Page 27 of Savage Vow (Mafia Marriages 3)

12

Karina

“Are you planning on following me into the bathroom too?” I ask.

Francesco is on my heels, escorting me from the parking garage into the hospital. “I do what I have to for the job,” he says.

“Aurielo already told you, I can’t have you following me onto the floor with the patients. You have to wait in the lobby.”

He snorts, unsatisfied, but as we enter the hallway and approach the lobby, he grunts.

“If you plan on leaving, you come and get me. I’ll take you to lunch or home when you’re done,” he says.

I have half a mind to leave his ass and escape, but they know where I live, and if Francesco or Alessandro show up at my house, they might not realize Ivy is my sister. And I don’t want them meeting Ashton or getting wind that I have a son.

“Fine. You will be my first phone call. Oh right, I don’t have a phone.”

Francesco rolls his eyes. “Aren’t you going to be late?”

Is he trying to get rid of me?

“Just stay. Okay? No causing any trouble, and don’t tell anyone that you know me.” I don’t need more problems following me around.

“Got it.” Francesco sits and reaches for a nearby newspaper on a side table.

I hurry to the elevator and hit the button for the pediatric unit. In a matter of minutes, I’m upstairs getting changed into scrubs and tennis shoes in my locker and rushing down to the nurses’ station to start my day.

I trip over my feet but right myself at the desk before landing face-first on the floor.

Jocelyn, a fellow nurse and one of my best friends, glances at me. I don’t have to say anything for her to know I’m going through hell. Our friendship has solidified over the years through the difficulties of the job.

It’s never easy when a patient dies or sitting with the grieving parents, especially when that patient is a child.

“You look like you just ran here from your apartment. And you’re late. Is everything okay?” Jocelyn asks.

I had already phoned the hospital that I’d be late for my shift because of an appointment. I didn’t elaborate that it was because I was getting married.

Jocelyn’s eyes widen, and she grabs my left hand, bringing my ring finger to her face. “You got married and didn’t invite me? Girl, you know we can’t wear jewelry on the shift.”

“I forgot.”

“To invite me or take off the diamond? I bet that thing is heavy,” Jocelyn says.

She isn’t wrong. It is heavy, but mostly it’s the emotional weight more than the actual giant diamond ring.

“Walk with me,” Jocelyn says and gestures for us to head back to drop off the ring in the locker.

“There isn’t much to say.”

I’m bad at lying, especially to my best friend.

Her green eyes tighten. Jocelyn glances over her shoulder. “Are you worried about someone else overhearing? It’s me you’re talking to.”

I’ve never lied to Jocelyn. Not even when I was pregnant with Ashton. She was one of the first people I told my secret but not this time.

Telling her might put her life in danger.

It’s not like I went on a trip to Vegas and married a handsome stranger.

---