26. A Full-Service Guy
CHAPTER 26
A FULL-SERVICE GUY
I sabella
The warm summer sun bores down on my bare shoulders, and I draw in a breath, forcing myself to enjoy this moment of peace. The first week at Policlinico Gemelli raced by in a rush of sleepless nights, endless cups of espresso and adrenaline. Every day swept me further into a whirlwind of raw emotions and a relentless pace. Even today, on my first day off, the staccato beeps of heart monitors echo through my mind, each one a reminder of the stakes.
My hands, once unsure and tremulous, moved with a purpose I didn't know I possessed a week ago. The small, trusting faces of my patients both break my heart and bolster my resolve; their resilience in the face of pain teaches me more about bravery than I could have imagined. I've barely had time to reflect, caught up in the immediacy of blood draws, comforting scared children, and decoding doctors' orders on the fly.
Despite the exhaustion that creeps into my bones day in and day out, a sense of fulfillment anchors me through the chaos. I know I am exactly where I’m meant to be. The thought is sobering and all together terrifying.
I draw in another breath and flip the page of the romance novel I’ve been pretending to read on the rooftop balcony for the last thirty minutes, but the words all blur in the swirl of thoughts ravaging my mind.
Would nine-year old Marcello be able to play calcio again after that broken leg?
And what about twelve-year old Graciela? Would that hole they found in her heart lead to another stroke?
All the patients’ anxious faces tumble through my mind and their parents? Dio , speaking to them is the worst. As interns, we don’t do the talking, but we are still forced to stand there and observe. To see their faces crumble, tears spring to their eyes, when the prognosis is bad, is pure torture.
My entire life I’d wanted to be a doctor, to heal instead of harm, and now, the reality of it is finally settling in. Would I be strong enough to endure it?
“What’s wrong, principessa ? That vein across your forehead is dancing the tango.” The asshole smirks from his lounge chair, only exacerbating my annoyance as he tips his sunglasses up to perch atop his messy locks.
On a positive note, he completely distracts me from my existential crisis. “Shouldn’t you be monitoring the perimeter?” I bark. “Since when do you ever sit down, let alone relax?”
“Today is my day off.”
My eyes nearly bulge out of my head. That would explain the glistening abs and swim shorts. I’ve been trying my hardest not to ogle his perfect form, but I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t been sneaking in little covert peeks whenever I have the chance. Besides the carved muscles, I’ve noticed at least a dozen scars. Bullet wounds, long since healed-over gashes from blades and who knew what else? Dio , what has this man been through?
In all the months since Raf started working for me, he’s never taken a day off. And now I feel like the asshole because it never even dawned on me until this moment.
He ticks his head over his shoulder to a guard in all black standing by the door that leads downstairs. “Aldo will be covering for me today.”
I eye the familiar man with the long nose and silver strands glistening through his dark hair. He’s been one of Papà’s men since before I was born. “Then why are you still here?”
He shrugs. “What can I say, I’m a work-a-holic.”
“Obviously.”
“So will Aldo be accompanying me to the party tonight?”
“What party?” He shoots up from the lounge chair and the seatback drops with a clang.
“I told you all the interns were meeting up for an aperitivo tonight.”
“Shit,” he mutters as he reaches for his phone. “I have it in my calendar for tomorrow night.”
“The infallible Raffaele Ferrara made a mistake?” I gasp dramatically. “It cannot be!”
“It’s this time zone difference, it’s screwing up my calendar.”
“Whatever you say.” I shoot him a teasing grin because it’s so rare to see him flustered, and I just can’t help myself.
“Doesn’t matter, I’ll be escorting you tonight.” He stretches back out across the lounger, and I can’t help my eyes from trailing over the canvas of ink across his chest and the rippling muscles beneath. Since we’ve been living together, I’ve become intimately acquainted with his grueling workout routine. It’s no wonder the man is sculpted like a Roman god.
Despite his best efforts at training me, my body is nowhere near his perfection.
“It’s really not necessary,” I finally squeeze out once I’ve unglued my eyes from his torso. Another night out with my wickedly tempting bodyguard while drinking sounds like trouble.
“It’s fine, I can take a few hours off tomorrow to make up for it.”
“Oh, good since I’ll have my date with Massimo then.”
He releases a string of curses that has Aldo flinching from the corner of my eye. “Never mind,” he grits out. “I don’t need the time off.” He sits up again, resting his forearms on his knees. Despite his attempt at cool and collected, his foot is twitching, vibrating all the way up his muscled thigh. “Do you really think it’s a good idea to get involved with a professor, let alone the the head of the internship program?”
“I never said we were getting involved,” I bite back. I only used the word date to rile him up.
“Well, it’s clear he wants to fuck you.”
This time the gasp that slips out is entirely real. Not that I didn’t notice Massimo flirting, but I hadn’t expected Raf to be so blunt about it. “How would you know?”
“Because I’m familiar with the look.” Those dark eyes raze over my bikini, drinking me in inch by inch. I squirm beneath that heated stare, squeezing my thighs to keep the unwanted surge of heat at bay.
“And what if I want to fuck him too?” The question spills out because apparently, I don’t have an ounce of common sense or a sliver of self-preservation.
“Careful, principessa ,” he growls, deep and low under his breath so Aldo can’t hear.
“What? You said you had all the students and staff checked out, so he’s safe right?”
“Safe to be within your presence with me at your side.” He leans closer, scooting to the edge of the chair. “Not for his cock to be anywhere near you.”
“Is my father paying you extra for this?” I hiss, matching his stance at the edge of the lounger. “Did he tell you not to allow me to date?” My father’s overprotectiveness I’ve grown to expect and understand even, but my bodyguard’s? This is just too much.
Mom knows about my virginal status, had she told Papà ? Worst, had he told Raf? Oh, Dio , I’d die of mortification if he’d been sent to protect my purity.
“He didn’t say it in so many words, no…”
“But?”
“But protecting you means keeping you safe from all of it, Isabella. I’ve told you before, I’m a full-service kind of guy.”
“So are you going to fuck me then too?”
Aldo’s wide eyes snap in our direction, and a rush of heat blankets my cheeks. Shit !
“Yes, of course, I’ll tuck you in, too, Bella,” Raf practically shouts in the guard’s direction. Aldo’s expression visibly calms, and he resumes his pacing of the rooftop’s perimeter. Then Raf fixes his wild eyes on me, nostrils flaring. “Are you trying to get me fired?” he snarls. “You’ll be on the first jet back to Manhattan, if you do.”
“What good is being here if I can’t do anything?”
“What do you mean anything? You go to work every day, I’m letting you go to the damned party, and I’ll even let you go on your date with that snobby professor. But I’m with you at all times.”
I shake my head, irritation heavy on my brow. “It’s not fair, Raf. I deserve to have some sort of privacy.” Lowering my voice still more I whisper, “And a sex life.”
He heaves out an exasperated breath, dragging his hand through his hair. “You’re going to be the death of me, you know that?”
“But what a way to go, right?” I toss him a smirk before settling back into the lounger and burying my nose in my book. I need to hook up with someone tonight, anyone to get Raf out of my head.
The twinkling lights of Rome reflect off the smooth surface of the Tiber River as we approach the designated meet-up spot, RiverBar. As the name suggests, the open terrace overlooks the river, offering stunning views of the water and the cityscape beyond. I’m so entranced by the beautiful scene, I pay little attention to the grumpy guard beside me.
He steps ahead of me, holding the door open and the swanky bar stretches out before me with artistic light fixtures and exposed brick walls. The atmosphere buzzes with energy, a familiar energy I haven’t felt since that night at The Velvet Vault. For an instant, I’m transported to Manhattan, to my cousin’s bar, huddled beneath the table as shots pepper the air.
Squeezing my eyes closed, I push back the dark memories of what comes next, refusing to drown in the pools of blood tonight. Dio , I miss them, my brother Vinny, Serena and Matty, even Alessia and Alessandro… They may drive me crazy, but there’s nothing like family.
“You okay?” Raf’s breath skates across my ear, jerking me to the present. He leans in, and a single finger laces around my own. The darkness recedes in the space of a heartbeat, his presence offering a depth of comfort that surprises me.
“Umhmm,” I murmur, my eyes dropping to our entwined fingers. All this time and I’ve never mentioned that night at the club. Did he remember the few words we’d exchanged before the chaos began? One day I’d ask.
“Isabella, over here!” A familiar voice lifts my gaze to the archway behind the bar and the outdoor seating area. Massimo motions us over to a cluster of high tables and large comfy sofas right along the riverbank.
Raf unwinds his finger from my own, shifting his hand to the small of my back. With a gentle nudge, he steers me through the doorway. The outdoor seating area is a chic arrangement of minimalist furniture and subtle lighting coupled with smooth beats from the DJ, creating an inviting ambiance.
Massimo strides toward us, and I can visibly see Raf tense, from the sharpening of his jaw to the narrowing of his eyes and the sudden broadening of his stance. “ Ciao , Isabella, so glad you made it.” Despite my bodyguard’s murderous glare, my professor nears, delivering the infamous double-cheek kiss. Brave man .
A deep growl vibrates the air, and it sounds like it comes from the darkest pits of hell, but judging by the ripple in Raf’s throat, the animalistic snarl must have come from him.
Massimo laces his arm through mine and Raf’s hand slips from my back and winds around my waist, anchoring me to his side. My professor tugs, but I’m trapped against a wall of unyielding muscle.
“Raf!” I hiss.
Instead of releasing me, he moves forward begrudgingly so that I’m now wedged between the two males like a damned chew toy.
Yeah, this is going to be fun…