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Valerio allowed me to drag him along. “He’s a misogynist and grump. No matter what you do, he’ll probably find fault in it.” His eyes still strayed back to where Nevio had been. “Do you think someone’s after you?”
I shook my head with a laugh that sounded a little fake in my ears, but Valerio didn’t know me that well, so I hoped it passed his scrutiny.
“I had a nightmare last night of someone stalking me, so I’m a bit jumpy today.”
Valerio gave me a searching look as if he could tell I was lying, but he didn’t push the matter. Maybe because we arrived at the warehouse where the Famiglia hospital was situated.
Valerio entered a code into a keypad beside the steel door, which unlocked with a soft buzz. He pulled it open and gestured for me to go inside. His eyes scanned our surroundings once more before he followed me into the building.
Valerio had been right about his assessment of the Famiglia’s doctor. He was in his mid-sixties, and his comments throughout the day made it clear he thought women less capable than men. Maybe that was the reason the two other doctors who worked under him were men.
I was used to the male-dominated nature of the mafia world and kept my mouth shut when he spewed his old-fashioned opinions. The day wasn’t busy, with only two patients who’d suffered third-degree burns on their arms and chest in a recent fire. But the nurses showed me around the place and kept me busy enough that I managed to forget about this morning’s spotting of Nevio.
For my lunch break, Valerio surprised me by bringing Isa and Flavio along.
Flavio wasn’t as outgoing as Valerio. He was more thoughtful and observant, but like Valerio, he always made me feel welcome. We went to a small Italian place around the corner from the hospital. Valerio and Flavio nodded greetings at the owners as well as several customers, so I assumed the mob frequented it.
We picked a booth close to the window, and my eyes scanned the sidewalk in front of the restaurant to see a sign for Nevio. I couldn’t imagine him being unreasonable enough to follow me to a mob restaurant.
Isa jabbed her elbow into my side, making me jump. “What’s wrong?” She followed my gaze, and so did the guys.
I smiled awkwardly. They probably thought I was paranoid.
“Aurora thinks she’s got a stalker,” Valerio said with a teasing smile.
I pursed my lips. “Do not.”
“Do you want me to walk around the area and take a look?” Flavio asked, already scooting to the edge of the bench.
“No, it’s nothing. Valerio misinterpreted my words on purpose.”
Flavio’s brown eyes moved back and forth between Valerio and me.
“Let’s eat, okay? There’s always a potential danger lurking around the corner waiting to kill us all, but I’m starving and would rather die with a full stomach,” Isa muttered.
My eyes widened, and I pressed my lips together, torn between wanting to laugh and concern because of Isa’s bitter words.
“Spoken like a true pessimist,” Valerio announced.
“I’m not a pessimist.”
“Flavio and I are around to make sure you can torture us with your hangry attitude for years to come.”
“I’ve been well protected all my life. It doesn’t mean I’m safe, and that’s realism, not pessimism.”
Flavio and Valerio exchanged a look that spoke of buried guilt. I knew what incident they were all thinking about, which was why it was important that Nevio left New York as soon as possible.
An hour later, Valerio returned me to the hospital while Flavio took Isa back to Gianna’s gym. Again, I thought I had seen a brief glance of Nevio’s reflection in a shop window across the street, but I was starting to doubt my own perception.
“I’ll pick you up in about two hours, okay? There are three guards on the premises, so don’t worry.”
“I’m not,” I insisted, at least not for my safety.
My sanity. Peace. My heart. For those, definitely yes.
As expected, my paranoia festered overnight, and when Valerio and I walked into the coffee shop to get our caffeine fix, I couldn’t stop looking over my shoulder. But I didn’t spot anyone following me until he dropped me off at the clinic, where I spotted Nevio again right before I walked inside.
This had to stop. The problem was I didn’t know how to get him off my back before this ended in a major disaster. Plus, I needed him gone for my own sake. I wanted to forget him, and his stalking wasn’t giving me the chance to do so.
