Filed to story: Submitting to My Bestie’s Daddy Read Online >>???
“There is,” Alessandro admitted, then he hesitantly glanced at me.
There was a hidden meaning in his eyes, and I grit my teeth as Cat followed his eyes to me. Immediately, she caught on, being much smarter than she gave herself credit for.
Eyes blazing with anger, she demanded firmly, “You swore to tell me the truth. Now tell me.”
I sighed, realizing I couldn’t let this go on any further. She had a right to know.
“Tell her everything, Al.”
So, he did.
He told her about Antonio escaping to the US, meeting other members of their family who had defected, and how they built up an empire here, running the biggest Italian mafia ring in the US to this day, and how he was the reason we could never expand over here.
He even told him about the threats he’d made, the true goal behind killing Vinny and going after Cat and her mother now.
I sipped the wine cautiously, keeping an eye on Cat’s darkening expression as she took it all in like a sponge, calculating behind her eyes as she came to several very important conclusions.
“Unfortunately, he still evades us, but we tried to find him and identify all his associates, and we are still trying,” Alessandro finished, glancing between us like he might just see the start of a fight.
Cat was silent for a long moment, digesting all the information before she turned to me with fury-filled eyes.
“He’s a criminal here in the US. We could bring him down. And you kept it from me.”
I gulped silently, understanding now what Alessandro had meant.
Hell hath no fury, indeed.
“I did,” I admitted. “I wanted to protect you after everything you recently learned, but I know understand that you need to know. You’re not the same kid I have to protect anymore, but it’s hard to break away from that habit. I’m sorry.”
I could tell her anger had not dispersed but my apology did dim it. She nodded slowly, sinking into her seat before she reached out and downed the whole glass of wine.
“Okay, you owe me a meal then,” she said more calmly than I thought she would be. Alessandro and I breathed a sigh of relief at the same time, ordering food as we let the conversation travel to other things.
It wasn’t until after dinner when Cat and I were walking out and leaving the bill with Alessandro that Cat pulled me into one of the unused hallways of the restaurant, a burning look in her eyes as she gripped my wrist tightly.
She searched my eyes just as I did to her and finally said very seriously. “I think I understand why you didn’t tell me the truth, but you need to understand that he was my father. I lost my childhood because of that bastard, and I deserve to be involved in bringing Antonio down. So no more… you tell me everything, and I mean everything, or I will kick your ass so hard your ancestors will feel it. Do you understand me?”
And there was a grim promise behind her words, a solemn vow that sent a shiver straight down my spine.
“Yes,” I whispered.
She let go, turning to walk away, her hips swaying like nothing had happened.
Well, shit.
Why was that so goddamn hot?
*Caterina*
“Remember to stay safe and don’t go off wandering by yourself.” My mother lectured me through the phone, her voice still filled with the overbearing worry that she’d had when I was a kid.
“I know, Mom. I’m not a child anymore.” I chuckled to myself, curling up a bundle of clothes and folding it within my already packed suitcase. I held my phone to one ear, nodding along to my mother as she prattled on how much she was going to miss me.
“When are you leaving?”
“In an hour or two. Don’t worry so much. Elio will be with me, so it’ll be okay. Plus, I can take care of myself now. I’ll be perfectly safe,” I reassured her, zipping up my bag with the last of my stuff and taking a seat on the bed.
Mom scoffed on the other end of the line.
“I don’t care if you’re going to the Museum of Cotton and the walls, floors, and ceilings are covered head to toe with padding. I’m still going to worry about you because I’m your mother and that’s what mothers do,” she said quite firmly.
“I’d like to see that, actually… might be fun for our next trip,” I teased her, giggling at the image she created in my imagination—a whole museum just for the use of cotton with a building just made of a giant cotton suit. It sounded fun to my inner child but incredibly impractical to the realistic adult in my head.
“Oh, I’m just going to miss you so much. It’s the first New Year I’ve been away from you since you were born. I just can’t believe I’m going to be alone this year.” The sadness in her voice made me feel a little guilty, but I already knew she wasn’t going to be alone.
“Alessandro’s going to stay to help out the guards around you, and Elio’s parents said they’re having party tonight in LA. Valentino parties are legendary, so I’m sure he’d want to go. Plus, what about that guy you had a date with, Mom?”
I was more than relieved to know that Alessandro had volunteered to help keep my mom safe while we were gone, especially with her new boyfriend.
Elio had told me how his aunt got kidnapped after dating somebody new, and that apparently it was a common way to lure out protected targets. I hated thinking of my mom as a target, but I hated even more thinking she could be in danger from some random guy I had yet to meet.
Alessandro promised to check out Mom’s new boyfriend thoroughly, and though I wasn’t quite sure what he meant by that, something illegal no doubt. I was thankful anyway.
I was starting to think that Elio’s words weren’t wrong after all. If Mom or I had gone to the police for protection, they wouldn’t have been able to do anything since there was no proof of any wrongdoing.
But working outside of the law, I knew that justice for my Dad just might be possible.
“Alright, you two have fun, you hear me?” Mom chuckled over the phone. “But not too much fun, okay? And remember to use protection—”
“Mom!” I complained, my face burning with embarrassment.
“Fine, fine.” She laughed. “I’ll miss you, honey. Happy New Year.”
“Happy New Year, Mom.”
Once the call ended, I took a deep breath to gather my thoughts. The excitement in the pit of my stomach was still bubbling around and I grinned to myself, feeling so much freer now that everything was in the open.
It was like a veil had been lifted over my eyes, revealing all the colors and sites I couldn’t see. I wasn’t blind anymore. I could stand on equal ground with Elio and with my Mom. I could protect them like they had when I was a kid who didn’t know anything.
And most importantly, I could feel closer to my dad. I’d spent so long being angry, feeling frustrated because he’d left, because he was rarely ever here for me and Mom, but now I knew the truth.
He’d been protecting us from the mafia’s dangers.
I fingered the locket around my neck, remembering the words engraved there, the ones he hadn’t been able to get me, but that Elio had spent so much time and effort tracking down for me.
“You ready?”
I looked up, pulled from my thoughts and Elio stood in the doorway, leaning against the wall with a smile on his lips.
“As I’ll ever be,” I said with a grin, getting to my feet. I lowered my suitcase to the floor, holding the handle so I could wheel it down. I shouldered my other bag, my carry-on, which really was more of a duffel bag that I’d inherited from my mom. It was fraying and the zipper was broken, but it still worked.
“Remind me to get you a new one.” Elio made a face at my duffel bag, but he leaned out to grab it from me, hoisting it onto his shoulder instead. I laughed at the colorful bubblegum pink bag contrasting with his gray and black color scheme.
“I like this one. It suits you.” I laughed as we headed downstairs, my suitcase thumping on each step. Outside, a black sedan was waiting for us, and Elio waved for me to get in while he stuffed the trunk with the bags.