All he has to do is shake his head. It’s answer enough.
“I know this is probably hard to believe,” he continues, “but Dominic is one of the greatest men I’ve ever had the privilege of knowing. He’s a dickhead most of the time, but I promise he’s one of the good ones. To you, he might have lost his mind. To him, he’s doing what he must to protect you.”
Down the hall, Dominic grunts.
“I should probably go check on him,” Elio says. “He’d rather bleed out than let anyone help him, that stubborn fucking mule.”
“Let me,” I offer, stepping forward before Elio has a chance to move.
My body moves on its own, drawn to the sound of his voice. I don’t bother knocking, though now I realize I probably should have. Dominic’s hunched over the sink, his shirt off and crumpled on the floor. There isn’t as much blood as I thought there’d be — he must have cleaned up the majority of it — but the air still smells heavily of salt and iron.
I shiver when I spot the bullet at the bottom of the sink basin.
He’s done a shoddy job of stitching himself up, but at least the wound’s closed. Now he’s struggling to cover the area up with gauze, his stamina draining too quickly to reach across his body.
“Let me,” I offer, stepping forward to take the gauze from him.
Dominic watches me silently, an injured animal trapped in a corner. It feels like a triumph when he relaxes against my touch, his pained expression melting into something fond, grateful. Being this close to him sends a shiver down my spine and goosebumps trailing down my arms. The sight of his taut muscles and tattooed skin leaves my mouth impossibly dry.
This man… He’s power personified.
And he’s letting me take care of him.
If I’m being perfectly honest, Iamterrified. Terrified of the implications of being involved with a mobster, terrified of dragging my daughter into a complicated situation. But the more I think about it, the more I start to understand that I’m not terrified ofhim.
Dominic has never done anything to hurt me. In fact, he’s actively tried to protect me. Do I wish he’d told me the truth from the get-go? Of course, but I can’t blame him for wanting to keep that information from me. If our positions were reversed, wouldn’t I try to keep our worlds separate for as long as possible?
I peer at him, studying the hard features of his face. I’ve always admired that sharp jawline and those full lips, but his dark gaze cause my heart to race. He’s a scary, dangerous man, but I’m not the least bit afraid of him. For some reason, I know being by his side is the safest place I can be.
“Felicia’s at daycare,” I tell him softly. “I need to be there to pick her up.”
Dominic nods. “Take Elio with you.”
“Okay. But let me make one thing clear.”
“What is it?”
“I’ll agree to moving in with you, but if anything happens to my daughter, Iwillkill you myself.”
Dominic takes my hand and presses my palm against his chest. It feels very much like we’re sealing a vow. “I expect nothing less, dolcezza.”
Chapter 15
Arin
“Wow!” Felicia gasps in delight as she pads into the living room of Dominic’s apartment.
I silently marvel, too. This place ismassive! I don’t even want to think about how much a place like this goes for. I’d probably have to make and sell a hundred quinceañera dresses to cover a single month here.
My little girl rushes over to the black leather couch in the living room and climbs onto the cushions, jumping up and down in her excitement. “Mommy! Mommy, look!”
“You shouldn’t do that, sweetie,” I warn her gently. “You’ll ruin the furniture.”
Beside me, Elio laughs. “Don’t worry about it, Arin. Dominic can always buy a new one. Let the girl have fun.” I can’t help but smile. Felicia looks like she’s having the time of her life.
“Damn, girl,” Lana says, looking around with wide eyes. “You really hit the jackpot, huh?”
She hands me one of the moving boxes labeled ‘TOYS.’ True to his word, Dominic took care of all the fine details. He ordered his men to pack all my things while Dominic personally spoke to our landlord, not only paying for my half of the remaining lease, but Lana’s as well. Thanks to his generosity, she’ll be able to live there for another year without having to worry about rent.