TORN BETWEEN THE TYCOON AND THE MAFIA BOSS

PART 3: MATTEO MEETS KNIGHT

DANE’S P.O.V

Earlier this week I was taken aback when Mia shared the news that she has a special friend. I was happy to see her so happy as she told me everything she knew about him. However, I was also a bit sad because I knew that all the love that she had for me would now be shared. But, as a father, I knew that this day would come and instead of acting ‘immature’ as she puts it, I decided to be supportive so I agreed to meet him for dinner. Both, she and I knew very well, that my support doesn’t mean that I will let down my fatherly protection that I had over her.

However, at this very moment, as I grip and firmly shake the hand of Xavier Knight, I regretted my decision completely. He was as tall as I was, looked almost as handsome as I did and it seems that we both have been following the same health and fitness routine, in fact he was so much like me that it scared me. He showed respect and confidence but as my dark eyes held contact with his sky blue ones I saw more than that. His eyes reflected mine and I knew very that this is not good. In my eyes, I hide the pain of my past and the pain that changed me and in his eyes I saw the same. However, the pain that I went through changed me for the better, my curiosity grew as I NEEDED to know if his pain did the same for him or did it change him for the worse…

“Dad this is my friend Xavier and Xavier this is the king of my heart” Mia introduced. “It’s a pleasure to meet you Mr. Matteo” he said, his voice deep and firm. “The pleasure is all mine, Mr Knight” My voice matched his. “Errr…this is not a business meeting, you know?” Mia’s words broke the tension between us. “Come, I have already made reservations” I said and led us to our reserved table. We all took our seats as the waiters brought us the menu’s, “Wine?” I asked. “White please” he replied and I smirked as his preference is the same as mine. “Would you like to have seafood?” I asked as we both studied the menu. “Yeah sure, I love seafood” he said. “So do I” I replied. “Wow…You two are getting on better than I have expected, so good in fact that I’m beginning to feel invisible.” said Mia, with a pout. “Sorry Mia, what would you like to have?” I asked and Xavier and I chuckled. “Lasagne” she said. “But Kitten you have had that last weekend” said Xavier. Shock gripped me at the word ‘kitten’, he has a nick-name for my daughter, how long do they actually know each other? I thought. “Oh yes Dad, Xavier prepares the best lasagne’s” said Mia. “You prepared lasagne?” I asked Xavier, unrecovered from my shock. I wasn’t shocked that he can cook, I was shocked because if he had prepared the lasagne, that would mean that she has been over to his house. “Yes, I have never met someone who liked lasagne as much a Mia does. I had to learn how to prepare the dish to perfection just for her” he said as he held my little girls hand in his big one and looked into her eyes, I couldn’t help but feel protective as her father but besides that it reminded me so much of how I used to entangle my hand with Jeena’s little one. “My wife Jeena loved lasagne as well” I said. “Oh, so I guess that my Mia takes after her mum” he said, making my blood boil at his words, ‘My Mia’.

“Your meals Sir” said the waiter as he brought us our meals. “Thank you” I said as he laid them on the table. “Anything else Sir” asked the waiter. “No, thank you very much but we are good for now” I said politely. “Can I be honest and say that I always wanted to meet you. I heard a lot about your success and admired you from a young age. Now that I have finally met you, I admire you even more, you are so successful, yet you are also so polite even to a waiter” said Xavier, his words made me smile. Just then Xavier’s phone started to vibrate, looking at the screen he swiped, ending the call I assume. “I can say the same about you Xavier. In fact you remind me a lot of myself, we have both became so successful at such a young age and from what I have noticed about you so far, you don’t let money rule your heart. I guess that Mia has made a good choice. Cheers” I said and we clinked our glasses in happiness. Xavier’s phone began to ring again and again he cancelled the call and again it rang, “Take the call, it must be urgent” I said. “No, I must apologise about that. It’s just a business call. I’ll deal with it later” he said with a smile on his face as he turned off his phone.

“A special cake for a special person” said the waiter as he brought the surprise cake that I had ordered for Mia. “Wow, dad thank you. It looks delicious. Could we put another candle on the cake?” she asked the waiter in which he agreed. “Why do you want another candle on the cake Mia?” I asked, confused. “I forgot to mention that today is Xaviers birthday as well” she said, preoccupied by setting the second candle on the cake. “Oh my, a match made in heaven. Happy birthday Xavier” I said and shook his hand. “Thank you Sir” he said as he and Mia blew off the candles. “So Xavier how old are you turning?” I asked, the curiosity has been killing me as he looked a bit older than Mia. “The big old 30” he said, leaving me in shock. “Okay” I said, my voice low as I had no idea what else to say. “Thank you Xavier for spending this evening with us. I know most people like to spend their birthdays with family but here you are” I said. “Well, I don’t have much family, Sir, I lost my parents at a very young age and my younger brother is studying abroad” he said and suddenly I began to feel terrible about myself, sitting here judging this man without knowing a thing about him. The evening ended well and both Mia and Xavier left thinking that I have fully accepted him, but this was not the case…

As I drove home, my head was filled with thoughts. Mia seems to be so happy with this man but he is so much like me and I fear that history may repeat itself. Besides that, he is so much older than Mia. Besides that, with the pain in his eyes, there was something else, something impure, something dark. BUT… what if I’m wrong, what if I ask Mia to end this relationship and I am entirely wrong about him? What if he is a good guy and not a younger version of me? But the calls, they seemed to be so urgent, I’m a successful business man and I don’t receive business calls at 10 pm on a Saturday night, could it have been another women that was phoning to wish her lover on his birthday? Or what if it was just a business call and I am over thinking? I am lost! …I have no idea what to do or how to handle it.