Page 5 of Betraying the Mafia Boss

“Do what?”

“You always look so full of energy, even when you’re tired. I’m jealous.”

“You shouldn’t be.” If she knew everything about me, I doubt she’d find one reason for jealousy.

Naomi and I met in our first year in nursing school. We bonded over a project and we’ve been friends ever since.

Best friends? Maybe not.

Naomi thinks I’m her best friend and she tells everyone that, but I don’t think we’re best friends because best friends don’t keep secrets from each other the way I am.

I like Naomi. She’s the only person I care about asides my Nana, but there secrets I can’t reveal for her own good—secrets about the reason I suddenly transferred to LifePlus Hospital.

“What are you doing this weekend?” she asks as we climb into an elevator and I press the button for the ninth floor. We have to report to the hospital director before we’re allowed to go home.

I shrug. “Sleeping all day, I guess.”

She raises her head briefly to look at me. “Isa, you’re only twenty-six. You should at least have a boyfriend to visit or go out hunting for one.”

She’s not entirely wrong, but her information is not up to date. I’m already hunting for a man—Vincent Romano, and I’m not excited about it in the least.

“Anyway,” she continues, “Miles asked me on a date on Friday night. I’m super excited but I have no idea what to wear.”

I’m happy for Naomi, she’s had the longest crush on Miles. But I’m too troubled by my own problems to actually be giddy about her upcoming date. And I’m not the type to feign happiness or fake a smile.

“You have a closet full of clothes, Naomi. I think one of them should do.”

She rolls her eyes and groans. “You know I can’t wear one of those. He’s seen me in most of them.” She thinks for a moment. “How about we go do some shopping after work tomorrow?”

The elevator grinds to a halt before I can answer. I’m grateful for the interruption. Naomi will sulk all night if I tell her I’ll be busy this weekend. I guess I can just tell her when she calls.

I can lie and say my Nana has a tooth ache and I need to take her to the dentist, or I can pretend to be sick.

Don’t get me wrong, I wish I could live like a normal twenty-six-year-old. Go to parties on weekends, meet a really hot guy I’d have fantastic sex with and date, but those are luxuries that are out of reach for me. For now, at least. The only thing that matters to me now is paying off my brother’s debt and living happily ever after with my Nana.

It’s not much, but given the situation I’m in, I think it will do.

My dead brother, Phil, became involved with the mafia after he stole a million dollars’ worth of drugs. He paid for it with his life and now me and my Nana are paying for it with our lives, too.

I’m so carried away by my thoughts I don’t realize when we reach the director’s office until Naomi pokes me.

She’s staring at me with wide eyes. “Did you even hear anything I said?”

“Yes,” I lied. Lying comes easy to me now, it was never that way before.

Naomi folds her arms, pursing her lips and narrowing her eyes suspiciously on me. “What did I say?”

I feel like I’ve been caught in the act of doing something really wrong, or is it wrong I’m lying to my best friend? I can’t tell. My sense of morality has been warped lately. “I’m sorry…” I scratch my head. “I didn’t hear you.”

Her pretty face is marred with concern. “You seem off recently, Isa. Is everything okay? You know you can always talk to be about anything.”

Tears prickle my eyes and I’m a deep breath away from breaking into a sob, but I do a decent job at not showing I’m breaking apart inside. “You worry too much, Naomi. I’m fine, just really exhausted.”

“You’re sure?”

“Trust me.” I loop my arm through hers this time around and knock on the director’s door. It’s a double-black door with Dr. Phil written boldly on a small signboard hanging on it. Hospital Director is written in italics right below his name.

There’s no answer and I raise my hand to knock a second time when I hear something that makes me go rigid.

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