Submitting to My Best Friend's Dad-Chapter 851 : Untamed

*Six Months Later*

*Leo*

“And that’s the last of it!” I huffed, reaching up to wipe the sweat from my brow. My phone was tucked between my ear and shoulder, barely keeping there as I finally got the last box of my stuff inside the house. I looked around at the familiar living room, but now it differed from only a few months ago.

I smiled wistfully at the lack of color and plain furniture I’d brought over from my apartment. Without Cat’s colorful touch and Elio’s style, it just looked empty.

“It still feels weird without you guys here,” I sighed into the phone. “How are you guys doing over there? Settle in yet?”

I took a seat on my couch, one of the few things I didn’t have to unbox, and stared up at the white ceiling, painted over after Elio and Cat moved out, though I really missed the dark red from before.

“We’re doing good, actually. It was an adjustment for Emilia, though,” Elio told me, a happier note to his tone. Leaving had been a hard decision but ultimately a good one for them, I thought, even if Emilia didn’t necessarily agree at first. “Cat and I got everything set up, so we’re ready to open our new branch next week. We’re just waiting to hire a few more employees. Gotta admit, it’s harder than before.”

“That’s because you don’t have me doing all the work,” I snorted.

“Yeah, yeah, well now you get to manage it all on your own. Feel good, Don Leo?” Elio asked teasingly.

The mention of my title was stifling a bit, and my smile dropped. The responsibilities I’d taken over as the new Don had been overwhelming, and now without my best friend here, it just felt more suffocating than ever.

But I couldn’t let Elio know that. It would only make him feel guilty for leaving and handing me the position.

“Of course it is! I’m the boss? What’s not to love?” I put on a grin, boasting over the phone and glad that he couldn’t see me. If he could have, I knew he’d call me out on my bullshit in a heartbeat. “Bet you and Cat are loving that New York City weather, right? I heard you just got six days of rain in a row.”

“Don’t remind me,” Elio sighed exasperatedly. “It’s been driving both of us nuts. Cat keeps complaining about humidity and what’s doing to Emilia’s hair, which of course she has to blame on me. I’m just lucky my hair’s too short to be affected or she’d have my head.”

“I saw the pictures she sent! The little one looks like a puffball!” I grinned widely at the reminder. “Though, hey, if you grow your hair out a little more, you two can match!”

I cackled as Elio just sighed on the other end of the phone, which I knew meant he was done with my shit.

There was a cry from the other end of the phone as my laughter died down, and I heard Elio’s voice soften as he whispered something.

“Cat’s home and needs me for something. I’ll talk to you later, Leo.” I could practically hear the grin on his face, a voice full of love for his family.

“Sure, have fun. Tell Cat hi for me!”

The call ended and I slowly slid the phone down from my ear, still staring at the pure white ceiling. The room was full of pure unending silence, just like it used to be whenever I went home to my apartment.

It was strange how a place so full of life could be drained away so quickly.

Though that was just how life went, I supposed.

I sighed, rising from the couch as I headed up to Elio’s–or rather, my study.

It was the only place that hadn’t changed much seeing as most of it was antique. From the old wooden desk with hidden compartments to the creaky chair lacking any lumbar support, all of it was still the same.

The walls still held the same old paintings that had descended down through the Dons, but the desk was cleared now, with no sign of any life, unlike the piles of paperwork Elio used to have. I paused in the doorway, tapping my finger against my phone as I stared at the daunting chair behind the desk.

I pointedly sat in the chair across from the desk, propping my feet up on the ancient wood as I pulled out my phone. I smirked as I couldn’t help but hear Elio’s voice scolding me in my head.

I had just gotten comfortable when the caller ID on my phone popped up, the ring half a second later. I barely glanced at the number, answering with a lazy, “What’s up?”

There was a brief silence on the other side of the phone, almost like they were questioning whether they’d called the right number. I snickered to myself. Don or not, I could at least still keep my sense of humor.

“Leo.” There was a sharp inhale. “That is not any way for a Don to answer the phone.”

“Seeing as I’m the Boss now, if anybody makes a fuss about it, I can just shoot them, right?” I grinned widely as Alessandro sighed exasperatedly, sounding almost exactly like Elio. “So, what’s up, buttercup?”

I could practically hear him grinding his teeth together. I had a shit-eating grin on my face, perfectly content to piss him off like this. After all, we’d be dealing with one another for a long time from now on.

“What was Elio thinking?” I heard him mutter quietly to himself.

I pointedly ignored that, waiting for him to get to his point.

“Leo, I’m calling because Mia’s cousin is on her way home after her trip back home to Italy. She should be arriving at the airport in a few hours, so I would appreciate it if you could pick her up.”

I blinked rapidly, my mind racing as it tossed and turned, trying to remember who Mia’s cousin was. I frowned, furrowing my brows as I searched my admittedly, weak memory for anyone. I could vaguely remember hearing about her cousin before, but I couldn’t place a name or face or impression of the person at all.

“And her cousin is....” I trailed off, hoping he could finish my sentence for me because I didn’t have a clue.

“Bianca,” Alessandro snapped. “You met at the wedding and she was staying at the compound until two months ago. You agreed to let her live at the compound while she goes to school!”

“Oh! Bianca!” I grinned, nodding sagely as I remembered now. She was the cute, mousy little girl Alessandro dropped on us right before we took on Junior, the clueless one about the family business.

I did remember vaguely agreeing to let the girl live here once she came back from visiting her parents.

“I remember now. Not that I’m saying no, but why does she need to live here? Wouldn’t it be easier to set her up in an apartment herself, or the school dorms? It’d be too easy for her to find the family secrets out if she’s living here,” I reminded him with a frown.

Besides, I wasn’t the most... discreet, either.

“From what I understand, her ex-boyfriend is a real piece of work,” Alessandro said harshly. “He wanted to keep her from continuing her studies in America, trap her into marriage and shit. Even after breaking up, he’s still intent on pursuing her. He chased her half across Italy before I rebuffed him.”

“Oof, red flags.” I winced.

“And that’s why I want her to live in the compound. There’s nowhere safer, plus you’ll be nearby in case he shows up again. As long as you keep things on a relative down low, she shouldn’t notice. She’s a quiet, studious girl.”

I pursed my lips, trying to remember back. Other than being kind of cute, she didn’t make a huge impression. It was probably because she’d come at such an inconvenient time when we were dealing with Emilia’s kidnapping and Junior. It was all a mess.

I did think she was quiet and kept to herself. I’d hardly even noticed her due to everything that was going on. Though, I remembered asking about her once, but I didn’t know why.

But having her live here with me....

I glanced around the empty office, my eyes landing on the desk and chair in front of me, the one I should be sitting in.

Maybe having some company around here wasn’t such a bad idea.

“Alright. I’m not sure how well hiding the life from her will go, but I’ll give it a try.” I shrugged, getting to my feet. “Send me the details of her flight. I’ll head to pick her up now.”

“Thanks,” Alessandro said, relieved. “Let me know when she’s settled in.”

“Will do.” 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

I hung up, stuffing my phone into my pocket as I cheerfully headed out of the house. Luckily, the airport was only about an hour from the compound, so it wouldn’t be too bad. As soon as I stepped out of the house, a silent figure slid right next to me.

“Sir.” He gestured to the standard black SUVs that the Don would usually be driven in, but I cringed, giving him a pointed look.

“Cut the crap, Tony,” I huffed. “I’m taking my own car. Feel free to follow behind, but be discreet. I’m just heading to the airport and I’ve got to pick up a normie.”

“Leo–” Tony frowned, but I was already walking off to the garage where my own car had taken refuge.

“Al’s orders!” I waved my hand, jingling my keys as I did so. I grinned as the garage door slid up with a simple button push, revealing the majesty behind its doors.

“Hello, beautiful,” I purred, wasting no time as I masterfully slid behind the wheel of the bright red baby. I sighed in relief, stretching my fingers across the leather wheel, and I grinned at the fuzzy dice hanging from the mirror before I started up the classic beauty.

It was a car I’d pulled from a junkyard when I was still a teenager. I’d raised up bit by bit, pouring every bit of my soul into her restoration. My 1967 Firebird was everything to me and I wasn’t going to waste this chance to drive her myself.

She purred to life, her engine rumbling smoothly in that way only old cars could. I grinned widely, giving Tony a wink as he watched with a disapproving look as I pulled out of the garage. And once we pulled past the gate and we got onto the streets, that’s when my beauty truly shined.

I roared the engine, pulling on my sunglasses as I rolled down the windows and leaned my arm out the window under the hot sun. What a beautiful day, I smirked.

I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of freedom I gained just from the simple drive, and all too soon I was parked outside the waiting area of the airport, sending a quick text to Al to let him know where I was. I didn’t have Bianca’s number yet.

I was only sitting there idly for a few minutes before I spotted a gorgeous woman walking out of the airport doors. I stiffened, lowering my sunglasses from my face, eyes automatically locked on her visage–sun-kissed skin, long legs, and wild bright blonde hair that looked like it had been bleached under the sun. The woman paused on the curb, searching down the strip before her eyes lit up as she saw me.

My heart jumped in my chest as her rosy lips pulled into a bright smile, like sunshine itself as she jogged over to me.

“Mr. Wilson!” Her voice was heavy with an accent, lower and hoarser than I would’ve expected but still so pleasant to the ear. “Alessandro said you would be picking me up. Thank you so much.”

“Uh, sure, Bianca,” I swallowed, putting two to two together.

She grinned, showing off her pearly white teeth as she walked around the car to the passenger side. I leaned over the seat to pull open the door, cursing myself for not getting out to be a proper gentleman.

She didn’t seem to mind, though, folding up her suitcase and stuffing it into the small back seat. She then slipped inside, her long legs stretching out across the detailed leather seats.

Fuck if the sight wasn’t sending my mind straight into the gutter. Those little jean shorts on her were loose but still revealing enough to make me uncomfortable.

Once she was buckled, I pulled out of the airport in a stiff silence, unsure of what to say. Quiet and unmemorable? What the fuck had I been thinking? I thought she was just kind of cute. How had I not noticed how fucking gorgeous she was before?

I was preoccupied with everything going on at the time but fuck, I had to have been blind.

“Your car is very impressive, Mr. Wilson.” Bianca gave me a sweet smile. “It must’ve taken quite a lot of work to restore it.”

“You know what car this is?” I was surprised.

“Of course. It’s a 1967 Firebird, yes? Very classy, Mr. Wilson.” She nodded in approval, the appreciation on her face obvious as she delicately ran her fingers across the dashboard I’d put so much love and care into.

And fuck, if I wasn’t attracted to her before, I swear I was about to fall for this woman.

“Call me Leo.”

“Ah, Leo.”

My name on her tongue sounded so smooth, especially in her beautiful Italian accent. She gave me an innocent smile, completely unaware of what she was doing to me.

“Thank you so much for letting me live with you. I’m still new to LA, so it’s reassuring to have someone to rely on for help.”

Guilt stabbed me like a knife to my spine and I adjusted my sunglasses, trying not to stare at her as I nodded.

“It’s your house too, so feel free to make yourself at home. If there’s anything I can do for you....” I took the moment we stopped at the red light to glance over at her with what I hoped was a charming smile. “Anything at all, just let me know, Bianca.”

There was a moment where our eyes met when there was a charge of electricity. I saw her cheeks turn a light pink as she smiled at me like she knew exactly what I was emphasizing and didn’t mind one bit.

“Of course, Leo, I appreciate you being so attentive.” Her voice held what I both hoped and feared was a hint of flirting.

I swallowed, turning back to the road and fixing my eyes there so I didn’t sneak any more glances.

Living with her and hiding what I did for a living was already going to be a challenge. Now that I knew how hot and sexy she was, how the fuck was I supposed to pull this off?

I knew Alessandro would kill me if I touched one hair on her. Though....

I glanced in the corner of my eye at her, seeing her bright smile as her hair rushed in the wind from the open window, her eyes aglow with wild untamed life.

I was starting to think maybe a beating from him would be worth it.