Page 67 of Donned in Black

Tears well up in my eyes as the same aftershave I grew up with smelling washes over me, and I wrinkle my nose at it. I missed my dad so much. I wasn’t allowed to see him after my stint with Paul. This… is the best gift anyone could ever have given me in the entire world.

“I miss you, little one.” My father pulls back and looks me in the eyes.

I have no words, only tears.

We glance at the guard giving us eyes, then sit down at the prison visitor table allotted to us.

“And this guy, man, he does not give up.” My dad points to Donny, and I almost faint on the spot.

“Is that where you’ve been going without me?” I ask when I come out of my catatonic state.

Donny smiles. “How do you think my head is still attached to my body? I had to make a deal with somebody. Who better than the father of my dream woman?”

“So it’s true, huh, sweetheart?” Ronny leans back and folds his arms, nodding. “This guy hasn’t been yanking my chain for the better part of three months?”

I sniff and wipe the tears from my eyes. “It’s true, Daddy. We may have started out in some bad circumstances, but he’s the real deal. I love him with all of me.”

“Alright.” He keeps nodding, and winks at Donny. “That’s good enough for me.”

I turn to Donny and hold his eyes. “Just, how? This could not have been easy.”

“Been cursed out and almost stabbed more than a few times. We found common ground eventually.”

My dad grabs my hand. “Listen to me, little one. Don’t you beat yourself up about Martino. That boy had the devil in him since he was young. I only made it worse. It was my fault, you hear me?” He squeezes my hand, and a whole new round of tears comes.

Donny stays silent and lets us have our moment.

My dad leans over the table so our foreheads touch. “I’m proud of you, Ellie. Your mom would be too.” He kisses my head and lets me sit back.

This felt like a blessing and a confessional all at once. My sins are forgiven by my father. And shockingly… I instantly feel a bit lighter.

Then the scale tips the other way again. I saved Donny after he got shot, killed my brother to rescue him again. I had one over on him. Now, though? He mended a wound I believed impossible to heal and weaved two enemy families together. He wins. I owe him…

I owe him big.

We catch up for the next hour. Even after families around us come and go, the security guard lets my father have his extended time. Oddly, he and Donny get along well. They knock each other once in a while, all in good fun.

They talk in loose code just in case someone’s listening, gelling even with business. I’m still in shock. And when it’s time to go, I run around the table and hug my father tight, not wanting to let go.

Growing up, I detested him at times. More than once. Though I always found comfort with him. And I needed that now, more than I knew.

“Love you, Daddy.”

“You too, little one. Stay safe out there.” He kisses me hard on the cheek.

“We’ll see you again soon,” Donny promises as he reaches for my hand.

“Take care, Stallion.”

As soon as we’re outside of the prison, I jump on Donny, wrap both my arms around his neck, and kiss him with all my love.

He unlocked the door to my own prison today. And I feel closer to him for it.

xxx

Later on, as we head into the city, I’m still at a loss. Donny’s been driving for the past hour, and we’ve been listening to classic rock music. He caught me up on the full story of how and why he started seeing my father in the first place. He wasn’t shy about his dual motive. Keep the Valentinos safe and give me something to look forward to.

I can’t believe he was able to turn my father. It must’ve taken a lot of convincing.

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