Submitting to My Best Friend's Dad by Scarlett Rossi
Chapter 640 -

*Caterina*

Too soon, we were headed back home after a trip that I never would have even dreamed I would get to go on. Already my life with Elio was feeling like such a fairytale, it was hard for me to believe that any of this was real.

We were only a few minutes away from landing in the private jet, and I was curled up against Elio's chest in a seat so plush that I could hardly believe it was on a plane. I stared out the window at the perfect blue day, nothing but sunshine and sky and a few puffy clouds.

I had never been a big fan of the word 'perfect.' There were too many expectations tied up in it. You started throwing around the word perfect and suddenly you realized that nothing in life could ever measure up. As someone who had often felt that I didn't measure up in life, I tried hard not to get anyone's expectations too high, including my own.

But snuggling up to Elio on a private jet after we'd just spent a magical weekend together felt as close to perfect as I could possibly imagine.

Elio absently rubbed circles against my arms, his fingers leaving goosebumps wherever they went. I leaned back and nestled my head against his shoulder, my favorite place to be. I'd noticed that now that we were finally out in the open, Elio was touchier than I ever could have imagined.

He loved to wrap his arms around me and hold me close, and I was quickly replaceing that I loved it too. I just felt safe with him in a way that I had never felt before. Pulling me even closer, he dropped a kiss to my temple and let his lips linger there.

"I love you," he murmured, just barely loud enough to hear above the whining of the jet.

"I love you," I said back.

I was still struggling to believe how far our relationship had progressed in such a short time. I supposed it all made sense, considering our past together. And things with him were too perfect for me to want to take it slow. I wanted all of him- his heart and soul-and I wanted it now.

It felt like my entire life had been leading up to this moment with this man. Everything we'd been through together, all the ups and downs, had brought us to this point.

Just as we came to a smooth landing on the runway, Elio's phone started ringing. He held up his phone so I could see that it was Alessandro calling him.

His face immediately changed from the happy, relaxed expression that he had been wearing all weekend to one of stress. I knew that Alessandro had promised not to call unless there was an emergency.

The hand that Elio kept on my arm stopped its lazy movements and went rigid instead. I reached up and linked my fingers with his, trying to provide some of the same comfort that he had given me. I prayed that maybe Alessandro had good news for him, but I knew there was no such luck.

"Hey," he answered.

I couldn't hear Alessandro's end of the call, but judging by Elio's face, it was bad. He pulled away from me entirely and sat straight up, his body radiating tension.

"We'll be right there," he said before hanging up.

He took a deep breath and raked his hand through his hair before turning to me, concern written all over his face.

"Someone broke into the house," he said, his voice overly calm.

My heart dropped to my stomach. That was exactly why I hated the word 'perfect.' I had finally started to let myself believe that somehow this perfection could be mine, and now I was paying the consequences. Nothing could ever be perfect. "Wh-what?" I managed to grit out, my breathing irregular as I imagined all the horrific things that could've happened to my mom while we were off having fun.

"Come on, we need to get to the car. I'll tell you more once we're on our way." He stood up and helped me up, keeping his arm wrapped tightly around me and leading me out.

Luckily, the plane had stopped taxiing by that point. The single flight attendant opened the door just in time for us to rush out to the car that was waiting on the tarmac. I was glad that Elio had planned ahead so we didn't have to make any calls. The second we were in the car, Elio instructed the driver to go as quickly as possible to my home.

Finally, he turned to me. "It's going to be okay. Alessandro was with your mom when he called. That's all that matters, that they didn't hurt her or anybody else. We can figure this out."

I nodded absently but couldn't bring myself to respond. I stared out my window, mind racing. The thought of someone breaking into my home, of them violating our space and my mother's safety... it was too much. It was sickening to think that such a violation could have happened to us.

My mom and I weren't even involved in the life. Targeting us proved that Antonio didn't give a flying fuck about anybody. All he wanted to do was spread violence and unhappiness. Not for the first time, I wished that someone would have taken him out years ago.

Somehow, he and his men had snuck past multiple armed guards. How was it even possible that this had happened?

I felt terrified. The only reason I had agreed to go on the trip with Elio was because he had assured me that my mom would be safe. Now, I wasn't so sure that anybody was safe from Antonio and his men. Elio reached out for me as we rode in the back of the car and pulled me closer so that he could wrap his arms around me. He looked just as stricken as I felt.

I tried to take comfort in his closeness, but all I could feel was fear. I had thought that replaceing out the truth about my father and my life would make me feel more powerful, but I worried that now I was doomed to live a life of looking over my shoulder. How would I ever feel safe living in a world where people wanted me dead just because of my deceased father's connections? They had already killed him, but that wasn't enough. They wanted to take out my mom... and me too. Elio tucked his hand under my chin and tilted my face to look at his. "It's going to be alright," he promised.

I desperately wanted to be able to believe him.

After what felt like hours of driving, we finally arrived home. Alessandro met us at the front door and grimly led us to the living room. I gasped the second we saw the damage. They had trashed our living room, with deep knife cuts ripped through every pillow and couch cushion.

The worst of all was the message they had scrawled on the wall in garish red paint: "Stop the deals or we stop you." The paint had dripped messily down the wall, making their intended message clear-next time, it wouldn't be pillows on the receiving end of their knives.

"This is horrible," I muttered, looking around at the cushion stuffing that was strewn about the floor.

It must have taken a while for them to be able to do so much damage. The fact that they had gone undetected sent a fresh wave of fear down my spine.

"We need to talk," Alessandro said, nodding his head toward the kitchen.

He and Elio started to walk away, once again trying to keep me out of discussions that involved me. Instead of giving over to the rage and fear that swirled within, I forced it down and calmly said, "Talk here. This is my home. These people are making threats against me. I deserve to know what's going to happen."

Alessandro looked at Elio, a question in his eyes. I lifted my chin defiantly. It didn't matter what Elio said. I was going to be involved in this. Although I was ready to fight, Elio simply nodded at me. "Alright, love, no more secrets."

I let out a breath, tears pricking my eyes. I hadn't realized just how much it would mean to me to finally be trusted to be involved. Seeing the emotions on my face, Elio stepped across the disaster in the middle of the room and wrapped his arm around my shoulder, squeezing gently.

Alessandro raised his eyebrows, obviously surprised that Elio was willing to include me, but he didn't protest. I wondered if it was his memories of my father that kept him from wanting me to be involved, but I couldn't dwell too long on that train of thought for fear that I would lose my resolve. I needed to be involved in this. Antonio had forced my hand.

"It's obvious what they were hoping to accomplish with this little display," Alessandro spat, holding his arm out to indicate the ugly writing on the wall. "They want to scare you and your mom into trying to get us in line. And apparently, they think that this kind of shit is the way to do it. Luckily for us, I know that you and your mom aren't so easily swayed. It'll take more than a little red paint and some ruined couch cushions to get you two to turn tail and run."

"That doesn't mean we can just let this go," Elio interjected, his jaw clenched in anger.

"No, of course not," Alessandro agreed.

"So, what's the plan?" I asked, impatient to know what would happen to the men who'd dared to invade my home... the same men who had gotten away with murdering my father. "I've already got men on their way from Italy," Alessandro said. "This shit ends now, and it ends for good."

"You're going to finally track down Antonio?" I asked, hopeful that my father's killer would finally receive the justice he deserved.

"Oh, we're going to track him down alright," Alessandro said, a mean glint in his eyes. "And then we're going to make that bastard wish he'd never even fucking looked in our direction."

A nasty sort of excitement rose in me. I wanted Antonio to pay for everything he had done to me and my family, and I had a feeling that Alessandro was going to make sure he did exactly that. I just wished I could see the look in Antonio's eyes when he realized that he'd messed with the wrong family.

Elio rubbed his hand down my arm, I assumed to try to provide comfort. But I didn't need comfort.

I needed revenge.