

It takes me a moment to figure out what he means, but then I find when I move my hand forward and press it against my lips it works as an extension of my mouth, and that my fingers slip easily up and down his c**k, now wet with my saliva. Encouraged - a little excited, honestly, by how much I like how it feels - by what it's doing to him - I begin to pick up my pace.

Kent begins to curse fluidly now, muttering a stream of some of the filthiest language I've ever heard up towards the ceiling as his hips again begin to pulse, almost as if he can't help it. Encouraged - honestly, turned on by it myself - I go even faster now, pumping him deeper into my mouth, faster, until-

I blink in surprise and gag a little when I feel his d**k hit the back of my throat for the first time -

But honestly, something about it - about the idea of gagging on Kent's c**k, about the way he twitches as he feels me do it - it sets something loose in me.

 

 

Chapter 138

Something feral breaks in me as Kent's d**k hits the back of my throat, a part of me that I'm not sure I knew was here, and suddenly I want him as deep as he can go - I want to choke on this c**k - I want to feel him c*m inside my mouth, want to feel it slip down my throat and as I realize this about myself, about the way I want to be f****d, I moan while I take him him as deep as I can.

And it's just - it's too much for Kent. A noise rips from this throat then, something like a yell or a roar as he tightens his hand in the hair at the back of my head. Kent loses control of himself in that moment and pitches his hips forward, sinking his throbbing c**k deep into my throat - deeper than I thought it could go -

My eyes go wide as Kent holds my head still, his hips pulsing once, and then I feel him c*m - feel him fill my throat hot and thick, feel him continue to c*m as he pulls out a little, spilling into my mouth now. And I'm shocked at first, my eyes going wide at the harsh bitter taste of it - gagging in response at the sudden spurt of it against my throat -

But then that feral thing in me takes over again and I moan too, loving it, pressing my eyes shut, loving the feel of it, wanting more as I reach up to grab his hips, pulling Kent back so that he sinks again into the back of my throat as his o****m pulses through his body, as he pounds two more times deep into my mouth before falling back a step, his hand finally coming loose from my hair.

Kent wraps his hand again around the base of his c**k as he pulls it from my mouth, as I gasp a deep breath of air, opening my eyes and closing my lips as I swallow his c*m down. And then, as he watches me, I lift my right hand to wipe at my mouth with the side of my hand, where a little bit has escaped and begins to dribble down my chin.

Kent watches my every movement as I bring that hand back to my face and lick up every spare drop of cum that spilled out of my mouth. Because I want to taste every bit of it.

Undone by it, by the sight of me savoring the way he tastes, Kent moans again and falls to his knees in front of me, taking my face between his hands and kissing me - kissing me - kissing me -

Pulling me on top of him and kissing me as he falls back against the rug, completely spent.

Kent lets his head fall back on the rug and we lay there for a few moments, panting, finding ourselves again. I rest my head against his chest, wrapping my arm around his waist as far as it will go, idly tracing my fingers up and down the skin of his back, which makes him shiver and twitch a little bit.

As Kent finds his breath I close my eyes, trying to sort through my emotions - still able to taste him in my mouth, still marveling, a little, at the side of me that came forward - that wanted to take him as deep as he could go. I mean, I've known for a while now that I quite like it when Kent loses control with me, when he goes too far and blurs the line between pleasure and pain.

But half of me - I don't know, I always considered that I liked it because he liked it. That I quite like pleasing him, even if it meant pushing my boundaries to do it. But this - this was different. I wanted that dick so far in my throat that I choked on it. I wanted to feel that way, for me. Not for him.

I blink a little, considering myself. I just...never really knew that I had this side of myself in me.

And as I think about it, I smile, just a little. Just raising one corner of my mouth. Because I kind of...like it.

"Fay," Kent murmurs, suddenly going still beneath me, apparently coming back to himself more completely now. He raises his head a little, bringing a soft hand to my hair as he tries to get a look at me. I turn my face towards him. "I'm sorry Fay - are you all right? I -" "It's okay," I say, moving my hand to his chest, hoping to reassure him. "I liked it."

He shakes his head at me. "I went too deep - I'm sorry - I wanted to go slow, I didn't want to freak you out your first time doing that -"

"It's okay, Kent," I say, laughing a little as I smile up at him. "I liked it. Next time I want to see if you can go deeper."

He pauses for a moment, staring down at me, and then he growls, grabbing me and rolling me over so that I'm laying totally on his chest now, his arms wrapped around me. "What is wrong with you, girl," he murmurs, burying his face in that place he likes between my neck and my shoulder. "You're supposed to be this innocent thing - this frail girl who trembles at the sight of me - and now you're defying Italian mob bosses and telling me you like it when I fuck your face -"

I laugh, tickled a little at the truth of this as I put my hands flat on his chest and press until I'm sitting up, my legs falling on either side of him as I grin down at Kent, shrugging one shoulder. "What can I say, Lippert," I murmur. "You corrupted me." "Maybe," he murmurs, sliding a hand up my side and brushing his thumb against the underside of my b****t, making me shiver a bit. "But I'm more inclined to think that this Fay was there all along. Just needed a...little inspiration. To find herself."

I stretch my arms over my head, tilting my head back to the ceiling and sighing with happiness. "Never should have woken this Fay up, Kent," I murmur, jokingly. "Soon I'll have you so ensorcelled with my s****l prowess that you'll willingly hand me everything you own, just for one more night."

"Fay," Kent murmurs, sitting up and wrapping his arms around my hips, tugging me close so that he can kiss my chest, lick his tongue up the soft space between my breasts. "If you don't think I'm already there, then you're more of a fool than I ever thought you were."

I laugh at his joke, burying my hands in his hair and tilting back his head so I can kiss him fully on the mouth.

"Oh really?" I say when I pull my mouth away, still laughing a little. "So, I can have whatever I want?"

"Mmhmm," he murmurs, looking up at me with his pretty green eyes. "Ask and it shall be given, Fay."

"Well," I say, tilting my head back and considering. "I never got my condo in Milan..."

He laughs. "You never approved the listing I sent you."

"That was in Paris!"

"I assumed it was an equitable replacement. You'll like Paris more anyway."

"How do you know that," I ask, narrowing my eyes at him.

"Because," he says honestly. "Paris has chocolate croissants. Which you, I know, will eat by the dozen as soon as you get a taste."

I laugh again, pleased at the thought of choosing a city based on their breakfast pastry alone. "What about a trade?" I say, cocking my head to the side, suddenly inspired.

"I'm listening," he replies, but he drops his head again, drawing kisses along my collar bone, belying this claim.

"What if..." I say, "I gave back my promise of a condo in Milan for..."

He looks up at me now, curious.

"For the same request," I whisper, suddenly serious. "For an agreement of...no hands."

Kent cocks his head to the side, waiting for me to say more.

"I don't want you to touch her anymore, Kent," I whisper, the humor falling from my face as I realize how much it's true. "I only want you to...to touch me."

Kent is barely silent for a moment before he nods. "All right, Fay," he says, looking up and holding my gaze. "If that's what you want. Then I won't. I can't control what she does to me, and I can't stop her abruptly - there's too much on the line with the Bianci family. But I'll discourage her. And I won't put my hands on her again. All right?"

"Really?" I breathe, shocked, letting my hands trail through his hair.

"Really," he replies. And then he slips a hand up my back and presses it between my shoulder blades, pulling me in for a long, slow kiss. A promise in itself.

We stay that way for a long while, kissing softly, slowly, in front of the fire. And when we stop, it's because I'm the one to pull away.

"Come on, big bad mafia boss," I murmur, letting my arms fall across his shoulders. "Take me to bed."

And I laugh a little as he does as I say, wrapping my legs around his waist as he stands up and carries me over to the bed where he lays me down, and then lays himself on top of me.

 

Chapter 139

Kent and I fall asleep peacefully that night, his right arm wrapped tight around me, his left arm stretc My eyes flash around the room as I try to figure out where I am - to find the men who were breaking in But as I look gasping around I see that...everything is fine.

That it's just the two of us, still alone in Kent's cool, dark room.

"Fay," he murmurs sleepily, his voice tense as I moan and curl up next to him, still shaken by the night "I'm okay," I whisper back, shaking my head, feeling guilty about having woken him over something so Kent tsks sympathetically and tugs at my shoulder, a silent request for me to turn. So I do, and he pul about?"

"Nothing," I murmur, shaking my head.

"Tell me," he urges, taking a deep breath as his body again starts to relax.

"It was nothing," I lie, pressing myself tight against him, wanting to be close as possible, to feel the liv it. Because I really don't want to tell him - don't want to be worried about me being worried about hi But as Kent's breathing deepens next to me, and I can feel the slowing beat of his heart, I know that d ...that what Ivan told me is still haunting me. And as much as Kent wants me to forget about it, and Da I can't do it.

I have to do something. I have to act.

And so I fall asleep again with a new resolve burning in my heart.

When Kent wakes up the next morning, I don't think he remembers my nightmare. But I'm awake first, Kent drops a kiss to my neck before turning over to turn it off, but he's back in a moment, his arm wra

I smile and turn my face up to him but he frowns down at me, pulling away to look at me. "Are you all, insult and I squeak, covering my face, which just makes him laugh.

t beneath me so I can use his bicep as a pillow. But about three hours later I'm gasping awake, my whole body shaking in fear. house - who were killing them - killing us all - cutting Daniel's throat, shooting at Kent - who already laid Jerome out on the floor, leaking blood -

Are you okay? What's -"

. "It was just a nightmare - I'm sorry -"

ight against him so that my stomach and chest are tight against his. "Poor Fay," he murmurs, pressing a kiss to my forehead and then my hair. "What was it

eathing reality of him, to let him chase away the fright. Kent murmurs more comforting things to me, but I can tell that he's barely awake, and I'm grateful for all of last night's very pleasant distractions...

ants me to let Kent handle it...

only dipped in and out of sleep for the rest of the night. So, when the alarm clock begins its horrible noise, I barely even flinch. round me. "Good morning," he murmurs, pulling me close.

ay?" he asks. When my smile drops away he laughs a little. "I mean, I'm sorry - you just don't look as...fresh as you usually do." My jaw drops in horror at his

"No, Fay," he chuckles, gathering me close. "You're gorgeous as usual, stop. Just - you don't look like you got any sleep. Are you okay?"

"I didn't sleep well," I confess, pulling my hands away from my face with a sigh, pressing a kiss to his chest before looking up at him again. "I had indigestion," I lie, and then I narrow my eyes at him. "Natalia poised me. I'm sure of it." "I wouldn't put it past her," he murmurs, pressing a light kiss to my mouth. Then, he pulls back again, considering me. "Stay here," he suggests, nodding to the bed. "Just sleep. I'll make sure you're not disturbed."

And, as tempted as I am, I sigh and shake my head. "No," I murmur, starting to sit up. Kent sits up with me as I run my fingers through my tangled hair. "I have things I want to do today. And Daniel will miss me at breakfast." "You worry too much about that boy," Kent says, running his knuckles fondly down my cheek. "He can handle himself."

"No, he can't," I sigh, giving Kent a dubious little look as I climb out of bed and go searching for my slippers and robe. "Which is why I have to tag-team his emotions with his boyfr-"

And I freeze mid-sentence, realizing what I just said. And that Kent and I have never had that conversation before.

"Really," Kent says, leaning back against the pillows as I turn towards him, grimacing. A wide, eager smile spreads across Kent's face. "So. Daniel's got a boyfriend, hmm?"

"I said nothing," I say, crossing my arms and glaring at him.

"Who is it?" Kent asks, his grin growing.

"Nothing," I say, raising my eyebrows. "I am a lockbox of secrets."

"Fay," Kent says, leaning forward and laughing at me. "You are at best a basket of secrets. With a very loose weave."

"That's not true!" I gasp, my hands falling. "I kept Daniel's boyfriend secret for months!"

"So, he's had a boyfriend for months," Kent says, clasping his hands victoriously behind his head and leaning further back against the pillows.

"That's it," I say, slicing my hand through the air and turning away from him. "No more interrogations when I am sleepy!" And then I lean down to snatch my robe off the floor, pulling it hastily over my body.

"I'll give you a coffee if you tell me," Kent offers. "Do I know him?"

I glance between Kent and the coffee cabinet, tempted, but then I hold my chin up high, pretending a grace I do not feel. "My loyalty to Daniel is more important than coffee," I say loftily. And then Kent laughs at me as I slip my feet into my moccasins and head to the door to the passage, pulling it open.

"I'll get it out of you, Fay!" Kent calls after me, laughing. "Sooner or later!"

"Make it worth my while, Kent," I say, sending him a little wink over my shoulder. "And...maybe I'll let that little piece slip." Then I blow him a cheeky kiss and head down the passage, his laughter ringing out behind me.

I move quickly through the basement corridor, feeling a little guilty that I've let Daniel's secret slip, but I feel less guilty as I realize that it's nothing that Kent probably didn't already know. I mean, if he really cared to know who Daniel has been sleeping with, all he'd have to do is scroll through a couple of month's worth of security tapes in the upstairs hallway to see Jerome sneaking in and out of Daniel's room.

If Kent doesn't know already, it's because he doesn't want to.

Cheered a bit at this realization, I climb up the winding staircase to my room and push open the wardrobe door. I'm a little disappointed that Daniel isn't there waiting for me - I want to make things right with him again, uncomfortable that we ended last night on a fight. But I'm also a little cheered, as I realize that it makes my next steps easier.

Because despite my cute wakeup with Kent, I'm still shaken by my nightmare, and still resolved to do something to make a change, to save our lives even if Kent and Daniel seem to be willing to turn a blind eye to Ivan's warnings.

So, I grab my little burner phone out of my desk and, after sending off some quick replies to my dad and Janeen, I open my messages to Ivan.

Hey, I type out, my fingers flying over the screen. I want to talk. I'm sorry about how everything happened yesterday. Please - I think we can make a deal.

And then, feeling relieved that I've done something, I put the phone away and turn towards my bathroom. But I turn when I hear a little knock at my door. Curious, I quickly cross the room and pull the door open, my face breaking into my smile when I see a little tray with a tiny cup of espresso and a chocolate croissant waiting for me there.

Pleased, I bend down to pick it up, my mouth already watering as I turn back into my room and kick my door shut behind me.

 

Chapter 140

Ivan doesn't reply to me by the time I head down for breakfast, but I don't worry about it. We ended yesterday poorly after all - and he might hate me a little bit now. So, I imagine that giving him a little time to decide what to do makes sense. Feeling cheerful and confident about how I've taken my world into my own hands at least a little bit, I stride confidently into breakfast in my riding clothes, my hair braided neatly back. I ignore Natalia completely as I pass her on my way to the espresso bar, instead calling warm greetings to the older gentlemen there, who are very happy to see me. After passing a few minutes with them, I turn towards Daniel, who is already seated at our table. I pass Alessi on the way, brushing a friendly hand across his shoulder as I go, and then I sit down across from Daniel with an apology on my lips.

But he beats me to it. "I'm sorry, Fay," he says, shaking his head, the moment I sit down.

"No, Daniel," I say, reaching out to take his hand. "It's my fault."

We're friends again in moments, laughing together at how stupid we both were last night. Kent hardly gives us a moment alone before coming over to smirk at us and slide our plates of food onto the table.

"Hey Daniel," Kent says, distracting Daniel from our conversation. Daniel looks up to see a wicked smirk on Kent's face and I groan, putting my head in my hands as I realize where this is going. "Anything you want to tell me?" Kent asks, slipping his hands cooly into his pockets.

"Um," Daniel says, glancing between us. "No?"

"You sure?" Kent asks, raising an eyebrow at him. "Because Fay told me...everything. About you and..."

"Fay!" Daniel almost shouts, leaning across the table at me, looking betrayed. "I can't believe you -"

"Don't fall for it, Daniel!" I break in frantically, starting to laugh. "He's tricking you! He doesn't know anything!"

Daniel's mouth falls open as he looks between us - at Kent's wicked grin, at my angry glare.

"This," Daniel says, looking tensely between us, but shaking his head as he realizes that he's very nearly fallen for one of his dad's tricks. "I don't like this at all."

Kent just laughs darkly and walks away, leaving Daniel to glare at me.

"Fay," Daniel hisses. "What did you tell him?"

I roll my eyes, deflecting the blame and glancing anxiously at Natalia and Alessi at their table nearby. "Eat your breakfast," I command. "I'll tell you in the car." "Where are we going?" he asks, confused.

"To the stables," I say, gesturing to my outfit as if it's obvious. "We can talk freely at the stables."

Daniel wrinkles his nose in distaste. "I don't want to go there. There's...animals."

I roll my eyes at him, taking a big bite of toast and then a slurp of coffee, eager to go. "Come on, city boy," I say, my mouth still full. "You need some country air."

Daniel does eventually agree to come with me and we end up having a really pleasant day. He was mad, at first, that I let the boyfriend issue slip with his dad - but he eventually admitted that I was right, that Kent's not knowing at this point is a choice of ignorance.

He also wasn't kidding about not liking animals, shying away from Heathcliff even more than Ivan did. But I get Daniel in the saddle eventually, laughing as he bounces around on my poor horse's back, completely uncoordinated.

I'm still shaking my head at him as he drives us home a few hours later. "Seriously, Daniel," I say, leaning back in the passenger seat and studying him. "How do you stay so fit for someone who is about ten inches from falling out of the saddle?"

"I was born beautiful," Daniel murmurs, sending me a sarcastic little glance. "The gods have blessed me with this physique and never made me exercise a day for it."

I look him up and down, remembering the pictures of young Kent that I saw yesterday and considering that that's at least partially true. But I shake my head. Daniel isn't nearly as muscled as Kent, but he's not frail. "I don't buy it," I say as Daniel pulls through the gates and into our driveway. I narrow my eyes at him. "You work out secretly, I know it."

"It's not a secret, Fay," he says, concentrating as he pulls the car into the garage and shuts it off. "I box."

"What!?" I gasp.

He turns to me, confused and laughing a little. "In the gym? Attached to my room?"

"You have a gym?!" I ask, my mouth falling open.

"How did you not know this?" he asks, confused as he unbuckles his belt and climbs out of the car. "It's through the far door in my room -"

"I thought that was your closet!" I exclaim, climbing out as well and staring at him over the roof of the car.

"The closet is next to it," he says, shrugging. "Honestly, Fay," he says, giving me a dubious little look as we head into the house. "You should explore more. You live here."

"Um," I say, glaring up at him, "I don't know what world you were raised in, but where I come from, there's not a lot about a mafia mansion that says 'freely explore me!""

"Lies," Daniel responds, closing the garage door behind us and putting an arm around my shoulders. "You do freely explore. For instance, I know all about your sneaky little mission to the weird p**n room in the basement last night -"

I gasp up at him, blushing. "I was looking at family pictures!" I protest, but Daniel just rolls his eyes. And then we're both laughing as we continue down the hall, but both of us are caught by the noise of voices from Kent's office as we pass.

As one, Daniel and I stop, our heads turning towards the cracked door.

"So, the order is on the way?" Alessi asks.

"Yes," Kent affirms. "Everything is in place for the delivery as well as the distribution. It should all move seamlessly. We're not anticipating any interference from the police - we've flown fully under their radar with this one."

"What are they talking about?" I whisper, looking up at Daniel, taking his hand.

"I don't know," he murmurs, shaking his head, his eyes still on the door.

"This is good, Kent," Alessi says, his voice pleased and proud. "With this, we as a family know that we can....truly trust you again."

"It's rather disappointing to hear," Kent replies, his voice low and a little angry, "that you ever lost that faith, brother."

I can almost see Alessi give the little shrug that always accompanies the chuckle that I hear. "When families are so far apart for so long," he says, "it is easy to...lose a little trust. Especially with your continued allegiance to the Alden girl, despite our suggestion that you...let those ties go."

I blink when I hear myself referred to this way - especially from Alessi, who has always been nice to me. But this just makes me realize that Alessi and Natalia are two sides to the same coin - he's just been showing me a shinier face. I narrow my eyes at the door, displeased.

"Come on," Daniel says, tugging at my hand.

"No," I murmur, stepping closer. "I want to hear -"

"Leave her out of it," Kent says to Alessi solidly. "I have my own reasons for wanting to keep those ties in place. And Daniel is...attached."

"Fay," Daniel whines, tugging at my hand, truly anxious now, not wanting to get caught.

I flash him a little glare and move closer to the door as Alessi begins to speak again, but then I'm yanked almost fully off my feet as Daniel gives a hard pull on my arm.

"Daniel!" I gasp, probably too loud, because Daniel's eyes go wide and then he's hurrying up the stairs, dragging me along with him. But we must make it up fast enough because I have no real chance to see if anyone came out of Kent's office to investigate before Daniel pulls me into my room, shutting and locking the door behind us.

I glare at him. "Why did you do that?"

"Because, Fay," Daniel replies, glaring back and crossing his arms. "If my dad caught us eavesdropping, he's not going to be as easy to appease as you think he is."

"Speak for yourself," I murmur, moving towards my desk, eager to check my phone.

Daniel just rolls his eyes and heads into the bathroom. "Whatever, Fay," he says, done with me for the moment and clearly wanting a minute alone. I don't stop him, angry myself, and once the door is shut I pull open my top drawer and take my phone out, flicking through my messages.

I scowl, seeing none from Ivan - not yet. And even though he will still probably reply tonight, a little worry curls in my stomach now.

But beside that worry is determination.

There is something going on in this house and outside of it. And despite what Daniel thinks, there's no way I'm just going to sit back and let something bad happen to us without trying to do something to stop it.

But now that I've heard what Kent was saying downstairs?

I wonder if there's something he's doing that's playing into whatever attack Ivan knows is coming. That...perhaps Ivan himself has planned.