Submitting to My Best Friend's Dad by Scarlett Rossi
Chapter 498 -

*Olivia*

Sometimes, I thought as I stared at my son, all of this felt like a dream. I couldn't hide the silly grin on my face as I watched him laugh at the cartoon I had put on. It had been one of my favorites as a kid, and I was excited to show it to him. His adorable dimples on the side of his face were stretched wide as he stared intently at the screen, giggling whenever one of the characters made a funny movement.

All around us were the piles and piles of toys Elio had received over his year and a half of being alive-trucks and storybooks, race tracks and stuffed animals, anything a young toddler could want, everything I had wanted as a child.

I wanted to give him everything he wanted, all the things I had wanted as a kid but couldn't have. I wanted him to have a better life than I had as a kid.

Perhaps I was spoiling him a bit too much, but after everything he'd gone through, what we went through, I just couldn't say no to him. The kidnapping had taken its toll on all of us, except for Elio it seemed.

It surprised me how quickly Elio had adapted back to his normal joyful self after the kidnapping, except for his slight clinginess toward me and Gio. He'd often fuss when Gio went to work, clinging to his shirt tightly as he sobbed for his daddy. And he'd developed separation anxiety if one of us were gone for long periods at a time, but considering everything, it wasn't anything too major. He was getting better with it every day.

On the other hand, I glanced past Elio's door with a frown, my mind going back to where it always seemed to be these days, toward guest room on the floor downstairs where my comatose father lay.

Salvatore had yet to wake, despite days having passed since Gio and Gabriele saved him from the Russians. It was worrying, but the doctor assured me that he was fine, and just needed the time to recover from his injuries.

In addition to the damage from the bullet, it seemed he'd been tortured. Gio didn't give specifics but the mental image was more than enough. I was conflicted about how to feel about him. On one hand, he had been instrumental in trying to kill my husband and kidnapping my son, but he was also my father.

He had been the only reason we had gotten Elio back safe and unharmed, literally taking a bullet for it. The image of him in that bed-bloodied and barely breathing-haunted me. If he had died like that, and that was the last image I had of him....

I couldn't stand it.

"Mama!" Elio cried, knocking me from my thoughts. I blinked rapidly, reorienting myself to where I was. Elio stood in front of me, a little wobbly still but proud as he held out something clutched in his hands.

Blankly, I held out my hand and he dropped it, nodding like he had done something truly extraordinary and wanted praise. With his puppy-dog eyes staring at me, waiting for me to pat him on the head, I glanced at what he had given me. A smile curled up on my lips as I stared at the plastic strawberry in my hand, probably from one of the extravagant kitchen sets Dahlia had bought him. It looked more delectable than a real strawberry, but there was no denying the plastic feel to it.

"Thank you, baby," I laughed, folding him into my arms. He went with a tiny squeal, giggling as I squeezed him tight until he was cradled in my lap.

"Mama!"

He giggled in delight, the sound music to my ears as I playfully kissed his face over and over, anywhere I could get.

"Uh, am I interrupting something?"

I jumped, pushing Elio into my chest protectively as I faced the doorway with apprehension. My heart raced in my ears until I saw it was only Tallon standing there with a perplexed look on his face.

"Didn't mean to scare you, Livi." He grinned, offering me a hand.

I sighed, gladly accepting the help and letting him pull me to my feet. Once I steadied myself, I shifted Elio onto my hip until we were both comfortable.

"You just surprised me," I told him with a soft smile. "Did you need me for something?"

"Yes, actually." Tallon sobered very quickly and my heart leaped into my throat. I couldn't take any more bad news, not now.

"Your father woke up."

I wondered, at that moment, how a normal daughter would feel if she heard those words, one who actually had a significant attachment to the man she called father.

All I felt was numb.

I held onto Elio, letting him cling around my neck as I carried him down the halls. Tallon led me to the guest room, letting me take my time as I lingered around the door for twenty minutes. Ultimately though, I decided it was time to finally confront this, even if it would only end up blowing up in my face again. I felt uneasy as I stepped into the guest room and spotted my father sitting up on the bed. He looked groggy and confused, his brows furrowed as he stared at his bandages.

He looked more normal than the last I saw him. The color had returned to his cheeks, and despite all the bandages and stitches across his eyebrow, I felt a little relief to see him up. He was going to be okay.

I stepped closer, hesitating around the edges of the room as I hugged Elio tightly to my chest. He stuffed his fingers in his mouth, clearly feeding off my energy as he hung onto me and wasn't as happy as he normally was. Tallon leaned his back against the wall, watching casually as Sal glanced up at him and then his eyes trailed over to me. It took a minute of him staring blankly at me, not really seeing, before he finally recognized me. "Olivia!" he gasped, his eyes watering as he stared at me like I was just a simple illusion that would be quick to disappear if he took his eyes away for a single moment. "Thank God you're okay!"

I swallowed, uncomfortable in a way I couldn't explain. It was as if his words dug under my skin like insects, crawling around just beneath the surface. I felt restless and self-conscious as I took a single step back, unsure of what to do now. "I'm... I'm okay," I said lamely."So's Elio."

His face melted in relief, open and honest as he breathed, "That's what's important, so long as you and Elio are okay."

There was a tense silence that settled between us. Everything that went unsaid now weighing over us like heavy rain clouds. There was so much I wished I could say. Why did you do it? What were you thinking? Did I even matter at all to you?

I swallowed them down like I had learned to do all throughout my childhood. Unlike when I was a curious child, burning with desire to hear those answers, I knew better now. I didn't want to hear his excuses or lies. Maybe he cared about me, but he never loved me. He had only ever loved himself.

"Olivia." Sal's face crumbled in sorrow and guilt, a tear slipping from his eyes and running down his aged face. "I'm so so sorry for everything. I never should've gotten you or Elio involved. I wanted to keep you safe, but I had no clue they would take Elio. You have every right to hate me, but I only hope you can forgive me for betraying your trust one day."

"Forgive you?" I repeated, my eyes wide as I stared at my father's shamelessness straight in the eye.

He looked like any old father, one who had done something he could apologize for like forgetting to go to his daughter's ballet recital or not packing her lunch when he was supposed to.

His eyes were full of hope like he expected me to just smile and grab his hand and tell him I forgave him, that he could make it up to me next time.

But this wasn't just a simple mistake. I wasn't a little girl who could be bought off with a new toy, who gazed a the father like he hung the moon. He couldn't just say sorry and expect me to forgive him.

Not like this.

I stiffened, straightening my back and hardening my heart as I stared my father down with a blank look.

"You helped kidnap my son and tried to kill my husband," I stated bluntly.

His face crumbled in shame and guilt, staring at me like I had just crashed his entire world to the ground.

"And you have the audacity to expect me to forgive you?" I asked. "I can't forgive you, not now, and I don't know if I'll ever be able to forgive you. What you did was monstrous."

"I'm so sorry, Olivia," he whimpered, looking dejected like all of his dreams and aspirations had been set on fire and he had to watch them burn before his very eyes. The devastation in his eyes, at least, was very real. I was sure of that. I took a deep breath, calming myself carefully before I faced him again.

"I can't forgive you but..." I started cautiously.

He looked up at me, the tiniest spark of hope in his eyes.

"I'm glad you aren't dead."

His lips twitched upward. "I'll take that."

"It's all you deserve."

A cold voice spoke from behind me, and I glanced over my shoulder as two arms wrapped around my waist, pulling my back flush with a man's torso. I saw the flinch from Sal as Gio's eyes narrowed upon him, but I ignored it. "Gio," I smiled, leaning into his touch as he held me. "What brings you here?"

"Carina." He said my name quietly into my ear but never took his eyes off of my father's injured form in the bed. "I need to talk to him for a bit. Can you take Elio out?"

I heard the underlining warning, and I sighed. I nodded and he pressed a kiss to my temple, letting go of me so I could leave. I paused though just as I passed his shoulder and leaned over to whisper firmly in his ears, "Don't hurt him." He nodded, confirming my message, and I felt reassured enough to leave them alone. Whatever was going to happen there, neither Elio nor I needed to be a part of it.

And to be honest, I didn't want to know what they needed from my father.