“Our main priority is rebuilding. We’ve got several contractors on our payroll. See to it that they’re paid promptly. I want everything repaired and up and running by the end of the week.”
“The end of the week?” I recognize this voice. Milo. “Someone’s being a little ambitious, don’t you think?”
“Mind your tone,” I hear Johnny snap. “You’re talking to a capo now.”
My heart freezes. A capo? Dominic got a promotion? Was this his plan from the start?
“See that it’s done,” Dominic says firmly. “And I want you all to keep an eye out for Elio. I don’t buy for a second that Renato’s men managed to get their hands on him. There should have been some trace of him left. I want you to track down every rumor, every possible eyewitness account. I need to know what happened to him.”
“Yes, signore.”
“You’re all dismissed.”
The sound of shuffling feet against the polished tile floors tells me it’s safe to come out from hiding. I round the corner, my eyes falling on Dominic and Felicia, who’s fast asleep against his shoulder.
As cute as they are together, a flicker of worry rolls in the pit of my stomach. “I don’t want you having those meetings in front of her.”
Dominic smiles, walking over to kiss me on the forehead. “She’s fast asleep, dolcezza. It’s not a big deal.”
The feeling of worry melts into irritation. “Not a big deal? You have no idea what she could be absorbing. I’d really appreciate it if you’d host your meetings elsewhere, or at least where she isn’t right in the middle of things.”
“She may as well get used to it, Arin. This is her world now.”
I frown, taking my daughter from him. Felicia nuzzles against the crook of my neck, snoozing without a care. “I never agreed to that.”
Dominic doesn’t look irritated, necessarily, but it’s close. “The simple fact that I am her father means she will be treated with all the respect due to a child born into this life. The same goes for you as my—”
“As your what?” I challenge. “Your girlfriend? Your mistress?”
“As my woman.”
My chest stings. That isn’t good enough, but… do I really want more? Would a sane person even want this? I’m not saying I want to get married, but the thought has occurred to me before. Where are things going between us? Yes, Dominic is the father of my child, and there’s no denying our connection…
But he’s a criminal. I’ve seen firsthand how danger follows him at every turn. Can I really continue to be with him knowing that I willingly put Felicia in such a precarious situation? What if someone targets us? What happens if, one day, Dominic doesn’t return home because one of his enemies got to him?
“So, what?” I ask. “You’re a capo now?”
“As of seven this morning, yes.”
“And what does that mean for us?”
“Nothing changes, Arin. I will continue to provide for you and our little one. I vow to keep you safe, happy, and healthy, just as I’ve done up until now.”
“Nothing changes,” I echo, as if repeating it will somehow make me feel better.
Sometimes I can’t believe it. I’m in bed with a mobster, a soldier turnedcapo.I reflect on why that scares me so much. He’s still the same man, but everything feels different. The more I think about it, the more I feel helpless. Dominic is climbing the ranks, and in any other career track, I’d be over the moon for him. Except a promotion for him means more than just an increase in responsibility. It also means a bigger target on his back.
It’s the fear of losing him, I realize, that makes me so uneasy.
Because I care about him. Ilovehim. And if anything were to happen to him, I don’t know what I’d do. I’ve given my heart to a mobster, and if that isn’t the most foolish thing a person can do, then I don’t know what is.
Dominic caresses my cheek, his expression softening. “Do you trust me?”
“Of course I do.”
“Then believe me when I say I have everything under control.”
I nod slowly, even if it’s a struggle. “Okay.”