Filed to story: Submitting to My Bestie’s Daddy Read Online >>???
I clenched my fists by my side, barely keeping a stranglehold on my cool. I could hear my patience snapping, imagining Olivia’s horror if he did what he said he would. No matter what she said, she was too kind to want him dead.
And watching him die would destroy her.
But I couldn’t let Lorenz know that.
“You’re wasting your time,” I said, emotionlessly. “You have no hold on me or my family, so go rot in hell for all I care.”
“You will regret this!” Lorenz swore hatefully.
“I doubt that.”
The phone line went dead and I let out the breath I had been holding. It used to be easier to hide my emotions, but now that I had something to lose….
Despite all my bravado, I knew Lorenz could make good on his threats, could make sure we see Sal’s body. And no matter how much I hated the man, how much he disgusted me as a father and a husband, I still didn’t wish him dead.
At least, not when Olivia would know.
I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck as I pondered what to do. Ultimately though, this wasn’t a decision I could make on my own, not when more than my life was at stake here. I grabbed my phone, dialing the one person I knew I could always count on in a crisis.
“What?” Gabriele answered, sounding groggy and very annoyed. “This better be good.”
“I got a call from Lorenz,” I told him bluntly, not wanting to beat around the bush for a matter this important. “Salvatore’s still alive.”
“How the fuck did he get your number?” Gabriele groaned. “I thought we had it secured?”
“Is that really the biggest concern right now?” I rolled my eyes. “Salvatore’s alive.”
“And?” Gabriele prompted, unconcerned. “He’s a traitor. Why would you care what happens to him? He kidnapped your son.”
“I know that,” I snapped at the reminder, then I sighed. I also wondered why on earth I would care so much about a person who tried to have me killed, but Olivia… her eyes staring back from his face as we left him there, the devastation that remained there once she found out that her father hadn’t come back for her, that he’d abandoned her once again.
No matter how much he tried to hide it, I knew her too well.
And despite everything he’s done, she would care if he died. She would care and be hurt, and I couldn’t let that happen. Even if she no longer wanted him in her life, she needed to see he was safe and unharmed. He was her father, after all, her blood.
At the very least, we had to try to give her some closure.
“Is it possible to get him back alive?” I asked somberly.
“Are you fucking serious?” Gabriele groaned. “The only way Lorenz is going to give him up is if he gets you in exchange! Are you really going to trade yourself for that bastard? Alessandro was one thing but that man–”
“No,” I cut him off firmly. “I won’t trade myself for him. No more trades, Gabriele. We have to find another way.”
There was a long pause of silence on the other end before I heard him give a deep sigh.
“At least you have some kernel of sense left in that brain of yours,” Gabriele remarked, a hint of relief in his voice. “Their guard is going to be doubled after last time and we won’t have the same opening as before, especially since we won’t have an insider to lead us in. It’d practically be suicide to break in now.”
“Our specialty,” I smirked.
Gabriele laughed, “Yeah, yeah. I swear once this is all over I’m going to take two months of vacation off… all expenses paid.”
“You help me pull this off, Gabe,” I told him with a grin, “then I’ll give you double your salary and free use of my bar tab.”
“Deal.”
*Olivia*
I was strolling down the streets of Naples, Elio strapped to my chest and Gio at my side. In unison, both of my boys grinned at me. Then, a horde of black-shrouded figures swarmed us. I spun around a few times, and when they disappeared, I stood alone in the Italian street. I fell to my knees as a scream tore out of my throat. I’d lost everything. Again.
***
I shot bolt upright in bed. In bed. I sat in my bedroom, the late morning sunlight streaming in through the windows.
“Mama?” a small voice asked.
All the air exploded out of my chest in a single sigh of relief, and I pounced on my son. He snuggled into my chest, warm and sleepy, and wound a sticky hand into my hair. I happily let him do it. I always would. I couldn’t refuse him another thing.
Tears gathered in my eyes. We’d almost lost him. I never wanted to feel fear or pain like that again.
He squirmed, and I laid him back down in the bed. Gio slept peacefully on the other side of him. I ran a finger down his arm. He, too, was warm and safe in bed.
I laid down next to Elio, close enough that I could watch his little chest rise and fall. We’d almost lost him, but we hadn’t. He was back, safe and sound, like I intended to keep him for the rest of his life. If I had my way, I’d never let him out of my sight again.
He babbled and rolled onto his stomach, gumming at the pillowcase. I stroked his back. At the very least, I wouldn’t let him out of my sight today. Even the thought called enough tears to my eyes that one overflowed and rolled slowly down my cheek.
Gio stirred, then rolled onto his side and opened his eyes. His sleepy haze immediately melted away as he took in my expression.
He leaned up on one elbow and wiped the tear off my cheek.
“Nothing to cry about, carina,” he murmured. “He’s back, and he’s back for good.”
I smiled at him and turned to stare at our son, still in the pajamas I’d put him in the night he got taken. I swallowed and nodded.
“For good,” I repeated. “Thank you for—”
He pressed a finger to my lips. “No thanks. I will always do anything for him.”
I kissed his finger. “No thanks, but what about breakfast?”
“Begfiss?” Elio pulled the pillowcase out of his mouth to ask.
I laughed, the sound still wet with unshed tears. “Breakfast, my little man, the most important meal of the day.”
He clapped, but the gesture made him fall on his face. I scooped him up before he could become upset and hopped out of bed.
“Come on, Papa,” I trilled. “I can smell the bacon from here.”
Gio laughed. “That’s a lie, and you know it.”
I sniffed dramatically, smelling nothing but the scent of our room. “No, I really can.”
Elio raised his chin like me, but he puffed air out through his mouth.
“Exactly!” I spun him around the room, overcome with the utter delight of holding my brilliant, beautiful son in my arms again.
