“I understand,” I murmur softly, ignoring the sting in my chest. I’ll just have to get over this for now. “I’ll call Miriam and tell her there’s been a change of plans.”
“I’m sorry, Arin,” he says earnestly, the softness in his gaze making my heart swell. “It’s all my fault. I swear to you, I’ll sort everything out as soon as I can.”
I turn a little in my seat to face him better. “Let me help you.”
He looks at me like I’ve grown a second head. “I appreciate the offer, dolcezza, but this isn’t something you’re equipped to handle.”
“And youare?”
“Careful,” he chides lightly. “You’ll bruise my ego.”
“There has to besomethingI can do to help. You know you can trust me, right?”
He pauses like he’s actually considering it. “Yes. I know I can trust you.”
“So let me help. There’s no way you can do this alone. You’ve seen me in fights. I can hold my own.”
Dominic regards me with an expression I’ve never seen him wear before. It’s a mix of amusement and… pride?
“I know, Arin. But the best thing you can do to help me right now is to stay here with Felicia where I know you’ll be safe. You’ve been caught in the crossfire more than once. I refuse to let it happen a third time.”
My shoulders deflate, but I can’t say I’m surprised by his answer. Still, I can’t ignore the restless energy stirring within me. It’s not in my nature to sit around and wait for things to come to pass. If there’s one thing I’ve always been, it’s a go-getter. It doesn’t seem right or fair to sit on the sidelines while Dominic fights alone. I can understand why he doesn’t want me on the frontlines, but surely there are other ways I can lend him a helping hand. He needs allies, now more than ever. But what can I possibly bring to the table?
An idea pops into my head.
“Will you be alright if I leave you alone with her for a few minutes?” I ask him, carefully combing Felicia’s hair away from her sleeping face.
“I’ll manage,” he replies. “Where are you off to?”
“Just to the studio to call Miriam. I’ll be back in a jiffy.”
“There’s no hurry,” he assures, patting Felicia tenderly on the back.
Suppressing an internal giggle of delight, I hurry down the hall toward my bedroom. Once I enter my work studio, I pull out my phone. Calling Miriam is still on my agenda, but there’s another call I need to make first. I’ve got my fabric supplier’s number memorized at this point, so it only takes a few seconds for me to punch in the numbers.
My supplier answers on the second ring tone. “Charlie’s Fabric Emporium, Charlie speaking.”
“Hey, Charlie? It’s me.”
“Arin!” he greets cheerfully. “I feel like it’s been ages since I heard from you. How’ve you been?”
It’s a loaded question, but I decide a polite lie is better than the ugly truth. “Not too bad, thanks. Listen, I need to put in an order.”
“Of course. Should I send the usual? We just so happen to be having a sale on tulle.”
I walk over to the three mannequins hosting the custom suits Dominic ordered from me not that long ago. I still haven’t finished them. He still needs to try them on so I can make adjustments and ensure everything fits just right, but even in their incomplete state, they look stunning.
“Actually, I have something very special in mind.”
“Oh? Do tell. Working on a new project?”
“I guess you could say that.” I graze my fingers over the soft inner lining and smile to myself. “I want to put in an order for Kevlar.”
Chapter 23
Dominic
Iam not a man who runs and hides. This momentary retreat is simply a chance to regroup, recharge. The way I see it, there are too many moving pieces to keep track of. Maybe if I were younger and brasher, I’d storm ahead with my guns blazing, thirsty for retribution. Nobody gets away with harming my family. As a proud man, I cannot let this slide.