Page 19 of Deadly Intentions

“Is there something I need to know about?” Harley stood with her hands on her hips, blocking the door.

“No.” “Yes.” Donny and I spoke at the same time.

“Yes,” he spoke again. “You need to tell her.” Donny pleaded with his eyes.

“I can’t.” Telling Harley what happened would mean telling her I’d lied about my identity.

“Trina.” Harley locked the door and dropped her arms. “If you’re worried about telling me who you are, don’t. I’ve known.” Her admission had me stumbling backwards.

“What?” I bumped into the bed, jostling Michael’s still form. “I don’t—”

Harley held up her hand, silencing me. “You came here with very little background information. Sure, your one reference spoke highly of you and maybe the hospital board bought it. But.” She shook her head and smiled. “I come from a military family and have a need to know everything about my environment. I knew you were hiding or running from something. So, that it, right? You’re in witness protection or something?”

Donny chuckled. “Or something.” He cocked an eyebrow at me and crossed his arms across his chest. “If you don’t tell her, I will.”

“Fine. Fuck.” I clenched my palms, digging my nails into my flesh. “What I am about to tell you cannot leave this room, Harley. Do you understand?”

Harley flicked her eyes between Donny and me. “Ok,” she answered nonchalantly.

“No. I’m serious. It could put you in danger. And you can’t breathe a word to Alex. He of all people doesn’t need to know.”

“Because he’s a cop? Aren’t they supposed to know if someone is in witness protection?”

“Probably. But I’m not in witness protection. I changed my name and moved here because I didn’t want to be associated with my family anymore.”

“Did they hurt you?” She tensed, glancing at Donny on alert. "Is that where the bruises came from? He give them to you?" Her eyes narrowed in on the black and blue marks around my throat.

“No. He definitely did not give me these bruises.” My fingers brushed the marks as I answered her. I realized how stupid I had been running from them to come here. If anything, they would die for me, and I’d tossed that aside for my own selfish needs. “My Donny nor my family would never hurt me—not intentionally. But carnage seems to be part of the family business.”

Harley stared at me intently, waiting for further explanation. “And Donny is here because…” her voice trailed off with the question.

“It seems no matter how far I ran, trouble found me.” My eyes welled with tears. “I’m not from the east like I said. I’m from Vegas. My brothers run the family business there and my father takes care of things in Sicily.” I waited for my words to sink in. If Harley was as smart as I suspected, she would know what I was implying.

“I see.” She flicked her gaze back to Donny. “I assume you’re more than a friend?”

“Yes. Catarina is mine, and I will do whatever it takes to protect her.”

“Yours?” Harley narrowed her eyes at him. “Like property?”

“No. Mine, as in the woman who I’d die for.”

Harley’s eyes widened with surprise. “What about Alex?”

“He knows his place,” Donny growled.

“What kind of trouble are you in—Catarina, was it?””

“Yes. My real name is Catarina Anastasi. But I am really a nurse, and I would never lie about my capabilities. Especially if it put people in harm’s way.” I glanced back at Michael on the hospital bed.

“You know him. Don’t you?”

“Yes. But I’m not ready to reveal that information yet. And honestly, we just realized it. Donny was the one who pointed it out.”

“He has family, after all.” Harley smiled. “I’m glad. But I feel like you’re only telling me bits and pieces. How does Dr. Douche—I mean Brooks, play into this?”

“The less you know, the better.” Donny spoke this time. “But I do not like Catarina being alone with him right now.”

“I’ll send him in here. You’re going to have to come up with a better excuse for your presence, though. He won’t like a stranger being in a patient’s room. Privacy issues and all.”

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