Submitting to My Best Friend's Dad by Scarlett Rossi
Chapter 584 -

*Natalia*

I spent the night restless, tossing and turning within the empty bed and half tempted to just give in by the time midnight rolled around. Part of me wanted to slip to the couch where I knew Tallon had posted camp, crawl into his arms, and beg for forgiveness, but there was another part of me that knew if I did that, nothing would get fixed. And I was going to fix this, no matter what.

It was all too easy. As the morning light came fluttering through the window, I got out of the lonely bed to get ready for the day. I dressed lightly in thick clothing, stealing one of Tallon's leather jackets from the closet and pulling it over myself like I was preparing for war, like I was a soldier and this was my armor.

It still smelled of him despite having been washed, and I slipped my phone inside the inner pocket, finally feeling like I was ready.

I quietly slipped out of the bedroom, spying on my fiance and soon-to-be husband sleeping away on the couch. There was a pang of guilt in my heart, seeing how his legs were cramped and tilted in an awkward way so as to fit, the couch pillow under his head and the too-small blanket lying on the floor. He looked about ready to fall off the couch, and I sighed to myself.

I wouldn't let this happen again. No matter how angry we got with each other, nobody should sleep on the couch. If Tallon insisted next time we had a fight, because neither of us was perfect and we were going to disagree, then I would be the one to sleep on the couch.

It hurt to see how uncomfortable he looked, the little lines on his forehead, a frown on his lips as he tried to pack his tall body into a ball that just wasn't working.

I gently grabbed the blanket from the floor, brushing off the dust as I unfolded it and laid it around him. He seemed exhausted, and I spotted shadows underneath his eyes that told me he had gotten as much sleep as I did.

I leaned on my knee as I crouched down in front of him, brushed a lock from the middle of his forehead, and smiled sadly. "I love you," I whispered, gently and quietly laying a soft kiss on his lips.

He didn't wake, much to my surprise, but I did see his eyes flutter a bit, probably dreaming of something I would never know. I hoped it was a good one.

I took a deep breath as I got to my feet and with one last longing look at the man I loved, I quietly left the bedroom suite, gently shutting the door behind me. As soon as I was out, my expression hardened and the anger that had been building in the pit of my stomach all this time was finally unleashed.

I clenched my jaw, striding out of the compound with purpose as I fished out my phone from my jacket pocket and rang one of the few numbers that Tallon had put into my phone-for safety purposes, he had said. This may not be an emergency, but I knew he would help me.

After all, we both cared about Tallon and his happiness. Even if we may have different ways of going about it. I leaned against the wall by the front door, the phone to my ear as I heard it ring once... then twice, and finally- "Hello?"

His voice was groggy, deeper than I was used to, and I felt a little bad about having woken him up but this needed to be done now, before Tallon woke up and tried to talk me out of it and tried to stop me.

"Um, sorry to bother you this early, but I need a favor," I said calmly to the man on the other side of the phone. "It'll be real quick, I just need to know something."

There was silence on the other end and it made me a little nervous. If he said no, or worse, if he told Tallon what I was trying to do, then I would be fucked.

Luckily, Vinny was a kinder soul than he let on.

"Is this about Bianca?" he asked with a low chuckle, and I smiled to myself.

Tallon was right. He was one of the most insightful people I'd ever met. It made sense he would know what the problem was considering he was Tallon's right hand and more importantly, his best friend. “Yes," I answered, seriously, completely honest for once in my life.

He hummed, sounding a bit static as he did so before he asked, curiously with no judgment in his voice, "And what can I do to help you then?"

"I want her address," I told him, leaning my back against the wall as I stared at the ticking clock in the kitchen area. It was just barely past six.

"Oh? And what makes you think I have that information? Or that even if I did, I would give it to you?"

"Don't test my intelligence, Vincenzo," I said impatiently, a bit too harsh perhaps. "I know you get information for Tallon all the time, and don't even pretend like it's all legal. She's dated Tallon before, even if it was only a short time, so you probably kept track of her just in case. You know where she lives. I know you do."

"Maybe I do." He gave a short humorless laugh. "But why should I give it to you?"

"Because she's trying to ruin our wedding."

There was a pause over the phone, and it was so silent, so void of any breath or noise that for a moment, I was afraid the call had been disconnected, that he'd hung up and was now calling Tallon to tell him exactly what I was doing. But eventually, I heard a small sigh.

"I have the address." Vinny paused, and I could feel his hesitation even through the phone.

I gripped my case tighter, frustration welling up in me. If this door was closed to me too, I felt like I really might snap.

"Look, I know Tallon doesn't want anyone investigating her, especially you, and if I give the address to you, I don't know what you're planning, but Tallon isn't going to be happy about it. You haven't seen him when he's truly pissed off at you. Don't bring that hell upon yourself just for some petty chick who can't leave things enough alone."

And much to my sheer relief, I could feel through his words that unlike my fiance, who was sleeping away on the couch of his pure stubborn will, who had not believed a single word I said and had defended Bianca to the end, Vinny was different.

He knew.

Just like I did.

I sucked in a breath, feeling more resolved than ever now that I finally had someone behind me, someone finally telling me that I wasn't just crazy or mistaking coincidences.

"I'm not going to hurt her," I told him quietly. "I swear I'm not. I just want to talk to her and get her to stop. Tallon... refused to believe me no matter how many times I told him but... I know girls like her. She's not going to stop unless she knows she can't push us around like this. All I need is her address. I'll tell Tallon after I get back and I will take responsibility. Tell him I forced you, I don't care. This needs to stop, today."

I heard him give a heavy sigh, and he replied carefully back, "I'll replace it for you."

"Thank you," I smiled, truly grateful for his help. "Don't tell Tallon, please. I'll tell him everything when I get back myself, alright?"

"I won't tell him unless he asks me himself. I won't lie for you on this," he said firmly. "Tallon comes first."

"That's fine," I said kindly. "I would expect nothing else."

He gave a low chuckle, and I could hear in his voice that he disapproved of what I was going to do but that he wasn't going to stop me. There was a tiny hint of respect in his voice as he said, "I'll text the address. Just don't kill her." And before I could reply, the line went dead.

I sucked in a deep breath, holding my phone tightly in my hand as I glanced at the clock, just waiting. It was not even ten minutes later that I felt the vibration of the text, and I barely glanced at it before I pulled on my shoes and purse and used every bit of careful sneakiness I had to unlatch the front door that was built like a steel bunker and shut it behind me.

Determined, I glanced at the road, the sun having just risen over the side of the house. It was still chilly from the cold morning, with a slight frost on the fallen leaves as they crunched under my shoes as I made my way to the end of the driveway.

There waiting was the driver Tallon had assigned to me recently, a kind woman in her fifties with a crooked smile and rosy cheeks.

"Morning, Miss Natalia," she said cheerfully, way too chipper for the time I had called her out.

"Good morning, Ethel," I said casually, flipping out my phone as I approached. I opened up the text with the address, handing it over as I said, "Can you take me here?"

"Can do, Miss Natalia," Ethel smiled, asking no other questions. "Would you like to stop for breakfast first?"

"No, thank you," I politely declined.

"It'll be about ten to fifteen minutes then, depending on traffic." She chuckled to herself, moving to the driver's seat as I climbed into the back. Ethel seemed to understand my non-talkative mood as she quietly started the car and we pulled out of the driveway.

I tapped my finger on the screen of my phone, anxious. I hoped that this didn't come to a fight, but I wasn't going to let her push me or Tallon around anymore.

And if, as Vinny had said, Tallon truly got angry at me for this, then I would just have to do my best to make him understand it was necessary.

The trip was quicker than expected due to the lack of traffic that early in the morning, and soon we pulled up to the apartment building.

I double-checked the address out front before telling Ethel, "I'll be back soon. I'd appreciate it if you could wait for me."

"No problem, Miss Natalia," Ethel said kindly.

I nodded at her before heading up the stairs. The apartment was easy to replace thanks to Vinny's message, and after a short elevator ride, I appeared in front of the maroon-colored door.

I took a deep breath, steeled myself, and knocked firmly on the door. At first, there was no reaction, and I knocked again before I heard movement shuffling across the floorboards.

The door opened, and an annoyed woman appeared as she ranted, "Who the fuck-"

She stopped at the sight of me, her eyes going wide in shock.

"Hello, Bianca." I gave her a sharp grin.