Total pages in book: 161
Estimated words: 151410 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 757(@200wpm)___ 606(@250wpm)___ 505(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 151410 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 757(@200wpm)___ 606(@250wpm)___ 505(@300wpm)
“We can walk to the hospital from here. It’s not far. That way, we can drink our coffee.”
“Great.” With a smile, I really felt better than I had in a long time.
We turned a corner, and our surroundings became a little less boho and more… sketchy. The hairs on my neck rose. I slanted a look over my shoulder, searching the street.
Valerio followed my example, then raised an eyebrow. “What’s the matter?”
I quickly looked back to the front. “Nothing. I just thought there was someone…” I trailed off. It wasn’t a simple assumption or paranoia, even if Valerio’s expression suggested the latter. It was a gut feeling, one I ever only got around one person. It was a mix of anxiety, very similar to the sensation of being too close to a predator that could kill you with a swipe of their massive paw, and excitement.
Only one person made my body react like this. Valerio strode along completely at ease. I licked my lips, unsure what to do now. Could Nevio really be here? Nobody had mentioned anything to me. I had been in New York for five days now, and so far, my daily routine had been filled with meeting my cousins and aunts, going shopping, and just relaxing. But today would be my first day with the medical team of the Famiglia.
I looked over my shoulder again. And for a split second, a familiar face peeked out from behind a car across the street. My heart stopped a beat. I blinked, and he was gone as if he’d never been there in the first place. I quickly looked back to the front before I stumbled over my own feet. My instincts had been right. I so wished they weren’t.
Or was this my subconscious playing tricks on me?
And even if Nevio was here, maybe it was as a part of a Camorra job to make sure I was safe. However, I couldn’t imagine that Dad or Remo had picked Nevio for the task, considering the potential for havoc. None of this made sense.
Valerio stepped in my way and crossed his arms in front of his chest. “Okay. What’s going on?” His blue eyes searched the street, but I doubted he’d see Nevio as long as Nevio didn’t want to be seen. Still, I didn’t want to risk anything. Valerio was a Made Man and Luca Vitiello’s son. Many underestimated him because of his sunny display, but I wouldn’t be among them. His vigilant eyes scanned our surroundings meticulously.
I grabbed his arm. “Come on. I don’t want to be late on my first day. I hear the doc is a tough one.”
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.