Fall For My Ex's Mafia Dad novel Chapter 352

“I’m going to sleep,” Daniel murmurs, turning away from all of us. “I need to…rethink my entire life. And my values. And particularly, the people with whom I associate.”

“Night, baby,” Jerome calls casually over his shoulder. Daniel mumbles something back as I snuggle closer to Jerome’s side.

“He totally thinks Ivan’s hot,” I murmur.

“Nah, Daniel’s faithful,” Jerome says, giving me another little wink. “Just like you. Like I said – you and Daniel are two peas in a fucked-up pod. Once you settle on someone? It’s for the long haul. You can’t even see anyone else. Which is all very much to my benefit.”

And I grin up at my friend, glad that someone sees the truth in me.

But also wishing, very much, that I could lay eyes on Kent. Just for a little bit, to remind me of everything that I’m fighting for.

I sigh and look down at my belly, at where my little kidney bean is growing into…a grape? I don’t know. Whatever tiny food comes next. “Guess I’ll just have to fight for you,” I whisper to baby, too soft for even Jerome to hear, “while daddy’s locked up.”

_________________________

Dad is a more constant, quiet presence. He’s been retired for years, though, so he knows how to entertain himself. Sometimes he goes back to the city to hang out with his old buddies, but most of the time he’s here with me as I hunch over the kitchen table, reading through legal paperwork, and histories of mafia families, and chess manuals.

“You getting anywhere with this, Fay?” he asks, a couple of weeks into the process when I’m weirdly studying Machiavelli’s The Prince alongside some of the international shipping maps that Daniel brought home from work.

I sigh and sit back, looking up at him. “I’m honestly not sure, dad,” I say, running anxious hands through my hair and piling it messily on top of my head.

“Can I do anything to help?” he asks and I take a deep breath and smile up at him.