Chapter 16 Rafael #2
I took a few steps closer to my room. I was far away enough that I could keep an eye on him but my conversation would stay private. Phone pressed to my ear, I paced back and forth, keeping Cesare in sight. On the fourth ring, he picked up.
"What the fuck did you do?" I knew I needed to keep my calm, but this was too fucking far.
The silence that greeted me grated on my nerves.
"Try that again."
I ground my molars. His nonchalant attitude was frustrating. Cesare literally shot out carbon copies of himself.
"What—"
"Last I checked, you work for me, and if this isn't a fucking update on what my father is up to then there is no reason you should be on my line. Unless something has happened?"
My words caught in the back of my throat. What if it wasn't Benito, and now I was leading his sons to a weakened Cesare?
"You haven't done anything?"
Benito sighed. "I am tired of this. If you have nothing to report, Rafael, may I suggest you go do your job before I find someone more capable?"
He didn't know? Or maybe he did and he was testing me? I shook my head. No, Benito played games like Cesare. He would have already had the place surrounded, or better yet, Cesare would have never made it home to me. Fuck, I messed up.
I swallowed, composing myself and playing the part I had no choice but to be good at.
"He's late."
"You called me to ask why he's late? He's probably off with some whore because you aren't doing a good enough job to entertain him anymore. I told you he gets bored fast. What have you found out?"
I glanced over at Cesare laid out on the couch and wanted nothing more than to go over to him and care for him.
"Rafael." Benito's tone was full of warning and disdain.
I breathed out a sigh. "He's going to make a play for the bar next."
"Blu?" He grunted. "How?"
"Your liquor license and something about a few reports on health inspections."
"Anything else?"
I blew out a breath, wanting the conversation to be over with. I had no one to blame but myself.
"No."
The call ended without so much as another word. I was all too happy for it to be done. I was back across the room and checking on Cesare in the next moment.
He opened his eyes instantly upon my approach. His dark brown eyes were trained on me as his body tensed. The moment our gazes locked, he relaxed back against the couch and closed his eyes.
"You better not be asleep."
"Not."
I smiled at the rough tone. "Good." I glared down at the cat and went into the kitchen.
I found a can of chicken and opened it. I brought it over and grabbed the furball before placing it on the coffee table with the small plate of chicken.
It took little to no time for it to start gorging itself on the food.
"You're going to pop if you keep eating like that," I warned.
A knock at the door had me up in seconds, and I headed over to open it. A black woman with bright pink curls wearing black skinny jeans and a glittery top stood there with bags.
I opened the door knowing exactly who she was. "Melony, right?"
She looked me up and down. She had rich dark brown skin that was free of blemishes. Her cheeks were dusted with blush, and her eyes were painted with pink glitter that matched her hair color.
"Grand Myah said you needed me? What are your symptoms?" She stepped into the penthouse and froze the moment a groan echoed around us.
"It's not me, it's him."
She hesitated for a second as recognition flashed all over her face. Fear, anger, and annoyance appeared and was gone as a calm look came over her. "What happened?"
I shook my head, moving closer to Cesare. I wanted to touch him and shield him. I could do neither. She squinted, giving him a cursory look.
"I don't know. He won't tell me."
Melony moved closer to him. Cesare's movements were faster than they should have been with him being injured. He had his gun out, ready to aim at the doctor. I grabbed his hand before he could do something stupid.
"Sorry," I rushed out. He was fucking strong as he tugged at my hold. I wasn't sure if he was even seeing who was in front of him.
Melony didn't look the least bit fazed as she stared down at him. Her head tilted to the side. "That's an upcharge."
Of course it was. I nodded, blowing out a breath.
She was turning away from him and opening her bag, fitting on gloves, and taking a few bottles out. "Open his shirt for me."
I got into Cesare's line of sight and met his gaze.
He blinked up at me a few times before sighing and releasing his hold on the gun.
I took it and placed it to the side. I made quick work of his shirt and sucked in a breath at the bruising I could just make out in the dim light.
It blossomed on his chest, a webbing of darkness tinged purple and ugly.
Melony prepared a syringe. "Not going to bother and ask when the last time he had a tetanus shot was." She placed it to the side. "Are you going to be difficult?"
Cesare grunted, and I sighed. He cleared his throat. "Needles aren't needed."
I smiled at him and pushed my fingers lightly though his hair, careful of the cut. I leaned over and pressed a light kiss to his forehead.
Melony moved closer to him and started poking at him. He groaned once, but after that, not another sound came from him. Prior to her arriving, he was making all types of pained noises. Now it was like he was forcing himself not to make any noise at all.
Every touch made my skin crawl. She was touching what was mine. I knew for a reason, but I still wanted to break all her fingers.
"You can stop glaring at me and turn the light back on. It's going to annoy him, but I need to check him over fully."
"I'm not glaring."
"I'm into women strictly. I have no interest in him whatsoever," she replied, as though she had to give the response often.
Good to know. That actually tracks with the way the women gush and get themselves ready at Silver Dreams when they hear Melony is coming.
It makes a whole lot more sense now. I flipped the light on, and Cesare's shoulders tensed instantly. He forced himself to sit up more, but other than that, he wasn’t letting anything else show.
"Pretty nasty gash," Melony said. "It will need one to two stitches. Easy fix." She glanced over at me. "Has he puked?"
"Yes."
"Blood?"
I thought about it and shook my head. "No."
She nodded. “The bruising isn't as bad, and it's mainly focused on his chest area. His knuckles are torn to shit, but I doubt it's from the same thing. Right?" She turned and grabbed her stuff and was ready without waiting on an answer.
I wanted to ask Cesare questions, but the way he was sitting up straight and acting as if he wasn't hurt made me want Melony out of our space so he could fucking relax already.
"Can you grab him some water? He will need to take some pain meds."
The idea of leaving him made my stomach clench.
"I'll be right back."
Cesare glanced at me and gave me a curt nod. I took it for permission and ran into the kitchen. I was back before Melony stuck his face with a needle.
I didn't miss the way Cesare shuddered at the sight of the needle, but he said nothing as she went to stitch him up.
"Here." I did what my instincts screamed at me to do. I placed a hand on Cesare's shoulder. It was slight, but his body sagged just a little.
Melony finished up stitching him and cleaning his wound. His knuckles were taken care of and bandaged. All necessary shots were given, and as she went to clean up, I had to bite my tongue from asking her to hurry the fuck up.
The damn cat took the opportunity to scale the couch and find his way back into Cesare’s lap.
Cheater.
Melony listed off the medications she was prescribing. And the instructions on his care. I nodded, soaking it all in all while plotting on how to get the damn cat to move.
I walked her toward the door as I hit the light switch, giving Cesare some kind of peace. I cleared my throat. "I need this to stay between us."
Melony's eyes skipped over to Cesar and then back to me. "Doctor–patient confidentiality. Just be sure he gets some rest. It looks like a mild concussion. I’m guessing he got into some kind of collision, but I’m not sure. Either way, he should be fine."
She opened the door, and I grabbed her arm before she could walk away. She glanced down at the touch, and for the first time, I noticed the uncapped syringe in her hand.
"Remove it or you won't be awake to take care of him."
I let her go instantly and rubbed the back of my neck. "Sorry, I—” I blew out a breath. I doubted flirting with Melony would do anything. I was a pretty man, but I wasn't packing what she liked. "He can't know."
She studied my face. "You called me, and I take my job seriously no matter what. My loyalty is to my patients first."
Could I trust her? I could stuff her in one of the many bedrooms, tied up, until Cesare was one hundred percent again.
That thought was banished before it fully cemented.
Melony may be a short, curvy woman, but she handled mobsters in her daily life.
Not only that, she was ready to drug me without a moment of hesitation all because I'd touched her.
"My girl is waiting for me, and as lucrative as this is, nothing beats drowning in her pussy."
I forced on a smile and glanced over my shoulder at Cesare. "Right, thank you for coming. You can send the bill to me."
Her glitter-covered eyes widened at that.
"You sure?"
"Yeah." I breathed a sigh and let her out.
As I headed back over to Cesare, I made a quick stop to one of the many rooms and grabbed a blanket.
I jogged down to his and grabbed the hot towels and brought them back to the couch.
I draped them over Cesare. Once he was fully awake, I'd strip him further and clean him up.
I climbed onto the sofa and snuggled up against his side.
I was careful of the bruising and placed my head on his shoulder.
I set a timer for every thirty minutes to an hour to wake him.
The damn cat didn't hiss at me as it lifted its head and snuggled back into its spot on Cesare's lap.
He stiffened for a short second before I kissed his cheek. "You're fine, no one is here. It's just us now." If I could, I would take Cesare and keep him all to myself. Fuck the world; it could be me and him only.