Submitting to My Best Friend's Dad-Chapter 953: Communication

*Leo*

Dinner tasted like paste in my mouth as I stared at Bianca across from me at the table. Unfortunately, she didn’t even spare me a glance from her conversation with her Mom and Aunt. I was distracted quickly as the twins sat on either side of me, filled with questions between their pasta-stuffed faces, sauce, and noodles sprayed everywhere.

Kids, I realized with a bit of humor and nervousness, they had no filter.

“Did getting shot hurt?” The bolder of the twins, Chiara asked bluntly.

“Well, yeah-”

“Have you ever shot someone? Did it hurt them?” Cesare followed it up, eyes big and wide as he stared at me impatiently.

“Oh, oh, Did you ever get tortured like in the movies? I saw that in this Mafia movie! They put nails under his fingernails!” Chiara grinned widely, eyes sparkling.

“Your nails look fine though,” Cesare pouted, like it was disappointing to see as he stared at my hand.

“Chiara! Cesare! Enough,” Rosa snapped, giving each of her twins a harsh look. Their mouths snapped shut and they ducked their heads.

I sent her a grateful look but she just rolled her eyes and turned back to her conversation with Lucia. I sighed, once there was peace and quiet, wincing as I twirled my pasta onto my fork. I wish I had hurt my non-dominant hand instead.

The anxiety of what Bianca wanted to talk about lingered over me as dinner continued but part of me wanted to shout out and demand that Bianca explain herself.

‘We need to talk.’

A universal code that I never wanted to hear from her mouth. I try to convince myself I’m overthinking things but...

What if Bianca really wants to break up with me this time?

After dinner, Bianca helped wash plates and I was taken out to the living room where the kids forced me to watch their favorite movie - a mafia movie filled with guns and bombs. The twins managed to memorize every quote, even acting out the scenes as they pretended to die in front of me.

Until their mother came in a moment later, saw what we were watching and hell came down on their heads. Of course, the twins ran off and left me to deal with the mess. Rosa however just avoided me with a huff, instead turning to her teenager to berate him for allowing the ten-year-olds to watch the bloody movie.

I felt a little bad for the teen but mostly grateful it wasn’t me under her harsh tongue. I managed to slip away during the chaos, heading to the room I shared with Bianca. My arm was aching from all the pulling I’d done on my stitches. I climbed onto the bed, using the light from the lamp to check on the site as I pulled off my shirt.

The wound site was still red and puffy, deep bruises along my shoulder from where it hit, and the veins underneath my skin unusually lay on the surface. The stitches themselves were a sight to behold, utterly repulsive to look at as the skin was stitched together to close itself.

I sighed, leaning my head against the wall as I tried to completely relax my arm. I shut my eyes as I waited, knowing Bianca would come to find me when she was ready. I just didn’t know if I’d be prepared.

As I dozed off, I dreamed of swirls of falling snow. A voice laughing and barren trees. It felt so vivid, standing in the wintery forest.

Until a flash of silver came from the corner of my eye. I flinched as a bang rang through my mind and then I fell backwards, plunging into the icy cold waters.

“Leo!”

I jerked awake, adrenaline rushing through me like a drug and I felt something warm touch my cheek. I grabbed it forcefully, eyes wild as I grabbed onto anything that was not the icy cold lake. I was surprised though when the warmth grabbed me back.

I blinked into consciousness, the wintery scene disappearing as Bianca’s lovely face swam into view. Her worried eyes focused on me and her hand grasped me just as tightly as I held hers.

“Sorry,” I said hoarsely once I came back to myself. I dropped her hand but she wasn’t letting it go that easy as she cupped my cheek and rubbed her thumb under my eyes.

“You were remembering?” She asked, already knowing the answer and I leaned into her touch as I dully nodded. As used to life-threatening situations as I was, each one still left its mark. It never went away, not fully.

I’m thankful to be here with her, to be alive, to have her near me, and to see the birth of our baby.

“No more ice baths for me,” I quirked my lips with a tired look and she chuckled, sympathetically at my attempt of humor.

“That’s fine with me,” She said, then leaned forward to cup both of my cheeks. It warmed me quickly, the cold sweat I’d broken into turning to an overbearing heat and I smiled as I forgot my anxieties and worries for a moment.

It was just her and me.

“Ready to talk now?”

Until she said that.

I tried to play up a smile, looking into her serious eyes as I said, “As long as you’re not about to break up with me.”

“What?” She reeled back in shock, then understanding dawned on her. “Oh. No, Leo. It’s not like that. I could’ve chosen a better way to put that probably though.”

“You think?” I said a bit, sarcastically but the tension left me now that I knew it wasn’t what I thought.

“Leo,” Bianca gave me a hardened look as she crawled forward onto the bed to plop herself right down in my lap. She threaded our hands together as she looked over her shoulder to give me a firm pout. “You really think after everything we’ve been through, I’d just break up with you? Hell no. I’ve invested too much into you.”

I couldn’t help the chuckle that burst out of my chest and I wrapped my arms around her waist as she leaned back into my chest. I snuggled my face into her shoulder, breathing in her calming scent.

“I love you,” I whispered.

“I love you, too,” She said back but also sighed before continuing. “But I think we need to lay more ground rules for our relationship going forward. We can’t keep acting like we can read each other’s minds cause we can’t. We have to communicate more and be honest with each other. Even if it’s uncomfortable.”

“I know,” I admitted solemnly. She was right.

“It’s not just you, Leo,” Bianca twisted in my arms until we were facing one another, giving me a sad look as she brushed her hand over my cheek. “I’m at fault too. But whatever is happening, we can’t keep hiding things from one another. Especially with the baby coming soon. We’ve got to be a team.”

I sighed. I knew what she wanted to hear from me. I also knew that she was right but...

“I just don’t want you in danger,” I admit solemnly, shivering as I swear I felt the ice against my body, plunging me into the depths of water. The ice fills up my lungs until I can’t breathe as I’m dragged down to the bottom.

“Hey.” It’s Bianca’s voice that breaks through the memory, her warm eyes looking over me so gently but with a steely determination as well. “I love you. I’m going to be in danger no matter what. Even if I wasn’t with you, I’d still be a target due to Mia’s connections. The best way to keep me and the baby safe is to keep us by your side.”

She grabbed my hand, gently placing it over her belly with a smile and I couldn’t stop the silly grin that spread across my cheeks.

Her bump was barely there, still too soon to be showing fully but...I swear I could feel our baby’s heartbeat thumping. I knew that was impossible at this point but...their little life was right there, a little soul connected to us both.

One who needed us to protect them.

“Okay,” I melted easily, leaning forward to steal a kiss from the love of my life but Bianca clearly knew how to pull at my strings like a puppet. She dodged my kiss with a grin, giving me a pointed look and I sighed.

She had me wrapped around her finger and she knew it.

But I wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Al came to tell me that he has Michael in custody now. He’s left his fate up to me now whether I wanted to interrogate him or just have him put down. Either way, he’s going to die. Apparently, he got a pretty bad infection from where you shot him since he didn’t get medical treatment. It’s...not looking good for him.” I grimaced, glancing at Bianca warily as I expected tears and guilt of some kind but much to my surprise, she was calm as can be.

“Okay,” She said simply, like it didn’t matter that the man she’d almost killed was probably going to die from his injuries. At my incredulous look, she raised an eyebrow.

“What? You think I’ll feel bad for that bastard?” She huffed, crossing her arms. “He tried to kill me, tried to kill our baby, and then almost killed you. Do I feel guilty for shooting someone? Yes, I’m not a monster. But, it was justified. He deserves whatever ending comes to him for what he’s done.”

There was a harshness to her voice I didn’t expect.

“So you don’t care if I have him killed?” I asked, trying to shake off my thoughts of how fucking hot she looked right now.

“No,” Bianca said firmly. “If you want to have him killed, then do it. I will live with whatever you decide, Leo. He went after our baby. I did what anyone would have.”

A smile crept across my lips. With strength shining in her eyes, reflecting how utterly content she was with her choices, I swear I’d never been more attracted to her than right now. I shifted myself, my lower brain making its appearance as I coughed to change the subject.

“I haven’t decided yet,” I told her honestly, “But when I do, you’ll be the first to know.”

“Good,” She grinned and captured my lips with hers. It was a breathless moment, one of the rare few where Bianca took control, teasing me with her sweet lips as she slipped her tongue past mine.

I was lost in her taste, chasing after her lips even as she pulled back with a cheeky grin. Before I could pull her back to me for another round though, she gently placed her fingers over my lips and asked with a small smile.

“So, since the baby is going to be on the way in a few months, I was thinking we should talk about what we’re going to do in the future.”

“What do you mean?” I frowned, my eyes still locked on her lips.

“Like perhaps you leaving the Don position.”

My wide eyes snapped onto hers, all playfulness gone as she gave me a serious look.