The Dancer and the Don | ✔️

Chapter 21

Sorry for the long wait guys! I've been working a lot and had a nice little vacation, but I'm back! I'm gonna try and write as much as I can, but I'm going back to work. Hope you guys enjoy this chapter!

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It surprisingly wasn't all that difficult to fall asleep in the Big Room.

Nathan said Tony made it a replica of their room above this one on purpose. In case the need ever arose for Fran to have to hide with Nathan like this situation, she would have a place to go that wouldn't stress her more than she already was. She thought it was thoughtful but useless.

Fran was wrong.

She had agreed with Nathan that sleeping would be the best way to pass the time, but she was too worried to sleep. After a few moments the exhaustion caught up to her and it was enough to stop worrying and give into the waves of sleep.

When she woke up, Nathan was in the same spot he'd been in when she fell asleep. It didn't look like he had moved a single inch.

"How long has it been?" She questioned. Nathan's head turned slightly to acknowledge her voice, but kept his eyes on the door.

"Twenty minutes," he responded quietly.

Fran sat up on the bed and rubbed her eyes. She wished she would've been asleep until her Tony came back, but she'd have to play the waiting game again. Tears filled her eyes at the thought of having to play this game for the rest of her life.

Her head was telling her she couldn't play that game, but her heart was telling her she couldn't live without Tony. Fran let out a small whimper as the tears finally streamed down her face. She curled back up in the covers and hid her face.

How was she supposed to make a decision like this? She kept trying to tell herself she shouldn't be thinking of that right now, but it wouldn't leave her mind. Talking to Tony and learning more about his family hadn't helped her at all, and for the first time in years she found herself wishing she was with her parents.

They hadn't approved of her career choice when she was young. It seems simple, and Fran thought her parents would get over it, but it only got worse. Verbal insults were an everyday thing until she graduated high school and made it into her dream performing arts school.

Juliard had been everything Fran dreamed of and more. She'd made a few friends here and there, but none of them ever really stuck around when things got hard for her. All that mattered to her was that she was happy with her classes and that she would work as hard as she could to get her dream job.

Then she met Tony.

He was the most supportive and loving person she had ever met. Sure, Fran had dated before, but not like this. A man had never taken care of her like Tony did.

Like Tony does.

She hadn't been back to see her parents since she left for Juliard. Tony supported her decision and made sure Fran knew that how they treated her wasn't how she was supposed to be treated. She loved him all the more.

"Yes, sir?" Fran's head shot out from the pile of blankets she'd made and she scrambled to untangle herself only to fall on the floor. Nathan's head flew back to face her and he winced as he pulled the earpiece out of his ear.

"Are you alright, Mrs. Romano?" He questioned quietly. Now Fran was able to hear the screaming coming from the small black device in his hand.

"I'm fine, Nathan. Is that Tony?" Nathan nodded with a wince as he put his earpiece back in.