Chapter 17
Romero leaned in the doorframe of their bedroom, taking a deep drag of his cigarette. He blew out of his nose, then repeated until it was nothing but a stump. He still burned with white hot rage like the bullet that nearly entered his arm. He still didn”t know how he didn”t feel it at first, chalking it up to pure adrenaline.
His doctor looked over a distraught Lucrezia, who required a sedative to calm down upon his arrival.
The older man beckoned Romero to sit beside him and address the graze wound once Lucrezia was comfortably sleeping in bed.
Romero sat and allowed him to examine the injury.
Doc was the only man Romero would think to call in a time like this. He had been a trustworthy friend of the Mancini family before Romero was even born. Hell, he delivered him and saw to every medical need through child and adulthood.
The balding man adjusted his spectacles to get a closer look at the bandaged wound, moving Romero’s arm this way and that until he winced with pain.
”Thank you for coming on such short notice, Doc,” he thanked him without looking at him.
”My pleasure, son. I’m sorry, but this will hurt like a bitch.” The doctor unwrapped the gauze and began cleaning the opening, clicking his tongue.
Romero pinched his face in pain, biting the inside of his cheek.
”Good news, you”ll live. Bad news, looks like someone wants you dead, boy.”
”Yeah, no shit.” Romero pulled his discarded jacket from the floor and procured his flask, deciding he needed something stronger than the nicotine.
”It isn”t just me, Doc.”
”I know, I saw the gunman”s handiwork on the side of the car when I pulled up. That’s where your lady was going to sit, wasn’t it?”
Romero hung his head, ignoring the burning pain of whatever solution the doctor was using to clean his arm.
”This close. We were this close.” He pinched his two fingers together. ”I almost fucking lost her.”
He scrubbed his hand over his tired eyes.
”But you didn”t. From what Tony told me, you both acted quickly. And now, you move forward.”
”There is no moving forward. This needs to be stopped. Now. I won”t risk my wife”s safety. Only then can we move forward.”
Romero glared in the doctor”s lenses.
”What if she had been pregnant? What if-”
Romero slapped his thigh, willing those disgusting thoughts away. He knew full well if he dwelled, he”d never sleep.
Then again, he didn”t mind not sleeping if it meant that there would never be an attempt on Lucrezia”s life ever again.
”Romero, forgive me. But this is the life she signed up for. She married you knowing full well of-”
”No, she didn”t. She didn”t sign up for any of this!”
Romero glared at his reflection in the mirror with hate and fire in his eyes. He hated Carlo Russo for getting her into this mess with his gambling. He hated himself for expediting her involvement in this life. He hated himself for putting her in harm”s way every minute that she was his wife.
But he wanted her from the moment he saw her. He needed her warmth surrounding him like he needed air. He needed her in his house, in his bed, everywhere, all around him. And he felt no more than a selfish prick for doing this to her.
Even more so because he could never let her go.
”You”re a good husband, Romero. A good provider. You do everything you can and more to ensure the people you love are safe. That”s more than your uncle and your father ever did, I can tell you that much.”
The doctor began stitching the wound, making Romero flinch in pain.
But he was correct. Romero promised himself that no one he loved would ever be physically hurt as long as he was the boss.
Emotional hurt, it seemed, he couldn”t promise.
Romero frowned as he reached back and stroked Lucrezia under the blankets.
Doc finished up on his arm, taking his leave once he was sure the both of them sustained no other injuries.
Romero saw him out the door, then returned to their bed where Lucrezia slept peacefully.
He pulled the covers back and climbed in with her, biting back the ache of lying on his left arm as he pulled her closer to him. Her body was curled up in a tight ball.
She barely made a peep, but somehow felt more relaxed once Romero folded himself perfectly against her.
Whether or not she could hear him, Romero didn”t care. He dipped his lips to her ear and ran his hand up and down her shoulder.
”Daddy”s here, sweet heart. I”m here. I won”t let anything happen to you. Never again. I love you.”