I’d offended him when I told him not to kiss me, I could tell. Obviously, he wasn't used to being told no, and I was uncharted territory for him. It was only natural for him to want to explore that, but I knew it would lead us to an untimely end. Better to keep things professional and not let them get under my skin.
But, of course, it was too late for that. They had managed to burrow under my heart, lodging in my rib cage as securely as my bones. Noah saw me, truly saw me, when I was trapped in the hospital with vicious coworkers who would sooner see me fall than accept that I knew what I was talking about when I told them they’d kill someone one day. The ones who were lazy put the patients at risk and made the good nurses’ jobs harder, and I didn't put up with it. In return, they treated me like I was stupid and beneath them.
Which reminded me that I hadn't been back at work since Noah spoke to Dr. Hogan to determine whether or not the conversation did any good. I didn't even know if the CMO liked me or not, since I mostly dealt with the chief of staff, Dr. Johnson. But hopefully, Noah had enough pull that Hogan actually listened to the complaints and did something for a change. It wasn't even the gossip itself I wanted fixed, but the blatant disregard for proper charting and surgical aftercare.
Since I’d already checked on Benito that morning before I left, I had nothing to do with the rest of my day, so I decided to see if I could stream the movie he’d tried to watch with me before I’d fallen asleep. It might give me something to discuss with him the next time I saw him.
Unfortunately, I found it as mind-numbingly boring as the first watch, but instead of letting myself fall asleep, I cleaned the apartment while it played. It wasn't a bad movie; it simply wasn't my preferred genre. Still, I tried to retain the major plot pointsso I could bring them up later. My memory was unfortunately stellar; there were plenty of things I wished I could let go of, but couldn't. Instead, I retained most of what I consumed, regardless of the medium.
With nothing else to occupy my time, I went to bed early, knowing I would have to face the Costa men the next day and explain why I bailed.
When I arrived the following morning, I was shocked to see Benito standing in front of the windows overlooking the park. His suit was dark gray, including a vest buttoned over a black dress shirt. Rings adorned his fingers, and a heavy silver chain hung around his neck. When he turned to face me, I felt betrayal slice through me.
Here was the consummate gangster in his element. Here was Benito Costa, who might as well becapo dei capiof the local New York crime syndicate families. Gone was the frail, sickly man I’d first been introduced to. Gone was the sweet older gentleman I’d fooled myself into believing cared about me.
“Mr. Costa, you’re looking especially healthy today.”
“We’ve dispensed with the friendliness of Benito, then?” he replied.
I dipped my head, digging out my stethoscope and sphygmomanometer. “You appear to have gotten miraculously better overnight.”
“Not miraculously, but with your help.”
The tips of my ears burned. “You think the incentive spirometer was the key to survival, do you?”
He smiled gently, and my stomach did somersaults. “All the advice you gave me, the care and proper instructions, those are what helped me. I listened to you after I ignored the hospital.”
“And why is that?”
Benito sat on a dining chair. “I’d convinced myself I was dying one way or the other, so what difference did it make? At least I could go out on my terms.”
By then, my stomach had settled in my toes. “Are you telling me I convinced you to live?”
Meeting my gaze, he said simply, “Yes.”
I sensed he was being truthful, at least as far as he was able. I also had the feeling he was a master manipulator, but he couldn't fake smoke inhalation after his diagnosis of pneumonia complicated by COPD.
“If you’re doing so well, what do you need me for?”
“You need to ensure I stay healthy, at least for a little while. Who knows if I might relapse without your gentle guidance?"
I couldn't bite back the snort. “No one has ever called me gentle.”
Since he was seated, I took his vitals the same as every day. And, yeah, I’d noticed yesterday he had improved; I just didn't think he was suddenly cured the way he seemed to be today.
When he grasped my hand the way he always did, I had to struggle not to pull back. Something had shifted between us, and I couldn't pinpoint exactly what. “What did Noah have to say about your recovery?”
“Why don’t you ask him?” Benito replied.
“Because I don't see him here.”
“He’s in his room next door.”
Naturally, they’d want to stay together. But that meant Noah was close after I’d let myself pretend he wasn't around. The last thing I wanted was to run into him when my feelings were so tangled.
“He’s happy,cara mio. With my progress, with your treatment plan. With us both.”
I struggled to keep my face neutral. “Good.”
