Page 25 of Sebastian

“So, someone really tried to kill you. Have you contacted the police? Do they have any idea who it is? Oh, is this because you’re a private investigator? Does it have something to do with one of your cases?”

Bastian tipped his head to the side in thought, then flinched. I’d read in his notes that he had whiplash on top of everything else. Every movement he made was going to hurt for a while.

Still holding onto me with one hand, he used the other to rub the back of his neck. “It might be related to one of our cases, but... there is another possibility.” He hesitated, obviously debating with himself over what he was about to say.

I waited in silence for him to come to a decision. We had all the time in the world. I wasn’t going anywhere.

“What do you know about the Italian mafia?”

Such an out of the blue question caused my brain to stop working for a moment as I struggled to comprehend what I was being asked.

“Not much. I mean, I’ve seen the Godfather a few times, but that’s probably not accurate.”

Bastian shrugged, and even that small movement made him squint against the pain. “I wouldn’t know. I could never bring myself to watch the movie. It... it hit too close to home. I need you to understand a few things. Some of which may come as a shock but no matter what you need to keep this information to yourself for our safety. When I was eighteen and Daz was twenty—his real name is actually Damien—our parents were killed by the mafia.”

Of all the things I expected to hear, a connection to the mafia was not something I was prepared for. My noncommittal “Oh,” probably didn’t inspire a lot of confidence, but Bastian kept talking anyway. It was like, once he started explaining, he couldn’t stop until he reached the end.

“I don’t know what our parents did to get the mafia’s attention. If they were innocent, or if they were mixed up in something they shouldn’t have been. Whatever the reason, it must have been important for the Mafia Boss, a man named David Russo, to personally kill them himself. My brother and I saw it happen. We were determined to testify against that monster and make him pay for what he did to our parents. It worked. He went to jail, though not for as long as I would have liked. However, as soon as we testified in court, my brother and I became marked men. Russo’s men came after us, so we had to go into witness protection.”

“At least you had some protection. So that’s good, right?” I tried to sound as positive as possible, but Bastian was already shaking his head.

“No. Russo must have had people inside the FBI. He found out where we were and his goons tried to kill us again. Almost succeeded that time. My brother and I went on the run. We hid from both the mafia and the FBI after that. It worked. We stayed alive, and eventually, it seemed like everyone forgot about us. We’ve managed to live peacefully for years now, but...” He trailed off, lost in memories I could only guess at.

However, I didn’t need to guess the end of the story. That was as obvious as the stitches on Bastian’s forehead. “Now you’re worried that this David Russo Mafia Boss dude has found you again.”

Bastian didn’t even try to deny it. He just immediately agreed while looking down at our clasped hands. “I know this is a lot, especially after only knowing each other for a week. You didn’t sign up for all this. Maybe it’s better if we—”

I cut him off before he could finish that thought. “If you’re about to break up with me out of some heroic need to protect me, don’t. Get that thought out of your head right now.” I shook my hand free from his grip, but rather than leave, I leaned closer to hug him as gently as I could.

“I know I don’t seem like the strongest person. I’m weird and I’m small. I have no experience with the kind of hardships that you’ve described. In fact, compared to what you’ve been through, my life has been pretty easy up until now. However, I’m not such a coward that I would run away from someone who’s in danger. People tried to kill you tonight. That’s not a reason to leave you. That’s a reason to protect you.”

When I felt Bastian’s arms wrap around my waist to embrace me, I couldn’t help myself. I caught his mouth in a kiss. I meant for it to be a chaste gesture, but it ended up being much more passionate than intended.

Bastian must have been about to speak when I kissed him, because his mouth was slightly open. My tongue automatically slipped between his lips. Bastian gasped, startled at first.

I could understand the reaction. I’d startled myself as well, but I didn’t back down. My mouth stayed locked with his, and after a moment, he relaxed into the kiss. His hand even cradled the back of my head and pulled me closer.

I would have preferred our first proper kiss to be when we were both whole and healthy, but a kiss was still a kiss. Just as I’d expected, Bastian was an excellent kisser. He was gentle, yet demanding as he tipped my head to the side so he could devour me properly. I felt the thrill of it all the way down to my toes and moaned against his mouth.

When we needed to breathe, we parted as little as possible so that our lips continued to brush. Then, once we’d caught our breath, we came together again, even more desperate than before.

There was no telling how long the kiss lasted. The only thing that mattered was that Bastian was here, in my arms, and not dead at the bottom of a river somewhere.

Eventually, we reached a point where we either had to stop, or risk getting kicked out of the hospital for indecent exposure. We pulled apart and I sat up straight. Most of my hair had broken free from its ponytail to hang messily around my face. It didn’t even really count as a ponytail, just a tuft of hair at the back of my head. Frankie called it my rabbit tail, and I had to admit the description fit.

One day I would have to either cut it or commit to growing it long.

Still breathing heavily, I finger-combed my hair back into some semblance of order, though there was nothing I could do about my swollen lips or the blush staining my face. Anyone who looked at me would instantly know I’d just been kissed within an inch of my life.

I tried to speak, but my voice came out in an embarrassing squeak. Clearing my throat, I tried again with slightly better results.

“I don’t have a lot to offer. I can’t fight off the bad guys for you. But I am a nurse, and you’re injured. Those two things go hand in hand. So, while I may not be able to protect you, I can at least help you with your wounds.”

For the first time since arriving at the hospital, Bastian smiled. “Oh, really. You’re going to be my personal nurse? I’m honored.”

“You better be honored. I don’t offer this kind of service to just anyone.” I propped myself up against the pillow next to him and leaned my head on his shoulder, one of the few places I knew he wasn’t injured. “Just so you know, Mr. Roth, I don’t play nurse for free. I expect compensation. Preferably in the form of more kisses.”

My head jostled when he laughed. He tried to hide his gasp as the movement aggravated his injuries, but I still heard.

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