Chapter 3
CHAPTER THREE
STEFANO
E very minute I wait, the harder it is to maintain my composure. I check my watch for the hundredth time and realise that I’ve been sitting on the steps of Katerina’s front porch for over an hour. What the fuck is taking her so long?
I know I’m being impatient, but I’m on edge after the clusterfuck of a meeting this afternoon. Of all the things the underboss and I suspected when we couldn’t get hold of Don Bianchi, him being murdered by Max De Luca was not even on our list. To say that I’m in shock is an understatement. I’m fucking numb.
I’ve been Mateo Bianchi’s consigliere, his right-hand man, for well over a decade. He’s closer to me than my own brothers. I dip my head and swallow, trying to suppress the emotions that threaten to choke me. Was closer.
Listening and remaining calm while his daughter, Aurora, told me how he died was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. The grief settled in my body at a cellular level. Then, when I found out what Max De Luca did to Aurora, I wanted to tear the skin from my body. Every member of the Bianchi family has failed her, and it feels like there’s nothing I’ll ever be able to do or say that will make it right.
What makes it worse is there’s nothing I can do until we can uncover more information about who else sold their soul to the devil and betrayed Mateo. Betrayed us all.
That thought weighs on me so heavily, I feel helpless. I was close to losing it, struggling not to be overrun by the rage coursing through me, but the minute Nico mentioned Katerina, I snapped out of it.
He’d taken me aside, and with his usual disregard for details, told me ‘Someone’s bothering the doc’. In his defence, that’s all I needed to know. The idea of there being any type of threat to Katerina has my stomach tied up in knots and my temper simmering somewhere close to rage.
I’ve spent years keeping my distance, but she’s rarely been far from my thoughts since that night, hidden in the darkness of the wedding venue's grounds. I’ve tried to forget how she felt in my arms, how sweet she tasted, but honestly, sometimes it’s all I can think about. The only thing that has stopped me from turning up on her doorstep before now is knowing I’m wrong for her. Even if her father wasn’t my best friend, she’s too good for me and I’m too old for her.
When her car pulls into the driveway, I stop staring into the shine on my Oxfords and lift my gaze. She pulls up next to my town car but doesn’t get out. I can see her hard glare through the windscreen, and if I know her half as well as I think I do, she’s readying herself for an argument. A smile teases the corner of my mouth. I shouldn’t enjoy getting a reaction out of her, but I do. So very much . If there’s one thing that makes my day, it’s seeing her quick wit and sharp tongue in action, even when I’m on the receiving end of it.
Doctor Katerina Mancini has always been a force to be reckoned with. She’s never been the type of woman to accept help from anyone. Everything she has she’s earned for herself, in spite of her upbringing and connections, not because of them. I respect the hell out of her for it. The minute she qualified, she could have left and worked anywhere, but she chose to stick by the family. Her only condition was that she reported to no one. She would get an independent life and career but would be on-call to the Bianchi family whenever she was needed. Her request was a no-brainer.
That doesn’t mean she’s alone, though. Her father being a capo means she’s always been under our protection. At one point or another, she’s dug a bullet out of or stitched up half the fucking foot soldiers. She’s one of us and there’s no way we’d tolerate a threat to her safety.
If she wants to fight over this stalker business, then so be it. But like fuck am I going to let her put herself at risk.
There’s a soft snick as she pops the handle before she shoves the door open. The clack of her heels on the red bricks punctuates her irate march towards me. I grab the handrail and haul myself up. It’s only my being on the first step that gives me a half a foot on her.
“Jesus, how do you work all day in those heels?” I say disapprovingly, but it morphs into something more admiring as my eyes start to wander up the length of her stocking-clad calves. I shake my head to snap myself out of it when her tight black pencil skirt obstructs my view.
Get it together, you lecherous asshole. She’s Dante’s daughter. Even if she wasn’t fourteen years my junior, Dante would gut me if he caught me ogling his baby girl.
She folds her arms, cocks a hip, and taps the toe of her shiny black heels, drawing my attention to the ground again. “Yes, Stefano. I totter around the OR in my Jimmy Choo’s, hoping that the litres of blood I’m often covered in won’t splatter my Mary Janes.” I don’t need to look up to hear the eye roll in her tone. She tries to barge past me and looks almost disappointed when I step to the side to let her pass. It’s as if she wanted to body-check me.
It shouldn’t appeal to me when she acts like a brat, but my dick disagrees. It feels like she’s been teasing my cock with her snark for years. Which is one of the many reasons I find it so difficult to be around her.
She’s through the door and kicking her heels off before I get a chance to respond. She abandons her stuff in a crumpled heap and makes a beeline into the kitchen.
“I assume I’m not getting rid of you until you’ve said your piece, right?” she shouts over her shoulder as I close the front door. I can’t help but add her shoes to the rack and hang up her coat on the hooks. “Whiskey or wine, old man?” she shouts .
“Whiskey, neat,” I holler back, taking a second to stare at my reflection in her hallway mirror. I straighten my collar and spend a moment too long distracted by the dusting of grey at my temples. Cupboard doors bang and glasses clink from the kitchen. Throwing my shoulders back and fixing a stern glare on my face, I follow the sounds of her not-so-subtle strop to the kitchen. It seems she’s not the only one that needs to prepare for battle.
I roll my eyes when I notice the ice she’s added to my drink, but I refuse to let her rile me. I grab the glass off the counter and take a long draught, letting the rich amber liquid restore me as I swallow it down. Her eyes follow the motion and drop to my neck as if she’s watching my Adam’s apple bob with each gulp. I can’t help but play up to her attention, loosening my tie and unbuttoning my collar, seeing how long I can keep her gaze on my body.
I smile when she bites into her plump bottom lip, but I’m left feeling disappointed when she snaps herself out of her little ogling session. Her eyes find mine and the hard glare returns. I place the glass down on the counter; rattling ice the only sound while I take a moment to gather my thoughts, running my hands over my face before pulling up a stool and leaning forwards on the countertop.
“I’ve had the worst fucking day, Katerina.” My candour seems to take her by surprise and her expression softens. “I imagine as terrible a day as you had when Zo brought you in to treat Aurora.”
“Yeah. I’m not going to lie. Having to treat the wounds Max inflicted on her was…” her voice is barely ab ove a whisper, and she crumples, grabbing a stool and sinking into it, “difficult.”
Difficult seems like such an inadequate word in this situation. The injuries I saw on Aurora this afternoon were far worse than I could have imagined. Over the years, I’ve seen my men succumb to far less. I dread to think what Aurora looked like a few days ago when Katerina first treated her.
“I know she looks bad, Stef, but why are you ready to tear me a new one for doing my job?”
Before answering, I grab my glass and toss the ice into the sink, reach for the bottle of whiskey, and pour myself another two fingers.
“I’m not here to shout at you for looking after her. You fucking saved her when it seems all anyone else has done is let her down.” I pause, swallowing my whiskey in one large glug. I straighten up on the stool and turn to face her, attempting to channel a calmness I don’t truly feel. “I’m here to find out why the fuck you’re not taking a stalker fucking seriously? And why the fuck your father doesn’t know about this. Because I know for damn sure if he did, he’d have already had me looking into this.”
A glimmer of guilt washes over her features, but it’s swiftly quashed when she matches her posture to mine and squares off against me.
“I see. You’re here because Nico’s been telling tales on me?”
Without giving me a chance to respond, she hops down from her stool and storms out of the kitchen, but I’m not letting her walk away from me. She needs to hear what I have to say because I won’t have her putting herself at risk. I grasp her forearm, spinning her to face me, and march her back until she’s pressed against the hallway wall. My pulse quickens as I grip her biceps and our gazes lock in a heated standoff, while her ragged breaths buffer against my cheek, making my cock stir. A groan of pleasure threatens to rumble in the back of my throat, but I swallow it down.
“Will you calm-the-fuck-down and talk to me, you infuriating woman?” I say with an exasperated rasp. Her expression hardens and her body tenses in my hold as her temper rises to meet mine, the air becoming heavy as our gazes smoulder.
“Fuck you, Stef. I’m a grown woman and I can handle a workplace crush without having to call in the cavalry.”
“I am not the fucking cavalry. You’re supposed to keep the family informed of any threat to your safety, and you know it. That’s part of the deal. If you work for us, we protect you.”
“Oh my god, you’re being ridiculous. I didn’t tell anyone because it’s not a big deal. It’s nothing. It’s a crush and a few notes left in my locker. It’s basically high school level nonsense.” She rails against me, her body writhing and drawing every urge I’ve tried to suppress to the surface. I force myself to loosen my grip, but I don’t move away. I stay pressed up against her, drawn to her like I’m snared by a siren’s song.
“If it’s so harmless, why does Nico, of all the heartless bastards we know, think it’s important enough to tell me about it, Katerina?”
“Because apparently, he’s as much of an old woman as you. Now let me the fuck go. Right now.” Planting her palms on my chest, she shoves me. From the frown that clouds her expression, it’s obvious she was expecting to be able to escape easily. Not fucking likely. I may be forty-eight, but that doesn’t mean I’m not built like a brick wall.
Most men in my position rely on their men and their guns to protect them and tend to slack off when it comes to staying on form. Half the capos couldn’t fight their way out of a paper bag. It’s embarrassing really.
Not me though, and she’s mistaken if she thinks she can overpower me. The idea of it draws a smirk to my lips, which is swiftly followed by a gasp of pain when she scratches long gouges into my neck.
I jump backwards, more out of shock than anything, but I doubt she’s done any lasting damage to anything other than my pride.
“Easy now, micetta . There’s no need to get your claws out,” I tease in a low rumble.
“Then back the fuck off, Stef.” Her shoulders rise and fall in time with the soft pants escaping her parted lips. “This is getting out of hand.”
“I couldn’t agree more.” She has no idea how much I agree. My heart thumps like it’s trying to beat out of my chest. She hasn’t been this close to me since that kiss and my body wants nothing more than to taste her again. My mind though, knows that if I did, it would be my undoing.
I straighten my collar and run my fingertips over her scratches, hoping the motion will soothe the sting and bring me back to my senses. Right now, it’s taking everything in me not to throw her back against the wall and remind myself just how soft those lips feel against mine. Fuck . What is it about the way this woman rails against me that makes me want to conquer her?
Her rich chestnut eyes lock on to mine and as always, they simmer with unspoken words. The silence forces an air of awkwardness between us.
After flicking her gaze away, clocking the neatly stacked shoes by the front door, she smiles and lets out a resigned sigh. “I will concede that there is a guy at work who got in my way while I was trying to source supplies to treat Aurora. However, when I told Nico about it, I was venting. I needed to get back to the safe house, and Danny was slowing me down.”
“Okay, but why does Nico think he’s a stalker?” I ask, knowing she’s not telling me everything.
“He’s not a stalker. We went on one date and the chemistry wasn’t there, so we decided to stay friends. It’s just that his idea of friends involves a lot more day-to-day interaction than I’m used to. You know I’m an introvert at heart.”
“Give me an example of what he’s doing?” I stand a little straighter and cross my arms over my chest, refusing to drop this.
“He keeps swapping his shifts with other nurses to get on my rotation.”
“And?” I push. A sheepish expression blossoms across her features, and I struggle to maintain my rigid composure. As she softens before me, I worry how much she’s not saying. What if she’s more worried than she’s letting on and she doesn’t trust me enough to tell me?
“On to my service. ”
“And?” I simply arch a brow with my last prompt.
Kat shakes her head before rolling her eyes, cocking her hip, and folding her arms across her body defensively. “And posts notes into my locker every day.”
My body has moved before my brain has fully engaged. I slowly dip my head to hers and fix an unforgiving glower at her. “And you can’t see why maybe that’s a little unsafe? A man you rejected is inserting himself into your life. As you told me earlier, you’re a grown ass woman, Katerina. How are you not seeing that this is problematic?”
“Well… when you put it like that. I guess I can see you have a point.” Her voice is softer now, the cadence betraying the doubt that seems to be seeping into her thoughts. “But it’s not your place to do anything about it. This is my life, Stefano. And it has the potential to impact my career.”
Our foreheads are nearly touching, eyes entirely focused on each other, while our breaths ricochet off each other’s cheeks. Every part of me is desperate to close what little distance is still left between us, but I know I can’t. She can’t be mine. “And why is that?”
“Because his father is on the hospital’s board of directors, and I don’t want to end up on the board’s radar for the wrong reasons.”
Of course, now it makes sense. “That’s how he changed his shifts so easily. So, you need to get rid of him without pissing off the hospital administration?”
“Exactly. So, you see why you kneecapping him for wanting a second date is out of the question?” The thought of her dating leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. Even if this asshole was good enough for her, I’d still detest him for simply being able to date her. When you add in not taking no for an answer, I’d gladly kneecap him.
“I can see your point, but I don’t like that he hasn’t got the message.” I nod at her reasoning, but honestly, I’m too busy trying not to inhale whatever intoxicating scent is wafting off of her hair. I shouldn’t be this close to her. If I stay here much longer, I’m likely to do something stupid. I swallow hard, the scruff of stubble scraping against my collar.
Katerina snaps my focus back to her with a gentle cough. “There is another option.”
“I’m listening.” I think I’m listening . It’s tough to focus when her tongue flicks over her plump bottom lip.
“The quickest way for Danny to get the message would be to start seeing someone else.”
Her words don’t register right away, but when they do, I shake my head, forcing myself back to reality while taking a swift step away from her.
“What did you just say?” I ask, unable to hide the surprise in my voice. My mouth is suddenly as dry as The Sahara. Is she saying what I think she’s saying?
“If he thought I was seeing someone else, he’d probably back off.” There’s a smile teasing the corners of her mouth and her familiar brand of impertinence is eking its way back into her tone. “I guess I could ask one of Dad’s men to do me a solid and show up a few times at the hospital.”
“The fuck you will,” I growl, my hand shooting out and gripping her jaw tightly. “If you think I’m letting anyone else handle this little weasel, you have another thing coming, Katerina.”
“You’re too easy, Stefano,” she says with a wicked grin, and I’m so far beyond screwed.
I release my grip and drop my hand, closing my eyes tightly. Thou shalt not discipline your best friend’s bratty daughter. “And you’re too tempting, Katerina. There’s only so far you can push me before I break.” I may have walked away from this temptation before, but I don’t know if I can keep doing it. My thoughts oscillate between right and wrong, and for the first time, I wonder if my friendship with her father is worth the sacrifice I keep making by not making Katerina mine.
She taps her palm on my cheek before saying, “I’m counting on it.”
I turn away from her, desperate to get out of this house, stalking out of the front door, slamming it as I go. My heart races, doing nothing to ease the yearning ache that’s been caged there for so long.
Katerina Mancini doesn’t realise what she’s started.