“What did you say he does again?” she asks with a wry smile.
“Um… Loans and stuff?”
“Damn. I need to get me one of those. Do you know if he has any single friends?”
I laugh. “I didn’t realize you were interested in dating right now.”
“I’m not, but if I can score myself a sugar daddy…”
My face flushes with heat. “Dominic’s not my sugar daddy.”
Lana rolls her eyes. “At least fifteen years older, rich as fuck,andyour baby daddy. I fail to see how I’m off the mark.” She looks around. “Where even is the guy?”
Chewing on the inside of my cheek, I take in my surroundings. Dominic has been notably absent since I returned with Felicia from daycare. I wonder if he’s making himself scarce on purpose. It’s obvious there’s only so much Mob business he can divulge, but given the serious matter of the targeted shooting, he’s probably got too much on his plate right now to help with the move.
Elio picks Felicia up and places her on his shoulders. “Do you want to see your new room, principessa?”
She throws her hands up. “Yeah!”
Elio winks at me. “Consider me your official tour guide.”
“What about the rest of our stuff?” I ask.
“Don’t worry. The boys have been tasked with the heavy lifting. I believe Dominic’s exact words were ‘treat her like a damn queen.’”
My heart skips a beat. “He didn’t say that.”
“No, he didn’t,” he says with an easy chuckle. “But his meaning was loud and clear. Come on, this way.”
The apartment is so big it’s divided into north, south, east, and west wings. We aren’t quite on the top floor, but we’re still high enough for a gorgeous view overlooking Central Park. Elio shows us Felicia’s new room first. This is the first time in her young life that she’s had a room all to herself.
Dominic’s apparently had the whole place stuffed full of all sorts of toys, clothes, and a new bedroom set befitting royalty. Felicia’s mouth hangs open in awe. There’s a light pink canopy hanging over her bed, a wardrobe full of new dresses, and a child’s art set and easel arranged in the corner.
“This is mine?” she asks, wandering over to the bin full of newly purchased dolls.
Elio nods. “Dominic said if it’s not to your liking, all you have to do is tell me. I’ll send the boys out shopping again.”
I shake my head. “No, this is more than enough. Thank you, Elio.”
“No need to thank me, Arin. Thankhim.”
“Auntie Lana!” Felicia squeals, her arms full of new toys. “Come play with me!”
Lana rubs my shoulder. “Go check out your room. I’ll keep an eye on her.”
Elio sweeps his arm out toward the door on the other side of the hall. “Right this way.”
When I step into my room, the air whooshes out of my lungs. It’s almost triple the size of my old bedroom, complete with a four-post mahogany bed, silk sheets, an expensive Persian rug over polished marble floors, and a walk-in closet the size of my old kitchen. Dominic’s already filled it to the brim with new clothes, dresses and sweaters and pants hanging from wooden hangers. I gravitate toward the clothes, unable to fight the tingling excitement swimming through my veins.
I reach out, sucking in a breath when I feel the fabric. This is high quality stuff. Silks and cashmere and genuine leather. They still have their tags on. Gucci, Prada, Louis Vuitton, Dior. The collection goes on and on, but I’m too shocked to take another step.
“Is he serious?” I ask breathlessly. “Did he really buy all this for me?”
“That’s not all,” Elio says with a smirk.
I’m about to lose it. “What do you meanthat’s not all?”
“Dominic had me arrange a special room for you. Do you see that small handle on the back wall of your closet?”