Mafia Daddy by Aster Rae

2

Rowan

Five days later

This is interesting.

I sit on my bed surrounded by dino stuffies.

A letter from a sexy stranger sits in front of me.

It contains an offer I can’t refuse.

Dear Rowan,

You’ve been requested at the home of Mr. Igor Antonov for a job opportunity. Igor is looking for a new housekeeper and he thinks you’re perfect for the job. Call the number below within seven days to set up an appointment.

Like I said.

Interesting.

And also complicated as hell.

I let out a sigh and collapse into my bed of snuggly animals.

Igor, the sexy stranger in question, is my best friend Christian’s fiancé’s older brother.

We were both at Christian’s engagement party last week, and we almost made some serious eye-love from across the room.

He left before I could speak to him, but his dark-haired assistant wrote me a letter that Nikolai gave to me.

He’s looking for a boy to clean his penthouse and scrub the floors.

"What do you think?" I ask PeeWee Roars, my favorite dino stuffy that I picked up at Faye’s Toy Emporium in the Bronx.

PeeWee doesn’t respond.

Figures.

That's what I get for taking advice from a stuffed animal.

This situation calls for another human being.

Me:Come over >.<

Christian takes his sweet ass time to respond.

ChristianAKABestie:Is it about that note u got at my party?

Me: Maybe

ChristianAKABestie:The one from Igor?

Me: Bitch, I already said maybe

Christian pauses.

ChristianAKABestie:I’m kinda in the middle of something

Me: What could be more important than helping a friend in need?

ChristianAKABestie:*sends pic of stuffed animals sprawled out on a bed*

Cute.

Me: Bring ur stuffies. U can play over here :p

ChristianAKABestie:Do u have apple juice?

Me: I can get some from the store

ChristianAKABestie:Cominggg >.<

Twenty minutes later, Christian pulls up with a bag of goodies and stuffies.

"Hey, brat.” He hands me a stuffy.

"Ooh." I opt to ignore Christian’s sass. "He’s cute. What’s his name?"

"Cuddleofagus," Christian says without missing a beat.

"Oh my Gooosh." I hold Cuddleofagus to my chest. "He’s adorable."

"Nikolai bought him for me at Louis Vuitton last weekend. He’s a limited-edition designer dino full of warm fuzzies and love."

“Damn,” I say, pretending not to be jealous. “You must really be in love with Nikolai.”

"I am." Christian’s cheeks flush as he shows me his diamond ring. "He’s my forever Daddy. I can’t wait to spend next month in Turks and Caicos with him."

Christian is one lucky twink.

Three months ago, Christian ran into Nikolai at a club called Crave in downtown Manhattan.

Nikolai started a fake relationship with Christian to put him under his family’s protection so that Italian mobsters wouldn’t kill him.

One failed kidnapping attempt later, Nikolai and Christian are happily engaged.

It was a whole thing.

I try not to be jealous as I hand Cuddleofagus back to Christian.

"I’m happy for you," I say.

“Stahp.” Christian takes my hand and leads me to the bed for a play session. "Tell me about Igor."

I recount my interaction with Igor at Christian’s engagement party.

I tell Christian that I saw Igor staring at me eating ice cream.

I tell Christian that Igor sent chills down my spine.

I tell Christian that Igor looks like he'd be a perfect Daddy.

"That’s basically it," I say, finishing my story, opening a juice box and taking a much-needed sip.

Apple juice is fucking Olympian nectar for littles like me.

It relaxes me instantly.

Christian let out a snort. "That sounds so romantic."

I make a face. "Igor wants a housekeeper. He doesn’t want anything romantic with me."

"Right." Christian rolls his eyes. "Because filthy rich billionaires in New York City ask wide-eyed eighteen-year-old boys with no experience in the hospitality industry to be their housekeepers all the time."

"The sarcasm can stop now," I groan.

"He obviously wants you," Christian huffs, stealing a sip of my apple juice. "Otherwise, he wouldn’t have offered to pay you so much."

"Look." I jab my finger at the letter. "Igor didn’t say how much he’d pay me. For all I know, he’s offering peasant wages. If I’m starting my social media marketing program at CUNY this fall, I need to work full-time to save up enough. I’m a broke college student who can’t afford to dick around in some billionaire’s apartment playing dress-up. I need to pay rent."

You know, like a normal person.

Christian shoots me a look that tells me I’m totally overthinking things and that he’d totally leap on the opportunity if he were me.

"Igor is loaded," Christian groans at last. Nailed it. "He wouldn’t offer you this position if he didn’t intend to make it worth your while."

"Easy for you to say," I grumble.

Christian already got his happily ever after with his former-hitman-turned-house husband who pampers him and takes care of his every need.

"I need to find someone who’s serious about me," I say. "Or at least someone who’s serious about helping me get my Etsy shop off the ground. Not some rich asshole who doesn’t care about my hopes and dreams."

"You mean your Etsy shop where you sell custom little clothing at affordable prices?" Christian queries.

No, the other Etsy shop I own.

"Yes," I say. "And also my real work at the ice cream parlor. My student loans help, but I won’t have enough to cover rent next fall unless I bust my ass non-stop."

This summer is for working, not having fun.

Christian forgets what it’s like to live in a world without sexy billionaires buying you things.

"Give Igor a shot," Christian urges at last. "He could change your life."

"No."

"Text him."

"I don’t wanna."

Christian rolls his eyes. "You’re acting five."

"No I’m not." So much for maturity.

It’s like Christian has no idea that my little age is three.

Christian snatches my phone and texts the number on the letter.

"Hey!" I reach for my phone.

Christian slides my phone into his pocket before I can nab it. "Igor will be very happy to hear from his future rent boy."

"I hate you."

"You’ll thank me when Igor is your Daddy."

We play with Cuddleofagus and PeeWee Roars on the bed.

I pretend to be mad at Christian, making my dinosaur eat his dinosaur and growl a lot.

But secretly, my heart is a burning ember in my chest.

Christian pushed me to do what I was too scared to do.

He helped me reach out to the most beautiful man I’ve ever laid eyes on in my life.

It could be the start of a wonderful journey.

It could change everything.

Is this finally the time I meet my future Daddy?