Submitting to My Best Friend's Dad-Chapter 955 : Finally

*Leo*

“Are you sure you’re gonna be okay?” Bianca asked worriedly as she pulled on her jacket. She gave me an unsure look as I laid back in the recliner in the living room, her family hovering just in the kitchen.

I smiled, trying to be reassuring even as I felt their stares on us like daggers. The twins were giggling to themselves as they hid behind a pillar that wasn’t wide enough to cover their bodies but I could only pretend not to notice.

“I’ll be fine, Bianca,” I chuckled, hiding how nervous I really was. “You go have fun.”

Bianca pursed her lips, looking like she didn’t quite believe me, and then glanced over her shoulder. Her Aunt and uncle immediately ducked behind the doorway, acting like they weren’t grown adults sneaking around to watch us while the twins stared at her with identical mischievous grins.

Bianca sighed, shaking her head a bit as she turned back to me.

“Go have fun. I can handle it,” I chuckled as I rose up from the recliner. I grabbed her red scarf from her hands, gently wrapping it around her neck. It swallowed her up, covering her face and lips and she looked practically dwarfed in the red.

“Adorable,” I grinned. She glared at me over the thick fabric, and I leaned forward to press a kiss to her forehead as I muttered into her ear so her family couldn’t hear, “You’ve taken care of me enough. I can handle things here so go have a fun day with your mom, okay?”

I pulled back, watching as she visibly relaxed in my arms and her eyes crinkled as she smiled, nodding gently. She fell forward into my arms and I laughed as I wrapped her up into my embrace.

It felt like hugging a marshmallow with her big puffy coak and layer upon layers underneath but I didn’t mind one bit. She would be warm out there in the cold and that was all that mattered to me.

“Okay, we’ll be back in a couple of hours,” Bianca shot a look at her hiding family who again pretended like they weren’t watching and that we didn’t know they were waiting for the chance to pounce on me as soon as she was gone.

The twins were just utterly shameless though, visibly more excited the longer Bianca took.

“Be safe, I love you,” I whispered in her ear and she beamed up at me, her eyes sparkling like they always did as a blush grew across her flushed cheeks.

“I love you too,” She whispered back, giving me one last hug as she lingered next to me.

Until a loud sharp voice came screeching out from outside.

“Bianca! The car is running!”

Bianca rolled her eyes, stiffening up as she finally left my embrace.

“I know!” she screeched back and I cringed, wide-eyed at my girlfriend. I didn’t even know she had that kind of lungs on her but I guess that’s her Italian roots coming out. I snickered under my breath as Bianca muttered something not flattering and then reluctantly let go of me as she finally left.

As soon as the front door shut, the entire house fell into a deep unsettling silence.

I glanced nervously over at the kitchen where I saw five to six pairs of eyes watching me from the kitchen doorway.

Why did this feel so much like a horror movie and I was about to be consumed by the monster?

I tried my best to ignore Bianca’s lurking family as I sat back down on the recliner, rubbing my aching shoulder as the stitches pulled uncomfortably. I still had another week before I could get them out and we’d be able to head back to the US but honestly, having this small break from all the chaos back home wasn’t the worst thing in the world.

Even if Franky did call me nearly every day on the verge of a breakdown.

I leaned back at the recliner, sighing as I got myself comfortable. Lucia had insisted on me taking this chair out in the living room to relax and I knew why now. Legs propped up curled into the warmth and softness of the fabric, I could honestly just take a nap.

Faintly, my ears picked up the pitter-patter sound of little bare feet on the wooden floors, approaching rapidly before it halted right in front of me.

I didn’t even have time to open my eyes before I felt little hands gripping my clothing and pulling itself into my lap. I glanced down, startled a bit to see Rolando firmly plopping himself down in my lap. Sitting on me, he stretched out his little legs and the five-year-old glanced up at me with wide patient eyes. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

I raised an eyebrow, frozen and unsure of what to do now until Rolando huffed, lips pouting in such a similar way to Bianca’s that it melted a bit of my heart.

He grasped onto my hands relaxing on the armrests, folded them around his round tummy and then nodded happily as he leaned back into me and somehow pulled out the remote for the TV.

I didn’t say a word, just blinking rapidly in shock as Rolando flipped through the channels before finding one he liked about a blue dog.

“He’s taken a liking to you,” Silvia came in with a wide smile. She had the same dark skin as her five-year-old and a sweet smile as she settled on the opposite couch.

“I guess so,” I chuckled, glancing down at Rolando all sleepily tucked into my arms. “I’m honored.”

“You should be,” Silvia joked. “He doesn’t even let my husband do that. He’s fond of Bianca and Cedro mostly.”

“Well, I’m glad to have Rolando’s seal of approval,” I grinned widely, honestly just as fond of the little guy as he was of me. I’d quickly warmed up to all of Bianca’s family but something about the little five-year-old had caught my heart.

Maybe it was his quietness or just his resemblance to his Aunt Bianca.

All of Bianca’s family flooded into the living room next. The twins bounced up and prattled off curious questions as they took the couch beside me. Rosa and Cedro followed them as well, offering drinks which I gladly took. Even Nicolo came to hang out, though he mostly just played his game quietly in the corner.

“Honestly, I’m so happy Bianca’s found someone,” Silvia said brightly. “She’s such a good kid but after Otello died, she’s always had trouble connecting with others. You’re the best guy she’s ever brought home.”

“Not like there was much competition there,” Rosa snorted over her mimosa. “The last two were awful human beings. I warned her about it.”

That part I knew. I hid a smirk as I remembered how utterly broken Bianca’s ex was when I had him thrown into prison. He wouldn’t be getting out without my permission. I daydreamed a bit as I watched the cartoon with the kids, the adults chatting in the background.

It was just as the cartoon dog participated in a cartoon wedding that Cedro piped up with the very worst comment he could at the moment.

“I always thought she and Taylor would get together,” Cedro piped up over an eggnog coffee infusion which I was not inclined to try. “What with how they always did those practice weddings as kids.”

“Cedro!” Rosa snapped irritatedly.

“It wasn’t practice,” Silvia eyed me across with an apologetic look as Cedro just looked at his wife with a dumbfounded look. “They were just playing. It was just make-believe.”

“I get it, don’t worry,” I said, stiff and uncomfortable even as I tried to shake off the comment. I knew that Taylor and Bianca had been childhood friends, it shouldn’t be such a surprise to me that they’d played make-believe a few times.

However, the wedding part irritated me a bit.

If Bianca was going to marry anybody, it should be me–

I paused, my eyes going wide as I realized what I’d just thought.

Shit, I thought as I stared blankly at the sight of two cartoon dogs getting married.

I wanted to marry Bianca.

If I told Bianca later that the reason I ended up hanging outside of a jewelry shop on one of the coldest days in winter with her childhood friend was all because of her family and a cartoon dog, I’m not sure she’d believe me.

But it was the truth.

“You’re insane,” Taylor remarks as we enter the jewelry shop a mere hour after I’d realized I wanted to propose to Bianca. “Utterly bonkers.”

“Quackers,” I agreed easily, smirking as I pointed to a ring on one of the shelves that had a yellow jewel shaped like a duck. “But I’m doing this. I’ve got a whole plan so I just need the ring.”

Taylor rolled his eyes but smirked. “Then I hope she says yes to you cause otherwise someone else might have the chance to sneak in.”

“You better fucking not,” I glared at him, even knowing he was joking.

“I didn’t say it was me,” Taylor snorted as we approached the sparkling jewelry counter. “Though...” He hesitated then sent me a genuine smile. “I am actually rooting for you.”

“Really?” I raised an eyebrow in disbelief.

“Yeah,” Taylor shrugged. “I mean, Bianca clearly sees something worthwhile in you. However, with her track record, she tends to see the best of everybody, even if they don’t deserve it. But I trust her. If she says yes, that means she really loves you. And I’ll support her no matter what.”

I grinned widely. “Thanks. I really want to do right by her.”

We stepped up to the counter next where I described and showed the rough detailed drawing I did of the ring I wanted for her. As soon as I brought out my platinum card, I saw the salesperson’s eyes gleam with dollar signs. He happily swiped the card, grinning as he had me pick out a few more details.

Then we were on our way.

“Now, can I go home? It’s cold as balls out here,” Taylor said, throwing his hands behind his head as we walked back to the car.

“No,” I said bluntly as I got into the driver’s seat with Taylor in the passenger side. He gave me an annoyed but curious look as I kickstarted the car, the heat blaring across our faces. “I’ve got one more agenda in mind before I can confidently go back.”

“Fine, but I’m taking a nap.” Taylor heaved a sigh, tipping his hat over his eyes as he fully reclined the seat. I didn’t pay him any mind as I drove to the next location, the streets becoming more and more familiar as we headed into the city of Florence.

There we pulled up to the largest estate in the middle of the city, an ancient building that overlooked by ninety-nine percent of all the passersby. But only if you didn’t know what was behind its strictly guarded doors.

We passed through the gates and I parked the car. Taylor just snoozed away as I got out and headed inside. The place was busier than usual but I strode confidently inside all the way straight to the main office where two men in black suits and cold looks on their faces stepped out of the way.

As I strode in, Alessandro looked up from his desk with an intrigued look, putting down his pen to let me know I had his attention.

I locked eyes with him, determination in every inch of my body.

“Let me see Michael,” I demanded.

Alessandro smirked.

“Finally.”