Fall For My Ex’s Mafia Father

Gifts

Chapter 20 – Danger makes me

want to…-1

My heart pounding, I press the stop button on the remote as fast as I can and return my wide eyes to Kent, who is still looking at

1. me.

Please, please, please. By all that is holy, let him not have seen me watching his sex tape.

“What are you doing in here,” he asks, angry.

“Um,” I say, terrified, hoping he doesn’t pick up on the tremor in my voice. “Fiona brought me here? Said I could look through some…” my eyes dart around the room for an answer that is not porn. “Some family photo albums? And home videos?”

He narrows his eyes at me, his eyes flicking to the pile of vintage Playboys on the floor. “She shouldn’t have brought you down here,” he says, moving aside so that I can leave the room. I quickly get to my feet, flicking the power button on the remote so that the TV goes blank.

Then, dropping the remote, I scurry out of the room, praying with all my might that Kent does not go back in to see what tape

is in the VCR.

He closes the door behind me as I head for the steps. “Go upstairs,” he says. “Don’t come down here.”

Glad to obey, I hurry out into the kitchen, heaving a sigh of

phone.

My hand slides over smooth denim. I stop dead in my tracks, panicked, and pat all over my body looking for it. Then, slowly, I turn back towards the little door. I definitely felt it in my back pocket when we left the patio…

God damnit. My phone must have fallen out in the weird porn

room.

Steeling myself, I know I have to go back. If my dad or Janeen ever called I didn’t have it – I’d just die with guilt.

I walk back to the little door in the kitchen, pulling it open a crack to listen. I don’t hear a sound. Tentatively, I put a foot on the step, waiting for a creek. Nothing. Then, silently, I hurry down the stairs and through the

chair. Then, for good measure, I pop the VHS out of the VCR and put

behind me. I begin to creep back along the hallway when I hear something to

dead, terrified that I’ve been caught.

no one comes out to scold me.

my left, a kind of snap, and then a muffled groan. Unable to stop myself, I consider the door from which the sound is coming. It’s thick, made of

20 – Danger makes me

want to…-2

can also see that the bolt is not locked.

a mistake.

stare at the door, consumed by my need to

out a hand to grip the metal handle and then, my inner voice still screaming at me to stop, I pull it

from inside is suddenly louder without the thick door to keep

facing me, strapped to chairs, fabric gags tied across their mouths. They’re moaning, one sobbing, as they look at something

in his suit pants and an undershirt, steps into my line of sight. My eyes take in the strong muscles of his back, the rage that I can see pulsing through him just by the way he stands over

of it hanging down from his fist, the buckle dangling.

crying. They shake their heads no, but this is apparently not the answer that Kent wants. He drops the belt, moving to the man on

as Kent stands behind him, pressing the sharp edge of the knife to the man’s pinky finger. The scream turns

can’t move, can’t stop watching. The man not being cut begins to scream in panic,

and then –

my god

peeking through the door, fixates on me. He begins to scream in my direction and I think I can

a change, Kent’s eyes shift to the other man and then move directly

door shut and then bolt – bolt – from the hallway.

I could go as I scramble up the stairs, sprint across the kitchen, pull open the kitchen door and then use the banister to propel myself up the

he’s a monster,

– but now? The truth feels like it has hit home inside of me, after seeing that scene

top of the stairs and throw myself towards my room, my fingers inches from my doorknob, when something grabs me around my waist, hauling me

B

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Gifts

makes me want to…-3

He grabs me by the hair at the back of my neck, forcing my head back, my face turned up towards his. I pant, in his arms, pinned

gasp, remembering my rationale for being there. “I forgot my