Fall For My Ex’s Mafia Father

Gifts

Chapter 15 – A Pawn in their Game–1

Alden narrows his eyes at me and looks back at Kent. I’m a little shocked, I admit, that he hasn’t addressed me yet. I stand awkwardly in front of him and Daniel quietly takes my hand, giving it a squeeze of support.

“Is this for real, Lippert?” Alden asks, a threat behind his glare.

Kent nods slowly. “We did a test. It’s a 99% genetic match for paternity. I can show you the paperwork upstairs, and you can have it verified by your own doctors. But, with that kind of proof at hand, Alden.” He spread his hands out, hoping Alden takes him at his word. “Why would I lie?”

Alden nods and returns his gaze to me, staring for a moment. Then, he shocks me again by breathing out a huge breath of air and rubbing a hand down his face. “Damnit, but you look like your mother,” he mutters.

eyes.

My mouth falls open when I see the glimmer of tears in his My heart goes out to him, then. He’s a solid rock of a man, but I can see that deep feelings run beneath.

“Where is she?” he demands.

Surprised, I blurt out the first thing that comes to mind. “She died,” I say, grimacing inwardly at my bluntness. Alden’s face falls minutely. Surely, after all these years, he knew it would be unlikely that she would be alive, but still – he’s upset by the

“When?” he asks.

“Years ago,” I whisper, sorry to be the one to tell him. “I was young – I had just turned six.”

I feel horrible – I had no idea that he cared for her as much as he clearly does. I had assumed she was

–

what had Fiona called

herself? a goomah. His mistress, or his girlfriend, not someone he really I cared about.

his arms over his barrel chest.

than a whisper now. “They said…they said she went fast. No pain.”

nods sharply and then turns his head away, gathering himself together. “And where has she been laid to rest?” Alden

home – in the churchyard. I can take you there,

me. “In a churchyard?” He shakes his head. “He didn’t respect her, then, the man she left

anger. How dare he suggest that David was anything but an angel

Daniel holds my hand tighter, in a warning that comes too late

nothing,”

“He raised me

me,” the words rip from Alden’s mouth.

Alden takes a heavy step towards me, intimidation in every muscle of his body.

about your parentage? Did he know where she came from, who your real

it, I stay silent, keeping my

he says, narrowing his eyes at me. “He kept you from me, my daughter, not his!

of things my mother must have gone through. She must have experienced

B

Write your comment

Gifts

A

Game–2

left. Why did I let

out behind

to him but Kent holds his ground.

his pleasure is only a formality. He nods pointedly at the ring on my hand, “that our agreement, years ago, to unite our families through marriage is holding strong. Your daughter is engaged to my son. I anticipate that

growl is low in his throat. “This is a trick,” he says. “How can they be

is quick to answer. “We met before, by some miracle,” he says, giving Alden a small but

mention, conveniently, of the fact

look between Daniel and his father, and then over at mine, and suddenly realize that Daniel is in on this. He and his father carefully planned this

all, whether or not I want to marry Daniel. Because Daniel, too, is a player in this game, moving me around like the pawn

my mouth to protest, but Alden