Submitting to My Best Friend's Dad by Scarlett Rossi
Chapter 603 -

*Over One Year Later* *Tallon*

The celebration was in full swing. Much like so many years earlier when Giovani had decided to retire and hand the position of Don to me, the entire family had gathered to celebrate the new Don, the head of the family from this point on. Unlike my own celebration, where nobody had known I was the one going to be named, I had made it very clear to everyone who was to succeed me.

I smiled out into the crowd, watching as I leaned against the wall with a drink in my hand as the various family members celebrated in their own unique ways. Fisheye had started a game of poker, and we had barely managed to talk her down from making it strip poker.

As old as she was, she had no fear of stripping down until she was nude just for the fun of it.

Her partner, Cacti, was no better as she had started one of the many drinking games in the other corner, quickly gaining traction as she cleverly outdrank them all with a large grin.

Dahlia was already slurring her words as she faced Cacti in what everybody knew was a rigged game, but nobody knew how she did it.

"One more round," Dahlia cried to the group watching them.

Cacti grinned, her eyes glinting as she pulled out two more bottles of vodka from under the table.

"Of course, patatina." Cacti patted her knee a little too happily. "I'm always happy to destroy younglings in battle."

Olivia and Mia stood nearby, shaking their heads. I smirked to myself, smiling at the old nickname. Dahlia had looked remarkably like a potato when she was a baby, her birthmarks more prominent and of a darker color than the rest of her skin. I'd seen pictures, and I agreed with the nickname.

Luckily, she'd outgrown it by the time she was three, but the name had stuck.

I glanced around where I caught sight of my beautiful wife taking part in the poker game, a sweet smile on her face but daggers in her eyes as she pushed her wedding ring into the pot.

I wasn't too worried, considering I could just buy her a new one, but it did surprise me when they all threw down their cards and Natalia smirked, the crowd around her cheering as she took the pot, including Fisheye's pair of dentures. Fisheye gave her a grin, showing her toothless gums, and I shuddered in response. That was a sight I would never unsee.

I leaned my head against the wall with a sigh, finishing off my drink and crushing the soda can in my palm. I set the crushed can on the windowsill, taking a moment to glance outside. It was still dark, the evening cloudless as the moon shone brightly above.

It was picturesque and for a moment, my mind trailed back to the night I met Natalia, the night of my thirty-third birthday. The sky had looked exactly like that when Vinny had dragged me to that bar, not wanting me to be alone on my birthday.

"Spent it with family," I murmured softly to myself, remembering the words Vinny had said to me. I felt like I could see just a hint of my best friend in the full moon as it shined above, always willing to be a guiding light, even on the cloudiest of days.

Vinny had led me to my beautiful wife that night, and he'd been guiding me ever since.

"Drinks for everybody!" Benny came around with a huge tray full of drinks, grinning like a loon as he passed them around. "Here ya go, Tallon!" He handed one that looked suspiciously pink in a glass before walking away to the cheers of the family.

I smirked at the glass, not even knowing how fucked up it would make me in the morning. But knowing Benny....

I glanced at the moon again.

"A presto, Vinny." I raised my glass, taking a drink just for him.

I immediately grimaced, the overly sweet taste masking the concoction of alcohol mixed together. It tasted like a unicorn had pissed in it.

Just as I put it down, a figure slinked up to me, leaning against the wall next to me as he gave me a playful smirk.

"I figured you'd have skipped town by now," Alessandro said casually, "considering you're... you know, free of the burden of being the Don now."

"And I figured you'd be shouting from the rooftops by now," I shot back with mirth, "considering you now have the position you've wanted for so long."

"Nah," he smirked. "You know me. I'm more of the billboard type."

"I figured that might've been yours," I joked, grinning.

He laughed then sent me a smile, gratitude shining in his eyes. "But seriously, Tallon, thanks."

I smirked. "No need. The position was always meant to be yours. You just needed a little growing up first. But you're not that angry, bull-headed, reckless kid anymore. You're ready now. I know you'll do a better job of leading the family than any of us did, even Dad."

"Thanks. You're right." He grinned, eyes a little misty with emotion. "I'm ready for this now."

And as we settled into a playful conversation, I couldn't tell if it was the aftermath of the disgusting drink in my hand or not, but I swore I could feel the tension between us just dissipate.

Ever since I'd been named over him, I felt like our bond had been strained, even though neither of us held grudges over what had happened.

Despite all of that, Alessandro had dutifully been by my side for years, helping manage the family and working hard to prove he could be the man he wanted to be. And he had, so many times over the years.

Now, all of that had melted away like it never existed in the first place. And I knew I'd made the right decision.

"And here's the two men of the hour." Giovani slinked up to us with a grin, his hair having gone full gray at this point as he crossed his arms. Despite his age, he hadn't lost that intimidating aura that came with being the head of the mafia for almost twenty years.

"How's the acquisition coming?" I asked curiously as he joined us on leaning against the windowsill behind us.

Recently, Gio and I purchased a property down in Los Angeles County as part of starting a new life outside of the Mafia. Gio was incredibly helpful and welcoming after we'd told him we wanted to leave the family and go legit. He understood better than anyone, after all.

"Ah." Gio nodded, sending me a smile. "It's ready for development, actually. They can start tomorrow, so long as they get the okay from you."

"So, what do you plan to do outside of the family?" Alessandro asked curiously.

"We were thinking of turning that land we bought into a commercial real estate company so that we have some capital for those who want to retire from the family," I told him with a smile. "I don't think many will choose to do so, but if they do, they should be able to live freely outside, not just the former boss. Getting out of this game hasn't been easy, so we're looking to change that. The mafia isn't a very good job reference, after all."

"Fair enough," Alessandro smirked. "But it's in development, right? So where are you guys staying?"

"With me," Gio said. "I told them they could stay with me and Olivia for the time being, at least until the land is developed and their houses are built. Of course, that includes Matilde and her daughter, too."

"Well," I spoke up cautiously, sending him an apologetic glance. I had meant to tell him about our change of plans. "Natalia and I actually talked about it this morning, and we decided we're going to go to Florida. We've got business ties there in the tourist industry, so it should be enough to support us for a while. Plus, once I get the hang of it, I'll be able to be a CEO like Dad."

"Tourist industry?" Gio snorted. "Well, that'll do it. Florida is sixty percent tourists. James and Becca are down there too, so he'll be able to help with the transition once he and Becca get back from their around-the-world vacation." "The transition?" I raised my eyebrow.

"You didn't think it was going to be easy trying to transition from mafia Don to CEO, did you?" Giovani smirked, and even Alessandro chuckled into his hand at my clueless expression.

Actually, I had thought it would be that easy. But I couldn't admit that. I huffed, crossing my arms unhappily. "I'll be fine. It can't be that different."

"Famous last words, Tallon," Gio rolled his eyes. "You'll see soon enough. Have you thought about doing something you like? CEO is fine, but you've got to choose an industry soon enough."

"I don't know," I thought, then I remembered Chef Beatrice and her restaurant. We had plowed on with the opening despite Vinny's funeral, due to how much work the two of us had put into it. Much to everyone's surprise, the restaurant was doing very well for itself.

When Beatrice had heard of Vinny's death, she had finally settled on a name for the place.

"Maybe I'll expand Vincenzo's," I said with a smile, "take it to the US. The market will be smaller, but I'm sure it'll do well there."

"Ah, if you bring the menu over, you'll need a chain to make it work, but it's not impossible," Gio said calmly.

Before we could talk anymore, I spotted my nephew with a glass of pink alcohol in a glass, about to down it in one gulp as he passed by us carelessly.

"Nope," I said sternly, plucking the glass from his grip and setting it beside my half-empty one. "You'll thank me later."

Elio glared at me, stuffing his hands in his jean's pockets with a huff. "You never let me do anything fun. I'm an adult, you know?"

Tall and full of attitude, Elio had the same curly hair as his father but a lighter skin tone, much like his mother's. He was a handsome young man now, twenty years old, and he knew how to wield it for his own benefit. "You're taller than the last time I saw you, but you're still a squirt," I smirked.

Elio's ears turned red as he shot me a death glare, turning away.

"You're still not twenty-one," Gio said coolly, a bit more sharply than when he talked to us. "By the way, Matilde and her daughter will be coming to live with us. Since Tallon and Natalia won't be coming to California, I expect you to watch out for Catarina."

"I'm not going to be a babysitter," Elio sneered, turning away.

I sighed, stepping forward as I slung my arm around his shoulder, pulling him toward me with a firm grip. My smile didn't meet my eyes as I turned him around and pointed to one of the corners.

Sitting quietly in the corner was Caterina. She sat all alone, watching the party with glassy eyes like a pretty doll. She'd been there all evening, from the moment her mother had been swept away for a drink.

Even I had to admit that Caterina was a very unusual girl. She was a pretty thing, very smart and responsible, but she also seemed incredibly lonely. She didn't have any friends, she rarely spoke or showed emotion, and she was obedient to the point of it being almost creepy.

I didn't know if it was because of losing her father, but for the entire year they'd been living with us, she'd been incredibly distant.

"That is Caterina," I told him quietly. "Her father was my best friend, and he was murdered. Her mother is a wreck. Despite our best efforts, she has been distant from everyone around her. I need your help to keep that little girl safe, alright?" Elio swallowed, a glimmer of pity in his eyes before he sighed and nodded.

"Thank you." I smiled.

I let him go and he rubbed his neck, giving me a glower before scurrying off.

"I swear he gets worse every year," Gio sighed.

***

The next evening, I was alone with my wife in our room. I sat in the bed and stared at my phone, waiting for her to finish up in the bathroom. She'd been taking an unusually long time in there, but I didn't think much of it, at least, until she came out hollering at me.

"Tallon!"

I stiffened, hearing the urgency in my wife's voice, I jumped up and held her waist, looking over her body for any injuries as she collided with me, throwing her arms around my neck with a giggle.

"Are you okay? What's wrong?" I pulled back, anxiously.

She beamed, shining brighter than a star as she stood on her tiptoes and gently whispered the greatest news I'd ever heard into my ear.

"I'm pregnant."