by V. F. Mason
Leaning down, I gave her quick peck on the cheek and hugged her close for several seconds. “Love you, sis!” She jerked at this as she usually did, and I darted outside, but not before shouting over my shoulder, “Call me!” With that, I escaped to the one place where no one expected me to be someone I wasn’t, and in those rare moments there, my lungs breathed freely without the heavy weight of an unpleasant future weighing heavily on my shoulders.
Conductor
Gazing at the mirror, I tried to study my reflection critically while the bathtub filled with water, and bubbles formed, releasing the aroma of lavender into the air.
The silky black robe slid down my skin, leaving me standing nude and allowing the harsh light to expose my perfect body. The right shape, size, form. At least according to all those glamour magazines lying around the house.
Lifting my finger, I traced my full lips and high cheekbones, wondering what Rosa Giovanni had that I lacked? Why had Dominic lost his head just casting his eyes on her picture, while meeting me did nothing for him?
She couldn't understand him on the level I did. We shared a common past, we could bond, and we could have a perfect little heaven with each other.
People like Rosa Giovanni didn't belong in our world.
A memory of his rejection still stung, playing like an old black and white movie in my head.
Moscow certainly had an appeal I didn't expect. Snow fell all over me, as I swirled around, lifting my arms wide. The snowflakes lightly touched my skin and melted on my tongue while my light coat barely offered any warmth.
As I stood in the middle of Arbat Street with people passing me and nudging me when I stubbornly refused to move, I couldn't have been happier. The air in Russia was different, almost setting me free, and closing my eyes, I inhaled it, feeling almost like a normal human being.
And then a husky voice snapped me out of my haze, and my gaze clashed with the most handsome and dangerous man I had ever seen. Blinking a few times, I thought for a second he was a dream, a figment of my imagination, but here he stood. Frowning, he asked, “Eugenia?”
Nodding, since I had to give everyone here my fake name as my father had insisted, I regretted not wearing something more appealing so he could have a better look at me. The hat on my hair, long scarf, and wide sunglasses, which covered up a black eye, didn't give away anything of my beauty. “Yes.”
“The business is finished with Vasya. I need to take you back to the car.” He motioned behind him to the black Volvo, where the driver stood holding the door open for me, probably to escort me back to the airport.
“I—” My mind hectically searched for something to prolong this conversation to allow this dark prince to understand me or have some kind of reaction to me, but he had already spun around, not caring in the least for my wellbeing.
In a few minutes, I was inside the comfortable car as the lights of the city at night flickered in the window, while I wondered about the stranger.
Later on, I used all my hacker skills to get to know his past. What I found brought me to my knees, as I cried for him, knowing what it was like living at the mercy of hungry men who touched you without permission with their filthy hands. My life had new meaning for two years as I obsessively stalked the man, making sure his heart didn't belong to anyone.
But then I was momentarily distracted as I found Rosa Giovanni to be alive after her kidnapping, and then they had met.
And he wanted her.
Once again, someone preferred that bitch to me, and I couldn't forgive it.
Shaking my head from the haze before the unreasonable madness would take over, I dipped my toe in the hot water and, liking the temperature, slid inside and rested my back against the bathtub, groaning in satisfaction as it eased the sore muscles in my back.
Somehow, all the contacts I had used before were either dead or stayed silent. No one seemed to be able to help me in this battle.
It looked like the ultimate punishment would have to come from my hands.
Couldn't fucking wait for that.
Rosa
“All done.” The little boy clutched the teddy bear tighter to his chest, as he examined his little finger with a green Mickey Mouse Band-Aid.
“No pain?” he asked it almost accusingly while his parents groaned. They still felt embarrassed over the incident that had happened earlier. They hadn't stopped apologizing ever since.
Ben Walker was one of the sweetest patients Dr. Bellucci had on the pediatric floor; he was a little fighter. The boy was diagnosed with kidney cancer a few months ago, but thankfully in time for treatment to help him. He went through chemo and had to have his blood checked regularly, but his constant fear of it made the procedure difficult to say the least. He’d cry, shout, curse, and spit on the medic until he’d be weak enough for us to do the procedure. Only my promises seemed to calm him down, and that was why they permanently attached me to him for injections or any nurse-related stuff.
Digging my hand into my pocket, I took out a cherry sucker I’d put in there just for him, and his eyes lit up. “My favorite!” he squealed, wrapped his tiny fingers around it, opened up the paper, and started to devour it at once.
His mother smiled tiredly at me. “Thank you.” Patting her arm gently, I shook my head and exited the room as a lump rose in my throat at the thought of what they had to go through. Illness of one’s child destroyed the parent, as they were completely helpless against the diseases.
Placing the tablet with patients’ information back on the administrative desk, I squeezed my nape, groaning at the soreness in my neck. After almost six hours of standing or running around floors, I could really use some coffee to boost my energy.
Matilda, the head nurse, without taking her attention from the computer where she was typing, asked, “Rough night, huh?”
Nodding, I wondered if maybe I should go grab something to eat as well. The dinner at home wasn't very filling. “Yep.” She gave me a sympathetic look then, making sure no one watched us, opened up the cupboard on her desk, and threw a pack of M&Ms my way. I caught it just in time before it hit my face. The woman had no aim, seriously.
“You didn't get it from me. Leon already is hard on my ass about all the sweets.”
I laughed, remembering her husband who decided to lose weight several months ago, and Matilda, as his supporting wife, joined his quest. There was just one problem; she couldn't live without sugar. She was such a good soul. She constantly shared her stash with us girls when we needed a little boost.
“Thank you!” I popped the yellow one in my mouth, enjoying the taste, when my pager beeped.
The peace didn't last long, but then again in the hospital, it never did. “Gotta go!” Putting the sweets back on the desk, I rushed downstairs, as the call came from the ER. Making it in record time, I almost bumped chests with Nick, who was the head trauma surgeon. “Hey, you paged?”
He motioned for me to follow him. He threw the curtain open, and my rapid breathing from running caught in my throat as my eyes clashed with perfect amber pools that possessively ran over my form.
Who would have thought I’d meet Dominic Konstantinov again so soon? He was in the company of Vitya and some lean, blond guy who studied me as if I was a ghost while his mouth hung open. Not dwelling much on his weird reaction, I focused my attention on the young man lying on the bed who bawled loudly.
“He’s been in a fight. Broken ribs and nose, no internal bleeding,” Nick explained, while checking out his stomach. “It’s soft, but I’d like him to have an MRI. We will have an operating room ready for me just in case.” He whistled to Antony, who joined us. “Help me take him to examination.”
Frowning, I asked, “Why not me?”
Pointing at Dom, he explained, “This man needs his bruises tended to. Please see to it.” They left with the bed, leaving me standing with three men. Only then I noticed the split lip, bloody knuckles, and God knows what under that shirt of his, hugging him like second skin and exposing a s
ix-pack that begged to be touched.
Mind out of the gutter, girl.
I pulled back another curtain with an empty bed and patted it. Thankfully we’d had quite a peaceful night in the ER, so I had the space and time to see to his wounds. “Please sit.” His mouth opened as if to protest, but then he closed it and did what I asked. Under his intense stare, goose bumps ran through me, and subconsciously I wanted to tug at my scrubs or change them all together. No way did I want to stand in front of him smelling of kids’ vomit with my hair wild all over the place and a makeup-free face. What female would?
I put on gloves and proceeded to treat his wounds with antiseptic and a cream to soothe the bruises since he had nothing broken. Truth be told, the only reason I even did it was, as betraying as it sounded to Oliver, I longed to feel his hot skin against mine even if for just a second.
The moment I did, electricity ran through us, making me gasp as my body jolted with an awareness I didn't know existed, and at the same time, his eyes blazed with desire.
Maybe I shouldn't have done it after all, as life got a hell of a lot more complicated.
Dominic
Fuck me for choosing this hospital of all places, knowing full well Rosa worked here. However, after a conversation with Vito, my enforcers made sure to inform me the kid had no time to spare and we had to treat him fast. Vito just shrugged, saying he didn't do charity and the kid knew what he got into. We couldn't take care of them all. That might be so, but fuck if I was going to leave him there. Unfortunately, the underground fighting place was twenty minutes away from this hospital, and I braced myself for seeing my love again, although I’d probably scared her more than win her over.
After I had discovered the existence of Angelica Rossi, Anton was sent to Florence and immediately put on duty to watch her every day, every damn second. He would have daily reports for me with where she went, what she ate and liked. He attached various photos too, but I tried not to study those, because if she wasn't my Rosa… I didn’t want to waste this much energy on some random woman. Anton became a shadow that was always there to protect her in case she was mine.
And mine she was.
Here she was, wearing her pink scrubs that only gave a hint of her gorgeous assets, but at the same time looked incredibly sexy on her. I wanted to rip them away and run my palms over her smooth flesh. Her shiny black hair was put in a ponytail, while her makeup-free face aside from mascara on her lashes emphasized the hazel in her eyes.
I almost closed my eyes when her fingers, even gloved, touched my skin and a barely audible gasp escaped her. God, the way she looked at me, as if she craved me without understanding why, killed and awakened my heated heart at the same time. She wanted me. Her body or maybe subconscious recognized me as hers, even if her mind rebelled at the idea, since those folks brainwashed her with the pathetic story of Angelica Rossi.
At least I had that, if nothing else, but with a hospital full of people and the whole history, I couldn't act on my feelings and needs.
“What happened to him?” Her softly spoken words snapped me out of the haze created by her closeness. I cleared my throat and shifted on the seat to hide my growing arousal.
“Street fight.” She winced as she picked up the Band-Aid and placed it on my finger. I’d have to rip off this thing the minute we separated. What kind of man walked around with this when he had one little bruise?
“They should ban those.”
A smile spread on my mouth, more of a grimace. My naïve Rose. “It’ll never end. Sometimes you have to learn to protect yourself no matter what.”
She lifted her eyes from my hand and our gazes clashed, her hazel eyes full of curiosity. Licking her dry lips that she must had bitten relentlessly, if the small patch of puckered skin on it was anything to go by, she asked, “Did you have to do it a lot?”
The flashbacks of my years of captivity played in front of me, and then years on the streets. As much as people hurt me, I learned to fight back, but only when Radmir had taught me. Who knew? Maybe if I’d had these skills all along, life would have been different. Although what kid at the age of six knew this shit? Dwelling on it was a moot point. “Yes.”
She opened her mouth, clearly wanting to say something, but a push from behind her from some angry kid who fought his nurse cut her off. Opening my knees wider, she came between them while my right arm wrapped around her waist. She dug her nails into my shoulder, our lips a few inches away from each other.
She hissed, coming in direct contact with my hard-on, but didn't move away. The light puffs of air coming from her were rapid, as if she clung desperately for control, but why, I had no clue. All I could concentrate on was the familiar fragrance of lavender and roses that always surrounded her.
“I’m so sorry, Angelica,” the brunette woman said from behind her, but we paid no attention. Our eyes didn’t let go of one another, all the while her pulse beat rapidly on her neck. Lowering my gaze, I had a good look at her scars left by the blazing fire she was found in, and I couldn't help but rub my fingers along the puckered flesh, as my lips craved to soothe it with my every touch and kiss. I needed her to have no doubt that she was as desirable to me as before.
“You,” she whispered, and for a second, nothing existed in this moment but us. The hospital sounds and people around faded away. But just like that, it ended, with a doctor snapping the curtain open, a tablet in his hands.
He raised his brow at us, and Rosa pushed back, folding her arms while he shrugged and started to speak. “I’m here to update you regarding your nephew.”
Glancing over my shoulder, I nodded in appreciation to Vitya and Michael, who probably came up with the backstory. These hospitals wanted to give nothing away unless you were family.
“He is in OR 1, and we will contact you once we have some news. I need you to come with me and fill in the paperwork for him.”
“Michael.” Without even a second, my assistant followed the doc outside, but not before winking at Rosa. “Nice to meet you, Angelica.”
She frowned for a second, but then a wide smile spread on her face. “You too.”
Michael blew a kiss to Vitya, who gave zero reaction and disappeared behind curtains. “I will handle some phone calls,” Vitya said, and with a nod to us, left too, leaving me alone with my woman. He must have felt the sexual tension in the air as well, and didn’t want to be part of that.
Good.
I felt the snap of her gloves as she removed them, threw them away into the bin, and pushed the strands of her hair behind her ear. “All done. You can join them now.”
She tried to step around me, but I grabbed her wrists. She hissed as I spun her around to face me. Standing up, I didn't give her the time to think and wrapped her ponytail around my fist, holding her head still while placing my mouth on hers as she opened it to protest.
Her fists hit my chest, wanting to get away from my grasp, but I didn't let her. Instead, her hiss allowed me to put my tongue inside her mouth. The familiar taste of her filled me and I groaned in pleasure. I was a starving man who’d found his first sip of water in a desert, as cliché as it sounded. The dreams of her taste haunted me in my nightmares, as memories were the only things left of our love, or so I thought. Even if nothing else convinced me she was mine, this would have sealed the deal. No one felt like her, and no one else ever would.
Rosa stopped struggling and tilted her head back, allowing me deeper contact. Her hands slid from my six-pack to my shoulders and finally reached my neck. As she wrapped her arms around it, she pressed harder against me while my hard-on dug in to her stomach. A moan escaped her while my hands clenched her ass and brought her off the ground, essentially making her wrap her legs around my waist. God, I was dying to place her on the nearest surface and fuck her brains out until she forgot about everything else but us. Maybe that would speed up her temporary memory loss, or whatever fucked-up name her diagnosis was called. Unable to resist, I glided my palm under her shirt, needing to feel her ba
re skin and fuck me, it was as soft as I remembered. My lungs burned from the desire to breathe, but I couldn't let go. Not now, maybe not fucking ever.
But her needs always came first, and palming my face, she removed her mouth from mine, gulping the air while my lips shifted to her neck, leaving open-mouthed kisses on her skin. My fists clenched on her back from the inability to mark her, as I couldn't expose our connection for now. Running my tongue through the silver chain of my cross, I grinned at the fact she still had it and never took off. Thank fuck for that.
Resting my forehead on hers, we breathed heavily, and I was ready to push her against the wall and do the deed, especially knowing how much she wanted me. She kept grinding against me, wanting to find the friction, which I guessed probably confused the hell out of her.
“Hey, Connie, have you seen Angelica? They told me she should be in the ER.” Oliver’s voice echoed in the room, despite the usual hospital noise, and we both stilled for a second. Then, she quickly demanded with her body language for me to put her down. We barely had time to separate and smooth out our clothes, when he stepped inside, his eyes widening as his gaze moved between us.
“Dominic.” He frowned, but still extended his free hand to me and I shook it. Be it the example of my fucking patience that I didn't crush it in my grip, hating Oliver just for the sake of being my Rosa’s fiancé. Guilty or not, in that moment, I wished to kill him. “What an unexpected meeting.” Shifting his attention to Rose, he smiled softly and brushed his knuckles over her cheek, while she forced happiness onto her face—as if the appearance of this fucker brought her any joy.