Submitting to My Best Friend's Dad by Scarlett Rossi
Chapter 337 -

*Olivia*

Oh fuck.

Oh fucking fuck fuck.

"Wait, it's not what it looks like, I swear-"

I sat up so fast that my head began to spin, the whiplash causing pain in my neck as the top of my head collided with Giovani's chin. He grunted in pain, but my eyes were only on Dahlia, who stood watching us in stunned silence. The cogs in my brain whirled around for an excuse, my eyes searching every inch of the room for anything I could use, but there was nothing. There was no way to hide it or to keep this secret anymore.

The damage was done, and all three of us knew it.

And wasn't that what we had just agreed on?

But this was too fast, too quick. I didn't have any time to prepare myself. The panic settled in as I scrambled to my feet before realizing that was a very bad idea. The T-shirt had ridden up, revealing my bare bottom, and I blushed deeply as I pulled it down.

Well, if there was any doubt as to what had happened between us, there wasn't now.

I heard Giovani snort, still rubbing his chin from where I'd hit it with my head. The top of my head still ached, but I was more worried about Dahlia standing there with her mouth wide open, her eyes flickering from me to him.

"I.. I-" I stammered, looking at Giovani for help, but he just shrugged, completely casual even after being caught with our literal pants on the floor.

I took a deep breath as Giovani climbed out of bed to stand by my side. He grabbed my hand in his, giving me a reassuring smile.

It was time to tell the truth, no matter the consequences.

"I'm so sorry, Dolly," I pleaded with her, squeezing Giovani's hand tight. "I swear I was going to tell you but I just... didn't know how. I didn't want you to replace out like this, but it just... happened and-"

Dahlia held up a finger, blinking rapidly. I fell silent, guilt overtaking me as I watched her try to comprehend everything. Finally, the corner of her lips twitched upward and then grew into a smirk.

Finally, she took a deep breath, and as I prepared myself for whatever judgment she was going to throw on me, instead what came out was a full-blown laugh.

Dahlia burst into laughter, and Giovani and I stood there in surprise as she cracked up, holding the side of her ribs as she cackled like a mad woman.

"Uh... you doing okay, Dolly?" I asked, bewildered by the sudden change in attitude.

"Of course!" Dahlia laughed, wiping a tear from the corner of her eyes. "It's just-I should've known! I can't believe I didn't figure it out earlier! This is why you didn't want to go out with me, why you weren't interested in anyone. You had your own entertainment here!"

I flushed at the insinuation, shifting uncomfortably, but there was no suspicion or anger in her eyes, nothing I had expected at all.

"You're taking this..." I hesitated, figuring out what words to use as I eyed her suspiciously, "rather well."

She shrugged, putting a hand on her hip. "Eh, I guessed something was going on with you long ago. I just didn't know what. Plus, all those weird questions with age differences you asked a while ago suddenly make sense. He is old." "Hey," Giovani protested as he pinned her with a glare.

"But you're still hot," Dahlia grinned, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Hey." A low tone of warning came from my throat as I stepped in front of him protectively. Jealousy raged in my chest, the kind I didn't even know I was able to possess but apparently, I did.

"Relax, Olive," Dahlia snorted. "First of all, cousins, remember? That's just gross. Secondly, he's not my type."

I blushed, coming back to my senses as I realized how ridiculous I looked.

"No, no, please continue," Giovani grinned widely, his arm snaking around my waist. "It's adorable to see you jealous."

"Asshat," I grumbled, my face bright red now as I stared pointedly at the painting of the flowers on the wall and not the amused grins of the two cousins.

"You're right, she is," Dahlia laughed, and I sent her a glare before she turned to Giovani fully. "But as her best friend, I'm required by law to give you this warning."

She glared at Giovani behind my shoulders, narrowing her eyes on him angrily as she threatened him. "You're a fucking lucky man to have her, and you'd better not forget it, asshole, or you'll be the one in stitches, you hear me?" "Understood," Giovani smirked, looking not the least bit threatened.

"So, you're not mad?" I asked, a bit weirded out by how this had gone. I wasn't used to things going this smoothly. Had I really kicked up a fuss all this time for nothing?

"Of course not, silly." Dahlia rolled her eyes. "You're both adults. So long as you're happy and it's consensual, I couldn't give a damn who you fuck."

I giggled out of the absurdity, my whole body relaxing as I was flooded with sheer relief. Now, if only my conversation with my mom would go this well.

"Though, this does explain Alessandro's behavior," Dahlia nodded to herself. "He's been pining after you since he entered puberty, so if he knew about this, it's no wonder he's pissed."

"Okay, did everybody know about Alessandro's crush on me except for me?" I demanded, crossing my arms. "Tallon knew! Gio knew! Mom apparently knew! Even you knew? Why didn't I know this? It seems like something I should've known." "That's cause you're blind, Olive," Dahlia stated bluntly. "But speaking of Alessandro, we really do need to go replace him, so could the two of you get dressed? This is a bit weird." Giovani chuckled as I blushed a bright red.

"You're right," Giovani said calmly. "I have a plan. I'll explain more once we're dressed, so meet me downstairs in twenty minutes."

He leaned over to me to kiss me on the cheek before he bypassed Dahlia, who smirked at him as he walked around her. He shut the door behind him, leaving us together.

We fell into an awkward pause where I stared at her and she stared at me, both waiting for the other to speak. Finally, my anxiety caused me to start.

"I really am sorry for hiding this," I told her worriedly. "I didn't mean to lie to you."

"I know," Dahlia laughed as she moved from the doorway to sit at my vanity. "You've always been a terrible liar, Olive. I know you. You've probably been worrying about it since it first happened. By the way, how long has this been going on exactly?"

"The relationship or the sex?" I asked, sheepishly, glancing at her.

"You naughty bitch," she gasped. "How long? A week? Two weeks?"

"Well," I said as I scratched my head, a bit guilty now as I mumbled, "since the first week we arrived."

"Olive!" Her jaw dropped. "That long and you kept it a secret? What happened to my innocent little Olive? She's been corrupted!"

She threw herself back on the chair dramatically, holding the back of her hand to her forehead like some bad actress in the 1950s. I could almost hear her going "Woe is me!" and clutching her pearls.

I rolled my eyes as I headed straight for my closet to pick out some clean clothes.

"Please. I've been your best friend for years. My innocence was lost long ago," I shook my head fondly as I searched for some suitable clothing in the closet.

I grabbed a pair of jeans and a T-shirt and I ignored Dahlia as I threw off my sleeping T-shirt and changed right in the closet.

"I really do wish you had told me earlier, though. Here I was trying to set you up with some hot Italian guy, and you already had one! Boy, Adrian must've been such a downgrade considering who you were hooking up with."

I didn't deny that. Adrian had been nice enough, if a bit dimwitted, but I wasn't interested in him in the slightest. Once I was dressed in a simple floral shirt and jeans, I walked out of the closet to face my best friend.

She was still lounging on my vanity chair like a queen on a throne, with a smirk on her face as she fiddled with my makeup, organizing it into boxes, a pet peeve of hers that she always fixed whenever she stopped by my room. Despite how okay she seemed, I still felt bad like I owed her an apology for breaking her trust. She'd always told me everything about her life and here I was, keeping massive secrets from her. "What's wrong?" Dahlia asked, noticing my forlorn expression. She looked at me worriedly, and the guilt was too heavy to bear. She'd always been the better friend. I didn't deserve her.

"I really am sorry for keeping it secret. It's been really hard, and I felt so awful for keeping it from you, but I was so worried-" I burst into rambles.

Dahlia just lifted her hand and said, "Stop."

She looked almost amused as she leaned back in the chair again, giving me a knowing smile, the kind she always wore whenever she knew something that I didn't.

"You were overthinking, as you tend to do," Dahlia said without hesitation, "just like you are now. I understand why you hid it, Olive. I don't blame you. I would've done the same in your situation." "You wouldn't though!" I cried, sitting down on my bed. "We tell each other everything."

"Listen to me, Olivia," Dahlia scowled, crossing her arms.

I flinched at the use of my full name, not the nickname she'd always called me.

"Stop fussing over things that don't matter! As long as you're happy, I'm happy." Dahlia nodded, smiling proudly. "It's as simple as that. And I don't want to hear another apology out of your mouth, understand?"

"I understand." I smiled, relieved and overjoyed to have such a good friend as Dahlia by my side. "Thanks."

"I warn you, though," Dahlia huffed. "If Giovani gets out of line, say the word and I'll beat his ass to the curb. He does anything you don't like, you come straight to me, alright?"

"I will," I chuckled, getting out of my seat to pull her into a tight hug. My little tiny best friend was going to beat up a mob boss. Okay... "How did I ever get such a wonderful best friend?"

"I'm amazing, I know." She laughed, squeezing me just as tightly. "But I have been wondering about something if you wouldn't mind answering a personal question for me." "Sure, anything," I smiled, sitting on my bed across from her.

Dahlia nodded, a serious look on her face as she leaned forward like she was going to tell me something confidential. I leaned forward as well, so close I could feel her breath across my face. "Is Gio as well-endowed as most Italian men? 'Cause I've always wondered," she whispered.

"Dolly!" I complained, reeling back from her, scandalized by the very thought.

"You said anything!" she pointed out, crossing her arms.

"I'm not going to betray his trust like that," I said firmly and she pouted, huffing unhappily. The edges of my lips curled up as I glanced at the floor before saying, "But yes."

"I knew it!" She burst into cackles.

"Come on, let's get to breakfast," I rolled my eyes, smiling as I headed for the door. "How do you even know about Italian's being well endowed anyway?" To my knowledge, she'd only been out with one. "I have an Itlain family," she said with a shrug.

I was confused. Did I even want to ask anything else? I ddin't have to.

Dahlia stretched, grinning at me as she followed me downstairs, "Do you know how many times I've walked in on my brothers flexing naked in the mirror? Discreet is somthing my brothers are not." "Gross," I wrinkled my nose in disgust.

"They are boys," Dahlia agreed. "But they're also my brothers. Alessandro may be a pain, but I want him home, unharmed, so let's get to it."

"Okay," I said determinedly.

The two of us headed downstairs together, ready to hear the rescue plan for Alessandro.