Dominic Aritello

Chapter 27

Dominic's POV
Three years later

Being rich is actually ridiculous sometimes. I'm wearing an eight-hundred-dollar suit and Xyla is hanging off my arm with fifty thousand dollars worth of jewelry around her neck, wrists and hanging from her ears. Cameras flashed and it was almost blinding, but that's what happens when you make a legitimate company to cover for your illegitimate one.

I walked with Xyla down the red carpet, briefly pausing for the pictures and being photographed like that is worse than the time I spent in that Russian prison.

The coldness from the air condition sunk into my skin. The air was full of anticipation, but that's probably because I own this place and every single person in it....except for my friends and family of course.

Every now and then I think back to my first red carpet appearance and remember how nervous I was over something so small. Don't get me wrong, I'm still nervous, but it would be nice if I could get over the anxiety.

I groaned as I squeezed my eyes shut to force away tiredness before I reopened my eyes.

I watched as a waiter gently placed plates of food in front of our table as we approached. I stared at what looked like chocolate ganache that looks like it will give you diabetes and sushi and caviar.

I stared at it and decided against eating it. The last time I was at a dinner gala like this and I ate their food I was puking it out in the bathroom. I did fire the chef though, so I should be good to eat anyway.

"Dad" Daniel walked towards me with a little smile and I lifted him before kissing his cheek.

"Hey Danny. If you want, Aunt Nat offered to take you to get some McDonald's and take you to your play date." I told him and he shrugged.

" I want to stay with you." He answered and I nodded, putting him down.

" Mom" He looked up to Xyla and she bent slightly to hear him better.

Over the last three years I was in and out of rehab for the first, and regularly did therapy for the second. I didn't see Daniel that much during the first year, but I'm glad he never resented me for leaving for so long.

Xyla and I have been together and have been doing couples therapy, we just don't mention the fact that we both have tried to kill each other before. Theo is obsessed with Natalie. Alicio and Sage moved to Russia after she got pregnant a few months ago. Quinn and Fallon have moved somewhere in Georgia, but they visit a lot. They run my facilities there.

Damian is still head over heels for Xaralea and has been trying to convince her for the past year to have a kid with him but she says she wants to get married first. It isn't like he hasn't proposed or doesn't want to commit to marriage. She simply wants to get married exactly when she turns thirty and my brother wants a ring on her finger immediately.