Page 3 of Her Dream Mafia Daddy

“That so, Little girl? We’ll just add that to your tally.” His raised eyebrow gave Daphne butterflies that were having a rave in her tummy, and she wasn’t even in the line of fire.

“Daphne, get settled in. Kiera will come and get you in a couple of hours for dinner if you’d like. We are having Chicken Alfredo.”

“Yes, Mr. Liam. That sounds good. I haven’t eaten in a bit and my tummy is hungry.” She patted her round stomach and grinned at both of them.

He hummed and frowned at her, but stayed quiet. “Very well. I need to go deal with my naughty Little One, but we will see you soon.”

And with that, he led a pouting, begging Kiera from the room, and an easy quietness descended upon her. Pulling her bankie out of her backpack, she held it to her face for comfort. It was the one thing she still had from her childhood: an old, worn, pink blanket her parents had given her when she was a baby. For the first time, she felt like she could breathe.

Chapter 2

Daphne

After the best sleep she’d had in a very long time following the best Chicken Alfredo she had ever eaten in her life, she decided to explore the town a bit. It was small, but she wanted to see what all it had. She moseyed down the old sidewalk that had definitely seen better days. The town was charming in that stereotypical small-town way. On one side, there was a drugstore on the corner, a hardware store, barber shop, and diner. On the other side, there was a coffee shop, a bakery, a clothing boutique, and the coziest-looking bookstore she had ever seen.

Despite its charming nature, there was a darkness that filled the air. She wasn’t sure why, but it almost felt dangerous. She knew the mountains could be dangerous, but the town gave off this vibe, like something could happen at any moment. She looked over her shoulder, half expecting her ex to show up behind her. The rugged mountain ranges sent a shiver down her spine. She was positive she would never feel safe again. Maybe she should have gone to see her brother instead. At least there she would have the support of family. Sighing at herself and shaking off those thoughts, she continued walking down the street.

This was a ski town. During the off season, it was filled with outdoor enthusiasts who wanted to hike, raft down the rivers, and camp. During the winter months, there was skiing, sledding, tubing, and other winter activities. She looked at the mountain behind her and couldn’t wait to get on some skis this winter. She also thought about finding somewhere she could ride horses, or at least do a carriage ride. She loved horses. Continuing to window shop, she stopped at the bookstore.

“Into the Pages. Hmmm, sounds like an adventure waiting to happen,” she mused. The bell chimed, announcing her appearance in the bookstore. Inhaling deeply, the smell of leather, wood, and smoke attacked her senses. It smelled like comfort. The library was the only place she could go and the only place where she felt safe. Escaping into whimsical worlds, dangerous war-torn battles, brooding mafia men, and commanding cowboys became her lifeline.

This bookstore was something out of a fairytale. Floor-to-ceiling shelves covered every inch of wall space, and the aisles were packed full of adventures just waiting to be read. The dark wood created a somber, intimate feeling. Books lined every shelf, and there were piles on the floor too. A massive fireplace in the back looked well used, huge couches and chairs placed before it, and she knew in the winter months it would be the coziest reading area. She walked aimlessly down each aisle of books. Reaching out, she allowed her fingers to brush against the spines of the books. Some of these looked old and well loved, while others looked brand new.

She continued browsing until she heard a throat being cleared. Startled, she turned around to find the most intriguing man standing at the end of the aisle. His hair was white, like bright white. Whiter than any paper she had ever seen. It was short, buzzed on the sides. His eyes were piercing blue with a speckle of green. They were mesmerizing, and she found herself entranced. They didn’t speak for a long moment. It was like time stood still. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but she felt safe. She felt, for the first time in her life, like something good was coming her way. It was an inexplicable feeling, but one that had her having an out-of-body experience.

A gentle hand on her shoulder brought her back to the here and now. “I’m sorry to startle you, miss, but I am Oliver and I own Into the Pages. Is there anything I can help you with?” His kind eyes met hers and he smiled at her.

“Can you make me disappear into one of these worlds so I don’t have to be in this one anymore?” she asked with a bitter laugh. “Sorry, I didn’t mean that. I just love reading and this bookstore is what dreams are made of. Do you mind if I just read for a bit? I just got to town and I don’t want to just sit in the hotel room. As soon as I find a job, I promise I will buy a book.” She knew she was rambling, but couldn’t seem to stop herself. “I had to leave my Kindle behind and I don’t have any books with me. I could even clean or something in exchange for a book?” She looked at him hopefully.

“My dear child, you can be here for as long as you want and read as many books as you want. While this may be a bookstore and I do sell books, this is also a sort of library. So as long as you promise to be a very good girl and bring my book back, you may check out any book you would like.”

Her brown eyes grew wide. “Really? That’s so kind of you, Mr. Oliver.”

“I try to do the right thing. Now. How about you have a look around and see what catches your attention? I will be around if you need anything. Just ring the bell at the front desk.” And with that, the man was gone.

She walked around, touching the books, looking at the covers, seeing what grabbed her attention. Mr. Oliver had everything. He had fiction and non-fiction, and everything in-between. She stopped at the relationship section as she spotted a book about friendship. That needed to be sent to the bitches who had hurt her. She didn’t consider herself a violent person, but she wanted to be when it came to them. Her brother had offered to take care of them for her, but she didn’t know what that meant and opted to not find out. He was protective of her, which she appreciated.

She wasn’t a mean person and considered herself to be a levelheaded person. But just the thought of that group made her fists clench and her blood boil. They had destroyed her heart, and she wanted them to pay, right along with her stupid ex-husband, who did nothing to protect her. He never stood up for her. She was pretty sure he never even loved her. He just wanted the money she had. He could get fucked as well, as far as she was concerned.

Moving on from the self-help relationship book section, she found her happy place. Romance. The stories that would send her to another world. There was always conflict, but in the end, she was loved and cared for; she got her happily ever after. Coming across a book she found interesting, she read the back:

This Little girl was running from the world. Destroyed by the people she thought loved her, she was convinced she would never be loved, let alone find a man to call Daddy.

He was the Don. The ruler of the Irish Mafia in a small mountain town. He discovered a Little girl who was in trouble. He made it his life’s mission to show her what love really was. Even if it meant burning the world down for her.

“This is just what I need. A strong man who will burn the world down for me.” She sighed as she held the book to her chest and whispered into the universe, “If only this kind of love existed in real life.”

She took the book to the back of the store and sat in the comfortable chairs. She opened the book and got sucked into the world of mafia men, sassy women, and danger beyond every corner. She was so lost in the book, she didn’t hear Kiera as she came over to sit next to her.

“Whatcha readin’?” she asked.

“Mountain Mafia Daddy,” Daphne replied, her cheeks turning pink.

“Oooooo, that sounds really good! I love a good mafia Daddy book. I mean, I like any Daddy book, but mafia men are so great. They’re so dangerous but protective.” Kiera giggled.

Sighing, Daphne looked into the distance. “Yeah, if only they existed in real life. I could go for some mafia men in my life to protect and keep me safe. To fight for me. I mean, I know I can take care of myself. I am well educated and can do anything I put my mind to, but sometimes it would be nice to be taken care of for a change.” Her throat was clogged with emotion.

“I totally get it. That’s the best part of being Little, too. You get to shed your adult responsibilities, and a Daddy or Mommy or Auntie or Uncle can take care of you. Or you can have a combination of all of the above. I have a Daddy and several Uncles who take care of me and help make sure I am safe. It really is a wonderful thing.” Kiera squeezed Daphne’s hand reassuringly.