Page 18 of Deadly Intentions

“I’m so sorry. I should have told you from the start that I was just out of a relationship.”

“Engaged.” He corrected.

“What?” I shook my head.

“You mean you were engaged. And now he’s back.”

“It’s… complicated.” My hands twisted as I talked. “I don’t want to go home, and he won’t move here.”

“Are you in love with him?” Alex’s eyes filled with sadness as he waited for my reply.

“I—" I blew out a breath. I couldn’t lie—no matter how hurtful it would be. “I don’t think I’ll ever not be in love with him. I just don’t think we can be together. Like I said, it’s—”

“Complicated,” he finished for me. “Look. I like you, a lot. But if you were mine, I’d be doing exactly what he’s doing. Fighting for you. If things don’t work out. I’ll be here to help pick up the pieces—even if it’s just as your friend. But the way he looks at you…” Alex swallowed. “I won’t be the thing that comes between you two.”

This man was more honorable than I could ever be. “Thank you. For what it’s worth, I think I could have liked you back.” I smiled. “Any luck on John Doe’s identity?” Even though Donny had already identified him, and we knew who laid in the bed inside the room behind me, I asked Alex anyway.

“No. I’m going to try and reach out to some more contacts. Let me know if he wakes up.”

“I will.” I hugged him goodbye and watched as he headed toward the elevator. He was a good man, but my heart was tangled up with the one probably stewing inside the patient’s room.

As soon as I stepped in, Donny shoved the door closed and pinned me to the wall.

“Cousin?” He shoved his knee between my legs. The friction of his jeans against my scrubs had my insides tingling with desire. “Does your cousin kiss you like this?” His mouth descended against mine, reminding me why I would never be able to fully walk away from him. Donny was a drug and I was the addict.

“No,” I whispered when he pulled away.

“Don’t you forget it. Now.” He released me and looked back at the bigger problem in the room. “We’ve got to talk about this.”

“What’s there to talk about? We can’t call Massimo yet. Not until, we’re sure.”

“I am sure, Catarina. And the sooner you accept it, the sooner we can make the call.” He walked to the bedside and cradled John Doe’s hand in his. “They need to know Michael is alive.”

eleven

CATARINA

I slumpedinto the chair beside Michael’s bed. Knowing it was him made being in the room feel different. I wasn’t just his nurse anymore—I was the only family he had and the reality of that made my insides churn with indecision. Antonio and Rachel deserved to know he was alive, but I couldn’t bring myself to make the call. Donny had agreed to sit on it for a few days, especially since the family didn’t know he had found me. The phone call would be difficult in more ways than I was ready for.

“We need to deal with your boss, Cuore Mio.” Donny ran his palm down the back of my head and twined his fingers in the strands of my ponytail.

For as long as I could remember, he’d always called me Cuore Mio—his heart. Before we’d crossed over from me being his best friend’s sister to the woman he loved, I didn’t understand why he’d given me the nickname. We were only a few years apart in age and had practically grown up together. He was always the boy I couldn’t have… despite the schoolgirl crush I had on him. As I got older and realized I didn’t want to be part of the family business, I learned Donny was someone out of my reach. Too bad my heart hadn’t got the memo.

I blew out a breath and stood. “I need to make my rounds.”

“Catarina.” Donny’s voice rumbled with warning.

“No.” I turned toward him, pressing my hand to his chest. “I have a job to do, and I won’t let you get in the way of that. We will deal with Dr. Brooks later.”

The door opened to the room, causing both of us to turn toward the visitor. Harley stopped abruptly and looked suspiciously between us. I could tell by her expression she had questions about Donny’s sudden presence in town.

“Um… Dr. Brooks is looking for you.”

The unmistakable sound of Donny’s displeasure with her announcement reverberated through the room. Harley’s eyebrows raised at his response and shot me a look of concern.

“I’ll go see him.” I moved to walk around Donny but was halted by his hand wrapping around my bicep.

“I don’t like it,” he whispered, but not soft enough to keep Harley from hearing him.

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