Fall For My Ex's Mafia Dad novel Chapter 67

His eyes dart around the patio, as if he's looking for someone who is listening.

"If I agreed to even think about this," he says, "what would the plan look like?"

I bite my lip eagerly. "We could keep it simple, start small. Figure out how to get our passports, or get convincing passports made. Then, the next thing we need is cash. I have nothing," I say, but then my eyes catch on the million-dollar diamond I'm wearing on my hand. "Or, well, I have some of this jewelry his dad gave me."

He frowns at the ring on my finger, remembering – of course – that it was his mother's. I quickly put my hand over it.

"Not this one," I say gently. "This one, we keep. But there are sapphires, other jewels. Just like... sitting in my room."

He pauses for a moment, looking at me seriously, and then he whispers his answer.

"Okay, Fay," he says, very, very quietly. "I'm not saying let's go. I'm just saying... let's look and see. We'll look into how hard it is to get the documents. Then, once we know more... we'll talk again."

I can't help but give a little squeal of joy, and he smiles at my excitement.

"Okay!" I exclaim. "Um, I don't even have a passport though – do you think we can get one?"

He considers it for a moment, opening his mouth to answer, when suddenly the door to the patio flies open, banging hard against the stone wall of the house. I gasp, turning sharply to look at Kent, standing there, seething, his hands clenched in fists at his side.

Both Daniel and I go silent, frozen in our seats. This is bad.

"What the hell," Kent says, striding forward and putting out his open hand between us. "Is this?"

I instantly recognize it.

Shit. Shit.

In Kent's hand is the folded note that Fiona had given me for Alden, that cryptic poem inside. It's been opened – clearly, Kent has read it – but it still has the tape on it, the same I used to stick it to the back of the desk.

Suddenly seized with fear, I raise my eyes from Kent's hand to his face. I don't say a word.

In response, Kent just grabs my arm, pulling me up out of my chair and along with him back into the house. He's angry, of course, but his grip doesn't hurt me. He's still firmly in control.

Then, we're through the door – heading down the stairs –

Down the little dim hallway, towards...

I cry out again when I realize where he's taking me. Kent only checks his stride to throw open the metal door to that room.

That room. The same one where I had looked through the door – seen Kent, his belt in his hands –

Those two men, chained to his chair –

"Please," I beg, my voice frantic, terror snaking through every limb in my body. "Kent, please – I promise, I didn't do anything –"

"It's time," Kent says, pulling me into the room and tossing me so that I stumble the last few steps and stop myself against a metal table across the far wall. "Time for you to learn your place, Fay."

I lean back against the table, horrified, as Kent strides forward and closes the distance between us.