Page 36 of Little Dove

It takes all of three minutes for Rori to find the perfect shirt for me to wear. A simple, gray, long sleeved top that’s just the right mix of casual and conservative, with pearl buttons and a lace overlay on the sleeves. The price tag says it cost almost a thousand dollars, and I nearly have a heart attack. “Holy shit!” I screech, horrified. “Take it off, take it off,” I demand Rori. “I am not wearing this. No way in hell. It costs more than my monthly rent for the salon. Find me something cheaper that won’t matter if I rip it or something.”

Instead of helping me take it off, Rori rips off the tag and says, “There, all good. Now, do you want a sweater or something to wear over it?”

I gape at her. “What the fuck, Rori? Now they can’t return it! Are you insane?”

“Nope, because there is no way that a single piece of this clothing is going to be returned. Lazaro bought it for you to wear, so that’s what you’re doing. Don’t look at the price tags. These guys don’t know anything about what normal people like us wear, and to them, this is probably cheap. That suit Lazaro is wearing is at least five times the cost of this shirt, and that’s chump change. Consider it a reward for coming here, and try to enjoy it. When this is all over, you take them with you, and you’ll be the sharpest-dressed hair stylist around. People will be lining up down the street.”

“They should want to see me for what I can do, not what I’m wearing.”

“Amara,” she scolds lightly. “You know very well that image has a lot to do with things, that’s just the way of the world. The clothes will give you a leg up. And you’re not going to want to go back to that same town after this, so wherever you end up next, you’ll already have an advantage.”

I hate that she’s right, and that these clothes feel so nice and fit so well. “Fine,” I mutter, still feeling guilty that Lazaro haspaid a literal fortune for all these clothes, and there is no way in hell I will ever be able to pay him back for any of it. It’d take me years.

“Good. Now, put on some comfy shoes, and let’s do your hair so we can get out there before Mr. Grumpy Guts has a conniption.” I snort at that, and she grins. Hades just gives a low groan and moves to lie on the tile floor and take a nap.

Thankfully, it doesn’t take me long to do my hair and makeup since I decided to keep it simple. I wear my hair up in a high ponytail and keep my makeup light and natural. I’m not here to impress; I’m here because I have no choice. I need to remember that.

When we leave the bathroom, Lazaro is waiting impatiently near the door, but when he sees me, his body visibly relaxes. “Let’s get this show on the road,” Rori announces excitedly. “I’ve already had to hold Sienna back from coming up here and disturbing her.” Lazaro ignores her, his focus on me. I try not to fidget under his gaze, and also try not to let the nerves building in my stomach take over.

They’re just people. I’ve dealt with all different kinds in my twenty-seven years, and this won’t be any different. I hope.

When I reach Lazaro, he says, “You look beautiful,colombina.”

“Aurora!” a deep voice suddenly calls furiously from the hall, distracting me.

Both Lazaro and I look at Rori immediately, and there’s a wicked grin on her face. “What did you do now?” Lazaro demands.

She shrugs. “He shouldn’t have pissed me off.” She opens the door and stalks out with Hades at her side, completely unfazed when Alonzo yells for her again.

“Are you sure it’s safe for her to go see what he wants?” I ask Lazaro worriedly. Alonzo sounds pissed.

“She’ll be fine,” Lazaro promises. “No matter what she does, Alonzo won’t hurt her. Hades won’t allow anything to happen either, I’m sure.” He has a point. “Are you nervous,dolcezza?” he asks me, not moving for the open door yet, just watching me.

That question instantly has my nerves kicking in. “I’m about to meet members of a family I didn’t know existed, including a bunch of powerful mafia men, so yeah, I’m a bit nervous.” Maybe that’s sassy, but I can’t bring myself to care. I mean, surely the man must realize that, with me taking so long to get ready.

“Everything will be fine,” he reassures me. “But if you need an out or a break, just grab my hand. We’ll leave and you can take the time you need.”

“You can’t just leave when your boss and all of them are there,” I argue.

He gives me an amused smile. “Colombina, I can do whatever I damn well please, and every single one of them will understand. They know you are more important to me right now.”

Uh oh. The man hasn’t been listening. “Lazaro, I already told you, I can’t give you what you want.”

Instead of answering, he takes my hand and pulls me closer to him before leaning down to press a kiss to my forehead. “You can do anything you set your mind to, Amara,” he murmurs. “You’ve already done it, and you’ll keep on doing it, because that’s just who you are. We’ll take things at your pace, but I’m not going anywhere. When you need someone to hold you up, or be where you turn when it gets to be too much, you’ll know I’m there.” Then, with another gentle kiss to my forehead, he pulls away, takes my hand, and guides me out of the room.

I’m too stunned, too shaken, to dispute it. Something inside me shudders, and a lump forms in my throat. I don’t know what to call the emotions swirling inside me, but I don’t try to fight them either. Maybe I should. Maybe I should be telling him no,he’s just going to end up disappointed, but I must be a glutton for punishment because all I do is grip his hand tighter and follow him through the maze of hallways to the main stairs.

Once we’re on the main floor, we cross the foyer and take the hall to our left. I take everything in with wide eyes. It looks totally different now that it’s the middle of the day; a bit less ominous, but still dripping in money and power. When we reach a door with two men standing outside it, Lazaro stops and tells them, “This is Amara Stanley.” Both men nod, as if that’s enough information, and then tip their heads at me respectfully before they face forward again.

“Hello,” I say carefully. That’s it? They get my name and then just go on about their day? If this is how my life is going to be from now on, this is going to be one dull and drab place after all.

Lazaro opens the door, but conversation in the room doesn’t stop. There are ten or more people in here, and none of them have noticed us. My mouth drops open when the large — though not as large as Lazaro or his brothers — and terrifying-looking man behind the desk barks, “I’m going to shoot your ass if you don’t shut the fuck up. Alliance be fucking damned.”

“Boo Bear,” another man exclaims dramatically. “I know you’re upset that I’m engaged now, but I need you to control yourself a little bit. Your wife is right there, and she isn’t aware of your never-ending love for me.”

I’m sorry, did I just hear one of these men call the other Boo Bear?

I can’t see the man who said it because of everyone in here, but I know whoever it is, is in the middle of the room somewhere, since that’s where the other man is glaring.

---