Page 59 of The Billionaire's Destiny

Xander draped his arm over my shoulder, and I couldn’t help but grin. “Monica, meet my new friend, Adelina. Adelina, this is Monica.” Relief washed over me that he hadn’t introduced me as Rocco’s wife.

“Well, then, you are my new friend, too,” Monica said, smiling and scanning me. “Bellissima. What do you do, Adelina?”

“I paint and illustrate,” I said in a light tone.

“Wow, that sounds cool,” she said, shaking my hand. “Okay. Let’s shop. Drinks?”

I shook my head. “No, thank you.”

“You know me,” Xander said.

“I do. That’s why I asked if you’re ready for drinks.”

Xander whisked me over to the mirrors. “Give me vision.” Monica appeared with an armful of dresses, heels, handbags, and even sunglasses, holding each up for me to consider. Xander darted through the racks, plucking out clothes in my size. Somehow, he already knew it. “Nadia always keeps great records,” he explained with a wink. At the dressing room, Monica handed Xander a mimosa, and I slipped into a changing stall.

“Love you, darling, but you look like a mother today,” Xander called to me from behind the door.

“Yeah, really conservative,” Monica said. “I thought you were an executive.”

They both laughed.

“That definitely didn’t look like something Nadia would have chosen for you, or we need an intervention.”

“No, it was for my grandmother,” I called out and removed my dress.

“Okay. You’re excused. Now we need to bring out the wild man in Rocco. What do Italians always say, Monica?”

“Hm. La collera? Il furore? La passione?”

“Yes, the passion,” Xander said and chuckled. “We want the caveman-loses-his-head-and-drags-you-off-to-the-den clothes.”

I laughed, and they joined in.

“Where are you going tonight?” Monica called.

“Dancing,” I called back, then stepped out of the dressing room in a leather halter dress.

“Lordt,” Xander said, moving a pair of pumps by my feet. “My man might even come up and celebrate with us. It’ll be insane.”

“Count me in,” Monica said, playfully tapping Xander’s arm.

“I am. That’s why I mentioned it or I wouldn’t have,” Xander quipped.

Monica laughed and pushed his arm.

I slipped into dress after dress, but the unanimous favorite was the leather halter mini paired with killer heels. “You look sexy, with legs for days,” Xander declared. I could only hope Rocco would agree. I put on a jumpsuit and heels at Xander’s insistence instead of returning to the dress I wore earlier. When it was time to pay, Zane stepped up and signed something.

“Rocco didn’t want you to deal with the details,” he explained.

I cleared my throat. “I’d like to do it.”

“Fine.” He stepped out of the way and I took out my card as a team of workers packed everything we chose into boxes. Monica tapped the card against the screen, and I held my breath. Her hand moved back just as fluidly to return it to me.

My hand was steady when I tucked it away in my purse. All the other corners of my life were like a fairytale, but this moment felt more real. I was no longer scraping by or waiting for my grandparents to give me things. The credit card was in my name,and I had a new job. For the first time in my life, it felt like my life belonged to me.

“Ready for more?” Xander said, linking arms with me.

I grinned. “Yes, let’s go.”