Stretching Bonds

Chapter 8

"Allessandra darling come here please. You are looking wonderful by the way," my father says as I approach him. Instantly I'm on my guard. My father has never been affectionate, John Laurence doesn't show affection to anyone, least of all his 2 daughters. He always really wanted a son to be honest, if kids were unavoidable.

My father leads me across the same room we were all in before dinner last night, I look around to see Molly is very happily being distracted by Francesca (who is looking as devastatingly gorgeous as ever in a floor length figure hugging red chiffon dress) and I throw her a grateful look. She returns it with a strained smile and a little tingling sensation (in the tips of my ears weirdly enough this time) lets me know that she's nervous for me. That doesn't help me relax in the slightest and I tense even more as I try to keep up with my fathers determined strides in these ridiculous heels. Something is not right here.

"Allessandra I would like you to meet a colleague of mine."

A stout man of about 5"10 turns and offers me his hand and a leering expression. He is not completely bald but he has a large bald spot on the top of his head which he has tried to hide with a comb over and a nose that seems a little too small for his face. I mean I could live with all that except the expression to be honest which was freaking me out beyond belief! This man looks to be in his mid fifties and he should be far beyond leering!

"Allessandra it is wonderful to meet you, your father speaks very highly of you but he seems to have forgotten to mention how breath taking you are."

I try to smile, I really do, but I think at the most I managed to look only slightly uncomfortable. There's something really familiar about this guy. I don't know what it is, maybe his eyes?

"I'm sorry sir but I don't think we've been properly introduced. I am Allessandra Marie Donatelli, and you are?"

"Oh my sincerest apologies Signorina, my name is Geoff McIlroy," he says before grabbing my hand and kissing the back of it.

Oh. My. Gosh.

This is not happening! This can't be happening! This would be a fantastic time to wake up now. Please can I just wake up? This is not happening!

But this is really happening, this is not a dream, this real life. And I'm in deep deep shit.

Because Geoff McIlroy is Taylor's dad.

Is this where Taylor's dad's been for these past weeks? With an Italian crime family? And Francesca looked so concerned when dad walked me over here. Why? Is he as bad as they say he is? Worse? or is it something else entirely? I don't need spidey senses to tell me this really really isn't a good man, but I could've told you that anyway after the mess he left Taylor in.

I snap out of my shock with an elbow to my side, a quick look around shows it's my father glaring at me. Oh crap I have to respond still.

"Mr McIlroy it is a pleasure to meet you as well."

He gives me another creepy smile and I try my very best not to shiver in disgust, I really do, but I don't know how well that worked out.

Just then we hear the doors open and everyone falls silent as once again Mr Gerraci enter the room very dramatically and idly walks to the centre of the room and says something in Italian. I recognise some of it this time and start to follow the crows into the dining room when my father stops me.

He gives us both that fake courteous smile (that is still very unnerving to me to be honest) before saying, "I have to escort Molly and your mother to dinner Allessandra. Geoff would you be so kind as to escort her?"

I don't call him out on calling Francesca my mother but after Geoff nods and links his arm through mine leading me towards the dining room I throw a look a betrayal over my shoulder. I don't care of it's going to have repercussions, I don't care if he punishes me or lectures me or screams at me. He left me alone with a drunk, child abuser and murderer! This man facilitates and probably participates in the tracking an killing of werewolves! And he beat my best friend to a pulp on several occasions and tried to sell her off in various business deals! And now he's involved in the mafia too? I mean I can't really be too concerned about the last one because I suppose now I'm involved on the Gerraci crime family too but still.