Falling for the mafia king

"As usual, Dad is late again", Layla murmured angrily to herself, looking at her wristwatch. She pulls out her phone from her purse and dials her Dad's number. "Hi Dad", she says once he answers the phone. "Hey little bug, what are you up to"?. She rolls her eyes at the nickname her dad has always called her for as long as she could recall . "Dad where are you? I've been outside the school gate waiting for you for like forever". "Oh my God, little bug I totally forgot, I'm really sorry, I'm sending someone over to pick you up right..."Of course Dad" she says cutting him off, "You always forget, I know I'm not important to you, as the only thing you care about is your dumb work". "Oh little bug, don't say that, you know I love you so much and nothing, not even my work can ever take your place my love". "Yea, yea, I'll be waiting for whoever you're sending over, please be quick, it looks like it's about to rain heavily Dad." "Sure thing bug, I love you". "I love you too, dad". Just as she puts her phone back into her purse, the first drops of rain drop on her forehead, groaning she hurriedly packs her stuff looking for a place to stay to avoid getting soaked, just as she gets under a little shade, a black SUV stops In front of where she stands. Thinking it's the driver sent by her dad, she rushes forward just as the front seat window is rolled down, she stops to look in and realizes that the man inside isn't familiar. She stops in her tracks, and the man grins weirdly, she slowly walks backwards, and the weird man calls out to her, "Hey, what's a pretty girl like you doing out here this late in this rain"? " Uhhmm my driver will be here soon, so no need to worry about me"."So you're all alone here huh"?, the man asks as he opens the door and gets down from his car. She looks around anxiously for any signs of her supposed driver, but she sees nothing. Still smiling," Yea for now, but my driver will be here in a jiffy" she replies. "Why don't I keep you company till he gets here, huh, what do you think about that"?, he says as he grabs her arms and the strong smell of alcohol hits her nostrils. "You're hurting me sir, please let me go". She screams as he starts dragging her towards his car. "Help me, anybody, somebody, who's there?", she screams as tears begin to run down her face. Just as he's about to dump her into the back seat of the car, the sound of screeching tyres interrupt both of them. Looking back, she sees a cute, sexy sports car, parked just Infront of them, and out of the car comes a man just as sexy as the car he drives. He walks furiously towards her, lands a hard punch on the jaw of the weird man, knocking him out immediately. Without a second look at the man, he grabs her stuff,turns to her and says," Hey, are you okay?, I'm guessing you must be Layla, your dad sent me to come pick you up." Layla, still speechless and admiring the Greek god standing in front of her, with her mouth wide open doesn't realise that he's actually talking to her. Clearing his throat, "Uhhmm, excuse me, are you okay?", he asks, frowning down at her."Oh, yea ,of course I am okay, why won't I be", she responds realising that she was staring at him. " You sure came very early, what if something bad had happened to me, huh?, what would you have said?", she asked annoyed and embarrassed because he caught her staring at him. "Well, I'm here now and I'm going to take you home". "As if that's supposed to make me feel any better", she murmurs as she walks to the car. "Oh my God, who is this sexy chunk of chocolate?" she says in her mind. "I shouldn't be having such thoughts, he's too old, probably old enough to be my dad". "What did you say?", he asks her. Confusion written on her face, she realises she must have spoken out loud, "Uhhhmmm, it's nothing, I was just having a conversation with myself, Is there a problem with that?" "No, of course not", he says and she turns and faces the window, looking at anything but him. Suddenly she feels something warm over her shoulders, as she looks back, she realises that he actually took off his jacket to cover her." I noticed you were shivering and I wouldn't want you dying of a cold in my car, or your dad will have my skin"."That reminds me, who are you? I don't think you work for my dad because I'm sure I would have seen you before and I would probably recognise you, but your face doesn't look familiar at all, soo?". Grinning, he replies, " Laysie, I knew you wouldn't remember me, you were so little the last time I saw you, with your cute little ponytails and you braces even your missing teeth, well I understand that you probably won't recognise me as I've been out of the country for years now, well I'm a very good friend of your dad's, uhhhmm, no I think I'll say I'm the only friend your dad has", he says chuckling, " I'm Colin by the way" "Laysie?? don't call me that, I'm not a little girl anymore, and you're right I actually don't remember you, my bad, so why are you here now and why did dad send you and not his driver or any of his workers"?, "Well, apparently I owe James a very big favour and since he knew I was back in the country, he decided to call it in, and I'm obviously the only one he trusts well enough to protect you, so yeah that's basically why I'm here". "Protect me?? from what exactly if I may ask, I'm a big girl now and I can take care of myself and I do not need a bodyguard or a protector rather". "Well yea, I saw how well you were protecting yourself from that dude from earlier, or perhaps I should probably drive you back there so you can protect yourself some more huh?". " No need to be sarcastic", she says rolling her eyes. " So I guess you keep quiet now so I can concentrate and get us home in one piece". " Home? What home?, Wait a minute, you're not planning on staying at my house, are you? Well, that's not going to work because I'm not sleeping alone with a man whom I don't even remember",. " Well, firstly I'm not sleeping with you, I'm going to be living here with you and that's because your dad thinks that's what's best for you apparently, so my dear Laysie, you're stuck with me until your dad says otherwise",. " That's not happening, once I get home, I'm going to call daddy and I'll make sure he makes you leave". Laughing he says" Go ahead, try your luck, I already tried". She glares at him angrily and looks away. Few hours later, he drives into her house, a pretty big and pretty mansion. "We're here", he says as he turns to her and realises she's fast asleep. Sighing, he climbs out of the driver's seat and crosses over to her side, carries her out of the car and into the house. As he drops her on the couch, he bends to cover up properly, just as she opens her eyes widely. He was standing in her father’s living room again, all broad shoulders and dark eyes, sipping whiskey like he owned the place. “You’re staring, Laysie,” he said without even turning to look at her. Layla rolled her eyes and leaned against the kitchen counter, biting into a green apple. “Don’t call me that. I’m not five.” He finally glanced at her, the corner of his mouth curling up into a smirk. “You’ll always be five to me.” “Then stop looking at me like I’m not,” she shot back, surprising even herself. His eyes sharpened. The smirk vanished. Silence stretched between them, and she could hear the ticking of the old clock over the fireplace. Colin set his glass down slowly. “Careful, Layla.” And then her dad walked in. “Colin, the shipment came through?” James asked casually, clapping a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “Smooth as ever,” Colin replied, his eyes never leaving hers. She didn’t breathe until the men left the room. PART 2: DANGER HAS A VOICE Two weeks passed before she saw him again. This time, it wasn’t at her house. It was at the back of a nightclub, all neon lights and pulsing music. Her best friend Sierra had begged her to come out. “You need to live a little,” Sierra had said. “You're always either in class or locked up like a nun.” But as soon as Layla saw the tall figure in black leaning by the VIP booth, her pulse skipped. Colin. In her club. In her night. Their eyes met. And he wasn’t smirking this time. Within seconds, he was at her side, hand curling possessively around her elbow. “What the hell are you doing here?” he said lowly, voice dark and raw. Layla jerked away. “Living, apparently. Is that illegal, Mr. Mafia?” His jaw clenched. “You don’t belong here.” “I’m not a child, Colin.” “Could’ve fooled me,” he growled. She folded her arms, stepping closer. “And what, you think you can decide where I go, who I see?” “I can decide who looks at you,” he snapped. “You have no idea what kind of attention you attract looking like that.” Layla was in a simple black dress — short, yes. But tasteful. It wasn’t like she was flaunting herself. Well… maybe just a little. She leaned up, close enough to whisper. “You’re jealous.” His breath caught. And then, fast as lightning, he backed her up against the wall, one hand braced beside her head, the other at her waist. “You want dangerous, Laysie?” he murmured against her ear. “You have no idea what you’re asking for.” She should’ve been afraid. Instead, she whispered back, “Then show me.” PART 3: THE PROMISE The next morning, her father called her into his office. “Layla, I’m going away for a few weeks. Business in Naples. Can’t take chances.” She nodded, distracted. “I’ve asked Colin to stay here while I’m gone.” Her heart stopped. “What?” “He owes me a favor,” James said simply. “And I need someone I trust to protect you.” “I don’t need—” “Yes, you do,” James interrupted. “You’re stubborn, like your mother. You think the world’s safer than it is. It’s not.” Layla bit her tongue. Colin moved in that night. He didn’t say much, just brought in a single black duffle and settled in the guest room. But the house felt smaller with him in it. Hotter. Like every hallway echoed with tension. “Don’t wander off,” he told her one evening. “No solo walks. No clubs. No parties.” She crossed her arms. “You’re not my father.” “No,” he said quietly. “But I made him a promise. And I never break my promises.” The days blurred. Late night conversations. Glances held too long. Accidental touches that lingered. She found herself watching him when he wasn’t looking. The tattoos peeking under his shirt. The way his voice dropped when he was tired. The faint scar near his temple. He wasn’t just her dad’s best friend anymore. He was *him* — dangerous, broken, and hers. Whether he admitted it or not. PART 4: WHEN IT ALL BREAKS The night everything changed, she found him bleeding. She woke to a noise downstairs — glass, maybe. Rushed out, heart pounding. And there he was, in the kitchen, shirt bloodied, breath ragged. “Oh my God, Colin!” she ran to him. “It’s fine. Just a scratch.” “Lie better.” He sank onto the floor, groaning as she helped remove his jacket. “Someone tried to hit me. They missed.” “Who?” “Doesn’t matter.” “It *does*! What if—” He grabbed her wrist. “You’re what matters. You, Laysie.” Her breath hitched. “Do you know how hard I’ve tried to stay away from you?” he whispered. “But every time you laugh, every time you look at me like you *see* me — I fall a little more.” Layla leaned in, eyes wet. “Then stop fighting it.” Their lips met, slow and electric, years of tension melting between them. That night, she didn’t sleep in her room. She slept in his arms. Safe. Wanted. Home. PART 5: FIRE AND FURY But happiness didn’t last. James returned early. He found them in the kitchen, too close, too familiar. “What the hell is going on?” Colin stood tall. “I care about her, James.” “She’s nineteen!” “She’s a woman. And I never touched her until she wanted me to.” James turned to his daughter, betrayed. “Is this true?” Layla nodded. “I love him.” James looked between them, jaw clenched. “I trusted you, Colin.” “And I protected her. You said keep her safe. I did. Even from myself.” It took days. Weeks. But eventually, James saw it. The love. The honesty. The devotion. And he gave his blessing — reluctantly, but genuinely. One year later, Layla graduated with Colin in the front row. They moved into a quiet home outside the city, where no one knew their past — just their future. She still rolled her eyes when he called her Laysie. He still smirked every time she pretended not to love it. But beneath the teasing was something real. He loved her like he’d waited his whole life. And she loved him like she’d known him in every lifetime before.