Submitting to My Best Friend's Dad by Scarlett Rossi
Chapter 353 -

*Olivia*

Giovani held me as I fell apart in the kitchen. I had tried so hard to keep my emotions from taking control, but I couldn't do it any longer. All of the fear of replaceing the note and then of not being able to replace Gio had concentrated into one giant mass of terror, and I had been completely unable to control it.

I was grateful when everyone else left. I didn't want them to see me like this. Hell, I didn't even want Gio to see me like this, but I couldn't bear the thought of being alone right now.

"Shhh, it's okay, it's okay," he murmured comforting words as he pressed his lips to my forehead and tried to wipe the tears from my cheeks.

When a fresh wave of sobs tore through me, he leaned down and picked me up into his arms, supporting my weight easily. I laid my head on his shoulder as my body shook with emotion. Without another word, he carried me to our room. He kicked the door shut behind him, and I was relieved to finally have some real privacy.

Gently, as if he was afraid he might break me, he set me down on our bed and sat down so that he could pull me into his lap. Surrounded by the comfort of our room and held tight in Gio's arms, I finally relaxed enough for the tears to stop flowing.

I roughly wiped at my eyes, irritated by my emotional outburst. Gio played with my hair, still silent. I turned to him, looking into his eyes. I was scared of what his silence indicated. Was he upset with me? What if my inability to conquer my emotions had made him question whether or not I could handle this life?

"I'm sorry," I whispered, looking away from him.

He put his hand on my chin and gently turned my face so that I was looking back at him.

"What in the world are you sorry for, carino?"

He looked even more shocked than he had when he found me screaming in the hallway. I wondered if I was just making assumptions about how he was feeling, but I couldn't shake the embarrassment over my fear. He had been through far more terrifying ordeals than I had, but he was able to stoically handle it.

"I'll try harder to be strong. I'm just so scared." My eyes darted away, even as his thumb held my chin. I didn't want to see the disappointment on his face.

"Oh, Olivia, I know you're scared. I'm scared too. Did you think you weren't allowed to be afraid? If that were the case, none of us would still be here. Being afraid is good. It means you've correctly assessed the threat. I would be worried if you weren't feeling afraid right now. Please, baby, look at me. I'm not mad at you."

Finally, I was able to look into his eyes. I saw nothing but sincerity in them as he gazed back at me. Not for the first time, I was struck by how lucky I was to be loved by him. Still holding my chin, he lifted my face so he could kiss me. Relief flooded my body as I accepted that he really wasn't angry with me at all. I deepened the kiss and turned so that I could straddle him and wrap my arms around his neck. His kiss was more than reassuring; it was life-giving. It was the reminder that I needed that this was the man I loved, and he would do anything to keep me safe. I didn't have to be scared as long as he was there to protect me.

"We do have a serious conversation to have, though," Gio pulled away from our kiss, leaving me gasping and desperate for more. "We have to increase your security detail. I know you don't like the bodyguards, but please don't fight me on this."

I wouldn't have dreamed of it. Hell, I would've taken a whole team of guards at this point, anything to make me feel safe again.

"I know. I'm okay with it."

"I'm going to put two more guys on both you and Dahlia. And no more of this acting like they're just other students shit. They're going to be shadowing you both. If your guard would've been close enough, he would have seen who left the note and been able to grab them right then and there. We won't make that mistake again."

I nodded solemnly, silently mourning the loss of normalcy but understanding that this was necessary if I wanted to keep attending my classes, and I found that, in spite of everything, I very much wanted to keep going to class. School was the one thing in my life that was mine and mine alone. Going to class gave me a sense of accomplishment that I wasn't sure I could replace elsewhere. As much as I loved being with Gio, it was important to me to have my own life as well. Assuming that he was finished speaking, I pulled him toward me to continue our kiss, but he resisted. I stopped and looked at him, wondering what more he could have to say.

"There's another thing...." He hesitated.

I went still, determined not to make assumptions but feeling worried nonetheless.

"What is it?" I asked, trying to keep my tone neutral.

"I have to say this, while I have the guts to do it, but I don't want you to take it the wrong way or to lie to me about how you really feel, okay?"

I nodded, waiting impatiently for what he had to say.

"Things have been more dangerous than usual since you got here, but I need you to know that I lead a very dangerous life. I can't lie to you and tell you that this is totally unexpected because it's not. And I want you to know that if this is too much, it's okay if you need to get out. I won't ever hold it against you."

He looked like he was about to be sick as he waited for my response. I wrapped my arms around his neck and laid my head on his shoulder, trying to provide him with the same comfort he gave me. I breathed in his musky cologne as I thought about what he had said.

Was this all too much for me? My immediate instinct was to think no, that it wasn't that bad. Was I really going to leave Italy over a stupid note? Surely Gio could keep me safe.

But the more I thought, the harder it was to ignore the fact that if I moved back to the US, I could go to school without bodyguards. I'd never have to look over my shoulder, terrified of who might be following me. I could be a regular person again. I couldn't lie to myself; the thought was enticing.

But then I thought of leaving the wonderful man who had taught me so much about love and what it means to be cherished, and I realized that it was crazy to even consider getting out now. No, I wasn't leaving Italy. Gio and I deserved a happily ever after, and my leaving Italy wouldn't give us that. What was the point of going to the US to be safe but then spending all my time pining over Gio?

I leaned away from his shoulder so that I could look him in the eyes and tell him my decision with confidence. He looked at me, braced for the worst. I could see his jaw tense and felt his strong arms subconsciously tighten around my waist as if his body was unwilling to ever let me go.

"I love you. Being with you is worth any amount of danger that could possibly come my way. And besides, I trust you. I know you'll keep me safe."

His entire body softened as he let out a sigh of relief.

"I will, carino. I promise I will always keep you safe."

He sealed his promise with a kiss. It was sweet and scorching, filled with the fear of losing each other and the promise that we'd be there to protect one another. I didn't know what our future held, but I knew we would face it together. The heat of our kiss was like a wildfire, quickly exploding past the point of our control. His hands went from sweetly holding me to grasping at my curves, moving from my waist to my ass and working me into a frenzy.

I pressed against his chest until he fell backward onto the bed, bringing me with him. My hair framed his face as I leaned over him and deepened the kiss. He kept one hand firmly on my ass but moved the other to caress my breasts through my shirt.

I moaned my pleasure, and he responded by rolling us both over so that I was on my back while he caged me in. I ground my hips against him, wanting more than this fiery kiss. He stood up, and I thought that he was going to pull my shorts off, but instead, he straightened his clothes.

"I'm sorry. We have to finish this tonight," he said. His voice was regretful, but he had a wicked grin on his face. He knew that getting me worked up like this without giving me any release was a surefire way to keep him on my mind for the rest of the evening. And the anticipation would make my eventual release that much sweeter.

"What in the world could be more important than you fucking me right now?" I demanded with a smile.

He chuckled at my irritation. "I'm glad you're feeling better. But I have to go see about that notebook. If there are any fingerprints or trace evidence, I need to know." He leaned forward and gave me a quick kiss before standing back up. "I promise, tonight I'll give you everything you're wanting. I love you."

"I love you," I responded, watching him leave before standing up and straightening my own clothes.

He had done an excellent job at distracting me from my fear, but his mention of the notebook just before he left had put me on edge again.

I pulled out my phone, thinking maybe a call to my mom would help settle my racing thoughts, but I knew I couldn't tell her everything. It would only scare her to death and have her insisting that I should come home.

I put my phone back in my pocket, looking around the room for a distraction but replaceing nothing. I decided what I really needed was to be with someone, and I knew just the person who would know how to make me feel better. I set off to replace Dahlia.