Eight
I t’s been two days since Ashley didn’t show up at the hotel. Hence my second run in the last six hours. It may be a cool fall day, but sweat drenches my dark blond hair as I ride the elevator up to Trevor’s penthouse.
I’ve enjoyed living with my brother since moving back to New York City, but I’m sure he’s ready for his privacy back. Selfishly, I’m not .
I’ve been saving the money I’m making through the society with each task I’m assigned, but I just can’t bring myself to initiate finding a place. I’ve been in a constant state of immense loneliness over the past three years, and the thought of living somewhere by myself again makes my skin clammy. I think when I moved back to the city, I had looked forward to what that meant for so long that I forgot that the relocation wasn’t going to solve all my problems and heartache. Unfortunately, it was never that simple.
I have a void inside my soul that only one person can fill.
The elevator door opens, and I hear Trevor’s voice. “Slow down. What’s going on? ”
He waves me over, putting the phone on speaker.
“One of you needs to get over here and make this right.” Immediately, I recognize Junior’s accusing tone. “He has a fever and the shakes; he’s sweating on top of that.”
“What’s his temperature right now?” Trevor asks.
“I don’t fucking know, but he’s burning up. Just get over here. Now. I have business to attend, but my guards will let you in.”
My ears perk up at the fact that he’s leaving, and Trevor glances my way.
I nod, giving him a silent answer, and he responds, “I’ll send my brother right over.”
The call ends.
“That dude is such a fucking prick. I want to shoot him myself.”
You and me both, brother.
He pins me with a stare. “Don’t go over there and do anything stupid to get your ass caught.”
“I wouldn’t fuck up everything I have worked for until I know the time is right.”
“I don’t know what you would do when it comes to her.” The look he gives me says, don’t even try to tell me differently because you know it's the truth.
And I don’t, because he’s right, so I tell him one truth I do know. “Luca will be there; he’ll have my back.”
“Exactly. So don’t blow his cover.”
I wouldn’t do that to Luca. We were initiated around the same time, and even though we didn’t get to train together since he was in New York and I was in Europe, we were paired for my first two assignments in the city. He had my back from day one, no questions asked. He bleeds hard for The Saints and any brother involved.
Luca is best friends with Nico’s son, Bishop. He grew up in this lifestyle, so he was never meant to be a doctor or lawyer like some of our other brothers. He was raised to be a protector…or a killer, when necessary.
He’s loyal to his core, and I wouldn’t want anyone else guarding Ashley. I was thankful when Nico agreed to have him on the inside. After Micah’s father was killed, he was agreeable to having someone not affiliated with Junior guarding his sister. With his vetting and Luca’s Italian heritage, it wasn’t difficult to get him into the fold.
“I wouldn’t do anything to put Ashley or Luca in danger,” I say, making my way toward Trevor’s guest room. “I’m going to shower and head that way. Did you pick up those new bags of vancomycin?”
He nods. “Yep, they’re in the medical fridge. Grab some IV acetaminophen too.”
It’s the strangest feeling I never expected as a doctor. Growing up, I was always a compassionate person and had a drive to help others. Now I couldn’t give two fucks about this asshole. All I care about is getting a glimpse of Ashley.
“Oh, and Nico called me earlier.”
That stops me in my tracks. I turn around as my brother continues. “He and Micah are going to sit down within the next week. I think Micah wants all-in at this point.”
He and my brother met through a mutual friend, and unbeknownst to them, their siblings were in love with each other. When Micah found out about Ashley and me, he took pity on me as the poor sap in love with his sister promised to another man. His main priority is Ashley, and that’s the reason he will always have my respect.
Micah was actually the one who went to my brother and told him to pull me into The Saints for my own protection. At the time, he was worried Gio was suspicious about Ashley seeing someone who wasn’t Junior. Come to find out, it was her father who was having us followed. He was the one who sent me the picture of her engagement. I now know their father couldn’t overpower Gio, so instead, he did what he thought he had to do to protect himself and his family, including Ashley. Of course, Micah didn’t tell me this until after I had moved to Europe. Not sure if it would have changed anything, but regardless, I needed to do it for her.
He had told me The Saints was my best chance at ever having the power to get Ashley back, but I had to swear never to interfere unless I had a damn good plan. One that wouldn’t put her in harm's way. Micah knows the history between Nico and his brother even more so than I do. He has a lot of respect for Nico, but he has always made it clear his loyalty lies with the mafia. As long as Ashley is safe, his hands are tied. However, when his father was murdered, that changed everything, which is why he helped us the night of the gala. His desire for the truth benefitted Nico’s motives and my chances of getting Ashley out of there.
If that’s even what she wants.
“Do you feel comfortable flushing the antibiotic when it's finished and disconnecting the tubing?” I ask Rebecca, the woman Junior apparently assigned to stay with Vito .
When I first got here, his fever was 102.5, so I ran some acetaminophen to bring it down over fifteen minutes. Then I showed Rebecca how to flush the line before reconnecting it to his antibiotics, which I have set to run over four hours.
She confidently nods. Since she seems like a nice woman, I have to bite my tongue to ask if she knows Ashley. Maybe she’s an ally to her within the dark walls of this home.
“Great, and I’ll be back tomorrow to give him another dose. We will update Mr. Santini, but the plan is for Vito to get the antibiotic every twenty-four hours for three days, at least.”
“Thank you, and do I continue giving him the pain medication every four hours?”
I nod. “I would, for the time being, while he is still healing.”
I wish it was Junior lying in this bed right now, at my mercy.
She opens the door, letting me out. “Can I make you a cup of coffee before you go?”
Not wanting her to walk me to the door just yet before I find a way to wander toward Ashley’s room, I agree to her offer.
I hear the low hum of her voice before I see her, the familiar words from Ashley’s lips taking me back to a different time.
A melancholy feeling washes over me, and I smile, watching Ashley dance barefoot in the sand to Lana del Ray’s “Young and Beautiful.”
How can I already miss this moment when it’s not even over yet?
The weight of this likely being our last trip to Nori Beach has hit me hard. But I signed up willingly for this reality. Even when she tried to warn me away.
“You’ll still love me even when I’m old and gray, right, baby?” she asks, pulling me up from where I'm sitting on the dropdown tailgate of my Jeep Wrangler .
The ache in my chest grows from dull to sharp at her question.
I lean down, kissing her forehead as we sway back and forth. “I’ll love you till my last breath.”
The smile slips from her face, and emotion clouds her beautiful blue eyes.
“I’ll love you even after that…” She places a kiss on my sun-kissed chest and whispers, “Maybe we will be reunited in heaven.”
At nineteen years old, her words have me wishing for the afterlife in a way I never thought I would.
“When I picture my heaven, you’re there.” I swallow, my throat thick with the turmoil running through my body. “But I want you to live your life here. I want you to be happy and safe, no matter what that looks like.”
She buries her head into my chest, holding me so tight her nails dig into my back.
A few moments later, she speaks again, barely above a whisper. “I’ll love you for eternity. I know there is so much out of our control, but one thing I do know is, I’ll always love you. Any time you think of me, just know I’m thinking of you.”
I hold her, staring up at the sky for answers, wishing there was something I could do to stop this.
I nod to the glow in the sky. “See that moon?”
With her head still on my chest, she peers up at the full moon, nodding against me.
“No matter how far apart we are, just look at that moon and know I’m somewhere looking at the exact same moon, thinking of you and loving you from wherever I am. You don’t know how many nights I’ve talked to the moon, wishing it was you.”
Her lips find mine, molding us together. The perfect fit of love and desire. Just like the first time I made love to her in this exact spot at the beach .
When we finally pull apart, my whispered words flutter across her beautifully flushed face. “I’ll love you for eternity, Ashley Castrovinci.”
The crash of her cup to the floor snaps me back to the present. Even though the memory is bittersweet, unlike the last time I saw her singing this song, her eyes are hollow, her lips are dry, and the light from her beautiful face is nowhere to be found.
“What are you doing here?” she whispers, and I see the way Rebecca is watching, concerned about Ashley’s reaction.
“Mrs. Santini, are you okay?” Rebecca asks, stepping toward Ashley until she looks down at Nori’s protective stance and reconsiders it.
Hearing her last name out loud has the color draining from my own face now.
“Yes, sorry.” Looking between the two of us, she recovers quickly when she notices my bag.
“Is Vito okay?”
Rebecca may believe Ashley’s words to be genuine, but I know her better than that. She’s covering up for her misstep; she gives less than two fucks about Vito’s well-being.
My phone chimes, and it's a text from Luca, who’s outside protecting the perimeter today.
Luca
You have about fifteen minutes until he and his convoy are back.
“I actually may not have time for that coffee.” Lifting my phone in Rebecca’s direction, I tell her, “I know Vito probably shouldn’t be left for long either. Thank you for the offer. Maybe tomorrow. ”
She smiles gently. “I’ll get back to him. Thank you. I’ll give you a call if I have any issues with his IV.”
“Sounds great, thank you,” I say to her as she walks out.
Making my way over to Ashley, who remains frozen like a deer in the headlights, I ask, “Where is your broom?”
She points to the closet off from the kitchen, still not turning to fully look at me.
Ashley stands in the same spot as I clean up her empty glass.
“Do you want me to make you a coffee?”
“No, I’ll do it. You should leave Trent,” she rushes out, tone devoid of emotion. Her demeanor is even more standoffish with me today than it was last week.
“I don’t want to leave. I came here to see you.”
Nori doesn’t growl as I step closer to her, but he doesn’t leave her side either. Good boy.
I gently grab her arm, trying to pull her toward me, but she resists. “Are you officially working with Trevor now?”
“Yes,” is all I say. I try to look into her eyes, but she refuses to meet my gaze.
“Then no… You came here to complete a job for my husband. Maybe there’s more to it, but I wouldn’t know, would I?”
I place both my hands on her shoulders, this time turning her toward me. “That’s not fair. I’ve tried talking to you. That’s why I invited you to the hotel. Why didn’t you co…” The words die on my lips when I brush the hair off her shoulder to get a better look .
Bruises. Fucking handprints, semi-covered by make-up, encapsulate her neck.
“Ashley,” I growl, blood running hot as I see red. “Who the fuck did this?”
She closes her eyes, and a single tear slips onto her cheek.
Tugging her into my embrace, I soften. “Baby, did he do this?”
Her body starts to shake, and eventually, she relaxes into me, and when she does, the dam breaks and her tears flood onto my shirt.
I count to ten, trying to put her needs before my own to murder the motherfucker. I wanted him dead for taking her from me, but now I want him terrorized, mutilated, and slaughtered for ever thinking it was okayto touch her.
And how many times has this happened?
I know now isn’t the right time to question this, so instead I ask, “Where was Nori?”
Ash picks her head up. “He made sure Nori wasn’t in the room. He always does.”
Always does… That guts me. I feel like I can’t breathe, as if the actual wind has been knocked out of my lungs.
“So to answer your question from the other day… No, Trent. I am the furthest thing from happy and haven’t been for a very long time.”
At that admission, I swear a little piece of me dies at the same time another piece comes alive. I hate everyone but her for the shit she’s had to endure, but now I’m even more determined to give Ashley that happiness we’ve been dreaming of.
I tuck her hair behind her ear, cupping her cheek. “Listen to me. If it's the last thing I do, I will get you out of this and free from him. For the time being, keep Nori as close as possible.”
At this point, she needs to know who her allies are. “Luca will protect you. His loyalty doesn’t lie with Junior, it lies with you. I’m going to get you a burner phone. Hide it in your sewing machine and only use it to call the number programmed in it.”
She stares at me, wide-eyed.
“Do you hear me?” I press, needing some kind of response from her.
Ashley nods slowly, taking in my words.
“I promise I’ll explain everything, but know it was all for you.” I kiss her forehead, lingering there for a moment. “Every. Single. Thing was for you.”
“He’s almost home. I’m going to have Luca come inside. But I have to leave. If I see him…” I swallow, reaching for my gun that I don’t have, since, in the eyes of Junior’s guards, I’m just a doctor who makes house calls for criminals. It’s probably a good thing… I want to blow his fucking brains out and make his best friend eat them at this point.
I hold her chin, making sure she completely comprehends what I am telling her. “But I mean it, Ashley, use the phone. If he comes at you again, use the phone.”
I bend down to Nori. “Protect Mama, just like we trained you to.”
Ashley gasps, and before she has time to ask me any questions, I pick up her hand that’s resting on Nori’s head and kiss her fingertips.
“I’ll see you soon, Doll,” I whisper, letting her hand fall away from mine as I leave.
Walking out to my car, I barely open the door before I’m vomiting all over the ground. Thoughts of what he may be doing to her wreak havoc on my mind and nervous system. Luca appears at my side as I start striding back toward the house on shaky legs.
Fuck this, I’m taking her with me.
“T. Be smart and think this through. I promise I’ll increase my security on her. If you take her right now, she’ll never live a life where she isn’t looking over her shoulder, and she’ll never forgive you. You know the son of a bitch will kill Micah, her mother, and the rest of her family and friends, including yours too.”
Groaning, I pull on my hair, so frustrated with the corner I’m backed into. The corner of my nightmare I’ve been living in for the past three years, but unfortunately, it just got a whole hell of a lot darker.
I barely get my words out, enough to make sure he understands what I need from him inside that house. And exactly how this changes every-fucking-thing.
With every muscle in my body tense and reluctant to leave her, I fly out of the driveway, calling Micah immediately. He picks up on the second ring, and I don’t give him a greeting. Instead, I’m barking down the line.
“She’s living in hell, Micah.”
“W-what?” Micah’s more unsure than I’ve ever heard him. He should be. How the fuck did he not know this was going down?
“He’s hurting her, and God only knows what else. Get her the fuck out of there!” I practically scream .
“What the fuck do you mean, hurting her ?” His words sound pained, but I don’t give a fuck. She’s my only concern right now.
“I saw the bruises. And fuck, it’s taking everything in me not to do something about this right this second. I need to see her this week. I mean it. Find a way to get her to me so she can know what’s going on. We need her to understand.”
“Okay, okay, fuck. I’ve noticed he’s been more of a dick around her since our father died… but I didn’t realize it was to this extent. Do you think he’s been doing this all along?”
“I don’t know. I can’t even think about that. I’m so fucked up over this. She didn’t ask for this. She doesn’t deserve any of this.”
“I know. I promise I’ll do whatever I can do. I did find out today that Junior’s going to Italy sooner than expected. His issues with the Russians have the families in Italy down his throat and in his business. He has to go over there and save face to keep their support.” His words provide a small sense of relief for Ashley’s safety as well as the possibility of this allowing me more time with her and more time for Nico’s plans to fall into place.
“Good. Get her to me. I’ll be at Hotel Luxure tomorrow.”
“Okay. I’m going to kill that motherfucker myself if this shit goes sideways.
“Not if I get to him first. Pick up that burner phone we discussed…tonight,” I demand, before hanging up and heading to our private shooting range. I have to blow off some of this rage somehow.
I call my brother, and thankfully, he picks up. I feel so out of control.
“I need you. Meet me at the range.”