My hands are sweated and my throat gets dry while watching Enzo pulling away from me leaving my dad's office.
He runs off without spearing me a look and leaving me drawn in confusion. I don't know if he really has said he loves me, or it's just my mind playing me tricks.
"Go upstairs and pack, pumpkin," I hear my father saying pulling me out of my tensed moment and wrapping his arms around me from the back, planting a kiss on my head. "We leave in the evening."
Still trapped in my thoughts and frozen at Enzo's departure till God knows when I untangle dad's arms from around my waist and run out, in search of my purse that I've dropped on the living room sofa earlier.
I struggle to find my phone, which seems to be nowhere in the damn small purse I usually wear, and I know, I know I've put it in there.
I sob and groan in frustration, searching through all the corners of the purse for the fucking phone, but I don't seem to be capable to find it.
"Fuck!" I shout, turning my purse upside down and throwing on the floor everything I have inside, hearing the phone's sound hitting the hardwood of the floor.
I grab it, leaving everything behind, running upstairs to my room and dialing Enzo's number, again and again. It rings but he doesn't pick up.
"Please pick up... please pick it up," I keep mumbling, sitting on my bed and flexing my legs with the knees to my chin.
I can't stop these sobs choking me and for the tenth time, I dial, and I'm taken to the voice mail.
I know he has said he loves me. I've heard it loud and clear although it has been just a whisper and I've just stood there like an idiot, watching him rushing out of the house, saying nothing. Nothing!
I toss the phone somewhere on the bed and lay on my right side, with my body curled in a ball, freeing my tears to fall until there are no more tears to shed.
A small knock at my door makes me jerk and wipe my tears, hiding my face between the bedsheets.
I hear light footsteps coming closer to me after the door opens slowly.
"I'm okay," I mumble to whoever is in my room, not giving a rat's ass to know and hoping I'll be left alone.
"Pumpkin, come here," my dad says, sitting on the bed, pulling me by my arms, and leaning my limp body against his chest.
I cuddled there, like in those times when I was small and would hurt my knee or scratch my elbows while playing.
His strong, bitter wood perfume invades my nostrils, and I inhale it deeply.
I've always liked my dad's perfume. It gives him the aura of a tough, manly figure and reminds me of... Enzo right now.
I don't know what it's with this bitter wood or tobacco scent and mafia men, but I've always liked it.
I break down in cries again, cuddled to his chest while he rocks my body and hushes me with whispered words of encouragement.
"It will be fine, princess. Don't worry. Mike and I will be there all the time, you know that. Nothing is going to happen," he speaks soothing words in my ear.
I wished I could tell him that my tears were for Enzo, but would he understand? In the best-case scenario, he would skin Enzo off, and bring him to life just to kill him again.
So, I choose to keep it to myself, diving into his protective arms, doing my best to stop crying before it becomes suspicious.
"I know, dad," I mumble instead, letting myself spill my sorrow cuddled in my dad's arms.
We've had lunch and prepared to travel to the island house. Mike and Tea are already at our place, and they've brought grandma Genny with them.
I know Enzo must be on the flight to Napoli by now so no need to call again. I just hope he'll call me back once he lands.
Before leaving for the airport, I called and told Pepa I was traveling with my family for a short vacation and asked her to inform the school.
Not that I cared much about the school, but I didn't want her to have any suspicions.
I don't have many friends and although Pepa is my lifelong best friend I've always done my best to keep her in the dark about my family business. I'm afraid she won't understand, and I'll lose my only friend.
We are two hours far from NY, flying over the ocean when dad sits next to me, hugging me sideways and kissing my temple.
"I'm sorry about the thing with Jason, Eve. Your mom spoke to me about it. I only wanted him to be your school colleague and keep an eye on you. I never instructed him to get involved with you," dad says I can feel the anger growing in his voice.
Pretty sure he's not thrilled with Jason's outcome of the task he has been given.
I smile. He's cute, always feeling like nobody is good enough for me.
"I really hope that prick has kept his hands for himself or else..." he speaks in a deep voice, and I feel his chest vibrating.
Now, try to guess what "or else" means.
"I know, dad. Nobody is good enough for your daughter. And yes, he did keep his hands for himself. It just... I want you to..." I try to open the subject of me needing him to treat me like a grown-up person.
"You'll always be my baby girl, Eveline. I'll always take any action if I find necessary to protect you," he replies in a raspy voice, and I smile nervously thinking about the big, sky rocking news he'll have about me and Enzo.
"Hm," I hum only, knowing I can never change that in my father, and letting myself glued to his chest.
"I hope you didn't skin him off," I mumble with my lips smashed to his chest while dad is pressing my head stronger.
"I wanted to!" he replied in a rush.
"Dad!" I scold him, raising my eyes to his.
I'm not fond of Jason and right now he's nothing more than a friend... a far friend, but still, I know what my father's ways are.
"Don't worry, pumpkin. Your mother was kind enough to save his ass," he chuckles and kisses my forehead.
We laugh together and I roll my eyes at him and his cocky ways of always saving and protecting his girls.
"Did you dismiss him?" I ask.
"Hm, I wish I can, but the kid is damn good at his job. I've assigned him to take care of things back in NY while we are away," he replies.
And this is another reason I'm looking up to my father. Even though his temper is a burning fire, he always knows to appreciate someone deserving it.
I have always thought that Jason is a petty, tiny mouse scared as shit of my father when actually my father has been his boss all along.
And yeah, he did try to fuck me, so, of course, he was afraid of my dad.
Nevertheless, he must be quite a brave guy if dad has decided to keep him. Dad always keeps the best.
"Eve, I know I'm an asshole sometimes and I act stupid when it comes to you and your mom..." he tries to explain, but my father doesn't need to explain himself.
"Yeah, you are..." I reply, intentionally stopping his words and rolling my eyes at him. I know he will get pissed.
"Eveline!" he scowls, with a frown in his eyes.
What did I tell you?
I laugh at his reaction and throw my arms around his neck.
"I'm messing with you. I love you, Dad," I ease his irritation. "And I know you love us, too."
"No, pumpkin. I don't think I have ever been able to show you enough how much I love you. You and your mom are my entire world, Eve. Without you two, I wouldn't have a reason to live. It's been like that since I've landed my eyes on your mother for the first time. She bewitched me and never loosen me from that magic," he smiles and his eyes sparkle in a deep blue, like whenever he talks about mom.
"Oh, I know that. You show that every day... to everybody around," I whisper to myself but loud enough for dad to hear, hinting at their constant "showing" their love for each other all over the house.
"I would do anything for you and your mom, Eve, anything that makes you two happy," he says becoming serious again, and I cuddle back to his chest.
There is a specific softness in my dad's voice this time. I have always felt my dad's little girl, but this time... he sounds different, with a tint of apology in his voice, and regret being rough and possessive most of the time.
But I try not to fool myself. I'm sure he'll go back to being the possessive alpha next time he finds it fit.
I know he can't help it. Mom and I have always been his weakness and the only ones that can break him.
Therefore, I can't tell him about Enzo and me, but one day, pretty soon he'll have to know about us. And he'll have to accept it. Mom will help.
I've always believed mom to be the luckiest woman on earth for being his wife. Nothing ever has kept them away from each other.
Ever since I can remember my parents, their fights are just an hour or two of talking in my dad's office, without ever raising their voices to each other, ever. One could hardly call them fights.
I used to crouch at the door and listen to them talking, never missing even once to call each other by their pet names, and every time ending up in hugs and kisses and sweet words whispered.
That is the type of fight I've always been sure a husband and a wife should have, and I've used to play with my imaginary husband, acting like mom and dad.
Probably this is why I've never seen Jason more than a passing-by lover. We've never bonded, I never felt him shape my future.
While Enzo is more than a future. He feels so much like my past, my present, and my future, like some undoubted missing piece of myself that has just reached back to its place, fitting perfectly there.
A piece that right now I don't know where it is and that is making me feel half portion of myself.
"Do you think uncle Enzo will be fine?" I ask my dad in a whisper, my heart clenching with expectation at his reaction.
"I'm sure, pumpkin. Your uncle is one of the most trustworthy guys I know. And the strongest," he says, and I smile, my heart swelling at his words.
'And he fucked your daughter' I mentally say and silently chuckle, feeling my skin shiver and warm up at the memories of the past days, my mind traveling to his powerful arms lifting me and throwing me back on the bed or the heat of his chest glued to mine and his kisses spread all over my skin, feeling my every inch and making it quiver in thrills and goosebumps.
I clench my thighs to ease the tickles between and I blush, feeling my face burning, sitting stiffly in the seat next to my dad, feeling turned on by the mere memory of his best friend having his way with me. His best friend who now is the man I'm in love with.
Thankfully, my dad kisses my head and stands up, gluing himself to mom once he is back in his seat. Boy, what a surprise!
We arrive at our island house early morning. It's our second home and my mom's favorite.
She used to tell me stories about her and dad during their honeymoon here, the beginning of their life together, a burst of love that could be felt even today.
I was listening to her absorbed in the magic of her fairy tales and as a kid, I was sure that mom used to be a princess and dad was the Prince Charming.
They just transformed into humans when I came into their lives.
*****
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