Filed to story: Submitting to My Bestie’s Daddy Read Online >>???
“I understand,” I said gravely. “We’ll make this right, Alessandro, even if it needs to be by my own hand.”
He stared at me for a few minutes, judging whether my words were true or not, but I only stared back, honest and open. He wanted to be a part of this family, and he was getting his chance now.
“Don’t do anything rash for the time being. We’ll draw him out and destroy the remainder of his syndicate,” I said, cold and detached. This was just another target that needed to be dealt with.
He’d taken enough from us.
It was time to hit back.
After a few seconds, Alessandro’s tense shoulders relaxed, and he nodded. He turned on his heel to leave, but I wasn’t quite done yet.
“And Alessandro–” I called out to the younger man.
He paused, his hand on the doorway as he glanced over his shoulder at me. There were bags under his eyes, and deep lines etched across his face that made him look older than he actually was. The burden he carried was not light, and it was taking its toll already.
But despite that, there was still a fire left in his eyes, a fighting spirit that never seemed to die. I’d seen the exact one in James.
No matter what he thought, it was a blessing he had not become the Don of the family.
It would’ve crushed that spirit of his, just like it nearly did to James.
This wouldn’t break him; I knew that. But I still cared enough for him that I couldn’t just let him leave without saying anything. He would carry this loss in his heart for the rest of his life.
I would know.
I’d lost too many friends and family to count, and each one had left their fingerprints on that stupid beating organ in my chest. No matter how cold he may be acting now, no man was strong enough not to crumble under such devastating grief.
“I’m sorry about Emile,” I told him sincerely. “He was a great man, and he will be honored. I will make sure he is buried in Eterna, next to his father.”
His grip tightened on the cold metal doorknob, and I could see veins pulsing out of his neck, but he said nothing.
“I know what you’re going through,” I sighed. “And I can–”
He whirled around on me, a look of pure unadulterated rage on his face. But I knew behind it was a hurricane of hurt lurking just out of reach.
“I don’t want your sympathies,” he spat coldly. “Just kill the fuckers who did this to him, or I’ll do it myself.”
And with that threat, he was gone. The door slammed behind him, the sound still ringing in my ears as Gabriele turned to me expectantly.
“Find him,” I said sharply. “Use every method we have available. If you even suspect they’re involved with Dmitri at all, make sure to bring one here for questioning.”
“And if there’s more than one?”
I said nothing, just glared at him and he nodded in understanding.
“It will be done.” He followed Alessandro’s path, shutting the door quietly behind him and leaving me alone with the pile of reports to go over–burials to plan, families to contact, a whole mess to hide under the nose of the police.
If Olivia knew what I had just ordered, she’d surely tell me I was being cruel.
Yet, whether it was cruel or not, I was going to keep my people safe, no matter the cost.
Dmitri had started this war. I was going to end it once and for all.
*Olivia*
I watched the swirls of steam as they twirled around the rim of the mug. The heat of the ceramic blue leached into my hands, warming them from the bitter cold they were. On the surface of the dark liquid inside were tiny boats of white, floating and melting in the hot liquid.
I raised the cup to my lips, blowing the steam trails softly away before I carefully took a sip of the piping hot drink. The sweetness hit my tongue first, then the slight bitterness of the chocolate and the sugar of the marshmallows.
I breathed out, clutching the cup tightly as the liquid warmed me up as it slid down my throat and into the empty pit of my stomach.
Normally, I wasn’t a fan of the sweetness of hot chocolate drinks. I much preferred the bitterness of tea or coffee.
But this hit the spot.
“Feeling better?” Dahlia asked with a soft smile.
We lounged in the sitting room of my suite with Giovani, the TV turned on to some old Italian romance movie. I was barely paying attention as outside the glass window and door, a storm raged on.
It had begun raining soon after we’d arrived home, and it hadn’t let up in the slightest. The chill from the cold showers seeped into the suite and I wiggled my warm socked feet as I pulled them onto the couch.
Dahlia had been quick to find me despite my earlier outburst, and though I had made to apologize, she’d refused to accept it endlessly.
“There’s nothing to apologize for,” she said with a grin, handing me the cup of melted chocolate and covering the two of us up with a fuzzy blanket.
I leaned against her, the two of us curled up to face the rainy weather and despite how everything had gone down earlier, I was calm.
Peaceful.
“Thanks,” I whispered quietly to her, watching the rain pelt against the glass as a man whispered his love on the screen.
“You’re my best friend, Olive.” Dahlia smiled. “I’m always going to be here for you. I know how hard it’s been for you, and you should know by now I won’t let you sulk in here alone.”
I smiled, leaning my head on her shoulder as I sipped at the hot chocolate. No doubt it had been made by Maria.
But that peacefulness didn’t last for long.
The door to the suite opened, and I heard a loud sigh accompanied by shoes hitting the tiled floors. I instinctively glanced at the new person, and it was no surprise that Giovani stood there.
He pulled his hair back from his face, sighing heavily, and though I could see the stress in his expression, I couldn’t bring it in myself to comfort him as I should’ve.
I turned away, feeling horrible with myself as I clutched the cup of hot chocolate in my hands. Dahlia sent me a worried look, but I gazed at my lap, unable to look at either of them.
“Hey, Gio,” Dahlia called out, a bit nervously as she glanced at him and then me.
I heard his footsteps approaching, stopping just behind the couch, and I stiffened on instinct.
“Everything okay here?” his voice asked hoarsely.
Despite feeling two sets of eyes on me, I refused to answer. I just silently nodded my head.
“Um,” Dahlia started, uncomfortably, “she’s feeling a little… not great. I wonder if she could spend the night in my room again?”
I heard his sharp intake of breath, and I winced at the sound.
