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.

hear a sound. Tentatively, I put a foot on the step, waiting for a creek. Nothing. Then, silently, I

which is sitting on the leather chair. Then, for good measure, I pop the VHS out of the VCR and put it back in its black casing, which I slide back on

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

terrified that I’ve

no one comes out

sound again to my left, a kind of snap, and then a muffled groan. Unable to stop myself, I consider the door

20 – Danger makes

want to…-2

see that the bolt is not

it’s a mistake. I know I shouldn’t.

though, I stare at the door, consumed by my

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

inside is suddenly louder without the thick

they look at something just out of my sight, terror

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 these

wrapped his belt around his hand, a long piece of it hanging down from his fist, the buckle dangling. As I watch, Kent rips his fist to

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

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

trembling, I can’t move, can’t stop watching. The man

and then –

god –

me peeking through the door, fixates on me. He begins to scream

to the other

then bolt –

stairs, sprint across the kitchen, pull open the kitchen door and then use the banister to

think, he’s a monster,

me – but now? The truth feels like it

of the stairs and throw myself towards my room, my fingers inches from my doorknob, when something

B

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Gifts

– Danger makes me want

the back of my neck, forcing my head back, my face turned up towards

my rationale for being there. “I forgot