Filed to story: Submitting to My Bestie’s Daddy Read Online >>???
“That won’t happen,” I assured my sister, a fire brimming in my chest. The thought of something traumatic happening to my sister in the clutches of those bastards had me riled up, and I took a deep breath to calm myself down.
“It already could have, though. I can’t believe Layla would do that. To get to Becca, too, of all people? Why were they even interested in her? Did you ever find out through your sleuthing?” Allegra asked.
“The Michaelson brothers are working with Sergei’s son,” I replied. “He is still very much after James. Seems the two factions have put aside their differences and banded together against the four of us. It’s all entwined now.”
“I see,” Allegra said with a sigh. “Layla was working with the brothers, then, on behalf of Sergei. Er, his son, I mean. Will your plans take out all of them, or will we always need to be looking behind us?”
“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “Right now, I’m keen on getting at the Michaelson brothers first. Their allied faction will turn their gazes on us when we take them out. But I’ve explained that to my team, who express they can handle both.”
“Both? They’re going to manage to trap both?” Allegra said with surprise. “I hope it all goes according to plan, or contingency plan. Stay safe, Neal.”
“I will. We’ll get through this. It’s going to end once and for all, and we’re going to come out alive and flourishing. You should focus on carrying on with your life. I think the opportunity you have right now is wonderful,” I told her genuinely.
“Thank you,” she said. “Do you think Layla has any regrets?” Allegra asked after a pause. Her voice implied she was looking to latch onto one last piece of hope that Layla could turn around and be hers. It was futile, though. We both knew it.
“It doesn’t matter if she does,” I said firmly. “As you said, this could have happened a second time, and the outcome? Far worse. Especially since those two factions have intertwined. I have no doubts they would have figured out a way to use Becca against you.”
“You’re right,” Allegra said, her voice breaking a bit. I heard her sniffle and let out a soft sigh. Empathy dripped in my tone as I tried to reassure my sister.
“We both lost someone and have to move on, I think, Allegra. It’s tough, but we’ll be all right,” I muttered.
“You’re still hooked on Becca?” Allegra said. “Well, given she’s now here and with James even after everything, I think you should move on. Just like I need to with Layla.” I noted that she still sounded unsure as if she didn’t believe her own words. For that last sentence, anyway.
“Exactly. There are honest mistakes, and then there’s that. She knew she was working with the Michaelson brothers, the very people who captured you. You told me she said as much. I don’t know how they convinced her, but in my eyes, there is no excuse. Remember that.”
“I will,” Allegra said. We bid each other farewell, but as I hung up the phone, I wondered how confident she was in her words. Surely, she wouldn’t take Layla back even if the other woman went crying to her?
Allegra could be somewhat of a sap. This situation was too far. She really needed to hold her ground on this, like I needed to with my own mind. I returned to my computer and squared away a few more details on the computer before blinking slowly.
Eventually, I switched to looking for both dating websites and bars. I’d told Allegra it was time to move on. Well, I needed to do what was best for me, as well.
Becca.
Now that we were settled in, and Sophia was coming to visit and help while we could look for a new nanny, I allowed myself to relax a little. I sat on the couch, in front of the television, going over everything I knew and thinking about the future.
James was, no surprise, the Don now that we were here.
Which would be passed onto Alessandro, a fate that would bring him so many problems later in life. I winced at that idea, then let out a sigh.
Would our family ever escape from this?
My thoughts turned to where we could go. James was very frustrated with all the moving around we were doing on the regular, but I couldn’t help it. New York, obviously, was no place for me. I shuddered remembering that confrontation with the Stepford wives.
They had been way out of line–disgusting, vile. Something had to be done about them! But what could be done? I shook my head, deciding it wasn’t my problem anymore. They were going to dig themselves into their own graves.
Including Antionette. I winced, remembering how she sided with them despite having falsely been my friend.
Had she ever been a real friend? I honestly wasn’t sure. I looked over to my phone. I still had her number.
There was an unread message there from her that had been stuck there for a few days. This had all been too much. I didn’t want to make myself even more upset by reading it. The more I sat there, though, the more I realized I should probably take a look.
Finally, I reached over to the remote and turned the TV off, putting a hand on my forehead and picking up my phone. My stomach twisted at the thought of reading, then answering, this message.
Taking a deep breath, I opened it and read the message Antoinette had sent me the morning after the Stepford wives chased us away. ‘I’m sorry, Becca. It was a point of weakness I’ll always regret. I would like to remain in contact. Maybe your friend, someday, again.’
I felt a little numb while reading the apology and just shook my head with a sad sigh. She shouldn’t have done that, to begin with, but at least she knew it was wrong. Maybe I’d reply eventually.
I wasn’t sure.
With that in mind, I turned the television on again and slumped against the couch, reaching up to rub at my temples. We couldn’t stay here in Italy forever given the Don situation; we just couldn’t. It was too dangerous.
Eventually, James entered the room and noticed my expression. He sat beside me, causing me to turn the television off and turn to look at him. “James,” I muttered. “I got a text from Antoinette. She’s sorry for what happened, but I just can’t forgive her yet.”
“Can’t blame you,” James replied, leaning over to give me a kiss. I hesitantly returned it, so much on my mind right now. James noticed this and tilted his head. “What’s on your mind other than that?”
“Well,” I said softly. “I was thinking about the future and where we may end up.”
“I see,” James said, a hint of irritation in his tone. I felt annoyance spark within me, as well. This would be another case of him not listening to me, wouldn’t it? I narrowed my eyes and gave a nod.
“Yes. We should be thinking about our future, after all. We have plenty of money, and I know you want to settle. We need to find a good place for that,” I said, my tone rather harsh. No doubt, he got the implication that I didn’t think we should stay here.
His expression melted into a frown, and he let out a soft groan, running his fingers through his hair and furrowing his brow. “Becca, I was hoping that where we settle could be here. I’m paying attention and looking for a way to solve the issue stuck on your mind.”
“You’re always looking for solutions to new problems that are always coming up. How can you not be tired of this?” I asked him, agitated. “We need to go someplace where there won’t be new problems to begin with.”
“There will always be trouble wherever we go. That’s a fact of life, something you’ll need to accept, Becca. I’m tired of moving around. We can get situated just fine here. You’re right, I am always looking for solutions, and I always find them,” he told me.
I crossed my arms tightly over my chest and kept a steady, cold stare on him. He wasn’t getting it. The number of problems here versus elsewhere, aside from New York, was staggering. There was nuance to the situation he just wasn’t getting.
“Right, and the number of problems here is far bigger than elsewhere we may decide to go. Listen, I was thinking. We can go someplace to start a charity. I did some research and found that Guatemala could be reasonable,” I said.
James looked at me with a raised brow, clearly trying to study my face and figure out whether I was being serious or not. He put a hand on his face and let out yet another groan, causing my eye to twitch in annoyance. Oh, great. He wasn’t taking my idea seriously.
“Guatemala? Why there? That decision would be stupid, I will admit. All the way there? When we have a perfectly fine place here and are settled? Really?” he asked in disbelief, the frustration in his tone evident.
I clenched my jaw and nodded, feeling anger wash over me at the fact that he wasn’t taking this idea seriously. How could he be so rude? I snapped, “Yes, really. All the way there. I can make a difference. I want to make a difference. It’s a nice place for us and our kids to settle.”
“We will have to adapt to an entirely new culture and climate,” James said, shaking his head. “It won’t be good for the children. There are many dangerous places there, too. You say you don’t like it here because of the danger, and yet you want to go there?”
“You downplay the danger here and emphasize it everywhere else because you’re stuck on staying here in Italy!” I snapped back, not flinching as he got into my face. James’s eyes narrowed as he clenched his fist.
“Becca, we can’t just get up and decide a random country we’ve never been to before is a reasonable place to live. I want to stay here and settle. You keep wanting to drag this family every which way. What do you have against stability?!” James asked, raising his voice.
“Stability is what I want!” I shouted. “We can’t have that here. We can find it there and make a difference at the same time. It’s perfectly reasonable. You’re just being an asshole who refuses to listen to a word I say!”
Suddenly, his lips were captured in mine as he pinned me down to the couch. His tongue parted my lips, aggressively exploring as I shook in his arms. It felt good. Too good. I let out a moan in his mouth and squirmed but didn’t fight other than that.
When he pulled away, I breathed, “F*ck you.”
“Obliged,” he whispered into my ear, sending shivers down my spine. He practically ripped my shirt off, snapping off my bra and capturing my nipple in his mouth. He swirled it with his tongue, causing me to let out a loud groan.
Sophia was with the kids, who were asleep. We very much could indulge, here and now, though I wanted to make him pay for this.
When he took off his shirt and returned to fondling me while making out, I sank my nails into his back and dragged down.
