Romancing The Mob (ON HOLD)

Chap. 12

Chap 12

            Laura woke up in a bed that wasn’t her own, to the sound of her own father yelling downstairs. Rolling over and grabbing her watch, Laura saw it was almost 11 am, which astounded her. She was late for work, for one, and for two she never let herself sleep past 9:30 AM, even on the weekends. Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, Laura climbed out of bed to crack her door open and listen to what was going on downstairs. What was her father even doing here?

            “Giovanni, you bastard! You can’t keep me from my own daughter!”

            “Laura is sleeping.” Alexei said hashly, just above a whisper. “I am not letting you disturb her.”

            “Disturb her? I am her father, I have the right to make sure she’s okay and not laying somewhere, drugged out of her mind and held hostage by you and your goons!”

            “I would never hurt her.” Alexei growled now

            “Then you need to let her go.” Carlos hissed. “Just your presence here is ruining everything for her. She could be happy with Marco, get married and have a family, but you’re standing in the way of that.”

            “You are assuming Laura wants to be with him. And don’t act like you don’t have an alterior motive.”

            “Laura was content with Marco until you showed up, now I barely recognize her. The only incentive I have is for my daughter to be happy. Yeah sure, the family ties will be better for business but Marco is a nice boy, he knows nothing about this life. Laura is safe with him, but with you? Non.”

            Laura had heard enough. Here was her father, always meddling in her life, but Laura was putting an end to it, effective immediately. Yanking open the door, Laura made her way down the stairs. They opened up directly to the foyer, and she paused on the landing to see her father and Alexei looking at each other, glaring silently. Laura continued the other five steps to the floor, both of their gazes sliding to her.

            “Laura, thank god-!” Carlos reached for her, but Laura smoothly slid away from him and plastered herself to Alexei’s side, wrapping one arm around his right shoulder to rest on his peck, her cheek against his left bicep.

            “Papa, what a surprise, what are you doing here?” Laura said, faking surprise, and Carlos blinked at her, seeing her wrapped around Alexei like that. Alexei said nothing, just let her hold him, and studied Carlos.

            “I came to see you, make sure you were okay, and to take you back to my hotel with me.”

            “Well gratzi, Papa, but I’m staying with Alexei.” Laura raised her chin defiantly. She knew how she looked to her father, in an oversized long sleeved males T-shirt and socks, leaning into Alexei, completely at ease with him in the early morning. She knew it looked like she’d spent the night in his bed, him comforting her in a different way entirely, but she didn’t care. In fact, she relished in it. Take that, Carlos Santos, I can make my own decisions, and you can’t do anything about it.

            Carlos looked back and forth between the two, and must have been convinced when he saw Alexei’s hand curl possessively over Laura’s where it rested on his chest. With a muttered curse, Carlos shook his head.

            “What are you gonna do, huh?” He kissed Laura’s hand and pointed a finger at Alexei menacingly.

            “You harm my daughter, I’ll cut your balls off, and take baseball bats to your knees.”