Page 5 of The Price of Mercy

Julian was an orphan. His single mother had passed away the previous year after a long battle with cancer. There was no mention of a father, just a mother, who had worked two jobs to put Julian through medical school. Enzo’s jaw tightened as he read that part. He knew what it was like to lose family, to carry that weight. It was a vulnerability, one that made Julian both relatable and dangerous.

The report also noted that Julian had a small circle of friends, mostly colleagues from the hospital. He wasn’t in a relationship, hadn’t been for some time. And then there was the final detail: Julian was gay. Enzo’s eyes lingered on that line for a moment before he closed the folder and set it down on the desk.

But there was more. A separate financial report detailed Julian’s dire situation. Despite his steady job, Julian was drowning in debt. His mother’s medical bills had been astronomical, and Julian had taken on the burden of paying them off after her death.

On top of that, he was still paying off his student loans from medical school. The numbers were staggering; credit card debt, personal loans, and mounting interest that seemed impossible to overcome. Julian’s financial situation was a house of cards, one wrong move away from collapsing entirely.

“Is that all?” he asked, his tone neutral.

Johnny nodded quickly. “Yes, sir. We’ve got eyes on him 24/7, like you ordered. He hasn’t done anything suspicious. Goes to work, comes home, sometimes meets friends for coffee or dinner. That’s about it.”

Enzo leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers as he considered the information. Julian Carter was exactly what he appeared to be; a good man, a dedicated doctor, someone who had no business being tangled up in Enzo’s world. And yet, here they were.

“Good work,” Enzo said finally, his voice calm but firm. “Keep watching him. I want to know if anything changes.”

Johnny nodded again, relief washing over his face. “Yes, sir. I’ll keep you updated.”

As Johnny turned to leave, Enzo stopped him with a raised hand. “One more thing.”

Johnny froze; his blue eyes wide. “Yes, Mr. Moretti?”

“Make sure the surveillance is discreet. I don’t want him spooked. Understood?”

“Understood,” Johnny said quickly before slipping out of the study and closing the door behind him.

Enzo sat in silence for a moment, his gaze drifting to the folder on his desk. Julian Carter was a puzzle, but one that was starting to come into focus. A man who had dedicated his life to saving others, who had lost everything and kept going. A man who had, without hesitation, saved Enzo’s life.

In Enzo’s world, debts were not taken lightly. Julian had stepped into his life, and now Enzo had to decide what to do with him. But one thing was certain: Julian Carter was no longer just a doctor. He was a piece on the board, and Enzo intended to play him carefully.

For now, he would watch and wait. But when the time came, Enzo Moretti would repay his debt; in his own way.

Chapter 4

The Offer

Julian’s day at St. Vincent’s Hospital was as chaotic as ever. The emergency room buzzed with activity; nurses rushing between beds, monitors beeping incessantly, and the constant hum of voices filling the air. Julian moved through it all with practiced ease, his hands steady and his mind focused.

He sutured a deep laceration on a construction worker’s arm, diagnosed a case of appendicitis, and managed to calm a panicked mother whose toddler had swallowed a coin. It was just another day in the life of an ER doctor, and Julian was good at his job. But today, his mind kept drifting back to the events of nearly a month ago.

As he washed his hands in the sink, his thoughts wandered to Enzo Moretti. The memory of that night was etched into his mind; the blood, the fear, the way Enzo’s dark eyes had locked onto his as he revealed who he was. Julian had known, even then, that he was in over his head.

But what had haunted him most were the two men who had come to take Enzo away. They had been terrifying, their presence suffocating, and Julian had been certain they would killhim to tie up loose ends. And yet, they hadn’t. They’d left him alive, and he hadn’t heard a word from them, or Enzo, since.

Why am I still alive?

Julian thought, drying his hands on a paper towel.

They could’ve killed me. They should’ve killed me. So why didn’t they?

The question gnawed at him, a constant undercurrent to his thoughts. He had spent the past few weeks looking over his shoulder, jumping at every unexpected sound, waiting for the other shoe to drop. But nothing had happened. Life had gone on as usual, and Julian had started to wonder if maybe, just maybe, he’d gotten lucky. Maybe Enzo and his men had decided he wasn’t worth the trouble.

But deep down, Julian knew better. People like Enzo Moretti didn’t just let things go. There had to be a reason he was still breathing, and that thought terrified him.

???

By the time Julian’s shift ended, he was exhausted. He changed out of his scrubs, grabbed his coat, and headed home, the weight of the day, and the past month, settling heavily on his shoulders. His apartment was a small, modest space, but it was his sanctuary. Or at least, it had been. Now, it felt like a place where danger could be lurking around every corner.

He unlocked the door and stepped inside, flipping on the light. The familiar sight of his living room greeted him, the worn rugs, the cluttered coffee table, the stack of unpaid bills sitting onhis desk. Julian sighed, running a hand through his hair. The bills were a constant reminder of the life he couldn’t escape. His mother’s medical debt, his student loans, the credit card bills; they were a mountain he couldn’t climb, no matter how hard he worked.

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