Page 14 of Deadly Don's Savage Vows

There is so much to do.

I grin, looking around the gallery. I’m so excited for all of this.

The opening is going to be incredible. I hope the gallery owner is impressed with what I put together. I wish I could’ve met him or spoken to him beforehand, but he insisted I had free-reign and Icould do whatever I wanted. Talk about putting a lot of trust in someone you’ve only recently employed and haven’t even met.

But this job is the stability I need. I will make sure that the owner ismorethan happy. He’s going to be blown away when he gets here for the grand opening.

Chapter 6

Nico

Business has been going so well - my illegal smuggling has been going too well - well enough to attract attention.

That is why I purchased a brand new art gallery in New York city.

I fly there a few times a month for work and I needed a new front to launder my income through.

It’s the best cover.

I've made sure it looks so legitimate that not even the best detective in the city could sniff out what is really going on behind the scenes.

The employment agency I hired has set me up with a manager, acquisitions specialist and - well, everyone I need to run an art gallery.

I also focused on strictly new talent. More experienced artists might sniff around and ask too many questions. New talent will be grateful to have a gallery showing their work.

It really is the perfect cover for my smuggling business.

And because I’ve had them hire very efficient staff - I don’t need to worry about anything. The grand opening is at the end of this week and I haven’t had to do a thing. The new curator set up the entire event.

I’m looking forward to the event because it will be the first time I get to see the space I purchased. I haven’t even been there. I had a property manager scout the area for me and purchase the building. I’m rather interested to see what they’ve put together.

I stand up from my desk, closing my laptop and rubbing my eyes to ease the dryness away. I’ve been sitting here staring at the screen for too long. It was another late night, organizing shipment routes and liaising with clients.

It’s time to head home.

I need to catch up on sleep and pack for my trip to New York.

In the car, on the way home, as I drive past the bright pools of light beneath each streetlamp I think about her again.

She’s on my mind often.

I wonder how she’s doing and what kind of life she’s living. I wonder if she’s happy and if she’s met someone and fallen inlove? I hate thinking about that. Even though Iwanther to be happy - the idea of her with someone else cuts me.

It’s been about a year since I saw her, but her face is still fresh in my memory.

Bella sneaks into my thoughts all the time, and whenever my mind is quiet. It’s so strange to me how I only spent one night with her - but she crept into my soul - I won’t ever be able to forget her.

I sigh, turning left at the stop light and into the underground parking of my building.

As I climb the ground floor steps toward the elevators that lead to my penthouse apartment images of her flash through my mind. That night we spent together. The intense connection I had with her.

I get melancholy when I day dream about Isabella. It annoys me. I hate focusing on things that can never be. It makes my heart heavy and I don’t need that distraction.

As I unlock the door of my apartment, I push her from my thoughts.

The grand gallery opening is the only thing I should be focused on. The media will be there, it’s going to be a massive event. It’s incredibly important as it is the cover to everything else.

New York has a certain smell to it.

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