Balotelli Bale Series Book #7: My Father's Daughter

Chapter 11: Selfish Feelings

Naftali's POV
"Hold still!" Vince reprimanded me when I squirmed.

"It hurts!" I complained.

"Mhmm. It's the cost of stupid love."

"Seriously?" I turned around to stare at him. "You encouraged me to go to New York!"

"I told you that you have to face the father if you love the girl." He told me sharply. "Now turn around if you want me to finish this!"

I got shot. It went right through the back side of my shoulder. Running for my life isn't something I expected, let alone being shot at by several men. Mr Bale is bat shit crazy. I think he wants me dead and that was just a warm up.  All those men couldn't have missed because they are bad shots. It was a warning. The question is, did I listen? I still love the girl!

"Are you in the habit of stitching people up on a plane?"

"Only those who piss off mob bosses."

I sighed heavily. He is a mob boss and Madeline is his daughter. I wonder if she knows what happened to me. I haven't heard from her.

"I told him I am in love with Madeline."

"That was brave. Good for you. I won't ask how he reacted given the bullet I just pulled out of you."

"He said he believes me." At that moment Mr Bale had the most sympathetic reaction I've ever seen. He believes that I love Madeline. "Isn't that a step in the right direction?"

"Not if multiple bullets were sent your way." Vince pulled a little harder on the stitch. "All done. You are lucky Ares. A little lower and it would have been your heart."

He moved away to pick up the knife and alcohol he was using.

"Maybe he's testing me."

He raised his eyebrows at me. "Maybe you shouldn't be so optimistic."

"No seriously! This guy is the baddest of the bad. Maybe he wants to see if I'm cut out to be with Madeline!"

"And if that is the case, you failed."

"No I didn't-"

"You ran buddy. Passing in his books would be refusing to run."

I sighed yet again. Mr Bale may hate me but I badly want to score points in his book. "Did you give Madeline the card?"

"Aha!" He answered as he made his way to the bathroom.

I checked my phone. I haven't heard from her, not even a text. I volunteered to be a piece in her gallery and she can't even text to tell me how it went. She can be such a rude creature sometimes!

"Haven't you heard from her?" Vince offered me a glass of whiskey.

I sat still in my seat staring out at the clouds floating by. "Nope."

This is disappointing. Maybe I should just call her instead of waiting. I am the adult in this relationship, not her.

Her phone is ringing. "Pick up, pick up."

"Hey! You have reached Maddie. Don't leave a message, just text me."

"Madeline, call me." I hanged up.

Vince is staring at me. Come to think of it, does he have a girlfriend? That part of his life is really private.

"Have you tried to talk to Mrs Bale?" He asked me. "People say she's nice."

"I haven't. If the father does not approve-"

"Trust me. Talk to Mrs Bale. She has a way with softening Nick up."