Fall For My Ex’s Mafia Father

Gifts

Chapter 24 – Getting to Know my Mafia Dad–1

I’m alone in the back seat of the black sedan that takes me to dinner at my father’s house.

I look up at the grey stone mansion and grimace, not looking forward to this. I know that there should probably be some curiosity in me, some desire to know more about my family and my heritage. But honestly? Lorenzo Alden doesn’t feel anything like my father. That, to me, will always be David.

Kent sent two guards with me and instructed them to stay by me at all times. For protection, presumably, but also – I think – to be Kent’s eyes and ears at the meeting. Alden is his ally, but I think even the term “ally” in this underworld has some tenuous distrust built into it.

I had begged David to come with me but Kent denied that too. Alden, apparently, wanted me all to himself. Great. I was already awkward enough, now I have to go into this alone? It was definitely going to be a disaster.

The guards get out of the front of the car after they park and come around to open my door. I step out and sigh, wishing I was anywhere else. The stables, preferably, getting to know Heathcliff.

The three of us troupe up the front steps to the house and formally ring the bell. I twist my mouth at the irony here. If he’s

dad – if this is my house – shouldn’t I be able to walk right

my

As we step in, I stop dead in my tracks. The guards almost bump

into me.

“Are you okay?” one asks – Jerome, I think. One of the friendlier guards in Kent’s employ.

“Yes,” I murmur in response, staring around the room.

in reality? I’m totally not okay.

it smells like. Even the rugs are familiar – a soft burnt orange, thick and plush underneath my feet. The arch that leads into the dining room – yes, I know that, and if I look just beyond

it I’ll find…

with blue and

murmur, looking around as I slowly walk through

isn’t ready yet, miss,” she says. “If you’ll

but I can’t help myself as I walk to the back of the room and push open the door to the kitchen. The

them.

No

hear footsteps behind me, “Familiar, is it?”

Getting to

my

out of here,” he says, “your mother, the maids, or me. You always wanted to come in and pull out all

at him, bewildered. I was only five when we went to live with David – it was certainly old enough to remember something. How did I

nods back towards the living room. “Come,” he says. “I want

I lived, as a small child. As I consider it, I realize that they are not unhappy memories – I have no feelings of fear

I suppose, is a good thing.

to see a woman sitting there with a boy

putting out a hand to me. “I’d like to introduce you to

that my father

me a cold look. She’s a beautiful woman, petite, with dark hair and large

Alden says, gesturing towards the children, “Is my son Romulus and my daughter Estrella. Your…ah. Your half

picture of his mother, really – dark hair, delicate pale skin, pretty hazel eyes. The baby is also very sweet, smiling up at me in her white bonnet. As I look at the three of them, I can tell that Tristin

at the green accents on Alden’s suit suggest that he’s part of their group as well. I look down at myself, dressed in sapphire blue. Perhaps she’s sending me a

down with distaste. I sigh, seeing that this isn’t going

all a smile as I lower myself awkwardly into a chair by the coffee table. We’re silent as a maid brings in a silver tray with a tea set on it. As she lays it down on the table,

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