Page 24 of Twisted Knight

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I felt really good this afternoon. The session I just had with my patient was very productive and I felt useful. This was the main reason why I had decided to become a psychologist. I saw the trauma, the pain, and I wanted to help. I’d wanted to help people get some inner peace.

“India, can I see you for a minute?”

I stopped at the bottom of the stairs, looking at Luca leaning against the threshold of the small library.

Luca was a nice man, but he was not the type to chitchat; that much was clear.

“Um, yeah, sure. Is Cassie okay? I was just about to go make her some tea.”

He nodded with a small smile, easing some of my worry. “Yes, she’s okay. I was just up there; she is taking a nap. It won’t be long.” He moved from his spot in front of the door in a silent invitation for me to follow him in.

Once I walked in, he closed the door and gestured me to the brown leather chair across from the fireplace.

“Did I do something wrong?” I asked, worried about myself now. He was a Mafia boss after all.

“No, of course not,” he scoffed, sitting across from me. “Thank you for taking care of Cassie the way you do. She can’t stop raving about the pressure points that ease her pain or the herbal teas that are doing wonders for her stomach and other little issues.”

I shrugged, unsure where he was going with that. “You’re more than welcome. It’s no trouble. Cassie is adorable.”

He nodded. “She really is,” he confirmed, a small tender smile sprouting in the corner of his scarred mouth.

“And the herbal tea is nothing special. My mother trained as a holistic doula; I learned a lot with her.”

“Yes.” He sighed, looking toward the unused fireplace. “The doctor will perform a C-section on Cassie; she is scheduled in two weeks.” He studied me with his keen eyes. “You don’t seem surprised.”

I shook my head. “I’m not. I suspected that much. Cassie is tiny and she is quite big with still four weeks to go, but you know twins rarely go to term, and a C-section might be the safest for the three of them.”

“Yes, so he said, and he knows better than to lie to a capo, am I right?”

My heart sank in my stomach. He knew that I knew.Fuck you, Dom!

“This is actually what I wanted to talk to you about.” He continued when I remained silent.

“I won’t tell anyone. Who would I even tell?”

“No, I know, it’s just—” He looked away, gathering his thoughts. “Dom said you knew most of it.”

“Well, I know the rumors.”

He gave me a side-look. “Let's drop pretenses, shall we? I’m the East Coast Capo of the Italian Mafia.”

I tried to keep my face smooth as my mind screamed,Lord, just walk away; you don't want to hear that. You’ll end up dead!But all I said was “Okay?”

I might not have fooled him as well as I hoped because he quickly continued. “I’m not going to hurt you, and neither will Dom even if I know he has been a little mean to you.”

I snorted. “Ah, don’t sell him short. He has been a complete ass.”

Luca laughed. “That’s Dom,” he confirmed. “I’ll ask him to back down.”

I waved my hand dismissively. “I’m used to bullying. Let him give me his best.”

Luca frowned. “You don’t really look or act like a girl who’s been bullied.”

“I’m a half-Indian girl—called ‘India.’ How do you think school went for me?”

He grimaced.

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