Filed to story: Submitting to My Bestie’s Daddy Read Online >>???
But that was all just superstition.
By lunch, everything about the city had come flooding back to me, and I dragged Elio across the city, barely remembering the path as we found that little tucked-away gelato shop that my mother and I used to go to.
It tasted just as I remembered, and I shared a strawberry cone with Elio, both of us telling stories about what we remembered from our childhoods here. I’d completely forgotten I had ever been scared. I felt like I had never left, like I was still that little girl who called this city home.
The sunset came and went, and Elio drove us up to a nice hillside outside the city, a field of flowers and trees that overlooked the entire city. I could see the twinkling lights stretch out before me for miles, and above us was the night sky, all the stars shining brightly like they were put there just for us.
It was simple, as we shared wine and dinner, just the two of us and a never-ending meal that came from a picnic basket he had somehow snuck along. Though I had spotted more than once the guards hiding just out of sight.
I still appreciated that it was the two of us alone, as much as it could be anyway. I probably drank too much, my head a bit feverish and my vision dizzy as I crawled into Elio’s lap, letting him hold me tightly as we gazed out at the stars above.
Elio pointed out a few constellations, telling him the legends and tales his dad had told him growing up—Cassiopeia, who was punished for boasting of her daughter’s beauty, and Cepheus, the king beside her, who was forced to sacrifice his daughter to a sea monster, and the daughter, Andromeda, who was saved and married to the hero demi-god, Perseus.
It was a sad and bloody tale but no less riveting than the ones at the museums. But listening to Elio’s voice as he described the stars like they were actual people and not myths, I slowly began to nod off.
“Time to go home, sleepy head,” Elio said with a chuckle once he noticed my eyes sliding closed.
I yawned, nodding a bit as he lifted me up, and I clung to him as he carried me back to the car. It was a slow drive as we headed back to the compound that would be our home for the next week or so.
We were both exhausted as we dragged ourselves inside and got ready for bed, finally collapsing into the fluffy sheets next to one another. I curled up under the blanket, latching my legs around Elio to keep warm.
I was surprised when after only a few moments, Elio was snoring, absolutely knocked out. I laughed to myself, snuggling into his arms as he cuddled me like a teddy bear.
My heart was warm with the amount of love I felt for this man. And now we were one step closer to meeting Alessandro’s clients, one step closer to finding Antonio, and then everything would be over.
We’ll have a whole future to look forward to… to be happy together.
*Elio*
“It’s been slow going due to the transfer of assets from here to America,” Alessandro told me with a frustrated look. “We’ve been having trouble hiring people over there due to the lack of loyalty. We’ve had nine cases of deserters in the past few weeks, all US hires. It’s making establishing operations more difficult.”
“The US doesn’t really have the same loyalty as they do in Florence. We’ve got roots and power here, but family doesn’t really have the same meaning overseas,” I explained, my lips twisted into a frown. “Plus, there’s been a new rise of work-hopping, just going from one company to the next without staying for long. It’s difficult for everyone to keep workers, especially for dangerous work like we’re asking. We may have to raise the salaries to keep people on.”
Cat yawned, her head propped up on my arm as she listened to us debate back and forth with a groggy look. She listened quietly to our conversation as a hand gently laid a mug of steaming hot coffee in front of her.
I heard her thank the servant quietly, a sweet middle-aged woman who reminded me of my mom. She nodded, smiling as Cat took a sip of the mind-awakening potion. I chuckled, kissing her forehead as she leaned against me.
“The Euro doesn’t come out to be an exact transfer either, so you’re losing about four coins per dollar for every hire,” I said, pointing to the paperwork on the kitchen table.
“Three,” Cat corrected.
I looked over at her with a raised eyebrow, but Alessandro didn’t even register her as he plowed straight on, eyes focused entirely on me.
“And what are we supposed to do about that? The inflation of the US dollar keeps rising and we’ve got to pay our men somehow. These new hires do half the work for twice the pay, and it’s causing significant rifts in our US branches.”
Cat’s expression turned sour. I knew she hated being ignored.
“Losing four coins is the least of our worries at this—” Alessandro continued.
“Three.” Cat asserted herself into the conversation, voice stronger and louder as she crossed my arms. “Let’s get something straight here, Alessandro,” Cat emphasized his name, glaring at him straight in the eyes. “I asked to be a part of this. I am not Elio’s girlfriend he dragged along. This is my family that was affected by this motherfucker, and I am going to help catch him with or without you. Your choice.”
There was a beat of silence when Alessandro’s glare leveled at her. I stared at her in awe as she glared into the face of the head of the Italian mafia and threatened him before my very eyes.
But the stalemate was broken by the sound of a slow clap and a quiet chuckling from behind us. I glanced over my shoulder, a bit startled to see Mia standing there with a huge grin, looking like she’d just seen all her dreams come true.
“Mia,” Alessandro warned slowly, but Mia didn’t pay him a single mind.
“Well said, Cat,” Mia praised her, beaming like she’d won a medal. “Not many people can stand up to Alessandro and his grumpy face, but you did. I told him he shouldn’t glare so much, or he would get wrinkles. Now look at him.”
She sighed like it was such a shame and Alessandro’s face cracked, melting away in embarrassment as he rubbed his forehead.
“Oh, you’re fine,” Mia waved her hand, the tense atmosphere disappearing immediately as she rounded the table and laid a kiss on his cheek. “You’re still handsome. Now stop trying to act all tough, grumpy pants.”
She grabbed his cheeks, grinning as she wiggled them up and down and getting out of range as he immediately broke out of her hold. “I told you to stop doing that,” He growled, rubbing his cheeks which now looked a bit red.
She just blew through her lips like a horse before sitting down opposite him and right next to me.
“So?” She tilted her toward Cat, and Alessandro pursed his lips, before sighing in defeat. Cat grinned in victory.
“You’re right, Cat,” Alessandro admitted begrudgingly, though he did have a hint of a smile now “You have a right to be involved in this.”
“Thank you.”
Alessandro turned to me. “You’re lucky to have a woman who will give you a kick in the ass when you need it. She’s a keeper.”
Cat shot him a grateful smile.
He nodded, then glanced at the mountain of paperwork laid out on the breakfast table. “So, three you said?” He raised an eyebrow.
“Right here.” She pointed to the paper she had noticed, bringing it to everyone’s view.
We continued to discuss things late into the morning, at which point Alessandro left to gather the family.
By the time we were getting ready for dinner, the sun was already setting and more than half of the day had gone by. I dressed in a causal suit and Cat was in a gorgeous evening gown. I had to restrain myself from taking her right there and messing up her makeup and hair.
The dining room was always a shock for those seeing it for the first time, and Cat was in a daze as we were seated at the huge table next to Alessandro and Mia.
As the family came up, I took the time to whisper the names of the people into Cat’s ear. I could see that a few of them caught her off guard, especially at the bold few who came right up, all excited to meet ‘Giovani’s son.’
“I’m Randy.” The man shook his six-fingered hand with me and completely ignored Cat. “But they call me Six-Fingers.”
“I’m Elio. This is—”
I gestured to Cat but she cut in with a sharp, “I’m Cat.”
Six-Fingers ignored her completely, heading to his seat without a single acknowledgment of her existence.
“I’m Sweet-Cakes,” one of the few women purred as she looked me up and down like I was a snack despite her clearly being two decades older than me. “Want to find out why, honey?”
“No, he doesn’t.” Cat pulled his arm away toward me, irritated.
The woman barely glanced at her, looking her up and down before giving a little smirk. She flipped her hair over her shoulder, giving me a sultry look before she retreated to her own seat.
“I am Francesco,” a voice beamed.