Submitting to My Best Friend's Dad by Scarlett Rossi
Chapter 361 -

*Olivia*

The sun had kissed the sky goodnight, casting the empty city streets in a dull shade of gray. From the window, everything looked much smaller than it actually was. The car rumbled dully around me as the driver and I sat in complete and utter silence.

I watched the lamps on every corner illuminate as we passed by, a few flickering before falling dead. The path from school to home was a familiar one now. I couldn't name the streets or the buildings we passed, but I knew the path by heart. I counted each turn in my head, my mind awfully silent as we passed by the square for the festival. Half-built booths on the edge of the sidewalks and colorful banners thrown haphazardly into the trees were only the beginning. Soon, there would be an explosion of tourists seeking alcoholic beverages, with decorations thrown on every building as bars and crafters came to showcase their mastery of cocktails. A parade would march down the streets to celebrate the history of their beloved city.

But for now, Florence was little more than a ghost town.

We turned into the driveway to the compound, the gate opening up easily for us. The car pulled around the circle drive, halting to a full stop. My bodyguard for the day, who had also volunteered to be my chauffeur, killed the engine. I sighed tiredly, rubbing the sleep from the corner of my eyes as I unbuckled and got out of the car with my bag clutched in one hand.

"Thank you," I whispered quietly to the bodyguard, who only nodded silently.

He watched me as I made my way up the path and to the front door. I stopped at the doorway, completely silent.

The door stared at me, and I pondered what was beyond its wooden appearance. I figured it was made of reinforced metal. Just like everything else in this house, it was never what it appeared to be.

Dahlia had fewer classes than me, so she had gone home earlier. I knew she had probably already left to go out with her new flavor of the week.

I raised my hand to grab the doorknob, my fingers twitching right before I touched the cold metal. Despite the commands I sent to my brain, it wasn't listening.

After a full day of going back and forth in my mind, looking for a solution around what needed to be done, I was just exhausted. I didn't want to face how complicated life had gotten.

For once, I just wanted to be a kid again.

My shoulders slumped as my hand dropped to my side, and I glanced behind me. The bodyguard still hadn't moved from his spot, and he wouldn't until I was safely inside.

I didn't want to go in, but I couldn't stay out there. I didn't have anywhere else to go either.

My eyes drifted to the path to the right, and I realized that wasn't completely true. There was one place to go where I could be safe yet away from the heavy weight the house put on my shoulders.

I turned my back to the door, following the stone path around the corner and past the drive. I unlatched the gate around the back, swinging it open. The sight of the trees and flowers was welcoming to my tired eyes.

I shut the gate behind me, making sure to relock it as I followed the path into the garden. Soon, I came upon the gazebo. I brushed a few fallen leaves off the swing, dropping my backpack onto the ground as I took a seat.

The ceiling of the gazebo was reinforced glass that was strong enough to withstand the elements, but it also gave a clear view of the sky. There weren't any clouds tonight, and the stars shined brightly above.

I relaxed, kicking my feet to get the swing going before folding them up to my chin. I wrapped my arms around my knees, letting the breeze sink into my skin.

I don't know how long I stayed there staring into the endless starry sky and every so often restarting the swing, but it was long enough that my arms turned cold. My cheeks flushed from the chill and my mind cleared away.

The dim glow that the setting sun had cast disappeared and the night grew darker. The sounds of tweeting birds faded into chiming crickets, leaves whistling as they fell, and even the hoots of owls echoed as they passed through. I relaxed, leaning my head on my knee as my eyes slowly shut. But even the little peace I had found here was soon disturbed.

The crunch of leaves alerted me to someone's presence, and I tensed, my heart racing as I heard shoes coming toward me, along with the ruffling of clothing.

I knew instinctually who it was.

I turned my head in the other direction, making sure not to look at the person who had found me, pretending I didn't know they were there.

They sighed, heavy and very unlike themselves. The leaves crunched under their feet as they stepped into the gazebo, taking a seat at the opposite swing of mine. I heard the metal chains creaking under their weight. "Why didn't you tell me you were home?"

The words were as much of a question as they were an accusation, and my whole body tensed, my body bristling defensively as I bit my bottom lip. I didn't want to say anything I would regret, not right now.

"I just wanted to be alone," I muttered, not caring if he heard me or not.

He was silent for a few moments, with only the sound of his breath quietly reaching my ears before he sighed again.

"Olivia. Look at me."

Reluctantly, I turned my head to meet his gaze. There was worry in his eyes, and a pang of guilt shot through my heart as I realized I'd once again been unfair to him. Giovani looked me right in the eyes, frowning as he asked the one thing I wished he wouldn't.

"Are you okay?"

I winced, clenching my fists together tightly, and I bit down on my tongue as I firmly shook my head. I couldn't lose it here. I just couldn't. "What's wrong?" Giovani asked.

And I lost it.

"Everything," I snapped at him, guilt running through me as I saw his eyes go wide at my sudden outburst. Even the insects and owls were startled as they too fell silent.

"I'm sorry...." I whimpered, feeling like a hurricane was throwing everything around in my chest, with all the control I had tried to build crumbling to pieces underneath its force. "I just can't... I can't do this. I'm fucking losing it, and it's not your fault, I know that, but I don't-"

I groaned, my thoughts too jumbled to put into words, and I threw my hands over my head, then slammed them down, burying them into my knees.

"No. Hey," Giovani called softly, rising from his swing as he sat beside me. He turned to me fully, wrapping his arms around me as best he could, though I was still curled up like a ball.

"Talk to me, Olivia," he whispered to me. "What's going on? Did something happen at school? Dahlia said you were acting distracted today. Was it what happened this morning? I'm sorry about that-"

"No!" I pushed him away, scrambling to my feet as I brushed my long hair back. "It's not your fault! You didn't do anything. I'm just... I'm losing it here. I feel like I'm trapped, and there's nothing I can do about it, constantly threatened with danger from people I don't even know! They tried to kill Dahlia, Alessandro, and you! They threatened me, using my own fucking notebook! And I don't even know why."

I made the mistake of glancing at Giovani, whose whole face had melted in guilt, but that wasn't what I wanted. I just wanted....

"You have to be honest with me, Gio," I begged him. "Tell me the truth. Why did this even start?"

His jaw clenched up, and any emotion on his face sealed up as he became as stony as a brick wall. I bit my bottom lip, waiting for his answer.

"Did you talk to Dahlia about it?" he asked carefully, like someone probing the water to check if there was a shark.

"I did," I said firmly. "She didn't know much. I asked her about the men who kidnapped her, but she said they were all dead."

"She's right." He nodded, then carefully glanced at the floor, not saying another word.

"Don't do that," I snapped. "Don't shut me out of this! Whether you like it or not, I'm involved now! I deserve to know the truth. Why is this happening? What do they want with you?"

"Olivia," he started, the hesitance on his face telling me all I needed to know. "I'd rather not get into this."

"Fucking hell," I laughed, cold and bitter in my frustration.

I should've known he wouldn't be honest with me. I should've known he was just going to keep hiding things from me, to keep me in the dark, protected and safe in his eyes, but losing my goddamn mind. "Olivia-" he started, reaching out for me.

But I dodged his grasp, shaking my head as I turned to him determinedly. "How am I supposed to even help myself if I know nothing? Every time they've gotten close to me, it's because I didn't even know what they looked like or who they were! If I knew more-"

"You don't need to know more!" Giovani finally snapped, getting to his feet. I stood my ground at the fire in his eyes, the anger in his voice. I set my jaw, unwilling to back down now.

"My people will always be there," Giovani said in a tone of finality. "They will protect you."

"Really?" I shot back bitterly, crossing my arms over my chest. "Because I'm tired of getting fucking blood splattered across my face."

He stiffened, a look of hurt crossing his eyes, and I felt guilty, but I refused to let this go. I needed to know for my own mental health.

I stepped forward, standing tall as I stared him straight in the eye. "I want to know who these people are, what they look like, and why they're coming after us."

He clenched his jaw, both of us standing on opposite sides and neither willing to back down.

"I'm why," he finally bit out. "They're after me, and they're just trying to use you to get to me."

"Why? What do they want with you?" I pushed further, not giving up.

"It doesn't matter," he snapped. "Can't you just take that as an answer and leave it the hell alone, Olivia? It has nothing to do with you!"

I reeled back as if he had slapped me. His eyes flashed with regret for a moment before he hardened like stone, and back was the man who led the mafia and not the man who whispered his love for me.

I breathed out shakily, realizing now I was going to get nowhere with this. I was hurt, feeling like everything I'd gone through meant nothing. All of the tears and panic and fear I'd faced were belittled down to nothing.

It had nothing to do with me?

Why did it feel like those words were an old friend coming back to visit? Or maybe they were one that had never left and taken refuge in the space between trust's absence.

Deja vu was a cruel reminder.

"I'm sleeping with Dahlia tonight," I said firmly. "Don't wait up for me."

With that, I spun on my heel, grabbed my backpack, and stormed into the house. I didn't see the expression on his face, but I heard the rattle in his voice, the slight step of his shoe, and finally, the lump in his throat as he called out my name. "Oli-"

I shut the door before he could finish, cutting him off.