Page 9 of Bound to the Crime Lord

Now it made sense why Grace had been looking at me like that. She had mistaken the face of the devil for an angel. Didn’t she know that Lucifer had been the most beautiful of all the angels, and yet look at how he had turned out?

“You’re not sick.”

“And how do you know that,amor?”

His brown eyes liquified, giving way to a lighter shade of caramel to peek through. How could a man known for such malice and destruction look so… beautiful? The world truly was a strange and unruly place.

“Don't call me that,” I quipped. “I am not your lover.”

“You could be.” His eyes danced with mischief. “You would like that, no?”

“I would far rather walk on molten lava than to be your lover, Manuel.” This man brought out the aggression in me. The last thing I wanted to be dealing with right now was an evil drug lord. “Don't you have better things to do?”

“I’m having fun right where I am.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “Are you not having a good time,amor?”

I balled my fist at my sides. I closed my eyes, trying to stop the anger from bubbling up to the surface.

“There are actual patients who need these beds, Manuel. So, unless you actually have something wrong with you, please leave.”

“I find your tone rather rash. Is that any way to talk to the newest donor of your hospital?”

I stilled. “What?”

“Did you just think any old riff-raff had 2 million dollars lying around to spare? In this economy? I think not.”

“You’re the person who donated to the pathology lab, and the one who donated to the echo machines that help to oxygenate blood?”

The very machines that were helping my brother to stay alive.

“What can I say? I love to help the community. It’s a deep and great passion of mine.”

“You’re a liar.”

“And pray tell,amor, why would I lie about this? I will raise you one better, how would I even know about the donation?”

I clamped my mouth shut. I thought over his words, and he was right. There was no way that he would know about the donation. Unless, of course, he was on the board of directors, and as far as I knew, he wasn’t .

Unless… “Are you a director?”

He quirked his eyebrow up at me. “And if I am?”

“Then I need to start applying to new programs, because I can’t stay here knowing that you are at the helm.”

“You wound me,amor. Am I truly that bad of a man that you would choose to leave the number one hospital in the state?”

“Yes, you are.” I didn’t hesitate in my answer. “You gang of hooligans is the reason I see so many overdose and gunshot wound cases.”

“And how is that my fault? Am I the one forcing this stuff down their throats and noses?”

“You’re enabling them.”

“And who said I am? I am simply but a humble businessman. I came here as a young baby with my parents when I was three years old. How am I, an honest and hardworking man, contributing to gun violence and drug overdose?”

He had some nerves.

“I can see from all of this you are doing very well. There is no need for me to look you over. Good day, Mr. Gomez.”

I turned, ready to make a run from this place.

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