The Dancer and the Don | ✔️

Chapter 23

Hey guys! It's been a while, but I have a super long chapter for you! Thanks for being so patient :) I'm hoping to get the next chapter out soon!

********

Francesca didn't know why she thought she wouldn't be emotional when she left Tony at the airport.

They took two cars, Nathan driving one and Maran driving the other. They were riding with Nathan and Fran could see Tony's hand twitching consistently throughout the ride. Her hand untangled his from a fist and squeezed it. He gave her a small smile but turned away from her, facing the window. She did the same.

Twenty minutes later the car was pulling up at the drop-off zone of the airport. Nathan exited the car quickly, and Fran was astonished to hear a sniffle out of her husband.

"Tony?" He wouldn't look at her, and was clenching his hands into fists again.

"Tony?" She pleaded. He turned to face her and Fran's heart broke at the sight of his tears.

"Can I beg you not to go, Fran?" He asked, voice clogged with emotions. She smiled but shook her head.

"I won't be gone long," she insisted.

"I need you to be safe, Francesca," a sob escaped his mouth, "I can't—" Tony couldn't finish his sentence because of the sobs that overtook him. Fran clambered onto his lap in the small backseat of the car and tilted his face so that his eyes met hers.

"I'll be safe, Tony, I promise. You've got my word. I'm coming back to you, alright?" He nodded but the tears wouldn't stop, and he didn't know what to do. She simply gripped him in a tight hug until he relaxed enough to hug her back.

Nathan knocked on the window next to them to signal that their time was nearing an end. Tony growled a curse under his breath, causing Fran to give him a big smile before stepping out and stretching her legs.

"I'll walk you in," Tony insisted. Fran shook her head immediately and could see one of her husband's men agree with her.

"I'll see you, baby, I won't be long," Fran promised. Tony gulped, nodded, then gave a look to Nathan and Maran. If she was injured in any way, they shouldn't bother coming back—Tony's men will just hunt them down.

"I love you," Fran said. Tony took his eyes of his men and tried to give her as big of a smile as he could muster. She could see the tears shinning in his eyes. Knowing he wouldn't want to cry in front of his men, Fran pushed him back in the direction of the car.

Nathan and Maran helped carry her luggage in one hand, their own in the other, and Fran tried not to look back at Tony as they walked inside. Nathan placed a hand on her shoulder once they were at the terminal and their bags were set to the side.

"You'll be safe, no matter what the cost. You'll come back to him."

"I know, Nathan," she assured him, even though she wasn't so sure she wanted to leave anymore, "I just want to get the plane ride over with."

They'd made it only a few minutes early, so their tickets were called fairly quickly to board the plane. Fran tried to pretend she didn't notice her hand was shaking as she forced herself to stare at the ticket.

Francesca Romano, it read, and she clenched her eyes shut when she saw a tear land on the flimsy piece of paper. Fran tucked it into the side pocket of the backpack she was wearing as she walked between Nathan and Maran through the tunnel and onto the plane.

First class seats, because her husband wouldn't allow her to sit in anything else, was something she was thankful for. She could plug her headphones in and fall asleep easily up here, and it was much safer than coach. Her heart clenched at the fact that he still cared so much even if he was helping her get away from him.