Page 21 of Vincenzo's Promise
Isabella
Wasn’t it funny how things in life worked out?
Since our first date, Vincenzo had taken every opportunity available to make this transition easy for me. He sent flowers and called every day, sometimes twice a day, to see how my day was going or to let me know he was thinking about me. There had even been times where we talked for hours when I had a rare day off, joking, laughing, and blurring the lines when it came to what this was between us. Our conversations often went from casual or joking to ones filled with sexual tension and innuendos. There wasn’t any doubt Vincenzo and I were playing an extremely dangerous but exhilarating game with our feelings for one another. Hopefully neither of us would get hurt in the process.
However, today was one of those days I desired that type of conversation with him. I needed him to make my day better. My phone rang just as soon as I made it to my car after working a long and busy twelve-hour shift in the emergency room.
I tossed my messenger bag into the passenger seat, pulled my phone out of my jacket pocket, and slid into the driver’s side, shutting the door. “Hey, Zo,” I said, locking the door and resting my head back against the headrest. “You always know when to call. I needed to hear your voice.”
“Rough day?” he asked.
“The worst of it was two gunshot victims, one car accident, and I lost someone on the table a few hours ago.” I rubbed my eyes. “So, it’s been pretty shitty.”
“I’m so sorry, Bella.” He sighed. “But baby, you can’t save everyone. You did what you could.”
“I know, but it still sucks.”
I closed my eyes, pushing the memories of the teenage boy who’d lost his life today after being shot. Losing someone was the worst part of the job, especially when that person had their entire life ahead of them, only to die because of something stupid. I’d become a doctor to save lives. To keep people from experiencing the pain of death like I had, so when I failed, it hit me hard. But I didn’t want to dwell on it. I wanted him to take my mind off it.
“How was your day?” I asked, changing the subject.
“Not as bad as yours, I’m sure, but hectic as always. Right now, I’m on my way to a business meeting, but I wanted to talk to you so I didn’t disturb you once you got home. You need to rest, Bella. You’ve been working too much.”
“You’ve been going nonstop too, Zo.” I laughed despite the heaviness in my heart. Zo was always telling me to rest, but his schedule was just a hectic as mine. He was always on the move. “Says the man who never sleeps.”
“There ain’t no rest for the wicked, my sweet Bella,” he responded, with humor in his voice. “No rest.”
Vincenzo never discussed his business dealings for the De Maio clan, and I never asked. He was aCapo, a boss, and while I didn’t grow up in the life, I knew what that meant—he traveled all the time, and it wasn’t always for his legitimate businesses. Those meetings he spoke freely about. When he was on his way to a meeting and didn’t expound on the details, it was for the De Maio clan.
“As your doctor, Mr. De Maio, I’m prescribing you sleep.”
“My doctor?” he asked. “I like the sound of that. Can you wear just the white coat and nothing else when I come for my checkup?”
“You would like that, huh?” I asked, yawning.
“Hell yeah.” He laughed. “We need to take a trip. Get away for a few days. How does that sound?”
“It sounds wonderful...if I can get the time off.”
“Just think about it.” He mumbled something to someone in the background. “Bella, I’ve got to go, sweetheart, but make sure you send me a text when you get home.”
“I will. And Zo?”
“Yeah, beautiful?”
“Be careful.”
He didn’t respond.
“Zo? Did you hear me?”
“Yeah, I heard you. I’m always careful.”
He ended the call.
I placed my phone in the passenger seat, sent up a silent prayer for Vincenzo, and then made my way home. Whatever he was doing was dangerous, and I wanted him to be safe and make it out of alive. The men of his world were ruthless, but strangely, I hoped he was worse than they were, if that meant he would be safe.
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