26. Dominic
TWENTY-SIX
DOMINIC
Three hours .
That’s all it took for my day to fall apart. I’d silenced my phone—twelve missed calls, all from the same number. By the time I left the meeting with my attorney, Frank’s wife had left a voicemail that could’ve peeled the paint off my car.
“ How dare you? Christmas is around the corner. What am I supposed to tell my kids? One of you monsters put my Frank in the hospital. I know you had something to do with it. You’re always making him stay late ? — ”
She didn’t stop. Kept going for two solid minutes, ranting about how everything wrong with her life was somehow my fault. Apparently, Frank had been dropping my name every time he wanted to escape the house. I have to stay late. My boss needs me.
Coward.
I couldn’t blame her for hating me.
The hospital waiting room was a miserable place. Fluorescent lights buzzed, and the air smelled like antiseptic and bad coffee. The cheap chairs were packed with people.
Frank’s wife sat by the door, clutching a tissue. Mousy brown hair hung limp around her blotchy face. Her head snapped up when I walked in.
“ You .”
I stopped a few paces from her. “Mrs. Tomasetti.”
She stood. “How dare you show your face here?”
“I came to check on him,” I said evenly. “To make sure he’s being taken care of.”
Her lip curled. “Don’t pretend you care about my husband. This is your fault.”
I didn’t argue. What was the point? It wouldn’t change the fact that her husband was in a hospital bed with his face rearranged. Frank was an idiot. He’d probably run his mouth to the wrong man.
“You treat your men like pawns. Frank works late, he misses birthdays, anniversaries—for you. And this is what he gets?” She wiped her face. “Do you know what I told my kids? I told them their daddy fell because he slipped on ice.”
Thanks a lot, Frank. “The doctors will do everything they can. I’ll make sure of it.”
She blinked. I reached out, patting her hand. “Let me handle this, Mrs. Tomasetti. Frank’s going to be fine.”
Her chin wobbled, and the tears started again. I stood there and let her hold my hand like I wasn’t the last person she should’ve trusted.
I stayed for two minutes longer, pretending to care about a man I couldn’t stand. Then I walked past her and into the hall.
The hospital room door groaned when I opened it. Frank was sprawled in bed, looking like a bag of meat someone had stomped on. His left eye was swollen shut, the purple so dark it bordered on black. Bandages covered his nose and lip, and he wheezed.
I wanted to laugh.
Frank’s one good eye tracked me. “The hell are you doing here?”
I shut the door behind me. “Checking in.”
“On what? Your boy’s handiwork?”
My jaw ticked, but I forced myself to stay calm. Luca had done this? How did he even have time ? I just left his apartment. I checked my phone. Nothing. I texted Luca.
I heard about Frank.
Are you alright?
He didn’t reply right away, so I slipped the phone in my jacket, glaring at Frank. “What the hell happened?”
“He came to the bar and started some shit.”
I sneered at him. “Out of the blue?”
“Yeah. He showed up and went ballistic .”
That does sound like Luca . “Well, you must’ve said something to deserve it.”
“I said nothing! He kept going on about my texts to you.”
I sighed, rubbing my face. I loved Luca and his unhinged jealousy, but it could cause me problems. Loose cannons weren’t good for business. If the boss found out that a rookie had done this to a high-earner, there would be trouble.
I shrugged. “He’s very protective.”
“Is that all you have to say to me?”
“You did this to yourself. Luca gave you plenty of warning. He’s not the type of guy you can fuck around with.”
“He could’ve killed me.”
“I’m here to smooth this over before you do something stupid.”
Frank laughed bitterly. “You mean putting down that psycho?”
“ Hey . Don’t talk crazy.”
“He’s dangerous. You’re an idiot if you can’t see that.”
I walked to the side of his bed. “He’s dangerous to you .”
“I didn’t deserve this.”
“Look, I’ll pay for your goddamn medical bills.”
His lips curled. “That’s supposed to placate me?”
“It should,” I said darkly. “But clearly, you’re feeling real brave from the safety of this hospital bed.”
Frank’s good eye narrowed. “You’re protecting him. Why’s that, Dom? Is it because he’s your fucktoy?”
“ Watch your mouth .”
Frank sneered. “Luca all but said he was riding your dick.”
Shock flew through me. “He did?”
“Yeah, and you’re standing here while he picks fights like a rabid dog. That’s your new man? The Bratva’s little pet?”
I grabbed the rails of the hospital bed. “You want to talk about Luca like that again? Go ahead. I’ll rip that IV out and choke you with it.”
Frank paled. “Jesus?—”
“I don’t give a fuck if Luca knocked your teeth down your throat. You got off easy.” My hand gripped the bedrail so tightly it creaked. “I can make what Luca did to you look like foreplay. ”
“Dom—”
“Shut the fuck up. You breathe about this to anyone, and I’ll personally see to it that you’re buried so deep, no one will ever find the body. You understand me?”
Frank’s hand fisted the sheet.
I stepped back. Frank wouldn’t dare take this higher. The coward liked to bark but always tucked in his tail when someone bared their teeth.
I turned to leave. “One more thing.”
Frank flinched.
“Call him a dog again, and you’ll be eating your meals through a straw for the rest of your life.”
“Luca, open the damn door.”
It creaked open just enough to reveal him standing there, shirt rumpled, bruised jaw shadowed in the dim light of the hallway.
“Dom?”
I pushed the door open farther and stepped inside. “You gonna let me in, or are we doing this in the hall?”
Luca stepped aside, wordless.
I scanned the room as I entered. A half-empty vodka bottle sat on the counter, its cap missing. His jacket was crumpled on the couch.
Luca shut the door. “What do you want, Dominic?”
“I want to know what the hell is wrong with you.” I turned fully to face him. “You put Frank in the hospital.”
He leaned against the counter. “And?”
“ And? You almost killed him.”
Luca shrugged. “He ran his mouth. I shut it.”
“That’s your excuse?” I strode closer, heat building in my chest. “He’s not the only one who’s gonna pay for that shit. You think the boss won’t hear about it?”
Luca didn’t flinch. “I can handle it.”
“You can’t handle it, Luca!” My voice cracked as I stepped closer, close enough to see the fresh cuts on his knuckles. “One day, you’ll swing at the wrong guy, and it’ll be the last move you make.”
“I didn’t ask you to clean up my mess.”
“You don’t have to ask! I’m the one standing between you and a bullet every goddamn day, whether you like it or not!”
He looked at me. “Why?”
I exhaled slowly. “Because someone has to care about you, Luca. Clearly, you don’t give a shit about yourself.”
Something flickered across his face. He turned away from me, walking toward the window. “You don’t know me.”
“I know you’re not not the guy who drinks himself stupid and throws his life away over some jealous rage.”
Luca’s back was to me, his fists clenching.
I softened. “What’s going on with you?”
“Nothing.”
“Bullshit.”
His voice was quieter now, colder. “I said it’s nothing.”
“Luca…” I stepped closer, willing him to say anything that’d make sense of this mess. “You don’t have to do this alone.”
He turned his head, his expression hollow. “You should leave.”
I froze. “What?”
“You’ve said what you needed to say. I get it.”
He wasn’t lashing out. He was shutting down.
I stared at him. “Why are you doing this?”
Luca didn’t answer. He just stood there, staring out the window like I wasn’t in the room.
“Look at me,” I said softly.
He didn’t.
“You’re pushing me away, again? Really, Luca?”
Luca didn’t move.
I watched him, waiting for something that would prove me wrong. That he wasn’t pulling so far away I couldn’t reach him.
He gave me nothing.
“Fine.” I cleared my throat. “You don’t want me here? Say it to my face.”
Luca glanced at me. “I don’t want you here.”
The words punched through me, but I didn’t flinch. I turned for the door, my pulse pounding. I reached for the handle and paused. Luca still stared out the window, his silhouette a lonely outline.
You’re going to get yourself killed. Do you even care?
I swallowed hard and stepped out of the apartment.
The air outside felt colder. I sat in my car, staring up at his apartment window. I ran a hand down my face, my chest aching. I thought I could keep him safe, but this fight wasn’t with Frank or even the damned Bratva. Luca struggled with an identity he didn’t understand. I couldn’t be the one to sort through his problems, nor could I be the one to feed his delusions. He had to figure himself out first.
I loved him, but maybe walking away was the only way to help him.
I sat there, staring up at that window, wondering how much more of him I could lose before it broke me, too.