25. Frankie
FRANKIE
S itting at my little dining room table with Dante and Damion, enjoying the roasted chicken I made, is like a glimpse into what it would be like to be a family. Living together and enjoying these small moments - this is what it would be like.
It is cozy and filled with laughter. Damion seems to adore Dante and Dante has shown incredible patience with him and a certain skill for building up a friendship with him. He knows how to talk to him and how to build trust. That - or Damion just senses that Dante is his father.
I don't know.
I'm really happy watching them together, but I'm also sick with guilt.
I want to believe that Dante can be a good father, that he is a good man, but I'm so worried.
What worries me even more is that I know I can never walk away from him—so I know I am going to take this risk. If it doesn't work, I will be on the run again, but I can't carry on without at least trying. I want to be with him. I want Damion to know who he really is too. It's a dangerous risk, but one I think worth taking.
After dinner I stand up to clear the plates, Damion is sitting on Dante's lap, telling him about his favorite dinosaur, even though most of what he says is difficult to follow, Dante is engrossed in the conversation.
But when he sees me gather the empty plates he moves to stand as well.
"No, sit, stay with him. This will be so quick. Relax. I am going to bring out the ice cream and salted caramel sauce."
He smiles up at me with a touch of sadness in his eyes.
I wonder what he is thinking.
Is it something to do with what he wants to talk to me about or what happened at the meeting he was supposed to have last night?
I push aside my worry and take the dishes through to the kitchen. Then I bring three bowls, spoons, and the ice cream back to the dining room table.
Damion jumps off Dante's lap and starts talking about ice cream. I dish up his bowl first and hand it to him. "Honey, look at me; hold it with both hands - no - both hands. Put down your toy. Yes. Ok, now both hands."
I watch as he carries the bowl to the living room floor and sits down to enjoy it.
Then I turn to dish up some ice cream for Dante and me.
But Dante, looking up at me, sends a shock wave through me with four simple words.
"He's mine, isn't he?"
He speaks, and he isn't really asking a question. He seems to just know. I sit down and take a slow breath, then nod as I answer.
"He is your son. You did the math?" I say, expecting him to be furious. I expect him to shout at me for hiding that truth - for not telling him as soon as I realized he was the man from the gala - I expect him to push me away.
But as I look at Dante his entire face lights up.
My heart stutters and stops beating for a moment.
He is smiling.
"I have a son?" He asks, to be sure he understands. His voice is shocked and joyous at the same time.
"Damion is your son, Dante. He is your little boy."
Dante laughs, then stands up and pulls me into a hug.
"I'm a father." He says, hugging me close.
When he sits down again, I can see he is holding a lot of emotion back. Perhaps he doesn't want to make a scene in front of Damion, but one thing is for sure - he is over the moon about this news.
He hasn't shown even a hint of being angry or upset. He has no trepidation or hesitation about being a dad. He is happy.
I bite my lower lip because my smile is too wide.
I can't believe he is this happy.
This is incredible.
This is making me the happiest I have been in a really long time.
After the ice cream, Dante waits in the living room while I put Damion to sleep. I think he is taking a moment to process what he has found out. I am a little nervous to go back in there and face him now that Damion is not there.
I read my son a short bedtime story, thinking about all the things that have been happening in my life.
This investigation into my father's activities is really taking a toll on me. I want to do more to help, but every move I make triggers more suspicion against me. His goons were back this morning when I went to the shops, and they were a lot more aggressive with how they followed me around. I was so overwhelmed with fear when I got home that I burst into tears, hiding in the bathroom where Damion couldn't see me.
I thought those men were going to take my son away this afternoon. I thought that somehow my father had found out what I had been doing, that I had been spending time with Dante Russo - and I thought they were there to take my son.
I am so stressed out, but I am doing my best to keep it together and focus on the fact that I am not alone in this. I have Dante.
It's just becoming more and more difficult to keep my emotions together.
I am happy, again, that Dante knows the last truth I was holding onto. I have no more secrets from him now and all I can do is put my trust in him to not hurt me with what he knows.
I close the book, seeing Damion's eyes are closed and his breathing is soft and even. He is fast asleep. And now it is time for me to talk to Dante.
I close Damion's door and walk through to the living room.
Dante is waiting for me, looking up at me when I walk in.
He smiles, and it makes my heart flutter.
I sit down on the sofa next to him and he slips his arm around my waist, pulling me close, lifting my legs over his lap.
"I understand why you couldn't tell me - why you wanted to keep him safe - but I am so happy I know." He says, smiling at me.
"I have wanted to tell you for a long time. It just never felt right. I am so scared about what my father will do if he finds out."
"If all goes well, then you will not have to worry about your father; soon, we will take him down with evidence collected from an inside man. The meeting I had last night - it went very well."
"You have an inside man? Someone who works with my father who will turn against him?"
"Yes, it is someone who has worked with your father for a while - but was never on his side. Someone who has been plotting against him for a while and just needed help to take him down."
I lean my head against his shoulder. "Do you think this is all going to work out in the end?"
"It has to, little fox. It has to work out for the sake of our son - and his future." He places his finger beneath my chin and lifts my face up towards his.
His kiss is so tender it melts my heart.
I climb onto his lap, and he runs his hands over my thighs, pushing my lace dress up as his kiss becomes more intense.
Dante and I make love on the sofa, and then again in the bed before we fall asleep in each other's arms. I love not having to sneak away to be home by midnight anymore. I love the fact that he is happy to be here with me and Damion. I love the fact that he still wants to hold me and take care of us both, even after all the secrets I thought I had to keep from him.
In the morning, I sense him next to me before I open my eyes. A smile touches my lips as I snuggle closer.
He smells amazing. He feels amazing. And I am daring to picture a real future with him.
I know I am falling for him but it doesn't terrify me as much as it used to. The only thing that scares me now is my father and the fact that he can still take my son away. Our son.
I lie against him for a while before I have to get up, hearing Damion padding around in the hallway means he is up to something, and I want to avert disaster. I climb out of bed quietly, leaving Dante to sleep longer.
Damion hears me coming out of my room and runs to say good morning. He gives the best little hugs.
I pick him up and I am carrying him towards the kitchen when a knock on the door freezes me to my core.
It can only be one person. The anger, the aggression behind that knock is terrifying.
I turn and run into my bedroom. Dante is awake and his eyes darken when he sees the fear in mine.
"I think it's my father. Please, keep him here with you. Do not come out of this room no matter what you hear."
"Frankie—"
"Please, Dante," I whisper.
He nods, taking Damion into his arms.
I run out of the room, closing the door behind me, I go to answer the front door.
My father and his two goons are standing there.
His cold eyes stab into me like daggers.
He pushes me aside and strides into my apartment.
"What do you want?" I say, standing my ground in the living room.
"Did you honestly think they wouldn't see you two together? In the park? At the casino? Did you really believe you could hide it from me?" My father shouts, his voice booming inside the small apartment.
"Be more specific," I say coldly.
"Dante Russo. You are dating or involved with Dante Russo. Are you trying to insult my intelligence?"
"Who I date is none of your business." I push against his darkening attitude.
He steps closer to me, glaring down at me, trying to make me feel small.
I do.
My legs are shaking, and my pulse is racing. The sweat is building in the palms of my hands and now my breath is catching. But I push my shoulders back and do my best to keep all of that hidden.
"I will tell you what is my business -- that you are my daughter - and no matter what you seem to think - you will do as I say or suffer the consequences of it. You are my business." He hisses in my face.
I clench my jaw and glare at him. He shakes his head. "You, stupid girl - do I need to spell it out? I will take my grandson. He will come to live with me. At this point, I don't care if you come with me or not. You are a whore going around dating a man like Dante Russo. But I will not let you expose my grandson to that. End the relationship - or I will make you regret every bit of this freedom you wanted."
He locks eyes with me and the coldness in them chills me to my bones.
I don't dare say a word.
My father turns away and marches out of my apartment.
He slams the door shut behind him and I lunge forward to lock it as though that would make any difference.
I lean with my forehead resting against the back of the door while streams of tears flood down my cheeks.
I look at my hands, shaking while I fight for control over my emotions.
Dante's arms wrap around my stomach, pulling me back against his chest. I turn towards him and bury my face against him, letting his shirt soak up my tears.
He talks soothing me and promising me he will make sure that man never gets our son.
"I will keep you both safe, Frankie. I won't let him touch Damion. I won't let him near him."