Chapter 86

“Nah,” he says, smiling at me indulgently and leaning a little closer as well.

Then, to my surprise and pleasure, he begins to tell me his life story.

I find myself paying rapt attention to Ivan’s story for the next half hour, sipping on the glass of tequila that the waiter again delivers, savoring the bite and the taste. He’s actually really, really interesting – a totally self-made guy, climbing up through the ranks with nothing but sheer will, determination, and cleverness.

Despite myself, I’m impressed. Before all of this I had thought I liked the kind of prince-charming guys who would politely deliver you a rose and ask you, tentatively, if you’d be interested in being courted.

But as I listen to Ivan, and let my eyes rove over his muscles and his tattoos...I wonder, a little, if my tastes are changing.

As I consider it, my mind flashes – unwillingly - to Kent for a moment as well. He doesn’t have any tattoos, I note, or at least, none that I can see - but otherwise, these two are pretty similar...

I dismiss the thought, though, bringing my attention back to Ivan. He sees me focus on him at that moment, a slow smile building on his face. He intuits, I think, that I like what I see. That I am, begrudgingly, impressed.

I bite my lip, letting him see me do it.

His words falter for a moment as his eyes flash to my front teeth pressed lightly against the red flesh of my mouth. Then his eyes flash back up to mine and he smiles, continuing his story. Pretending that he wasn’t distracted, though we both know he was.

Damnit, I think. I like that. I like that, maybe, a little too much.

“What the hell is going on here!?”

I gasp a little - the words surprise me – and jump in my seat, looking up at the fire-lit person standing in front of me –

Firelight? When had the sun gone down –

My eyes focus, then, and I realize that it’s Daniel standing there – his shirtless form a little sweaty from all the volleyball.

“Daniel,” I say, sitting up straight – not knowing, really, how to react.

“Come on, Fay,” he says firmly, angrily, grabbing my arm and pulling me up from my seat. “We’re leaving.”

“Hey man,” Ivan says, frowning and standing up. “We were just talking –“

“Whatever,” Daniel murmurs, dragging me forward.

Shocked, I let him pull me, glancing back at Ivan – not quite saying sorry, but, in fact, a little sorry – and embarrassed – to be dragged away like this –

“Daniel,” I say, pulling against the hand wrapped around my upper arm. “Let me go.”

“No, Fay,” he says, still pissed off. “Do you even know who that was? Who you were talking to?”

“It’s just Ivan,” I say –

“Just Ivan?” Daniel repeats, whirling on me.

I look around, embarrassed to see that everyone is staring at us. I open my mouth to respond but Daniel keeps going.

“Just Ivan?” he says. “My dad’s greatest enemy? The guy who tried to kill us not too long ago?”

My mouth just hangs open – I honestly don’t know what to say –

“You will release my daughter’s arm, Mr. Lippert,” a voice says, and I turn my head to see my father standing there, glaring at Daniel with a heavy gaze.

Daniel grits his teeth and doesn’t release me. “Thank you for the lovely evening,” he bites out towards my father. “But we’ll be going now.”

My father doesn’t say a word, just looks, again, at Daniel’s hand. To my surprise, Daniel hesitates, and then drops my arm. “Come on, Fay,” Daniel says, not looking at me and storming off towards our car. “We’re leaving.”

I glance after him and then back at my father, torn. “Um, thank you,” I say awkwardly. “Thank you for a lovely afternoon.”

Then, I hurry after Daniel, our guards following after us.

As I reach the car, though, just as I’m about to climb in, I take a moment to glance back at the beach.

Ivan is standing there, right where I left him, watching me. He raises one hand in farewell.

I can’t help the little smile that pulls up at my lips as I give him one long, final look and then climb into the car after my fiancé.

Fall For My Ex's Mafia Father Chapter 0085