Chapter 87

Daniel won’t let go of my hand once we’re back in the house.

“Daniel,” I say, exasperated, trying to yank my hand free while he pulls me down the hall. “Let go – are you seriously going to tattle on me?”

He just shoots me a look over his shoulder, saying nothing as we arrive at the doors to his dad’s office. He knocks loud, twice. I sigh, shaking my head at him while we wait.

Honestly, it’s not that I think Daniel is being ridiculous – if I had found him flirting with someone who had tried to kill us only a little bit ago, I would be equally pissed. I just don’t really want to have this conversation with Kent.

The door pulls open, Kent on the other side. He takes one look at us before stepping back and allowing us to enter. Daniel doesn’t drop my hand, but not because he’s trying to give me any love and support in the face of his father’s judgment. I’m his prisoner and he’s not letting me go.

Daniel pulls me over to stand in front of Kent’s desk as Kent walks around the other side. None of us sit.

“What happened,” Kent demands, folding his arms over his chest.

“Fay,” Daniel glares at me, saying my name like it’s a dirty word, “had a nice intimate chat with her new buddy Ivan tonight. Drinks too. And it looked like it was going somewhere.”

Kent frowns at Daniel then, surprising me. “So what?” he asks his son, shrugging a little. “Is this some kind of lover’s quarrel? Your fiancé talked to another man, and you want me to do something about it?”

Daniel’s jaw falls open at this. “Wha-“ he sputters. “No, dad, that’s obviously not the issue –“

Yeah, I think to myself, resisting the urge to roll my eyes, it’s not the issue because you’re not actually jealous – because you’re not actually into me.

Daniel gestures to me then, his eyes still on his father. “Did you not hear what I just said? She was talking to Ivan. Your enemy.”

Kent does shift his gaze to me at that moment and I can see him consider the situation, processing the details. I don’t move a muscle. Instead, I just hold his stare, my hand still in Daniel’s fist.

“Well?” Kent says finally, his face impassive. “What did he say?”

Daniel looks between us, agape. “Wait – are you serious?” He shouts at his father. “You’re not going to do anything about it?”

Kent snaps his gaze to his son, glaring at him. “And what would you like me to do about it, Daniel? Go back in time and stop her?”

Fall For My Ex's Mafia Father Chapter 0086 My lips twitch in pleasure at this. I, like Daniel, had been expecting Kent’s anger to be directed at me. But apparently, at least for now, I’m off the hook. Still, I quickly wipe the expression from my face. I don’t know where this is going, not really, and I don’t want to incur anyone’s wrath.

Daniel scowls, dropping my hand and crossing his own arms across his chest, looking like his father’s double in this moment. I look between the two, struck again by their similarities.

“Obviously, dad, that is not what I want,” he says, frustrated. “But she betrayed us tonight – and made me look like an idiot!”

Kent’s eyes shift back to me. “Is that true?” he asks. “Did you make Daniel look like a fool?”

I exhale, exasperated, spreading my hands innocently. “I didn’t do anything, okay? If anything, my father made Daniel look like a fool. The whole thing was a setup – he threw the party so that he could introduce me to all his friends’ single sons. By the time I figured it out – what was I supposed to do, storm out of there?”

Kent nods slowly, figuring out the darker motives behind my father’s little party, considering the consequences for himself.

“Besides,” I say, shooting Daniel a dirty look of my own. “It’s not like Daniel was playing Mr. Attentive Fiancé all night – he was off playing volleyball for hours. What was I supposed to do – just not talk to anyone because he wasn’t at my side?”

Daniel and Kent both glare at me then and I realize, suddenly, that this is what they both would have preferred.

“Seriously?!” I exclaim, throwing my hands up in the air. “Are you guys serious? How the hell was I supposed to know any of this? I didn’t know who Ivan was until we were already talking with each other – and, to that point, nobody told me I wasn’t supposed to talk to some guy named Ivan anyway!”

I glare at both of them then, though neither flinch.

“Honestly,” I continue, exhausted by the whole situation, “you two, you hold me to some seriously unfair standards. I don’t know these people, I don’t know what the rules are. And yet you expect me to intuit them and act precisely how you want me to.”