Page 12 of Aldo

Except, that was crazy and impossible.

Right?

CHAPTER 5

ALDO

“That one.” I looked around. “That lamp.” I pointed to a particularly nice chair. It looked like the one in my private suite, only smaller. “Add that too.”

Every floor of the hotel had a different style, different furnishings. The farther you went up in the building, the more lavish it became. Roman insisted on the best, no matter what floor it was, and he employed a crew that did nothing but inspect the rooms and change furniture and fixtures if they became damaged or tired-looking. Everything was maintained to be top-notch. We did recycle some of the more extravagant pieces to the lower floors, so they, too, looked high-end. We donated a lot, clearing out the storage area at least once a year. I made sure to pick nice, comfortable, top-quality pieces for her. Violet.

“Anything else, boss?”

“No. Deliver it this afternoon. Brian will let you in.” I handed a slip of paper to Josh. “Make sure it happens.”

He nodded. “I’ll look after it myself.”

I headed upstairs, satisfied. I had helped Vi. Violet. Ms. Nelson.

She had a place to live, some furniture, and a job.

I could move on. Stop thinking about her.

In the office, I sat down, pouring a cup of coffee. Lunch with Nonna the day before had been its usual treat. The woman cooked all our favorites, and I had taken home leftovers. Always a bonus.

I scanned some reports, pleased at the dollar figures I saw. Roman would be happy as well.

He walked in, looking tired. He was an insomniac a lot of the time. It had started in his later teen years when his father would be on the prowl at night, ready to spring one of his surprises on the boys. It continued after his father died, and at times, I worried over his health. He grabbed naps, a few hours of sleep after roaming the casino at night. He told me he slept better at his estate, but given his schedule, he was here far more than he was there. Nonna nagged him all the time, but he never changed his ways.

He sat down heavily.

“You were at the estate. Did you not sleep at all?”

He waved his hand. “Too much on my mind. I’ll grab a few hours later before the crowds hit tonight.”

“Sleep is required for a strong body and mind.”

“Thanks, Mom,” he replied, his sarcasm evident.

The door opened and Luca came in, his expression neutral, his demeanor curiously subdued. He looked a little tired, which was unusual for him.

Roman and I exchanged a look.

“How was your weekend?” I asked lightly.

“I babysat the princess all weekend.” Luca sat down, reaching for the coffee. “I told her I was in meetings all day today. She’s at the spa at the Maple.” He glared at Roman. “You’re paying for a whole pampering day.”

“Is she that bad?”

Luca leaned his head back. “I thought so at first,” he admitted. “I took her to all the places her brother insisted she wanted to go to. Mostly shopping. She seemed to be the empty-headed princess I thought her to be.”

Another glance happened between Roman and me.

“Then last night, we talked. Actually talked. She told me she had done enough of the list her brother had put together. She told me what she really wanted to do.” He paused, taking a drink of coffee. “I hafta admit, I was surprised.”

“Like what?”

A glimmer of a smile tugged his mouth. “She wants to go bowling. To a movie. She’s never had a taco. She just wants to do some fun things. Her father and brother are so overprotective, her life is mapped out for her. She adores them but hates their control.” He ran his hand over his chin. “She has an idea what they are involved in but not the depth of it. She gets frustrated being kept on such a short lead. She hated me because of what I represented. I felt the same way.” He was quiet for a moment. “She isn’t the airhead her brother thinks she is. She’s well-read and funny. Smart.”