Page 43 of Christmas with the Mafia
I stare at the three baskets waiting to be boxed and sigh heavily. “You know, I considered I was doing well until I met you and came here. To be honest, I feel like a failure right now.”
I’m surprised when he shifts off the door and heads inside, crouching down beside me where I sit on the floor surrounded by chaos.
I shiver as he reaches out and with one fingerplaced under my chin, tilts my face to his and stares into my eyes. My breath hitches and my heart beats wildly inside me as he whispers, “You are the best at what you do, baby girl. If you aren’t where you want to be yet, keep walking, you will get there in the end. Look around you and choose the path your strongest competitor is on. Up your pace and strive to overtake them by figuring out their methods and adopting them for yourself.”
I am drowning. There is really no hope for me as I stare into his passion-filled eyes and forget to breathe. I can see why he’s so successful now. He commands attention and has an authority that cannot be ignored.
“But I can’t compete with them.” I whisper, my lip trembling, and he steadies it with his thumb, and his eyes flash as he whispers, “Then allow me to invest in you—in your company. Whatever you need to make it successful, you shall have. Draw up a business plan and present it to me, and we will work together to achieve your dreams. I have faith in you, baby girl, and am happy to invest for once with no recompense for my investment.”
“You would do that?”
My eyes widen as I fall a little deeper for my Prince Charming who I believe is the kindest man on earth right now.
He surprises me every hour I spend with him, and my mind flashes back to the homeless shelter and the easy way he sat among people who have nothing, where he has everything. I am like one of them now, my world in a corner of his, waiting for his Midas touch.
It’s too much, and yet I can’t help smiling my gratitude asmy eyes fill with tears.
“Why are you crying?”
His voice is husky, gentle even, and I sniff, “Because you are so kind. I’m not used to that.”
“Kind.”
He lifts one eye with amusement. “I’ve never been called kind before.”
He raises his eyes and then reaches for my hand, tugging me toward him, and as I fall against his chest, he leans down and whispers, “We leave in the morning and have a lot to do. Have you arranged your closet yet?”
I stare at him guiltily. “I’m sorry, I kind of lost track of the time.”
To be honest, I never found it, and I chew on my bottom lip with anxiety.
“Your orders.” He nods toward the baskets peering out from their boxes.
“Finish them and I’ll instruct my men to arrange postage. Meet me in the main living area and I’ll direct you to your next task.”
“Okay.”
I feel the loss when he drops his hand and heads for the door. As he leaves, my attention reverts to my main priority, and with a sigh, I set about completing one part of my life before I start the next.
Twenty-Two
NICO
The stakes have risenafter my father’s visit. Failure is not an option now, and I must plan accordingly.
Regina Stone is now the most important person in my world, and I must invest in her to protect my own interests. The more she depends on me, hell, falls in love with me, the more convinced my father will be that she is right—for me. I have a few hours to make it happen, and becoming her everything will set me free.
One hour later, she wanders into the living area, and for some reason when she smiles at me, I like it. I’m still processing my luck that I found her at all, and fate was definitely smiling down on me last night.
“All set?”
“Yes, I’ve placed them outside the door.” She falters and appears anxious. “Are you sure it’s okay to ask them to post the boxes? I mean, I could nip down to the post office. I’m sure it’s not far.”
“It’s done. We have more urgent tasks at hand.”
I head toward her and smile. “Follow me. I’ll give you a hand.”
She scurries after me through the vast space I call home, and as we reach my private wing of the apartment, I stop outside the door leading to my suite of rooms.
