Page 7 of Kiss of Ruin (Brutal Empire)

It’s the cold hard man that arrived after Luis died.

What happened to the man who showed up that night, under the stars? A tear slips down my cheek and I furiously brush it away. How can I keep falling into the same trap over and over again? Men who pretend they want me only to fill a need. Then throw me away because it’s not convenient. Losing my parents had been tough, but the pain at being discarded over and over again had overshadowed anything else.

I can’t figure out how I never saw it. The man who came to my bed was nothing like the man who I watched fuck the server from the closet. There had to be clues I didn’t see. Something, I didn’t want to see.

Had he fucked me simply to get me on his side in the business? His anger at Carlos and Andreas was real the day they told us to divide the business. Did Nico find a way around what he saw as the biggest obstacle?

I can’t make myself believe that. I am not worthless. There’s no way that the universe would send two men to use me for what they wanted.

The ache in my chest throbs as I stare out the window. Where do I go from here?

The door opens. I know that no one is coming to see me. Nico said an hour. And if Nico is anything, he’s punctual.

The orderly lays a tray on the table by my bed. “I made sure you got pancakes this morning.” Her eyes crinkle at the corners when she smiles. I don’t have the heart to tell her that I’m not hungry.. She’s been the only one here to talk to me besides the doctors and the nurses.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” She scurries out the room, likely onto the next person on the floor. I push the table away.

When the door opens later, I’m not surprised to see my doctors followed by two of the guards who had been taking me places before I’d been shot.

“Mrs. Romero,” the doctor says. “I’ve been told your care is being transferred to Miami.. Is this correct?”

I want to say no. To tell her that I’m staying in New York, but I know that if Nico wants me in Miami. He’ll find a way to get me there regardless of my feelings on the matter. “I am. My family found a rehab facility there. They think the sun and warm air will be good for me.”

“Very well. I have your discharge paperwork ready. A nurse will be in soon with instructions for dressing changes until you reach the new facility.”

“Mrs. Romero will be heading to the airport directly from the hospital.”

I couldn’t tell if the words were for my doctor or for me to hear. Almost as if they were words of warning. If the doctor still wasn’t in the room, I’d let these assholes have it. No matter what is going on in my personal life, if there’s one lesson I learned from Luis worth remembering, it’s to always keep up appearances.

My doctor gives a sharp nod in his directions, then turns and walks out the door.

Slowly, so they don’t miss anything, I turn my focus in their direction. “Don’t you ever speak for me again.”

The one who opened his mouth puffs up his chest and opens his mouth to say something I don’t want to hear.

“I don’t give a good goddamn who told you to do what. You will shut your mouth ad get the hell out of my room before I make sure this is the last job you ever have.” I ball my hands into fists. “I may be stuck in this hospital bed, but I will not have you ignore who I am. Do you understand?”

It takes a minute until both men are walking out my door. The minute they do, my muscles loosen and pain radiates up my back. How did I get here? Nico so easily dismisses me, then I am shipped off to Florida with only Tweedledee and Tweedledum standing outside my door. Watching them stand there like they had some kind of control over my life.

I want to scream and yell, but I refuse to draw more attention to myself.

I bite my lip, refusing to let the tears come. The feeling of helplessness overcomes me. I can’t help protect my family. I can’t do anything. Elena DeLuca took everything away from me again.

This time when the door opens, the nurse is pushing a wheelchair and the two goons from earlier her follow her inside.

“Hello, Mrs. Romero. I’m going to help you get dressed.”

“I don’t have anything to wear. I haven’t seen the clothes I had on that day.”

She holds up a bag. “They brought clothes with them.” She looks behind her. “You can wait outside.” The one in the front looks at me and I narrow my eyes at them. The look on my face is enough to convey my displeasure and they walk back out the door.

“Those two sure are something.” She sets the clothes on the bed and lowers the railing next to me. “Let’s hope they brought something you can pull over your head. We can do pants, but I’m afraid it might be uncomfortable for us to pull them up.”

Even though I hadn’t seen her since that first day, I could only hope that Sofia grabbed something from my closet. I didn’t want to mention that I probably didn’t have any loungewear. It had always been frowned upon. The nurse reached in and pulled out a long green sundress. Nothing formal but it was still dignified enough if anyone happened to be watching us leave.

Appearances are everything.

---