Submitting to My Best Friend's Dad by Scarlett Rossi
Chapter 282 -

*Olivia*

"They're ready. We need to go now."

Giovani's hand fell out of mine as soon as Gabriele said those words. A dark look crossed his face as he got to his feet.

"Ready for what?" Tallon demanded, glancing between Gabriele and Giovani.

"Nothing that concerns you," Gabriele said coldy, not even sparing a glance toward Tallon. It was the first time I'd seen anyone be so dismissive of Tallon, and clearly, Tallon wasn't handling it well. "If it has something to do with my sister," Tallon stood with an angry glare, "then it is very much my business and does concern me. What is ready, and why do you need to go?"

Giovani sighed as he stood up, folding up his white sleeves as he pinned Tallon with a hard stare. "We're ready to invade the building Dahlia's being held in. What excuse did you use?"

He directed the last question to Gabriele, who only shrugged. "Simple blackout and construction work. It took a bit of manpower, but it's only going to last a few hours. We need to hurry." "I'm coming with you!" Tallon said fiercely, rounding the counter to stand next to Gabriele.

"You sure you can handle it, kid? I don't want you messing things up," Gabriele sneered, his clear dislike of Tallon on full display.

"Whose son do you think I am?" Tallon smirked back, crossing his arms. "I know how to wield a gun, and I'm not letting you leave unless you take me with you. Try anything fishy, and I'll call my dad immediately." "Get the kid a vest and a gun," Giovani sighed, rubbing his temples. "And stop picking fights, both of you."

"Yes, sir," Gabriele said without hesitation, turning on his heel.

"He started it!" Tallon pointed to Gabriele, childishly.

"Enough. Go out with the guys who are getting the car ready," Giovani crossed his arms, gesturing his head to the door.

Tallon pouted, rolling his eyes, but did as asked. He followed Gabriele only a step behind and I heard the door open and close.

Once they were gone, Giovani turned to me with a stoic look as he said, "We've got to go."

I nodded, getting to my feet. "I just need to go grab my shoes," I said, shooting him a grin as I wiggled my toes inside of the slippers I had on. "Can't go wearing slippers, can I?"

I turned to head upstairs, but strong arms caught me around the waist, preventing me from heading any further. Giovani spun me around until I was facing him, a serious look in his eyes.

I knew immediately what he was planning to say.

My lips thinned as my temper rose. He wouldn't do this to me again. He just wouldn't.

But he would.

"You have to stay behind," he said calmly.

"No!" I broke from his grasp, clenching my fist near my heart as I glared at him with all the strength I could muster. "Absolutely not! You are not doing this to me again. Tallon's younger than me, and you're taking him, so you have to take me too!"

"Tallon is a completely different matter," Giovani told me, carefully, reaching out for me. "He is-"

"I don't care!" I dodged his hands, facing him firmly with my head held high. "I'm going!"

"Olivia-" he started.

"I will not let you leave me behind again!" I screamed, my eyes watering as I glared at him in defiance and sorrow.

I could still remember the feeling of waiting, unable to sleep or even blink as I sat on the staircase, wondering what was happening to my best friend, whether they'd found her or if she was out dying in a ditch somewhere... whether Giovani had been jumped by the kidnappers, taken too, and both of them were slaughtered.

The feeling that I would never see them again or even know what happened to them was excruciating.

I couldn't go through that again, my own safety be damned. Even if I was useless or it meant I couldn't be of any help, I had to go this time. I had to be there with him just in case.

Even if I could do nothing in the end, it was more than worth chancing the danger for even a small percentage I could help.

I wasn't going to be left here alone again.

"I can't stand it, sitting here and waiting and never knowing what's happening. I won't stay here and let you keep me locked up just because it's safer. Dahlia is my best friend-" My voice broke as I clenched my fists tightly at my sides. "Olivia!" Giovanni snapped, loudly.

I fell silent at his loud tone, facing him with wide eyes. He'd never shouted at me like that before... never.

He took two steps closer to grab me by the arms and glare down at me.

"Do you know how to shoot a gun?" he demanded from me.

"What?" I gasped, snapping out of the stranglehold my emotions had on me.

"Answer me," Giovani said, rather brutally.

"No." I shook my head.

"Were you trained in how to deal with a hostage situation? Can you break locks or doors even at the risk of your own life?" He snapped one question right after the other.

I deflated, sinking under the power of his glare as I shook my head.

"Let's say you cornered the kidnapper, and he grabbed Dahlia in his arms as a defense with a gun to her head. Do you think you can pull the trigger before he does? Could you even fire it without hitting Dahlia and killing her instead?" "I... I..." I stumbled over my words, no defense coming to me against his onslaught.

Giovani reached onto his side, and my breath hitched as he pulled out a real genuine gun. A black handgun in one hand, he smoothly flipped it so the barrel was pointed at himself, offering the gun to me.

My wide eyes slid up to his, but I couldn't see any kind of emotion. All of it was firmly hidden behind the mask he wore.

Was this what the leader of the mafia actually looked like?

"Take it," Giovani ordered, leaving no room for discussion.

"What?" I gasped, "But-"

He didn't give me any time to argue as he lifted my hands and shoved the gun into them. I grabbed the unfamiliar handle, my hands trembling as I held it in place. "Now, shoot," Giovani said casually, leaning back in full confidence like I didn't have a fucking gun pointed at his chest.

"No!" I screamed, stepping away. My back hit the fridge behind me, cold against the sweat running down my skin.

"Do it," Giovani said. "Prove to me you can shoot that gun, and I'll let you go."

"Giovani...." My lip trembled on his name, my hands shaking wildly as I held the gun. My mind was blank with disbelief. He was asking me to shoot him?

"Do it, Olivia," he said impatiently. He gestured to his shoulder. "Right here."

But I couldn't.

But Dahlia....

I clenched my teeth together, gathering every bit of courage I had as I aimed the gun toward his shoulder, all of my limbs feeling numb as he stared me down like this was an everyday thing, like I was handing him an umbrella on a rainy day or a pen for a paperwork he needed to sign. But this was a gun.

I slid my finger over the trigger and my vision blurred as tears poured out of my eyes and down my cheeks.

"I... I...."

I cracked.

"I can't!" I hung my head, dropping the gun as I grabbed my head in my hands and collapsed onto my knees. I sobbed loudly as I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to hold the pieces of me together. I wouldn't have been able to shoot it at anyone, or even at the ceiling, for that matter. I didn't know how, and I wasn't strong enough to kill.

I heard him sigh and pluck the gun off the floor. He crouched down to my level and pried my fingers away from my face.

There was a gentleness in his face, sorrow reflected in his eyes.

"Olivia." He said my name, rolling it with affection that I didn't deserve. He held the gun up, pointed at the floor, as he showed me the side of it. "The safety was on. It wasn't going to shoot." Realization dawned on me.

He knew the whole time, knew that even if I had pulled the trigger, it wasn't going to hurt him. There was no danger at all.

"But... why?" I sobbed out, gazing up at him.

"Because I care about you," Giovani said, "and I don't want you getting hurt. This is the only way you'll give up on going with us. Tallon's been raised in this life. He's seen what it requires, but you only just learned about this. If you go, you'll get hurt or get in the way of us saving Dahlia, and I can't let that happen."

He met my eyes, unwavering as he sternly said, "So, no. You can't go."

I sunk in complete defeat, swallowing uncomfortably as I realized there was no argument to be had, not anymore.

"So I'm just supposed to sit around and wait?" I asked, numbly.

"Yes, unfortunately." He sighed then reached his hand out for me.

I took it gratefully as he lifted me off the floor.

My legs were still shaking, and I sat back on the kitchen stool, barely glancing away from the floor. His finger curled around my chin and pulled it up to meet his soft eyes.

"I promise you I will call you the second we have her out," he said solemnly.

I nodded, unable to care as I wept openly though I was still silent as a mouse. He smiled softly, guilt reflecting in his eyes as he holstered his gun back at his side.

He leaned forward to kiss my forehead, a favorite of his, and my eyes slid shut as his warm lips brushed over my skin.

"Wait for my call," he murmured and then stepped back. There was reluctance in his steps but a determination to do what must be done.

Just as he turned to leave, I called out, "Giovani."

He paused but didn't look back at me, only a hand on the doorframe as he tilted his head. I knew he was listening to my every word though.

"Be safe," I told him, my voice stronger than it had been. This was one thing I didn't hesitate about. "Please."

He didn't answer me, but I knew he heard me before he opened the door, and I heard the door slam behind him.

As soon as he was gone, I couldn't help myself. I raced to the window. I spotted their black car driving out of the compound and away from my sight. I was alone again.