“Yeah.” Costello paused. “Guess we’ll let them fight it out on top and see who’s standing at the end of it,” Costello said with what he hoped was a sincere smile.
“Good plan to me.” Nicky gave a quick nod. “You okay seeing yourself out? I gotta get these guys moving back here. We have a large shipment coming in this afternoon, and I need those pallets cleared.”
“Sure, no problem.” Costello shook Nicky’s hand and made his way back out of the warehouse to his car.
Now that he knew what was happening, he only needed to figure out who was on what side and when the move was going to be made.
And he needed to figure out a way to keep Ariana away from Lullaby.
He couldn’t have chosen two harder goals to accomplish. But achieving them both meant he could get Ariana out of the House and get him away from a life he’d been thrust into. He was a grown ass man now. He didn’t need to make the same choices his father had. He didn’t have to put those he loved in danger just to make a buck.
His hand froze over the gear shift.
Loved?
He sat back against his seat in the car. Yeah. Love. He fucking loved Ariana. And he wasn’t going to let anyone get in the way of him keeping her safe.
No one.
Not even the entire Romero family.
“Ariana, you may have an extra cookie if you’d like. Your daddy is coming to take you for a special naptime.” Nanny Maria smiled brightly as she offered the tray of sugar cookies.
Ariana shook her head. “No, I’m not hungry.” Her stomach was a bit off, but she wasn’t telling anyone that. The last thing she wanted was any more medicine. “Thank you, though,” she added.
Nanny Maria moved on to the next girl in the dayroom offering the sugary treat. Ariana went back to working on her Princess castle puzzle. Her head spun slightly, but if she blinked a few times, she could get her vision to focus. Strange, she’d felt really good when she woke up. But after drinking her morning medicine, she felt woozier as the time went on.
Daddy would be able to tell her what was wrong. He’d make it better.
“I heard something this morning.” Shelby sat down in the empty chair at the puzzle table. “My daddy was on the phone with someone, and he said the adoption party is being moved up.” Shelby picked up a loose piece and fit it into the puzzle with ease.
Ariana found another piece and put it into place.
“So what?” Ariana asked. Everyone was so fixated on the adoption party.
“So, you’re going to have a chance to get adopted too. Just like me,” Shelby said, leaning closer to her. “But I heard my daddy say he doesn’t think your daddy likes the idea.”
“My daddy already told me about the party. I’m not worried.” Ariana put another piece in and looked up at Shelby. “Are you?”
Shelby’s lips pressed together tightly, and she nodded. “I was listening when I was supposed to be asleep, but I heard Daddy saying this is my last chance. If I don’t get adopted…Uncle Frank will take me away.” Shelby’s bright blue eyes filled with tears. “I don’t want Uncle Frank to take me.”
Ariana reached over the table and squeezed her friend’s hand. “He won’t. We’ll figure something out. We’ll make sure you find a forever Daddy at the party and then it won’t matter.”
More tears fell down Shelby’s cheek. “I don’t want a forever Daddy,” she whined softly. “I want my daddy.”
“I don’t think it works that way,” Ariana said, trying to recall the rules. She knew she’d been told, but she couldn’t remember exactly what had been said. Why were her memories so muddled?
“It’s awful.” Shelby sniffled. “I don’t want to go, but I can’t stay. It’s not fair.”
Ariana nodded. “It’s not.”
“Ariana, your daddy’s here.” Maria touched her shoulder. “Shelby? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, Nanny Maria,” Shelby lied and wiped her face with her hands.
Ariana turned toward the door. Daddy stood with a concerned expression, his brow wrinkled, and he frowned. She’d been good all morning, so he couldn’t be upset with her.
“Go on, Ariana. I’ll stay with Shelby,” Nanny Maria said, taking a seat opposite Shelby.
“Ariana, don’t keep your daddy waiting.” Nanny Nancy stepped up to the table. Her hair was pulled more tightly than usual. The loose skin of her face near her hairline was strained. If she only had a mole on her cheek, she would look exactly like the evil characters in the books they read the girls before bed.
“Yes, Nanny Nancy. I’m sorry.” Ariana got up from the puzzle table and hurried over to her daddy.
“What did Nancy say to you?” he asked with a darkened scowl on his lips.
Ariana stiffened. “Just that I shouldn’t make you wait.”