Chapter 112 Relationship
Dakota's P.O.V.
After eating the best lasagna I’ve ever had, Galdino and I talked. He told me about Ari as a child and how he never understood why his son liked computers so much. I look at the man in the bed who has taken my heart. He truly is incredible.
"I was able to get someone into the twins' mansion to work as a housekeeper." I look at Galdino in surprise.
"How did you make that happen so quickly?" I stroke Ari's head gently as we talk quietly.
"Shea owed me a favor, and I called it in." I narrow my eyes at him.
"What kind of favor?" Galdino smiles.
"I own several gentlemen's clubs, and she's one of the dancers. I caught her having sex with some of the men in the club. I don't tolerate that. My clubs are clean, and the men keep their hands to themselves. I have fired other women I have caught hooking up with men, but I decided to give her a chance to redeem herself. I told her the twins were looking for a housekeeper, and I wanted her to try to get the job. She will let me know if they mention anything about you or our families." I don't know how I feel about putting a woman in their house.
"You know they're going to probably force her to have sex with them. They're the type who believe women are objects only to serve them. I don't want her to get hurt." Galdino smiles and nods.
"I know, and she knows. Trust me, I wouldn't have sent just anyone there. Shea is smarter than she gives herself credit for. Once she is done dancing, I plan to make her the club's manager. I'm not a monster. I try to protect the women and men who work for me. Sometimes protecting them from themselves is the hardest battle." I sigh and look toward the door. I told Galdino about Luka when Tyler called me.
"Luka said he's ready to get help. I hope he is. He looked so broken in there. I have never seen him cry, but he was when we were talking. I've never dealt with anyone who had addiction problems, and our family has never dealt with drugs. Grandpa Chrissy refused to touch the drug trade." Galdino takes my hand.
"Despite our differences, our families are a lot alike. We dealt with drugs a little, but Dad stopped that because it was too risky. We still do guns, gambling, and money. You should always have more clean businesses than you have shadier ones. We have many restaurants, clubs, and even some stores, among other businesses. Make sure you know what's going on in all of them because one screw-up can make the world crumble around you. Know who you have in every location. If you find someone you can't trust, get rid of them." I appreciate his guidance. Taking over the family business is a big job, and I know I can talk to my uncles, but it feels good to speak to someone outside the family.
"My uncles run most of the businesses," I explain. Galdino looks thoughtful.
"I know you're close to them, but you still need to make sure everything they're doing is how you want it to be done. Don't assume they're doing it right. That's a big mistake. You need to oversee everything and know the ins and outs of all your businesses, so you know when something isn't right. Anytime you have questions, feel free to ask me. If you need me to look over something with you, I will. You're basically my daughter-in-law at this point, and I want to see you succeed." I lean over to hug him. The weight on my shoulders feels lighter, knowing I have someone willing to help make sure I'm not screwing up.
"Thank you." I kiss his cheek.
"Why is it that every time I open my eyes, you're kissing my dad?" I turn to Ari and kiss his head.
"How do you feel?" I ask, running my fingers through his hair.
"The pain is there, but it's tolerable. Did I miss anything? Do I smell lasagna?" I chuckle and kiss his head.
"Your dad brought me lasagna. Luka overdosed, and he'd be dead if Tyler hadn't gone home to get his things. Your dad got a woman named Shea to get a job in the twins’ mansion as a housekeeper." Ari looks from me to his dad.
"You put Shea in there?" A tingle runs down my spine. Please don't tell me this woman is another one of his exes.
"You know her?" I ask. Ari nods.
"Yeah, she was my best friend through high school. When her parents threw her out of their house, we let her stay with us, and Dad gave her a job after we graduated." I narrow my eyes at him.
"Was she your girlfriend?" I ask, and he immediately shakes his head.
"No, it wasn't like that with her. We were just good friends. She was picked on, and I watched out for her. Kids left her alone once they knew we were friends. I never looked at her as anything more than a friend, and she never saw me any other way, either. You would probably like her because she hated Aubrey, too. We haven't talked in a while." I feel a little better, but I'm not sure I trust her until I meet her.
"She's working as their housekeeper, and she knows they will most likely want more than just cleaning from her. She doesn't have a problem with it." I can hear the warning in Galdino's voice, but I'm staring at Ari's face.
"She's an adult, so as long as she knows what she's getting into, then it's her choice." I relax and kiss him.
"I'm going to go home. Let me know if you need me to bring anything when I return in the morning." Galdino stands, kisses my head, and ruffles Ari's hair before walking out.