Ch. 211..215: Fall For My Ex’s Mafia Dad Chapter 211-215

Chapter 211

And then I feel guilty for making him feel guilty - and it's all a terrible spiral-

"Oh no," I murmur, tears slipping down my cheeks as I take his face between my palms. "We can't live like this Kent - with both of us feeling like we've asked too much of each other without giving enough- He laughs, then, shaking his head. "I know that you're right," he says, "but I...don't know how to ever stop feeling that way. What you've done, Fay -"

"It wasn't even really that big a deal -" "It was -"

"I just...made my dad give me a bunch of companies, one of which was a shipping industry, and made my husband learn how to smuggle things - honestly, after I figured that out the rest was very easy - I did it all from my kitchen -"

He laughs then, tugging me closer and pressing a kiss to my hair. "You're underplaying it, Fay," he sighs. "Which is fine with me, because I know you, but if you ever want anyone else in this world to respect you, you'll have to find a way to let them see the cold calculation behind those moves. Which I'm very aware is there."

I sniff a little, my tears coming to an end, and consider what he says. "Um...do I want people in this world to respect me?" I ask, quiet, wondering what he's thinking.

"I suppose that's up to you," Kent replies, his voice even. "They'll certainly know your name now that this is done. You own what, all of Alden's legitimate ventures? And have passed the illegitimate to Fiona? People will be aware of who you are, and will be following your moves. It's up to you to decide what you want to do with that."

"Kent?" I ask, leaning back now and brushing at my cheeks with my hand to get the last of the tears away. "What do you want me to do with that?"

He just slowly shakes his head at me, unwilling to answer. "It's not for me to decide," he says softly.

I scoff now, frustrated, and push him on the shoulder. "Yes it is," I growl. "We're in this together - all of this. I'm not going to just make decisions and drag you along with them -"

"And I'm not just going to seize control of the power that you built for yourself and do what I want with it -"

"Even if that's what I want you to do?" I ask, my eyes wide.

"Fay," Kent says quietly, turning his head to the side. "Is that what you want me to do? Is that why you did all of this - to give me my position in the criminal world back?"

I take a moment to consider his words.

"No," I whisper, holding his gaze, letting him see the truth of it. "That's not why I did this. But if you want it, I'll give it to you."

He hangs his head a little, clearly torn. And I run my fingers through his hair, feeling guilty again, wanting to fix it but knowing...well, that I've got to let him have his own time, don't I? To sort through everything he is feeling as well.

"I have to talk to Daniel," I say quietly, leaning my head on his shoulder and continuing to run my thumb over the short hairs over his ear. "I need to see where he's standing too, before we make plans to move forward." "Daniel?" Kent asks, looking up at me, a little confused. "What does he have to do with it?"

"He's my husband, Kent," I say, grinning a little and looking at him with wide eyes. "My other half? The father of my child? He should have a say -"

Kent growls then, tugging me possessively closer. "Stop saying things like that," he murmurs, bending over me and bringing his face close to mine. "Making me jealous of my own damn kid, even if you're kidding -"

"I'm not kidding!" I laugh, though I am teasing him, enjoying seeing him jealous. "Our wedding was legit -"

"Was not," Kent mutters, leaning me further backwards now so that I'm horizontal again, so that he can move his shoulders and loom over me, intimidating and powerful and just...incredibly sexy.

"Sorry, Kent, it was," I sigh, allowing my hand to curl around the back of his neck. "But, luckily, I am willing to cheat on him, if the tempting party is good looking enough -"

"Cheat on him," Kent huffs, laughing a little, "ridiculous -"

"The bonds of marriage are very important to me, Kent! I -"

But I don't get any further, because Kent seals his mouth to mine, shutting me up like he can't stand to hear any of it. And then he takes his time showing me precisely how much I belong to him, wiping the thought of any other men - or anything except him at all, frankly neatly from my mind.

My hunger comes back to me in full force a little later, after I get out of the shower. I move immediately to the little tray of food, looking around the room and a little surprised to see that Kent isn't there. But I find a little note, letting me know he's gone up on deck to get fresh air and that I should come join when I'm ready.

I smile, pleased at the prospect, and then grab half a sandwich from the tray as I hurry to dress myself and get ready. I head out the door a few minutes later, my hair still damp and a couple more sandwiches wrapped in a napkin tucked under my arm. But I don't head immediately up to the deck - instead, I take a little detour, heading downstairs to see the horses.

Because the poor horses - Daniel assured me that they would be fine, that horses are shipped across the Atlantic like this all the time, and that the container in which they're living has plenty of fresh air - it even has portholes that open out onto the sea - But still, something about it just feels...so wrong.

But would it have been any better to leave poor Heathcliff behind?

I sigh when I reach the door to the horses' container, pulling it open.

But I'm further shocked when I see someone already standing there. "Daniel!" I say, laughing with surprise.

He turns and smiles at me, one hand in his pocket. "Oh hey," he says, a genuine smile of pleasure lighting his face. "I didn't think you were coming out of the cabin maybe...ever."

"Well that would have been my preference," I mutter, moving to his side and wrapping an arm around his waist in a hug. "But your dad wanted fresh air."

"You can't blame him for that," Daniel sighs, dropping a kiss to the top of my head. "Cooped up in prison for so long. Probably wants to see the sky."

"I'm sure he saw the sky, Daniel," I say, rolling my eyes and passing him my little bundle of sandwiches. "He wasn't locked up in a cell beneath the ground like the Count of Monte Cristo or anything. What are you doing here?"

"Just checking on them," Daniel says, raising his chin towards the horses as I take another bite of my sandwich and move over to Heathcliff, who eagerly reaches his nose out towards me.

"I'm surprised," I reply, beginning to pet Heathcliff's face and feeding him a piece of my bread. "Considering you hate horses."

"Just because I don't want to be around them doesn't mean I want to see them suffer. And considering that I didn't think you were going to come around any time soon," he shrugs. "I thought I'd do the right thing."

"Well you're very sweet," I say, turning to grin at him as I move to Butterfly's side, petting her as well. "I won't tell anyone, because you're supposed to be a very tough Mafia husband now. But...well, those who need to know already know."

Daniel laughs and follows me, shying away a bit when Heathcliff reaches out his nose to lip at the sleeve of Daniel's sweatshirt, wanting more bread. I laugh when I see it.

"So," Daniel says, his voice slow and serious now. I turn to him, curious. He doesn't usually talk in that voice, but when he does it means he's been thinking about something. A lot. "On the subject of mafia husbands...what's the next move for us, little wife?"

I sigh, turning my attention back to Butterfly as I consider his words. "Are you asking me because you really want to know what I think?" I ask quietly. "Or because you're looking for an opportunity to tell me what you want?" "Fay," he says quietly. "I want to do what we planned."

I look up at him, worried. "It was never a full plan, Daniel," I say, my voice even and serious now. "It was always an idea. And Kent? He's..."

"He's going to hate it," Daniel finishes for me, heaving a deep sigh.

 

Chapter 212

I glance anxiously towards the door. "I still think it's the best plan, Daniel," I say quietly.

"Are you sure that the end result is even what he wants?" Daniel asks, his voice tight. "And Fay - is it what you want?"

I hesitate now, honestly not knowing. Because I just tried to talk to Kent about all of this before my shower and...

Well. We got a little distracted. Which generally I don't mind, but now that I have a moment alone with Daniel to discuss it? A moment that we're probably not going to have a lot of for the rest of our time on this boat, unless we keep meeting by chance for secret horse-side rendezvous?

"See?" Daniel says, watching me as he crosses his arms across his chest and leans against the wall. "You don't even know if it's what you want."

"It is," I sigh, sure of it in my own heart as I grab a curry cob out of the bin against the wall and begin to idly brush Butterfly, mostly to have something to do while my mind turns. "I'm sure of that, Daniel. I just...I don't know what he wants." "Does that matter?"

"Don't be ridiculous," I snap, turning my face to glare at him now. "Of course it does."

"It didn't matter when you did the rest of this," Daniel points out, nodding his head to incorporate the whole boat, the escape plan. "If you had told him about it, he would have told you not to. That it was too dangerous. That you putting yourself in danger isn't what he wanted."

"That's different," I sigh, shaking my head. "Now we're...together, literally and figuratively. I had to do what I did to get him back to our side. And now...we should make decisions together. Right?"

A soft smirk comes to Daniel's face. "Sure," he says, "...except when you know that Kent won't let you do the thing you really want to do."

"I know," I moan, my hands dropping to my side as I heave a deep sigh. "Am I a bad girlfriend? I don't even want to tell him because I know he's going to shut it down in an instant. Even though it's the best choice - the only choice -"

"Well, you may be his girlfriend," Daniel says, skirting around the horses to come to my side. "But you're my wife. So. I think I still get some priorities there."

"You're the best husband a girl could ask for," I say, meaning it in my own way and grinning up at him. "Always so supportive of my insane ideas that might get us killed."

"Well, it helps that my boyfriend really likes your insane ideas. You keep life spicy for him in ways that cannot."

"Oh, Daniel," I say, my face falling a little bit sarcastically as I look up at him. "You're having trouble keeping things spicy for Jerome? Oh, you poor thing..."

He laughs then, realizing what I'm doing and gives me a little push that doesn't move me very far. "The levels of spice in my relationship with my boyfriend are none of your business, wife -" "Come on! Just like, two details! You never tell me anything!"

"Precisely," he says, grinning and bending over to taunt me a little. "And I intend to keep it that way -"

"What's all this?" Kent's voice rings out from the doorway as he frowns and peers at the two of us laughing together at the far end of the shipping container, the two horses between us.

"Hey, dad," Daniel calls, leaning back against the wall and smiling a little, clearly pleased to see his father but letting me decide what to say.

"Hi!" I call, waving to Kent with a big smile on my face, not wanting him to intuit that Daniel and I were talking about some pretty serious stuff a moment ago. It's not that I want to keep things from him but...

But then I stop myself in my own thoughts because, actually, I very much do want to keep just this one last thing from him. Because I've got a decision to make, and I need to know, genuinely, what Kent wants from our life together before I make it. "We were just checking on the horses," I say cheerfully as Kent comes around Heathcliff and Butterfly, patting each of them gently on the way.

"All right," Kent says, frowning a little and looking between us, perhaps intuiting that it's a little bit strange for us to be checking on the horses together, especially as he knows Daniel has no fondness for the creatures. "Are you...finished?" "Well, I'm never finished spending time with Heathcliff," I say, putting the curry comb back in the bin. "But I can pick it up later. Why? Is something going on?"

"Not in particular," he says. "Though everyone's up on the deck. You should come up. It's a nice day."

Daniel and I look at each other, each giving a shrug, and then we both smile and nod to Kent.

I start to step forward but I hesitate when I see Kent frowning between us.

"You two," he murmurs, more curious than angry or anything like that. "You've gotten even closer, haven't you? In the past two months?"

I look up at Daniel, considering the question. "We were always close, Kent," I reply as Daniel looks at me, probably considering the same.

"But yeah, I think we have," Daniel finishes, looking back at his father. "Is that a problem for you?"

"No," Kent says quickly, reaching an arm out for me. I move to his side, taking the final bite of my sandwich so my hands are free. "I just...hope you both saved a place for me."

And I beam up at him then, realizing that Kent isn't being suspicious - or at least, not wholly suspicious. He's being vulnerable, and trying to show Daniel and I how he wants to be part of our lives, whatever they are and however changed they might be. Kent laughs a little, looking down at me as I consider that this vulnerability - it must be intensely uncomfortable for him. "Don't over-think it," he murmurs, turning me towards the door.

"It's nice!" I laugh, glancing at Daniel behind us, who is also smiling. "I like open-emotion Kent! He's sweet!"

"No, I'm not," Kent growls, taking a deep breath as the three of us pass out of the stable container and Daniel closes the door behind us. "I take it back. I want nothing to do with either of you - let's go back to the way it was."

"Sorry, pop," Daniel sighs, clapping Kent on the shoulder as we make our way down the hall. "You opened that door. Now we know you're a big softie. You can't go back."

Kent just sighs, shaking his head, but I can tell by the quirk at the corner of his lips that he likes it too. This new closeness, between all of us? He likes it very, very much.

There is indeed a sweet little gathering on the deck when the three of us emerge from below, and I grin to see my dad and my sister lounging on two of six comfortable-looking plush chairs that I bought and arranged to have set up before we even arrived. I mean, it's not that nice out here - it's still the deck of a container ship and not at all a fancy yacht or a cruise ship or anything - the walls and the ground are all metal, painted white and grey. But still, seeing my family here sitting quietly in the sun, enjoying the breeze?

I have to admit, it's very nice.

Intuiting my happiness, Kent gives me a squeeze around the shoulders and leads me over to another lounge chair. To my surprise, he sits down first and then grasps my hand, tugging me downward and pulling me back against him.

I settle against Kent a little tense, uneasy with the public display of affection that he's never been willing to show before, which we worked for months to avoid.

"I know," he murmurs in my ear as I lean back against his chest. "It's weird, isn't it?"

"Yeah," I say, looking up at him and relieved to hear him acknowledge it. "Weird but...nice?"

"Weird but nice," he agrees, kissing me on lightly on the side of the head before looking around at everyone. Janeen grins at us, intuiting the awkwardness and loving it, while my dad sighs and looks away for a second, perhaps still getting used to it. Daniel, a little oblivious and still looking around, drops onto the lounge next to Kent and I. "Where's Jerome?" he asks.

 

 

Chapter 213

"Jerome went to get snacks," Janeen says with a contented sigh, leaning back against the pillows. "Ohhhh, clever Jerome," I say happily. "I knew he was useful."

Just then Jerome does come around the corner, bearing a full tray of snacks that he places on a larger table between us. Cheerful conversation reins then, with Jerome siting next to Daniel on the lounge chair and handing around snacks and sodas for everyone. Jerome and Janeen get to talking then, asking Daniel questions about Europe and what they can expect the food like to be there. Daniel, having taken several trips - of which I am very jealous - fills them in on the snack situation of a variety of countries. As they talk, I settle comfortably against Kent, enjoying the convivial atmosphere and not really feeling the need to add anything. It's enough, I think, in this moment to just have those I love around me, safe and happy.

"It's good," Kent murmurs, his lips close to my ear so that our conversation is mostly private even though we're sitting with everyone.

"It really is," I say, sighing. He wraps his arms tighter around me, resting his forehead against my hair and inhaling a deep, contented breath that makes my heart sing with pleasure. Because I gave this to him, and I was happy to do it but... Well, I want to give him even more.

But still, I have to know what he wants.

"Kent," I say quietly, turning to look at him a little. He makes a soft sound low in his throat, encouraging me to continue. "What is it that you want next?" I ask, quiet.

He smirks, considering me. "Is that what you were talking to Daniel about?" he asks, "in your secret meeting with the horses?"

I scowl a little, frustrated at his implications even though...well, he's kind of right. "Daniel and I met by chance, Kent -"

"It's fine," he laughs, shaking his head a little and letting me see that he's fine with it. "You two are allowed to have conversations by yourself. I don't need to be privy to everything."

I smile here, because this is indeed a very different Kent than we've met before. But he's showing us that he trusts us, which is a new side of Kent that I can really get on board with. "Well?" I prod, pushing him back to my original question. "Do you know?"

"What are you asking me, Fay?" Kent says, leaning back a little so he can clearly see my face when I respond.

"I'm asking," I continue, my hand going to stomach, "what you want our life to look like on the other side of this. Because we're not going to live on a boat forever, are we?" "We could," he suggests, turning his head to the side and considering it, making me laugh.

"No," I say, shaking my head vehemently. "I mean, as much as I love our little container ship home, I'm going to want to be on the ground. And I think Heathcliff does too."

"All right," Kent says, smiling at me. "So, what do you want that home to look like?"

Slowly, I shake my head, not letting him turn the tables like that. "No, Kent," I say softly, staring into his face, forgetting for a little bit the family that sits around us, still chatting away and letting ourselves have our own conversation on the side. "I need to know from you. You've always been the master of your life - and as good as you're being to me now, letting me take control and direct us in my own way...I know that you've got something in mind. And I want that - I want what you want."

"Even if it's different than what you want?" he asks quietly.

"It can't be," I reply, instant. I slip my hand into his. "I'll go with you, Kent. What you choose is what we'll do."

He's quiet for a moment, studying me carefully. "Are you asking me if I want to leave the criminal world? To stop being a mafia boss, and to do something else?"

Slowly, I nod, letting him know that that's precisely what I'm asking. Because frankly, if he wants it back? He can have it. We have all the pieces here now, and a new alliance with Fiona that I know is loyal, and new, stronger ties to the Bianci family now, who believe they have a grandson on the way.

If he wants his world back? He can have it, stronger than ever. I mean, not without new challenges - Ivan is alive, and surely pissed - but...

Well, it is stronger now, isn't it? I can give him that.

But what Kent says next? It doesn't surprise me at all.

"I want out, Fay," he says quietly, reaching forward to tuck a strand of my still-drying hair behind my ear. "That was always the plan - to go legit, to turn away from the criminal and to cut the ties as much as I can, especially now with the baby on the way. I want to build a safter, simpler life. Does that...is that what you want? Is that even possible, after everything you've put in motion?"

A little smile starts on my face then and I nod, eager. "Yes," I say. "It's possible, Kent. It's very possible. And I think it's right - it's what I want most too."

He smiles at me for a moment, I think relieved to be on the same page - to be making the decision together that what we both want, most of all, is to leave this world in which he was so successful. To start again somewhere else.

And then I sigh with happiness, settling back against him and biting my lip, a warm well of happiness building in me. Kent sighs, settling his arms loosely around me as I tuck my head under his chin and close my eyes, pleased. "So," I say, curious. "What will you do now that you're not a mafia boss?"

"What do you mean?" he asks, his voice light and a little idle.

"For a job," I reply. A moment passes, and then he laughs. "What!" I protest, laughing too. "You're going to need a job, Kent. All of your accounts are locked down, and it was expensive, funding Fiona's takeover - and keeping Daniel well supplied with his clothes and his books -"

"I know," Kent replies, groaning a little, "he's so lavish - keeping Daniel in the life to which he is accustomed is like supporting three girlfriends at once -"

"Hey!" Daniel snaps, drawing both of our attention to him. "I heard that!"

I laugh and wave a lazy hand in his direction. "Accept the truth, Daniel - you're high maintenance."

"See? I told you that you were," Jerome sighs, nudging Daniel with his shoulder as Daniel scoffs.

But I turn my attention back to Kent.

"See? You're going to have to get a job." I sigh, resting my head against him.

"And what do you think I should do?" he asks, already laughing a little.

"I think..." I say, considering. "Well, I think you'd make a very charming grocer -"

Kent laughs for real then, letting his head tip back with it. "What? Why?"

"Because," I say, turning to grin up at him a little. "You already know so much about the fruits and vegetables that are in season, and you would be very good at helping the little old ladies pick out a ripe pear. And you'd look very handsome in one of those green aprons -" He laughs harder now, perhaps picturing it, as I am.

"But," I continue, frowning a little now. "Honestly, all those bored housewives around, coming to see you and weave their European wiles - I don't think I like the idea as much anymore."

"Well I like it even better," he says, making me give him a little glare. "European housewives chasing after me doesn't sound so bad -"

I smack him on the chest now. "No groceries for you," I murmur, shaking my head and resting it against him. "In fact, no grocery shopping at all. We'll send Janeen. We'll find you something else, all alone. At night. Maybe a grave digger or something."

Kent laughs more now, making me smile, and I catch a little glimpse of my dad, who is smiling at me as well. Because while I think he had doubts about me and Kent before, he never saw us like this - saw the way we are together, the way I make Kent laugh, the way that he transforms into a softer, kinder man when I'm at his side.

I give my dad a little wink, and he gives me a nod, and then I turn my attention back to Kent.

"Seriously, Fay," Kent says, his voice still happy but more deliberate now. "You know that's not necessary, right?"

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"I don't - I'm not going to need a job -"

"Why not? The money - it really is mostly gone, Kent. It was not cheap doing...all of this."

"And what of your new industries?" Kent asks, raising an eyebrow. "Do you plan to run them into the ground, never making another cent from them?"

"Well Kent," I say, pressing a demure hand to my b****t. "Those are my companies, and my profits. The question was not what I was going to do for work, but you were going to do."

He laughs again now, pleased, but he shakes his head. "Fay," he sighs. "If you think that I don't have other accounts in Switzerland, that the American government can't touch..." "Really?" I ask, my eyes going wide as I turn to stare at him, actually shocked. "Are you serious, Kent?"

"Of course I'm serious," he says, shaking his head at me, a coy and self-pleased smile on his face now. "Did you like it better? When you thought I was broke?"

"No," I say, my eyes wide as I shake my head and then start to laugh. "This is way better. Seriously, though," I press. "Are we like, rich? How much do we have in the accounts?"

"Um, Fay," he says, leaning forward and teasing me, "I think we just established that this is my money, in my accounts -"

I click my tongue and swat at him, which makes him laugh and grab my hand before it can smack him, pulling me again against his chest, where he likes me. "It's enough, Fay," he murmurs in my ear. "Enough to keep us safe. To buy a little farm, maybe start a vineyard. I had one before, and it did well. We could try it again. Do you think you'd like that?"

"I think I'd like that," I murmur, pleased, because suddenly the image comes to me of a little child running in the summer sun through the grape vines, free and easy, with Kent and I following behind. "I think I'd like that very much."

"Good," Kent sighs, tilting his head back and closing his eyes. "Then that's a good enough place to start."

And I settle my head against him, pleased.

But I don't close my own eyes just yet.

Instead, I look for Daniel, and find him already looking at me. Then, subtly, I nod, just once, letting him know that our plans are going forward.

Daniel nods back to me, understanding, before he turns his attention back to Jerome and the rest of our little group.

And I do close my eyes, pleased and at rest. Because now that I know Kent wants the same thing Daniel and I want?

I know just how to get it.

 

Chapter 214

We all stay outside until the sun starts to go down, which happens sooner than I thought it would - but then again, Kent and I did wake up around 1:00, so I suppose I shouldn't be as surprised as I am. Janeen gets to her feet first, stretching. "Well," she says, putting on an affected British accent that I know she uses when she's feeling fancy, "shall we dress for dinner?"

"What's on the menu tonight?" Daniel asks, smiling up at her but not getting to his feet yet.

She shrugs. "I don't know. Whatever the chef can whip up with hot dogs and wonder bread, I guess."

Kent audibly sighs behind me, making me laugh.

"Not tickling your taste buds, Kent?" Janeen asks, turning to him with a wide, teasing grin.

"Who put Fay in charge of stocking the ship with food?" he murmurs, shaking his head.

"Hey!" I protest, spinning to glare at him and pointing an accusatory finger at Daniel. "Your son was in charge of that! I accept no blame for this!"

Everyone laughs and turns to Daniel, my dad in particular raising an eyebrow in inquiry, though I know he doesn't really care much about what he gets for dinner as long as there's meat and bread involved. Dad's not picky. "What!" Daniel says, looking around a little sheepishly. "My job trained me to smuggle, not to plan menus. I had no idea I was supposed to hire a chef or something - I figured what the crew eats will be fine for us for ten days."

"You took the time to make sure the liquor cabinet was liberally stocked, though," Jerome says, grinning at him.

"Well," Daniel says loftily, getting to his feet. "Some things are priorities."

Jerome gets up too then, and so does my dad, but when I move to get up Kent's fingers put light pressure on my arm, asking me to stay behind. I pause for a moment and then lean back as Janeen turns to us while the other three head for the door into the ship. "Not coming?" Janeen asks, looking between Kent and I.

"I think we're going to stay out here for a second longer," I say, giving her a soft smile.

"Okay," she replies with a shrug. "Cook wants us at dinner in half an hour - he told me this morning and says he's not keeping it hot for us. Can I get you anything?"

"Um," I say, hesitant, not wanting to put her out of her way -

Janeen just tilts her head at me, giving me a big smile. "Just ask, Fay. You're giving me a new life in Europe, so I can get you something from inside the ship. Once. I think that's a fair trade."

"Could you bring me some of that tea I like? With the ginger in it?" I bite my lip, eager. The baby's been good all day, but I'm feeling a slight bit of nausea come over me now.

"You got it," she replies, giving me a wink. Then she, too, disappears through the door and into the ship.

"Baby giving you trouble?" Kent asks, rubbing a hand up and down my arm.

"I think so," I sigh, half turning to him and rubbing a hand up and down my belly. "The ship has been so steady all day - and I really do feel better when I'm out here and can see the horizon. But something just started up, so I think the little turnip is upset." "Turnip?" he asks, his voice derisive.

"Yeah," I say, smiling a little at him, ignoring his disdain. "About 17 weeks today, so. The baby's about the size of a turnip."

"Really," Kent murmurs, looking down at my stomach. "And what was it before?"

"An avocado," I reply quietly, smiling.

Kent frowns and looks up at me. "Fay," he says, shaking his head. "An avocado is bigger than a turnip -"

"It is?" I ask, frowning in turn.

He bursts out laughing at me, shaking his head. "Where did you get these baby sizes?"

"From the internet," I sigh, leaning back against him. "I don't know. I like thinking of the baby as something more than an 'it,' which is what we've been falling back on since we don't know the gender. And I refuse to take a side in the Prince or Princess debate so," I shrug, "avocado/turnip it is."

"Well," Kent murmurs, nudging my ear with his nose, "we could just name the baby, and have it done with. Then you wouldn't have to rely on vegetables, which I know you hate anyway."

I stick out my tongue a little, admitting it, and I can feel his laughter reverberate in his chest.

The door opens again and Janeen comes out with a little tea tray with a mismatched set of pot and cups. To my surprise, Kent gets up and takes it from her, thanking her.

"I added a few little cookies," Janeen says to me with a smile, pointing to them. "As I know it is time for your sixth feeding of the day, Fay."

"Every time you do something nice you don't have to say something mean, Janeen," I say, scooting back on the lounge chair so that I can lean against the backrest. "We get it. You're tough."

"Well, I gotta do something to keep my reputation up," she calls, waving over her shoulder as she steps back into the ship.

Kent places the tray between us, sitting down on the far end of the lounge chair and creating a cute little table between us. Then, as I watch, he pours me a cup of the ginger tea and skips the sugar cubes in their little bowl, instead reaching for the little pot of honey and spooning a dallop into my cup before stirring.

"How did you know I took it like that?" I ask, grinning and wrapping my arms around my knees as I watch him.

"You like honey," he murmurs, his attention still on the tray as he opens the packet of cookies and puts a few out on a plate. "I noticed. Plus, ginger and honey is good together." Carefully, he lifts the saucer holding the teacup and hands it to me. "It'd be better if there was a little lemon to add too, but," he shrugs. "We can trick you into eating fruits and vegetables when we get to land."

"Really? Lemon?" I say, curious and taking a sip f my tea, enjoying the way the warmth runs down my throat. And, in particular, the view of my handsome mafia boyfriend over the rim of the cup. "Mmhmm," he hums in affirmation, moving the tray to the ground and scooting closer to me. "And turmeric, which is good for your mind."

"Where did you learn to be so healthy?" I ask, smiling at him.

"In Italy," he says seriously, meeting my eye. "We lived on a great deal of land and mostly ate things that grew right outside our back door. It was a better way of life than living in an American city."

"I like the city," I murmur, gazing at him a little. "I've never lived anywhere else."

"You'll like the country too," he replies, his eyes drifting down to my lips a little.

"I'll like living where you are," I say back, smiling. Then I glance down at my stomach again, where I feel the baby giving a few little fluttering taps. "I think the baby likes it too."

"Really?" he asks, looking down at my stomach, interested. "Is it..."

"Turnip is moving," I say, laughing a little and moving my hand to my stomach. "I can feel it."

Kent gives me a little glare. "Please," he says, shaking his head. "We're not calling the baby Turnip. Not even for a week."

I laugh at this, grinning at him. "Well, Bell Pepper is next! Which is cuter!" I turn my smile down at my stomach then, running a fond hand over it. "Little baby Pepper."

"That is better," Kent murmurs, and then he surprises me by bending over and resting his weight on his elbows, bringing his face quite close to my stomach as if he's studying it carefully, trying to figure out the baby growing inside. "Though I think I'd rather not name the kid after anything edible."

I bite my lip a little at how cute it is, to see my gigantic mafia boss thinking about our tiny turnip-sized baby. Softly, I lift my hand from my stomach and start to run it through his hair.

"Well," I say, trying not to sound over-eager. "What names do you like?"

 

Chapter 215

"I don't know," Kent says, contemplative, starting to get up.

"No," I say, slipping my hand to his shoulder and keeping him there. "Um...I think the baby likes you there. Wants to hear you."

I don't know if it's even possible for that to be true - I think the baby is too young to hear anything outside my body - but since Kent has been speaking so close to my stomach there has been an increase in the fluttering and taps. I mean - it's probably just chance -but...well, what's the harm? "Really?" Kent asks, intrigued, turning his attention back to the baby. "Can the baby...tell?"

"I don't know," I laugh. "But I can feel baby moving more right now - and the same thing happened when Daniel used to imitate you -"

"What?" Kent says, sitting up straight in surprise now, which makes me burst out laughing.

Because of course he doesn't know, does he?

I'm still laughing while Kent crosses his arms over his chest, shaking his head at me. "Tell me," he demands, "now." But the crinkles at the side of his eyes lets me know he's not without humor.

"It's just something we used to do in the beach house," I confess, still laughing and leaning comfortably back against the chair, "to see if we could get the baby to move. Daniel used to like, make his voice deeper, and say Kent-ish things to the baby." I grin, remembering. "He's very good at it."

Kent growls a little, swinging his head to glare at the door, which just makes me laugh again. "What would he say?"

"All sorts of things," I say, shrugging and studying Kent's handsome profile. "About how to cook pasta and keep your minions in order. And sometimes he'd speak in Italian, which the baby really liked." I shrug a little, smiling as Kent looks back at me. "I think he just did it to make me laugh but it was nice."

My smile only deepens when I see a line between Kent's brows and a stern set to his lips because - oh my god, I think to myself, he's actually jealous!

Kent shakes his head then, I think honesty a little frustrated, and lowers himself again to peer at my stomach.

"Listen, kid," he grumbles, reaching out a hand to gently stroke the swell of my belly. "You've only got one dad, all right? And I sound like this. Don't fall for the imposters, especially not your brother Daniel. He doesn't know what he's talking about." I cover my mouth so that my laugh doesn't spill out, not wanting to interrupt.

Kent looks up at me then, a small smile on his lips. I nod eagerly, letting him know that it's working - which is true! The baby flutters again, responding. Honestly, it's probably the ginger tea or my own happiness or chance more than it is anything to do with the baby hearing Kent but...

When Kent lowers his voice a little and begins speaking in Italian to the baby, having what looks like a very serious chat?

I can only shake my head a little bit, my eyes lined with tears. Because it's just so cute - and everything I've wanted for weeks now -

Kent glances up at me and laughs a little, sitting up. "I think the kid's got the picture," he murmurs, moving up on the chair and reaching for me. I move forward and drape my legs over his lap while he wraps an arm over my shoulders.

"You've got to quit crying, Fay," Kent sighs, wiping away the two little tears that slip down my cheeks. "It's all good things from here on out."

"And you," I say, sniffing a little and taking another sip of my cooling tea, "are going to have to get used to the fact that I cry for many things, not all of them sad and bad. So. You'll just have to learn how to put up with it."

Kent murmurs something noncommittal and I just wrinkle my nose at him, happy to be at odds on this. Because honestly I'm never going to change, and I wouldn't want to, so it's much more his problem than mine.

"So," he sighs, leaning his head against mine. "Back to that question of names. Any that you like?"

"Well, I was thinking Ginger," I say, nodding down at the tea. "But you said nothing edible. So, that's out."

He laughs at this. "I wasn't going to let you name our kid after a fictional horse anyway."

I gasp and look up at him. "How did you know that?"

Kent rolls his eyes at me. "I've read Black Beauty, Fay," he says, "and I've met you."

"You've read Black Beauty!?"

"I have a kid!" he laughs, spreading out his hand. "And I was one, once! I've read all kids of children's books. Probably more than you."

"Fat chance," I murmur, snuggling closer to him and sipping tea as he tightens his arm around me. "Okay, then, what do you like?"

"Honestly," he says, his voice low and considering. "I don't really know. I haven't thought about it."

"Really?" I ask, curious. "All those months in jail with nothing to do but think, and you never pondered baby names?"

He sighs and is quiet for a moment, making me go a bit still.

"Should I not have said that?" I ask quietly.

"No," he replies, instant, shaking his head. "It's just...it wasn't that easy, Fay, on my side of it. You were out here making determined plans that at least by the end you were fairly certain were going to work out. But me? I had...no idea what was happening. And honestly, it looked like the best case scenario was going to be you and Daniel running away to Europe and raising this kid by yourselves, as far away from me as you could get. And had you chosen that...it would have been a good life. I wouldn't have blamed you." I'm quiet now too for a moment, leaning over to put my mostly-empty cup of tea back onto the tray at our side.

"I wish you'd have given me more credit, Kent," I say quietly as I sit up straight. "I was...never going to let that happen. You mean so much more to me than that."

"Fay," he sighs, cupping my cheek with one hand and shaking his head at me. "I would never have expected that of you. We had barely just started being - whatever we were to each other - and you're so young -"

My anger is sudden and vivid. "Don't you dare pull that on me, Kent," I snap, pulling my face from his hand and glaring at him. "Are you seriously trying to pretend that this?" I say, gesturing between us with my hand, "this thing between us is anything less than it is because it's new, and because I'm young? Because if -"

"I'm not," he growls, frustrated himself now and putting his hand back in its place on my cheek, making me look at him. "But I wouldn't blame you if you'd decided to cut your losses and run. It would have been the easier path - I would have understood." "Well, I'd never have been able to forgive myself, Kent," I say, raising my chin and looking him directly in the eye. "And it would have been a great shame and a waste - because I'm never going to feel this way about anyone else - ever again. And I'm sorry if you're mad about it because I'm young, and you think I'm naïve, but I know my heart, all right? And I'd do it all again - a thousand times - if it meant that I get to live this life with you at my side."

A familiar fire lights between us, as it always does when we argue.

And part of me grabs onto it, because I know this is the place where our relationship was forged, where Kent and I come together.

And also because I know these arguments really only end one way.

The idea of it curls within me and my stomach tightens, eager.