Page 29 of The Mobster’s Nurse

Suddenly it's like I'm back in my childhood home...Trapped behind glass.

Except this time, I’m on the side of the killer.

9

LUCA

"You'll stay here tonight," I tell her when we're in my penthouse apartment.

She stands at the window, facing away from me. She's been quiet ever since the Irish ambushed us at the restaurant. Italian-friendly police are at the scene, and only Vito’s name will appear on reports. The story is that he was there for some routine work—his name is on the deeds—when they broke in and tried to rob the place.

No mention of me, nor you.

"It's safe here," I say, walking up behind her.

I wrap my arms around her from behind. She sinks against me. But in the night-dark reflection of my floor-to-ceiling windows, I can see indecision in her eyes. She hasn't said it, but I'm getting better at reading her. She's looking at me like I'm the dog that mauled her parents.

"In the morning, we'll go to see my father."

She stiffens against me. "Why?"

"We'll tell him everything we've learned. You can confirm Daryl's involvement. And … well, you ought to meet him."

"I've met him a couple times. But he's normally hands-off …"

"I don't want you to meet him as an employee." I lean down, gently kiss her cheek. I want her to turn her face toward me. Find my lips. But she doesn't. "I want you to meet him as my woman."

She leans against me. Grabs onto the arm I've got wrapped around her with both hands. Clings on desperately.

"Can't you stay?"

I swallow, almost telling her yes. But I've got responsibilities.

"There was a survivor," I tell her.

“Oh.” She snaps her head toward me and rolls her eyes. "Ah."

"What?" I demand.

"More bloodshed," she mutters.

"He attacked us," I growl. "He's part of the operation that was poisoning those innocent animals. One of them called you a bitch, Ellie. I can't let that stand."

"That man isn't a problem now," she says darkly.

I want to hold her tight, forget about responsibility. Tell her we can stay here and get takeout to make up for the half dinner. Watch a movie and pretend to be normal.

Instead, I kiss her one final time and leave the apartment. I give Georgio instructions to guard the place with five good men, then join Vito at the safe house across town.

The survivor is chained to the ceiling of the basement, feet barely touching the ground.

"It's time to get to work," I tell Vito, who grunts and steps forward from the shadows.

The next morning, I drive Ellie to her apartment so she can have a shower and get changed. I wait outside, knowing that if I go in, there's no damn way I'd be able to stop myself from joining her in the shower.

She emerges wearing sweatpants and a hoodie, her hair tied up in a messy bun. No makeup on her face, light freckles showing. If she thinks this is a way to calm the savage in me, she's wrong.

I can all too easily imagine peeling those clothes off her slowly. Taking my time.